My Dry August: No Alcohol Challenge

I have written many times about having insomnia and my attempts to cure it. In that spirit (no pun intended) I embarked on a month long challenge in August to see if abstaining from alcohol would improve my sleep.

I am not a big drinker but I tend to be a daily one.  I would regularly have one to two glasses of wine with dinner.  I didn’t really think that I drank enough for it to impact my sleep but I was wrong. I slept better than I had in years.  With few exceptions, I slept through the night and if I did wake up I was able to go back to sleep fairly easily.

Improved sleep was only one of many benefits I listed when I reviewed the month.  Here’s the full list:

1. My skin improved. It became more supple and silky.  I think we can chalk this up mostly to increased hydration.  Alcohol is a diuretic.  So, I was losing less water by abstaining.  Alcohol is a also toxin.  So, by avoiding it, it stands to reason that the skin-the largest excreting organ in the body- would improve.

2. I lost weight.  I had already lost about nine pounds this year by eliminating processed food and most oil from my diet but I lost another three after cutting out wine. I felt less snacky at night and didn’t continue to eat after dinner.  (I didn’t really consume fewer calories by not drinking wine because I switched to Non-Alcoholic Beer.)  Also, my digestive organs were no doubt functioning better without having to drop everything to filter out the toxicity from the wine. So, more fat was getting metabolized and less was being stored.

3. Bloating was greatly reduced.  Even though I had already lost nine pounds, I still had a popped out belly from being bloated all the time.  When I stopped consuming alcohol, all my pants suddenly got loose again.  Hallelujah!

4. No more tummy aches.  Fun fact: Alcohol wreaks havoc on your microbiome. That’s the colony of beneficial bacteria that lives in our digestive track and helps break down our food.  Those little guys got to work after I started this challenge.

5. Brain fog started to dissipate. I suspect my thinking became clearer because I finally got some real, honest to goodness sleep for the first time in years.

6. I felt a little happier. I found myself laughing, singing and wiggling my butt more. (I wrote what I wrote!)

7. My energy was a bit better.

8. I became tidier.  This is embarrassing but sometimes I was so tired in the evening that the dishes never made it from the sink to the dishwasher.  Sometimes, I was so tired in the morning that my bed didn’t always get made.

9. I felt more grounded and peaceful than I had in a long time. While I was not drinking heavily, I was drinking regularly.  So, in retrospect, it’s not surprising that alcohol was affecting my moods. It’s a depressant that I was imbibing almost daily.

10. I began to feel more aware and conscious. I wasn’t just getting through my day anymore. I felt more like I did when I was younger- less jaded and more appreciative.

11. I also look younger in my opinion.  I think this a by-product of more sleep, better hydration and my organs working more efficiently. My face isn’t puffy anymore and my skin is a bit more dewy again.

12. Better sleep.  I don’t know if you have ever been so tired that you feel like you could cry but I have and it’s not fun!

Given all these benefits, I was curious to see if any more could be gained by continuing this experiment.  So, I decided to keep this challenge going for 100 days.  I’ll let you know in November what happens.  Have you ever done a Dry Month or Sober Season?  Please let me know in the comments.

TV-Free January Challenge: The Results

When I told a friend of mine that I would not be watching TV in January, her response was, “you picked one of the longest, coldest, darkest months of the year to go without television???”

I had to admit when she put it that way I was a little nervous I might not get through the whole month but I did with one exception.  I found out that my favorite vintage TV show was back on the air.  So, I allowed myself one hour a week.  I still call that a success.

So, what happened when I stopped watching TV?  For starters, I read more.  I finished four books, started two more and listened to a lengthy audiobook.  I was very pleased as reading again was one of my goals when I started this little experiment.

Another aspiration was to sleep more.  The first night I did but then it got more challenging again.  My insomnia not only thundered back, it brought a friend- an ear worm named Mr Jones.  During the first week, I heard the catchy Counting Crows song and it stayed with me for the rest of the month.  Every quiet moment and especially between 1AM and 4AM that song plagued me.  It felt like I would never get it out of my head.  (The antidote turned out to be Everybody Have Fun Tonight (Everybody Wang Chung Tonight)  Who would have guessed that?)

