“I’ve heard of slow service but this is ridiculous!”
Today marks the start of my 100 Day FADFOY countdown.
One hundred days from now, when my twelve-month-long temporary teetotaling time comes to an end, I will acknowledge achieving my goal of having a year off booze by celebrating my ‘FADFOY’, my First Alcoholic Drink For One Year.
“Woah there, Ben. Hang on a minute. Are you sure you want to do that? After all you’ve lasted a year without a drink, why not keep the sober going?”
Well, in answering the voice of my conscience, the part of me who argues along the same lines of more than a few YOLS blog and twitter friends and followers, I have to say this: I will drink again because…
I’m a man of my word.
And it’s that simple really. I started with the goal of going one year without drinking any alcohol—and that is what I will do. On 11/11/2012 I will reach my goal and, whatever the future brings after that day, I’ve decided to mark the occasion with some tipple.
It’ll be my first drink in a year!
FADFOY: First Alcoholic Drink For One Year
“What alcoholic drink will you choose? Beer? Wine? A spirit?”
“How much will you drink? A can? A bottle? A shot?”
“Aren’t you worried you’ll go back to your old habits?”
Well to answer those three ‘in-good-conscience’ questions: “Not sure. Not sure. And No.”
“Well then smarty pants, how can you be sure you won’t go back to your old habits?”
Again—because I’m a man of my word. I’ve found once I truly decide to do something I do it. And if my YOLS has taught me anything else (so far) it’s that I get more done when I drink less.
And I like love getting things done.
I love writing more; I love starting my writing day before anyone else in the house is up; I love being able to juggle a few projects at various stages of writing development without feeling overwhelmed by any single project, and to still have mental room for more ideas which invariably make there way into my notebook or a computer digital draft.
Besides, I’ve also learnt to appreciate an unsung benefit of drinking less alcohol: less frequent trips to the toilets when dining out with my wife. What’s more my wife told me she actually “loves” not being left alone at the table as often—while I trip to the loo (my darling)—too.
So, despite my appreciation for the benefits of a clear mind and unburdened bladder I will be having at least one drink to celebrate my FADFOY (on 11/11/2012) but I won’t be going back to drinking every day.
Hopefully. Though, you never know. After all…
My name is Ben and I AM a dipsomaniac.
Today is Day 267 of my year of living sober.
☆
Little Booze Joke
A Screaming Orgasm walks into a bar and the bartender cries, “Yes!”
What do you think? Is it a crazy idea to be thinking about what drink I’ll celebrate my year of sobriety’s end with? Or do you think it’s just a bit of fun? Love to get your comment.
Wow! What a great story- so impressed Ben! I’ve just completed “Dry July” which for me was a huge accomplishment, and I’ve managed to amaze many friends who thought that I simply couldn’t do it. But here’s the thing – I enjoyed it so much (waking up feeling great, more money in the pocket and a weight loss to boot) that I’ve seriously thought about just giving up for a longer period (plus my two kids have even noticed, so that’s an added incentive to carry on). But the reaction from friends has thrown me a bit – usually along the lines of “F*%K Jo, you’re not going all teetotal are you?” So what if I am? I’m still the same person. Maybe I’ll do Abtstain August and just carry on from there?!
Good luck with the countdown Ben and enjoy that first drink – whatever it may be!
Thanks Jo. I really appreciate your kind comments.
Congratulations on your Dry July too. Sounds like everyone around you was impressed (some, despite themselves) at your achievement. And rightly so. There is so much encouragement around us—in the media, advertising, peer-pressure—to conform to a consumer mentality with absolutely everything, including alcohol day and night. Making a choice which seemingly goes against the ‘more-is-better’ grain sometimes rubs people up the wrong way. But, as your comment hints at, those that truly love us and want the best for us, will always champion the healthy choice.
They just might have to get used to a new idea of who we are!
Big congrats to both of you for abstaining as long as you have. Each day sober is a blessing indeed!! As some one whose last drink was in April 2006 I have sometimes wondered if breaking the stretch would be worth it. To me the answer is no. It seemed like the biggest gains in sobriety occurred early on – no more hangovers, no more blackouts, an immediate impact to the finances. But the longer term benefits, though they appear more incrementally, are of significantly greater value. I encourage you to keep going, one day at a time. Ignore the haters and the people who constantly offer to buy you drinks, as if not being able to afford booze is the reason you turned your back on it in the first place. Oh and enjoy the sober journey, it makes all other journey’s that much better
Hiya Mrs G! If my calculations are correct that means you’ve done 6 years sober already? Six YOLSs straight? I guess you’re headed for a DOLS, a ‘Decade of Living Sober’. Not sure if I’ll ever go for that one but you never know. Twas a time when I couldn’t have imagined going a year without a drink (and a time when a month would have been inconceivable too).
