I ♥ Beer

[ehowton]

I'm not entirely sure the far-reaching implications of not drinking beer has fully resonated with me yet. I mean, there's the obvious ones, 2000 calories a day and $400 a month saved - awesome deficits to have to be sure. But I was an otherwise very responsible drinker, always drinking around my children's schedule; picking them up, dropping them off, and ferrying them here and there. So the most obvious question staring me back in the face was, "What do I do now?"

I had a lot of time to fill that I would normally fill drinking, and since drinking doesn't lend itself to coexisting with many activities, I was in a bit of a slump. When drinking this past year - because I don't watch much television - I would often throw darts in the garage or play video games, both of which seemed rather dull without the brightness turned all the way up. So, I started working out. Cardio and weights every day for a month. I just added yoga.

So I am consuming far fewer calories, saving a shitload of cash, and working out because I have a lot of time I don't know how to spend. There's one more thing - gout. The effects of excessive drinking are finally beginning to subside. But its not all rainbows and unicorns. There's a dark side to not drinking. My social life has tanked. No more get-togethers with the neighbors and no more seeing my favorite beer store girl. I'm also not sleeping as well, and this one has been the most notable. Beer is such a soothing elixir, that without causes me to toss and turn and lay awake most nights.

The silver lining to being a social pariah who cannot sleep is all the extra time spent meeting and playing with new females, and that's an activity I can really get behind.

Welcome to 2015.

Comments

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Yes, ridding ourselves of our favorite vices is quite a task. I just quit my 26 year love affair with cigarettes. I'm learning how to live again without them. It's a motherfucker to put it honestly. You can always smoke,vaporize, or eat (in brownies or other edible treat) some marijuana. It keeps me going. Do it with same responsibility as you did when you drank beer. Then again, you may have to battle the munchies, which can be done with a strong mind set. I dunno. Maybe one day you can get some beer and I'll grab a pack of smokes and we can enjoy watching an asteroid come hurling to destroy all of planet Earth :D then share a bowl or two LOL

[codekitten.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you are not sleeping as well. That really sucks and something I'm totally familiar with. Have you tried all the standard advice for sleeping better? I know for me a lot of that doesn't help because it's more surrounding anxiety. Just a thought.

On a positive note, that silver lining sounds like a big one!

[dawaioser.livejournal.com]

Good luck on the journey. I know it can be a challenge since drinking is such an acceptable and socialized, but leisurely activity. It's weird but necessary at times to let go of our crutches.

At one point in my life, I quit drinking for four years. It wasn't easy but it gave me the focus and strength that was required. That was many-many years ago, but now I can do with or without it; in fact I've been NOT imbibing wine during the work week and saving it for the weekend or special events.