HeavyJ

Good morning,
My wife and kids are going to Wisconsin for the weekend. Grandparents are there, and my wife is going to Summerfest with her friends. I decided to stay home because all you do at Summerfest is drink as much beer as you can and listen to music.
Temptation is already rearing it's ugly head! I have my first booth at an art fair on Saturday (I'm a photographer). Other than that, I have the weekend free... I guess the thought of picking up a bottle of something has entered my head. (Wow, that sentence sounds pathetic!) Maybe I just needed to tell you guys about it. With your support, I'll fight the urge!!

Heavy

least

I was told to 'play the tape to the end' when I get a craving for "just a drink". So I remind myself of what always happens when I have "just one". And I take it one minute, one hour, one day at a time. That's the best I can do. But keep telling yourself how bad you will feel if you pick up. All the best to you in your struggle. You can do this.:ghug3

Aysha

This happened to me in March.
I screwed up bigtime. But I didnt plan.
I had the most time I have ever had. As soon as the family left the house. I was too.
Please make a plan.
Do whatever it is you have to ensure you dont pick up.
Not saying you will do what I did.
But just be very aware and take precautions.
Good Luck.
And good luck with your art booth.

Horselover

Heavy - You are doing so well. Just come here and post when you feel its necessary. Go for a walk. Go to the library. In other words, do something to take your mind off it. I love time to myself. What, besides drinking, do you enjoy doing without your family? You're a photographer and maybe there's some place you'd like to drive to get some really good shots of. Do you like twilight? I've heard that's the best time to take pictures. My husband fooled around with photography when he was in high school and some in college. He's pretty good.

I lived on the border of Illinois and Wisconsin for over 10 years and I never went to Summerfest, but I heard the crowds are killer. I ONCE went to the Taste in Chicago and the crowds WERE killer! I'm not a huge crowd lover obviously.

You can do it!

:ghug3

Tazman53

Good suggestions, I found that a gratitude list worked best for me. I wrote down everything I was grateful for due to being sober, besides prayer, going to meetings and calling other recovering alcoholics I always found it helpful to read that gratitude list when ever a drink started to seem like a good idea and ask myself, which do I prefer, the temporary satisfaction of a drink followed by the guilt and remorse or what I was grateful for.

My mother always said that one can attrack more flies with sugar then with vinager, what I get from sobriety is so much sweeter then the vinager I get from a drink.

maybetoday

Yeah, I am also terrified of this weekend, esp since my bf drinks and our entire apt seems like one big trigger. This is my first weekend up at bat. If i can make it over this hill, I will feel so great. But already my mind is thinking, I can have just ONE beer...argh!

Horselover

Hey Maybetoday - Can you have just ONE beer?? Stay strong girl - you can do it if its what you want. You have already made it past some and done the one day at a time. Maybe you can do the one minute by one minute if you have to and get back on here if you need to.

Anna

Heavy,

When you get through this weekend, you'll be stronger for it.

I used to drink alone and always thought of it when my husband way away. I think the only way to handle it is to get through it and empower yourself.

SoBearish

Hey Heavy!!

The weekends are my nemisis. So much time to fill with non drinking activities. Having that "yay it's the weekend I can drink all night and sleep it off with no alarm clocks" feeling.

I believe you can make it. You just have to endure the thoughts/cravings and they will pass.

wellgrrl

He he he...I'm from Milwaukee. Just remember how much those beers at Summerfest COST!!! That'll sober ya up. I feel your pain, but actually, in the past, I never drank much at Summerfest unless someone else was buying (too expensive!!!).

Fight the good fight. Don't get "a bottle" of something! You know where that leads.

Oh, also remember how rude and stupid people at Summerfest act when they're drunk (and how many cops are outside the venue just aching to arrest someone for driving drunk).

I've learned to enjoy music venues sober. Yeah, I get "the urge" now and again, but is one beer that leads to ??? worth it? Nope.

Jomey

You can do this Heavy, I know you can. I think Chiy gave you great advice...have a plan. Make a list of all the possible things you would love to do when you have free time...As a mom of three extremely active young boys, I have a list as long as your arm...blast music that the 12 year old would make fun of, go off roading in my pick up and get it totally covered in mud while playing said music (less of that now with gas prices, but still, hey, I can consider it a treat! LOL), sit down and read, fix a dinner that I love without worrying if the peas will be touching the gravy or some such nonsense, I could go on and on.

Just make that list - you don't have to do every or anything on it, but have it at the ready. And maybe make a list of people you can call on or visit (besides us here at SR) who will help you if staying active doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

I got total faith in you Heavy - your sobriety is rockin, you are doing the next right thing, and you are gonna do this right too.

Stay close, buddy. Jomey

bstt03

I know what you mean about the weekends and all. Especially since you will be alone. but think of it this way - how nice is it going to be to wake up Sat. or Sunday morning and not have a hangover and end up wasting the day laying in bed?

HeavyJ

Hey everyone THANK YOU! I purposley did not read this until today. I do feel a lot stronger, I will make my list before I go home today. You guys are GREAT! The temptation has been stronger than ever, however because of all of you I feel like I can keep busy through Sunday... I'll make you all a new little photo gallery of the pictures I take next week..
Thanks again everyone, I'm glad I found you

Heavy

Tazman53

Heavy take it a minute at a time and try and be sure you have a way out if it is needed.

CarolD

Well....in the end...

You have to want to stay sober
more than you want to drink

I sure hope you will.

Rusty Zipper

heavy, remember...

its all just temporary!

as miss chy mentioned...

have plan, a, b c, and all the way to z if needed...

RobbyRobot

your already a solid bro in the fellowship family here, heavy
and you'll just keep on truckin' through those challenges, so glad your here, and it's all good when we're clean n' sober.
:atv

HeavyJ

Hey everyone! I got to the point where I was really struggling with having a drink this weekend. I took your advice and kept busy with other things. I read all of these posts again, It was tough, the temptation was stronger than ever. But I made it! I wouldn't have made the right choice without everyone's support here!!

Thank you!!

Heavy

P.S. Sunday morning I felt great, and I was so happy I didn't do it..

CarolD

Excellent progress!

SoBearish

Well done Heavy !!!!