We had talked about this a few times in the past year, I think more trying to see if the other one was serious or not, finally after 1 hangover too many we decided to take the plunge and start from 1st Jan 2009...oh but wait! cant do that because it would run over my 30th Birthday (and that would be no fun!), so after a bit of a rethink we started our mission on 7th August 2008 (with a hangover).
When we first told people we were going to do this most peoples reaction was "why?...whatever (you'll never do it), yeah yeah". Its now been 110 days and we've been to parties, award ceremonies, meals with friends and family and just down the pub and not a drop of alcohol has been consumed!
I think the best thing about not drinking (apart from the £50 we save in taxis each time) is that we've started to do things we never would have done before. Last month we danced on stage at the Billingsgate in London totally sober. Now normally I would never dance...for 2 reasons: 1 I cant dance, and mobile phones can now video dancing! However as a sober person I can make the personal choice to make a fool of myself...and I quite enjoyed it!
Ive been looking back over the past 110 days (I can do that thanks to facebook!) and heres a summary of the things I've done sober:
- My 29th Birthday (I got a boat!) We stayed in a country house and had a great time. We took non-alcoholic beer and to be honest I'm glad. I didnt get tired, we stayed up late and we really got the most out of our money
- Sky Diving. I did my first tandem sky dive
- Been out with work (this was one of the first 'no beer' nights and my boss even commented on how civilised it all was (he doesnt drink anyway). Not drinking also meant I could leave early the next day which was a bonus
- Been to the pub/partys. Have to admit this is one area where although I've still had a good night I havent stayed until the end. I wanted to make a big deal about how it wouldnt change anything by not drinking but it does. Sitting in a crappy pub surrounded by people who slowly get stupider isnt that much fun. The answer is to stay for 3 drinks and leave!! This has the added bonus of getting 2 nights out of 1 which we've used to go see other friends in other pubs or just chill out at home
Over the next 9 months I have a holiday to Cyprus to see my brother get married (opted to stay in a Villa with a pool rather than near the pubs!!), work nights out, friends 30th birthdays, weddings (if certain people get their finger out! you know who you are!), Christmas, New Year and god knows what else...So I'm going to start blogging and hopefully people with find what I have to say entertaining/amusing/interesting
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5 comments:
Great to read your blog - We're a couple in mid 40s with 3 kids who decided to stop drinking 30 days ago - but boy is it hard tonight - just want to settle down with a bottle of red wine next to a roaring fire..... the nights are too long in the winter in the UK! started to get a bit irritable with each other - a bottle of Shloer just doesn't do it!! Interested to know what your UK v US blog will be about - have brother in US who seems to have a bottle of beer once a month - he used to be out drinking with his mates all the time here in UK but wife and friends just don't drink there. Here our friends and relatives just don't know why we're bothering and I'm beginning to wonder why I'm bothering as well!
Hi, if it helps I think the first month is the hardest. After that things start to get 'normal' without drink. One thing I'd say is do have non-alcoholic beer/wine from time to time but don’t do it too much or you'll start missing the real thing! I think you've proven my point about the US in general...(again in general) 90% of us brits would be classed as an alcoholic over there! I think I'll write more about that soon though. I'd be lying if I'd said that I hadn’t wondered why I was bothering after a month or so but I kept going anyway because if nothing else I'm stubborn and don’t want to admit defeat!!
Dijim,
Have you made it to 2 weeks? hope so but if not theres nothing stopping you trying again!
DC
Hi Dave , great work mate ! I stopped drinking in March 2008 let my guard down for my 30th in August and completly fell off the wagon over christmas !
anyway, im tipping away whats left of the Xmas stash !I will do better in 2009! all the best !
Andy from Swansea
Nice one Andy. Hope it goes well...keep me posted!! Happy New Year
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