Reflections on Another Dry January

At 35 I am too old for hangovers. I celebrated the end of my fourth Dry January with my ritual of drinking an entire bottle of assyrtiko. I uncorked it and put on over-ear headphones and listened to LIFTED or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground—a bit too loudly. It was a treat.

But I am paying for it today. Nothing too bad. I don’t get bad wine hangovers, even after abstaining for a month. But I am lethargic and fuzzy headed and my temples grinding. My ears still hurt, as if I were at a loud concert last night. In a way I was.

I don’t think I’ll be drinking like that again. At least I don’t intend to. A glass or two or three of wine will be enough. It’s not worth the short- and long-term damage to my mind and wellbeing. It was fun while it lasted, but I’m too old for this shit.