My sister’s ex-husband died a few days ago of liver and kidney failure due to alcoholism. He was 59 years old. Leaves behind two sons, two stepdaughters, and several grandchildren. The ironic part is that they are having a cash bar at his celebration of life. Yuck, 🤢

My teaching assistant’s daughter had her second DUI and was arrested and then released with orders to do a breath test two times a day. She was too drunk to attend her sentencing and failed to send in her breath tests the day and night before. I don’t know what’s going to happen to her. The best thing would be a court-ordered rehab and she may be facing some jail time. She also was fired from her job. I guess what I’m saying is that this crap is all around us. We are the lucky ones to be crawling out of alcohol’s trap.

Don’t risk your health. Everyone is justifying pandemic drinking but the risk is high. Today can be THE DAY.  You don’t have to wait until this lockdown ends, or until the first of the month, or for the next personal holiday – birthday – anniversary.  Today can be it – The first day of the rest of your life. The day that you quit drinking for good.  

I was just having an argument with my husband after a commercial came on that advertised an app to get whatever booze you wanted, delivered right to your doorstep. I said, wow, that’s really awful!

And he said, I think it’s a great idea, no one has to go out driving drunk to get more booze.

Well, yeah, you’re right dude, but you’re missing the point. Too many people are drinking more during this pandemic and it’s a very addictive substance. It’s too easy to tap the app on your phone and presto, poison arrives on your doorstep.

I’ve trained her to take a bite outta me if I have any alcohol! 🤣🤣🤣

The pandemic, and my drinking, were a potentially toxic cocktail. It’s been almost a year. Almost a year since I began teaching virtually in the first Covid lockdown and almost a year since I decided that if I was going to stay home the alcohol needed to leave the building.

Over 200 days alcohol free!

In the past 10 months I’ve learned SO much about teaching virtually, and living my life sober!

I have learned a new way of teaching preschoolers remotely. Learned quite a bit about google slides and linking safe videos and uploading images. I can easily FaceTime, Zoom, or Google Meet and share my screen and have no fear of using QuickTime to video myself reading, writing, and singing! When I first started teaching virtually, there were mistakes and clumsy attempts, and lots of frustration. Much like living life sober. I sought out help from others, “how-to” videos, and taking lots of breaks.

The two completely different parts of me have a lot in common.

I have read a ton of quit lit books and listened to hours and hours of pod casts – Recovery Elevator, The Bubble Hour, and This Naked Mind. I have walked outside for at least an hour per day. I have relearned to knit. I have visited my mom in her assisted living as often as I’m allowed, bringing her home-cooked meals, flowers, and chocolates, putting clean sheets on her bed and wiping out the frig, accompanying her to endless medical appointments, and anything else I can possibly do for her as she is wheelchair-bound and pretty helpless but sound in the mind and I am grateful for every second I get to spend with this beautiful woman.

I. Am. Sober.

I can take a phone call, zoom, google meet, or FaceTime call at any moment without worrying I may look drunk or sound drunk. I can drive anywhere at any time I want. I don’t have to call the neighbors or Uber if someone is hurt in order to get them to the hospital. I can run errands at any time. Something else that I have gained in Sobriety is bike riding. I don’t mean bike riding with all the fancy gear and expensive bikes. Nope…just me and my 20-year-old Trex. Do you think I ever could have gone for a bike ride at 5:00 PM on a Sunday before becoming AF? No way in hell as I would have certainly polished off a bottle of wine by now.

It makes me feel young! It’s the closest place I feel to peace. My body is busy working and all my senses are activated. I feel the breeze on my face. I like to look at the neighborhood while on the street and nature when I’m on the trail. I hear birds and cars and motorcycles. I smell barbecues and the sweetness of the freshly mowed grass. It’s also a nice low impact way to exercise.

I. Am. Sober.

That alone is a major accomplishment! ☝️decision that has set so many other things in motion.

Decide.

More from our Boozemusings blog :

Why I’m Glad I Stopped Drinking During the Pandemic

How I Stopped Drinking my Way Through the Covid-19 Pandemic

A Deadly Cocktail -Day Drinking in the time of COVID-19

If you’re “sober curious”… If you are drinking too much too often and want to stop or take a break…or if you have stopped drinking and are trying to stick to sober! 

Talk to Us. 

BOOM Rethink the Drink Community

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” 

Confucius

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Start where you are right now
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It’s helpful to leave self blame at the door
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From a heavy and maybe weary heart
To a fresh start

You could find out soon
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Just do the next right thing
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ODAAT

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