Topic: Jan so dry

[non capisco]

I did it last year and look back on that month with a huge amount of fondness, the increased mental clarity, getting up at the crack of dawn to watch the sun rise and bounce off the Victorian sphinxes in Crystal Palace Park, the panic attacks that had bedevilled my previous year's winter now consigned to the dustbin through beta blockers and CBT, optimism, focus, sharpness, purpose, easy not to drink, no need. But that was in, if you'll excuse the hack Twitter parlance, "the before times".

This year I'm required to go into central London to work during a time when covid had decided to considerably up its game in a last chance power drive to claim as many victims as it can before vaccination hoys it into history's dustbin. Looking at the transmissibility of this new total git variant of the spiteful armoured bollock, and factoring in that I'll have couriers in and out of my street facing office day in day out, I think it'll be a miracle if I don't catch a dose before it's finally my turn for the jab sometime in the summer. Or knowing the fucking Tories and their grifting incompetence Winter 2022. So yeah, no promises, probably gonna have the odd can in Jan.

[Ham Bap]

December was a weird one for me, what with coming off my medication. Now that's done I seem to have have gone up another rung on the way to becoming a total fucking lightweight. Had plenty of days in the latter half of December where the idea of drinking any booze whatsoever was a massive no-no. Just no temptation at all, which is a new one for me. Think I may end up doing an involuntary Dry-ish January, then.

I stopped drinking spirits when I was 30 because I couldn't handle them anymore. Now, at 39, it looks like I have finally lost the ability to handle red wine. I failed to finish one glass last night, it was good stuff and it tasted nice but after half a glass it just made me feel sick.

Just struggled to finish a glass of Cava right now. Went and got a Diet Coke instead.

Is this a normal thing with age? Or a sign of DEAD SOON?

I was 40 last year. I just can’t do it anymore.

I used to be a big drinker as well in my 20’s and early 30s. Most of a bottle of vodka would be gone in a night of drinking. It wouldn’t even touch the sides.

Would go through cases of beer, always worrying when I’d run out.

I think with work and having kids and getting up earlier and not drinking as often I can’t just pick up where I once was and start drinking again.

I have friends the same age who never stopped and drink as much now as they did when they were 18.
I sometimes dread whenever a session in the pub is organised.

I have about £80 worth of booze downstairs now.
I wanna do stuff tonight instead of feeling like an exhausted mess if I drink.

So it’s 11.5 months off it for me now then reassess where I am with it next Christmas.

[Buelligan]

It is odd to think that people drink so frequently that not drinking needs a big song and dance about it. I am going to have a little sip of Amaretto all throughout January, as it tastes lovely and its a new year.

If you're going to do that, you might as well pop it on a bit of ice and an equal measure of standard quality whiskey[1].  I think you'll enjoy this.

1.	Do not use good whiskey for this.  That would be the act of a barbarian.

[bgmnts]

If you're going to do that, you might as well pop it on a bit of ice and an equal measure of standard quality whiskey.  I think you'll enjoy this.

Liquers are to be consumed straight.

Furthermore, its the tastiest booze going, alongside Ouzo, why sully that pure almond ambrosia with ice and whiskey?

[Buelligan]

Try it, then you'll know.  Amaretto solo is for children really.

[Cuellar]

the tastiest booze going, alongside Ouzo

2021 already ruined.

[bgmnts]

Try it, then you'll know.  Amaretto solo is for children really.

I'm happily a child. I drink every spirit straight.

[Buelligan]

Is Kahlua better than a White Russian?  No.  But you must do what you think is best.

[bgmnts]

Someone send me a bottle of Kahlua so I can try it straight up and say how amazing it is cheers.

[TrenterPercenter]

I'm already 4 days ahead stopped drinking on the day after boxing day.  Boxing day evening I got through over half a bottle of rum, 3 beers, 2 negroni's and 2 G&Ts and I wasn't pissed (at 11.30pm I made myself an omelette and then sat and watched Galaxy Quest) and woke up without a hint of a hangover.  That is not right so booze is off the menu for the foreseeable.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I did it last year, and did February + some of March as well. I can't say I found much benefit to it, then we entered a lock-down so this period of voluntary temperance was followed by being unable to go to the pub.

Think I'll just do less wet January this year.

[Blue Jam]

I was 40 last year. I just can’t do it anymore.

I used to be a big drinker as well in my 20’s and early 30s. Most of a bottle of vodka would be gone in a night of drinking. It wouldn’t even touch the sides.

Would go through cases of beer, always worrying when I’d run out.

I was never a big drinker until a few years back but I used to love a wee dram now and then. Unfortunately the time I suddenly found myself unable to handle whisky coincided with the time I moved to Scotland. Was a bit gutted about that.

I ordered a case of beers before Christmas and still have half of them left. Got a load of my Xmas homebrew left too. I wanted to keep a few bottles to let them condition for a few more months and let the flavours develop, now that seems like a realistic aim. I have reached a point where making beer is more satisfying than drinking it.

[amputeeporn]

I’ve had a fairly heavy year and a very heavy December. Most days I’ve had at least 3-4 drinks, and been properly smashed at least twice a week. Can really see it in my red bloated face so looking forward to some dry time. Will take it as an opportunity to get back into shape, read a load more books and start sleeping properly again.

I tend to do pretty well when off the drink but am always excited to fall off the wagon again - a little too excited tbh. Wondering if my body needs more of a rest than usual this time. Might be worth jacking in until shit reopens, for example. Baby on the way in May as well so probably time to take a look at myself/habits in general.

