The Sober Summer

[thesobersummer-blog]

The 6pm Itch

7 days!!!!! (Insert confetti emoji here). Not sure it’s a massive accomplishment, but it sure feels like it.

The first few days were tough, but nothing like the fight I had on day six. After two days of being confronted with multiple social drinking scenarios at work and a long three day weekend with the family; I was faced with a normal Tuesday.

Now, it’s always been my belief that Tuesday’s are the best drinking days of the week. There are no crowds on Tuesday. You’re guaranteed to get a seer at the bar, you can usually get the tv turned to whatever channel you want and if you’re eating (I rarely ever do) the food delivery came on Monday so chances are the food is fresher/better. And Wednesdays are, in general, non deadline days. At least in advertising, this seems to be the case. It really is the best day to relax and have a drink.

So as I finished up my day at 6pm, ALL I could think about was having “just one drink”, well “just two drinks” because I never have just one. I knew deep down I didn’t really want the drinks, but it sure felt like I needed it. Even as I walked out of the office my brain was in a battle about what to do. “ I should just go home”. “I just need a beer”. “no go home to your family”. “you’ll be more relaxed fo your family if you take a moment and have a few drinks”. “Home”. “Bar.” “Home.” “Bar” UGH!!!! Home.

In the end I went home, but it was the hardest day so far

[thesobersummer-blog]

DAY 4 - Is it better?

It’s now day four without a drink. I’d be lying if I said it was simple, because it had extremely difficult moments.

Day one kicked off with me placing two leftover beers in the trash. It ended with happy hours and a going away party I didn’t participate in. That’s a lot of beers that I did not drink.

The weather was perfect on day two. All the bar doors and windows were open. So inviting, but yet I walked on past. I actually made it home early enough to play with my two kids and let my wife go to yoga. A first in a long time.

Days three and four have been more of the same. Less of the temptations, but more cravings. But I’ve continued to resist. But many times my frustration and stresses have boiled up to the point of me losing my temper or just being overly grouchy when I shouldn’t be. I can’t help to think that if I’d just had a few beers, I’d be much calmer. I can only hope this is a faze.

One thing that’s been a source of motivation this week has been this article. It’s not an exact parallel to my life, but so many things these guys have gone through feel familiar.

Joe Beef and the Excesses of Restaurant Culture

What happens when the chefs behind North America’s most hedonistic restaurant quit drinking.

[thesobersummer-blog]

Before Day One

And so it begins. A summer of sobriety. Well, not yet, but it will tomorrow. Because right now I’m sitting here typing this with a tasty Lagunitas IPA in my hand. Here’s the thing; I love drinking. I love all forms of it. I love to have a glass a wine or beer while I cook. I love having drinks at dinner as we all laugh and tell stories of our day. I love going wine tasting, beer tasting, and whisky tasting. I enjoy having drinks at work, after work and while I work.  And my most favorite thing? Drinking a cold IPA at a bar while watching sports, alone. I truly love these drinks the most. In these moments I’m alone, I can think, the alcohol seems to loosen up my thoughts and allows me to think more freely. I’m relaxing.

This “relaxing”, however, become something I “need” regularly. It started with two beers, three max. Only when I was working late. It was a break from a stress filled job and gave me a new mindset to get back to the crazy. Then it became after a stressful day before heading home. “It’s so I don’t take my stress out on my wife.” I would say. Then two or three drinks often slipped into four or five then eight or ten with a shot of whisky to go with it. These more extreme incidents would only happen once a month, but now I’m up to once or twice a week. Now it’s time to hit the pause button.

That’s what this blog is all about. A pause.I’m taking a break from alcohol for the summer. Most people will think this is silly. “The summer is the worst time to of year to not drink” they say. The reality is, the tougher the challenge the better the reward at the end. Right? I also never do anything in a non extreme way. AND as a creative director I can’t pass up the alliteration in the name ‘sober summer’. Anyway, That’s what I’m attempting; three months of sobriety.

So over the next three months I will be posting on this blog to share all that is going on with me and my attempts to stay sober. Honestly, I’m not sure what to expect. My ideal goal would be to use this as a public journal where I share my struggles and successes. I’ll try and share my thoughts and how I feel about life in general from a sober perspective. A perspective I haven’t seen in a long time.

So here it goes. Starting tomorrow on Thursday May 23rd until September 1st, I will attempt the Summer of Sobriety.