Alcoholic "jokes"
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: VALLEY CENTER, KS
Posts: 196
Originally Posted by Don S
A professor of chemistry wanted to teach his 5th grade class a lesson about the evils of liquor, so he produced an experiment that involved a glass of water, a glass of whiskey, and two worms.
"Now, class. Observe the worms closely," said the professor putting a worm first into the water.
The worm in the water writhed about, happy as a worm in water could be.
The second worm, he put into the whiskey. It writhed painfully, and it quickly sank to the bottom, dead as a doornail.
"Now, what lesson can we derive from this experiment?" the professor asked.
Little Johnny raised his hand and wisely responded:
"Drink whiskey and you won't get worms!"
Ok, I promise I won't do any more. Here's a web site if you want to have some fun:
http://nickscape.net/recoveryzone/recovery4.htm
I understand this can be a serious issue, jmhs.
Don
"Now, class. Observe the worms closely," said the professor putting a worm first into the water.
The worm in the water writhed about, happy as a worm in water could be.
The second worm, he put into the whiskey. It writhed painfully, and it quickly sank to the bottom, dead as a doornail.
"Now, what lesson can we derive from this experiment?" the professor asked.
Little Johnny raised his hand and wisely responded:
"Drink whiskey and you won't get worms!"
Ok, I promise I won't do any more. Here's a web site if you want to have some fun:
http://nickscape.net/recoveryzone/recovery4.htm
I understand this can be a serious issue, jmhs.
Don
Second if you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at.
Third when you rip on yourself and your own problems people tend to weird out and leave you the hell alone about it.
Did any one here about the drunk jew, drunk black and drunk white guy taking a **** off the empire state building?
The black took the jews wallet pushed him off
the white lit a lower case t on fire (think about that a minute) and scared the black guy off.
then the white guy drunk off of whiskey lost his pants tripped and passed out on the way down.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pickering Ontario
Posts: 69
I used to do that, just to see other people's reaction, and I wanted to see if people went on to say "alcoholic's are pathetic" or any other insults because I guess I half was crying for help, and half cared to much of what others thought. I wanted to hide my alcoholism behind making a big production out of not being one... weird huh? If he's doing it that often, it sounds like there's a reason behind it. Nobody is really that facinated/obsessed with alcoholism unless they are one, I find anyway.
In Paradise!
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Pair-O-Dice, CA
Posts: 432
This is a good exercise - There will always be "people" like your co-worker so I would just try different things that help you deal with it. Its life on lifes terms.
Most people dont understand whats it like, but only you know what your past is about completely. So not to make lite of it but understand why this makes you uneasy.
Remember uneasy is what drinking and druging did, it should not be part of recovery. Something good to learn in everything. For some reason you have given this issue some merit beyond the joke itself and made it personal. Talk to your sponsor, find out why. It will happen again and in different ways.
If I hear and joke and its funny, I laugh!!
Why wouldnt I?
I love drunk jokes, they are hillarious! I am just thankful there not about me anymore.
Happy, joyous and FREE!!
~GB
Most people dont understand whats it like, but only you know what your past is about completely. So not to make lite of it but understand why this makes you uneasy.
Remember uneasy is what drinking and druging did, it should not be part of recovery. Something good to learn in everything. For some reason you have given this issue some merit beyond the joke itself and made it personal. Talk to your sponsor, find out why. It will happen again and in different ways.
If I hear and joke and its funny, I laugh!!
Why wouldnt I?
I love drunk jokes, they are hillarious! I am just thankful there not about me anymore.
Happy, joyous and FREE!!
~GB
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,579
Originally Posted by Don S
Darn. I clicked on this thread thinking I was going to read some great jokes about alcoholism.
I don't know, in our family we joke about everything. When my mom got throat cancer we joked about it all the way through the surgery, chemo, and radiation. She loved it. We joked about whether she was going to start smoking again. She didn't. We joked about the fact that my father still smoked after all that--if you can't find that funny, you're just going to stress yourself out.
When I was in high school, I remember a teacher asking me in great exasperation, 'Don, do you find everything funny?!' My reply: 'well, it beats the alternative!'
Develop some good oneliners, and turn the conversation towards something else. Or just smile and remember the old saying: a smile is the next best thing to baring your teeth.
Don S
I don't know, in our family we joke about everything. When my mom got throat cancer we joked about it all the way through the surgery, chemo, and radiation. She loved it. We joked about whether she was going to start smoking again. She didn't. We joked about the fact that my father still smoked after all that--if you can't find that funny, you're just going to stress yourself out.
When I was in high school, I remember a teacher asking me in great exasperation, 'Don, do you find everything funny?!' My reply: 'well, it beats the alternative!'
Develop some good oneliners, and turn the conversation towards something else. Or just smile and remember the old saying: a smile is the next best thing to baring your teeth.
