a year without wine. what's this?

CONFESSION: I love pinot grigio. Maybe too much?

For many years, I have been a wine girl. Pinot Grigio has always been my go-to and has glossed many of my best times.

On January 16, 2012, after much thought, and much curiosity, I decided to give up wine (and all booze) for one year.

Why one year?

I wanted to make it through all four seasons without wine. I wanted to see what every holiday and every birthday was like without it. A year is a long time, time enough to adjust and reflect...

Will I go back to drinking?

I don't know for sure, but I imagine so. What I have learned is that I truly do not need wine. I do know that if I go back to drinking, my relationship with drinking will be different, evolved I'd like to think.

What has been the most interesting part of this experiment so far?

People's reactions. Some people are very suspicious; they conclude, swiftly, erroneously, that I must be hiding a Major Drinking Problem. Some people are very defensive about their own habits and are very quick to detail how much they drink, how often they drink, and why the amount and frequency are totally fine. Some people are genuinely intrigued, and full of fabulous questions.

Do I miss my wine?

Most of the time, not really. It amazes me that I go through days on end, being around people drinking, and do not even think about pouring a glass. But then. Then there are those times - usually once or twice per week - when I get very annoyed with myself for embarking upon this ridiculous "experiment." Alas.