Thanks TU. Well, I know I have not been a normal drinker. I no longer want to drink the way I in which I have become accostomed.
I didn't know about the AV/Beast concept until a couple of days ago, thanks to this thread. I am recognizing it to be a very powerful tool that has stopped my drinking pattern in it's track. That pattern has been ingrained in my daily routine over many years. It is really amazing.
At this early stage in the game, I may just be so overconfident with how easy it has been to stop drinking, that I haven't developed the healthy respect for alcohol's ability to be destructive to me.
It's like I'm putting my hand in the grill with an oven mit on. Right now, everything is great. There's no heat, but if I leave it in there, at some point my hand is going to get burned. However, I'm afraid I'm too stubborn to realize that without feeling the heat get through the mit for myself.
In lieu of the Big Plan, I have a "Little Plan". It's to remain alcohol free for 30 days. If I fail, I will be able to recognize I need to load up the big gun and make the lifelong commitment. I understand this is not following the tenets of AVRT, and that I'm possibly bargaining with my AV. But, I also hold the belief that my daily drinking has been as much of a habit, as it was an actual addiction that I am not able to control.
TU, Thank you for the links you sent in pm. I did take the crash course, and will be back to review it routinely, especially at this early stage of sobriety.