Day 53: keeping things interesting.

Today I went for a ride on the back of my Dad’s motorbike. It’s a red Ducati Monster. That’s what it’s actually called. I wasn’t going to, because I was a bit scared (and am generally of motorbikes), but Dad quickly persuaded me based on the premise that it’s good to experience new things. He was right. Whipping along on the back of the bike, leather jacketed, jeaned and helmeted was an exhilarating ride. When we pulled in to the supermarket, eyed appreciatively by selected males, it felt pretty cool. And seeing the red machine sitting there all mechanically amazing, and then actually being one of the ones allowed to get on it and whizz away, I kind of appreciated why dudes seem to like motorbikes so much. And cornering was wicked. I’m glad I did it because it’s reminded me to be more of a yes person than a no. I have too much of a tendency to shut stuff down before I give it a chance. Over the next year I want to work on changing that. It also reminded me that there are a million things out there yet to do, and you can try pretty much whatever you like. Why restrict yourself? Why not keep things interesting? I mean, not drinking is an exercise in shifting gears, swapping some shit out and seeing where it takes me. I might as well keep applying that attitude to other stuff I encounter. If I’m honest though, today was one of those days when not drinking kind of seemed like a drag. I guess I’m just so used to spending my summer holidays at this house mildly and constantly sozzled that it just feels weird to be straight in the head. What precisely I’m going to do for New Year’s Eve too, is an interesting question. It’s just another one of those little freak out moments where you go, is my life actually boring without alcohol, and therefore boring in itself? I read an article the other day about drinking that said that even very moderate drinkers are using alcohol to fill the emptiness in their lives. Yip, sure, I can see that. But man, with the amount of drinking going on these days, as societies we must be leading some extremely empty lives. You know how you read about people, famous ones usually, who just seem to lead the most action-packed, never-a-dull-moment existences? That’s the kind of life I want. I don’t want to waste valuable moments not experiencing cool things or not hanging with fun, interesting people. But you don’t get that kind of life by sitting around and wishing for it. You have to make it happen. So what can I do to make sure New Year’s Eve is not a bore-fest? Give me a couple of days and I’ll see what I can cook up.