I’ve recently received several alerts that I have some new followers. I haven’t posted in quite awhile, so I had mixed emotions about it. One one hand, I wondered what their expectations were. Were they thinking of quitting, newly sober, or just cruising around WordPress? On the other hand, I was prompted/nudged to sit down and write a bit. I’m always flattered and surprised when I receive a new follower – so thank you!
I have settled into my “normal” now. I can’t imagine going back to the routine of sitting on the couch drinking glass after glass of lousy boxed wine and wasting an entire evening. It’s been more than 2 years since my last drink. I’ve shared that it was easier than I thought it would be, spending quite a bit of time under the pink cloud and feeling all proud of myself. Now it just feels normal.
Here’s what surprises me. As I watch tv, look at print ads, or even facebook posts, there are a lot of visuals of people drinking wine. Television shows and movies always seem to include scenes with oversized goblets of red or white. I’m constantly invited to wine tastings through facebook. Making reservations at a hotel includes a complimentary glass of wine. We are inundated with ads assuming we all drink and couldn’t enjoy an evening without it. Even conversations with friends – no matter the time of day – seem to include talk of alcohol consumption. Can Kathy Lee and Hoda get through the 9 am hour without a huge glass of wine? How about the Reagan family on “Blue Bloods” having a Sunday dinner with iced tea? You won’t see it. And from the table, they enjoy a brandy by the fire!
Don’t they know that alcohol kills? Whether it is by disease or sitting behind the wheel of a car – alcohol kills. I enjoy watching a show about a medical examiner and the autopsies she performs. More times than not, she finds evidence of alcohol abuse. She can see it as she examines internal organs. It may not be the cause of death, but the evidence is there.
Perhaps I’m just sensitive to it. I really don’t dwell on the absence of wine in my life, but it surprises me that with all the push to get healthy – nobody messes with the wine industry. And don’t give me that crap about healthy red wine – five ounces per day? Really?
changingcoursenow 