Friday 21 October 2022

My Homework!

Having spent my entire adult life with alcohol as a close companion, I finally broke free in January 2020. The fear of impending lockdown and retirement, and the extra time I might have with my 'evil friend' moved me to an action that I have never regretted and wish I had made sooner.

Now I want to help people who have made the decision to change their relationship with alcohol.

Being of a 'certain age' alcohol has been a constant part of my life, occasionally making a brief exit to accommodate the birth of my children, the mortgage crisis (1980's) and other times when money was tight. However, alcohol never seemed to get on my 'cut backs' list. I wonder, with the similarities of today's financial crisis, how many people will be faced with similar choices?

Never having hit 'rock bottom' I couldn’t understand why I couldn't stop using this drug to numb out my fears and anxieties. Being a grey area drinker, with no 'off switch' I really couldn’t see a way of breaking the cycle of drinking that I had subjected myself, and my loved ones around me.


My daily routine would include a 'couple' of beers at the end of a 'hard' day (as I deserved it!) a bottle of wine with dinner and maybe a G and T (no measures in our house, just a hefty dose of Gin) or two before bed.

Although I had recently had periods of not drinking sometimes lasting 100+ days, I had never really come to terms with the thought of a life without alcohol. That all changed in early 2020 as I was considering retirement (which I still have not managed to achieve!)

I could see that more time (and a comfortable income) was only going to end up in the wrong place. The impending lock down provided a much needed 'push' to do something.

I can only describe the last 2+ years as a fantastic journey , and one that has only just started. Having so much more quality time available to me has changed so much.

Now I would like to share my experience with others, who like me, have decided that they want a different relationship with alcohol, but, like me, didn’t know where to start.

Monday 1 April 2019

Western Australia pumps AU$35m into digital government

The government of Western Australia has announced it will invest AU$34.7 million into digital transformation in the public sector. The funding will be handed to the Office of Digital Government (ODG) that will lead the state's digital reform agenda, with Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly on Monday explaining the money used will help WA play catch-up where digital is concerned.

Friday 15 February 2019

Securing the future of the data sharing economy

Data is quickly becoming the most valuable commodity for modern businesses, so says Simon Field on techradar

Monday 11 February 2019

So as Local Government cuts back on outsorcing, central government spend reaches record highs

Government outsourcing spend reaches highest level since 2015


Sharp growth in technology investment saw public sector spending climb to £2.9 billion last year, according to the Arvato UK Outsourcing Index. 

Monday 4 February 2019

Home Office still using NHS patient data for immigration enforcement despite suggesting it would end practice

Home Office still using NHS patient data for immigration enforcement despite suggesting it would end practice. Read the article in The Independent

Monday 21 January 2019

Benefit assessors convicted of £1m housing benefit fraud

Benefit assessors convicted of £1m housing benefit fraud: Seven benefit assessors in London have been convicted of a housing benefit fraud worth over £1m.