Wasn't Just the Snow Falling This Week

So, since I'm back on the blog and feeling more lively, I can't help but share this. This week has been a lot more eventful than I expected, and I’ll get into that shortly. But in short—I'm never drinking again.

The weekend started off well. I worked on Friday, which was busy but normal. I had the whole weekend off because it was one of my friend's birthdays, so I was in a good mood and excited for work to end.

Saturday arrived, and I took my time getting ready before meeting up with friends in the late afternoon. We all gathered for a drink at a place I’d never been before, and I absolutely loved it. From the outside, it looked like a tiny house, but when you walked in, there was a cafe/bar, and it was huge! It had a cute little shop at the front, and then it extended back with loads of tables, games, camping chairs, and quirky furniture. It felt like a cool festival tent. I’ll definitely be back there.

Afterward, we went to an escape room. There was a small group of us girls who didn't expect much, knowing we’d probably lose. The other group was more competitive and wanted a specific themed room. We ended up in a Jurassic World room, which wasn't really our vibe, but we had an absolute blast! We ended up doing some hilarious things we didn’t need to—like I was walking around with litter pickers and a laser gun, one of the girls was wearing the professor’s glasses, and another had on a security jacket. It was so funny. We managed to escape with time to spare, using only 2 out of 3 clues. The other group didn’t finish and used all three, so we were feeling pretty smug, especially as an all-girls group. ;)

We continued the night at a few bars, one of which was an Irish pub. It was so much fun because not many of us had been there before, and it was huge! I felt like I was in a Wetherspoons.

However, things took a turn when we got there. Our group of 11 had only 3 single girls, and it seemed like the rest of the group had made it their mission to play matchmaker. Poor Charley and I were bombarded with 20 questions about our types while everyone tried to set us up. It was a bit overwhelming, so Charley and I decided to drink through it, which quickly escalated into a 3 AM night out. Unfortunately, the matchmaking efforts were unsuccessful, but I ended up crashing at Charley’s place with a burger (which, of course, broke the bank).

I had a great time, but whenever I drink, I somehow convince myself I’m a millionaire, and I always end up spending way too much. I really dislike how money doesn’t seem like an issue when I’m drunk. The next morning, I woke up in Charley’s PJs, and when I looked outside, I saw we’d had a blizzard overnight! I had to borrow her whole wardrobe and take a sketchy, slippery Uber home.

On Sunday, money still wasn’t a problem (even though I had a killer hangover). I needed ingredients for a hangover remedy, and luckily it was a day of dog-sitting Rigatoni. I grabbed my favorite comfort food and tried to cuddle Rigatoni, though he’s too restless to stay still for long. At least I got a few snippets of cuddles!

The snow didn't stop that day or the next. On Monday, there was even more, and I went for a beautiful walk. My hair was literally coated in snow, but it felt so magical, and I was in my element.

Later, I got ready for my staff Christmas party (in February, because, hospitality life!). We were at work and could use the bar, just making sure everything was rung in. They had appetizers and a Chinese food delivery, which was an interesting experience, especially seeing a Canadian’s go-to Chinese order—definitely not like ours! They rented a party bus, and we made our way to bowling. The rest is a blur.

I woke up on Monday to a ton of missed calls and messages, and a sore top lip. Turns out, I had a cut on my lip, some grazes below my nose, a bruised chin, and two chipped teeth. 😅

The hangxiety I woke up with was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and definitely not something I ever want to go through again. I had to ask what happened, and apparently, I slipped on the snow and ice and because I was drunk I guess I forgot hands would've helped, by the looks of my face and some body bruises i fell knees and mouth on the concrete. Some friends tried to help me clean up and get me home. I immediately called dentists to book an emergency appointment. I didn’t even check prices or insurance; I just needed to get my teeth sorted. After cleaning myself up, I saw that a chunk of skin was missing from my lip, and it’s taking a while to heal. It could have been worse, but still, I haven’t been in a good mental state—feeling embarrassed, anxious, and down. I hate going to the dentist, but I managed to get it all sorted for just under $700. Let’s hope insurance covers it!

Today is Friday, and I’m only just starting to see the funny side of things. I haven't been to work since Monday; I refused until I could at least get my tooth sorted. I’m still embarrassed about my face, the scabs, and everything that happened, but it is what it is. I need the money.

I’ve always been pretty sober-curious. Alcohol is bad energy for me. I’m not a bad drunk, but I’m not myself. When I drink, I smoke, spend too much, binge eat, and undo the healthy habits I’ve worked hard to establish, like journaling, practicing gratitude, and exercising. I also don’t know my limits. These are all unhealthy habits, and I’m starting to realize they’re not worth it for just a few hours of fun.

So, the point of this long (and probably boring) post is to hold myself accountable. I’m going sober. I don’t need alcohol to have a good time, and if I feel like I do, I need to heal that part of myself. I’m not going through another week like this one. I literally wanted the ground to swallow me, and I was even debating quitting everything because I was scared to face the anxiety of going back to work. But I’m going back tonight, and I’ll share how that goes in my next post.

In the meantime, I’ve bought a couple of inspiring books to help me stay on track—not because I’m an addict or a bad drunk, but because I’m a binger. I found some great books and authors who are also going sober for similar reasons: the anxiety that drinking brings afterward, and just being someone who loves themselves enough to heal the triggers that make them want to escape reality.

I’m going to make sure I stay consistent with a blog post once a week. Some might be short or boring if the week’s been pretty uneventful, but the goal isn’t to share a big story every time—it’s just to keep you updated.

If you want to see some gappy, crust