Stimulants

There's lots to say here. But most of it has already been said.

For me, stimulants - especially coffee and whiskey and beer (not whiskey all the time, that's for sure) are a part of my rituals. The give 'grape juice' on Sunday. Rituals are good when they serve a purpose and not so good when they serve a habit. I don't need the coffee in the morning, but it ain't bad; I don't need the beer in the evening, but it's just damned nice to sip something out of the ordinary - say, water - and then continue to apply myself to writing or reading or just chillin'.

In the desert, I believe we get drunk to lower our IQs and give ourselves an alibi for doing something stupid when we would normally be stupid anyway.