How the hell does one “enjoy” social outings, as an adult, without a head shift and a fist full of beer?   They don’t.  They leave the social gathering and go to Ross an hour before they close, where they spend the money that they didn’t use on alcohol, on some random cosmetic products.

Yep.  That was my Friday night.  I went and spent money on stuff I don’t really need, in lieu of drinking.  You know what?  Drinking is actually far more fulfilling to me, then shopping.  I think I might be more grossed out by the senseless consumerism of people, than I am at my own drinking.  And yet, I’d rather be in a store with all those mindless consumers, then being sober hanging out with drunk people.

On the way home, I said “I’d actually rather spend my money on drinking, then buying stuff I don’t need, and probably won’t actually use.  I know exactly what I am getting with alcohol.  I know exactly what I spend toward it; the worst part is taking out the trash.”

The only real draw back to drinking is how horrible it is for internal function in longevity.  Oh, and those people who turn into raging idiots when they drink, they are a draw back too.

A person doesn’t have to be around others to drink.  Solo drinking is definitely a thing.  It’s slightly cheaper, and you don’t have to deal with the bar scene or potential drama.

You can drink at your own pace at home.  ( I can easily drink a six pack over six or seven hours and never feel anywhere near drunk.)  That is my speed of drinking.  Browse the internet, leave some kind messages.  Play a game, go read my blogs to my grandma. Paint a picture, dance in the back yard.  All those thing pair well with any spirited fluid of my choice.  There is rarely drama, and since I am already at home, I don’t need to drive anywhere.  Risks are basically managed, and if something dumb does happen; I only have myself to blame.

When you add more people into the mix, you have a potential for what I like to call “competitive drinking.”  One person finishes their drink quickly, and wants another,  and asks everyone else if they need another; then it snow balls into people buying rounds and shots and shit like that.

Home drinking with a “competitive drinker” is THE WORST.  Competitive drinkers at home, do not drink beer or wine, and they do not use glasses.  They rarely pick their poison by quality, rather by price point and measured volume for maximum impact.

Competitive drinkers ARE ALL ABOUT getting drunk.  That is the prerogative.  They want to get drunk quickly, most often you will see them drinking straight from a liquor bottle.  They are the first to be sloppy, and often times the first to pass out in an uncomfortable and somewhat compromising display.  In their sedated state, sprawled and limp, it’s hard not to be disgusted.

Fridays are a weekly holiday for Competitive drinkers.  I call it, “The Amateur Hour.”   After being responsible all week; why not act like a bumbling fool come Friday night?  Take a load off, and whatever you do, Don’t drink any of  the water someone is bound to offer you!

Late night Friday, I am up and writing.  Sirens are coming and going every half hour or so.  It’s definitely a busy night for law enforcement.  The idiot parade is at it again.  Not my monkeys not my circus.

I fell asleep around 1:30-2:00 am, grateful I wasn’t out, or on the road, or in the company of those who lost touch with reality hours ago.

I guess it’s those small gratitude’s that matter.

A Thank You and an I Love You,  to all my dedicated readers and new followers! Thanks for continually showing up,  I hope you are enjoying this series.  I would love to hear about some of your worst nights out.  What happened?  Spill the deets in the comment section!  I am always grateful for thumbs up and likes, so don’t hesitate to press that button along with the share feature!

Have a great rest of your weekend!  Cheers!

Links to previous posts below….

Dry July- Day 13~ Recycle Cycle

Dry July- Day 12~ Handle ThySelf

Well, I did it! Two days in a row, even!  

Yep, I got up before 8 am on less than eight hours of sleep AND started my day with something other than coffee!

Admittedly today, I was hesitant.  I got up and peed, and I went back to bed, and I laid there, and I didn’t fall back asleep in five minutes, so I got up, and got going.

The amount of time it takes to boil my tea, is just the right amount of time to do some high intensity body weight exercises.  It gets the blood pumping and that is nice.  If I can keep this up, I am definitely going to make some incremental changes in my routine, which I must admit, would be very healthy.  For now tea and exercise is a move in the right direction.

