I think deeper when I drink

I wonder, themilum. Are you thinking deeper, or just sinking deeper?

There is a point beneath which your anchor will not catch. It's called the "byssus"*. After that, only the abyss is with us.

re "it is largely you who gives me occasion to drink". Perhaps so, themilum, but is it me who gives you occasion to drink so largely? Perhaps if you only awarded bottles for First Place and left the other places to fend for themselves.

In any case, your accolade does not put me out of spirits. [It won't put you out of spirits either, unless it puts you out of pocket first.]

It was W. C. Fields who said:

"My wife drove me to drink. It's the only thing I can ever thank her for."

* With acknowledgements to Dr. Bill for "the byssus" [in Wordwind's "cast away" thread].