Iolo

For more than three months I've been setting dealines for myself. "This Friday, I'll go to that beginner's meeting." Then Friday would roll about and I'd say to myself "OK, I'll go to the one on Sunday." Etc., etc....

My normal routine is to start drinking beer at 7:00 PM, drink 14 to 16 and crash about 12:30. Then get up at 9:15, go to work, come home and repeat.

However, tomorrow morning I have to get up at 6:00 AM to catch a plane for a convention in Vegas. I've known this day was coming for months, and that I would not be able to drink this night. For some reason, I'm afraid enough of getting drunk and not getting eight hours of sleep that I'll suffer without alcohol for the night if I know that's going to be the case. (Of course, I make sure this doesn't happen very often at all.)

My original plan was to have several weeks of sobriety behind before the trip... then it became a week... a couple of days... and of course I drank right up until last night.

All day today, knowing I wouldn't be able to drink tonight, I kept telling myself "since you can't, just go to a freakin' meeting tonight!" followed by "you know you won't go."

While I was running errands for work this afternoon, I decided to drive by the meeting place of one of the groups I've been considering, just to see where it was. A strange thing happened on the way there: as I was within a mile of the place, I started flipping between radio stations and landed on one playing "I'm Your Captain" by Grand Funk Railroad. It was in the middle of the song, during the slow instrumental, and after a few seconds the singer starts repeating "I'm getting closer to my home..."

I thought, "how weird," drove by the meeting place, and then continued on with my work day.

I continued on with my inner debate as I got home from work, showered, packed for my trip... then sat down in front of my computer at about 7:15. I came here and read the latest posts, then double checked the address of another meeting place I'd had in mind here, closer to where I live.

Without allowing myself to think about what I was doing, I got in my car and went. I didn't let myself think about it until I was there, fifteen minutes early, and talking to a guy who had 19 months. By then, I was there, at my first AA meeting.

I'm very glad I went. You guys are right, there is a huge difference between reading posts here and talking to people in person (even though during the meeting I only listened). And five people gave me their phone numbers, without me even asking!

So now I'm off to look up meetings in Las Vegas; hopefully I'll be able to find one I can attend during my free time there tomorrow. I'm not terribly worried about abstaining while I'm there, because in past years when I've made this trip I wouldn't drink nearly as much as I would on a normal night, in my attempt to hide my problem from my boss and peers. But i figure if I do cave tomorrow night and have a couple of beers, I can always start fresh Thursday night when I get home... I guess this is what taking it 24 hours at a time is all about?

The Jay Walker

Iolo

Welcome to the SR boards, I'm glad your first meeting was such a good experience for you, A.A. has saved my life and given me a new laese on life,

here is the info for Las Vegas A.A.

http://www.lvcentraloffice.org/

Good to have you in the program, it works if you want it too.

My best to you.

Jay

Kat123

I have been afraid of going to meetings as well. I've had a tough time finding some that are near my work or home to go after work. I worry that if I go to one too late I will have already given into the urge to drink after work.

Jay, could you provide me with links to meetings near Burien, WA or Tukwila, WA or Shoreline, WA or North Seattle, WA?

Thanks, much appreciated

Jon

What great posts!

here are some links for Washington meetings. Remember that each and every group is independent-with its own quirks and procedures. if you're not comfortable with one, there are usually many more to try. The important thing is getting out of yourself for an hour and "hooking up" with others just like you...

http://www.seattleaa.org/

http://www.eastsideintergroup.org/

http://www.district4area92aa.org/

http://www.wadist42aa.org/meetings.htm

http://www.wadist42aa.org/meetings/halls.htm

Kat123

Thanks for the Links!

Peter

Hi Iolo,welcome to the forum.

I am so happy you had a good experience with your first meeting.My first meeting changed my life forever and I want to encourage you to keep going.

I have not had a drink in more than five years and I did it with the help of AA.

I hope you will keep in touch and let us know how things are working out.

Peter.