Dating thread 222: into 2022 and beyond

[BelladiMamma]

The rules as a screenshot (feel free to copy and paste them in).

@FabulousMrFifty I think the tolerance builds up doesn’t it, I know people who drink way more than me and they just get used to it I think.

[quote Shayelle2009]@WeWantTheFinestWines it sounds like you are a really fun chick with a mischievous side, maybe Mr FavPlace is just going to be a friend, if he’s going to be a bit boring (but a nice person)
I’m like you, need a cheeky guy.[/quote]

Thanks Shayelle I am good fun and I have such a laugh with my friends and I really need the same with a man. Laughing together is really bonding and I need it to feel close to someone. I'll see how things pan out...

Inspired by you all I have managed not to have any booze tonight.

A good achievement I feel after the task of picking up my kids from school and nursery, then feeding them and getting them to bed, with many tantrums about various things along the way.

Early bed on Day 4 of dry January for me. The evenings do seem rather dull and pointless I have to say. Not quite as much chocolate eaten as yesterday though. This is the longest I’ve gone without a drink in 26 years. Yawn.

@Stayingstrongish
I can remember those days, it will get easier as they get older. I will admit on a few occasions falling asleep in the chair whilst reading bedtime stories.

Well done on your achievement ⭐

Well done to all of you doing Dry January!

@Badbaddog well done though. That's something to note, whatever your reasons for Dry Jan you've clearly broken out of your comfort zone with booze.
And @Stayingstrongish good for you too. Well done anyone brave enough to shake things up and challenge themselves in whatever form this January.
My own effort of the 30 day yoga with Adriene challenge relatively lame but I'm trying 🤭

The volunteering is not a big deal, it's not as well as work - it's instead of. The week before Christmas I wrote a policy that said people could have up to nine days vaccination centre volunteering, and more if they have medical training. And as soon as it was approved I put in my shifts. Benefit of being in HR!
It's really quiet at work this week so although I told my manager I'd pick up any emails in the evening when I get back, I only had one!

I do run by own consultancy too and I've done five emails tonight for that, three of which were quite involved.

Luckily I had pre prepared supper of chicken curry and quinoa.

Two chat irons on Tinder now. Neither very inspiring.

I am good fun and I have such a laugh with my friends and I really need the same with a man. Laughing together is really bonding and I need it to feel close to someone. I'll see how things pan out...

@WeWantTheFinestWines yes I recently realised the same - how important this is to me in a relationship. My life with my ex was (amongst other things) very joyless and laughter-free (except at the very beginning). With the guy I dated in the latter half of 2021 (Mr G) we laughed lots and it was so fun and refreshing. I need to find something like that again.

So I had two date zeros last week (and will probably have two more in the next couple of weeks). Both nice guys. Of the two, one guy was really interesting and fun; the other was nice but I felt no spark. Of course you can guess which of the two was keen for another date and which one wasn't 🙄

Generally feeling pretty flat/low this week. Need to find non-dating things to cheer me up (as I know I shouldn't rely on that for my morale) but just feeling a bit bleak about my life generally. Hopefully just a bout of January blues and will feel better soon.

Sorry, a bit mopey and me-me-me.

The week before Christmas I wrote a policy that said people could have up to nine days vaccination centre volunteering, and more if they have medical training. And as soon as it was approved I put in my shifts. Benefit of being in HR!

I absolutely love your style, @VanGoghsDog! Awesome - well done!

This is a good account to follow if you're feeling a bit down or want to do Dry January

Well done to those doing dry January.

@MizK I'm doing the 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene too! I've enjoyed the first 3 days although my core is saying stop!!

Had a lovely phone chat with Ms Cycling yesterday evening and messaging has been very good and consistent over the last week since our first phone chat. Hopefully we will finally get to meet up at the weekend 🤞 The other chats I had going have all fizzled out and I've decided not to chase them as I want to see where it goes with Ms Cycling.