My suspicion is that without the distraction TV normally provides my brain, my “monkey mind” (as meditators like to call it) was going into overdrive to deal with the change.  Our brains don’t like change and we are hard-wired to resist it.  It’s a well-intentioned effort by our brains to keep us safe.  Familiarity is good.  Change is scary to our brains because we don’t know what is going to happen.  Even something seemingly insignificant like not watching television can have an impact if it is departure from the norm.

My brain may have been on to something because without the mind-numbing diversion of television, I started to become very aware of how tired I have been for a very long time.  Chronic Fatigue is not a new thing for me but I have learned a lot over the decades on how to deal with it.  I realized during this challenge that I had stopped doing things that helped and started doing things that didn’t.  One example is my diet had become less than stellar.

I have remained a vegetarian for over 20 years and dairy-free for over 10 but I had started eating eggs again a little over a year ago.  Worse than that, I was relying too often on processed foods like dairy-free cheese, margarine, bread and pasta.  Of course, I had become used to eating these things in front of the TV to boot.  Now, I am preparing food mostly from scratch again and including lots of fruit, salads, veggies, nuts and seeds.  Eggs are off the menu again.  I am starting to feel better and… (drum roll) SLEEP BETTER!

I have one caveat to share before I wrap this post up.  I noticed that when I stopped watching TV that my internet time increased.  I was watching a lot of Youtube videos. Youtube is a good resource when you want to learn about something you are thinking about trying.  I realized though that I was swapping one screen for another.  I didn’t need to watch 20 videos on how to make Kombucha.  One or two would have sufficed.  Not to mention- I received The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz for Christmas.

Going TV-free for January turned out to be a really worthwhile challenge.  I am making changes as a result that are having a positive impact on my life. So, I decided to keep going to see what other improvements can be made.  What do you think would improve your life if you stopped doing it?

TV-Free January Challenge

Have you ever heard of Dry January-where people stop drinking alcohol for the first month of the new year? Well, I’m not doing that.  While I can see the advantage of giving up booze for a month to jumpstart a weight loss resolution or just take a pause after too much holiday indulgence, it’s not an area that is going to have a significant impact on my life.  So, what could I give up that might? Without a doubt, for me, it’s television.

TV has been my bad habit for longer that I can remember. It’s my pacifier.  It’s my entertainment.  Even when it isn’t that entertaining, somehow, it’s a still a comfort.  This was particularly true when I was recovering from an awful fall 10 years ago that left the middle of my face broken and my teeth badly damaged.  It was the easiest, quickest (legal) escape and I definitely needed one!  Unfortunately,  it got me in the habit of leaving the TV for hours at a time whether I am actively watching it or not.

It turns out that I am not alone when it comes to excess TV viewing.  The average American watches over 4.5 hours a day.  It’s kind of funny that most of us think we don’t have enough time to get things done.  In reality, we have time but we choose to spend it watching other people doing things on TV.

I’m pretty sure I am not cool with that anymore.  So, I stopped watching TV on 12/31/22.  So far, so good.  It’s only been a few days but last night for the first time since I can remember, I slept through the whole night from 10 until about 5:30.  Normally, I wake up between 1am and 3:15 am with my thoughts racing for 1-3 hours.  Also, I have actually been consistently reading.  I used to regularly read about two books a week.  Now, that’s a habit I wouldn’t mind getting back into again.

Stay tuned- I mean, check back in February to find out how this TV-free January Challenge went.  Better yet, take the challenge yourself and let me know what you discover!

– Cynthia Lenz,  January 4, 2023

I have attempted to write this post before but the words always fail me.  How do you properly honor the best person you ever met?

Chauncy, my amazing Havanese pup, passed away on April 15, 2022. I could tell you our history but I am going to save that for a special day soon. Today, I am going to attempt to share how special he was.

Chauncy was everything delightful!  He was the sunshine in my life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He always made everything better.  Everyday was a good day as long as he was in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He was magic! He was beautiful and had the most amazing markings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He was beautiful inside too. A friend remarked that he was like an angel. He was! He was love in the form of the cutest, most handsome dog I have ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He made the smallest, most mundane things seem enchanting like the way he would snooze next me while I crocheted with one of his back legs resting on the yarn cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He often would lay down with his back legs stretched out like a little furry frog boy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lounging was kind of his art form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He would watch for me if I had to go out without him and would greet me like I was some kind of rockstar when I returned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chauncy was the most magnificent dog I could have ever hoped for. I am going to miss him for the rest of my life. I am so grateful that he shared most of his with me! I will love him forever!

