fixation friday: vodka

Tonight's fixation is brought to you by the letter V. Sure it stands for creepy ass aliens in a not so new television series but it also starts the beginning of a glorious word that is VODKA! Vodka and I have always had a sorted past. Meaning, we never got along. I can only guess this was because in the past I sipped on cheap ass vodka either stolen from the bottom shelf of a friend's parent's liquor cabinet (my first hang over ever) or it was just something a friend of mine that didn't want to spend a lot of dough but wanted to get blitzed, drank and offered me.

When I moved here, to Alabama, many moons ago (5 years), Mike's good friend Miss. K (also know as Miss A here before) reintroduced me to this crafty liquid. Miss K is known for getting drunk and wanting others to be on her level (I'm used to this, my BFFFFF T from back home is the exact same way, hence why I take on so many buttery nipple shots and or rum and diets in her presence) - Miss K's  way to solve this, hand out vodka shots straight from the bottle. For years I hated this and I would run from her when she got that bottle out of the freezer - now a days I've learned I don't have to take a full shot but I have to take enough to make Miss K happy. You don't understand she will hunt you down and do everything short of hold you down to take a shot of her delicious nectar that is vodka. Lately it hasn't been as bad. She will offer up Svedka vs. Popov.

This is a vast improvement to me. YES she drank Popav the lowest of the low. Basically if I wanted to swig this I could save $10 and drink rubbing alcohol and have just as little flavor with all of the buzz.

As you can see my experience with vodka has been very limited. Remember that bit I spoke of earlier, my first hang over ever? Well I was drinking what I believe was bottom shelf vodka or at least middle shelf. My parents own a beach house when I was younger in North Carolina. When we first started staying there I was in about 8th grade. This evening happened much later, I want to say maybe 10th grade. I was 14/15. My bestie K and I went down there for 2 weeks in June/July and 2 weeks in August. This time we brought our friend S a long for the 2 weeks. I recall that my friend B, (our neighbor at the beach house - his parents owned the unit next door) had two of his guy friends there - perfect math right? That evening B had swiped some vodka from his parent's stash and brought it over to the pool across the street where we would meet to all hang out.

 My mom's vodka of choice back in the day via bing

We proceeded to purchase Very Fine fruit juice from the machine at the pool to mix with said vodka. I remember us mixing the drinks on the back of the public toilet at the pool. HIGH CLASS, WHAT???! Many shots later, and may huge gulps of Very Fine Fruit Juice I felt the effects of Mistress Vodka. And the effects were not good.

I can recall that night being pissed at K. She made out with B, I really liked B but K always got all the boys she was so pretty and the master of flirting. I was shy and was NOT the master of boys or flirting. I remember S trying to make me feel better telling me not to worry that K was acting like a hoochie. This made me laugh the next AM. (Note: Katie and I are still friends to this day we reconnected after a few years of not talking via growing apart/older/marriage/etc - It was better that B and I didn't make out, we spent many summers being pals in NC when our families would be there together).

I remember returning to my beach house, crawling up the steps and making it to the bathroom to evacuate my system. Over, and over, and over again. S held my hair and K tried to help as I swatted her unwanted help away with my hand, face down in the john,  in a drunken manner. Exhibit A:

 

 not actually me - this is a professional drunk actor, but not far from my truth.... via bing

The next AM I remember waking up feeling a bit ill but not worse for wear. Which was great - a hang over with a headache but no spins.  K however was a wreck. S had apparently just watched us get blitzed ...And drank very little... pussy!  I seem to recall this was actually the first night I remember listening to Phish {that's for you ZDub & Lil Bee}but I might have my dates clouded...{B and I and our friends spent a few years drinking in the summer so I get a bit twisted with the meories}

Anyhippie - we woke up the next morning and went down stairs. My mother was cooking breakfast. My stomach was empty so I was famished. So I dug in. S was all for some eggs and I remember K was green. Neon green. My mother knew what was up, she knew a hangover when she spotted one. She started offering us all rotten eggs and three day old milk. She enjoyed seeing K squirm and as a mom I know she was just trying to do her motherly duty, but at the same time getting pleasure in the comedy that was teaching us a lesson. And I love her for it. I never drank that much or got hungover again until maybe I turned 21 legally. This isn't to say I didn't sip on some Purple Passion while reciting Dr. Dre, I totes did that. But I never got drunk again until I turned 21.

301, Cross Colours, Hip Hop, and 5.0 Mustangs Represent - what what? via Google

It had been years after this evening in time that I would ever try vodka. Each time making me feel horrible after a night of dancing with the devil. Sure it was never good, top shelf vodka and maybe it was mixed with 99 bananas (worst liquor ever) along the way but I just always felt I had a safe home with Captain Morgan. I also hated white rum for the record. Where the reports say clear rum/acohol is better for you to avoid a hangover I was the exception to the rule. That is until recently. I have learned that clear liquor could be my friend, yay!

Lately I've been drinking my trademark Club Soda with Vodka and lime. And I love it.

 via google

Last weekend  I found a vodka to take on my current Skyy vodka addiction called 42 Below. It's smooth, I love it and it was on sale at our local ABC Store. This however means I will have a short love affair with this vodka until it's sold out. I bought one of the last three bottles this weekend. I have an odd feeling they won't restock.

Truth be told I want to drink Belvedere because Chelsea makes it sound like heaven but right now I can't imagine buying a bottle. It costs a pretty penny and I think I'd go through it too quickly on a weekend. {I'M A LUSH ON A BUDGET PEOPLE} We shall see, if my 42 Below sells out I'm moving over to the right on the shelf at the ABC Store and checking out that Belvedere for myself.

 In Chelsea We Trust via Google

I will be honest - I'm blogging this about 5 drinks in this evening, nice right? We have been enjoying our front porch Happy HourSSSSS. I decided to switch it up and have a vodka induced ORANGE TGIFRIDAY'S DREAM, instead of my Vodka n' Soda - and I must say it's tasty! It's been hot as balls here in the South for the past few days and it was a great way to relax and kick back and welcome what I hope will be the cold front they called for this weekend. Come on 70 degrees!

So there is my love hate with vodka. For years she hated me, but now that I've switched to top shelf I think we can have an adult relationship. BOW CHICA BOW WOW! Thus far I haven't had a single hang over and I'm going strong waking up well before my usual time on the weekends and I'm more productive. IT'S SHOCKING. Maybe the pirates life wasn't the one for me - sorry Captain Morgan! I still love you sailor n' your P.I.C.* Sailor Jerry but I'm enjoying my run with vodka.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!!! ox


* PIC = Partner in Crime

UPDATE: It's 8:48 am here in Sunny Alabama and I've been up and moving since 8:00 am and I have no hang over. Thank you vodka gods! If only they made a hangover cure that is facing Walmart on a Saturday morning!