Official Dryuary (Dry January) 2021 Thread

[Paul Miller]

Can I take today off?

[Robert.A.Jr.]

I may not make it past today.

Alfert lasted 2 days...

**sshole

technically it was one day; well, I was hungover dry on 1/1

[Eric White]

I must admit, I was wondering how many would fall after today's events

[Patrick T a y l o r]

Keep the faith, folks! Go take a nice walk in the woods. Enjoy the trees, the fresh air, the hallucinogenic mushrooms...

[Charlie Carnes]

I may not make it past today.

Alfert lasted 2 days...

**sshole

technically it was one day; well, I was hungover dry on 1/1


A89C8271-92C4-4EA3-94E9-7804177CD132.jpeg

Oh it wasn’t an easy two days! he was hemming and hawing, and machinating like Gollum trying to get his precious back!

[D@vid Bu3ker]

Can I take today off?

[Robert.A.Jr.]

Can I take today off?

Alfert officially sanctions, and applauds, this request.

[Paul Miller]

Maybe a gummy. It’s only 10 calories.

[Robert.A.Jr.]

Maybe a gummy. It’s only 10 calories.

Oh cool, so 10 is only 100.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

Maybe a gummy. It’s only 10 calories.

Oh cool, so 10 is only 100.

They're wafer-thin.

[Chris Crutchfield]

Can I take today off?

Seconded, thirded, whatever

[Brian S t o t t e r]

Lots of dry February

[C. Heinsen]

Has anyone tried Hop Tea (https://hoptea.com) as a substitute? Doing dry January for first time and trying to find some substitutes out there.

[EricJ]

I've been lurking this thread. I've done sober January four of the last five years, but after today I'm really starting to debate if it's going to be a sober February this year.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

So, anything interesting happen on Day 6?

Anyhoo, I had a couple of pop/rock "six" songs for this sixth day of Dryuary, but they no longer fit the mood. I'll go with the "Hillbilly Shakespeare," Hank Williams, Sr.




(I again avoided wine and bread/chips/fries, though I did have 3 pieces of chocolate.)

[Mike Cohen]

143 hours down. 601 hours to go.

[M Nichols]

Sparkling water with bitters, lemon, homemade syrups (just a little) are a go to for me, plus delving into my tea collection and drinking a lot more coffee.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

What can I say: I am wavering. Not on Dryuary, but on not buying wine until Berserker Day, thanks to the incredible library offer from Patricia Green. I (sort of) hope what I'm interested in is already sold out.

One year ago today, Rush drummer Neil Peart died of a brain tumor. Rolling Stone published new article on his passing, containing recent interviews with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and many others. It is well worth reading. (Link below.) I already have a Rush song lined up for later in the month, and I'm trying to avoid repeats, but in this case I'm going to make an exception. RIP, NEP.




(Runner-up was the Eagles' version of "Seven Bridges Road.")

The Spirit of Neil Peart
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... y-1110496/

[Paul Miller]

So far, so good. I held firm yesterday.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

So far, so good. I held firm yesterday.

Congratulations!

[PaulMills]

I think we are going to do dry work nights, so nothing Sunday through Thursday. I find if I try to go totally without wine I end up snacking more and then there is no calorie benefit to dryuary. My wife is scheduled to have surgery at the end of January so she will have a dry February and I will likely reduce more at that time.

[D@vid Bu3ker]

What can I say: I am wavering. Not on Dryuary, but on not buying wine until Berserker Day, thanks to the incredible library offer from Patricia Green. I (sort of) hope what I'm interested in is already sold out.

One year ago today, Rush drummer Neil Peart died of a brain tumor. Rolling Stone published new article on his passing, containing recent interviews with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and many others. It is well worth reading. (Link below.) I already have a Rush song lined up for later in the month, and I'm trying to avoid repeats, but in this case I'm going to make an exception. RIP, NEP.




(Runner-up was the Eagles' version of "Seven Bridges Road.")

The Spirit of Neil Peart
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... y-1110496/

Thanks for posting that article, I am in tears.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

The Spirit of Neil Peart
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... y-1110496/

Thanks for posting that article, I am in tears.

You're welcome. I can only imagine how hard it was for Ged and Al to have known all along, but not been able to say anything about it.

[Jud Reis]

We have been dry so far this year as well, but are already planning on popping champagne on the 20th. It has been good to take a break, may try to do this every few months.

[Chris Seiber]

I'm not doing dry January (but fear not, I'm not here to be critical of it, either). But I am trying to lose some of the "COVID 19" I packed on last year, so I'm eating well and only drinking a couple days a week.