Don S
Good point; guess the point is if someone is laughing with you or at you.......I guess I was assuming (possibly incorrectly, my error in assuming!) that this co-worker was aware of his ongoing battle with alcoholism . Even so; we don't have to go to every fight we are invited to. Annoying; could walk away or if it persisted directly say, sorry, I'm really not interested......
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Minneapolis MN
Posts: 404
Originally Posted by Greenbug
This is a good exercise - There will always be "people" like your co-worker so I would just try different things that help you deal with it. Its life on lifes terms.
Most people dont understand whats it like, but only you know what your past is about completely. So not to make lite of it but understand why this makes you uneasy.
Remember uneasy is what drinking and druging did, it should not be part of recovery. Something good to learn in everything. For some reason you have given this issue some merit beyond the joke itself and made it personal. Talk to your sponsor, find out why. It will happen again and in different ways.
If I hear and joke and its funny, I laugh!!
Why wouldnt I?
I love drunk jokes, they are hillarious! I am just thankful there not about me anymore.
Happy, joyous and FREE!!
~GB
Most people dont understand whats it like, but only you know what your past is about completely. So not to make lite of it but understand why this makes you uneasy.
Remember uneasy is what drinking and druging did, it should not be part of recovery. Something good to learn in everything. For some reason you have given this issue some merit beyond the joke itself and made it personal. Talk to your sponsor, find out why. It will happen again and in different ways.
If I hear and joke and its funny, I laugh!!
Why wouldnt I?
I love drunk jokes, they are hillarious! I am just thankful there not about me anymore.
Happy, joyous and FREE!!
~GB
I think some people did not understand the point that I was trying to make. I am certainly not offended by jokes about drinkers or alcoholics, but I did not say he was telling jokes. He is making a judgement on how "bad" it is that someone is alcoholic and needs to go to AA. (as in "he is not a ******* alcoholic - ha ha ha, you better hurry or you'll be late to your AA meeting, ha ha ha" ) Still funny?? Not to me. If you think that I took it personally, you're right - he was talking about me!
I will have to choose my title line more closely next time.
JMHS
Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 12,136
I have been working straight days as opposed to my regular 'shift work' since coming out of rehab 2 yrs ago. Soon after my return to work, a coworker got in my face and said in front of everybody, 'hey, what do I have to do to get such a cushy job?' and I replied, just as loud, 'it's easy! develop a drinking problem, have a nervous breakdown, enter rehab, and voila!' Silence. He sat back down and didn't say another word. I say deal with this guy head-on. That's just my opinion. Besides, I like taking jabs at myself; keeps other people from taking a shot.
A girl I work with has recently gained a lot of weight. A co worker went up to her yesterday and said, 'how come your sister is so skinny, and you're so fat?'. My friend was very upset and hurt. I quietly spoke with the 'offender' later on, and asked her 'what were you thinking to say that? you really hurt her.' She said she was just making a joke. I told her to put herself in the other girl's shoes, and how would it make HER feel. She got the point and apologized.
A girl I work with has recently gained a lot of weight. A co worker went up to her yesterday and said, 'how come your sister is so skinny, and you're so fat?'. My friend was very upset and hurt. I quietly spoke with the 'offender' later on, and asked her 'what were you thinking to say that? you really hurt her.' She said she was just making a joke. I told her to put herself in the other girl's shoes, and how would it make HER feel. She got the point and apologized.
Paused
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington
Posts: 5,093
Some people just don't think before they open their mouthes and have no idea what funny is.
You should have replied: Maybe you should consider joining me.
I hear alcoholic references at work all the time. I'm not offended. I'm just grateful that this alcoholic is sober. The alternative sucks.
He is making a judgement on how "bad" it is that someone is alcoholic and needs to go to AA. (as in "he is not a ******* alcoholic - ha ha ha, you better hurry or you'll be late to your AA meeting, ha ha ha" ) Still funny?? Not to me. If you think that I took it personally, you're right - he was talking about me!
I hear alcoholic references at work all the time. I'm not offended. I'm just grateful that this alcoholic is sober. The alternative sucks.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: some where / no where
Posts: 1,019
Tonight I joked with someone at work about being a "choc-o-holic" and how one double chocholate cookie "isn't enough for me...I want MORE!!!". It was funny because it was someone who knows I quit drinking. I'm this particular fellow's boss, and I don't think he'd cross the line with me. He's shown a mild interest in finding out why I quit drinking, however. I told him that I just don't like it anymore. He has shared with me, on occasion, stories about alchoholism in his family. I know he is a big party guy as well.
