day 300 (written on day 297...)

Woo, I need to blow off some steam. An ever-so-tardy post shall be my therapy. If I weren't writing right now, I'd probably be throwing punches in the middle of the Philly airport. This is a much better channel for alleviating my frustration, agreed?

The man to my right is violently typing on his laptop. I really think his fingers must be in pain. Maybe he's typing about the annoying pissed off looking girl to his left (me). The three girls behind me,whom I am pretty sure are currently on the clock, continue laughing at an obnoxious volume level and talking about vaginas. Last, but most aggravating of all, the man nearby SLURPING his Panda Express. Absolutely nothing gets under my skin like odd chewing, swallowing, and breathing noises. Seriously dude, eat like a human, slurping was only cute in Lady and the Tramp. I bet if I were in the airport bar having a glass of wine I wouldn't be annoyed by such trivial things....68 days, 68 days. It's getting so close that I need to start thinking of a game plan for the bday/end of challenge celebration. Should I go out and order a nice bottle or stay in and buy a nice bottle? Notice a nice bottle is involved in both options, that's my only requirement.

I know I've said many times that this has been so much more fulfilling ad rewarding than I could have ever expected, but I need to reemphasize that point. The past ten months have changed my life so drastically, and in such a positive way, that I can confidently say I will forever be a stronger, happier and healthier individual because of it. Are all the outcomes solely from not drinking? Hell no. It has been a trickle effect all relating back to the fact that because I challenged myself to do something prolonged that changed my actions on a regular basis, I now believe I can do anything. Prolonged is the key word there, because I think the relatively long nature of the challenge really helped produce stronger and more meaningful results for me. Sometimes when I'm at crossfit, I finish and I'm literally shocked at the weight I just pulled or the time in which I completed the WOD; however during the workout I never doubt myself and I'm not scared to push further than I ever have before. (Unless it comes to box jumps - that's a different story.) In essence, I have changed my perspective on my life and the world around me. So, on that note, lets revisit the people I was just complaining about...maybe the guy on his laptop is really passionate about what he is typing or maybe his fingers are just cold and he can't tell he's assaulting the keyboard. I'm sure the laughing girls really do think that their vaginas are funny - I won't argue on that one. And the slurping guy, ugh this pains me, but he was just trying to enjoy a meal on the go. Who am I to sit in a public area and judge him for his disgusting noises? (Haha I can't help myself, even though I realize my flaws). Anyway, point is, it's all about perspective. Those people aren't worried about what I'm thinking, they are experiencing the moment from a different perspective, as we all obviously do.

Lately I find myself saying "it's all about perspective" at least twice a day. In mid-February, my family was changed forever. We lost my Uncle Andy. As I drove to pick-up his parents at the airport that morning, I was thinking about the topic of perspective. Most of the time when I travel, it is for pleasure. I am excited to get on the plane on the outbound because it marks the start of an adventure, and I'm usually exhausted yet (ironically) rejuvenated on the return, bringing back new treasured memories. Before that day, I never took the time to think that the person traveling next to me may be flying for a reason that would not be categorized as either business or pleasure. I was of course hurting, but it was then that I smiled. I found my thoughts were evoking compassion... an emotion Andy knew and conveyed better than anyone else, and an emotion with which I tend to struggle. I was convinced he would love that I was thinking of something in a new light, especially a light that made it easier for me to relate to others.

It was as if Andy could see straight through anyone, a verbal explanation was unnecessary for him. He knew what was going on inside (whether it was physical or emotional) and he would try to fix it if you gave him the shot. I think this is one of the million things that made him such a loved and admired pediatric physician /husband/father/uncle/brother/son/friend. Andy's perspective was unique because he was so selfless. I believe Andy had the insight of understanding and acknowledging differing perspectives down to an art and this was a reason he excelled in so many areas of life. He wasn't jailed or confined to a narrow mind. He assessed every situation individually, instead of tainting it with prior preconceived notions. I now find myself applying this concept daily in my life. I try to look at things from a million different angles to find the best solution, acknowledge that there are other solutions, and acknowledge that the person next to me may see it differently (and possibly even better).

