Day 103, think I'm over a bump.
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
Day 103, think I'm over a bump.
I had to start my Community Service as part of a DUI last weekend. I was dreading it and resentful, slave labor and all. I went to a VFW (veterans of foreign wars) to work. I walked in to a large smoky dive bar full of old people playing dominoes. The bartender was young and beautiful. She could have been a model is she knew how to do her makeup and wasn't missing a tooth. County music playing but not too loud. In short I was in heaven, just the kind of place I love. Though about a bar stool and a cold beer but moved on quickly. The bartender told me to do dishes, she said it would take an hour and did not have to be done perfectly as the members were mostly guys. I spent 2.5 hours scrubbing pans and moping that kitchen. Under the stoves had been cleaned in some time. Not my line of work but it looked pretty good when I was done. The Bartender was impressed and well pleased. I asked if there were "any and beer bottles that needed emptying. " She laughed and said I'd earned a few. I declined. Told her "that's what got me in trouble in the first place."
My point: I went from resentful to enjoying myself. I put more effort into cleaning than I evidently had too. There are other opportunities to complete my community service I'm going to look into. I'll probably go back to the VFW a time or two. The only problem with it is the bar, the people and now I can get free beer. Not that I need a beer but just when I quit drinking...story of my life.
My point: I went from resentful to enjoying myself. I put more effort into cleaning than I evidently had too. There are other opportunities to complete my community service I'm going to look into. I'll probably go back to the VFW a time or two. The only problem with it is the bar, the people and now I can get free beer. Not that I need a beer but just when I quit drinking...story of my life.
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Join Date: Sep 2010
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Not sure how the VFW qualifies for "community service" work, but I think its ludicrous to have someone who's working off a DUI do it in a bar.
Lot of potential risks in the VFW...I'd request to do my service elsewhere.
Lot of potential risks in the VFW...I'd request to do my service elsewhere.
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 7,912
Glad you're looking on the bright side, but I'm with doggonecarl. I'd request a change in community service venues immediately. Cleaning up a bar is not community service and is not appropriate for someone on probation.
But good on you for getting through it and maintaining your sobriety. 103 days is amazing.
But good on you for getting through it and maintaining your sobriety. 103 days is amazing.
Behold the power of NO
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: WA
Posts: 7,764
You did excellent and congratulations on 103 days. I think it is awesome too that instead of having a major resentment and doing the bare minimum you decided instead to go above board and give it your best. Right there it shows some recovery and a good spirit 
On another hand, I agree with the others, I don't think a bar is the best place to have you do community service. I am not sure how it works but maybe request politely to finish doing it at a food bank or another place like that where you ll get to help others but not be around so much booze.
On another hand, I agree with the others, I don't think a bar is the best place to have you do community service. I am not sure how it works but maybe request politely to finish doing it at a food bank or another place like that where you ll get to help others but not be around so much booze.
You can have reasons, or you can have results, but you can't have both.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Syracuse, NY
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If and only if you feel at risk in that environment, request another. Personally, I don't believe everyone needs to spend the remainder of their days afraid of being around alcohol. I'm sure it differs person to person. Do you feel okay there? Protect yourself, first and foremost, of course.
Isn't it great how, now that we're sober, we can exercise conscious control over our attitudes? Like, we can say, "This poor attitude isn't serving me. Time to replace it." And buddabing, it's done. Tony Robbins calls this "putting yourself in a different state."
Being sober is like having a supercharged brain!
Isn't it great how, now that we're sober, we can exercise conscious control over our attitudes? Like, we can say, "This poor attitude isn't serving me. Time to replace it." And buddabing, it's done. Tony Robbins calls this "putting yourself in a different state."
Being sober is like having a supercharged brain!
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
doggonecarl- I agree you and everyone else. I told the Bartender I had a DUI when I walked in the place. She offered me a free beer when I was leaving. Ludicrous? Insane is more like it but it's Texas and we do love our vets.
They were playing David Allen Coe "it that ain't country." Should give you the ambiance of the place. Nice folks but I agree. 80 hours working there might be too much. Habit for Humanity called me back and then there's the Crime Watch. Both sound interesting. I am by definition a criminal so Crime Watch? That's kinda crazy also.
I was down a few days ago but seemed to have rebounded nicely. Today a recruiter called. She was impressed with my resume. We spoke for around an hour. Very rare to find an Environmental Consultant with experience in a combat area. I didn't like the job she called about but she said she would push my resume to London for expat opportunities. Unfortunately I can't leave the USA until my probation is over but it was nice to be noticed.
BTW- thanks Dee, sage observation about resentment.
They were playing David Allen Coe "it that ain't country." Should give you the ambiance of the place. Nice folks but I agree. 80 hours working there might be too much. Habit for Humanity called me back and then there's the Crime Watch. Both sound interesting. I am by definition a criminal so Crime Watch? That's kinda crazy also.
I was down a few days ago but seemed to have rebounded nicely. Today a recruiter called. She was impressed with my resume. We spoke for around an hour. Very rare to find an Environmental Consultant with experience in a combat area. I didn't like the job she called about but she said she would push my resume to London for expat opportunities. Unfortunately I can't leave the USA until my probation is over but it was nice to be noticed.
BTW- thanks Dee, sage observation about resentment.
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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Originally Posted by SoberinSyracuse 
If and only if you feel at risk in that environment, request another. Personally, I don't believe everyone needs to spend the remainder of their days afraid of being around alcohol. I'm sure it differs person to person. Do you feel okay there? Protect yourself, first and foremost, of course.
But being told by the court to do 80 hours of community service in a bar as punishment for a DWI is a way different story. It's just not appropriate and should never have happened in the first place. In my opinion, of course.
You can have reasons, or you can have results, but you can't have both.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 1,232
Originally Posted by CaseyW
But being told by the court to do 80 hours of community service in a bar as punishment for a DWI is a way different story. It's just not appropriate and should never have happened in the first place. In my opinion, of course.
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