One Year - No Booze - It's Official...

It's been a year... and I figure I should give this topic some exclusivity as, in reality, it has been the most drastic change I have made in the last 365 days.

It's kind of funny when you don't drink. Sometimes people are surprised. Sometimes people are almost insulted. I wonder how it came to that? When declining an offer to drink has the ability to piss someone else off - make their entire night less enjoyable even. Strange times we are living in... strange times.

Anyway - I guess I can sum the whole thing up with 2 main points which should hopefully provide sufficient insight into the reasoning behind my choice to eliminate 'the drink' from my life - at least for a while...

One - The majority of the things in my life that have caused me feelings of affliction, have been a result of alcohol. I wouldn't go back and change any of those happenings, for, it is those things that have really helped to shape the person I am today.. We make mistakes now and again, some worse than others, but, the hope is that we will learn from these mistakes. Whether they are mistakes that we have had to face head on, or ones that we can sort of sweep under the rug, so to speak, we still have to face them, some way or another. I just came to realize that I had done things that way for long enough - and I needed a break. A period of true clarity in my life...

Two - I was beginning to realize that when I went out drinking, I generally did the same thing. Over and over. In the end, it just was not fun anymore. And really, what is fun about going out to a loud place where you don't know anyone; where you can't sit comfortably or hear your friends talk; where, more than likely, some douche will give you that, 'I am going to try to fight you at some point tonight' kind of look - whether he tries or not is a different story I suppose. And on top of all this, your night will likely end with you spending way more money than you can afford to, all by the magic of a small plastic card you keep ever so conveniently in your wallet, for nights 'just like these'. And then you lose your friends during your exit from the bar, only to be left downtown alone, with a dead cell phone, and no other means of contacting anyone - so you wander around until you find a bus stop, where, during your wait for a bus that is not coming, a homeless woman offers to pleasure you orally in the nearby alley way. Following your decline of said homeless woman's offer, you realize that your bus is not coming, nor would it even take you remotely close to home if it were coming, and you manage to wave a cab down, whose driver feels sorry enough for you to drive you home. A $40 dollar cab ride later, and you are walking the 2 blocks to your house, vomiting at 20 foot intervals in the middle of the road - all because you were too drunk to realize that you weren't actually at your house when you told the cab driver to stop and let you out.

And then you spend the next day feelings like shit.

Sounds fun right?

Well, that explains it... And I think more people could use a break really - because I don't think I am the only person who can relate to those two aforementioned statements... That's not to say that I think everyone should stop drinking, or that drinking is a bad thing per se... I just think that more people could benefit from a little time spent in the clear, ya know? Some time spent without distraction, or regret, or embarrassment, or hangovers - some time to figure out who you really are, and who you really want to be. I can say without a doubt that I have experienced more personal growth, on so many different levels, than ever before in the last year of my life. And some of the changes I made have lead me to great things. To new jobs and back old jobs. To financial stability (investments, and RRSP's, and money to burn!). To better health. To organization. From travel aspirations, to booked flights. And to the best girl in the world, who I found on a mountain top... actually.

So try it. Or don't. You decide...

Public swimming = too much old man penis...

In keeping with the Sunday updates, I figure I better write something before I pack it in for the night!

Lou and I swam again tonight. It was good times... mostly. I have concluded however, that you see too much old man penis at public pools. It's unavoidable! In the past two weeks, I have witnessed men moisturizing their junk more than once, and several questionable drying techniques - including fanning with the towel, and the always horrible standing on the bench to dry your shit while its at every one's eye level. Not good times at all.

Goal for the week: hit the pool 3 times while minimizing the amount of old man penis seen.

This past week and weekend went pretty well too. Work was a little tough at times, but the week ended, just like every week does... And I guess a tough week at work is nothing to get bent out of shape about. It's work. It's not always supposed to be easy. Right?

We got a lot done this weekend too! I was able to do a lot of clean-up and what not with my morning off on Friday - so that made the weekend's start a little less pressured, which in turn made for a ridiculous amount of sleep. I'd say it was needed though... Picked up our 'Coldplay' tickets too.

