Thu, 5 Jan - Absinthe Forum: It's a slightly different feeling than being drunk

I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect or not, but I do feel different. I wouldn't say that it's due to the higher alcohol content of absinthe, either. I dilute it down to the recommended amount, and I don't see the hallucinations or other crazy effects people describe, but I definitely feel more clear headed, buzzed, yes.... but not in the way where I get overly emotional or confident with normal alcohol. I'm on my 4th glass now and I feel calm and aware. Does anyone know of a legitimate reason for this, or is it a placebo? Don't be afraid to be too technical: I am a chemical engineer. If it is indeed the Thujone, please explain why. If you haven't tried absinthe yet, don't obsess over what others say, just try if for yourself!

'Meeting the Green Fairy' is a metaphor sometimes used to describe the curious effects of the green liquor.

About the effects of absinthe

When it comes to the effects of drinking absinthe, people's opinions -- and experiences -- vary wildly. Some go as far as to claim the drink is psychoactive, while others say there is no "secondary" (that is, other than alcohol-induced) effect at all.

As early as 1993, Matthew Baggott posted his Absinthe FAQ in the Usenet newsgroup "alt.drugs" (there wasn't much of the web as we know it back then). As you will suspect from the newsgroup's name, the issue of absinthe's "psychoactive qualities" was one of the interests of the document.

Some people take it further still. We definitely do not recommend any experiments with Paxil and absinthe (nor, for that matter, mixing any medicine with alcohol). Anyway, it's quite clear which way the wind blows here, since Jasmine Sailing's bizarre piece more or less concludes absinthe is a narcotic. Is it really? Yup, it does read like the girl was out of her mind when she wrote the page -- and no, we don't think the Fairy was to blame!

A far more sober look at the effects of the Green Fairy can be found in "The Return of the Green Faerie", an article written by Frank Kelly Rich of the Modern Drunkard magazine (no pun intended). Recommended reading.

Suggest a link...

The Absinthe Drinkers is a Philadelphia band that combines poetry with original rock, jazz and funk - and the results are pretty amazing. If you fancy a bit of funked up Rimbaud, Baudelaire or Shakespeare, check out their site for upcoming shows or download sample tracks.

Absinthe: New European Writing
is a biannual journal that publishes translations of contemporary European writing that -- like absinthe itself -- is not widely available in the United States. Published by a Detroit native Dwayne D. Hayes, the journal contains poetry, prose and essays. Recommended.

Widow Moon by Peggy Amond
Whether or not poetry is the highest form of expression is one topic often debated over a glass of absinthe. Peggy Amond's Widow Moon certainly proves that "real poetry is not a thing of the past," as Bonnie Sutterby of PoetWorks noted. Ms Amond's book (available here) includes her famed tribute to the great "absinthe poet" Arthur Rimbaud.

More recommended
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