I have a small art commission I am needing to get on top of.  It should really only take a few hours, but I need to apply myself and focus. On one hand, I do some of my best creative work when I am running the wire; on the other hand, it’s always nice to get commission projects done and out of the way.

Stylistically, when I paint, I rarely plan, or know what will come out of it.  It’s experimental, it’s intuitive and really non judgmental for me to create.  I just love color, and form.  With commissions, it’s different.  A person, ( often times a stranger) wants something specific, right?  And they see samples of your work, your personal artistic style, and they think “I like this, I want them to do ….”.   As an artist, you can always say “no” if it doesn’t fit you in some way.  But most artists like to make money, and a commissions can pay well.

Anywho, I always wonder what people think when they commission me for work, because I don’t know how my work actually fulfills or translates their vision, (if they have one) or if perhaps they are like me, and they walk in with out expectation.

I haven’t ever had a complaint… so I guess that is good.  I mean, if someone didn’t like something, I kind of hope they would tell me but if they did, I might be inclined to think they were just out to take their internal complaints about something else going on in their life, on some stranger; whom they just paid to worked hard on creating a one of a kind piece of personal vision.

But that’s just me getting all psychoanalytic about it.

This brings me back to changes in the schedule.  I want my creative mojo back.  Writing is great, and I love it.  But I don’t plan that either.  I have no vision of what I will write when I write. Mostly I get one line, and when I sit down to write it, everything just flows from there.  No complaints, but, I am sporadic, and I fluctuate between art mediums like leaves change in season.  This creative constipation, has me boiling for the right inspiration to let free the flood gates.  Because I know, that these long term spells of no creativity, means I was in some other hyper-aware state, picking up on different things.

Eventually I will channel all that into a series of creative projects, much like this series of blogs.  It all sort of explodes and then unfurls in my own personal cycles.

Even my exercise life goes in cycles of activity and no activity.  Healthy, and not as healthy.  I feel very mutable to people and environments because I spend most of my time watching what is happening around me, and it’s strange stuff.  I’m constantly picking up unspoken information around me.  It’s always been that way.

Creative constipation is like, filling your body full of observation to the point you can’t handle any more information.  So one day you pick up a brush, or a pen, or an instrument and something just explodes out of you.  With maybe one line or note or color preference, usually with some mania attached; all that stuff you had been processing for months or years, just spills out in a frenzy.

It’s like trying to chase the wind.

Usually after that initial explosion, (for me) that is when the unfurling begins.  I then start several projects all at once, and work on them simultaneously. I work in layers and it tends to be about the drying game.

So, I don’t know.  There is a time to plan and structure, and there is solid credence in honor of going with the flow.  Again, I repeat, EVERYTHING IS TEMPORARY!  We might as well make the most out of those shifts and changes in mood and participation.

Do you go through cycles of creativity, or mood?   Do they coincide with seasons, or maybe the anniversary of a loved one dying?  Maybe you don’t like your birthday, maybe you love Christmas.  How do you deal with those times when your normal activities don’t interest you?  How do you contain your excitement when you bust out of that, or have something to look forward to?

I would love to hear about it in the comments!  If you like this post, click a like and pass it on!  Click the link below to read yesterdays post, and for links to previous posts in this series.

Cheers!

Dry July- Day 12~ Handle ThySelf

All desire Self Authority; Few seek Self Mastery.

A Philosopher; A Priest, a Rabbi, a Motivational Speaker, a Yoga Instructor, a Coach, a CEO, a Professor and Jesus all walk into a bar.  Bartender asks, ” What’ll it be?”  Jesus says ” Nine empty shot glasses.”  The bartender replies, “Is this a joke?”  Jesus says, “No, it’s our monthly meeting of the Self Mastery Social Club.”

Self Mastery is a life long relationship, you may not realize you are balls deep inside.  Some take it in stride, and others shrivel away from the ride.

Have you ever dropped a relationship; a habit, an obsession, a food, a style or a job, like it was a hot potato?  Have you ever just woken up one day, and said to yourself “That isn’t for me anymore?”

Chances are, that you have, and might not even realize the weight of that decision until years later.  Not until you look in retrospect and see how your life changed after making that one little decision.

We are faced with Self Mastery scenarios everyday.  It can be the difference between saying scathing remarks under your breath, or taking a time out to reassess our latent aggression.

