Hahaha, this thread is pretty good, I don't know how I missed it.
Hojack, some of your insight was pretty good but you got me all fucked up. Married life is the shit. I love it and couldn't be happier. If I was left to my own devices I'd probably be starving to death in some fleabag hotel, riddled with syphilis, content with reading books, writing drivel and never coming out into the sunlight. And that's not as far fetched as it may seem. No, Mrs. Meat and my Meatlings are a precious tether in this life and I don't take it for granted.
The alcohol is just what it is, I haven't overanalyzed it, but I strongly suspect it's just goes hand in hand with many of the great drinking personalities, Barrymore, Dino, Mitchum, Faulkner, etc, right on down the line, namely and exuberance and love of life, a never wanting the party to end type of deal. I'm a genuine misantrope as well so I find it helps open me up.
As for looking like McDowell, I'm quite a bit bigger than him. In high school people said I looked like a very angry Kirk Cameron, in college I was told I looked like Charlie Sheen, when I had a beard I was told I looked like Charlie Manson meets General Custer, now I'm cleaned up don't know who I look like. Mrs. Meat says I scowl too much, but that's just my natural face. She's the one who told me I always have the same look as McDowell when we rewatched the movie a few months back. Oh well who give a shit I guess.