I'm not a fan of alcohol. For me it doesn't taste good and if I do drink more than a glass of wine, I feel queasy. But we live in a society where socializing around alcohol is common.

Never call me a stick in the mud. My natural personality is to go forth and find the fun crowd and share some laughs. I can do this just as well with a glass of ginger ale as I can with a whiskey and soda. It certainly isn't a social stigma not to get roaring drunk and pull up my shirt. I think it's the best of both worlds when you can enjoy a social situation and still keep your focus.

Of course not everyone who goes out for a few drinks is a raving loon, but the more the blood alcohol level, the less inhibition. Part of the beauty of being able to be among those who are drinking is the knowledge that you can be a guardian of sorts. If a young lovely suddenly leaves for the restroom with that "look" on her face, it isn't inappropriate to check on her - you may even find yourself pulling her head out of the toilet and saving a life.

I remember all too clearly a lovely party with parents and their almost grown teens. It was a very chi-chi affair with best dress, but zero boundaries. The parents were off getting swacked in one area and their offspring were imbibing publicly in another. My friend's lovely young daughter suddenly found herself rubber-legged and nauseous. I was glad to be there to sponge off the front of her designer gown and personally drive her home. Her parents were in no shape at that point of the evening and probably didn't recall bringing the girl with them. Again, the party was great, the food fabulous, and I had a purpose as well as an invitation.

This makes the non-drinker a fairly valuable asset. Somebody can always use a designated driver. This is no doubt the reason I get lots of invitations to join the drinking crowd. I can be relied upon to collect car keys and provide rides home in a pinch.

Frankly, nobody likes a buzz-kill, so if you are going to show up all pinch faced and judgmental, just don't go out with your co-workers on a Friday afternoon. No one needs the self-imposed alcohol monitor running around with a Breathalyzer to determine how drunk you've become. It takes a person who can see that the Friday afternoon knock back is simply a time to let off steam and get a little loose after the horrendous work week. It's socially acceptable in almost every crowd and it's not a bad time to form business alliances either.

The rules of the party are to get dressed and show up. Nobody will ask you to drink if you don't want to and everyone can have a great time - alcohol or not.