On the Road to Sobriety

I've come to the realization that becoming intoxicated is no longer an essential element of social gatherings. Therefore, I have decided to "attempt" to remain sober and not drink a drop of alcohol in the next three months. When this experimental timeframe expires, I will reassess how non-consumption of alcoholic beverages has either negatively or positively impacted my lifestyle.

Scientifically, consuming large doses of alcohol can cause a number of problems, including but not limited to 1) impairing sexual function, 2) cirrhosis of the liver, 3) increases the stomach's digestive enzymes, which can irritate the stomach wall, producing heartburn, nausea, gastritis, and ulcers, and 4) cause water retention (resulting in weight gain and bloating). After a night of drinking, I definitely feel the lingering effects the following day having to deal with a horrible hangover, an empty wallet, and sometimes being injured with no recollection of how it happened.

However, since alcohol has been my faithful companion through a significant part of my life, I do have some good things to say about being drunk. Drinking has given me the courage and numbed my inhibitions enough to go up to people and make new "friends" randomly. It also magically taught me how to dance like a idiot, completely forgetting or not caring about how stupid I must really look!

Ten recent activities that DO NOT require drinking: 1) Tennis, 2) Bowling, 3) Hiking, 4) Swimming, 5) Lan Party- Starcraft!, 6) Potluck, 7) Board Games- Settlers of Catan, Citadel, and Bang, 8) Coffee Shops/Book Stores 9) New Restaurants, 10) Texas Hold'em Poker