In Loving Memory of

Chauncy Lenz

June 2007 • April 15, 2022

Monday Mocktail Recipe: Tom’s a Virgin Collins Tonic

Just a quick post to share my mocktail recipe with you.

Tom’s a Virgin Collins Tonic 

  1. Fill your glass with ice
  2. Pour Tom Collins Mix- about a third to half the glass
  3. Add a dash of Aromatic Bitters
  4. Fill the rest of the way with Tonic
  5. Stir
  6. Add lemon wedge (optional)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy! It is lighter on the liver and your wallet than a regular cocktail. It’s the perfect way to celebrate surviving Monday.

Being (a) Patient: Dental Reconstruction Complete!

Seven years, ten months and 23 days ago, I fell down a large public staircase and basically broke the middle of my face. Several key moments of my journey of healing have been shared on this blog in a series called Being (a) Patient; this entry is the last.

I was filled with worry over the last couple of days. I must admit that I temporarily lost all the perspective I had gained in my last post. I was worried that I may never get a result I would be happy with and would need to give up.

I knew that perfection wasn’t in the cards because, as my second prosthodontist put it, I didn’t have “an easy fixer-upper.” So, I knew my smile wouldn’t never be what it was but I still hoped for something I could feel good about. I am happy to report that happened today!

I would like to acknowledge my team over the last 7+ years:

Oral Surgeon: Bobby Licul

Periodontist: Jay Fishbein

Orthodontist: John Campogna

Endodontist: Sean Pobiner

Prosthodonstist: Andrew Pacinelli

I put a lot of time and effort (blood, sweat and tears!) into finding the right specialists. I had six periodontal consults before I chose Dr. Fishbein. I had consults with five prosthodontists and even did some preliminary work (essex bridge, flippers, one temp crown and bonding) with two prosthodontists before I began working with Dr. Pacinelli.

Dr. Andrew Pacinelli was my ultimate choice to install my crowns and veneers because in addition to his prosthodontic skills, he also had the emotional intelligence to treat a patient who experienced a significant  trauma. He recognized right away that I had been through a lot.  Communication skills are extremely important to me. Dr. Pacinelli kept me informed every step of the way while he transformed my front top eight teeth. He listened to my concerns throughout the process and kept working and working and working… until we had a result that made me happy!

Here it is:

This was right afterward. I was a bit swollen and my gums needed to settle in a little more but not too shabby (I feel like it looks better sideways…):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is from September 1, 2021

Final Thoughts

Given the chance to go back in time, would I hold the handrail and not have gone through all this? Absolutely but I am still so grateful for everything that I have learned and all the people who were there for me throughout this trial.

If you found this blog because you are going through your own healing journey, please know that you can get through it! It may take longer than you feel like you can endure at times but have faith that there is light at the end of the tunnel and it’s beautiful!

Being (a) Patient: Suck It Up Buttercup!

My hope was to finish my dental reconstruction by my birthday this year- that didn’t happen. I recalibrated and set my sights on it being complete before the end of the year- my prosthodontist broke his ankle in November. So, that won’t happen.

After several hours of dental work this morning, I went home sore, headachy and feeling a bit sorry for myself.  Currently, I have four final porcelains and four temps in my mouth. Nothing quite matches. It was necessary because the color on four of the porcelains didn’t match and needed to be redone. These also happened to be the ones that go on my four front teeth! It happens and it’s being fixed along with some other needed improvements. Prosthodontics work is a process, not a one and  done.

I took two advil and had a little rest.  When I woke up, I began the usual worrying- Will they be right at my next appointment? What if the technician matches to the color I don’t like? I can’t go through that again! Will this ever be done? I want to be done! It’s been seven years, nine months and 20 days already! Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!

Suddenly, in the midst of all this useless worrying and self-pity, a little voice said, “It’s not that a big deal.” I started thinking about the people who are sick and in the hospital with COVID 19 and other life-threatening conditions. I thought of friends who have had huge painful losses this year. I realize that I have been fortunate. My loved ones who have been afflicted with corona virus healed successfully.  It was absurd that I was feeling sorry for myself just because I am back in temporaries.

So, now I am choosing to focus on what I am grateful for instead. I am also feeling pretty confident that I will be finished before March 2, 2021- the eight year mark of when I fell. Onward!

