Something of an anniversary, tomorrow is eight months into a life without alcohol. What are my observations on this journey so far?

Since then my girlfriend has been out drinking with friends a few times and looking at her in the morning – I’m very happy I don’t have to deal with that. On one occasion, it took the poor thing two days before she was normal again.

NO THANKS!

I feel I have too much important work I need to be doing, and to miss time from it or perform sub optimally because of booze? I’m not sold on the idea.

But on the other side of things, she stayed up to 5am, merrily chatting with old friends, which is a fine occasion to get a little hungover for.

I tell a lie, I have stayed up to 5am.

Turns out you don’t have to drink alcohol to give yourself a hangover. On a few occasions of staying up late videogaming with friends, eating junk food and overeating.

I had what I now call a “gaming hangover.” I further attribute it to long hours of sitting in sub-optimal gaming positions and confusing my sleep cycle.

Can I blend with alcohol-drinkers?

Some very good friends of mine came to visit from the UK. Naturally, I had reason to go to smoky bars and drink virgin-cocktails so overloaded with sugar, it hurt my teeth.

I really wanted to get drunk with them. Normally when we are together, it’s at a festival, and I’m “feeding the beast” by giving everyone way too many shots. There’s a reason why in some circles, my name is synonymous with Tequila. But alas, not today Satan…

Even without alcohol, I felt rough the next day, we stayed up to 3am but I think the smoky bars and sugar mock-tails did me in. Perhaps that’s the reason your hungover, and not because of the alcohol. Try that as an excuse next time and tell me if it works.

See you next time.