Let the great experiment commence

In the spirit of the new year (happy 2012, by the way), Hanne and I decided to try a grand experiment that we’ve talked about since last summer: we’re going to go a month without drinking.  Now, I realize for many people this would be easy and could be done without changing their behavior, but so much of our lives revolves around brewfests, meet the brewer events, beer tastings, wine tastings, weekly pints at a particular pub, etc. that it’s going to create a lot of empty space in our schedules.  Furthermore, sitting down at the end of a long day with a cold pint glass in your hand is one of life’s consistently pleasurable experiences for me, not because I seek the effects of the alcohol (though I admit, it’s not an undesirable side effect up to a certain point) but because I enjoy both routine and the taste of well-made beer, wine, or what have you.  I don’t expect that we’ll suddenly become more productive and clean our house from top to bottom or something of the like because frankly, having a few beers certainly hasn’t stood in the way of that.  No, it’s going to be more like we sit down of the couch at the end of the day to watch something and we’ll be reaching for the nonexistent pint glasses next to us.  What exactly does one do without that beer or wine?

I joke, of course, but I was somewhat floored by the notion that if I do make it all 30 days, it will be the longest I’ve gone without drinking since I went to college just over twelve years ago.  Even when I was out of college and not going to parties anymore but before I discovered craft beer, I was still having a beer with dinner a couple of times a week.  The last time I tried swearing off alcohol was last summer after I got back from Minnesota, mostly because I needed a few days to detox from all the beer I’d had while there.  I aimed for a week, I made it four days.  Truthfully, I finally caved because I was going through withdrawal.  I know that sounds bad, but when your body gets accustomed to any substance you put into your body on a regular basis and then you suddenly deny it that substance, it reacts.  It happens when I stop drinking coffee and soda, it happens when I stop eating meat, and it happened when I stopped drinking.

Saying that “I went through withdrawal” has such negative connotations, though.  It brings to mind the image of the junkie huddled in the corner shivering because they can’t get a fix, and when I’ve told the story to people I have to be careful to put it into the proper context because I always get a look.  Sometimes it’s concern, sometimes it’s pity. I had headaches, I had trouble sleeping, and I was generally irritable.  It was exactly the same symptoms that I get when I stop drinking coffee and just as pronounced.  I figured four days was enough, and I felt better again after my first pint.  My assumption is that I’ll probably start feeling the symptoms in a day or two and they’ll be gone by this time next week, but in addition to the challenge of it, I think it’s for the best.  As I said, so much of our lives revolves around not just the act of drinking but the concept of it that I think it will be nice to take a break.

Also, I expect we’ll save a fair chunk of change in the next 30 days.  We don’t spend an extraordinary amount of money on alcohol on a monthly basis, but we spend it nonetheless.  I’ll be curious to see the level of our bank account at the end of the month.

Hanne is convinced that she’ll break first not because her will isn’t as strong as mine, but because she has a case going to trial next week and she may desire a glass of wine to relax after spending all day in a courtroom.  Or the case may unexpectedly end and she will go out to either celebrate or mourn with the other attorneys.  I wouldn’t begrudge her breaking her fast under those circumstances, but I’ll just have to be careful not to join her.  Another part of the reasons why I ended my personal fast last summer is that Hanne hadn’t sworn off alcohol and was still having a beer or two while I wasn’t.  I think together we’ll be stronger in our efforts to go all 30 days.

Last night we decided to feast before our fast and made one last trip to Belmont Station both to return out empties but also to pick up a couple of beers we knew would be gone by the time we finished our fast.  I might have to keep an eye on those.  We cracked a bottle of Oakshire’s Hellshire II that we’d been saving as well a a bottle of Fifty-Fifty Brewing’s Eclipse stout aged in brandy barrels.  A fine send-off, if I do say so myself.

So, today the experiment begins.  Wish us luck.