Flip Prior

When I first met my neighbour Kevin, neither of us should really have been in the gin bar across the road. But that meeting has led to a wonderful thing — a sense of community we were all missing.

I love the clink of ice cubes in a gin and tonic. Fizzing champagne in crystal flutes. But sometimes, love can get a bit complicated, which is why I'm calling it quits on drinking for a year.

A month in to my year without alcohol, I feel worlds away from the wretched creature who woke up to 2019 cracking open one bloodshot, puffy eye and cursing her appalling life choices. But it's taken hard work and reflection to get here, Flip Prior writes.

Two months in to my year of sobriety, it finally happened: a ferocious, all-encompassing craving for wine. But I tricked my craving brain into thinking its emotional trigger had been fulfilled, writes Flip Prior.

Just four months ago, the idea that I would wake up early on Saturdays to exercise was pretty laughable. But since giving up alcohol, I'm arming myself with tools to make regular workouts a habit, writes Flip Prior.

If you've had a crack at Dry July, you might be wondering if you can take this journey even further. Flip Prior has just reached six months, and has been learning to deal with the highs and lows longer alcohol breaks bring.

For some people, hearing that their friend, family member or colleague has cut back or stopped drinking alcohol can make them think about their own relationship with alcohol — and that can inspire a negative reaction.

Flip Prior has at times had a sense that some people think she's white-knuckled her way through this year, looking forward to the day she can pick up a shot glass and knock it back. It's not like that.

Parents are suddenly facing a whole new world of homeschooling and while it's daunting, there's plenty of advice out there to help make it work and keep kids engaged and learning.

Television doctor Brad McKay was alarmed to discover his own face and name endorsing Facebook ads for "keto" pills in Australia, and now he's warning buyers to beware of rapid weight loss products that sound too good to be true.