No wine, no problem.
My youngest tuned seventeen back in November. I made her a short playlist of relevant songs – “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks, “Dancing Queen” by Abba ("young and sweet, only seventeen), and the classic from The Sound of Music. She and older sister clued me in to this clever sendup from Saturday Night Live.
Stay dry, folks.
My friend Alex stopped by this evening, bringing glad tidings of his son getting his first “real” job in the athletic department of an ACC school. Alex also brought smoked wings from a bbq joint as my early birthday present. I don’t publish that info; he had to do some sleuthing. A good friend indeed.
With all of those dopamine hits, it was still no wine, no problem. I’m in the zone and have had no desire for alcohol; it’s just what I do in January.
I’m slowly trending down in weight. I could have been a bit better, but my middle daughter left for college this morning, so we enjoyed one last sushi takeout lunch on Monday. After consuming 2+ rolls each, we both fell asleep on the chair/couch watching Mythbusters. An enjoyable way to spend quality time.
We also watched “Bugonia” and wowzers it was stupendous! Fresh and biting and chilling… A throwback film but yet completely modern. You’re never really sure how it’s going to play out. It was like when you have a wine that’s so interesting that you have a hard time conveying the sentiment in Cellartracker. 
Marlene Dietrich’s 1965 version of “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” features prominently at the end of the film. Marlene’s stern interpretation softens at the end of the last chorus, letting her true self show.
Bugonia is currently streaming on Peacock. I wonder if @Mike_Grammer saw it.
Stay dry, folks.
LOL, not yet, but planning to!
Oof I had a busy day!
No wine, no problem.
Stay dry, folks!
Seems like there’s not much chatter in this thread compared to past years. I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me it doesn’t feel like Dryuary is such a significant undertaking as it did before. This year, it seems more like I’m just doing what I normally do in January. Tomorrow is the half-way point, and my mental focus is more on the results I’ll see when I step on the scale in the morning than on what to open on February 2 (I started January 2).
Could this mean I won’t “compensate” as much this year during Berserkerday? Probably not.
Back to my point, it has been pretty easy for me so far this year – “no problem,” as Mr. Taylor says. I hope everyone else is hanging in there.
It’s been easy as far as wine goes for me, too. Usually at some point during the first week I say “this is dumb,” but not this year. It helped that my food the first week due to the diet I was trying was really boring. I was stuck in an airport for a good stretch Tuesday, and it would have killed time to have a drink or two, but not hard to say no.
Diet this year, on the other hand, has been MUCH harder than usual. Not mentally hard, but progress is way less than I am used to and that is dispiriting.
I am no expert, but I hope you don’t let the slow progress discourage you. For my part, I didn’t start seeing any results from my change in diet and exercise routine until the last week, as if it took extra time this year for my body to get the memo. Now, some of my goals for January are starting to come into view, and I am cautiously optimistic about what I will have accomplished by February.
Thanks Brad. I’m only discouraged because doing a cut is something I feel like I know how to do, exactly what I need, and it always works. I can count on the plan I put in place. This year…not so much. Getting older sucks.
Indeed it does.
I feel the same way…especially about being interested to see what the number on the scale is each morning. I’ll add that I’m going to bed earlier and sleeping better.
still hanging in just fine here, seriously, this is a lot easier than I expected. I do miss wine (and a little Whiskey) a lot, but it’s easy enough to not partake. Went out to a nice Italian place the other night - still no problem, and I still find the mocktails a little silly
I’m actually missing a cold beer more than wine.
After a surf session …
At the 19th hole …
At a hockey game …
With izakaya or pepperoni pizza …
That said, this refresh is physically and emotionally satisfying.
But it beats the alternative. Hang in there!
This is the spot that I find myself in each year.
Went to a monthly poker game last night and I estimate that 60+% of the folks there are on dry january- to me this meant a couple things: 1) there is a ton of organic eco system support for people on dry jan now- lots of folks doing it. 2) It is no longer hip or cool or cutting edge so I am definitely out for the future. Ain’t no sheep, man.
It’s been a breeze this year, like last, with some some light social activity shifts to make the forever lame and annoying ballbusters lose interest. I got poured a glass by the server at a place I visit at least once per week. It smelled really nice, and I just slid it near the condiments and drank my h20, had my dinner and paid for everything including wine. When I might be having a wine night with friends and drink n/a, and decide to stay in instead I’ll replace it with studying, sharpening knives, finishing old projects etc.
I’m sort of two minds about the whole thing. Obviously I’m in favor of anything that makes people not drink alcohol and think about their health, but I also find the whole thing a bit performative.
People should be interested in using alcohol in moderation, exercising, and eating healthy year round and if it’s difficult to abstain from alcohol for a month some self analysis might be helpful.
That said, having a drink during the month is not going to make any difference in terms of your health at the end of the day. I guess on balance I should be supportive of anything that’s health promoting.
You are right, of course.
I look at Dryuary as a somewhat light hearted way to examine my habits.
Perhaps it makes for more ‘mindful’ drinking!
There’s a difference between difficult and not wanting to. I choose the latter and I sure as hell don’t need to self-analyze because of my choice.