Thanks @MizK and @StartingAgain6369

Funny about you falling asleep reading bedtime stories @StartingAgain6369! Sounds like the stories worked their magic! No chance of that happening here with the amount of questions my kids ask, and the amount of jumping on the bed that goes on 😅

@Badbaddog

Early bed on Day 4 of dry January for me. The evenings do seem rather dull and pointless I have to say. Not quite as much chocolate eaten as yesterday though. This is the longest I’ve gone without a drink in 26 years. Yawn.

Well done... hope you got a better sleep. That dull and pointless feeling does fade, believe it or not...

Definitely agree with the tolerance thing @Shayelle2009 I've drunk more frequently this year, though still within recommended units I think, and I can't feel the effects of one or two like I used to.
I'm impressed with the Yoga-ers, I have an appt with my consultant coming up and my first question will be what exercise can I do that isn't going to worsen my injury. Feel like a potato 🥔
Sounds pretty intense @InABetterPlaceNow but glad you both discussed it and put a plan in place for dealing with these things going forward.
My DC sound like yours @Stayingstrongish 😅 we have a day out planned with Mr D, see if he can cope with the crazy!

Morning all!

If you can access it, this is an interesting read about why you should only date men who've had therapy; women and the 'mental load' of dating; and the current dating scene

apple.news/AYbxorEO4QZy_bIXM3uOh5Q

Hope all the dry January-ers are doing well. I've always found the benefit of being single is that I drink less! MrDublin is practically teetotal but he's always turned up with a bottle of something nice for me & now we're no longer in the festive season I've asked him to stop.

Congratulations @Stayingstrongish and especially @Badbaddog, longest drink free in all those years - well done!! I always find talking about things and getting support makes these kind of challenges more fun and easier, a few if my friends are doing it too, when you can all support each other it’s pretty nice 💞

And we’re at day 5! 🏅 I had awful fever chills and night sweats with this covid last night so I expect it’s helping in a way to keep any cravings away. Going to try and log on today though.

Hugs to anyone feeling a bit flat but it is the time of year for it. Maybe a nice walk in the sun today and treat yourself to a coffee? Always helps my spirits. And Spring will be just round the corner. Snowdrops, primroses and crocuses on the way, if that sort of thing makes you happy 🙂

If anyone is needing exercise motivation, I have paid for a year with these guys and their workouts are AMAZING.
teambodyproject.com

@Shayelle2009 hope you're feeling a bit better today. Thanks for relaying that story about your friend, it did help. I had a pretty good day with it all yesterday and a really lovely fun chat with MrM in the evening.

We're both back at work so much else to focus on... I've also signed up to another sea swimming group nearby and started back at hot yoga - both of which are clear attempts to stave off any sort of January blues.

Www.teambodyproject.com

@ibelieveinmirrorballssea swimming sounds brilliant!!

Thank you, and a Socially distanced hug for you too @Shayelle2009, I hope the symptoms die down soon. Try not to push yourself too hard.

I only have this thread and Mr Bloke for support in Dry Jan but I think that may be enough - the resources people have posted here are great, as I said before I want to do no alcohol, not moderation, almost like a fightback against society’s normalisation of drinking, and as a tribute to the people I’ve lost to it. Mr B’s motivation is to show me he’s not an alcoholic, and to lose weight. We couldn’t be more different really!

@Stayingstrongish I used to fall asleep every time I read (completely sober) to the DC, I was just exhausted all the time. One tip is i always read them the same book at bedtime, to minimise questions. I bored them and myself to sleep!

[quote Shayelle2009]@ibelieveinmirrorballssea swimming sounds brilliant!![/quote]
I love it! There’s also now a highly fashionable community sauna right by the tidal pool to warm everyone up before and after 🥶🥵

Couldn’t sleep last night as was thinking about potentially new job, so got up early for a walk (secretly hoping to bump into Ms Dog Walker), which I did, exchanged a few pleasantries ( and she looked very fine I must say), so that’s me setup for the day, quiz night tonight, hobbying on Sunday, week is setup.

Used to swim in the North Sea of the Norfolk coast when I was a nipper, bloody freezing, wouldn’t do it now