There are endless paths to Self Mastery… but sadly, since we are all human; Self Mastery does not equate perfection.

You might be a champion bowler, but your underhand soft ball game is WEAK!  But if you respect bowling and don’t give two shits about softball, what does it matter anyway?

There are several worlds of thought when you get down to Self Mastery.  The Philosopher may believe that Self Mastery, is having their philosophy out in the world.   A Priest may see it as compassionately serving their troubled congregants.  A Rabbi might see it as learning the Mystic Teachings.  A Motivational Speaker may see it as sharing how they overcame adversity.  A Yoga instructor might see it as working through poses.  A coach may see it as producing an All Star Team.   A CEO may see it as building a successful and profitable business from the ground up.  A professor may see it as how many publications they have made, and how many graduates they’ve had.

All of these things are external expressions of the work people put in to trying to better themselves and thereby help the world around them.  Still, these external reflections are not the depth of Self Mastery.

I interpret Self Mastery to be: a hyper-awareness, and a hyper-vigilance toward knowing; listening and doing what is truly best and most healthy in mind, body and spirit for ones self, regardless of  external influences such as environment, company, or perceived judgement.

Basically,  One then takes on, also a hyper-honesty, because when you act from that place, it’s almost like someone is always watching and keeping record of your accountability.  Funny thing though, is the One who is watching You, IS YOU.

Self Mastery isn’t going to go hide in the cupboard eating candy and then deny it later. Self Mastery goes hand in hand with Self Authority and Self Responsibility.  Those three can be some tough mothers.

Most people want to be better then they are, and it’s totally within their control.

Are you one of those people?  If so, sit down and ask yourself what your personal definition of Self Mastery is.  Is it something you can work on, knowing you will never be perfect, and that you will have off days?  Can you reconcile that with yourself, in order to be even a little better tomorrow, than you were today?  I mean, you have the rest of your life to work on it, and it’s kind of like planning to go to the gym; the hardest part is showing up.  But, hey; You would be showing up for You. (Did you know, you are the only person who can truly do that for you?) A better you, is going to be great for you and everyone you deal with on a daily basis.  I would encourage you to take a risk on yourself and give it a go.

As always, if you like this post click on that little button that says LIKE!!  Pass this post on to a friend or friends ( if you have many of them.)  And feel free to leave me a comment in the comments section.  Tell me your Self Mastery definition, tell me about a time you just cut someone or something out of your life, and the greater impact that made for you.  I wanna hear your stories!

If you haven’t caught the rest of the Dry July Series… clicky clicky the links below!  Cheers!

Dry July

Dry July- Day One

Dry July- Day 2- Eleven Facts

Dry July-Day Three- Epigenetics and Sleep

Dry July- Day Four- Independence Day

Dry July- Day Five~ Waiting

Dry July-Day 6~ Real Hydration

Dry July- Day 7~ One Week Summary

Dry July-Day Eight~ Truth or Fiction

Dry July-Day 9~BandAid

Dry July- Day 10~ Compounded Ball of Stress

Dry July- Day 11~ Where is the Energy?

Why in already stressful situations, do we compound our stress with intoxication?

Perhaps we lack the physiological understanding, and we take our biology for granted.  Perhaps we don’t care.

As science moves forward with studying the micro systems of our inner workings; there is no excuse for anything other than willful ignorance.

I am keeping it short today.

My challenge to you, is to research some science on one of your bad habits, or shameful indulgences.  Look into brain chemistry, behavior and effect on biology.  It’s all very interesting, and since the world is a big mixed batch of crazy; feel solace in the fact that you are not alone, and some one always has it worse off than you do.

I am keeping on, with Dry July.  I feeling somewhat anti-social today, and I have been procrastinating this post all day.

Here is to a productive and inspired tomorrow!

Follow along with the other Dry July posts at the link below.

Dry July

Dry July- Day 2- Eleven Facts

Dry July-Day Three- Epigenetics and Sleep

Dry July- Day Four- Independence Day

Dry July- Day Five~ Waiting

Dry July-Day 6~ Real Hydration

Dry July- Day 7~ One Week Summary

Dry July-Day Eight~ Truth or Fiction

Dry July-Day 9~BandAid

Out of the numerous videos I have watched over the last week in regard to abstaining from alcohol; almost all of them reassert the same few observations, and one of those observations is, “Without Alcohol Productivity Soars!”