 

Being (a) Patient: Final Countdown

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the end in my dental reconstruction. I am going to the prosthodontist to get the temporaries on six of my front teeth.

I have already had two sets of temps on the two missing teeth. So, after tomorrow my eight front top teeth will never be the same. Honestly, only two of them currently are.  Four of the six that are being veneered/crowned tomorrow, have been damaged since my fall on March 2, 2013. The other two, my left front tooth and left canine, are innocent bystanders but… it doesn’t make sense to do only six. I wouldn’t have a consistent smile ever again.

I was desperate to get my smile back after I fell!  I couldn’t believe what happened to me. So, I did the only thing you can when faced with trauma, I moved forward one day at a time and sought the best medical help I could find. Sometimes, I had to seek it over and over again. I also cried… but not too much. It’s okay to be sad as long as you don’t get stuck. You have to move forward even if it is only a centimeter at a time. Feeling sorry for yourself gets you nowhere!

I feel very emotional right now. I have a right to- I am at a point of no return. Tomorrow, my prosthodontist will shave down my natural teeth to fit the veneers. There’s no reversing that. I know that it is time. I am putting my trust in God and my prosthodontist that in the end I will have a beautiful smile to share with everyone!

Proper Pineapple Project Bag Unboxing

One of my favorite hobbies is crocheting.  I just started about a year and a half ago and learned a lot from watching YouTube Channels.  I found the Proper Pineapple pretty early on and just love watching Holly and her family.  She just always seems like she’s having the best time!

Recently, I ordered a Halloween project bag from her website.  The package was so cute that I decided to test the video feature on my new camera by doing an unboxing.  Here it is:

KEEP GOING 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times & Bad, a review

I have mentioned before that I struggle at times to keep up a daily writing practice.   I was starting to slip off again after a fairly successful month of regular writing.  I found myself crankily (it’s a word now!) wondering if it really mattered as I turned on the car radio during my lunch break.  The next words I heard were, “KEEP GOING.”

Austin Kleon, author of the book KEEP GOING, 10 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD, was being interviewed by Kai Wright on WNYC.  I was so grateful for this coincidental encouragement that I bought his book the next day.  It’s a short book.  The 201 pages alternate between graphics and double-spaced text.  It’s more like 100 pages of written content.  Overall, I enjoyed this breezy presentation but I would have preferred a little more writing and a little less space.

The first five chapters were on-topic. Kleon offers practical, executable advice to creatives on how to keep going. Every Day is Groundhog’s Day reminds us that the key to being a prolific artist is a daily practice. It’s “a repeatable way of working that insulates them from success, failure, and the chaos of the outside world. They all have identified what they want to spend their time on and they get up and work at it every day, no matter what.”

Chapter Two, Build a Bliss Station, is about creating time and space for your work. Forget The Noun, Do The Verb reminds us to focus on the work rather than what we are trying to be. Chapter Four, Make Gifts, is a call to shift our attention from worrying about money and metrics and to remember our love for the craft. Kleon demonstrates in The Ordinary + Extra Attention = The Extraoridinary that we need to slow down and pay attention or risk missing the inspiration that is all around us waiting to be discovered.

I loved the first five chapters.  Kleon was thoughtful in the way he expressed these concepts.  He included relevant anecdotes and quotations from other writers and artists who have inspired him.  Unfortunately, he went off the rails in the second half of the book.  Most of the remaining chapters were filled with his opinions about the role of art in the world rather than the how-tos that comprised the first half of the book.

Kleon’s thoughts might be interesting but I didn’t buy the book for out-of-left field pondering like this bit from Chapter Six, Slay the Art Monsters:

“If making your art is adding net misery to the world, walk away and do something else.  Find something else to do with your time, something that makes you and the people around you feel more alive.  The world doesn’t need more great artists. It needs more more decent human beings.”

The last four chapters were full of similar propaganda except for When in Doubt, Tidy Up.  That whole chapter had nothing to do with tidying up; it was just filler about sifting through the crap in your office because you might find something inspiring. The chapter title was nothing more than a blatant attempt to steal a little of Marie Kondo’s popularity. Kleon even references her book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and why he doesn’t think it is useful to artists.

All in all, I would say KEEP GOING is worth picking up.  I would just retitle it to KEEP GOING Five Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad (+ Some Other Art-related Thoughts from the Author.)