This is the week that was 31 October - 6 November 2016.
Day 7 - Monday
Started well. Managed to get to yoga class; the best one I've attended in Tassie yet. Even though the work day was still weighing on me after the class, I managed to only crack open the bottle of fake wine.Day 8 - Tuesday
Melbourne Cup day. It is the single biggest "piss up" day in Australia. For a horse race. Like the Kentucky Derby, but a lot less classy. With more booze. Don't believe it? Have a look:
Credit: Michael Dodge/ Getty Images
I didn't have the honour of attending this year, and not sure I'd ever need to again. It just shows what's happened to our culture. Getting pissed/ smashed/ drunk/ hammered is a way of life. It's so easy to get sucked into the "I deserve it, because I work so hard" or the peer pressure of "go on, have another, you're not driving!"
You know what I deserve? Not to have a photo of me like this appear on the internet:
Credit: Jason Edwards
Where's the dignity? Where's your discipline? Self-control? It's Orwell's 1984! It's Bolshevik Russia! It's Proverbs 31:1-7.
The Words of King Lemuel (from his mother)
…5For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. 7Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more.…
…5For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. 7Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more.…
I don't want to spend the time in my days that I can control with a mish-mash of mind, and waste it not fulfilling my dreams.
But let's be clear: On Tuesday, I drank alcohol. My original theory was I could hang out, have a couple drinks, drive home and all would be ok. BUT I caught up with friends who had been drinking all day. AND I had an epically disgusting day at work. SO I tried to catch up. AND I did.
Ok, not EXACTLY like Dita...
Obviously I wasn't ready to take extreme work baggage to a place where the alcohol was flowing and everyone was already well-soused.
One thing that is become clearer to me: alcohol takes away more than it gives me.
So I know that AA says you start over with Day 1 "being sober." But this is an experiment, not an intervention. I may decide I need that intervention later, but not yet. I'm going to continue my numbers until I end the experiment.
Days 9-11 Wednesday - Friday
Executed new plan at work. Talked to Kitchen Guy. Beginning to think the work situation was the drama. Blah blah.
Friday night volunteered at the Hobart Repertory Theatre. Watched theatre like a boss.
Opportunity to stay and drink with cast and crew, but opted out. Early breakfast for volunteer opportunity #2: Open House Hobart.
Day 12 Saturday
Planned to get up early and attend volunteer breakfast, but body said no. Apparently "not drinking" makes me tired. ???? Actually felt like a had a hangover, but hadn't touched alcohol in 3 days!! Very sluggish, could be pulled hamstring (a month now) and not compensating with cortisol.
Volunteered at Princes Park Magazine, the place where they kept the gun-powder in Battery Point (for the battery of guns, get it?). Afterward met some friends in town for lunch and then quick home to change.
About 4, I decided to head out to the property. By the time I got home, I had to take a nap! No joke, this is exhausting!
Quiet night at home exhausted. No fake wine.
Day 13 Sunday
Managed to get to markets, and other errands. By noon, was clearing weeds in the garden, by 2 planting, and by 4 was ready for a reward. And missing seeing my friends.
Watching the cricket turned out to be disappointing, so I popped into my mate's house for a wine. Yup. Turns out Sunday arvo/ evening is the perfect time for 1 glass of wine. It was technically 3 half glasses, as I stopped the extreme pours. I'd had an amazingly satisfying day, and that 180ml or whatever of wine was exactly what I wanted. It was a completely different scenario to Tuesday.
I went home, cooked dinner, cleaned up the guest room for next weekend and prepared for the week. No fake wine, no headache, no overindulgence. I had complete control and it was awesome.
It's not something I will do every day, as in reward myself for a good day. I rewarded myself with my mates AND shared a wine with them.
Takeaways
I'm gonna call this 1W and 1L with alcohol this week. But the good news is I only needed to go 2 rounds. Things I've learned:
- Wine is a sometimes food.
- Having goals helps make better choices.
- I'm not ready to mix alcohol and bad times; and if there's any doubt, then it's a bad time!
With Bestie in town next weekend, I'll have to really plan ahead, but I'll have no problem getting to Friday.
Til next week, Cheers!
How will the American election results affect your teetotalling?
ReplyDelete