Alcohol Free Days

[Neil_1]

Hi all,

I've been thinking for some time now that it's time for me to come off the alcohol.  Beer is my weapon (drink) of choice ... well it's not actually a weapon, it's more of a very close and comforting friend.  Yeah, that's it.

Oh and before I go on and drive some of you insane ... AFD is my abbreviation of Alcohol Free Days ... and each year I count how many I have.  Well, not each year, I've only been doing it for the last five years.  Is that kind of Obsessive Compulsive;  oh and the fact that I keep a daily diary for what happened in my day EVERY day;  and that's been going on for, wow, I'm coming up to my 20th year of keeping my daily diary.

And it's in my daily diary that I record down my AFD's.

So for the month of February (laughter I hear from my fellow readers - with exclamations of "Nice work Neil, choose the shortest month! - and you wouldn't be far wrong either!) I am going to chalk up 28 AFD's.  Of late I've been hammering it pretty hard of a night and I think my body is screaming for a dry out period. 

So it's cold turkey straight away ... with no easing into it.  I usually chip away at this kind of thing each year for the first 4 or so months ... and then come early May for the last 5 years, I stop totally - for a period of gee, well from early May to late September/early October.  This is because I compete in natural bodybuilding competitions and so I've gotta have that amount of time to work off the adorable beer gut that is associated with the elixer of the gods.  And it's amazing, cause each year I get rid of it, and I actually then see (for only a brief period of time) the most shy, timid and hard to spot creatures in the whole world - and they would be my abs!!  They come out for a short while, but then after a brief appearance they scurry off again, not to be seen again for another year!  Timid little creatures they are.

However it does cause me much sadness to know that my local bottle shop will suffer incredibly during February financially speaking.

So there you have it folks ... February the 1st and it coincides with AFD 1 for Neil - I'm actually glad that I've posted this cause it'll also keep me focussed and on track.  Because now that all you know, I can't be letting you down.

And I will sign off with a simple, bye for the time being (and I'll leave the cheersing till next month) 🙂

Neil

[Neil_1]

Hi folks

It's Saturday which is the 15th Feb, so that means today/tonight will be over half-way for the month of Feb.  Giddy up.  Stephen, mate I hope that you're matching strides with me as well.

So yeah, just a short one here just to pop in and say that the dry period continues to roll on.

Cheers with water

Neil

ps:  not so big a loss this week as the first week, just 300g.  🙂

[guest75]

excellent work on making the half way point of your goal Neil

Keep up to the good work!

[Neil_1]

Hey there;

Thanx Matty and Scott.

Stephen, how are you going mate??  Still hanging in there.  Keep on chalking up those AFD's my friend.

Scott, is there anything you can do?  I tell ya', a snack pack (that's a six pack of beer for the uninitiated - or is it just Neil speak) of cold ones would hit the spot right about now.  But no, there's no beer in the home or even in my beer fridge in the garage;  till all empty and shall stay that way till the kick off of the NRL on March 6th!  That's the plan.

How am I going?  I'm not struggling with the no drinkie ... but I am still struggling with my mental issues and honestly I don't know if I feel better?  I really don't.  Oh well, kay ser rah ser rah.

Neil

[Neil_1]

Hi,

Stephen, mate are you around????   Guess what, it's now March!!! 

We made it.  Well, I hope by say "we" that I'm right ... how did you go for those last 11 or so days, since we last posted about the 'big dry'?

I know I "was" going to wait till the NRL kicks off which is next Thursday, but I thought, to hell with that ... I made all of February, so why not have a celebration!?!?!  And after all, the 3rd cricket test is on in South Africa tonight, so giddy up and cheers beers!  🙂

Neil

ps:  come April, I'll be back on or off the wagon again ... I never know which terminology is correct.

[scorch]

Well done for making it through Feb!  Awesome 🙂

[Stephen123]

Hi Neil, I can,t thank you enough for your encouragement but alas I must admit my friend to breaking the pact and I had 2 bottles of cider about the 20 something of February. But I,m still proud of myself 2 bottles is a drop in the ocean against what I was drinking at Christmas. The main thing is I,ve broken a cycle that was developing and I plan to stay off the grog as much as possible but one or two might make it past my lips now and again. I,ll check in here now and again just to make an honest man of me with my alcohol consumption and I,ve decided to be totally honest with my gp about my intake. As you say the depression is another thing completely and I developed a little bout for a couple of days the other day just as a reminder that that little black dog still nips at my heels now and again after almost 20 years. I had to smirk the other day when I read somewhere that depression lasts for 4 to 8 months. Where do they get this stuff from? Disney land? Pass the ad,s and 1 bottle of beer per month and I,ll say cheers Neil, but just once a month or so. Good luck buddy.

[Jo3]

To Neil & Stephen

Well done guys!!! Does that mean you can have a drink to celebrate!!!

 I am proud of you guys for sticking with it and Stephen a little slip up is okay.  you have done fantastic.

Jo 🙂

[Neil_1]

Hi Stephen  

Mate, I AM proud of you.  Breaking the pact by ONE day is awesome.  That’s even harder to do than what I did.  If I’d have broken it, I think I would have kept breaking it.  But you had a couple of bottles and then got back amongst it again.  Now THAT is will power and strength.  

Well, your GP will be pleased to hear of your latest efforts for a dry out period.  Well done.  

 20 years is a long time … unfortunately I’ve got more than that and for a reason that I cannot fathom, it’s getting worse as I get older.    

Depression lasting between four to eight months – was that part of a comedy festival?  

Neil

Editors note:   yes Jo, the celebrations have been rocking and rolling since Saturday night!!