There is something about holding the tickets in your hand that makes the idea of seeing a great band a little more exciting!

At it's most exciting moment, this weekend had me aiding a man who had fallen at 'Montmartre' - a little french place that has awesome Chai on Main Street. Upon realizing that nobody else was going to do much - I tried my best to help - though I became instantly aware that my first aid skills are in need of brushing up. Turns out the guy was just pissed, and fell down drunk - but I wasn't sure of that, and I guess you can never be too careful. After keeping him comfortable, and seeing him off to the ambulance, we made our exit. Back at home, Robbie, Meaghan, Lou and I capped off the night with a pretty sweet game of 'Scene It'. The girls won, but the race was a tight one!

In other news - I am nearing a full year of complete sobriety. I'm not sure why this feels like a blog-worthy mention - I guess though, this has been the most substantial challenge I have faced over the last year. Not in terms of difficulty really, just in the sense that I was a big change, and the one that was perhaps most often questioned and scrutinized by those around me... I don't think I intend to continue with it completely - but I think that, overall, it was a good challenge for me. In an effort to remain as open minded on my world travels though, I don't really want to close the window of opportunity to sample some good wines in Italy, or enjoy a cold one with Lou's dad. I wasn't a heavy drinker or anything - I guess drinking just wasn't very fun anymore. Which in turn had me questioning why I continued to go out and get pissed like my friend at 'Montmartre' - though I can say honestly that my drinking habits only once landed me in a hospital... with a broken hand - but that, my friends, is a blog topic of its own...

Oh yeah...

Lou and I bought tickets for these guys...

It's funny because over the years, my tastes in music have changed so much. I can remember a time when hearing Coldplay on the radio prompted me to change the station.

Years later, in my re-discovery of what I now might consider my favorite band - I find that their music has actually changed me. I always believed music held this ability, though I think that in the past, I didn't quite understand it. When I thought the music that I loved was changing me - I'm sure now that it was more likely just making me become myself even more.

Somehow, Coldplay actually created real changes in me. The songs almost take me away someplace else. And upon my return to reality, I realize that wherever it was that I just went in that song - I need to get to in real life. It's like they have become the soundtrack to my life.

I am on a journey with the hope that I will find myself someplace better - as a greater person than I am today...

Productivity is neat.

While at times complicated and frustrating for people around me, this week has been an excellent one.

I think that sometimes, those weekly challenges that seem ridiculous and impossible, they are just what we need in life. If life never felt like it was going to shit - then life at it's best wouldn't be all that good. The experience of the highs and the lows that life can throw at you creates balance... it makes life interesting. Right?

Anyway. I had an ultra-productive week. Made it to the pool twice. The moisturizing habits of old naked men aside - I enjoyed the swims, and plan to hit the pool 2-3 times in the coming week. I cleaned out my car, and fixed the side view mirror. Booked my road test - I figure its about time I got rid of the old 'N' (that has not been hanging in my window for the last 5 years as it should have been). I made it out to the media club to see Cody off on his 2 week tour with a band called 'Beat Kids'. Saw Sean and Carol-Lee there too (which prompted some interesting thoughts on how people and relationships change so much over time - even over the course of the last year alone. I think that with the split of LB - we were all forced to do some serious 'growing up'. In doing so, we have grown apart somewhat, but the maturity we have all gained has grounded us all a little more than we once were. I believe that grounding alone has allowed us a better understanding of our relationships with each other - the result for me was the feeling that I missed them more now than I did before...)

This weekend allowed me the time to finally sort out my investments at the bank. Though I opted to invest with minimal risk, I stand to make close to $1000 over the next 3 years on my RRSP's alone. I also opened up a TFSA (tax free savings account), which is set up as a 15 month term deposit. Now that this is all taken care of, I feel a little more prepared to focus my savings on our trip and nothing else...

Life in Technicolor...

I spent a lot of the last week feeling grumpy. But the kind of grumpy that you can't hide, nor can you quite explain it to the people around you. Everyone at work could tell. I was short with them. Irritable. 

