I've previously touched on the massive effect on my youthful psychology of reading a book of advice to parents with teenagers, years before I was actually a teenager; I took one look at the description of the stupid things teenagers did, and said to myself with quiet revulsion, "I'm not going to do that"; and then I actually didn't. I never drank and drove, never drank, never tried a single drug, never lost control to hormones, never paid any attention to peer pressure, and never once thought my parents didn't love me.

Me to. The first time someone asked why I don't drink, I was sort of taken a back. It seems pretty simple to me : don't put poisons in your body. Aside from the health effects, why would anyone want to do anything that stopped them from thinking well? It seems amazing that the weird thing is that I don't drink, but that most people do.

But, there's another reason. When I was young, I decided that I would never drink (because it seemed stupid to me). I decided, and I stick by my convictions as a matter of pride*. It's that simple.

I am lucky to have the individualism and a defiant streak that cased me to stick to it: I know at least one person who felt similarly, or at least said she would never drink, when she was under ten, but didn't stay consistent when she was over 15. (But, that person is a vegetarian when we're driving passed a cattle farm, but annoyed at me when I mention that if there's a hot-dog she wants to eat.)

*Of course, I change my convictions when it becomes clear I had been wrong, but not when faced with temptations.