Anyway, I had the second half of a bottle sitting around last night while I reorganized the fridge (2016 Chateau Coutet St. Emilion -- pretty good wine, on the less modern side). So I just tasted and spit into the sink, the whole half bottle over a few hours.

I'm not going to say it was as enjoyable as drinking it would have been, but it was more enjoyable than having nothing at all.

Just a weird idea to throw out there for those trying to let the livers rest and drop some pounds.

[Joseph Grassa]

I'm not doing dry January (but fear not, I'm not here to be critical of it, either). But I am trying to lose some of the "COVID 19" I packed on last year, so I'm eating well and only drinking a couple days a week.

Anyway, I had the second half of a bottle sitting around last night while I reorganized the fridge (2016 Chateau Coutet St. Emilion -- pretty good wine, on the less modern side). So I just tasted and spit into the sink, the whole half bottle over a few hours.

I'm not going to say it was as enjoyable as drinking it would have been, but it was more enjoyable than having nothing at all.

Just a weird idea to throw out there for those trying to let the livers rest and drop some pounds.

I started my Dryuary on the 2nd, but opened a cheap negroamaro blend last night with some pizza and a spittoon. I will finish it tonight the same way, but I also purposely picked a bottle that I didn't care for much, so it wouldn't really remind me of what I am missing.

[Claus Jeppesen]

Ok does it count if in last week of January only 3 bottles are consumed

[Patrick T a y l o r]

I'm not doing dry January (but fear not, I'm not here to be critical of it, either). But I am trying to lose some of the "COVID 19" I packed on last year, so I'm eating well and only drinking a couple days a week.

Anyway, I had the second half of a bottle sitting around last night while I reorganized the fridge (2016 Chateau Coutet St. Emilion -- pretty good wine, on the less modern side). So I just tasted and spit into the sink, the whole half bottle over a few hours.

I started my Dryuary on the 2nd, but opened a cheap negroamaro blend last night with some pizza and a spittoon.

Very creative. Reminds me of a friend who got a little bit pregnant.

[Lee Short]

I had delusions of doing a dry January. Actually started (again) yesterday, let's see how long until I backslide (again).

[Albert R]

I'm not doing dry January (but fear not, I'm not here to be critical of it, either). But I am trying to lose some of the "COVID 19" I packed on last year, so I'm eating well and only drinking a couple days a week.

Anyway, I had the second half of a bottle sitting around last night while I reorganized the fridge (2016 Chateau Coutet St. Emilion -- pretty good wine, on the less modern side). So I just tasted and spit into the sink, the whole half bottle over a few hours.

I started my Dryuary on the 2nd, but opened a cheap negroamaro blend last night with some pizza and a spittoon.

Very creative. Reminds me of a friend who got a little bit pregnant.

[Sarah Kirschbaum]

Tonight was the first time I've been truly tempted. When there's an absolutely perfectly beautiful seared pork chop on your plate, that came straight from a Lancaster County farm earlier today, before being carved off the full loin by the man of the house wielding a band saw....well, not to have a Riesling just seems wrong!!!

[Patrick T a y l o r]

Tonight was the first time I've been truly tempted. When there's an absolutely perfectly beautiful seared pork chop on your plate, that came straight from a Lancaster Country farm earlier today, before being carved off the full loin by the man of the house wielding a band saw....well, not to have a Riesling just seems wrong!!!

I think I'm in love with your man of the house.

[Sarah Kirschbaum]

Tonight was the first time I've been truly tempted. When there's an absolutely perfectly beautiful seared pork chop on your plate, that came straight from a Lancaster Country farm earlier today, before being carved off the full loin by the man of the house wielding a band saw....well, not to have a Riesling just seems wrong!!!

I think I'm in love with your man of the house.

I'd say I'd keep you in mind if I ever get tired of him, but honestly there are a lot of people in line ahead of you should I meet an untimely end.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

Giving up wine continues to not be horrible. Giving up carbs has been a drag, but it comes with the silver lining of slimming down. I last weighed myself late on New Year's Eve, and, even though I was looking through wine goggles, the number was not pretty.

So, this morning, our 8th day of Dryuary, I stepped on the scales. Tympani... I'm down 6.5 lbs. I celebrated with lots of roasted sausage and veggies for dinner.

Tonight's "eight" tune is one of the first songs I remember playing on our home stereo. My parents had it on 45, and my siblings and I about wore it out. I will always love Peter Noone's sheer chutzpah when he sings "Second verse, same as the first," and the sweetness of the B side, "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter." Fortunately, I found a video performance of both songs.



Runner up: "Eight Days a Week" is the obvious choice, but Herman's Hermits will always be the first thing that comes to mind.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

No wine, no problem. I did, however, eat an entire chocolate bar and I don't care. I'll make it up tomorrow. I hope everyone else is plugging (not glugging) along.

