Sometimes you just want to take a break, maybe slip off into dream and awaken after all of the excitement is over. I get that. In years gone by, depression and/or chemistry has helped me nap my way through uncertain times. I don’t miss that, but honestly, I could do with a little less uncertainty. Wouldn’t that be cool? Remember those days when things like the peaceful transfer of power were boring events that most people did not even bother to watch? Seriously, when was the last time, well since Reconstruction, that people waited with bated breath for the certification of the electoral college vote? We need less reality tv manufactured drama before the commercial break and more boring adults doing boring adult things. Or at least, I do. I am tired of this lack of a cohesive narrative that is so crazy that people are deep diving into conspiracy theories just grasping for straws to try to make sense of it all. I guess we shall see if we come together and work on that better world everyone says they want or if we continue to devolve into more of that old time division. So, in the spirit of just wanting to wake up when it is all over, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make the Sedation.

Sometimes folks ask me for a peak behind the curtain, so here you go. I was listening to The Ramones and “I Wanna Be Sedated” came on. That struck me as funny, so I did a quick search for “sedated cocktails” which delivered up this little gem that appears to live exclusively on Pinterest boards. It looked just weird enough to provide a distraction and I had all the ingredients, so here we are. The song and the drink reminded me of a couple of weeks in college when I hid from the world with the assistance of some pills prescribed by the pharmacist who lived down the hall in the dorm. I do not remember this as a productive time, honestly, I barely remember it at all, but when I came out the other side I knew that it was not for me. Better to live through the pain than sleep through it or wander around in a daze feeling nothing. Since then I have worked to be mostly present for things, whether I was enjoying them or not.

I am still that way. If I feel like I truly “need” a drink, I will rarely indulge. I have this weird thing with trying to balance my naturally addictive personality with my coping mechanisms. I don’t drink to hide from things, I often have a drink to experience them more completely. To overcome my natural shyness, so to speak. To be fair, while I rarely drink to excess, when I do, I take Ecclesiastes 9:10 to heart, “Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your might.” Looking at this drink recipe, this one could help with that, it has all the earmarks of drink that could sneak up on you. Although something about this one also just screams hangover and/or sugar coma to me. So let’s make it and see if we can enjoy this one, in moderation.

We are going to build this in the glass, so go ahead and crank up “I Wanna Be Sedated“, grab a pint glass and fill it with ice before adding 1/2 an ounce of vodka, 1/2 an ounce of amaretto, I chose Saronno; 1/2 an ounce of peach schnapps and 1/2 an ounce of coconut rum, I chose Rumhaven; and 1/4 ounce of that old devil Midori melon liqueur. Stir that well and top with 1 ounce of orange juice and 1/2 an ounce of pineapple juice, before floating 2 ounces of cranberry juice on top. Pop in a reusable straw and garnish with some cranberries on a pick.

Obviously this one is going to need to be stirred before you can actually drink it, but I will give it points for an interesting presentation. You know I have a love/hate relationship with these layered drinks as in a I love to look at them but I hate the idea of a drink that requires the drinker to finish the work for you. As it turns out this ones “layering” doesn’t really work with the ingredients as instructed so just give it a good stir and move on with your life.

“It is interesting.” he said slowly, choosing his words with care. I mean on one hand this is fucking Kool-Aid. Just so much sweet stuff overload. To be fair though, there is some nuance. The pineapple effectively squashes every flavor except the coconut rum, but the peach and amaretto show up in the aftertaste, subtly. The Midori is completely lost as a flavor and a color, not that this is a bad thing. My partner says she could drink a lot of those sitting by a pool. I bet she is right, but I would not envy her the headache afterwards. This one might work better as a blended drink, who knows. I am not likely to find out. Too sweet for me, I don’t need my sedation to come in the form of too much sugar. Wilford Brimley would not approve, no sir. 

The drink didn’t work out, but that’s ok. Go forth and drink well, after your own fashion. Get some rest. Try to relax a bit. Don’t do anything crazy or spread any misinformation or do anything that might keep someone else from waking up tomorrow in a world that might be better or worse. Just look out for folks and whether you look forward to a glorious new dawn or you fear the setting sun, remember that this too shall pass and that with any luck the sun comes up and the world still spins, in spite of our best/worst efforts. There are plenty of folks out there handling the being crazy and acting a damn fool part, see if you can balance that with some kindness, some empathy and some dignity and stay safe, stay hydrated and stay sane, my friends.