Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 23oC, warmish and overcast.
Thank God it is Friday, even though it has been a good week. I resolved my Brazilian ID and will receive my new glasses tomorrow. I am tired and have not spent enough time developing the sites.
At least I have decided my priorities for the next six months: my teeth, the sites, and going to England. My work time, energy, and dedication will be for these and giving classes.
I have said before that there is a process where we develop and mature our thoughts into better forms of work and actions. Even though I have not been as productive as I would like to have been, the creative process and development are still at least going in the right direction as it becomes clearer along the way for me where I want to go, what I want and how.
As it is Friday, drinking a glass of wine or two is possible. I have drastically reduced my alcohol consumption to almost zero in the last two years. I have stopped drinking beer and chopp; only if, for some reason, at a party or some event, there is no other option, maybe I would drink a glass.
I do not miss drinking beer at all. This has surprised me as being English and growing up in a heavy drinking environment; I would have never imagined not missing drinking beer.
Walking past a bar or restaurant and seeing people drinking does not affect me as it would have in the past. Also, seeing photos on social media of people drinking or with a drink in their hands does not do anything for me, either, and if it were a woman, she would probably lose some points in my consideration of her because of it.
What bothers me is my connection with wine. I like wine, but I do not love it. I do enjoy drinking a glass of wine, and sometimes I miss having one. However, I know that it is not good for me. Every time I drink wine, I have a nosebleed the next day. I have already consulted Google Doctor, and supposedly, for some people, it is common.
As alcohol thins the blood, you can be susceptible to nosebleeds. This has been increasingly common in the last couple of years, and it only seems to be with wine and not beer.
Nalva arrived home at about 6 pm and wanted to go to the supermarket. Yasmin went with her mother to help, and after an hour, they returned with two bottles of red wine included in the shopping. Seeing two bottles of wine on a Friday night after a hard week is the only trouble for me tomorrow.
It is a question whether I will risk it or not. Or if I have the willpower to say no, knowing I will pay the price tomorrow. I helped them to put the shopping away and decided not to open a bottle today.
This is one of life’s things. Life is constantly testing us, directly and indirectly. People do things to please us, and yet they are not; they are either making the situation worse or complicating it even more. Many times, family and friends do not really know what we want or what is good for us. They think they do, but they do not.
Again, we are talking about setting and establishing boundaries that often family and friends do not understand, do not even want, or cannot understand. Still, we must be focused enough to establish and maintain those boundaries to be a better person in the future. “No” is such an important word to be used so many times in life!
If it were twenty years ago, I would have had those two bottles the same night in the blink of an eye, but things have changed. Nalva made us a nice soup, which was very tasty, served with good bread, extra virgin olive oil, and a little salt and pepper.
In bed by 11.00 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
