Thanks for all the comments on my Saturday morning poll. I agree with everything being said and sounds like the majority of us would prefer the Day 1 again approach. I can see both sides of the coin on this topic, but I do need to go back to the Day 1. But as Phoenix said, if that method works for someone, then that's a good method for them.
I had a really pleasant evening out for dinner with a gal that I recently met on a bus trip. We randomly sat next to each other and chatted during the trip and have gotten together one or two other times since then. She recently relocated back to this area. Tonight we were talking about how we dealt with the grief of suddenly losing our husbands and I decided to go somewhere I have never gone before. I said "I started drinking excessively and have been trying to stop for good for a long time." That is the first time I have EVER disclosed this to someone that I barely know. In fact, many of my friends don't know that I have a problem. Well, wouldn't ya know, she said "me, too, I was up to almost 2 bottles of wine a night and it affected my job and my whole life and then I finally went to AA and go to meetings. I never drink now."
Things really do happen for a reason. I have been leading a fairly lonely life for quite some time, not for lack of trying to make friends, but it just never seemed to gel with anyone, or I would invite people to do something and it was never reciprocated. So to randomly meet her like we did and hit it off enough to get together a few more times was nice, and then to realize we have more in common than being widowed and lonely and that something more is about getting and trying to stay sober is really remarkable. Anyway, she and I made plans to meet again in another week or so.
I think this new friendship will be very, very good for me and to have a friend who doesn't drink is even better. I certainly don't have to worry about being invited to wine dinners and things like that, nor feeling like I need to make excuses as to why I am NOT drinking.
Well, it's late and I am heading to bed. For the first time in a really long time, I feel like I have some hope and some light at the end of the tunnel.
Thank you all for being here this weekend.