03/09/07 Slightly Chilled Turkey

So that's 9 days now without a drink or a cigarette. Yes, be impressed.
I'm fairly confident that this is the longest elapsed time that I have ever gone without alcohol since I first gained possession of my "drinking license".
I've never been a heavy drinker, but have taken it in moderation like prescribed medication consistently throughout my adult life.
The instructions on the never ending bottle of booze prescribed by my GP (on my 18th birthday ofcourse) would be "take between 6 and 10 units 3 times a week, but allow more for birthdays, deaths, anniversaries, Christenings, work leaving dos, holidays, Christmas, New Year, International Football Tournaments, "The Fringe", meals out, miscellaneous celebrations etc etc".
It is interesting what getting on the wagon does to you.
I've been having quite odd mood swings in the past week and at times have felt slightly spaced out. All this "clarity" is a little difficult to get your head round.
There's obviously nicotine withdrawal symptons in the mix as well, but I've experienced them many, many times before and am very familiar with them.
The alcohol ones are different.
I have so much more energy though in this regime...it is definitely tempting to make a bold statement and say I'm off it completely...
In all likelihood that isn't going to happen, but I'm curious to test myself and see how long I can go with this sobriety caper.

I was shocked in a good way watching Rangers last home European tie on televison a couple of weeks ago.
It was the first time I can ever remember watching a Rangers match on TV where periodically the crowd haven't been heard singing all the usual sectarian shite we are so familiar with around these parts.
It really does look as though it has been nipped in the bud (for home matches anyway).
I, like many others, probably never thought they'd see the day when this would happen. It's a small step on the way to Scotland becoming a more civilised nation.

It did get me thinking though.
I wonder if secret "Singeasy" bars are springing up in dingy basements in Glasgow where diehards can go and sing the old songs to their hearts content.
There'd be a combination lock on the door for "regulars only" (password 1-6-9-0), and prominent QCs would likely be on hand with a tuning fork to start off the songs.
Perhaps as a repressed minority they will take their case to the "European Court Of Human Rights", campaigning for the right to sing "The Sash" in a public.

I've been feeling a little sheepish of late after letting rip on an Internet comedy forum.
During the Fringe I was at a comedy show and my enjoyment of the gig was hugely spoilt by someone sitting near me talking all through the show.
I later discovered that the offender was in fact a stand-up comedian himself.
This made me even more mad about the whole incident.
He'd posted a link to his myspace page on a forum (I immediately recognised him) and said he was looking for "feedback" for his Blog.
With hindsight, a bit of withering sarcasm would have been a much more advisable course of action to pursue on the comedy forum.
However, I decided to wade in on the attack with a sustained barrage of heavy artillery, and I reckon, probably shocked a substantial section of the UK Comedy Community with the extreme level of my vitriol.
I am now likely known as "that angry, aggressive Scottish comedian".
People meeting me will perhaps now expect a "Gerry Sadowitz" type persona, and will be surprised at how dull and mild-mannered I am in real life.
I think I'll stay clear of these forums...
I feel slightly soiled by the whole episode....
Still, no such things as bad publicity is there?
(I've always believed this saying to be absolute shite)