Journal: Dry January
/drī/ /ˈjanyəˌwerē/: a personal choice to abstain from alcohol during the first calendar month of the new year which coincides with societal intimidation to claim half-hearted resolutions, and at the conclusion of a holiday season which is widely recognized as a collection of excuses for imbibing in some great craft cocktails and seasonal craft beers.
Another alcohol-free month behind me, this is the third year in a row and I have to say:
I LOVE DRY JANUARY
Though not a heavy drinker, I do enjoy all kinds of libations: a thoughtfully crafted cocktail (there's a few on this website ;-), gorgeous local beers, a glass of wine. Parties, a cocktail cruise on the Lake, special celebrations or just a regular Tuesday — there's always a great reason to drink, but it turns out, as you might imagine there are some really wonderful reasons not to drink:
- Better sleep
- Better skin
- Weight loss
- More money in your pocket
- More productive days
- Knowing there is always a designated driver
- Increased energy
- You are a more active participant in your own narrative, a more accurate witness to your own existance
Filling out the paperwork at my latest trip to the doctor for my annual check-up, I noticed a nearly imperceptible change to the question: do you consume alcohol? If so how much?
You see it's changed — the amount of alcohol a woman should consume has been reduced. Recent studies have concluded that more than 7 drinks per week is too much. Seven drink per week is really, really easy to do.
What I love about the absolutism of Dry January is that is eliminates equivocation, internal negotiations. There's no 'only on the weekends' or 'just special occasions'. Is Thursday a weekend if you're going out to dinner with friends? How about Sunday?
And it has to be said, as a Homemaker/Student/Therapy Dog Handler/Cemetery Commissioner, I haven't had a 'weekend' since Alex was born.
February 1st arrives, and I can attest to all these benefits personally, which should be validation enough of the brilliance of Dry January. But here's the real reason I participate:
to prove I can
