The news has been bothering me even more. That was a real doozy this morning... Fear-mongering is the *worst*. So I'm still spending a lot of time at work to distract myself.
Thought I'd tell you about a coworker:
There are three of us teachers that share an office. One of them is Gym Teacher Guy-- marathon-running, football-coaching gym teacher. One day a few weeks ago, it was just me, GT and Student Teacher guy. GT was talking to ST about "when I was drinking", etc. etc.. So, being the Nosy Nelly I am, I ask "So'd ya drink a lot?" (real subtle, eh).
He tells me his story. It seems he grew up in a town in WI (our good neighbors to the east). He said everyone called the place "a drinking town with a football problem". Apparently, he drank often and a lot. He kept drinking after marriage and kids. One night he was playing Candyland with daughter. She asked him why he always had a beer with him. Wake-up call. He said his wife also gave him an ultimatum--
GT then mentioned outpatient and said that it got him on track for his now 2-year sobriety. He said his old friends are still drinking a lot. They have various festivals in town that he made a point to miss the first year. In his words, "I wasn't ready to listen to the 'What are you, a wuss?-s**t'.
So of course I told him that I had a problem too (and that I had stopped as well)
He and I are pretty good buddies now.
There are sober friends all over the place!