Pete,
I agree - I have a two or three beers now and I'm mellow enough.. thats good enough for me. In the 80s and 90s especially, we used to do things that were good (at the time), but now, looking back.. they were just plain wrong and an abrogation of personal and professional responsibility. I remember the good times that revolved around booze, but if things had gone wrong, it'd be a different story.
I still like hanging one on, but only on the exception and not the rule -
and if it has been a long week, I enjoy unwinding with a couple of decent beers, a nice bottle of Reisling, Southern Comfort, Llagavulin or G&T but my brain has finally caught up with my body. I'll enjoy a few this weekend watching the final Test and the Singles finals but booze (now) supports a good day and isn't the precursor of one.
We would sometimes be pulled in long before first light, de-bomb, clean weapons, hand in, and be half cut on cocktail brandy before nosebag. The next day, we'd be out again for 7-14 days.. it was what we did. Good times with some great people. I remember once, being told to get into the driver's compartment in a Scorpian in flip flops and Ron Hills in order to respond to an Arab ground attack, with 'x' pints of local finest inside me.
I don't mean to sound sanctimonious; I wish I could go back to some of those piss ups! But I'm pleased I can't - I'm just glad I can look back on them a) at all, and b) with fondness.
The drinking culture has definitely evolved the the right direction as in it is far less prevalent now than it was 20 years ago. It is, however one of the ways we bond. Friendships are formed, trust is gained and good times are had, usually by all. There's no reason at all for it not to continue in it's current moderated form and for the most part people are sensible enough these days to have booked a day after a planned sesh.
"Alcohol. ..the cause of and the answer to, all of life's little problems! " - Homer Simpson