Stone Cold Sober

A friend of mine has not had his nightly glass of wine for some time due to surgery, so I thought I’d give him moral support. So for the past five days, I haven’t had a drink either.

Now a lot of folks probably don’t see what the big deal is missing a drink or two. But there is a history here.

I didn’t start drinking until college, well, high school. Never experiment with mix-drinks or liquor, but under peer pressure would drink the watered down 3.2 beers. I wouldn’t drink at home and actually didn’t drink that much while in school. By then I was working so I didn’t have much time to party.

After college and married, I tried to look distinguish and started drinking wine. After a few years I was drinking a case or more of Heineken every week.

Once I moved into this house the drinking was reduced for other alternatives. Whatever the reason, every evening because a buzz and then a haze.

A couple of years and some close calls, the alcohol became part of the nightly habit. Every evening, I would ride to the store and buy a 12-pack of beer. Before sleep the beer was consumed.

The past couple of years, the morning started off with water and coffee and quickly switched to beer. Bedtime only came when the beer ran out.

So, like when I quit smoking, this was cold turkey. Changing a habit isn’t hard if you don’t go down the beer aisle. Even the checkout folks marvel when packing the daily run.

So what is different? Water washes down food just as well as beer. The buzz is gone but going to sleep is a bit more difficult. Waking up seems the same but I think my head is clearer. The biggest change I have seen is those weird dreams I have been having are gone.

I’ll see how long being stone cold sober will last. I’m drinking a bunch more water keeping up with the old habit of having a bottle in my hand. Will see what happens when I go out with friends?