A relatively easy day today. A productive day at work, followed by a rather intense 'hill repeat' workout, before going to meet friends for a curry. Traditionally in the UK, the 'curry house' experience is often a rather drunken affair, however the restaurant my friend had chosen had a Michelin star and was certainly different to the kind of Indian restaurant I am used to. Our request for poppadoms and mango chutney was met with a confused silence, the wine list consisted of more than just 'red' and 'white', and the elegant clientele would probably look quite out of place at 'Mirch Marsala' on Norbury High Street! The sophisticated vibe certainly made it a lot easier for me to stick to water, although when everyone ordered beers I have to admit that I was very jealous. Once again I was struck by how little anyone seemed to care. After some initial (and expected) light mocking, my requests for water or diet coke were met without question. After the meal we headed to a bar in the West Village. This was the only point in the night where clutching a diet Coke made me feel slightly conspicuous. The girl working behind the bar asked why I wasn't drinking, and I didn't feel quite as engaged in the conversation. I'm not sure if being in a busy bar without drinking is simply not as fun, or if the sensible decision making that has been a welcome side effect of this experiment meant that by 11:30 I was thinking about having to get up for work tomorrow. I think it's a mixture of both. My friends were not drunk, so I was still enjoying their company, but I was also a lot more aware of the time. Whatever the reason, I left and went home.
Something I have noticed during this experiment is how much I am questioning and analyzing everything. The clarity of thought that I have reclaimed means that I am looking at everything from a new angle, under a new light, a new perspective. By pure coincidence, I recently read a passage that deals with concept of perspective, and I really like it....
“STOP! DON’T SWEAT IT. SIMPLY MOVE A FEW INCHES LEFT OR RIGHT TO GET A NEW VIEWPOINT. Look…reality is greater than the sum of its parts, also a damn sight holier. And the lives of such stuff as dreams are made of may be rounded with a sleep but they are not tied neatly with a red bow. Truth doesn’t run on time like a commuter train, though time may run on truth. And the scenes gone by and the scenes to come flow blending together in the sea-green deep while NOW spreads in circles on the surface. So don’t sweat it. For focus simply move a few inches back or forward. And once more…look.”
Bonus point to anyone that can name the novel it came from without Googling. I'll give you a clue, it's set in Oregon.
Friday night will be another first, a sober date. Until tomorrow....
No comments:
Post a Comment