Alcohol and Inhibitions
I’m still learning to have fun while sober.
This essay originally appeared in the Exploring Sobriety newsletter.
I’ve been sober for nearly seven years, but sometimes, I still feel like I’m learning how to have fun without alcohol.
Last night, I went to a language exchange at a local bar. In case you’ve never heard of these events, the basic idea is that people from different countries get together to practice speaking one another’s languages.
The main focus is on improving your language skills, but it’s also a nice way to make friends and just have fun. I’ve been going to a lot of them since moving abroad earlier this year, and I’ve been having a great time.
At last night’s language exchange, the bar had a karaoke machine set up. Some people were singing in their native language, others in languages that they were practicing.
One of the friends that I had made at a previous meet-up asked me to sing a song with him. It sounded like a fun idea, but I immediately turned him down.
Why? It’s hard to say.
I like singing, and I’m even pretty good at it, but I’ve never once done karaoke in a public place. The idea of singing in front of dozens of people, many of whom I had just met that night, was just…