There are a quite a few excellent "nine" songs on this, our 9th Day of Dryuary. There's "Revolution 9" by The Beatles, the Dolly Parton tune "9 to 5," and Nena's dreamy, anti-war hit "99 Luftballons." Heck, "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" is probably the most appropriate for this board.

Nevertheless, I'm staying with my early childhood. I was in 2nd grade and this song was in heavy rotation. I feel like that era was a mini-golden age for country music, when the songs did not all sound the same. I suspect that's not the case, and that my feeling should be attributed to one of several cognitive biases, but who's counting?

Who's counting? This guy!

[Mike R]

Fell of the wagon tonight with some cheese and crackers. Back on the wagon tomorrow...

[Anthony Sanford]

Wife and I have joined dry January as well. We started on the first and we've struggled a few times...but not too bad overall. This is our first time.

[D Zurcher]

Made it through day 7. Hasn't been that difficult really, but I find if I jump online and start reading through Wine Talk at 4-5pm that I really want to go open a bottle-so I am restricting Wine Talk to the morning hours. We're going to have an alcohol weekend on 1/29-a little less than 3 weeks to go. We might do a pretty dry February also as we have some stay-at-home pounds to get rid of....

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

I’m basically abstaining and doing modified whole 30 (not excluding dairy, mostly cheese) for 4 weeks 1/4-1/31, going well so far.

[Paul Miller]

So far so good. Down 3.5 pounds.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

Congrats, Paul! I made up for yesterday by eating soup today.

I almost forgot to post a song for this, the 10th day of Dryuary. "Ten" is the title of Pearl Jam's debut album. Pearl Jam propelled grunge into the mainstream, and Ten stands shoulder to shoulder with other legendary first efforts from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Boston, and Run-DMC. (YMMV.)



Cheers!

[JDavisRoby]

Congrats, Paul! I made up for yesterday by eating soup today.

I almost forgot to post a song for this, the 10th day of Dryuary. "Ten" is the title of Pearl Jam's debut album. Pearl Jam propelled grunge into the mainstream, and Ten stands shoulder to shoulder with other legendary first efforts from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Boston, and Run-DMC. (YMMV.)



Cheers!

I prefer to call them Mookie Blaylock. The name of the album comes from his jersey number.

[Mike Cohen]

242 hours down. 492 hours to go. Don't want to jinx things, but so far it's been pretty easy.

Not going to restaurants and not socializing makes it much easier.

[Matt Latuchie]

242 hours down. 492 hours to go. Don't want to jinx things, but so far it's been pretty easy.

Not going to restaurants and not socializing makes it much easier.

Despite the turmoil in DC (which did temp me to open about 800 beers), it has felt easier than the last few years.

[Paul Miller]

242 hours down. 492 hours to go. Don't want to jinx things, but so far it's been pretty easy.

Not going to restaurants and not socializing makes it much easier.

Despite the turmoil in DC (which did temp me to open about 800 beers), it has felt easier than the last few years.

All this. I survived last week. For me, there were a couple of times over the weekend I wanted a drink.

Like Mike said, hunkered down somewhat helps. And since I am also trying to lose weight, I'm able to look at a wine bottle and view it also as a bunch of calories.

[Sarah Kirschbaum]

I can really feel the difference in my sleep quality over the last 10 days. We all know that, without question, sleep is better without alcohol, even though it may feel like it's easier. But the difference this year is more than palpable. I do find my sleep pattern shifting later, though - up a little later and getting up with the light in the AM. That's healthy, too.

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

Rather interesting; I’ve sorta been wanting to drink a cab. I think the last time I opened one was maybe October. Weird.

[Patrick T a y l o r]

My sleep quality has been terrible. I may also have to give up caffeine, which normally does not have much of an effect on me.

[maureen nelson]

We have been dry so far this year as well, but are already planning on popping champagne on the 20th. It has been good to take a break, may try to do this every few months.

Same here - always planned a dry January with a pause on the 20th for champagne (a mag of 2006 Taittinger CdC rose at the ready).

[Chris Crutchfield]

I can really feel the difference in my sleep quality over the last 10 days. We all know that, without question, sleep is better without alcohol, even though it may feel like it's easier. But the difference this year is more than palpable. I do find my sleep pattern shifting later, though - up a little later and getting up with the light in the AM. That's healthy, too.

I've noticed this as well. If you have a smart watch with a sleep tracking app, it's interesting to examine the quality of sleep you get with and without alcohol (caffeine as well). It's like night and day. It's really hard to understate the importance of drinking in moderation and not too frequently once you look at the effect it has on your sleep.