So as some of you “may” know, I love to drink! Yay! It’s fun, it tastes so good! I feel great! But sometimes I feel like I overindulge so I decided to practice Sober October this year. Also as I’ve gotten older I notice my body doesn’t recuperate as easily and the added calories don’t disappear as quickly.  Oh and my trainer was getting really frustrated with my lack of weight loss.

This is me practicing Sober October in NYC and at the end of the month I was able to wear a slinky Slave Leia costume:

Last Halloween I went as Chewbacca dressed in a man’s Chewie onesie. I knew I had reached rock bottom. I realized I had let another year skate by with mostly doing this:

So I have been keeping a journal each day of my non-drinking activities and have done pretty well until I came down with the flu!

Here are some entries:

Sept 31 – Last day of drinking. Woke up at 5am, I had fallen asleep on couch in front of TV after a night out, took edible from local 420 shop to sleep and crawled into my bed. Woke up by friend calling me at 1:13pm. Dude. Met same friend at 4pm for happy hour. Then met second friend for dinner and sake Friday night, came back and had more wine. That was my entire day.

Oct 1, Day 1. Woke up groggy from the night before at about 8:45. Took a weightlifting class, cooked, brought dinner to a friend’s house, gorged on Halloween candy and at 7pm had to take a nap on the floor due to sugar overdose, woke up, watched a movie, then went to bed.

Oct 2, Day 2, Woke up refreshed. Remembered vivid dream where an ex-boyfriend and I got back together, he was telling me that he was now ready commit, then we had lots of sex. Damn you sober sleep. Thought about wishing him a happy birthday then realized it was probably a bad idea. Went to gym, farmer’s market, friend’s house for visit and author bio photoshoot, had an heirloom tomato and seltzer for dinner.

Oct 3, Day 3. A bit restless sleep, woke up still refreshed and got out of bed right away. Treated to Korean spa by my good friend Jill who’s been sober for 13 years. I asked her why I felt so invigorated and less bloated from not drinking, she said “It’s called intoxication because it’s toxic. It is a poison after all.” Then we went to Trader Joe’s and got carded, THANK YOU GOD. Cleaned house, wrote a bit, finished Mr. Robot.

Oct 4, AM training session at the gym, picked up French friends at train station, went to LACMA, went to dinner on Melrose Avenue, watched Crimson Peak and attempted to translate it into French. After toking on my new vape, it didn’t really go so well and I directed them to ask me in the morning.

Oct 5, took French friends DTLA, went to flower mart, had lunch at Grand Central Market, took 2 hour walking tour of DTLA, had drinks at cool rooftop bar, I had club soda. Came home, ate, and watched Blade Runner with French subtitles. I showed them the Bradbury Building and explained that we were right there earlier in the day. I also explained in French that we saw the Director’s Cut and that in this one Deckard is probably a replicant.

Oct 6, woke up early, had training at gym, took French friends went to Hollywood Boulevard! Saw the walk of fame and Ridley Scott’s star, a cool Halloween costume shop, the Chinese Theatre, Natalie Wood’s shoes and hands imprint in cement, did some tourist shopping, went to a gallery exhibit at Pacific Design Center.

Oct 8, woke up early, I have way more ribs than I thought I had. Took spin class then took a weightlifting class!

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Then met Susan H in Long Beach to get massage and facial. Celebrated Susan’s bday with Japanese dinner in Huntington Beach. Came home and had sore throat, OH NO.

Oct 11, woke up early before 7, but totally sick, offered to go to training but once I texted her that my nostrils were sealed shut by boogers she asked if I could reschedule. Sometimes I think I share too much. Had ice cream for dinner, twice.

Oct 12, I’m still totally sick, wtf, so unfair. At least I’m not in Aleppo being bombed. I hate what’s on the news. Trump is such a pig, so is Kim Kardashian. And I’m pretty sure my fingers are less bloated.

Oct 13, woke up before 7 again, this is too weird. The King of Thailand died!! So sad for the country. Feel much better, drank an entire pot of coffee, oh dear. TODAY I will write, today I WILL write, today I will WRITE. Ended my day by writing 8 chapters for my book! Figured I deserved a celebration beverage, bad idea.

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Oct 14, ok so caved and had wine last night and now I’m even more sick and lost my voice! I deserve this! Went to friend’s dinner party and it was pointed out several times that I wasn’t drinking. My friends were in shock. No for reals. There was a guy there that had polished off 2 bottles of wine, and I thought to myself, “wow that’s normally me.” My friends made a couple of comments about how I was more FUN Laurel when I drank, I explained that I WAS SICK DAMMIT!!

Oct 18, still sick, this whole sickness thing has been a huge buzzkill on me being able to enjoy my sobriety, finally went to doc and got antibiotics, does swigging codeine cough syrup count as alcohol?

Ok so except for one glitch, I’ve done pretty well so far and I can’t believe how much more productive I’ve been. It’s also crazy to realize how much I do drink just out of habit or that it’s just there, like at a restaurant or party. I’m liking the whole waking up early/less bloated combo. Hopefully after I beat my illness, I’ll get some good workout days in before the month is over.

OK, gonna write some more of my book today, swearsies.

Happy early Halloween everyone!!

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