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40 Days Without Booze

jdmoyer.com

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Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#81

Post by jsolson »

nmcfarl wrote: post #4

My wife is pregnant and as a show of solidarity I’m not drinking around her (which cuts out the majority of my drinking). Which is not quite this experiment, but has shown me one thing where his and my experiences differ: Socializing. As it turns out I socialize a lot in bars - and I don’t like bars at all when not drinking. Mocktails° help - but not enough, and basically no bars serve those in Seattle, only fancy re…

> and basically no bars serve those in Seattle, only fancy restaurants.

I suppose this depends on what you mean by "bar". I've got some friends who are mostly abstainers, and they've had some delicious mocktails at Vito's, Tavern Law, and Rumba. I treat all of those as more bar than restaurant (I don't know that Seattle has turned me into more of a booze hound, but it's certainly made my booze habit more expensive), but they've all got full food menu's and kitchens. Where are you finding that's less mocktail-friendly?

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#82

Post by mumbi »

bitops wrote: post #75
hammock wrote: post #71

>I did find it more difficult to remain polite in the presence of people who were actively annoying me, but I managed to hold my tongue in most cases. Recently, I did a 42-day voluntary abstention from drinking. And, unlike everyone else I know who has tried this, I didn't cheat. It was inspired by a 21-day abstention a few months prior, which was due to a backpacking trip on which we decided not to bring any booze.…

The ultimate in self-denial: no computer usage outside of works hours for a week!

I quit computers for two years only to resume a year ago. Very enlightening experience. I recommend it.

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#83

Post by jere »

bitops wrote: post #69
jere wrote: post #60

I've slipped into the habit of drinking almost every single night over the past few months and I'm currently trying to cut it out. It's harder than I thought it would be. Like the author said, I've never noticed any physical withdrawal, but I have a strong urge to have a drink every night (sometimes even in the middle of the day). This is one of the most stressful times of my life and it's so hard not to just say "fu…

Have you tried breaking up any of your usual patterns? It may be hard to do with schedules and workload, but just exercising 2 or 3 times a week can make a huge difference. I've found that 90 minutes of exercise per session is its own drug.

Yea, I exercise. Probably less than I should. In 2011 I was running about 30 miles a month but that dried up around the same time my diet went to crap and I started drinking more.

I'm trying to get back into it anyway.

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#84

Post by reustle »

cclogg wrote: post #68
mumbi wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seeing as everybody seems to want you to drink, I would like to say that I commend your ability to stay away from substances of abuse. I, for one, cannot.

I've managed to pull off not drinking like the parent commenter (both because I don't like the taste and I just don't want to)... but unfortunately I love soda/sugar-drinks... which brings other problems lol.

I've also pulled away from soda and I've never been into energy drinks. If you're looking to get rid of them, I'm rooting for you :)

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#85

Post by 3pt14159 »

jere wrote: post #60

I've slipped into the habit of drinking almost every single night over the past few months and I'm currently trying to cut it out. It's harder than I thought it would be. Like the author said, I've never noticed any physical withdrawal, but I have a strong urge to have a drink every night (sometimes even in the middle of the day). This is one of the most stressful times of my life and it's so hard not to just say "fu…

Yeah, I assume you are in your late twenties. I've talked privately with lots of people in the Toronto tech scene about daily drinking. I was doing it when I was 27 during a stressful period when the acquisition of a company I started began to fall apart (I only ended up making 9 months of the 4 year vesting).

I was told that it either lasts until you have kids, turn thirty, or turn into a full blown alcoholic. I took the easier way out and just quit my position.

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#86

Post by betterunix »

reustle wrote: post #11

Great writeup. As someone who never drinks, and never has, it continues to sound like a drug to me and I want no part of it. That said, I still get questioned about my decision like I have 2 heads.

Alcohol is a drug. Whoever told you otherwise was wrong.

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#87

Post by munificent »

VLM wrote: post #56
smsm42 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think decision of avoiding certain or all drugs makes total sense, if the person has no interest in their effects and is not ready to suffer inevitable side effects of doing things that our body is not meant to do normally. Hacking one's body often has its costs.

"doing things that our body is not meant to do normally." The reason it doesn't outright kill you is an enormous amount of evolution to occasionally consume "somewhat overripe fruit". That doesn't mean you're evolved to chug grain alcohol like water, or get drunk every night like the goof in the article, it just means your body is quite very well used to handling a bit of fermented grapes once in awhile. Hacking one'…

> get drunk every night like the goof in the article

The author didn't say he gets drunk every night, he said he drinks every night.

I have a beer or a glass of wine with dinner most nights. I get drunk (i.e. have more than one drink, feel drunk, feel worse the next morning) with a much lower frequency.

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#89

Post by reustle »

mumbi wrote: post #23
hcurtiss wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Respectfully, why not? Putting aside state regulation, what's your objection to recreational drug use? edit -- I'm pretty sure your second sentence appeared after I commented. In any event, I don't mean to put you out. Just curious.

I suspect a history of family related substance abuse. That usually does it.

Both my mother and father have always been pretty dry. My father has maybe 2-3 beers a month, and my mother one mixed drink every 2 months. I've not had any bad experiences at a close personal level with alcoholism.

Re: 40 Days Without Booze

#90

Post by jpollock »

betenoire wrote: post #28
reustle wrote: post #11

Great writeup. As someone who never drinks, and never has, it continues to sound like a drug to me and I want no part of it. That said, I still get questioned about my decision like I have 2 heads.

He lost a little weight, but had an increase in asthma symptoms. He had a harder time winding down, but slept a little better. I'm not sure what you got out of this article that confirms your aversion to this drug. Care to elaborate?

That he felt it was a loss to not drink alcohol, and that he was consuming sufficient amounts to be worried about withdrawal.
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