Now, I am going to be honest with you here, like I am in all my other posts… I really didn’t feel any more productive this first week with out alcohol.

My perception and feelings are very hypercritical, especially of myself;  this is when I need the numbers to set me straight and tell me Truth from Fiction.

For instance, I started working out again, two weeks ago, and I have continued to work out while going one week without drinking.

The first week working out, I worked out a total of seven days that week (strictly on treadmill with either 5 lb hand weights or a 50 lb ruck sack), for a total of 3.7 hours, and a total of 13 miles distance, losing a total of 4.25 inches on my body.

Week two of working out sans alcohol, I worked out a total of six days, for a total of 4.5 hours, with a total distance of 13 miles, but with an additional fourteen minutes a day (for four days) of HIIT style exercises bringing my measurements down a total of 9.5 inches on my body (from first day of measuring on June 20).

When we look at ourselves everyday, it can be hard to see our own progress.

In our heads, we imagine our ideals, and when we look in the mirror, we see how far away we are from those ideals.  We stare at ourselves in the mirror, as though we are examining ourselves under a microscope;

“Will he notice this scar?”

” Will some one comment on how flaky my skin is today?”

“Where did that bruise come from?”

“Do you think it will be noticeable?”

“Do you think any one can tell how many ingrown hairs are under my beard?”

“I’m never going to be able to wear a swim suit again.”

Humans are their own worst enemy, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Many of us had the struggle of endearing the process of bullying when we were children.  We were awkward looking, goofy, and vulnerable.  We wanted friends, just like everyone else.  We weren’t the ones the popular kids wanted to sit with.  Likely, we were a teachers pet at one point or another.  We were generally kind hearted kids, who wanted to fit in.  Fitting in sometimes meant, unattainable conformity.

We learned from an early age, that the world isn’t necessarily inclusive; and that’s okay, because we don’t necessarily want to be included in some things, especially if they are destructive or harmful to ourselves or others. 

It’s possible that many of us are still battling that awkward inner child.  The one that is willing to “go along to get along,”;  the one that beats the bullies to the punch through self deprecation. That inner crying voice, that demands you don’t leave the house unless you look your best, and since you never feel your best, you never feel you look your best; so then you become a shut in, afraid of that scary, mocking world outside the door.

This is a seed of depression, few want to talk about.

The seed of depression that is sewn in our impressionable youth, watered by ourselves and our peers, sprouting in those prepubescent years, going into some adolescent maturity,  where the stalks and roots are reinforced by rings of experience.  Causing us to build that thick outer shell, in order to protect our very fragile insides.

Because, like, everyone knows, it isn’t cool to be fragile or vulnerable.

So we physically take on attributes associated with that fragility, to protect ourselves from pain.  We build layers of fat onto our frames, to buffer our inner selves from the hostile outer world. We cultivate biting senses of humor, to lash like swords in uncomfortable situations.  The effect of both of these actions is in itself a double edged sword; for now we open ourselves up to a new scrutiny, and we compound that pain and discomfort into those soft layers of fat while we drench ourselves in our own poisonous rhetoric.

Anyone who has struggled in this way, will tell you, “If I could just lose the weight, it would be one less thing to worry about.  I would feel more confident.”

Anyone can lose weight; however, just losing weight isn’t going to immediately remedy all the compounded feelings and emotions which caused it to begin with.  Without working out the rhyme and reason, you still have a fat person in a skinny or fit body.  We have an obligation to our inner child to explain the difference between the Truth and Fiction.  We deserve to work these struggles out for ourselves with patience and compassion

The Truth reasserts that, regardless of body fat percentage, you are worthy of love!  Regardless of the pain you have suffered, you are good enough.  Despite all the horrible things you may have believed about yourself, you are unique and vital.

I have found that drinking, reinforces those inner childhood insecurities; and alcohols’ direct connection to empty calories and weight gain, certainly shows me that the correlation isn’t only mental.

