Rubik's cubes and Spelling Bees

At the moment I'm giving up on the agonizing task of keeping up on every tiny detail of every political event on a global scale. That's right folks, I've tired of it, however temporarily, and am about to write a "normal person" blog.

Several distracting life elements have graced me of late. Some of which are positive, some of which negative (but with a positive end result?) and some in general "just there".

A.) I am embarking on a 30 day alcohol free (wine included) spree. This is something I had already planned on but solidified after a long weekend of ridiculousness culminating in my firm stance following through beginning this last Saturday. Why?

1. I woke up Saturday believing that my life was over- even if I couldn't remember why or even think of what exactly happened to make me believe that, well... that's just the point could I not remember or was that just another irrational thought popping into my paranoid late 20s what-the-hell-am-I-really-doing-head? Either way, I don't need to even wonder.
   
2. I have several times over internet diagnosed myself (again, irrationally and stupidly) as an alcoholic based on the notion that instead of increasingly building a tolerance eventually alcoholics have none at all: nevermind that I have drank increasingly less for about a year now steadily and honestly decreasing a tolerance save one or few random days where I can drink like superhero. Further, I also took the MAST (Michigan Alcohol Screening Test) and scored a 6 which indicates issues (but is NOT a diagnosis!!)
   
3. My mother is an alcoholic and a drug addict and honestly, I feel it necessary to test my will power being that I am addicted to things like cigarettes, the news, futile relationships and yes, maybe all foods made from dairy. I figure I should start while I am ahead and still have doubts as to whether or not I actually have an actual issue.
   
4. I think I am developing anxiety issues and am certain that hangovers do not help. Note number one. Further, hangovers get worse as one ages and there is nothing worse than spending an entire day sick because you are an idiot.
   

And so it goes. 30 Days of sobriety. Today is day 3 and I honestly don't miss it much (although, it wasn't as if I drank every day before) which is some what reassuring considering what all of the literature says about withdrawal and what not.

B.) Lately I've honestly forgotten how to spell. I know this is something that sounds like it is not a big deal in the age of spell check but it really irritates me! It's not every word but rather, random ones. I'll sit and keep retrying to type it only to have that sad and discouraging underlined misspelled word indication keep reappearing until I have to google the word and figure it out. At that point I am usually surprised that I didn't remember it and annoyed that I was a first rate speller once but appear to be losing that skill. Is my head just becoming too full of made-up words from anthropologists and other social theorists? The annoying component of that is that it is useless in everyday communication unless I want to sound like one of those people that utilizes big words just to sound smart.

C.) I don't own a tv but am addicted to the following programming: 30 Rock, Californication, Bones, V, Weeds and on occasion Nip/Tuck. Only two of those am I addicted to without shame. Also, television programming is very distracting to getting work done. It is really nice to vegetate and watch someone else misstep but I must waste hours per week hunting down these shows online and watching them instead of actually being productive. The plus side is I am more "normal" and instead of just watching news shows, I actually have at least a small amount of information to contribute to casual conversation. The negative: I used to not watch any tv... for years and it wasn't as if I was completely horrible then either.

D.) I have been teaching myself the piano on a regular basis of late. Finally! This is a good thing. I am also teaching myself the mandolin. It is really nice to return to doing something I really love to do even if it means I spend less time researching Illegal Immigration in Italy and Human Rights Violations in Ecuador. Some how it seems much better than say... tv.

E.) I recently solved my Rubik's cube although I am going to admit, I don't know how and I could probably not do it again if I tried!


That concludes this blog of nonsensical things! And it felt okay to not be writing about abstract ideas and social critiques for once! Updates later on the 30 day thing...