rainlight

I enrolled on a local authority education course. A lot of typing about jaffa salads but it is worth it in the end. I don’t think it is so easy to teach yourself. And painting the keyboard? Please don’t!

I looked at Esperanto and Ido (which is a modified Esperanto resembling Italian or Spanish) but then got intrigued by Toki Pona, which as it was devised more recently has a more modern mindset, and goes back to first principles instead of using existing European languages. Also the whole positive attitude behind it appeals to me.

So far it is going quite well. I’ve been to five pubs since last Friday:
Friday, went over to the Gaff in Islington to see Hey. Called a pal who lives nearby. His attitude towards my drinking lemonade and lime was quite positive – wanted to know my feelings after the month was over, because he’s concerned about his own drinking. I had two pints of L&L and felt fine the next day.
Saturday I met up with a friend in Chiswick. She was drinking a glass of wine and was less accepting of me drinking coffee, saying that she was having to ‘drink on her own’, which is hardly true as she was in company, just the only one drinking alcohol.
Sunday, on a bike ride – got incredibly wet and ducked into a garden centre and then later had lunch (and an L&L) in a riverside pub. Some had beer, but I felt no temptation to do so.
Yesterday, I was ill. I’m sure this has nothing to do with not drinking – and a lot with my faulty central heating system – and even now I’m not tempted to drink whisky to cure the cold. Went into my nearest pub for lunch – a bowl of pasta and sauce, and a cup of tea. Then in the evening, to the West End and a downstairs gig by a band I’ve seen several times before. They’re good mates now. L&L, £3.70 a pint which is more than beer; at those prices I only had one. Once again, no wish to drink beer, despite most of the band being ale fans – went back to the tube station with one of the musicians and had a good conversation with her, quite sober – you see, it is possible.
Meanwhile the diary is filling up with gigs and pub reopenings (well, one) and the Christmas Bike Ride which takes place on the last Sunday of D30 – previous years it’s been an excuse for a lot of Winter Warmer (we ride to another riverside pub) but this time I just won’t. I think that if people accept me not drinking alcohol then I don’t feel put upon. Certainly if one is riding a bicycle then not drinking is understandable – though why shouldn’t it be understood anyhow?
Status: one third of the way through. My last alcoholic drink is still the bottle of Old Ale I had on 16 November.
Feeling: ill, but that is unconnected. Having been out last night (and listened to some good tunes, shared a sadly uncommon moment with my friend, and got the late train home) tonight I am staying in. Otherwise feeling good.