Thursday 29th October

Where's the month gone?

Pint of tap water consumed in The Old Grapes at lunch time, along with a rather filling club sandwich. Cheers to Adrian Kirk from WH Ireland for that.

After work was the BVCA Young People in Private Equity networking event at the Lowry Hotel. Lack of substantial canapes but free drinks - one OJ, one pint of OJ and cranberry, and two waters. Was good fun, caught up with a fair few folk...Ian from Endless, Russell from Pearson Hinchliff (on fine form), Nicola, Tom and James from Pannone, Clint from Eversheds, Leo, Ruth and Dave from Brabners, Karen from Beachcroft, and Pete from RMS. I took along James from BTG Tax as well.

Quick stop at OPUS on the way home - expecting to have a laugh at the Grimm Up North horror film festival after show party...it was empty. But then it was ridiculously early.

Tuesday 27th October

Our annual work quiz, in Atlas Bar. Good fun but the food wasn't all that.

Consumed two pints of cranberry and OJ, two pots of tea and a glass of water.

We came second, and yes, the prize was alcohol - a very nice bottle of Grands vins de Chablis. Website says £20 - happy days. Just got to wait about 40 days to drink it...

"Quick stop" in Cloud23 - HALF AN HOUR FROM WALKING IN TO RECEIVING DRINKS - REALLY....WHY DID WE BOTHER!!!!

Quote of the night has to go to Pippa from IT...
Me - "we came second by only one point"
Pippa - "that's mad that, these only won by one point."
no sh!t....

Monday 26th October

No beer to avoid today. Could have done with avoiding the stench from the waste disposal lorry in chorlton on my way to the bus stop...it was parked up behind the butchers...let's just say it stank. A LOT!!!

Sunday 25th October

The lads brought round my 30th birthday present - a photobox hard back book with photos from the last 11 years involving our many trips and general antics. excellent present - cheers again guys.

Brief trip to Marble Beer House on Machester Rd in Chorlton. "just water for me".

Then a brief stop in Fuzion in Fallowfield, opted for green tea rather than a sneaky Asahi...

Then we met family Bailey in Abduls - donner kebab to keep the calorie in take up...

Saturday 24th October

Awake much to early for my liking.

Lunch in Battery Park in Chorlton. Vegetarian but still alright.

Evening was a trip to the Northern Quarter for Craig's birthday (happy birthday mate). Met in Bay horse. Then ended up in TV21. Not as good as it used to be i'm sorry to say. Back to Mojo next time...

Friday 23rd October

No pub at lunch time - so didn't even have to avoid the compulsory friday lunchtime pint.

Friday evening. Went to go and check out a mate's band in MohoLive - a lot better than monday's performance. Headlining was Neville Staple from ska legends The Specials. Great fun to watch.

Wednesday 21st October

No alcohol to avoid today. Not even a trip to the pub for the champions league games...fell asleep for most of the chelsea game!

thought for the day...no-one warned me against using mouth wash did they?? luckily i haven't used it - so the challenge is still on ;o)

Tuesday 20th October

Another curry without the obligatory pint of Cobra. Excellent food (without the grease) in the Blue Nile in Hazel Grove - I had a sizzling mixed grill with a lamb and paneer karahi over the top of it.

Next stop - The Bulls Head for a soda water with lime and a roasting on the quiz machine. Mainly Dan's fault.

Monday 19th October

Happy Birthday Mr Clarke!

1. My barber said my next hair cut is on the house as long as i put that money into the justgiving site for him - happy days.

2. Brief trip to Space to see The Kings headline the Friends of Mine gig for InTheCity. Barman found me the biggest mug he could for my brew. (picture to follow when i work out how)

Sunday 18th October

Saw a fair few bands in Green Room as part of the InTheCity event - showcasing unsigned bands. Loads of venues / big hype / happy times for manchester and new music.

Particular favourites were This Morning Call and Thingumabob and the Thingumajigs. Beer would have just sent me to sleep - full fat coke was order of the day anyway.

Happy to see Pan Asia still do their buffet - £8.95 well spent, which includes access to unlimited duck pancakes and sushi (new addition i think). A nice pot of green tea soon removed any thoughts of Tsing Tao/Chang/Singha/etc...

Saturday 17th October

Avoided a mid-pm beer in Trof in the Northern Quarter - did consume a very nice bacon, brie and cranberry toasty and sticky toffee pudding though - got to keep those calories coming in...

Found it hard not to try the good looking and sounding cocktails in Corridor later on!!

Last stop on Saturday night was Tiger Lounge on Cooper Street - not been there for a LONG time on a saturday (flagship) night. VERY sweaty - but great fun.

Friday 16th October

set up the justgiving site properly - get on there! ;o)

www.justgiving.com/binaryostrich

Completed my hardest challenge yet - being teetotal in Mojo - the venue of so many nights of carnage. The last visit saw my birthday celebrations and me dancing on the bar!

