Everybody’s HSM journey is going to be different. We all arrived here for different reasons and we all have a different destination in mind. I posted an update earlier in January describing my first drinking experience [...]

Quite pleased with myself for getting through the week (including a public holiday) without drinking but to be honest, I refrained from attending events where alcohol was involved. So, I played it safe. That’s ok, whate [...]

excited. nervous. scared, actually. what if nothings as fun in the world sober? but i suppose the ‘after’ of boozed is not very fun either. had a big australia day – a few sherbits, etc., spent yesterday fee [...]

So… I went to Big Day Out on Thursday and spent most of this day with this german guy who reminded me of Nick Cave. Over the course of the day it came out that he was “recovering alchoholic” (5 years sober) [...]

So. It’s been awhile since I’ve been on here. I fell ”off the wagon” pretty hard really. Lasted about 2 weeks into my HSM and that was a few months ago. The last month has been especially ridiculous. [...]

Had lessons again this morning so I got up early and walked the dog for nearly an hour from 6.15 am. The walk I did I used to take my dog when he was a puppy. Round where I live are plenty of hills and some are really deceivi [...]

Well, I haven’t been on here for a couple of weeks. Mainly because I’ve spent the last two weeks drunk. Mad and disappointed at myself for being weak to alcohol. Even though it wouldn’t make me feel any good [...]

After 4 months I can honestly say I feel the healthiest I have felt in 20 years. 20 years of drinking certainly can cause a bit of damage to your liver. I would not say I was a heavy drinker but towards to end I was certainly [...]

I hadone real ‘test’ this week but although I had expected things to be very tricky they ended up being quite manageable. We had our first bookclub meeting for the year. My bookclub is not a scary intellectual gat [...]

Almost one month in to my HSM and I’m starting to feel more energetic. I’ve gone back to working 7 days a week which is not ideal, but I’m starting to get ahead again, which is great. I’ve found that n [...]

I almost did – I spent an hour going back & forth in my head – do I? don’t I? (After all, 12mths is a really long time, perhaps I can have 1 drinking day per month? that would be pretty fair wouldn’t i [...]

Cravings – check. Liver screaming – check. Head going insane – check. End of the week – check. TIred – check. Bored – check This was all happening this afternoon until about 6.15pm tonight. [...]

7 weeks ago I moved from Brisbane Australia, to Beijing China. AndI’ve drunk more in the last 7 weeks here in Beijing than in the last 12 months in Brisbane. I’m not a big drinker. I thought I’d grown out o [...]

Nearly 4 weeks down, 8 more to go and I feel pretty damn amazing. I’ve been feeling clearer mentally/emotionally as well as having more energy. The kids started back at school this week, and my baby started prep and wit [...]

So told my coworkers and boss that I’m not keen to drink anymore. The two that I work closely with, laughed at me and gave me shit about it. Then I told them how I thought that NZ (and Aus) have a huge drinking culture [...]

Ok, so today is day 3. Australia day was easy to survive as I didn’t go anywhere but tonight it is one of my best friend’s birthdays and she has no idea I’m doing this. So will will how this goes….

An update on my sobriety travels would simply sound like: “I am still sober.” This is both terrifying and anticlimactic. I’m finding it very easy to avoid the sweet nectar of gin and beer (not together, but [...]

That title leaves me gobsmacked. At the end of last year of did not think I had a hope of stopping drinking again. But it did happen. I think my recovery began when I told my son he could not live in my home anymore. I had do [...]

Then life changed… My father died and my mother feel into ill health through her loss. I was trying to support my husband in further studies. My husband was retrenched and had to take a contract job interstate, so I was [...]

I completed my first HSM last year (2011). I loved it. Once I got past the initial fortnight, wow I felt AMAZING. Totally amazing. And as alcohol and slowly but surely crept back into my life over the last 6 months, I’v [...]

Australia Day is a mystery to me. In my house it means that we get the day off to sit around in the pool and congratulate ourselves on another year here. Yesterday it struck me that I’ve been here for coming up to 6 yea [...]

Just thinking about the drug issue/non-issue of the world. Thinking already I know and only 6 days into not drinking.Is everyone that weak that they need to take drugs every day? Is everyone that scared of reality? I know eve [...]

I had just written a very lengthy post but deleted it before publishing my mistake. Woops. I apologise if the following seems a bit rushed. 27 days into HSM, and 11 days without a cigarette. The withdrawls from both drugs ha [...]

Hi All, Oz day saw me hit the 7 month mark. It was my first dry OZ day since the 1970’s. I spent it with old friends, one of whom I’ve known since I was 8 and the rest about 30 years. The grog was flowing all arou [...]

Hello fellow HSMers Well after a couple of posts bemoaning the fact that I couldn’t get past Day 2 (starting Day 6 today), not only have I done it but I could not be happier. Never-the-less, I am well aware that I coul [...]

Last week I was talking to David Sedaris about sobriety. I’d love to say it was over dinner and we’d just discussed world politics, the importance of travel and, if we had a choice, which animal we would like to b [...]