Thanks for your congratulations!
Hi. Just want to say thanks for doing this website it is a big encouragement and is helping me stay off the dreaded booze. I have tried several times over the years to give up alcohol and always seem to fail but this time feel very positive. So fingers crossed I can make it this time as I think my love affair with alcohol has run its course and it is time to stop now before amy more harm is done. So thanks again its a massive help.
Hey T Man! You’re totally welcome. I just got back from a morning jog and opened up my emails to find this comment awaiting moderation. Thanks very much for your kind words. It really makes my day knowing what could be seen by some as a self-indulgent social experiment—blogging about giving up booze for ONLY a year—is so appreciated by others.
While someone who has never drunk in their life might not understand what the fuss is about, and someone who identifies as an Alcoholic might think we are kidding ourselves by striving for moderation, it’s good knowing I’m not alone in wanting an alternative to either or.
Thanks also for sharing some of your own journey. It’s great to hear you are feeling positive and it sounds like you’ll stay that way too.
I’m with you Jo. Dry July opened my eyes clearly to some drinking choices I was making. One huge one was that I would be wondering if there was wine to drink when I got home from work. I didn’t have to worry about this during Dry July and it was a great feeling. The other night I was explaining this to my husband as we were having a drink and he came out of the bar with the last bottle of white and said “oohh Sammy, this is the last bottle!” and I replied “not a problem, I’ve got a glass in my hand and I don’t need anymore wine” and I didn’t. Thanks Dry July and thanks Ben for posting on that site and allowing me to find the YOLS. Love your blog and the honesty that comes with it.
Heading to Fiji at the end of the week and will be drinking but I don’t want to be hungover or shabby, I want to have fun!
Nice one Sammy. Your comment reminds me how, every day since my YOLS began, between finishing work and bathing babies—then preparing dinner, I haven’t had to squeeze in one trip to the bottle shop. Makes for one less stress in the household. And, even though part of me misses the ritual of me heading out alone and deliberating over white or red (almost always red) and whether to get a bottle of beer or a six-pack as well, I have grown to appreciate my exercise routine as the only break from domestic responsibilities I need.
Though a holiday in Fiji sounds bloody nice too!
Have a great un-hungover and none-too-shabby trip (love to hear how you go)
Really enjoyed checking out the blog the last couple of months. On July 15th, I decided to give up alcohol “for awhile” without knowing how long that would be. My reasons are strictly for health and nutrition. I’m on a mission to get in the best shape I’ve ever been in. In order for me to lose the last of the stubborn fat, I need to continue to eat well and stick within my daily calorie limits. Unfortunately, when I drink, I like to eat, too. It’s been 24 days of no alcohol and surprisingly I feel good. I just got back from a 6 day vacation and managed to have a great time without alcohol. I think a few months of no booze will really be an eye opener. Keep up the good work, you’re almost there!!
“I’m on a mission to get in the best shape I’ve ever been in.”
That’s a great mission. I’m on board with that one too. And, like you, when I drink alcohol my appetite for caloric rich (and nutritionally poor) foods definitely increases. I read somewhere recently that it’s because our body responds with a ‘like for like’ need to whatever we put in it. So, if we eat fresh fruit and vegetables our body wants more of those; if we eat and drink rubbish our body craves more.
Makes perfect sense to me.
Enjoy your mission. I’d wish you luck but it sounds like you’re flying along fine with determination.
I missed your FadFoy countdown. Was while I was enroute to no cell land:) Fyi – not that it’s any where near as long, but my 2 MOLS has changed my habits for the better. While I was away on vacation for example, I basically drank spritzers that by the 3rd glass were 90% sparkling water and a splash of white wine. Have fun with the rest of the journey!
Thanks for leaving another great comment, Deanne. Don’t worry, plenty of days left on the old FADFOY! Good to hear you had a nice break away from techno-control. I think I should follow your lead and head out into nature and away from my computer more too
Also very cool to hear about your new spritzer life. I used to enjoy a white wine and soda myself in summer. A good hydrating alcoholic option.
[...] not just ‘What will my FADFOY (First Alcoholic Drink For One Year) be?” No, many of the new questions I face lately come to me [...]