Live Wire with Luke Burbank - Episode Summary: "Damp January: Why Is This So Hard?" Featuring Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall
Introduction
In the episode titled "Damp January: Why Is This So Hard?", Luke Burbank, host of Live Wire with Luke Burbank on PRX, delves into the intricate relationship between alcohol consumption and personal well-being. Joining him is Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, a writer and author best known for his book Hungover: The Morning After and One Man’s Quest for the Cure. The episode explores themes of moderation, the challenges of overcoming hangovers, and the psychological ties that bind individuals to alcohol.
Background of Guest and Topic
Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall is introduced as a writer, raconteur, and someone deeply immersed in the world of alcohol. Luke Burbank shares his admiration for Shaughnessy's dedication to conquering one of his own nemeses: the hangover. Shaughnessy undertook a years-long project to get intensely intoxicated and experimented with various global remedies to alleviate hangover symptoms, culminating in his book Hungover: The Morning After and One Man’s Quest for the Cure.
Personal Experiences with Alcohol and Hangovers
The conversation begins with Shaughnessy recounting a vivid memory from a bachelor party in Tucson, Arizona, where excessive drinking led to severe dehydration and a heat stroke:
"I remember waking up in the middle of the desert and there were lizards that were licking the last bits of moisture from my eyeballs. And I thought, well, you know, this is hell." (17:00)
Luke shares his own battles with hangovers and how they have influenced his drinking habits:
"To the degree that I've moderated my drinking at all in recent years, a lot of that is due to the hangover." (02:00)
Strategies for Moderation
Shaughnessy discusses his current relationship with alcohol, emphasizing a balance between enjoyment and functionality. He aims to limit his consumption to three or four drinks a day, finding that exceeding this amount leads to problematic behavior, while drinking less often leaves him craving more:
"I realize that there's probably a sort of a sweet spot for me personally in regards to being able to balance my enjoyment of life with my ability to function in it well." (05:10)
He employs strategies such as delaying the start of drinking by engaging in activities like going to the gym or postponing dinner. However, he acknowledges the difficulty in maintaining structure as a freelance writer without a fixed schedule.
Psychological and Social Aspects
The episode delves into the psychological motivations behind drinking, particularly for writers. Shaughnessy explains that unlike actors who receive immediate feedback and applause, writers work in solitude and use alcohol as a form of self-reward:
"You do give yourself these little rewards, right? And it's actually, you know, I talk to my students a lot about this, too." (09:00)
Luke relates to this by discussing how alcohol makes him feel more social and connected, despite not inherently being a highly social person:
"If you just ran into me somewhere or you saw me backstage at our radio show, you would think this is a highly social person... Every person at the bar is fascinating to me." (30:21)
The Dichotomy of Alcohol
Shaughnessy articulates the dual nature of alcohol, highlighting its ability to enhance sensory experiences while also being a source of significant personal and social harm:
"I think actually that what conclusion I've come to... is that it's almost that that I love about alcohol, which is that its power reaches both ways so, so drastically." (29:00)
This dichotomy reflects the broader human experience with substances that offer both pleasure and peril, underscoring the complexity of managing alcohol consumption.
Future Outlook and Reflections
As the conversation progresses, both hosts reflect on their future relationships with alcohol. Shaughnessy shares his uncertainty about how his drinking habits will evolve, especially in light of his father's passing and the contemplation of mortality:
"I'm hoping I have at least one more good decade in me before the negatives outweigh the positives in every manner in regards to drinking." (33:01)
Luke expresses a hope that he will naturally lose interest in excessive drinking as he ages, though he admits uncertainty about achieving this shift:
"I'm just hoping that, as I move into the later part of my life, somehow I'll just become less interested." (34:38)
Conclusion
The episode concludes with a lighthearted exchange about future episodes and the ongoing dialogue around drinking. Luke emphasizes the importance of sharing these personal stories to foster understanding and perhaps inspire change among listeners.
Notable Quotes
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Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall on the Abyss of a Metaphysical Hangover:
"I think anybody who's ever felt it knows what I mean by that. That is the great abyss where the world and your own life seems impossible, I guess." (00:05:10)
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Shaughnessy on Being a Writer Who Drinks:
"I was just like, okay, I know how to drink. I don't need to deal with the rest of this stuff." (09:00)
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Luke on the Allure of Alcohol for Social Connections:
"Every person at the bar is fascinating to me. And it feels in the moment like I'm connecting with people in a way that I don't otherwise." (30:21)
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Shaughnessy on the Dual Nature of Alcohol:
"It's almost that that I love about alcohol, which is that its power reaches both ways so, so drastically." (29:00)
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Luke on His Changing Relationship with Drinking:
"I've realized that I may be a little less socially comfortable than I think I am, but get a couple drinks in me and literally every person at the bar is fascinating to me." (30:21)
Final Thoughts
"Damp January: Why Is This So Hard?" offers a candid exploration of alcohol consumption, its impact on personal and professional life, and the ongoing struggle for moderation. Through shared vulnerabilities and personal anecdotes, Luke Burbank and Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall provide listeners with insightful reflections on why navigating one's relationship with alcohol is often an arduous journey.