Nice double entendre!

Last day of Feb. This last week has been a struggle. We are out at our lakehouse this last week. Turns out it's a much bigger trigger being out here to just want to relax with a nice Bourbon in the evening.

However, I've made it through... We head back to our home "closer to the city, but still country" tomorrow.

We start the run up to what would have been mom's 80th birthday... March 14th. Since mom was cremated we have held off doing a "grave" side ceremony. Dad has a joint plot in a native Texan cemetery for them, and he has been preparing her plot, headstone and the like. Anyway, we will do the final proceedings on her birthday with the nuclear family.

Goodness it's been a total struggle for me too lately. Like, here are these perfect moments that are stress-free that would feel better with a glass of wine in my hand. And those moments have been few and far between with the stress of everything else going on lately. Good on you for making it through the "easier" tough times!

I've been through that run-up as well. I also scattered my mom's ashes on her birthday, but no family plot and with just my father. That is a whole story for a whole other time (I also realized earlier this week that it's been 5 years since I last spoke to him). Sending you lots of peace and calming energy as you go through the processing of all of it again.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

Who's still with us? Who's going stronger for longer?!


Today is my final day of No Alcohol Q1ish. Tomorrow I break it with a glass of Cava and then some kickass bourbon with a dozen of my dearest friends to celebrate my birthday. Not even the least bit sad or broody about it, as this is the best of possible ways to re-enter.

For those still on board (through Lent?) keep the party going here! I'm more than happy to keep the pom-poms out for those who love the streak :)

Thank you all for keeping me accountable and sane to start this year. I'm proud to say I've made it through almost 17% of the year without a drink, and I plan to use this time to hold myself accountable through my season as well. My general strategy that has typically worked is no alcohol on/before training days, which means maybe one day a week to partake. And quality over quantity always wins in my book.

Onward!

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

Nice work and happy birthday! Thanks for all the encouragement along the way.

I'm still going and feeling good. This is probably the longest I've gone without a drink since high school and it's kind of a weird headspace for me. I didn't go into this January intending to stop drinking altogether, but rather to fully recalibrate my relationship with alcohol. I'm not really sure if that's possible or how long it will take, but I don't feel like I'm there yet so I'm going to keep rolling.

Good work.

Still a non drinker. I think, for me, that is what helps me. I self identify as a non drinker these days. Similar to quitting smoking.
I feel better rested and mentally sharper. Longest I have gone since military deployment almost 20 years back.
And my social calendar has not changed significantly. My bar trivia team continues to trounce the competition, one other member quit drinking last year.

To me, it helps that some trends include normalizing sobriety vs stigmatizing alcohol misuse issues.

Thanks for checking, Dr. Cupcake. The last two years, I went back to having daily beer(s) on Feb 1. This year is different. For a number of reasons unrelated to beer consumption ... none of them good by itself ... I was forced/motivated to make some lifestyle changes including diet. I didn't plan for this .... it just happened kinda naturally ... but I don't have beers at home by myself anymore. That really cut down on consumption. Pretty funny ... I am now hooked on peppermint tea at night. Anyway ... I am really happy with this and again, thank you all for this supportive thread

Thank you! And you are ROCKING OUT with this! Keep rolling as long as the momentum carries you!

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

This is SO excellent, way to go! I too am glad that being sober has been destigmatized.

My brewery trivia team also kicks ass, and last week our table had nothing but kombucha and Athletics.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

Way to go, I'm so proud of you! We should buy stock in Bigelow ;)

I think not drinking alone is the BEST way to start a drier lifestyle. I lived by that all of last year and it served me tremendously well.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

I never realized that Liquid Death was created by a punk rock skateboarder from Delaware who eventually became a graphic designer at the corporate level

https://open.spotify.com/...caYebUKuxxuo9uQtaHQJ

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Green Day posted a pic of themselves holding cans (and a bottle for Mike) of Guinness for St. Patrick's Day, and people immediately felt that they had to comment about Billie Joe's sobriety

https://www.instagram.com/...MTVoYXJwM3JxNDM4aQ==

Well, of course the cans were Guinness 0%, which is actually pretty good, for what it is - got some myself, in fact (without being prompted)

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Athletic Brewing Co. has the best NA beer I’ve tried and by a far margin. Nobody else is remotely close. The Run Wild and Free Wave are pretty solid.

Guinness 0.0 is actually pretty decent. I had two of them yesterday.

Most NA beers taste like beer flavored water. Just horrible. Heineken might actually be the worst one. Their NA beer is awful. That’s saying a lot given the offerings from the big domestic brands.

I hear there are a lot of NA craft beers that are pretty good but I haven’t seen or tried them.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I'm partial to the Upside Dawn Golden Ale from Athletic. The NA options from Untitled Art are also very good. Other than those, I haven't found any others that are close (& I've tried everything I can get my hands on)

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.