the three drink theory

more is more

there’s this concept that i started seeing referenced frequently at the start of 2023, the “three drink theory” that says you should strive to have three beverages at a time all the time: a hydration drink, a caffeine drink, and a fun drink.

now this is something i’ve been doing innately since forever but once the phenomenon was pointed out, and it had a name, i started feeling compelled to order three (and sometimes more) drinks while out at restaurants. this post is mostly to show off this cute collage i made of the times when i remembered to take a photo of my three drinks.

each one of these photos has a story and a datetimeplace and people associated with it and as i was compiling this collage, i had such a giddy wonderful time thinking about all of them. on a related note, please text me if you relate to me in that one of the only things i do on airplanes is look through my phone camera roll (the liminality of airplanes makes it a natural place to do it).

the “three drink theory” was also a reminder to me that pointing things out manifests it happening more. i sometimes forget this but it is so important to call out the things that you want as a requisite step in being intentional to getting something or somewhere. i also feel very lucky in general to have the means and the agency to try to get the things that i want.

the primary reason why i drink alcohol is the ability to punctuate hangouts and dinners with cheers to things. i take this practice extremely seriously, not seriously as in the cheers have to be serious, but seriously as in we have to do it and do it often. i see a cheers as a moment for us to pause the conversation and acknowledge the desires we have or the things we appreciate or the details we notice in each other. it’s another way to be intentional. anyway, i’m mentioning this because the most fun i’ve ever had in a night cheers-ing was one in which my friend Jenny and i only cheers-ed to one thing all night — but we did it no less than like forty times. we cheers-ed to “more”; the same word over and over and over again, sure with different contexts and referencing different things but also the same thing: to “more”.

i find it amazing how many of my friends think that less is more (surely they’re correct for some situations) when i, as a default, think more is more. there’s such a FUN to maximalism as a philosophy and i feel grateful that i see being overwhelmed as a good non-resolution-sacrificing thing, and there’s infinite love to give and things to appreciate and look forward to.

now that being said, my list of things i wanted to do on the first day of 2024 was only three items long — to go on a walk, to drink some coconut water, and to draw — and i’m happy to share that i did each of those tasks. i’ll leave you the first three drinks i had in 2024, and i’m so excited to hydrate with y’all in the new year: