You’ve had a hard day’s work. You want to just sit back and decompress. What’s your choice for unwinding?
Do you pick up your hobby tools and get crafty? Or do you reach for the booze?
I’ve talked about my woodworking for several years here on the blog. I find it incredibly relaxing.
I am a non drinker – more on this later.
But since it’s your choice on how you spend your time, it’s up to you. But I’d recommend woodworking over the bottle. And here are ten reasons why:
1. Woodworking is exercising without exercising
2. Woodworking improves dexterity drinking improves clumseyness
3. Woodworking produces wonderful gifts drinking produces horrible gifts – vomit anyone?
4. You can drive after woodworking
5. Woodworking can’t result in jail time
6. You can learn a new skill while woodworking
7. Woodworking frees the mind and optimizes creative solutions
8. Woodworking doesn’t cause liver damage
9. You can make money with the products of your woodwork
10. Although equally addictive, quitting carving doesn’t involve rehab, meetings, or withdrawl
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I understand that you’re trying to be funny with some of your points against alcohol (at least I assume that you’re trying to be funny), but drinking doesn’t not automatically equal getting completely drunk.
Having a beer or a glass of wine with dinner isn’t going to make you vomit or destroy your liver.
Sure, if you go on a bender, you’re in for some trouble but responsible, moderate drinking isn’t the terrible think you make it out to be.
Adam Sniders last blog post..Environmentalism as a spiritual practice
That, of course, should say “does not” rather than “doesn’t not.” I wasn’t meaning to put the double-negative in there. If you could edit that comment and then delete this one, I’d appreciate it.
Adam Sniders last blog post..Environmentalism as a spiritual practice
got your point. you really enjoy what you are doing. thanks for sharing your thoughts.
To advance your enjoyment to higher level try woodworking while listening to classical music. May seem blasphemous to start up a power tool in the middle of a Bach concerto, but none the less the music and the work become doubly addictive, you may have trouble getting out of the shop!
Keiht
Keith, seems like I read some updated info just yesterday about “the Mozart effect” where listening to 1/2 hour of classical music has the same effect as 10mg of Valium for relaxing. I normally listen to rock music while hobbying, but I might have to try classical to see what the effect is.
This is the silliest, and most inane, posting you have done in the three or four years I have been reading your posts. I could spend the next ten minutes telling you why I feel that way but I don’t feel that you actually need that help, I am sure that you know better.
Thanks.
@kodijack, first I’ll say thank you for reading for 3-4 years. I appreciate you reading for that long
I especially appreciate your feedback. However, I am not sure why you find this silly or inane. Please do help me out.
Thanks
I actually love working with wood and yet I still find this post a little silly
.
It’s just an odd comparison because so few people woodwork in comparison to how many people drink. If only less people were concerned with the social aspects of drinking then perhaps a hobby could take the place of it. I am not a big fan of alcohol because most of the time I need my brain to be working for me, not against me.
How do you think we could spread this new craze of alcohol-replacing woodworking?
Sincerely,
Bryan
Bryans last blog post..Jan 24, Being Funny: The Definition of Comedy
I don’t quite understand why you contrast drinking alcohol with woodworking.
You are right: woodworking can be a very relaxing and rewarding thing to do, better than passive things like watching tv, surfing the internet, etc.
And of course it’s better than drinking, but IMHO contrasting this may not be very understandable to many people (like me) …
I can dig what you’re saying. Alchohol is a depressant and a poison that impairs the brain’s function, whereas woodworking (substitute another activity that engages the mind) as an unwinding activity is much more beneficial. Puzzles like Sudoku are my unwinding activity.
@ Adam Snider – I know people who are moderate & responsible drinkers and they are wasting their life looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle.
Cheers
You forgoz, but woodworking can be really dangerous, since tools used rae dangerous.
Drinking with friends is relaxing i think, because it opens your mind, and canprovide you a lot of fun!
I think that both thing can be done, maybe not togheter!!
Ben, that’s got to be one of the most offensive statements I’ve read in a while. Moderate and responsible drinkers are wasting their lives looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle? I beg to differ.
If someone is “looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle” then they simply are not responsible drinkers.
Furthermore, there are numerous studies suggesting that moderate drinkers live longer, healthier lives than before heavy drinkers and non-drinkers. While alcohol is definitely toxic in large quantities, it actually provides a number of health benefits when used in moderation.
So, please, don’t walk around implying than anyone who touches a bottle to their lips is somehow destroying their life. Just because you choose not to drink doesn’t mean that anyone who does is somehow wasting their life.
*ahem*
Let me correct my most egregious typo: “…studies suggesting that moderate drinkers live longer, healthier lives than both heavy drinkers and non-drinkers…”
@ Adam Snider – Please re-read my statement. I didn’t generalise and say all moderate drinkers are wasting their lives. I wrote people I know – there’s a difference.
I’ve read studies that reinforces that alchohol is a depressant and that moderate drinking isn’t as beneficial as it’s claimed to be. I’ve experienced first hand the damage that moderate alchohol consumption does – this plays it’s part in shaping my attitude to alcohol consumption.
But no dramas on my part with your finding my comment offensive.
I’m not denying that alcohol is a depressant. It is one. That’s a fact. It’s also irrelevant to the point I’m making.
And, fine, you were only referring to “people you know.” I will state again that if they are genuinely “looking for answers at the bottle of a bottle” then they are not moderate drinkers. Furthermore, how do you know that they’re “looking for answers…?” Did you ask them? Did they tell you this, or are you just being judgmental?