Week two I am going to pay close attention to where my productivity soars.  I am going to make an effort to call it out and appreciate it, just like I would do for some one else.  I am going to pay attention to what other distractions cut into my productivity.

I am going to be easy with myself, and try and convince my inner child to calm down and assess before panicking and running away or becoming defensive.  I need to revisit some building blocks of safety, in order to convince that part of myself that “it’s okay to be proud of yourself, for small reasons.”

I am going to commit to expressing more gratitude to myself, for taking this challenge; and following the rabbit down this new and exciting hole.
If you have an interesting story to share about a challenge you faced head on, please leave a comment below, and share your experience.  If you enjoyed this post, please share it and leave a like!

If you just found this blog spot, and you would like to read about my other revelations through the first week of Dry July, click the links below!  Cheers!

Dry July

Dry July- Day 2- Eleven Facts

Dry July-Day Three- Epigenetics and Sleep

Dry July- Day Four- Independence Day

Dry July- Day Five~ Waiting

Dry July-Day 6~ Real Hydration

Dry July- Day 7~ One Week Summary

I need a new frickin’ hobby, y’all!

Not drinking, hasn’t been a big deal.  My life really didn’t have much going on anyway, so my routine has basically been exactly the way it was before, sans alcohol.

I think that working out daily, has definitely worn my body out physically, while at the same time see my endurance return.

Sleeping is still an issue, because I want to go to bed at 9:00-9:30, and if I don’t get to bed then I get another wind for about 3-4 hours.  My sleep tends to be consistently restless around 3-6:30 am, regardless of my state of mind or tiredness levels.

I get a lot of pride, sitting down and writing daily.

Writing one cohesive, long story, is kind of hard for me. So sitting down daily like this, is inspiring research and creativity.  Sometimes, life feels so mundane, it doesn’t feel worth writing about.  Dry July has given me a purpose to write, and a reason to look at things differently.  It is bringing my awareness around to what I would like to change, and what is in my capacity to change.

I think I need to start a alcohol free social arts club.

I need more to do during the day, to fill some of these hours that pass by filled by vapid FaceBook posts.  It’s an easy fall back when working from home.  I’d like to actually connect with people in a face to face creative way a few hours a week, just for something to look forward to, and something new to talk about with my grandma.  The conflict I find, is that many people work during the days, during the week… and this is often times when I crave social interaction the most.

I’ve lost 3.5 inches off my waist!!!

In the last week, I have probably saved my self from a weeks worth of empty calories from not drinking.  I have been sticking to water, and one and a half cups coffee, with a couple flavored seltzer waters in there.  This in and of itself feels like quite the accomplishment.

I am purposely trying to retrain my brain to look forward to exercise, by reinforcing pride in myself, when I accomplish it for the day.  I tell myself,

” I love it when my hair is soaked in sweat.”  

However my bunions haven’t been impressed with my up tick in physical activity, so hopefully they will adapt, because the pain is no bueno.

My small goal at the end of the month, is to be able to do a half modified push up.  My upper body strength has totally gone to shit, and my core, is weak sauce.

These are things I can control.

That seems to be the theme of Dry July.  Self Control.  Moderation.  Accountability to Self.  Honesty and clarity.  The hardest part so far, is facing how lonely and isolated I have become.  How my weight gain and self image have exacerbated my hermitage.  The truth that though I love being alone, I am still very much a social creature that craves new experiences.  I need to shake up my game a little in order to get some new experiences while still maintaining what needs to be done.

If you have some suggestions on how I might be able to do that, please leave it in the comments section!

Feel free to leave your likes, and share this post!  Read about my first week, day by day, in the links provided below!  Have a lovely weekend!

Dry July

Dry July- Day One

Dry July- Day 2- Eleven Facts

Dry July-Day Three- Epigenetics and Sleep

Dry July- Day Four- Independence Day

Dry July- Day Five~ Waiting

Dry July-Day 6~ Real Hydration

“Is it too early to drink?” – Novice Drinker

“It’s Five O’Clock somewhere!”- Intermediate Drinker

 “Today is a day-drinking kind of day.”- Advanced Drinker

“Is it Five O’Clock, yet?” – Employed Drinker

 “Liquor is like a good collection of shoes; if you know what you have in your closet,  you can find something to go with any occasion.” -Philosophical Drinker

“Write Drunk.  Edit Sober”  -Ernest Hemingway  (Productive Drinker who sets boundaries?)