[icehaven]

January isn't a depressing month anyway. Try running on a frosty morning as the sun rises through troutbeck, with deer roaming the land and nothing but the sound of silence. There's no better month for running.

I don't know where you live but it's a looooooong way from me, we don't get silence around here. Or deer. Or troutbeck (whatever it is).

[Phoenix Lazarus]

'Jan so dry.'  I said that to someone, many years ago.  Not fazed, I used some lube.  An hour later, a very satisfied Mrs Leeming read the news.

[FerriswheelBueller]

December was a weird one for me, what with coming off my medication. Now that's done I seem to have have gone up another rung on the way to becoming a total fucking lightweight. Had plenty of days in the latter half of December where the idea of drinking any booze whatsoever was a massive no-no. Just no temptation at all, which is a new one for me. Think I may end up doing an involuntary Dry-ish January, then.

I stopped drinking spirits when I was 30 because I couldn't handle them anymore. Now, at 39, it looks like I have finally lost the ability to handle red wine. I failed to finish one glass last night, it was good stuff and it tasted nice but after half a glass it just made me feel sick.

Just struggled to finish a glass of Cava right now. Went and got a Diet Coke instead.

Is this a normal thing with age? Or a sign of DEAD SOON?

Mrs Ferris is the same. I think she’s had 2 glasses of wine since October, and she didn’t finish those. Just gradually stopped bothering over the last 5 years or so. Some people just grow past it I guess.

Not me though, I love an auld glass of booze. Will be #lgp til I die.

#lgp

[pancreas]

Someone send me a bottle of Kahlua so I can try it straight up and say how amazing it is cheers.

may as well drink neat Camp Coffee

[FerriswheelBueller]

may as well drink neat Camp Coffee

Can’t stand the bloke but pancreas is on the money here.

[Buelligan]

I’ve had a fairly heavy year and a very heavy December. Most days I’ve had at least 3-4 drinks, and been properly smashed at least twice a week. Can really see it in my red bloated face so looking forward to some dry time. Will take it as an opportunity to get back into shape, read a load more books and start sleeping properly again.

I tend to do pretty well when off the drink but am always excited to fall off the wagon again - a little too excited tbh. Wondering if my body needs more of a rest than usual this time. Might be worth jacking in until shit reopens, for example. Baby on the way in May as well so probably time to take a look at myself/habits in general.

I don't think you should be drinking if you're pregnant.  Hope you don't mind me saying.

[Beagle 2]

Same as a lot of folk, I've done it last couple of years but this year it's a no, love.

[bgmnts]

may as well drink neat Camp Coffee

Is it nice?

[pancreas]

Is it nice?

I'm sorry, but I just can't be part of this journey of yours.

[amputeeporn]

I don't think you should be drinking if you're pregnant.  Hope you don't mind me saying.

*Possibly responding sincerely to a joke but* it can’t hurt to clarify that my partner is pregnant and not me - and she is extremely healthy and diligent!

[Buelligan]

I'm afraid it was a joke.

[FerriswheelBueller]

Week 1 done. I feel great, full of energy. Hope everyone else is keeping at it.

Onwards and upwards.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I finally got a good night's semi-uninterrupted kip yesterday and woke up feeling like I'd drank a bottle of wine the night before.

[TheBrownBottle]

I was 40 last year. I just can’t do it anymore.

I used to be a big drinker as well in my 20’s and early 30s. Most of a bottle of vodka would be gone in a night of drinking. It wouldn’t even touch the sides.

Would go through cases of beer, always worrying when I’d run out.

I think with work and having kids and getting up earlier and not drinking as often I can’t just pick up where I once was and start drinking again.

I have friends the same age who never stopped and drink as much now as they did when they were 18.
I sometimes dread whenever a session in the pub is organised.

I have about £80 worth of booze downstairs now.
I wanna do stuff tonight instead of feeling like an exhausted mess if I drink.

So it’s 11.5 months off it for me now then reassess where I am with it next Christmas.

New Year’s Eve was my two-year anniversary of being teetotal.  I’d always been a heavy drinker - and found myself drinking most days of the week (work colleagues during the week, partner and friends on the weekend, sometimes on my own if my partner was at work).  I found that my own personal cocktail of an anxiety disorder and ADD meant that getting pissed for a few hours was a shit form of self-medication.  Have to say that I’ve never been happier since coming off the drink (though my social life went for a Burton, I’m not particularly worried about that).  Anxiety etc has notably improved as a result.  It’s unlikely that I will ever drink again, given how little I miss it.  The fact that it meant I quit smoking the same day was also a massive positive (the two were inextricably linked in my mind).  Also, having three Labradors to walk in the morning has made this easier (they wake up every day at five - hardly conducive to being in a half-cut sleepless hangover state.  And Mrs BB does the afternoon walk, so morning shift is all mine).

I’m a bit of a boring bastard now.  But a happy boring bastard.

[PowerButchi]

Done a week. Feel shite and bored. I'm going to get fucking tanked tomorrow.

[JaDanketies]

We've set drinking limits for ourselves starting on the 4th but neither of us have drank since then. hate to say it but this four-day period so far is the longest we'll have gone without drink for a long time. I want to hit a fortnight really because that's how long fatty liver takes to repair, and then it will be good to drink very limited amounts after abstaining for a while. Exercising now too

[Jockice]

I had a gin and tonic on Christmas Eve if that's any good.