Woody - Chapter 29.5 - The half-year detox . . . . .

I am writing this on the 14th of November 2005 - and I am exactly 29 and a half today. A very merry un-birthday to me. It is my aim to go on a body-and-mind-cleansing de-tox for 6 months.

I'm well aware that I often talk (think aloud) of ideas and plans that I never actually undertake, so I'm interested in how far I will get with this one.

On the right is my doodled list taking pride of place on my office wall. Also, I'm not renowned for my writing and editing skills, so please forgive school boy errors. This is an open and honest record, but some days might be hidden for later publication in my future world-best-selling biography.

Day 35 - 52

My blog entries are getting more and more infrequent! - This is possibly due to the fact that I have to report a failure on my part to last over the festive season. I drunk plenty of alcohol, smoked a little on boxing day and new years eve. Still, I am determined to resume the regime this year and have done fine for the first 7 days of 2006. Got snowed in on my bike in Oakham and went sledgeing at Rutland water.

Such a lot of stuff has happened over the last 17 days, that I'm not about to waffle on about it all. Saw family and friends, and had a great fancy dress new years eve in Derby.

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Day 18 - 34

I lasted a month! - Then the Christmas festivities seemed to lure me and I had some wine and beer at our house Christmas doo. and some beers a few days later.. I don't feel too guilty, as I am still running on a vastly reduced consumption rate. and I intend to keep it up until my 30th.

Here are the Pictures of the Christmas party playing 'Dice Man'....

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Day 15-16-17

So through Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday without any problems. I am not finding this giving up thing too much bother actually - It's more of a problem saying no to a pint than it is a smoke at the moment. Dirty smokers - they stink.

I am EATING FOR ENGLAND! - the belly is getting larger! Doesn't help that football was cancelled Monday AND Tuesday. Got a game of 5's in Melton today though, after a day in Nottingham at a big eBusiness seminar thing. Listened to boffins talk about Search Marketing and the future of Technology - Worthwhile - Glad the old banger got me there and back.

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Day 11-12-13-14

Still going strong - Have been busy with e-Kit and have just launched the new site. The only girl I have had time to chase recently is a girl called A.L.I.C.E (Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity). Our chat went as follows:

In this conversation, Human is Woody:
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Human: alice, your hair has changed since we last met
ALICE: That's me. Do you mind if I tell other people you say I am hair has changed since we last met.
Human: your, not You ARE!
ALICE: What makes you think I am not I am?
Human: dur
ALICE: I lost my train of thought.
Human: that's because your programmer couldn't tell the difference between your and you're.
ALICE: Good reason. You sould like you know him.
Human: Do you know the difference between there and their?
ALICE: The word "there" used as a noun means that place or point. Used as an adjective means at or in the place. Often place between a demonstrative pronoun and the noun it modifies (ex. That there hog) You tell me.
Human: and what about they're?
ALICE: Does it have anything to do with their?
Human: I suppose - they are both 3rd Person plural.
ALICE: Why? both 3rd Person plural are they.
Human: OK alice - this is getting a bit silly - can you talk dirty?
ALICE: Um, You don't say. Mmm.
Human: Have you got a sexy little digital bum?
ALICE: I've never thought about it.
Human: well show me
ALICE: Interesting. On your computer screen?
Human: yes
ALICE: Downloading, please stand by...
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The image never came.... :¬(

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Day 8-9-10

Day 7

Up bright and early (For me) - Nice not feeling the pinch from the night before! - did some bits and bobs about the place at Goadby and packed up some more of my stuff for Coventry. Played 5's with Nathan and headed back to Coventry for a lazy rest of day.

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Day 6

Neal's 30th - I managed it! - No alcohol or smoking. I did feel a little fidgety at times, and didn't manage to follow the masses into 'Tubes'! - Sorry Neal.

I did feel a little boring when I drove back to Goadby and got back before the parents! - They were out partying with work friends.

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Day 5

Solid days e-Kitting with dad. Got a little further along the road to getting the new site published. Had my first test of will power this evening - went out for food in Lincoln with a lovely woman called Jo. Beautiful part of the city on the hill with the castle. Ate a rabbit pie and drank water! all night - did not touch alcohol or smoke (while Jo drank plenty of white wine with her cutters-choice and liquorice papers.) Was surprised how easy I found it really.

Now i'm feeling more confident about this evening - (Neal's 30th) . . . . . . be strong and trust your feeling - Use the force - If I manage this night I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

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Day 4

Nothing Much to report really - Only that I can't really function in the day without strong coffee! Had a good meeting in the morning about building and delivering a presentation for Creative Leicestershire on the subject of 'Web'.

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Day 3

A more shitty day today - Didn't really feel up for anything and didn't get much done apart from tidy the kitchen and sort a few client's pages. On the way back from what you might call a relationship counseling session, I called into morrisons and filled my ruck sack full of fresh fruit and veg and ate well when I got home. Got a tasty soup simmering - ahhh - that would go down nicely with some crusty bread and a glass of wine . . . . . . . . doh!

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Day 2

Mike and Emma got up blurry eyed at 1ish. Now that I can't afford to do! I did some work on customers sites, Dave and Karen's Spanish school and got a call from Debbie about a deadline for the website for her Interior design company.

Played football. Ate a healthy evening meal thanks to Mike and Emma .... no smokes or alcohol ...... This really is a riveting read...

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Day 1

Much of the office-day taken at a slow pace due to the weekend drinking action, but, I suppose almost as usual, have kept busy enough not to think cigarettes. Mike and Emma have gone out on the lash, as they usually do every night during their week of lectures (They are both doing a Masters in 'Disaster Management'!) - Buggers can't manage the recycling of their hundreds of wine bottles in our kitchen!

Thought about how It would be nice to be out with them, then thought about saving time, money and health and felt smug. I Then caught a glimpse of the state of me in the mirror, and realising I had a long way to go, my smugness left me.

Played an hour of 6-a-side and was the grumpiest player on the pitch - apologies to my team mates for shouting at them and also to Alan, who, after taking the ball cleanly from me, got both his legs removed from underneath him.

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The Last weekend of self-abuse.

My last weekend of self-abuse before being 30 was a fun one. Saw lots of friends through the weekend,starting in Kettering at Nick's with my 3rd Poker night ever. (Picture from my 1st.) - I actually won that night after battling the final dual drunk and stoned with a sober (yet beer stained) Neal.

With the tidy £90 I won, after a rough-feeling morning with Sarah and Nick, I moved on to Oakham for Grant's 30th birthday bash, Calling Lou on the way through Uppingham, but she had escaped from the town due to a school-free afternoon.

What a great day for English sport! - Football and both Rugby with wins! (And to top it off for Grant, the Tigers won.) The day continued with beef sandwiches, beer, huge bottles of wine and meeting new faces at the party.

The evening continued in the pub spending more and more poker winnings. Met an interesting RE teacher, won at doubles pool with Gwenne, went to the Nussey's (28th)Birthday house party and then crashed at Gwenne's.

Had a great breakfast back at the skippers, and had a drive in a posh little yellow smart car. A bit of an expensive toy really, but good fun. Played a few conker matches (In which my vintage 1997 air-dried beauties kicked the ass of this seasons softies!). My winning '14er' I gave to Andrew for his birthday later after wandering over with Nathan to the now tidy party-house. My Oakham weekend finished with us all meeting Ben, John and Hazel in the Grain-store.

Popped over to Goadby to pick up e-Kit snail mail, had a nice chat with folks and headed back to Lilac Ave, where I found Mike and Matt about the place. Watched a really good film that Mike had bought - House of the Flying daggers. Went to bed thinking about the coming six months.

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