Mojo met expectations. plenty of stories - dancing on the chairs - loads of sweat - and strangely (this time) a shed load of tap water and no memory loss!

ended up giving some random guy a lift home who'd crashed his car...

Thursday 15th October

First really difficult challenge...and on only day 11 of 61.
A curry without pints of cobra being involved!!
Excellent food in Asian Fusion in Chorlton.
Even avoided the complimentary irish cream liquor.

(also avoided free beer in The Bridge at lunch time - Third Thursday sponsored by Mace&Jones, PKF and someone else...)

Wednesday 14th October

Lack of calories/energy taken its toll. VERY TIRED. Still managed a pint and a half of water in Lime Bar whilst catching up with two of the bar workers from our recent holiday in Kardamena.

No need for beer during the England football match - i slept through most of it...

Tuesday 13th October

Brabners In The City networking lunch...there was wine and beer on offer, but i didnt see anyone take any on board. the egg sandwiches were good though!

No time to avoid beer in the evening - went to see a pilot show being filmed at Granada studios. "Head or Tails" presented by Justin Lee Collins...i wouldn't get yourselves too excited about it...

Monday 12th October

Thought of the day...
Based on my alcohol intake over the three nights of 1st, 2nd and 3rd of October this last weekend contained approximately 15,000 less calories.
Where do i get my extra energy from until the 5th October?! one idea is to buy a chocolate factory and manufacture the original blue smarties...

Quick pit-stop in Space Cafe Bar on the way home for a soda water and burger.

Sunday 11th October

Trip to Alton Towers...didn't realise they sold beer there. Either way, I was driving, so not an issue.
Excellent day out, great company, and a donner kebab on the way home - what more could you ask for?!

Saturday 10th October

Another weekend, another night out.
Dinner in Withington at my old house - cheers Ruth and Shayrelle - just water for me with dinner.
Quick stop in Rusholme to collect Mary, Mairead, Marian and Jenny - then straight to the Northern Quarter.
First stop Bar Centro (standard fair, good but not great). Failed stop in Trof (£1 to get in - i don't think so guys). Last stop Apotheca - my new bar of choice in the Northern Quarter i think. Water and sodawater with lime for me. Wouldn't mind trying out their cocktail class (if it is still going...?).

"Apotheca (definition) by Webster 1913 A*poth"e*ca - One who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for medicinal purposes.The word "apotheca" was originated in the 14th century from the Greek word "apotheke". "

Friday 9th October

Night out in Fallowfield for Jimmy's birthday. (Happy Birthday mate!)
First stop Rusholme for tea. Excellent company and avoided the wine.
Second stop The Ram & Shackle - excellent new outside area and cheap drinks (three glasses of water consumed)
Third stop Red Rum (also on Wilmslow Road in Fallowfield). Recently renovated by the same guys at The Ram & Shackle (pint of water - it was hot in there). Good underground venue, vibe and atmosphere.
Third night out in a row. no alcohol consumed.

The Reasoning Behind the Challenge / The Charity Choice

Since August Bank Holiday my liver has taken a serious hammering...three big nights that weekend (including at least 7 shots of Wray&Nephew on the Sunday night for Matt's birthday)...6 nights of memory loss in Kos ("we love free shots" in Kardamena!)...and then my 30th birthday weekend (1st to 3rd Oct).

I figured it was time to give my liver, wallet, waist and sanity a rest.

It seemed that friends were willing to bet against me completing two months without any alcohol. Seeing as i would be saving a fortune anyway it only seemed fair to donate the proceeds of the bets.

With help I came up with 4 worthy charities. Ideally I wanted small and local, but it seems that to get small chairites you have to look abroad.

Final contenders were: (please check them out)
www.steppingstonesnigeria.org
www.transtanz.moonfruit.com
www.pebblesproject.co.za
www.torturecare.org.uk

I will be donating any proceeds from the challenge to Pebbles Project.

8th October

Second work night out...EN Deals Dinner in The Palace Hotel.
Invite courtesy of Darren Winterbottom and Tariq Bourouane of LloydsTSB Commercial Finance.

Consumed one lemonade ("What, no vodka or whiskey?" - pleasant on the eye barmaid) and copious amounts of soda water.
It was Darren that helped me conceive the idea of going teetotal a few weeks back. Cheers mate. I think.

7th October

First free bar to contend with - courtesy of Mace&Jones table football corporate networking event upstairs in Dukes92 in Castlefield.

Consumed one glass of lemonade and one coke - only because they didn't have the facilities to make a brew upstairs...

Big thanks to Pete Davies at RMS PR for being my team member and Sarah Walton at Mace&Jones for the invite and organisation.

5th October

Dave Carter of www.btg-tax.com challenged my good self to be teetotal for two calender months