This post is obviously a bit heavier than my typical light hearted tone...so let me end on some happy memories. Andy and I connected through a love of logic and numbers. When I was about 10 years old I visited Lori and Andy in Indiana and the national spelling bee was on TV. Andy was excited as he told me about this amazing young boy that could alphabetize the letters in a word. I replied, without hesitation, "That's not weird Uncle Andy, I do it all the time." He never doubted me but this time he did shake me off a bit, telling me again how the young boy did it. I said “test me,” and the words started flying at me. I remember the first word he tried was ladder, I said, “Oh, easy one! A-D-D-E-L-R.” He thought it must have been a fluke, so he kept going – for the next hour it seemed. Although he always loved me unconditionally, I’m fairly confident I gained some extra admiration points from Uncle Andy that day. Most recently we were all headed to lunch after meeting up at Sydney’s (Andy’s daughter/my cousin) swim meet. Andy and I were both driving there and he said “Hey Ken, which way are you going to take to get to Applebees?” I said “Oh, Mexico to Mid Rivers is definitely faster!” He was an investigator so he said “I think Jungermann may be quicker…go the speed limit so we can see.” When I arrived before him, I got my phone out and started the stopwatch. Everyone in the car made fun of me, “Ken we already beat him!” I said, “Guys, Andy won’t just want to know that we arrived first, he will want to know how close it was!” I will always miss him, but I am grateful to have had him in my life and I learned many lessons from him about how to treat others, to never stop asking questions and to constantly try looking at things from a new perspective. Love you Uncle Andy!

day 180 - new year, new address, still sober.

Due to my amazing lack of discipline with the blog, there are a LOT of changes to cover since my last post. First and foremost, I am still 100% dry and only three short days from the 6 month/halfway mark! I am so excited that I'm nearing the downhill portion of my journey, because I am officially OVER the complete absence of wine in my life. I get downright irritated sometimes, just dying for a small glass with a nice dinner (notice I didn't say the entire bottle...I really just miss the taste...and the warm/fuzzy feeling). 

Unfortunately my social life isn't the only thing that is currently dry - now my skin is right there along with it. I moved back to good old Missouri about two weeks ago and my poor body is attempting to acclimate to this thing people call Winter. I miss the island everyday. I miss riding my bike, seeing and smelling the ocean, my friends, flip flops, running into friendly faces everywhere and especially the sun/warmth. However, I am nothing short of elated to be back in my first home (I've decided I now have two homes - one here, one in KW). Instead of a bike, I now have a pretty sweet black Jetta. Instead of seeing the ocean, I now get to see my mom every single day. My flip flops and sundresses have temporarily been replaced with jeans and boots, but they are eagerly awaiting the change of seasons, or an island visit. I am confident that the friendships I made in Key West are strong enough to withstand distance, and I look forward to picking up right where we left off when I visit (frequently!).

I'll answer your first question about my move home really quickly - no, I do not currently have a job and no, I am not in rush to find one. We spend our entire adult lives working, stressing, working, stressing. I am going to take a couple months to breathe, focus on myself, travel when I want, just be ME! I can work when I'm dead. Oh wait, that's not the saying. Shit. 

I'm sure I will get antsy soon enough, but for now I am loving it. I was able to spend Christmas with my family for the first time in three years. I didn't have the stress of work in the back of my head,  I didn't have to feel guilty for taking time off: I had nothing to worry about except making the most of my time with the people I care about most. I enjoyed my family and made some wonderful memories. The holidays were not as difficult as I anticipated in terms of temptation to drink. I struggled much more with my eating habits rather than wanting to cave into the eggnog. Luckily my high protein diet and aggressive workouts resulted in gaining nothing throughout the holiday season, even though I really indulged. (I still can't believe my newly acquired sweet tooth - it's a b**** and does not seem to be going away!) I did avoid going out on NYE because I thought that would just be a cruel evening to be sober. Does anyone go out that night without the intent to get completely sloshed? I spent the bitterly cold night at home instead of a crowded club, in sweats and warm socks instead of a tight dress and killer heels, played board games instead of mind games, and drank sparkling water instead of the ceremonial champagne. I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions this year either because I feel like I am already moving in such a great direction. I credit this challenge with 100% of the changes I've made in the past 6 months. I am on track to be at my goal weight by the end of the year (year meaning the end of my challenge, not the end of 2013), and my weight isn't even close to being the only positive outcome I'm reaping. I still have an EXCESSIVE amount of energy...I'm pretty sure my mom is going to smack me one of these days because I talk so damn fast. I'm actually completing projects from Pinterest instead of just pinning them. I'm cooking new recipes. I'm going to new places, and I'm trying new things. Just yesterday, after Amanda's coaxing, I bought a Groupon and gave Bikram Yoga a shot. Oh. My. God. It was 90 minutes of pure torture. I'm pretty sure I hated every single one of those minutes, yet I cannot wait to go back tomorrow morning. I had no idea my body could sweat like that, and I definitely need increased mobility, so I think it's a wonderful way to complement my current workouts. I am consistently pushing my personal boundaries - mentally, physically, spiritually and the rewards continue to amaze me. I will never settle again. Happy New Year everyone - I hope you amaze yourself in 2013!

