Vegas......
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: South
Posts: 226
Vegas......
Spent the night in Vegas for a work conference. Interesting place sober... Have been here many times in the past. I'm not an avid gambler, nor am I big into the club or party scene. That said, I have gambled, I have partied and lord knows I drank. This go around, was obviously different. I didn't drink. Here are some interesting findings:
1. I didn't gamble one dollar. Neither before dinner, after work-event, or during the late night walk of shame. My inner conscience just couldn't stomach losing the money with no benefit of say free liquor at the table. I even encouraged my group to get back out on the casino floor assuming I'd gamble about $100. I couldn't do it! I suppose I proved conclusively that the "free" liquor in my case was the governor release to be able to lose money - sly casinos
2. I landed at 2PM, with work functions starting at 6PM. Rather than priming the body to be in party / mingling condition with a few grey goose and cranberries, I went out for a six mile run on the strip. Although interesting - not my highlight. I discovered the spa at the four seasons. I used the locker room to change, because my room wasn't ready for check-in. The highlight was the patience and enjoyment I got cleaning up after my run. I had no place to be, no drink to pour. It took me 45mins to cleanup - time I never was willing to steal from drinking. There really is something quite enthralling about high pressure shower heads ----who knew.
3. I had appetizer dinner at the work function, but a group of people wanted to have dinner after. If I had been drinking, my "appetite" would have been slightly unchecked - that is I probably would have had two dinners. Not this time, I just had a yellowtail sashimi appetizer and stopped at that. Needless to say, I didn't wake up bloated or filled with dietary regret this morning.
4. After leaving the floor at midnight local time, 2am my time, I had no trouble sleeping or waking up this morning at 5am local time for my flight. No hangover, no headache, no morning malaise. Imagine being able to book the first flight out from Vegas every time knowing waking up won't be clouded by a drunken fog!
5. Last realization - all I could think about was bringing my family to see the sites (eg the Luxor), catching a show and enjoying a nice family dinner. Wife and two kids only! For the first time in my life the Sins of sin City evaporated in my head.
Three years sober for me come this Thanksgiving, and I feel reborn.
1. I didn't gamble one dollar. Neither before dinner, after work-event, or during the late night walk of shame. My inner conscience just couldn't stomach losing the money with no benefit of say free liquor at the table. I even encouraged my group to get back out on the casino floor assuming I'd gamble about $100. I couldn't do it! I suppose I proved conclusively that the "free" liquor in my case was the governor release to be able to lose money - sly casinos
2. I landed at 2PM, with work functions starting at 6PM. Rather than priming the body to be in party / mingling condition with a few grey goose and cranberries, I went out for a six mile run on the strip. Although interesting - not my highlight. I discovered the spa at the four seasons. I used the locker room to change, because my room wasn't ready for check-in. The highlight was the patience and enjoyment I got cleaning up after my run. I had no place to be, no drink to pour. It took me 45mins to cleanup - time I never was willing to steal from drinking. There really is something quite enthralling about high pressure shower heads ----who knew.
3. I had appetizer dinner at the work function, but a group of people wanted to have dinner after. If I had been drinking, my "appetite" would have been slightly unchecked - that is I probably would have had two dinners. Not this time, I just had a yellowtail sashimi appetizer and stopped at that. Needless to say, I didn't wake up bloated or filled with dietary regret this morning.
4. After leaving the floor at midnight local time, 2am my time, I had no trouble sleeping or waking up this morning at 5am local time for my flight. No hangover, no headache, no morning malaise. Imagine being able to book the first flight out from Vegas every time knowing waking up won't be clouded by a drunken fog!
5. Last realization - all I could think about was bringing my family to see the sites (eg the Luxor), catching a show and enjoying a nice family dinner. Wife and two kids only! For the first time in my life the Sins of sin City evaporated in my head.
Three years sober for me come this Thanksgiving, and I feel reborn.
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
way to go!!
I have spent two stints of 10 days each at work conferences with booze-fueled shenanigans all around me in the past three years.... sober.
It was a real eye opener both times and also informed me deeply that I am fully capable of being in the most nefarious and temptation-riddled of surroundings and still maintain my sobriety - WHEN I AM ACTIVELY WORKING ON MY SOBRIETY.
well done.
Thanks for sharing.
I have spent two stints of 10 days each at work conferences with booze-fueled shenanigans all around me in the past three years.... sober.