Let’s face it.  With the chemical action of liquor, even some of the most mundane activities can seem extra fun.  I know I enjoy family gatherings a bit more with a beer in hand.

But what does one do, when they have spent every day, looking forward to that next beer or drink, and you take drinking out of the equation?

I am a full time, in home care taker for my grandma… I don’t have a bunch of wonderful things I look forward to on a daily basis. It’s like being a mom, but your kid isn’t growing more capable; and an eventual end is inevitable.  Alcohol has been my place holder for new experiences while I deal with the day to day, mundane tasks like laundry; dishes,vacuuming,dusting,picking up dog poop, cleaning up dog vomit, and making dinner .  

I tell myself; “With alcohol I can over-ride how much I dislike these unending tasks, and laugh at myself and my life decisions.  I can see the humor in the craziness of it all.”

I don’t know why I’ve led myself to believe that I need to be drinking in order to get to that place in my own mental attitude.  And this is where I realize where I have suppressed and stunted my own development.

I remember someone telling me; that the age a person first gets drunk, will be the mental attitude they return to every time they get drunk there after.  And through the years I have tried to test this theory out, by asking people how old they were the first time they got drunk, and then observing them when they do get drunk.  I would venture to say, the theory holds pretty strong.

I’ve met a lot of people who started partying when they were twelve and thirteen years old.  Those ages are hormonal/ emotional roller coasters.  Men that I have met, who started drinking that young, tend to be more destructive or mischievous when they get drunk.  Women, tend to get kind of high and giggly and/or highly emotional.  I think the influence of how vulnerable that age is, plays into the brain physiology long term.

“One aspect of brain functioning that is commonly studied in youths as well as older adults is neuropsychological performance,¹ which includes memory function, attention, visuospatial skills, and executive functioning (e.g., planning, abstract reasoning, and goal-directed behavior). (¹ The term “neuropsychological performance” refers to performance on standardized tests of thinking and memory skills.) Several studies have suggested that heavy alcohol use in young people appears to be associated with potentially long-term deleterious effects on neuropsychological functioning.”   -National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

I am wondering if cultural standards and norms regarding alcohol consumption, that differ in other countries, effect the epigenetics of their people; which in turn is going to relate to neuropsychological performance of those people on some level.

For instance, children are allowed to drink in many European countries.  Does the acceptance of that practice lead to better boundaries around alcohol?  Is the society more relaxed about alcohol, and therefore use it in a different manner (more or less respect)?  Do European countries have a higher addiction rate than the US, whose laws are different in regard to the age of consumption; or are American funded Studies, speaking for the whole world when they say to abstain from alcohol until (American) legal adulthood, (also known as “when the brain is fully developed)?

We’ve seen what can happen to society when alcohol is forcefully taken away.  Alcohol has existed in many forms for centuries.  It is ingrained in almost every nook and cranny of culture.  Creating alcohol, in it’s easiest form, can be unintentional.

I remember cleaning out my locker, my senior year.  And at the bottom of everything, there was a glass bottle of apple juice I had taken a couple of drinks out of, at the beginning of the school year, re-capped it, and put it in my locker.  Experimental and curious, I opened the bottle and as I did the liquid began to frantically fizz, and the whole hallway began to smell like hard cider… oops!

All it takes to make some alcohol, is sugar, yeast, water and time.

It might be time to look at alcohol in a completely new way.  I am not sure what that looks like yet.

I think this blog post has inspired some creativity for me… You will have to stay tuned to see how all that pans out.

If you learned something new from this post, give it a like, a comment and a share!

And if you just stumbled in for the first time, and want to read more about my Dry July experiences and revelations, click the links below!

Cheers, and have a lovely day!

Dry July

Dry July- Day One

Dry July- Day 2- Eleven Facts

Dry July-Day Three- Epigenetics and Sleep

Dry July- Day Four- Independence Day

I suppose for many people on July 4, in the United States,  it’s hard to say “no” to imbibing a cold alcoholic beverage (or two, or ten) during one of the myriad of barbecues and festive events happening during this auspicious holiday.

