Oh, Lordy! Losin' it. Happy Wednesday!

Hi everyone, Wed it is. A busy work week, I continue the journey. Hope you are all doing well.

it's thursday :eek13:

D

MGF...did you watch today? I admit I did while at work (with the mute on) Woo hoo!! We rock, oh yeah. Lucky I have a TV in my office.

MJ, honestly I didn't think twice when I saw your Happy Tuesday. So I guess I am flakey too! I was happy for the thought :-)

Everyone else, have a nice rest-of-the-week.

I take it USA beat France? Who's next?

Is it wrong to hope that some little down-and-out country wins? I think someplace like Yemen could use a little pick-me-up about now...

Dee is like the Terminator. He comes from the future to save us from ourselves. ;)

So I just read the news and see we're playing Japan in the World Cup. Tsunami, earthquakes, and nuclear meltdowns... Can we just hand them the trophy now?

Right!

Greetings all. Yep that final will be awesome, and although I feel for Japan I am rooting for USA.

It's been a hectic week and I found myself day dreaming about beer and wine but all is well.

Seems like the thread is slowing down, that could be summer or maybe people are settling in. I'll keep checking in and wishing you all the best.

Funny, without even thinking tonight I put on my t-shirt from last year's world cup—the stars and stripes in the form of a soccer ball. Guess I already have the shirt, might as well root for the team. Sure sounds like they put on a show for you and Soph. From what I've read, Wambach is some kind of superhero!

So it was my b-day today. Had a bunch of client meetings at work, took my daughter to her swim lesson, cooked a simple dinner, read the usual bedtime stories. Just a quiet, ordinary day—and yet it's remarkable because I was sober throughout. What a difference a year makes. What a great birthday, from the first cup of coffee to this very moment.

Goodnight, Decemberists. Couldn't have done it without you.

Sounds like a very nice birthday R+A!
:day1

MGF, the thread sure is slowing down but that may be a good thing; meaning, we aren't all hanging on by our fingernails, hour by hour...I know what you mean about thinking beer and wine thoughts...especially when things are tense or when things aren't tense but it's just plain summer time! (And ps...I am also rooting for Team USA. After watching these ladies, I have become a big fan and admire them and their integrity so much. Although Japan has a very technical, efficient team..our team has moxie!!)

And yeah...checking in the thread works for me.

Hope everyone has a good, sober and relaxing weekend. I am going to see Tree of Life and looking forward to that.

Soph, let me know if it is good or just...pretentious! I can't tell from the reviews and previews.

MG, I am also thinking about wine a lot. Sort of slipping back into the old, "well, someday I can have a glass here and there" thoughts. But I'm not having a glass...one day at a time, right?

R&A, happy birthday! And nice work!

happy birthday R&A :)
hope the year ahead is the best yet for you :)

what do you think you're missing by not drinking MJ?
or to put it another way what do you think that glass here or there would give you?

D

What a good question. I will think about that. Because whatever I type, I realize I already have it. It's harder to feel relaxed and easy-going in the evenings, but I get there. I miss having wine with my husband...but we are just as happy...if not more so...than when I was drinking. Part of me is moving away from defining myself with AA. I don't want to think about alcohol so much...I want to enjoy every day. So it's less wanting wine, I guess, and more wanting to live without having to have it be an issue. And i'm already doing that! Hm, lots to think about. I am writing that question down, Dee. That glass wouldn't give me anything, is the answer...but more than a glass sure has ruined me more than once. Thank you.

been there, believe me :)

D

Totally. And yet I can't even guess how much time I've spent thinking about that glass since last December. All the internal debates, all the time spent here on SR, all the reading and reflecting and self-examination—all just over a glass. But I guess if it was easy for me to give up drinking, I wouldn't need to give up drinking...

Anyway, I think it feels less like a sacrifice these days. Less about giving up something, and more about gaining back other things.

Happy bday R&A!!!!!!! Glad you had a nice mellow day!

Well guys yes I'm in that July thread but I'll always be a decemberist after all it is the first group I joined. I just got over a nasty week long cold and am ending today sober watching tv. Today is day 5 and plan on having a relaxing sober weekend.

Glad to read your all hangin in there! Have a great weekend guys!