I'm still not quite sure why... Lack of sleep perhaps?

Anyway. I came into the weekend with high hopes - and it delivered for the most part. Slept in. Good food. Swing dance lessons. Spent time with the guys and girls - and 'Bud' the dog (who took an unusual liking to me and my feet). Slept in (again). Got organized. Watched movies. Ate ice cream. 

Good gets better right? 

You're damn right it does.

And all this for only $29 dollars between Lou and I.

It's funny how the moment we booked our flights, we both became two of the cheapest individuals I have ever known. This is a good thing however. We need all the money we can scrape together to fund our adventures. And it makes more sense to put it away now, rather than creating any sort of dependance on our work situations in the U.K. come December 2009. With little or no certainty how that will all pan out, I am hopeful that we will both have sufficient funding to support ourselves during our time there, in lieu of our income while we are there.

I'm not sure what else I have to touch on at the moment. Work is good, and well on its way to better. Finances are good, and improving each day. This week will be a good one - my mild headache which seems to return nightly aside. I think I'll go swim it off...

7 weeks behind...

I have been terrible at keeping this up to date - though sometimes, as it has in the past, life just gets too busy. That, or sometimes I just get too lazy.

The 7 weeks since my last post have all been excellent. Stressful at times, but I think that stress has a unique ability to bring relaxation and contentment in its wake.

Work tends to take up most of my time, as it has for the last year and a half of my life. Weeks fly by however - and while some weeks seem to get to me more than others, I can finally see things moving towards where I have been trying so hard to move them. New staff - and good new staff at that - hopefully the schedule will come together well and without issue. Taylor is working out well - picking it up quickly.

I haven't seen Loni in a week or so. He owes me 30 bucks, which sometimes I wonder if I will ever get back, and other times I assure myself that it doesn't really matter, and that in reality, he needs the money more than I do. Loni, is my (quasi-homeless) friend who frequents the plaza where I work, and comes to me looking for odd jobs, recyclables, and loans. I deliver when I can. He also built me a bicycle once, upon learning that mine was stolen. He is a good man, down on his luck. I guess sometimes in life, you just dig yourself a hole just a little too deep. I know he can see life on the outside - he's told me that he can - he just can't quite get himself out. It's funny, the way that he will do his best to return what I give to him. Most times, he does come up with the cash, if it is the loans we are referring to. Other times, he brings gifts - usually in the form of new bikes, hoping that one day, he will bring me something I can actually ride. Other times, its flowers to give to Lou. Regardless, he makes good on his word, to the best of his abilities - and that is definitely more than you can expect from most individuals in situations similar to his.

I've purchased my first RRSP's. I've yet to invest them - but they are holding in an RSP savings account until I can decide how I want to invest the money. It's all too complicated and new to me I guess - makes it difficult to choose which investments I want to make, when I know so little about the difference between them. A little confusing, but awesome in that the $10,000 tax write off has a $3,000 tax return coming my way in 2 weeks time.

Swing dancing has started, though I guess I haven't touched on that yet. For Lou's birthday, I signed us up for swing dance lessons. I'll preface this by saying that I don't dance - though I believe that deep down, I do have the ability. First lesson was good, interesting, but good. I think I am getting the hang of the basics - but it would be nice to get to dance with Lou more (being that they are constantly rotating partners).

And now, to the big news of the past few weeks.

As of August 17th, 2009 - I will be gone. We fly out first to Tokyo for one week, then onto Thailand. We will travel Thailand for 3 weeks by land, then make our way through Cambodia for 1 week, and spend the final 2 making our way up through Vietnam to Hanoi. On October 3rd, we fly from Hanoi to Brisbane, where we will be until November 22nd. Following our time in Australia, we will fly to Singapore for 5 days before returning to Vancouver. After that, its off to the UK.

It all feels real, finally. And I couldn't be more excited, or more ready to leave home for a while.



Next on the list:

- Vaccinations for travel.
- Purchase travel insurance.
- Learn to play 'Lost' by Coldplay on the piano.
- Get rad at swing dancing.