AtlasMcGee

Happy Belated Margareth!!

Calipoppy---prayers are with you, the wait is terrible! Proud of you for you're halt moment...I had one today too, but under less circumstances! You're awesome for keeping your cool like that.

Spud--20 days!!! That's awesome!

Dean--what we lose comes back bigger & better through this recovery process?? We can hope!! Here's to self betterment

Norther--agreed, I'd be lost without meetings these days.

sneaky sneaky demon we deal with totally ripped into me on the way home after meeting #2 tonight. Had me squalling. I felt really pissed off--mainly for succumbing to the fact that I am an alcoholic & I can't do a darn thing about that, except reach out for help & take it odaat style.

Hearts are out to all you insomniacs, it sucks I know.I've been so fatigued lately. I feel like all I want to do is sleep, but the opposite is reality. Reading does help me though & it also seems that the times I could really get good sleep, it's out of the question--like on my 30min break at work--no rims can be hit in 30mins...I need a settish schedule.

Hope you all have a great night

RGO

Hello all!

This is day 13. As many of you, I've been having problems falling asleep and stay asleep. I had a weird dream (or nightmare) last night. I was in a bar and I wanted to drink so bad... nobody was talking to me because I was not drinking.... so I was feeling lonely and frustrated. I woke up around 5am a little depressed... but sober!

A long walk and a breakfast sandwich later... and I was fine again!

So far I can control my cravings when I'm awake... but I never thought I was going to have cravings in my dreams.... I cannot control that... weird. :-\

Ciao!

artsoul

Good Morning/Evening/Afternoon to everybody!

I was reading some old posts in the Newcomers section last night. It helps remind me of how I was when I first posted here and how much I want/need sobriety. Sometimes a sentence will pop out at me and give me that extra boost that I need. I wrote down a few of them and figured I'd share them with you this morning:


…..so when I am tempted to drink, I remind myself that I like freedom a lot more than that cage that I put myself in.

Recovery is a process – it takes time.

You don’t need to be drunk to be happy.

Give sobriety a chance – it can’t hurt…..

Only you can change it and make it better

It’s far scarier to keep drinking

It’s time I took back my life

Some people don’t get a second chance

If this isn’t the bottom, I really don’t want to see it

Carry on, Mayflowers!!!!!! :ghug3:ghug3:ghug3

californiapoppy

Thanks for all your good wishes, I finally got a call last night around 10pm. Apparently they had a tough time deciding which hospital to put him in. At any rate I went down this morning and my husband wanted out immediately, the kidney stone is apparently only 1/4 of an inch and will eventually (and painfully) pass, so my husband has decided to drink lots of fluids at home. I brought him home this afternoon, he has medecine for the pain, and has to have an ultrasound before his next appt with the urologist, and more lab tests, but he's happier here. We'll see how it goes. I'm very pleased I did not give in and drink, I feel much better for it now! I'm so surprised I was able to reason with myself, how many times before the urge has been so strong there was no reasoning possible! I thought to myself that it would be such a waste to throw away 3 weeks sober, and just now as I read all your kind words and support, I'm so pleased I didn't let anyone down! Thank you all!

H2only

Hi everyone - so nice to read some lovely positive comments! I'm on day 5, so am very much a newbie. I'm a binger, so today is rather a touch point for me (my weekends normally end in tears - sometimes mine, sometimes someone elses). I had never noticed how many times drinking is mentioned by those around me...I'm not counting but it's a lot.

So, this weekend, I shall mostly be doing some sewing, cooking some nice food and going for a swim. And, on Monday, I will be turning up to work looking fresh and firing on all cylinders

I hope everyone has a positive and successful weekend.

RGO

H2only...

Welcome... You are in the right place! Weekends are a little hard for me too... but it's getting better.

Have a great and sober weekend

RGO

Draciack

H2, Welcome to the MayFlowers, sailing into sobriety like pilgrims heading to a new world. Okay, that metaphor have been a bit much, yeah? It's good to have you here

Sounds like you have a good plan for the weekend. I found having a list of activities to do was crucial for that first weekend. Even if I didn't accomplish a thing, I at least had some options that didn't involve alcohol or places with alcohol. There's a 9 PM EST meeting in SR's chat room tonight if you're interested.

Welcome, and pleased to meet ya.

H2only

Thank you RGO and Draciack! LOVE the Mayflower metaphore (or is that an analogy? If I hadn't drunk so much over the past few years I might be able to remember *sigh*)

It should be a good weekend. I have already refused (politely but firmly) a boozy lunch (workmates have just left) and after work drinks. If I can work out which timezone I'm in before it starts, I shall most likely pop by the chat later - thank you for the tip-off

What's everyone else planning on doing this weekend? Anything fun?

Crow3000

Day 31!!! Yea ....

I don't even remember the last time I went a whole month without drinking maybe an entire decade, I don't know.

Welcome to all the new people, welcome H2only. This is a great thread with lots of support and good advise.

Calipoppy, say OUCH to your husband for me, and way to go toughing out that situation.

Happy belated Bday Margareth

Hope all is well with everyone else!

AtlasMcGee

Welcome H2Only!! The first week is rough for sure, & you definitely have to cancel plans with any (all in my case) friends/coworkers that may put you in potential risk of drinking, or what have you, for a while. Like you said, just think about how great it's going to be to start the week off not with a hangover! & it only gets better & better when you keep at it.

