Update: The Year of Living Drinklessly

What's in my blue cup?

The other day I was sitting around with a group of laughing, chatting people who were drinking beer and smoking pot.

Then there was me and my fucking Year of Living Drinklessly. What the hell was I thinking, giving up booze? I felt so left out. So un-fun. Was I everyone's buzz kill?

I kissed my husband goodbye and trudged to the beach. I was alone. Sand and water and sky stretched out eternally.

I walked and walked. Waves shot up, lingered, then crashed. A pelican flew by.

A voice said to me, "What anyone else does is none of your business." I don't think the pelican was talking, but who knows?

What anyone else does is none of my business.
What anyone else does is none of my business.

I kept that mantra going, toes grabbing at the sand.

Then the voice said, "You can have fun, drink or no drink. You are fun!"

As though my body believed those words, my bones felt lighter. My mouth smiled, all by itself.

By the time I got home, I waved hi to my drunk, stoned friends. They seemed happy. I was happy. I went to my kitchen and made myself a special drink--a smoothie of banana, mango, berries and homemade yogurt. And I poured it in this beautiful glass: 

A few days later, we went to a pool party celebrating our friend Pete's 60th birthday. I filled my blue cup with an Arnold Palmer: iced tea, lemonade, sparkling water and fresh lime on ice.

Dancing with the hostess. Damn, I'm fun!

What a blast, hanging out with great people, eating fantastic food, jumping in and out of the water, spontaneously dancing on the pool deck.

What everyone else did was none of my business. And I enjoyed them all the more for it.