LizG

... great concept. I've had no trouble making long term investments in healthy eating (lots of home cooked meals; rarely eat out) and fitness (actually not enough hours in the day to do the activities I enjoy), so why not sobriety?! As I get closer to 90 days, I feel increasingly confident that not drinking is simply a state of being, rather than an accomplishment measured by ticking off days on the calendar. I certainly didn't feel that way at the beginning. In fact, a couple of weeks ago I couldn't relate at all to Bounce's concern that sobriety should be defined by deeper things than day counting ...

I think this is one of the advantages of pulling up the rear in the January group; this post wouldn't have resonated at all a few weeks ago. The sphere of what it means to be sober is widening with every day ...

sober1ck

Liz, that's inspiring to hear you describe a transformation from sobriety = time (not) served to sobriety = a path. I feel my feet faltering, and I get thirsty. But I just want to take a few seconds and say that not long ago, I was noticing just being a little sharper, and that my memory is more randomly accessible since I sobered up a few months ago. I don't want to lose that. But that doesn't keep me from being thirsty for alcohol sometimes.

Reeny

Another weekend and I'm no longer fearful about how I'll get through 2 days off work without drinking. Like you, rick, I still get thirsty for it but it's not constantly on my mind any more.

Have a great weekend everyone!

woodhead

Going to see my new grandboy this weekend. Seven hour drive, but will be well worth it. Ther are many joys in this life that don't contain alcohol.

Have a great weekend.
Best,
W

Gilmer

Just had an odd feeling. I have to go get something scanned at the UPS Store for school. The UPS store is right next to my old liquor store. It'll be just that time of morning when I used to stop in and get my day's supply. (This is the liquor store with "Ol' Fish Eyes"). I won't stop in. Today would be bad--I've got a mountain of work to do, plus my husband is working from home today. Built in safeguards--thank God I can't drink. But I am rather tempted. Usually I'm not. Every once in awhile I get a pang. But that's it--it's just a pang. When I sit and analyze the actual drunkenness, it's not worth it.

dorothyparker

Good morning Gilmer. It's good to have these safeguard. I don't know about you but is there something about spring that brings out the urge to have a bottle of wine on a terrace. But when I think of all the days of sobriety traveled, it's just not worth it. Have a great sober day catching up on that mountain of work !

DP

Carlotta

Good morning class,

Whoa Liz, I could have written that post myself. This is exactly how I feel and like you I am at the rear of the January group.
I actually had gotten an android app called the "sobriety counter" which tells me how many months, days, hours, minutes and seconds I have sober. Wednesday at the Emotional Sobriety meeting, when people where announcing their proud time, a new person actually announced it that way. I knew then that he had the same app. It was kind of sweet because I am not hunting minutes anymore.
I am still signing up for a day at a time though. With my big plan I know I am done and quit for good but mentally especially when I go through a rough spot, it's easier for me to divide it in smaller 24 hours increments. AA and AVRT purists would probably have a heart attack and excommunicate me but combining the two has worked wonders for me so far.
Well it's day 90 for me. Maybe I should feel like a major accomplishment but it actually just feel like another step on my path to mental and spiritual well being and another day in my new life. I am still going to be very careful because from being in the rooms I know that many people mess up around 90 for some reason.
Anyway, I have to keep sober so I can receive my coin and a hug on the last Sunday of the month by a "man named Bobby" (it's not as creepy as it sounds, just the way we announce the birthday meeting, we are a weird bunch at my home group LOL) and eat the delicious anniversary banana cake.
Wishing everyone a good and sober week end.

Gilmer

Congratulations on 90, Carlotta. Even though in terms of sobriety stability it didn't seem as hard-fought as 30 to me, I was still pretty pleased to make it to 90. I'm not counting days anymore, but I do plan to make a note of my monthly anniversaries (the 11th). After a year I'll stop counting months. Maybe by the time I have six years, I'll be like Dee and forget my anniversary altogether! :-)

Although it's fun to celebrate anniversaries if you have a party and a banana cake!

Siesta

Carlotta, 90 days is awesome and if combining different support groups has gotten you this far, then keep it up!

Siesta

Gilmer, mmmm banana cake!

Great job thinking things through this morning with your trip to ups. It sounds like you set yourself up for success.

Greensleeves

(((Lunetta))) I am so sorry for your loss. You are in my heart and my prayers. I don't claim to know much about the way God works, but I do know this from experience: God is near to the brokenhearted and he saves the crushed in spirit.

Prayers for peace and healing.

Gilmer

Well, it's about seven hours from when I posted this morning. I ended up not going out to the UPS store--I worked out another solution to the scanning problem. I stopped procrastinating and worked away at this really difficult paper that was due. Now it's coming up on dinnertime and I have absolutely NONE of the alcohol pang that I had this morning. It's as though i never drank. No desire for alcohol at all.

The point of that is that when you feel tempted, just resist. Don't pick up. Within a little while the feeling will be totally gone. Maybe it'll come again at some point, but I'll just take a deep breath and resist again--and soon the feeling will go away "as far as the east is from the west."

LindseyMarie

Hello everyone!

I am just stopping in to say hello and see what the community is up to and say hello to the new comers.

Things are going great with me, I am coming on 5 months soon and am in a happy place.

I hope everyone has a good & peaceful weekend

Like2Hike

Good for you, Wood. I bet you are one awesome Grandfather.

Great post, Liz. I especially relate to your comment that sober now feels more like a way of living instead of a daily fight. I continue to experience very positive changes especially in regards to sleep. I've never been able to fall asleep so quickly and rest so soundly. That alone makes for better days.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Babs1234

I hope everyone has a safe and sober week-end. Stay strong.

Dorris

Congratulations Carlotta reaching 90 days

Congratulations wood on your new grandson

xxx

Dorris

Lunetta I am so very sorry for you, my thoughts are with you and your husband.

God is not punishing you, he is with you and your baby angel, and together they will help you through this very difficult time.

I'm sending you lots of love

xxx

woodhead

Thanks Dorris. I just held him for the first time. I'm a proud papaw.
Best,
W

Gilmer

That's great!

Gilmer

Good-bye, Januarians! My husband is blocking the website because I've become too obsessive. I've really enjoyed hanging around online with you guys. I hope you all do well, and I thank you very much for contributing to my happiness and sobriety. Take care and stay sober!