day 120

I am finally comfortable using the word sober in referring to myself and my challenge. For the first couple months, if I said "I haven't had a drink in ___ days" it was quickly followed with, "but I didn't have a problem to begin with, it's just a personal challenge." Now I'm absolutely fine, and even proud, to say that I've been sober almost 4 months. If someone assumes I had an alcohol addiction prior to that, that's fine. Now when I am offered alcohol, I simply say "No thanks, I don't drink." I found that "I'll pass" simply leads to "Why aren't you drinking?" "Are you sure?" "Come on, just one!" "Are you pregnant?" I feel no need to defend myself anymore, and that confidence feels great. I also realize that although I did not have any dependency on alcohol (Wait, is salivating every time I see a wine bottle a dependency?), it was absolutely affecting my life in negative ways. My weight was up, my overall productivity was down, and my sleeping and eating habits were inconsistent and left room for improvement. So in that respect, I did have a "problem."
Without sounding sugar sweet, I have to say that I continue to be in awe of how enjoyable this challenge is for me. Quite a few fun things have happened since my last post, since it was a MONTH ago! By the way - I tend to think its a good sign that I didn't blog for a month. I'm back to my procrastinating ways but still not drinking. I don't have to be on my best behavior all the time, but I can still stay on track!

Since my last post I passed the 100 day mark, which was especially exciting to me because my brain works in numbers, so I'm motivated by numbers/figures/stats. That morning began with my blabbermouth brain going at it once again. "Why did I have to make this thing a freakin year?! 100 days would've been good enough and I could've enjoyed a great glass of wine tonight! I get the gist of it now, my eyes are open to new things, blah blah blah, now give me some damn WINE!" I laughed it off and told myself that the remaining 200+ days would continue to be a learning experience. Thank you all for the amazing outpour of love and support on day 100, all the texts, "likes" and comments were so appreciated. I was even greeted by gorgeous flowers at the office from Aubrey and Kristy!

After day 100 came Fantasy Fest. For those not familiar with FF, Mardi Gras is the best comparison I can give. A week every October in Key West full of parties, lots of costumes, and most definitely no shortage of cocktail consumption. Sober living was challenging at times throughout the week. On Tutu Tuesday I was about 2 feet from the bar, but my berry bomb craving subsided. And Saturday (Parade Night), I tried to tell everyone that my original plan was to allow myself drinks on the Saturday of Fantasy Fest and New Years Eve, (that really was my original plan) however no one was having it. I am thankful that I didn't drink, starting over at day 1 would be so demoralizing!
And now I'm headed back from New York City after an amazing weekend. On past New York trips with my dad I specifically remember; double fisting Bud Lights at the Giants game, gasping at the receipt for $25 martinis, chugging wine during South Pacific's intermission, and 12 bottles shattering on the pavement because the box was wet (Roni!). This weekend consisted of perfect seats at a matinee of Wicked, a chilly Giants game (my first time in the new stadium), and lots of walking, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. And just in case I had any doubt, I love the city just as much "sober."

day 88

Whether it's work, school, love, eating, exercise, etc. each of us has experienced being "stuck in a rut". More and more I realize that you can tell a lot about a person, especially yourself, by the way we dig ourselves out of those ruts. Some people simply fall victim to the ups and downs life throws at them. Others get by, but don't necessarily thrive. Then there are those that seem to prosper no matter what obstacles they encounter. It's easy to say that these people in the latter group are "lucky" or "fortunate," but I believe they make a deliberate and constant effort to be driven and purposeful in their everyday lives. Even someone who is born into money, opportunity and/or privilege can quickly ruin it and fall into the victim mentality. (This is not to say that the only definition/key to happiness or success is money and privilege, I'm making generalizations to avoid being long-winded like this sentence.)

