Sunday, January 31, 2010

The Month of Living Abstemiously: The 2010 Edition

Tomorrow starts my annual giving up booze, given that it's the start of February. Last year I gave myself four passes - PLUS the Super Bowl. Ridiculous. This year, not so much. This year I plan to take it a bit more seriously. I was originally planning to give myself three passes plus SB, but have abandoned that and decided that this February I can have light beer while watching the Super Bowl, wine on Valentine's Day, and that's it.*

Because there are no passes, I'm attracting a little more attention this year - no Wine Club, for example, which makes me very sad as I've not been in ages. So I've had to explain my reasons. I think they are, essentially:
  1. Just to see if I can. Alcohol is, for better or worse, an integral part of my life. There are the worse things (like my head this morning after last night) and the better things (a solitary glass of great, earthy red wine as I enjoyed with an unbelievable duck dish at Dovetail this week, or a small but lovely glass of nutty, earth bourbon after a meal). It's partly, therefore, a test of resolve and also partly a way to recognise how lovely it can be, and not to take it for granted by drinking for the sake of it.
  2. Calorie consumption. Not just the alcohol itself, but I often eat far more than I need to both during and the next day. So a month of reduced consumption and more mindful eating is always good.
  3. Change of lifestyle. It's nice to find alternate things to do - going to the cinema, museums, having a nice quiet night in with cocoa and a book. Just to shake things up a bit and try something different. Of course, it's nice to do those things with a good glass of wine, or a refreshing cold beer, but that's not the point. Early nights are much more likely, and given that I've not been sleeping brilliantly of late, this may help.
So here we go, like a sales force into the night. See you on the other side!



* Unless my very dear friend's divorce comes through, and then we're going for spirits. Because, really, what else is there to do?

2 comments:

mustownmore said...

Good luck with the not drinking my dear! Why are things like this always so hard?

I think your reasons are v sensible - trying to cut down myselfI can't stand the thought of being hung over and getting on the cross trainer...or even worse, hanging upside down on a vibrating power plate at 7am. Eugh, feel sick just thinking about it.

Lots of love btw, k xxxxx

GGA said...

Hanging upside down? At 7am in the morning? What? I am barely awake at that point, let alone inverted. Is this sane?