On Friday I mentioned that I'd be going out for A drink with some coworkers. The weather was amazing and I just couldn't see myself doing anything other than sitting on a patio with an ice-cold margarita.
Clearly I need some hobbies. We'll get to that in another posting.
Well it turned out the bar my coworkers picked out didn't have any outdoor tables. Undeterred, I soldiered on deep into the belly of the dimly lit bar. It wasn't quite the setting I'd pictured for my first delicious margarita but at that point there was just no stopping me. And there she is:
Unassuming and quiet, but full of potential. The first sip was like a lightning bolt to my dulled brain. I was alive again. As I slowly sipped my way to the bottom of the glass, my face began to tingle, thoughts ping-ponged around my brain then left my mouth unfiltered.
I was already tipsy. After years of drinking, I suddenly had the tolerance of Japanese pre-teen. And then came the second drink. I mean everyone else was still drinking, what would you have me do? Then, the other girls left and it was just Marissa and I with empty glasses sitting before us. That was the moment. I could have gone home, snuggled up under the covers and woke up happy and clear-headed.
But the sweet toxins were already coursing through my brain. The sun was still shining. People were everywhere, laughing, drinking, soaking up the amazing weather. I couldn't go home.
So we walked to another bar. There I was introduced to two vodka sodas who, despite being bland, I felt I simply had to get to know better.
And then, off to Queens to Marissa's local bar. There I downed a couple of vodka & sprites. But it started to feel wrong. The sugar that had originally made me feel giddy and alive, started to turn on me.
I became sluggish and my stomach started to ache. My body simply wasn't going to put up with new drinking habits. Yes, I was still abstaining from beer. But for 2 blissful weeks, my body had been healthy and ethanol free. So it revolted. I left the bar feeling groggy, slightly remorseful and ready for bed. But first, I spent some time with two old friends:
And an ex-flame:
The patterns I'd tried to put an end to were repeating themselves again. And while, yes, I kept my promise to myself to give up beer, it still wasn't enough. But wait, that conclusion came later.
The next day, slightly hungover, I left Queens and met Chris back in the city. It was another beautiful day so we decided to walk around. We stumbled upon a street fair with delicious food.
Then we decided to rest our throbbing feet at a bar with an outdoor patio. In the time it took me to finish a small glass of white wine, Chris finished three jack & cokes. What can I say? I'm a slow drinker except when it comes to beer. After that we wandered around some more, and ended up at Urban Outfitters where I bought a dress that would not have fit me two weeks ago. Score! The rest of the night was uneventful and I won't bore you with the banal details. (Because the other details have been a real thrill ride)
The next day we woke up around noon and grabbed some brunch at Westville. We ordered a turkey burger to split and 4 veggie sides. Our eating habits have really improved since we began caring about what we put into our mouths.
After brunch I went to the gym...to clean out my locker as my 6 month locker ownership had expired (two months ago). It felt great to finally check that off my to-do list. It's the little things. Oh, I forgot to mention that Chris had a beer at brunch. He lost the bet.
After that, there was no going back for him. So after the gym, we went to another bar. I mean, no one could possibly resist this:
I had a couple margaritas and he had some more beers. The margaritas were so sweet that I decided to switch to water to avoid a repeat of the night before. But then of course, the bar owners sent over some free drinks. Well, I couldn't just let them go to waste. How rude.
We finally left after polishing those off and went home and relaxed until it was time for Chris to leave for the Bolt bus. It's so much easier (for me) when he's the one leaving. It sucks to be the one leaving, and to know you have a 2.5 hour journey ahead of you.
So what have I learned from my temporary foray back into the world of drinking? Well, it was just that: temporary. The next two weeks, I'm back on the wagon. The positive physical and mental effects I've experienced from not drinking outweigh the momentary fun that it brings. So I'm back to Wet Blanket status for the next two weeks. Maybe I'll get back into the hobbies I had before I ever started drinking. Like reading and volunteering and being the least exciting person alive.
**How cute is this child? It's a shame they grow up and become self-concerned adults who write self-concerned blogs.
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