The Rant of a Social Drinker

Chronic alcoholism appears to be a common theme with my roommate's ex-husband, who drank himself to death and a co-worker's mother who brews her own booze but denies being an alcoholic.

These are two separate stories, and not uncommon.

In actual fact, even social drinking masks the chronic alcoholic, turning him into a funny party animal that mass media morphs into marketing propaganda for liquor sales.

Nations make money off social drinking, yet leaves us with the bromine, "Drink responsibly."

As sober people, we should stigmatize alcoholic consumers as "drunks" and conjure up the annual family story of misery and tragedy, rather than perpetuating the trope that social drinkers almost never become alcoholics.

A beer a day is indeed the beginnings of alcoholism. Weekend binges and the parties are not coming-of-age material but alcoholism.

Anyone who does not feel a buzz from one beer are most likely an alcoholic.

As long as we live in denial about the dangers of regular drinking of alcohol, one day drink will affect us in ways that we would never imagine.

For my name is Stephen, and I'm an alcoholic.

Ten Deeds of Merit

All sentient beings are potential Buddhas; all they are required to do is to realize Buddhahood is to cross over to the Middle Way, by abandoning their worldliness and following the Ten Virtues.

While this seems like a simple thing, few sentient beings are able accomplish it due to attachment to one or all of the Ten Evil Acts. In order to practice the Ten Virtues, the practitioner is encouraged to practice the Ten Deeds of Merit:

1. Charity (giving without expectation of reward)
   
2. Morality (
   
3. Mental culture (meditation and reading the sutras)
   
4. Reverence or respect
   
5. Service in helping others
   
6. Sharing merits with others
   
7. Rejoicing in the merits of others
   
8. Preaching and teaching the Dhamma
   
9. Listening to the Dhamma
   
10. Straightening one's views

If it is not possible to practice all of the Ten Deeds of Merit, then Buddha Recitation will prepare the devotee for afterlife in the Pure Land of Bliss.

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Reference:

Ten Evil Acts: http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/156.htm
Ten Virtues: to not practice the Ten Evil Acts

My Advice to War Vet Suffering PTSD from Battle Fatigue

Go to your local veterans administration office in your dress uniform.

Ask for help because you did your duty to protect the world from terrorists.

Do not rant or rave.

Tell them what you shared here, however, document everything you do. Take notes wherever convenient, and learn how to make press releases.

Your story needs to be told not just to other war vets, but also to the world.

If your fellow veterans cannot help you to recover from war, then please be courageous enough to tell your message to CNN, talk shows, etc.

We need to hear to your story, and of your fellow comrades at arms!

War may be hell, but sharing your experience will help not only you, but also make the world cry for peace!