Entry for November 19, 2006

I am suffering the effects of a bit too much red wine this morning. We had friends over for dinner last night.
It is nice to have grown out of that Saturday night culture, where you felt under pressure to go out and drink much more than is good for you. Now on a Saturday night I stay in and drink far more than is good for me. It is cheaper, the company is generally more convivial, and you don't get barred for writing graffiti on the bathroom wall.
Which brings me to this morning's rant. I am fed up with adverts by the Scottish Executive telling me how to behave. You know the ones I mean. I'm thinking this morning about the adverts about Scotland's drinking habits.
You've seen the adverts which point out binge drinking's bad for you. No. Really? You don't say. Thank you Mr McConnell for drawing that to my attention. I must modify my behaviour forthwith. Until your carefully crafted advertising campaign showing the man turning up for work with a hangover, I had thought necking twelve pints of Stella would be a tonic - an acceptable method of winding down on a par with accupuncture. I actually thought heavy drinking was Scotland's equivelant to Tai Chi.
What a blind fool I was. I now entirely understand that the way I occasionally feel on a Sunday morning is not just Seasonal Affective Disorder, but may be as a result of exceeding the number of units of alcohol helpfully compiled by your research unit.
Do not get me started on the "One Scotland Many Cultures" posters. Oh - too late. Oh right - racism is BAD? Well blow me down. I'm glad you've spent a fortune on that enormously expensive campaign. A fortune of my money. What sound fiscal policy you are exercising from that fine debating chamber in Edinburgh. My vote has not been wasted.