...where distraction is the main attraction.

Friday, August 9, 2019

A man walks into a whisky store...

...and leaves empty-handed.

My declaration that 2018 was the year of sickness was shortsighted as 2019 quickly became the sequel. It's my strange physical system's turn to malfunction. While I have not been impressed by the results coming from either Western medicine nor some of its alternatives, I'll keep plugging away at both until something works. Meanwhile, because we Kravitzes cannot suffer in silence — Dear God Why A Papercut!, etc. — I'm writing this post.

Despite the FACT that this body will run for another 314.159 years, thoughts unleashed themselves the night after I saw the sixth doctor in four months. I thought about the three ladies who share their home and lives with me. Then I thought about the choices I've made, on both ends of the quality spectrum. Approximately 700 melodramatic moments later, I thought about whisky. Three things, specifically.

First, there's a possibility that alcohol consumption is (*gasp*) not the best thing for my wellbeing and at some point a medical professional will tell me that. Secondly, my alcohol tolerance has vanished. Just call me Mad Two-Drink Max. Thirdly, I'm never going to drink all my whisky if I continue buying whisky.

Thoughts → action. Observing that I possess a quantity of samples that I will never ever consume, I decided it was time to give the sink a drink. Rather, drinks. A shivery thrill ran up my back as I dumped 21 samples down the drain. I have another dozen in mind for this weekend.

Then there was my inability to buy my annual August happy-birthday-to-me whisky present. I had intended to make that my last whisky purchase of the year. But now I feel little motivation to put a single bottle in my cart. I mean, I will do it, likely motivated by a bad work day, a synchronized double-daughter tantrum, and a second drink. But when sober and quiet, I don't see the need to buy anything.

BUT there will be more actual bottle reviews on D4P in the near future because I will be liberating some of my stash. There's a fundraiser this month, then Mathilda goes to kindergarten, then there will be something interesting (to me, at least) scheduled for the site in September, and then autumn follows summer. Then winter. Then spring. Then summer and another TL;DR personal post on Diving for Pearls.

Please enjoy what you have. It's better than anything you think you're missing.

On that note, reviews resume on Monday!

Thank you to Malt Klaus and Malt Fascination for their inspiring posts.

2 comments:

  1. Wow, that's some food for thought, and as usual well written with some interesting links. Apologies for the long comment here, from a long time lurker.

    First and most importantly by far, here's hoping for the best possible outcomes with your medical and life-balance challenges.

    On the far less important drinking front, I remember that some time ago you wrote "Kill Your Whisky Gods" (metaphorically speaking of course) - I've sent links to that and to many of your other posts to more than a few friends over the years.

    I suspect it may be a source of minor embarrassment to both of us for me to admit that over the last decade you've been one of my Whisky Gods. More relatable and accessible than some of the spirituous deities of remoter antiquity, and I like your writing style and sense of humor. And despite some differences in our respective palates you've led me to some outstanding bottles over the years (and no major clunkers that I can recall).

    It is a measure I think of how fascinating whisky is, and also talking about whisky, that I mark the passage of time as much by the careers of my favorite bloggers as my favorite bottles, and recall with a touch of melancholy those who've gone on to find other more rewarding ways of spending their time - Red,White&Bourbon, Sku, and others.

    So if it should prove necessary or desirable for you to join that illustrious group of emereti, then godspeed and thanks for the memories. My experience of whisky has been far richer than it would have been without your efforts.

    With gratitude, best wishes and kind thoughts, for you and your whole family

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    Replies
    1. Hi EricM,

      Jack Benny once said, "I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either."

      I could leave it at that, but I won't. Thank you for your comment. It means a lot to me. I appreciate the time you've spent reading all these words. I'm very glad I haven't steered you towards any stinkers, yet. It's also comforting to see someone recognizing palate differences, rather than yelling "Wrong!" I bow deeply across the internets in your direction for that.

      Diving for Pearls has been very important to me, even before I started writing whisky things. And if whisky has to go, then the blog will remain and I'll jabber on about something else. For now, things will largely remain as is. Doing thematic weeks keeps me focused. While the bigger multi-post pieces inspire me to push myself a little bit more. But health, as ever, remains the wild card. Circumstances have been unclear for a while, but if signs point to "No Drinking", then so it goes.

      Thank you, kindly. I wish you and yours health and happiness!

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