I mean, I am pretty sure this is the American Holiday that brought us “Drunk Watermelon” and garbage cans full of “Jungle Juice.” Why do I think that?  Because according to the police scanner these summer beverages pair best with explosives.

One might wonder if people NEED to get drunk, in order to appreciate the sounds and colors of  supposed Independence at the end of the night.

I didn’t have any Fourth of July plans.  My day was pretty much like every other day, with the exception of trying out a new Chicken Teriyaki recipe, and firing up the grill to make a beautiful meal that probably SHOULD have been photographed and put on Instagram.  I drank a nice Sparkling Lavender Water, and listened to sirens and fireworks.

And, let me tell you, the sirens and the fire works went all day, and well into the night. So, I just had to tune into the police scanner.

Would you like to scare yourself into never drinking again, and staying off the roads on a holiday?  Then listen to the scanner on a day like July 4th.  It is one call right after another of drunken, violent, idiotic, preventable, controllable nonsense.  Most of which is all fueled by intoxication.

I’ve never had so much compassion for our emergency response teams before.

As I listened to the dispatchers taking calls, patching in officers, and making instant decisions;  I couldn’t help but be surprised and amused.  I listen to the scanner every now and again, but I have never tuned in for hours at a time, where there are very few breaks in the feed.  Yesterday was one of those days.

Selfishly, I kept waiting for someone to call about fireworks being shot off near my house (illegal to do because I am in city limits.)  A few calls came in about the disturbance, but the officers were never able to make it to those calls, because more pressing issues would over ride their direction.

Drunk drivers.  Runaways.  Fights in parking lots.  A naked woman in the back of a cargo van with the doors open.  A man with no legs had fallen out of his wheelchair and was passed out on the side walk.  Grass fires all over town.  Domestic Violence disturbance.  Reports of gunshots.  A sixty year old man, on LSD had fallen down, hit his head and was unconscious…. 

The calls just kept coming.  All these people seem to be going to some weird mental extreme to express their “Independence.”  But how many of these people woke up today, July 5; only to realize they may have just lost what little Independence they may have had yesterday?

How many people ended their night with the vision of  red, white, and blue flashes of an emergency vehicle taking them to jail, or to the hospital.  Maybe even the flashes of light behind smoke as firefighters douse fires on property, like homes.

How many people will have their cars towed, and their licences revoked?  How many will have lost their pets in the chaos?  How many of them will be impressed with deep regret for their carelessness?  How long will the blotter brief be, after two days of full throttle parties?

I don’t know, I am just glad I wasn’t apart of any of that nonsense.

We choose where we go, and what we do.  We have a responsibility toward ourselves and our fellow humans, to be self responsible.  How many people were doing just that, only to have someone else encroach on their life with bad decision making?  It happens more often than we would like to admit, and a “holiday” is no excuse for that behavior.

And, this is what I was worried about; If I don’t drink, and I going to become an even more Judgey McJudgerson and the Judgeyville Judgers – type person, again?

No.  No. I don’t think I am being judge-y.  I am telling it like it is, based off of clear observation.  Yesterday and the day before, was a SHIT SHOW for emergency response teams, and I am guessing that 80% of those calls were preventable; that is, if people presented a modicum of self control.

Holiday’s and celebrations seem to trigger the thinking that everything is a “free for all”, and self control goes out the window.  It appears people believe the norms of function go on hiatus for 24-72 hours surrounding a celebration.  It isn’t healthy.  And, worst of all, it appears to be a self-feeding beast.  It is an energy that we, as Americans have been fermenting for quite some time now, and it feels like it might burst.

If you enjoy following these posts, feel free to like, share, or leave a comment.  I would love to hear about your July 4, 2017.   Did anything crazy happen?  Did you have any realizations about Independence?  For updates on new posts, press the FOLLOW button.

To read the first four parts of this saga, click the links below!  Cheers!

Dry July

Dry July- Day One

Dry July- Day 2- Eleven Facts

Dry July-Day Three- Epigenetics and Sleep