I stopped drinking on 28 December 2014. My life was spiralling out of control, financial pressures both personal and business ( they were intertwined) were drunk into oblivion nearly every night.
The night of 27 December 2014 turned out to be one binge too many. A full bottle of Jagermeister, drunk from the neck, to wash down a forgotten number of Red Stripes.
My decision making had been compromised for too long, way way back before I opened my own bars and club. Poor decisions made whilst drunk or recovering from being drunk far outweighed the good decisions and inspirations that came to me in moments of clarity.
Drinking for me originated in fun and at some point crossed the line into a problem. I just didn’t see it until I hit the bottom.
I have just read an article about problem drinking increasing during lockdown. I can understand. It is an easy escape from the monotony of lockdown.
However the thought of picking up a drink at the moment is not entering my conscious thought. I have had some wild dreams that involves me drinking pints of Guinness and the like, but my escape now is finding things to photograph and edit into artwork. The editing process is enhanced by a musical journey into the depths of the archetypal late night music – jazz, electronic soundscapes and jazz, blues and soul influenced stuff.
It is inspiring me to view things differently and finding beauty from viewing things differently, manipulating them into something new. Whenever I catch myself drifting to mad rantings about things I cannot change I now turn to art not booze.
Below is a view of a cactus I have in my house, I’ve named it Euphorbia, as it is, I’m reliably informed, a Euphorbia Lactea.