I wouldn't be surprised if this fellow has taken a look at his own habits, just from speaking with me. I sure wouldn't share with an employee....the true scope and nature of my disease. However, I will listen if he ever wants to talk more. I guess if he admitted he was an alchoholic, I'd admit the same to him, and encourage him to get into AA. On the other hand, he may want to get some dirt on me to gossip with the other employees about.... I tell myself "who cares. I don't hear these things. I can just pretend people don't gossip at all. I'm sure they would always find something to talk about....at least it's not my drunken escapades"
Sorry if I just kidnapped the thread here....I needed to get that off my chest. I guess it does follow the theme of workplace joking/gossip/paranoia.
chip
I wouldn't be surprised if this fellow has taken a look at his own habits, just from speaking with me. I sure wouldn't share with an employee....the true scope and nature of my disease. However, I will listen if he ever wants to talk more. I guess if he admitted he was an alchoholic, I'd admit the same to him, and encourage him to get into AA. On the other hand, he may want to get some dirt on me to gossip with the other employees about.... I tell myself "who cares. I don't hear these things. I can just pretend people don't gossip at all. I'm sure they would always find something to talk about....at least it's not my drunken escapades"
Sorry if I just kidnapped the thread here....I needed to get that off my chest. I guess it does follow the theme of workplace joking/gossip/paranoia.
chip
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: VALLEY CENTER, KS
Posts: 196
Doesn't sound like joking to me if he is putting it that way. Sounds like a very Thick headed fellow.
Maybe you should Warn him that things are starting to get VERY uncomfortable between you and him and you should keep your Friendship on a business level. Do this in an email and BCC to a boss to show you are having a problem. I guarantee he will stop and probably appologize to you. I had an instance where right after I quit drinking and started to work towards losing weight this guy here at work thought it would be funny to act like he was going to titty twist me. I warned him if he touched me he would get hurt, bad adea. Well, he continued and right infront of my boss. I was completely humiliated and I asked him to stop. finally I walked away. I sent this email:
""Please don't disrespect me with those type actions again. Not even faking
it, it is humiliating and my discomfort should have been able to be seen. I am
tired of your angering me with disrespect. This may come down to my attitude
in some instances, but no other person treats me like that and neither will
you. At this point we should probably keep our work time business because I
probably also do bother you with my religious views. With these steps I
think everything can be fine.
Feel free to call me when you need a print or engineering information I
might know. I might try to tell you where to find a print, like anyone else
I am more than happy to help you out.""
I was given an immediate apology. And he was more willing to treat all aspects of my job and position in life with more respect. This guy is known as the office Jackass.
I was having a very hard time during this time. I had realized my drinking problem comming off a 5 month drinking bing. I had gained 50 lbs in those months. I was already embarassed to walk in my own skin.
Maybe you should Warn him that things are starting to get VERY uncomfortable between you and him and you should keep your Friendship on a business level. Do this in an email and BCC to a boss to show you are having a problem. I guarantee he will stop and probably appologize to you. I had an instance where right after I quit drinking and started to work towards losing weight this guy here at work thought it would be funny to act like he was going to titty twist me. I warned him if he touched me he would get hurt, bad adea. Well, he continued and right infront of my boss. I was completely humiliated and I asked him to stop. finally I walked away. I sent this email:
""Please don't disrespect me with those type actions again. Not even faking
it, it is humiliating and my discomfort should have been able to be seen. I am
tired of your angering me with disrespect. This may come down to my attitude
in some instances, but no other person treats me like that and neither will
you. At this point we should probably keep our work time business because I
probably also do bother you with my religious views. With these steps I
think everything can be fine.
Feel free to call me when you need a print or engineering information I
might know. I might try to tell you where to find a print, like anyone else
I am more than happy to help you out.""
I was given an immediate apology. And he was more willing to treat all aspects of my job and position in life with more respect. This guy is known as the office Jackass.
I was having a very hard time during this time. I had realized my drinking problem comming off a 5 month drinking bing. I had gained 50 lbs in those months. I was already embarassed to walk in my own skin.
body ~ mind ~ spirit
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Geelong, Australia
Posts: 582
Originally Posted by 2dayzmuse
Some people just don't think before they open their mouths and have no idea what funny is.
ignore this guy, don't give him any satisfaction, I really like the idea of walking away (mid sentence), good way to quietly stand up for yourself and make a point.
lol
Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: living in recovery
Posts: 75
I'm afraid I wasn't too charitable at all when someone at my workplace made alky comments in my first few months of sobriety. He was banging on about a polititian here who was a sober alcoholic...calling him a deadbeat drunk. I said that he was not a practising alcholic but that didn't stop this fool from making comments.
Eventually I got fed up with it and told him that I would respect and trust a sober alcoholic before I would respect a practising fool.
It was an unkind statement from me but damn, it was true.
Eventually I got fed up with it and told him that I would respect and trust a sober alcoholic before I would respect a practising fool.
It was an unkind statement from me but damn, it was true.
Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Leaving Sparta
Posts: 2,912
Learn to laugh it off and walk away jmhs. He is trying to have a few laughs at someone elses expense. I have laughed a thousand times at ethnic jokes in bars and some of them were pretty insensitive.
You will find a lot greater things than the office clown to challenge you later in your sobriety.
You will find a lot greater things than the office clown to challenge you later in your sobriety.
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