And, just as you claim that you’ve seen first-hand the damage that moderate drinking does, I can claim with equal validity that I have never witnessed such damage.
I can’t help but question your definition of moderate drinking. But, it doesn’t matter. You’re not going to change your opinion and I’m not going to change mine.
However, I am able to cancel my subscription to this blog, so don’t worry, you’ll probably never hear from me again.
Adam I am the blog owner and original poster. I have been booked so haven’t had time to comment. So whatever offense you are feeling from Ben does not reflect the views of me or my blog. You two are commenting and posting your independent opinions which is good.
I originally posted this as a tongue in cheek way to endorse woodworking. True, I am a non drinker, but I never intended anyone to see me as preaching anti-drinking EVER. My wife enjoys a glass of wine 2-3 times a week and she’ll tell you I’ve never lectured her to stop.
I value you as a reader and a participant on the blog, but I encourage you to stay and stand behind your guns. Moderate drinking – if truly moderate – is fine – perhaps even beneficial. If it’s causing one problems than it’s either not moderate drinking or the person has an allergy to the drink.
Brad,
Thanks for the follow-up comment and the email that you sent me.
Perhaps I over-reacted by unsubscribing, but the only reason I did so was because Ben listed this blog as his website in the URL field of his comment, I assumed that he was affiliated with the blog (i.e., a co-author or something of that nature). Because of this, I assumed this his views were the views of the blog.
I’ve resubscribed and will continue to read—and disagree when I think you’re wrong.
And, I’ll try to keep my cool next time something like this comes up and not unsubscribe. After all, even if Ben was affiliated with this blog, he never personally attacked me, so I didn’t really have a good reason to stop reading.
Adam Sniders last blog post..Why I go to church
Excellent idea! Woodworking is a perfect idea for an end to a busy work day. Wood working you can use your creative side, whereas at work, you have to concentrate on what others want. This is your time to shine and cut some Purple Heart or Wenge!
@ Adam Snider – I’d say we’d have to agree to disagree on what constitutes “moderate drinking” – I could take your saying I’m judgmental as a personal attack, but I’m not. We each have our opinions on this issue and I’ve only ever seen this a healthy debate – not a personal attack on myself. I see from your blog that you’re interested in spirituality and religion, which is a field that some have very strong opinions about. And you may very well get some very opinionated comments – hopefully you’ll look at this is some valuable experience in how to handle differing opinions from your own. I’ve always understood that one of the basic tenets of Christianity is being tolerant of others. If people didn’t have differing opinions, I’ve always thought that life would be pretty boring. I’ll finish this paragraph by saying that I greatly respect that you’ve been steadfast with your opinion.
I’ll state that I have no affiliation with Brad’s blog. I’m a regular reader and a very occasional commenter. When I leave my comments I always leave the “Website” field blank – this is because I don’t have a website/blog of my own.
@ Brad – I first came across your blog after reading your post on Lifehack about Jerry Seinfeld and not breaking the chain. I’ve been a steady reader since then.
As far as my initial comment on this post, I just wanted to show that I’d understood the point that you’d made. I also wanted to convey my opinion on moderate drinking to Adam Snider because he had a strong reaction to your post.
It was never my intention to cause one of your recent subscribers to get that offended that they would cancel their subscription.
I’ll repeat what I wrote earlier in this post – I have always left the “Website” field blank on the comment form. I’m always happy to engage in a healthy and robust debate – I’m not a troll looking to flame anyone and I have great respect of the fact that others have differing opinions.
Next time I feel compelled to leave a comment, I’ll just address the post and none of the other commenters.
Ben, thanks for following up. I want to say that I am sorry for my reaction. I over-reacted and let my temper get the best of me. This is something that used to be common for me. I rarely let it happen these days, but for some reason I let you get under my skin. I don’t know why.
And, I’m glad you didn’t take my comments as a personal attack, as I never intended them to be (though, I will admit, I came very close to crossing the line).
Even if you were affiliated with this blog, canceling my subscription was a stupid reaction on my part.
I am normally much more open to ideas that conflict with my own, and I do enjoy a healthy debate.
I would also like to ask you not to “just address the post and none of the other commenters.” Please, continue interacting with fellow commentors, both myself and others. Part of what makes blogs so great is that the comments section can become a dialogue. Please, don’t be put off by my stupid reaction to your comments. Do continue to interact and respond to other commentors.
PS: I’m not Christian, but I am a strong believer in tolerance. However, I’m also only human, and I sometimes let my emotions get the better of me. That’s what happened this time.
Adam Sniders last blog post..Why I go to church
@ Adam Snider – I’m not put off by your comments, it’s all part of life’s rich pageant.
If anyone should be put off, it’s me. By my own spelling errors! Just look at the title of this post. I’m red in the face.
Nice article, i think a lot of skilled labor or hobbies can be relaxing if you don’t set solid goals and just enjoy getting lost in the process. I like hitting tennis balls on the wall or doing some other exercise where you are forced to focus on “the bouncing ball” and everything else melts away.
All of those except 7 and 8 also hold true for why it’s better than doing marijuana.
I will have to try it. I am 21 years sober as it is…always looking for new fun stuff that other people in recovery have came up with…woodworking…hmm…sounds like it might be fun
But let’s not confuse the issue. Becoming addicted to woodworking is a heck of a lot different that developing a dependence on alcohol. One of these conditions requires alcohol treatment while the other may just need treatment for splinters!
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