Have a great weekend everyone! Day by day, hang in there.

Ha-ay! 1 Month slipped by me yesterday. Not going back to seizure-town anytime soon, but it's been really hard. I think about drinking every night, but I always find a good excuse not to... how about that? Before I'd been finding an excuse to drink, not the other way around. Now it's like, I'm kind of tired, I have blah to do in the morning, I don't want to get so dehydrated, etc. I was able to overcome the block I had with painting and other art and my drinking - I couldn't really do art without drinking and I had to learn that new skill. The past couple of weeks have been extremely productive art-wise, and I remembered that I'm actually GOOD at this stuff, lol. (Thanks again for the voice of empathy/experience Dee). Before I really got into drinking hard-core and lost all my ambition, I used to have shows where I actually sold my paintings. That's becoming a real possibility again and I don't want to give it up. One time a lady I didn't even know came up to me (at a bar, of course) and recognized me from one of my shows. How cool is that? It's nice to know I can get some good stuff done and I'm not a total loser. I've felt like a loser for the past 5 years or so... alcohol keeps me from doing what I want.

Awesome GFCO congrats on the month!!!!!!

congratulations on your month GFCO...keep it going...stubborn and fearful as I was, it took me more than a month to embrace this new life :)

D

LOL don't expect anything different here. It's easy to lie down on that pink cloud, isn't it? Thanks for the reality check.

BF, so glad you were able to break the cycle. 5 days is really really good.
How did that test go anyway?

Good to hear everyone is doing so good!

GFCO, when I mentioned gaining things in my post last night, the one that came to mind first was self-respect. I didn't even realize how much of it had slipped away the last few years. Maybe that's another excuse not to drink.... "I've got plans to feel proud of myself in the morning." :)

Happy Tuesday, everyone! (hee hee)

Hi MJ, hi guys!

So, I saw Tree of Life and I knew basically nothing about it going in, except it had Brad Pitt and Sean Penn.

It is quite extraordinary on many levels.

I am still thinking through many different parts of it. Also I am wondering if its better to read up on it before you see it or watch it cold like I did. It's lovely, beautiful in many places, evocative of family, home, self...etc... and it is definitely an art film. So if you feel like an art film, and feel like suspending "normal" movie going experience for something completely other, I recommend.

It is not Bridesmaids! Lol!

Looking forward to the women's final! I'll honestly be fine with whomever wins; if it's the USA great. If it's Japan, great. Just getting there counts right!

Time for me to snooze - late one tonight!

Glad to hear from you guys, GFCO way to go and BF and everyone. Hooped, come back!

Enjoy the match, Soph. I've got to work today; hoping I'll be home at a decent time, but might go late. That's OK, though. Had such a great day hanging with the kiddo yesterday, it counts as a whole weekend. :)

I'll echo the shout-out to Hooped....

Good morning guys. Starting off day 7 today with a pot of tea. Very relaxing morning so far.

GFCO tomorrow is the big day when I'm bak at school and will find out how I did on the test so I will let all of you know when I find out.

Hopefully Hooped is still doing ok!

Hope all of you have a great day!

Long sunday with crazy kids...I am exhausted! Good night. (OK! Maybe i will give Tree of Life a shot!)

Whew, long Sunday with crazy clients! Finally got enough time to follow up on Soph's post. Everything I've read about Tree of Life super positive. The reviews didn't give much away—I got the impression it's not the kind of movie that's easily summarized in a paragraph or two. But as a general rule, I think I should stop reading so much about movies, and start going in cold. I read an interview recently with JJ Abrams, and he was saying he wished people would do that more often—just go to movies not knowing much more than the genre and if other people like it or not.

Good luck tomorrow, BF.

Hope you all have a good start to the week.

good luck BF :)

D

Hi Guys !
:c031:
Ive been up and down from the country 3 times now in the last month.
Actually going back up in the morning again..
Wife is staying up there for good.

During the time Ive spent with her in the last month I have drank. Not to excess really but its so damn hard in that environment it just seemed the easy way out was just to join in. So I did. That's why I havent posted in ages.

My head is kind of a mess from this relationship but Im coming back home next Sunday as a single man and will be able to rejoin the program with full gusto without her distractions.

See you then!