5 things I love and 5 things I hate about alcohol.

Love:
1) That first sip of rum/southern comfort/wine after a hectic week. Amazing how after just one sip I feel so much more relaxed and how, after one glass, that the world is a GREAT place to be.
2) How much better I become at conversation. After two or three drinks, even the most tedious person is fascinating and I am, of course, charm personified.
3) How it makes me forward. If I have a crush on a chap, I simply have to drink in his presence. By the end of the evening I will have suggested what a fabulous idea it is that we have a snog. (Amazingly, I usually get one too.)
4) How two or three drinks stops me feeling hungry or tired.
5) Dancing, laughter and an ability to be sentimental and 'huggy' (not something I am sober - it could be said that I am in fact rather cold with my lack of touchy feelyness) that ensues after a shot of sambuca or two. This is positive as it enables me to show in a tactile fashion how much I love my friends in a way that might make me feel awkward or uncomfortable when sober.

Hate:
1) How sometimes alcohol can make me cry, make me clumsy or become aggressive to random passerbys and vomit on inappropriate occassions. Oh and I must stay away from all forms of communication when drunk. Especially facebook, many a terrible message has been sent over facebook when I have been drinking.
2) McDonalds cheeseburgers (yes, plural) at 2am after too many rum and cokes. Oh the calories.
3) My hangovers don't generally just involve a headache or dehydration but usually an enormous feeling of depression, loneliness and the conviction that everyone on the planet hates me. Even if I haven't said or done anything embarrassing the night before. Oh yes, and the inability to sleep through my hangovers is a total killer. It doesn't matter what time I get to bed, if I have been drinking, I will be wide awake just four hours later, conscious of every second of my pain.
4) Want a secret out of me? Just get me drunk. Alcohol is like truth juice to me and I can't stop my bloody mouth. You won't even have to interrogate me, I'll just happily blab all my secrets without any forethought. Especially sexual secrets. I'm very good at confessing those.
5) Alcohol poo the next morning, from me or anyone else. I need say no more.

Cutting down...

Check out this web page from NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Hangover/Pages/Introduction.aspx
I took part in this little test about alcohol consumption and erm, I'm terrified by the results. Apparently "drinking at this level could lead to you developing health and relationship problems."
WHAT?! So I'm on a one way street to liver disease and being alone forever?! 
I don't even think I drink that much, yeah I go out, I'm a young person, but I don't have a drink problem, I drink just as much as everyone else around me, and I only drink socially, I don't need a bottle of wine on a night in while sitting in front of the telly on my own. So, with that in mind I actually drink probably a lot less than some people. So I'm ok, right? 
Well apparently not.
Anyway, I'm now shit scared and I'm going to cut down. This also helps me towards my healthier lifestyle resolution.
This is not an easy task in the festive season but the NHS have kindly given me five tips:
1) Work out a daily limit and stick to it. Wow, this is like AA. Hmmm, shall we say 1 maximum during the week and then three maximum on a Friday or a Saturday?
2) Do more activities that don't involve drinking. Like Hula Hooping? Or maybe I should take Flamenco dancing classes, I quite fancy that.
3) Eat before and while you are drinking
4) Don't let anyone 'top up' your drinks
5) Tell your friends you're cutting down - Friends! I'm cutting down.