I frazzled my brain drinking with Phil Nichol last night and was in no mood for anything today. I didn't drink loads, but mixed a little and even though I am only 21, as you know, the hangovers seem to be getting to me a bit these days.
Increasingly I am hating the after effects of boozing and keep thinking about giving it up. Every now and again I consider turning it into a project that I can write about - maybe spending a year on the wagon and seeing what effect it has on my health, my weight, my social life and my productivity. I know it will be good for everything apart from my social life. Alcohol is the glue that binds me to all my friends and is also an important ice breaker when making new friends. Of course that would all be OK if I could just drink a glass or two of wine a night (though recent reports suggest people who drink half a bottle of wine are doing themselves internal damage - thank God I drink at least twice that amount and am thus presumably safe), but you haven't been reading this for nigh on five years without realising that I have no self-control. Well not quite true. I haver self-control, but can only have it in the on or off position, with no increments in between. I either eat chocolate or I don't. I diet or I don't. I exercise or I don't. And who would want to be a moderate drinker anyway? What's the point in that?
But increasingly I wonder how different things might be if I cut alcohol from my intake for a protracted period (I managed six months the year I did Ra-Ra-Rasputin and lost two stone). The fact that it might make an interesting show or book or newspaper column is of course the only reason I am slightly attracted to taking the plunge. Because I can only do things if they are for work, as you should also have realised.
But the prospect of not drinking for twelve months is probably too overwhelming to contemplate. Which means I am probably an alcoholic. Let's see how I feel after Edinburgh.
On the plus side I didn't have a drink tonight, which means I should get some work done tomorrow. Maybe I should alternate between drinking and not drinking on a daily basis. Yes, that's the kind of compromise I can work with.
