Pour me a life

This blog is a safe space for me to write about my life in the hope that it will help me to empty the noise from my mind, and in the process clarify my thoughts, support my sobriety journey and shape my way forward. It is called Pour me a Life after the autobiography by the journalist A.A. Gill, which is a book about recovery, exploring the topic obliquely. In the introduction Gill states he has no advice to offer the alcoholic who is still struggling with his demons. If I had met Gill, I expect we would have clashed, he lived a very different life to me and I think we had different values, but it never happened and he is now dead -- so we will never know. This blog is anonymous. I need that freedom.

a reflection from last year

(this was written August '24 -- and the sentiment still holds true) I dropped my daughter off at college today, and drove home feeling more upbeat than usual. I guess I need to alter my perspective. Am I an old 55 year old man, who has lived his best days, or am I a young man still full of ambition. Are my best years still ahead of me, or have they passed? I am approaching a time when there will just be three of us at home. That makes a major difference time wise. What is my dream and how wil...
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Best kept Secrets

Life is busy. When I had my eldest, who is now 31 years old, I went on a short holiday to a caravan site in west Wales -- I think it was Saundersfoot or Tenby. I was newly married to my first wife and we had a little girl who was about 6 months that we were pushing along the promenade. I fell into a conversation with an older man, probably about 10 years older than I am now; a grandfather type figure. He looked at my little girl and said: "Children are one of the best kept secrets". I asked wha...
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Reflections - 26/05/2025

I have started writing this entry later than usual. I have set myself the challenge of writing first thing in the morning, after meditating, but it has been a particularly busy weekend. Friday was spent travelling and I ate late. Saturday I was at a training course and Sunday I had to pick my daughter up from a night out in town at 2am. So all in all I left feeling busy and tired. But today is a very straightforward day. I am tidying up ahead of a builder coming around tomorrow to organise some...
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Reflections - 24/05/2025

I spent much of yesterday in a hurry. There was an urgency to everything I did as I had fixed deadline. Work which needed completing by a certain time, travel plans which had to be met or missed, and multiple meetings across personal and business life. The day ended with a discussion with a gentleman who owns land next to mine which my wife and I are interested in renting short-term, and buying longer term, which was are first introduction. Then a late dinner with my daughter in a Turkish resta...
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23/05/2025 - Personal Journal

I have been struggling with my drinking again. After going dry for 6 months, I have been on and off for the last few weeks. In fairness it has been much more off than on, but I feel it's presence there and I know I have a fight on my hands and there is unfinished business with my additions. The last couple of days I have realised that the problem is more than anything one about patience, acceptance and peace. I have too little patience. The easiest way to demonstrate that is my attitude to mon...
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Recovery - only just

It is Monday night, 3.00 am and I can not sleep. I have just finished listening to the first podcast recording I’ve made. It’s for a guy from a recruitment company we use at work. He hosts a podcast called Talking to Tech Leaders. Not really sure I qualify. I found it really stressful to make the podcast. I was surprisingly nervous, and I found it really stressful to listen to it. I spent the whole time looking for a trip-up and if I said something stupid. Thankfully, I think I pulled it off. ...
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The Fear

I woke up this morning terrified that I may revert to my old self. I was filled with despair: questioning why I should continue to exist when all I wanted to do was drink myself into oblivion. Nothing had changed - I am close to 6 months sober, signed off work due to stress: in recovery. What brought about this fear? I think it was due to my medications running out and my decision to go it alone—without any pharmacological support. I had a prescription being prepared, but I thought I would jus...
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