1/3 of the way. (Amy Jane)

“What would you like?”

“Coke please!”

“Ha, are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“No, seriously what do you want?”

“Coca-cola please.”

…. Bartender walks off with out serving me. Rude

That was the conversation I had with the bartender a few friday nights ago. It amused me more than angered me. They are a jolly rude bunch to the non drinkers. That didn’t deter me from having one of my best and memorable nights out ever! You have to love a night of great tunes being spun and dancing until you get kicked out because they are closing. Always a fun night for the sober and the drunk at Miss Libertine’s!

I looked a little deeper and found some relevance to my HSM journey

The other day I was watching the ABC mini series “Marking Time” (a 99 cent buy from Savers! Score!)  Marking Time is about an Australian guy, Hal, that has just finished school and is taking the year off to find a bit of direction, he is not in with the best crowd around the little country town of Brackley but things change when he meets Randa, a Afghan refugee that is living in the there. Cultures collide. One part of the series really made me think about Hello Sunday Morning. It is after Hal takes Randa out to meet his friends at a party for the first time. The scene shows loud obnoxious people swearing, being racist toward the “boat people” that are living in their town and girls throwing up from drinking too much. Randa is not used to this behaviour and wants to leave. In the car while Hal drives her home, it shows them driving down the main street showing drunk people screaming, yelling, fighting, crying etc. Randa questions the action of drinking and why people do it until they are sick? She is extremely confused as to why people would and why they desire to act the way they do while under the influence of Alcohol. It made cringe slightly at the thought of how I have acted drunk, about how recently my friends have acted drunk and how I see people act when I am out. We must be a rude shock to other cultures.

I am 1/3 way through my HSM stint. It is a brilliant talking point when I am out, and yes my friends are coming to terms and swinging around to being a little more supportive about the whole thing.

Ciao for now.

Starting to Achieve (By Amy Jane)

Today was the first day I have slept in until 1pm since I started my HSM (HMS as I keep referring to it, bloody Navy Boats!) Sleeping until 1pm was a regular occurrence for me, missing Lectures and Tutes was also a regular occurrence.  In these three months I promised myself three things, have I started achieving or working at them yet? Yes I have. Am I kicking myself that I wasted half my day today? NO! because that was one well deserved sleep in.

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Splendour – the first weekend in (Amy Jane)

For me Splendour was my first weekend of my HSM journey. It was a long winding journey of ups and downs, but now out at the other end I feel I am a stronger person. Having still little or no support from the friends I went with, the first day I questioned why I was doing HSM, and why I had started it right before Splendour. But when I reminded myself of what I wanted to achieve from my 3 months without alcohol and when I realised what I was really at Splendour in the Grass for I felt a great power fill me. I was there purely for the music. I was there to experience, beautiful sounds, unique lyrics and captivating performances. I was not there to make a fashion statement, I was not there to hang out at a campsite and drink warm cups of Goon and fruit juice. I was there to stand next a friend, a loved one or a stranger and let the music flood through me. I was there to dance to a great beat and to cry to heartbreaking lyrics and that is what I did.

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“I can still have fun sober”(By Amy Jane)

As I drive through the suburbs of Melbourne while I listen to Arcade Fire’s new album The Suburbs (fitting hey?!) I admire what a pleasant afternoon it is. The sun is shining and the smell of flowers is in the air. I have my window down and let the music pump out and onto the streets I drive. I am feeling positive, I am feeling happy. Today is when I start my three month HSM stint. Arcade Fire is the opening soundtrack to this new chapter in my life.

Over the past few days I have been tossing up whether to undertake the challenge of not drinking for three months. I did have grand ideas of doing the challenge of 6 – 12 months, but hey I should not bite off more than I can chew.

So here I go three months of saying no to Alcohol.

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