Fake wine and a three day growth.
03/02/12 • 2 Comments

Month 2. So largely I have pretended my way through the HSM thus far.  I haven’t proclaimed ‘I am not drinking!’ with gusto, at parties.  I have simply taken my fake beer and fake wine and socially consumed my sans-alcoholic beverages with the drinking masses. I am feeling pretty in control about the whole thing.  I am feeling much better on Sunday mornings, though my bladder is getting a work out, ‘keeping up with the drinkers’.  Oh the irony! When not at social gatherings the need to consume the fake stuff has largely disappeared.  And I am getting a better grip on my wind-down and de-stress needs, good things, good things… How are the rest of the 1 January HSM’s trucking?

Relationship with Alcohol
09/01/12 • 1 Comment

So I am at day nine.  Nine.  Woot Woot.  The first week was definitely the hardest.  I used distractions, placebos and pretended - but I got through.  I am still enjoying my fake beer.  Who knew?  One a night. I really like the taste of beer.  Sans Alcohol is no drama. Of course, my body has already started changing and appreciating cleaner fuel.  I feel a bit triumphant.     Yay for me. And all those OTHER things have started falling into place as a result. I have thought a lot more about my drinking and relaxing patterns.  I am starting to realise a few home truths. That is a good thing.  I am starting to be more comfortable.  I have also focused a lot more on achieving my goals.  Who knew that running on all six cylinders would be a good thing, huh?  I might even be able to conquer the world…

Placebo Effect
02/01/12 • 6 Comments

So I am thinking about my relationship with alcohol.  I considered this yesterday when I really craved a glass of wine a way after dinner.  It took a long time to get to sleep.  I noted other post-ers with similar experiences.  I acknowledge I use alcohol to help me wind down… I had never thought about it before.  I can now think about better strategies to manage this.  In the interim, however …. So today when the craving hit, I went out and bought a bunch of non-alcohol placebos.  What a hoot.  Cost me next to nothing and could be purchased at the supermarket. LOL.  White sparkling grape Lambrusco and some non-alcoholic beer. I needed to find a non-alcoholic red wine, but I already feel a bit better.  I guess as my body deals with the withdrawals? habit? addiction? (sounds so harsh to use those words – are we a nation [...]

Day one
01/01/12 • 2 Comments

So last night was no biggie.  No last-minute-binge-splurge. But this the hardest time.  At home, on the couch, daughter aslepp.  I worked all day industriously. And it is in this now time that I most would like a glass of wine.  I have made some alternative drink concoction with sparkling applejuice, fresh limes, soda and mint, but it is not quite what my palate most craves. Need a wind-down-mental shift alternative.  Suggestions? 

Preparations, preparations …
29/12/11 • 2 Comments

Nervous. Have just committed to not drinking for 12 weeks.  Drinking is pretty ingrained in what I do.  My profession. Social activity. Lifestyle. Recreation. Family gatherings. When I think about this challenge I can not think of a time where it was not part of the framework of my existence. Totally agree that drinking culture in Australia is naff.  dangerous.  legal. largely governed by invested parties. But more tragically, alcohol is killing more Australians each year than its illegal counterparts and big diseases.  All totally preventable. Thinking. Is 12 weeks manageable.  Do I tell people that I am doing HSM or use a more sympathetic excuse; like an incurable gut irritation inflamed by alcohol; intestinal parasite that is aggravated by alcohol and bites harder… LOL. Third party higher authority is much harder to negotiate with than informed consent and free choice under the circumstances. Distractions. Gonna need a big list of things to do [...]