It was a real eye opener both times and also informed me deeply that I am fully capable of being in the most nefarious and temptation-riddled of surroundings and still maintain my sobriety - WHEN I AM ACTIVELY WORKING ON MY SOBRIETY.
well done.
Thanks for sharing.
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 334
Great stuff Tx. 
When I was drinking I was always felt jealous of people who would do things like going on a six mile run instead of holing up in my hotel room and getting buzzed. Or, on a Saturday night, going for a bike ride or reading a book, and then going to bed sober. I saw people who did that and I wanted to be like that too, so badly, but I just wasn't able consume alcohol in any amount and be "normal" at the same time.
Now that I've quit, I get so much satisfaction out of the fact that I can live like a "normal" person, and the desire to live that lifestyle is a big part of what keeps me from drinking.
When I was drinking I was always felt jealous of people who would do things like going on a six mile run instead of holing up in my hotel room and getting buzzed. Or, on a Saturday night, going for a bike ride or reading a book, and then going to bed sober. I saw people who did that and I wanted to be like that too, so badly, but I just wasn't able consume alcohol in any amount and be "normal" at the same time.
Now that I've quit, I get so much satisfaction out of the fact that I can live like a "normal" person, and the desire to live that lifestyle is a big part of what keeps me from drinking.
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: South
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by HenryKrinkle 
Great stuff Tx.
When I was drinking I was always felt jealous of people who would do things like going on a six mile run instead of holing up in my hotel room and getting buzzed. Or, on a Saturday night, going for a bike ride or reading a book, and then going to bed sober. I saw people who did that and I wanted to be like that too, so badly, but I just wasn't able consume alcohol in any amount and be "normal" at the same time.
Now that I've quit, I get so much satisfaction out of the fact that I can live like a "normal" person, and the desire to live that lifestyle is a big part of what keeps me from drinking.
When I was drinking I was always felt jealous of people who would do things like going on a six mile run instead of holing up in my hotel room and getting buzzed. Or, on a Saturday night, going for a bike ride or reading a book, and then going to bed sober. I saw people who did that and I wanted to be like that too, so badly, but I just wasn't able consume alcohol in any amount and be "normal" at the same time.
Now that I've quit, I get so much satisfaction out of the fact that I can live like a "normal" person, and the desire to live that lifestyle is a big part of what keeps me from drinking.
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Ontario
Posts: 371
Thanks for the post. Great story and validation that us newbies are on the right path.
I literally passed out on the casino floor in Vegas once. 18 hours of drinking, smoking, gambling without eating had me being wheeled in a wheelchair to my room. Brutal.
Your Story is one I look forward to one day. :-)
I literally passed out on the casino floor in Vegas once. 18 hours of drinking, smoking, gambling without eating had me being wheeled in a wheelchair to my room. Brutal.
Your Story is one I look forward to one day. :-)
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 985
DTx - thanks for this post!
I'm at a work conference this week (though not in Vegas), and it involves lots of fancy, booze oriented receptions & dinners & I'm finding that I could care less!
I saw people get sloppy last night & was happy not to be one of them, I'm making great connections, focusing on the excellent food, enjoying my uber-comfy bed, just took a long walk, got a massage in the hotel spa yesterday - all in all an enjoyable, work connective & rejuvenating vacation. One of my favorite conferences ever.
It's not that I'm surviving it sober, it's that I'm enjoying it MORE sober!
Congrats on your three years & your re-framing of the Vegas experience...
I'm at a work conference this week (though not in Vegas), and it involves lots of fancy, booze oriented receptions & dinners & I'm finding that I could care less!
I saw people get sloppy last night & was happy not to be one of them, I'm making great connections, focusing on the excellent food, enjoying my uber-comfy bed, just took a long walk, got a massage in the hotel spa yesterday - all in all an enjoyable, work connective & rejuvenating vacation. One of my favorite conferences ever.
It's not that I'm surviving it sober, it's that I'm enjoying it MORE sober!
Congrats on your three years & your re-framing of the Vegas experience...
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 169
Great post Tx, thank you !! Am only 20 days here and am sort of nervous about staying sober in my career activites where I am in int'l business development/sales. Been with clients all week, and so far so good., but will be VERY happy to drop them off tomorrow and get back home. Reading your observations was a great reminder of how these business activites can indeed be done - SOBER !!! Congrats on the 3 years - fantastic !!! Peace-out, MJM
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