Monday, November 24, 2008

Doing The Math

Hey, check it out! Today the beer ticker reads 100!!! Woohoo! One hundred days that I haven't had a drink...

Only a few days after I stopped drinking something strange happened. Not only was I not drunk/hungover, but life in general became much more manageable thanks to something I like to call Beer Math. The beer ticker over there is one thing, but actually sitting down and looking at the numbers involved in my personal consumption were staggering--even in the early days-- and are much more significant now as the days mount up.

One of the most important (and most difficult) aspects of sobriety for me has been this math. The difficult part is thinking about what I have been doing to my body all these years but guess what? I can't undo the past, and I accept that. My past has made me what I am today. Bitch with a beer aside, I'm a good person with something to offer the world: The real (sober!) me.

So check this out: This is based on a daily consumption (and a conservative average, by the way) of twelve (count 'em!) beers a day. Yup, t-w-e-l-v-e. Toldja I was a drunk...

Twelve beers a day times one hundred days equals 1,200 beers not consumed. That's ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED beers!!! (How the hell did I get there?)

Twelve beers a day times 110 calories each times 100 days equals 132,000 (one hundred thirty-two thousand! Yikes!) calories not consumed. (No wonder my old clothes fit me again!)

A twelve-pack a day (again, a conservative average) at $11 each times 100 days equals $1,100 not spent on beer. (Good thing since I'm not working and my son's teeth have cost me that much in the last three months!)

So today is another day, but is going to be a good one now that we are in the triple digits. I have to say this, too: Those of you who have offered to share your own experiences, love and support to me have been absolutely priceless in my sobriety. There is no kind of math in the world that can measure what you all have meant to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

7 comments:

revolutionaire. said...

I am so proud of you. What you're accomplishing is not only life-changing for you and Jamie, but it's inspiring to me to see that you can overcome this.

Know you have my support and encouragement every day you face this frontier.

I'm proud of you, Amy. I'm sure Jamie is proud of you. And I know you're proud of yourself. Keep this up.

Merle Sneed said...

Fantastic! I wish you the very best.

~amy said...

Rev: Thanks so much, and you are right... One of the things about having a smart kid (or any kid, for that matter) is that we as adults think we can out-smart them. Not so. Jamie is right there with me and cheers me on every single day. All the more reason to keep on keepin' on.

Merle: =)Muchas gracias.

tracey said...

I'm ridiculously proud of you Amy! We've never met, but I celebrate every day you've managed to stay sober.

Cary McNeal said...

Way to go, Aim. I knew you could do it. You are a strong, courageous woman.

~amy said...

Tracey and Cary: Awww, you guys!!! You are the best.

::sniff::

Priceless. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

That's so awesome - Yay for you!
Dyan