I plan on cleaning (wayy overdue!), maybe checking out an AA catfishfry this evening and/or a meeting. Seeing prince of persia at some point--I enjoyed the video game a few years back. & on monday spending the day canoeing with some friends--there will be drinking, a little concerned (of course), BUT I'm excited to go canoeing & be outside all day . I also plan on picking up a red chip (30day right?) tomorrow night. I'll be going to a lot of meetings this weekend & reading the big book & 12/12, working on the beginning steps too.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

AtlasMcGee

ohhh yeaaa....Congratulations Crow!!! 31 days IS awesome!

Richard54

Had the 'committee' meeting in my head yesterday something fierce.
Three times throughout the day the alcoholic voice was whispering to me how nice it would be to have a drink.

Had to put the pro-drinking voices in their place. It was hard, but they're no longer in charge here.
Once I beat the 'voices' back... I felt a wave of satisfaction, almost joy. The urges passed (for a while).

It was SO nice to wake up today without regretting drinking the night before. I'm thankful for that.

Day 12. I can do it. I know I can. Just for today. I won't drink TODAY.

BobGT

Hey Everyone,

Just checking in. I'm glad to see that everyone is doing well. That includes me, lol. Anyway, have a good and safe weekend.

artsoul

Man, we have the best class ever!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just sitting here grinning, hearing all the sober talk goin on!

First of all to Crow and Atlas: Congratulations on ONE FRICKIN MONTH!!!!!!! WOOHOO! I'm right behind you guys and coming up fast!

And a WARM welcome to you H2Only! So glad you've joined us. Hang in there this weekend. Like Richard said, the morning are the best. Waking up without a hangover is worth getting through the cravings. Just take it easy this weekend and give yourself lots of hugs and kudos for doing this. We can all get through this together.:ghug3

Atlas - I love catfish. Can I come? I think canoing sounds glorious. I remember drinking on alot of canoe trips and by the time we got done I was already starting to feel a little ill and tired. Then I'd have a sunburn AND a hangover. So just focus on enjoying the moment and think of yourself as an Ambassador of Sobriety!

CalPoppy - I ditto Crow's comment - ouch.... I know if it were me, I'd rather be in my own bed, too. I hope things get better soon - is it appropriate to add "this too shall pass?" sorry, couldn't resist. I do hope he's not in too much pain.

Pilgrim Draciack - always good to see thee! What's an EST meeting? Guess I'll have to look it up.....

RGO - I sorry all those drinkers wouldn't talk to you in your dream! I've had some crazy dreams myself but I'm grateful I haven't had any drinking dreams (yet). They seem so real when they happen, it takes a minute to shake it off. Hope your sleep gets better soon - it did for me. I do take Trazadone, though I've been able to cut my dose in half this past week. Something that always used to work for me was Dramamine - I cleared it with an addiction counselor before I used it, and they said it was non-addicting and fine to take.

Hi BobGT, trader, and Margareth! Hugs!

Dee74

I want to go to the catfishfry too LOL


Congrats to you all of you - especially the 'monthers'

D

porkchopped

hey my sweet mayflowers!! love the pilgrim comparison. this is a bit of a pilgrimage, right??!! Embarking on new territory daily... I am so proud of you all. Thanks for making this whole experience refreshing. seriously.

I just got back from a hike that was literally like walking up al wall!! Realized that I am not Spiderman...

Exhausted, but wanted to wish you all a peaceful nightie nite/tomorrow/yesterday - you know, whatever time zone you are in...

huge hugs - Pork

Margareth

Her it is evening and we have reached the 14 day mark. Sober through the weekend and finally getting some quality sleep. We are not looking forward to my husband having to return to work as his exhaustion is our main trigger to drink again. Also we feel the "real" world is a very bad influence on us and for him to have to work in it is killing him.

I mean the world of corporate subservience and racist, bigoted narrow mindedness as opposed to self sustainability and working together as a team on our little homesteading place.

We do need the income though. Mortgage and some savings are still very important but I hope to extend my part of our team (Food preparation and food market stall) so he can work less. I only hope he lasts until then.

In any case we are sober and that is a huge gain.

Congratulations to all of you who have reached the month mark and who are keeping it up.

Thank you for being there.

Dee74

Congratulations on your 14 days Margareth

D

RGO

Hi all....

Today is day 14. It's a beautiful morning in Houston, TX.... How is everyone doing today?

I have a little dilemma and I think this is the right place to ask for an advice. I'm invited to a birthday party tomorrow... The birthday guy is one of my best friends, and most of my close friends will be there. The problem is that all of them drink.... most of them drink heavily, and a few will drink till they pass out.

A couple of them already know that I quit, but I'm afraid that after they start drinking they will try to push me to drink.

I'm glad the party is in a restaurant and not a bar, but they all will drink as much anyway. I really want to go, but I think it's too soon for me to be in that kind of atmosphere.

What do you think? Should I just cancel to avoid any temptation? Or go but plan my way out of there before they get drunk?

Thanks in advance.... and have a great weekend!

artsoul

Hey RGO - it's great that you're thinking about this ahead of time! I had to go to an event where there was drinking after about a week of sober time, and I was pretty nervous, but I thought it through and it went just fine. One thing to your advantage is that it's in a restaurant, so order something wonderful (eating helps take away cravings anyway).

Our alcoholic brains think that somehow we're missing out when we're not drinking, and it is SUCH a lie. The truth is the other way around - we miss out when we're caught in our tiny little world of addiction. I think you sound like you know exactly what to do and what you're going in to.
I think only you really know the answer to that. Try to think about what's best for you. If you don't want to go, but don't want to disappoint your friends, you could always "drop by" and say hello (take a gift, whatever).
Whatever you decide I wish you the very best!!!!!!