I think the first reaction to a problem is to feel sorry for yourself. Your car breaks down, "Why me?" Your Facebook is full of others thrilling accomplishments, "Wow, I'm worthless." Or, if you're like me, you take the self-defense route out and start mentally hating on them. I have caught myself doing that - I really hope I'm not the only one. But at least I caught myself; if I'm jealous there's no reason to hate. I should learn from others and push myself harder towards my goals.

I've hit some ruts throughout my first 88, but not as many as I would have expected. As I am nearing the quarter-year mark (wow!), I starting assessing the progress I've made.

Learning Spanish was one of the activities I wanted to dedicate a lot of my newfound time to after cutting out drinking. In the spirit of honesty, I'm going to guesstimate my time spent on Spanish thus far at 6 hours. Pathetic. Rut. I will be improving this in the 2nd quarter of sobriety. So far I'll give myself a D grade, need for improvement.

Exploring the Buddhist faith is a huge interest of mine, and another hobby I wanted to indulge in this year. Although I haven't tackled this directly, I have explored my spirituality and thoughts more than EVER. I am happy to say my beliefs are evolving and taking on new colors and shapes. Although I occasionally think deep enough to worry myself into a sleepless night, I love that I am still inquisitive and open minded. Grade B, still need to narrow in on specific research instead of solely self-exploration.

Reading is a new leisure activity I've picked up in the past year (thanks to my brother who gave me the Hunger Games trilogy). Since my birthday, I've read at least 10 books and have another 100 I want to download. I love my kindle - if you don't have, one BUY one. Turning the TV on is the easy option, but reading a book is so much more rewarding. I also find that I have a more restful sleep when I read instead of watch TV; not sure of the exact cause/correlation there. So on my reading hobby, I'll give myself a B+. (Patting myself on the back.)

Working out and eating right were healthy choices that I wanted to coincide with my decision to stop drinking. This has been a huge focus of mine and a big success. In 3 months I have lost approximately 30 pounds. I started weighing 5 weeks in and I am down 15 pounds since that point, I am having to guess the first 5 weeks weight loss based on clothing. I recently hired a personal trainer who has stepped up my workouts and thrown an added curve ball into my eating plan. I am extremely happy with my progress and cannot wait to see the changes to come in the next quarter! I also feel absolutely wonderful. I never want to have a hangover again. I now go to bed excited to wake up early for the gym, instead of dreading how terrible I'll feel when that alarm beeps. I'll give myself an A in healthy living. (Wow, I'm really grading myself. Lame.)

I think I also deserve an A for not drinking. I've managed a birthday celebration, a friend's visit, a tropical storm weekend, a weekend in Miami, a weekend in Atlanta, a weekend in STL, NFL season, a Miami hurricanes football game, a Cardinals game, 88 possible happy hours and 88 possible Zinfandel night caps. Up next - sober Fantasy Fest. After that week, I'll definitely deserve an A+!

In the next three months, I will continue my current progress while striving to further myself in other areas. I absolutely want to run a 5k, improve my "grade" in Spanish, read a book on buddhism and start volunteering. No matter what I encounter along the way, I will keep on pushing!

day 67

Let me begin by saying that sometimes it is damn hard to think of material to write about that means something to me, and that others will hopefully find interesting and/or entertaining as well. That's why my posts come at random intervals, not everyday or a certain number per week. When I do sit down to write though, I love it! I will absolutely keep the blog going until day 365, and I hope I continue to enjoy it as much as I currently do. When I run into friends I haven't seen in a few weeks, they are usually full of questions about how the challenge is going, how I avoid drinking, etc. If you ever have a specific question - comment on the post or send me a message and I'll put it in my next post. (Did you catch that? Soliciting writing ideas for myself - told you it's a struggle!) I've never written purely for pleasure before the blog, and if you haven't either, I highly recommend you to try. Writing encourages me to dig deeper into exploring my thoughts and feelings, while also forcing me to be completely honest with myself. There would be no point in me taking the time to post if it weren't honest and from the heart. On day 10, I compared my blog to a husband. If I want to cheat, I remember I'm committed to the blog (and myself...). I frequently think of that analogy, because I still believe that if it weren't for the blog, this challenge would've fizzled out quickly for me. I stay loyal to "my husband" because all of you that read what I have to say about what I'm learning along the way are huge motivators. So far, many of my posts have focused solely on "my"self and "my" feelings and "my" thoughts, but I think it's about time I pay some attention to my support system.

