What exactly is the Friday 5 you ask? If you look it up on the web, sites like Urban Dictionary piss all over these types of posts, calling them “a blogger meme”. Most people just pose five questions and leave it at that… not me. I like to use it to write about five random ideas that have been on my mind over the previous week. I can relate the topics to each other or make them totally independent. Very few topics are off limits. Sometimes these posts can get crazy.
One
Once upon a time, I used to write one of these posts every Friday. That was on another platform that will go un-named here. I’ve left that platform for good and I thought I’d move the Friday5 here along with my other ramblings. The idea of doing a Friday5 came from an old friend who picked it up from someone else. I guess that’s how these things work.
Two
So, I stopped drinking about four months ago. My use of alcohol to self-medicate was affecting my health and consequently, every other part of my life. In January, both my doctor and my wife pointed this out; I realized it was time for a change. I’ve had long periods of sobriety over the past 35 years, so this is not my first time going dry. The problem is that I LOVE beer, that’s always been my drink of choice. When I let my family know I was going sober, my oldest son started bringing home these amazing non-alcohol beers from this carry-out he likes. I’ve tried NAs in the past, and at the time thought they were ok, but nothing special. However, this new generation of brews is fantastic. I now have standing mail order deliveries from two different breweries and get three types of beer delivered right to my home. A wonderful Belgian style from Ceria brewing and two beers from Wellbeing Brewing. If you love beer, but are looking for an alternative to alcohol, then look no further. As long as the low level of alcohol (less that.5%) won’t been an issue, then I recommend looking into these great beers.
Three
I’m going to be starting TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) next week. This is a big deal for several reasons. I’ve been fighting depression with therapy, meds, and anything else I can throw at it for decades, and I’m losing the fight. TMS is the next step in that fight and I’m hopeful. I’m now drug resistant, so, I’m running out of options. Edit#1 Just found out my insurance is going to cover this treatment!
Four
I’ve been reading way too much about the deteriorating situation in the States. I’m taking the threat of growing violence seriously and I’m worried about where we will end up when the dust settles. My family, friends, and students are important to me and I worry about them. What’s going to become of us if open fighting starts? There will be no front lines, it will be everywhere, in every state. I need to stop reading about it, but I also need to not pretend it’s not happening.
Five
It’s wonderful to be writing again. Starting this blog is healing, and I’ve even gone back to work on my first novel. It feels good to be back in that place where creativity, passion, and effort meet.