The fact of the matter is that upon my doctor's strong recommendation I've stopped drinking and have some time to do something else.
Well, I did not drink much -- only one glass of wine or two, and very rarely three -- and tried to have a "rest day for the liver" once or twice a week. Indeed, that is the definition of an appropriate drinker according to Japan's health ministry.
Alcohol is still addictive and undermines the function of brain cells. I have seen some people drinking a bit too much, repeating incoherent stories and the next day apologizing for what happened. Personally I don't find that too attractive, and I agree with my doctor's view that one can do something more meaningful in life than drinking.
Then I recalled I used to love drawing pictures as a small child, and was engaged in oil painting at high school. So, I tried drawing a picture for the first time in four years or so.
That was actually quite an interesting and revealing experience. Each object has inevitably light and shadow. You cannot depict only the bright side. If you do, that would not be picturesque at all. In order to draw an impressive picture, you need to see both bright and dark sides carefully.
Drawing the picture also allowed me to remember and focus entirely on the perfectly joyful moment and made me very happy.
Indeed, this was even more intoxicating and certainly much healthier than drinking...