My support system is 100 times larger than I thought it was before starting this challenge. I've learned that I have a core group of people who I always depend on, but there are so many other people in my life that change my day or lift me up every single day. My mom is my rock: If you know me and don't know this, then you are living under one. She gets to hear all the fluffy monotonous stories of the challenge that I leave out of the blog, and yet she always eagerly listens. The other day I was truly rambling and instead of sounding disinterested she said, "I don't want to wish your years away, but it is amazing to see your kids grow up and form their own thoughts and beliefs. I can't wait for you to have that." I tell her all the time that she's not normal, no one is that happy all the time, but I wouldn't have it any other way. She knows that one of my favorite outcomes of giving up drinking has been all the time I spend on cooking fresh healthy meals. (Two self discoveries - I enjoy writing outside of the classroom and I absolutely love to cook!) Yesterday I came home after a particularly grueling workout to the cookbook below. There's a little disclosure on the cover page that says "Every Recipe Serves One"...ouch! Hopefully this cookbook distracts me from the sweet tooth I've developed in the past 2 months. I have always been a sucker for salty snacks, but since cutting out alcohol, I CRAVE sugar in the evenings. I was baking cupcakes the other day (to share, not for myself) and after I frosted them there was quite a bit of icing left. I literally had to squirt soap in the container before throwing it away to make it non-edible. I laughed at myself when I did it, but I didn't think about eating it one more time. Success! I usually tackle the craving with a Mini Dove ice cream (2 WW points, 60 calories). I don't need the whole box, just one. I'm hopeful that I will be able to apply that same principle to wine after my year is up...I think so :). 

In addition to my wonderful momma, I'm also lucky to have an amazing brother. His ridiculous fitness level will always propel me when I feel like giving up at the gym. My dad, although halfway across the world, deeply believes that I can do anything and makes me feel that I can as well. Aunt Pam gets a special mention as well because we see eye to eye on so many issues, and I know I can go to her with a question that others may think is off the wall. Thank you for encouraging me to explore my spirituality.

I really wish I would have had the foresight to write down all the positive interactions I've experienced in relation to my challenge, because they have been so plentiful and so motivating throughout. Multiple people have told me that my challenge and/or blog gave them a little needed push to wake up for an early morning workout. Another person told me that my words reminded her to take time to "do something for herself". Tons of people check up on me and ask when I'll be posting next. And I'd be lying if I said it doesn't feel great every time someone notices the weight I've lost. My friends on the Island have been so supportive and even when I joke of falling off, I don't even think they would let it happen! I'm sure you're all sick of me talking about "sober" this and "no drinking" that, so thanks for putting up with me. Each and every interaction, no matter how big or small, truly inspires me all over again. Last week I was on the phone with one of my best friends, and I asked her if she's happy in her job/city or if she thinks she'll move in the near future. I loved her response. "I'm open to moving, but more and more I am realizing that I want to be close to the people I care about." I couldn't have said it better.

day 59 - football season!

So if you know me, you know I love football. Yes, yes, I also have a personal weakness for football players, but we don't really need to go into that. I know this will shock most of you, but I usually enjoy a few adult beverages while watching football. Weird, right? This automatically means Saturday and Sunday become drinking days/nights along with the occasional Monday and Thursday dependent upon who's playing. I don't think I can even think of the last football game I watched or went to without having at least one drink (before tonight). Prior to embarking on my sober year, I thought about specific circumstances that would be the strongest triggers along my way. I think football season was in my top three, therefore I'm glad I had a couple months to settle into my new lifestyle before the season began. Tonight as I watch the first NFL game of the season, I have no desire to drink. I'm tired, I'm sore from workouts, I cooked an amazing dinner (Asian Peanut Noodle Salad - WW's recipe) and I'm perfectly happy relaxing and winding down for the evening. 

Tonight's dinner - mine looked exactly like this...yea right, but it was tasty!

I keep noticing a lot of irony in my sober discoveries. One that I found myself thinking about tonight was my perceived happiness. When I was going out and drinking a lot, I thought I was really living life to the fullest and enjoying every day. Now I see things so differently. I do not view those memories (those which I actually remember) as wasteful, and I do not have any regrets about the way I have lived my life; however, I can say with absolute certainty than I am happier now. Yes, I had fun dancing and drinking, but I was MISERABLE the next day and I rushed through so many other parts of my day without even thinking about them. Now I really enjoy some of my daily activities that I previously viewed as monotonous. I loved preparing a new recipe for dinner tonight and I didn't even cringe at the thought of washing the dirty dishes afterward. Old me would have rushed through dinner so I could put my tired and achy body in bed as quickly as possible. Oh wait, there's football on, let me take back my last sentence...old me would have actually ordered Big John's and eaten pizza and wings in bed. (Harsh, but probably accurate.)

