No Ma'am November

Okay, okay, so it's two weeks into this thing. But let's just pretend I had a reason for waiting this long that isn't "laziness" or something similar, alright? Let's go with "I was trying to make sure I would actually stick to this plan before writing about it." I think that sounds pretty good.

So it's November, and that means a couple things: the weather turns colder, the leaves fall off the trees, and everything around you dies (seriously, that's why autumn is the season of tragedy, not winter. Winter is irony). November is also the month where the holiday season looms large - a season filled with excess and indulgence - and this year, I wanted to make the most of this last month before it all goes straight to hell (not that I dislike Christmas, it's actually my favorite holiday because it lasts for SO LONG).

This year, I decided it would be time to institute a "No-ma'am-November" policy, entailing three things:

1. No Spending Money
2. No Drinking Alcohol
3. No Shaving

Let's take them individually.

• No Spending Money

This one is fairly simple. Do not spend money unless you absolutely need to. Now, this is kind of difficult - do I really need that sweater (it is getting fairly cold, after all), or do I just want it? Can it wait until December? The answer here is difficult to determine sometimes, so I've set myself a budget. I won't disclose numbers, for judgment, but suffice it to say that I'll be going on less than half of what I've been spending in previous months. The added side effect of this is that a) I'm saving up boatloads of money and b) I am finding new things to do with my time. Like Japanese dramas! Sidebar: everyone needs to start watching The Liar Game NOW.

Related to no spending money is the next - and perhaps most difficult - part of No Ma'am November.

• No Drinking Alcohol

Drinking alcohol in Korea is a bit swimming in water for a fish. It's how you relax and unwind and finally let go of the stresses of the work week. It's enjoyed by natives and expats alike, and deciding to take an ENTIRE month off generally elicits reactions of "what's wrong with you? are you an alcoholic?" and faces that make it seem as if you'd just announced you were going to put a casino on the moon.

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Jim Gaffigan - People Who Don't Drink
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But so far, I've managed to successfully not drink this whole month. It's had some great effects - I've been losing weight, and I've been saving a TON of money. In addition, I haven't really had to give up time with my friends, though being the sober one can get, well, tiring. For want of a more judicial word.

It's been 16 days since my last drink. Do I get a chip or something for this? I am pretty sure I deserve at least a gold star or something.

Last, but not least (well maybe least), is:

• No Shave November

This is exactly as it sounds. It is a fairly common trope for this month to not shave - as the weather gets colder and clothes get longer, it becomes okay to stop shaving those parts that most of the year people expect to be clean shaven. In this spirit, I am not shaving for the WHOLE month, and it's becoming incredibly itchy.

On the plus side, though, I am growing a FANTASTIC beard. Check me out!

You're welcome.

So that's No Ma'am November. It's been going well so far, and I'm over the halfway hump. I'm pretty proud of myself so far, and I'm considering carrying a few of these things over into December. Definitely the beard, for sure.