I’ve discovered that I can’t write after a night out. I promise that this isn’t more procrastination. Something about feeling jaded (either from alcohol or by being short of sleep) means I can’t get down to the business of writing.
I’m not talking about getting steaming drunk either – I’m talking about having a night out with some alcohol. Three bottles of beer I had last night, and not only did I wake up with a headache, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything today. I did a bit of research, but I had to have a sleep this afternoon just to get through the day.
What does this mean? That if I want to write a book, alcohol and I have to part company?
In truth I think we should go our different ways: it seems to poison me. It doesn’t matter what I drink, even in small quantities I feel dreadful the next day. Slowly I’m cutting the different poisons off my list. First to go was red wine, years ago (migraine BEFORE I’d finished the glass); Thai beer gives me wild dreams and hangovers; the lovely cream bitter they brew in the Londoner Pub gives me ferocious headaches; all wine is heavily taxed so any white wine I drink is usually on the cheap end of the scale, which results in – yup, you guessed it – a banging headache.
So that leaves me with gin. Gin and I have been good mates for many years, however the week before last I went out with husband and two visiting colleagues, and I horribly, but horribly over-indulged with gin.
So if gin gets knocked off the list I don’t know where that leaves me.
Sober, but 100,000 words richer?
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About Me
- Jenny Beattie
- I moved with my family to Bangkok in July 2005. What do I do? I make hats and costumes; I’ve written articles, a novel and a non-fiction book is underway… I've held a variety of volunteer positions within the expat community. Tea stains is where I write and illustrate the things that consume me: life in Thailand, shop windows, books, cats, making, hats, fascinators, tea and the colour orange.
What am I reading in 2016?
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon
The Year of Taking Chances by Lucy Diamond
Mr Phillips by John Lanchester
Waiting for Sunrise by William Boyd
The Ice Twins by SK Tremayne
*Book Club choices
What have I read?
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6 comments:
Oh 'eck. I feel for you. But I have one thing to say.
Milk thistle.
Seriously. I swear by it. I know it sounds like something a donkey would eat.
But. When have you ever seen a donkey with a hangover?!
(On a serious note, I've known people take milk thistle during chemotherapy and it really, really helps - it basically helps your body process toxins)
Hope you're feeling more lively...
X
Thanks Jen. It's miserable isn't it? I do like a drink... At the risk of sounding just like my nearly thirteen year old son 'it's just not fair.'
You're absolutely right, though, I have never seen a donkey with a hangover (not even in China, where they're on the menu, and have EVERY reason to want to get sloshed).
Milk thistle: okay, is it a tablet? Boots? Health food shop? Are there different strengths? My sister in law comes out the week after next, what do I need to tell her to get the right stuff?
x
Do you drink lots of water alongside your booze? I find that helps enormously as long as I get through at least equal quantities of water to wine (a bit less for beer, a bit more for spirits).
Am going to try milk thistle now, too.
Not usually Zinnia. I sort of know the theory, but something odd happens once I start drinking... I concentrate only on the practice and theory disappears out the window! Ooops.
D'you know if you take the milk thistle before drinking? Or after? Or once the hangover has kicked in?
Gutted on your behalf - and in a similar situation as I've decided only to drink at weekends rather than having a glass every night of the week...
It's a bummer, isn't it?
Good luck with the milk thistle, though. I'm going to seek some out, as well - that's if your sister in law hasn't already emptied the shelves in Boots!
It is, isn't it Lucy? I want to choose when I have a drink, not be dictated to by hangovers.
I'm just hoping my sobriety results in lots and lots of words!
THAT would be worth it.
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