Another irony I encountered is that, while I actively work to improve my health and well-being, I concurrently become more aware of my mortality. I won't get all drab and dreary here, it just relates to my previous discovery. If we just go through the motions, our time seems to evaporate. If we are always counting the days to vacation or a special event, we may forget to enjoy the days leading up to that event. I'm a huge "countdown" person, and I'm not going to stop that, but I also have to remind myself that the days in between such events should be purposeful and joyful as well.  Each day comes with many of the same tasks and procedures for all of us, but there's always something new that we can choose to mix-up. If not, we can also take notice to when something that has been externally varied in our day. Trying a new recipe, biking a new way home from work, and going to a different class at the gym are all things I've done to spice up my daily routine. When I add something new in, I enjoy the day and the "processes" don't seem so tedious. External variations can be as little as noticing birds chirping or new flowers blooming. (Wow, now  I sound cheesy...and like my mother.) But really, I was coming around the corner the other day and noticed all the birds were chirping like mad. I found myself wondering if they were just happy that it was a beautiful day, or if they could sense a change in weather on its way, etc. After catching myself in this thought pattern, I giggled a little bit. It seemed silly, but at the same time it was nice to NOTICE and ponder something small. I'm trying to notice more of the small stuff without sweating it (haha). Whether it's our boss or parent or spouse, we always want people to notice the little things we do. And I'm sure the little birds wanted someone to hear them chirping, why else would they do it? So keep an eye out for little things, they may just make you smile.

day 48 - bracing for isaac

Well today's post is written under quite different circumstances that normal. In case you live under a rock, Tropical Storm, soon to be Hurricane Isaac, is currently on a direct path for the Keys. I made my preparations last night - aka I bought pretzel chips, Luna bars, cereal and bottled water - and then bar crawled today. I'm not a hurricane virgin, but this is my first major storm in Key West. I was in Miami for the terrible hurricane season of 2005, but Chartwells packed us nonperishable meals and we lived in concrete buildings with permanent hurricane shutters. Obviously the necessary preparation on my part was very little. I do however, remember one eye opener I had that year. The weekend before classes started, my mom and I were at the Dadeland Target elbow to elbow with every other UM freshman and their parents, attempting to furnish our 6' by 6' dorm rooms and stock up on "necessities" before our parents (i.e. our wallets) left town. My mom looked and me and said "Why is everyone buying flashlights?" I giggled and dismissed her question, thinking it was just silly and frivolous. Just a couple short months later, I woke up after Wilma hit, slipped on the water from my thawed mini-fridge, and realized we were without power. That's when I caught on to the flashlight thing.It doesn't happen often, but that time, mom and I were outsmarted. :)

Anyway - this time I have candles, I think there's a flashlight somewhere, I made lots of extra ice, and I bought some non-perishables. Can't lie, I wouldn't have complained if someone had the boxed lunches prepped for me this go around! Since I have been cooking almost all of my meals at home and eating a diet of mostly fruits/veggies/lean proteins, shopping for foods that don't go bad was kind of shocking. Conclusion - If it doesn't go bad, it's probably bad for you! (Nuts being one of the only exceptions.) So I'll be on carb overload if we lose power, but eh well, doesn't count if there's no other options. I did NOT choose to use the "doesn't count" excuse for drinking. I did contemplate a one-day free pass, but decided I would regret it immediately after the first sip.

Fat Tuesday - Stop #2 on the Isaac Bar Crawl (I had a Virgin Daiquiri which turned out to be just a waste of calories lol)

So I'm 7 weeks in, and in the past week I've conquered a weekend in Miami and now a tourist-free Duval Street Hurricane Party Bar Crawl. My experiences are different than they would be with drinking, but I do not feel like I'm missing out on anything. 

Walking around Brickell Key last weekend - LOVED this walk. (Drinking Kendall wouldn't have worked out multiple times on a weekend vacation! Especially with open bar on the club level...)

I feel lucky and healthy and alert. If I feel all those things 24 hours from now, instead of hot and in the dark, I'll be very happy! Crossing my fingers for power and safety on our little island during/after the storm.