Hi Least!
Good to hear you are feeling better. I sent you a PM with the link to Word Distillery and how to find me. You may want to publish some of your stuff there that you feel is ready for criticism after you read some of the threads there.

T
I think you are reflecting the most important part of recovery, at least for me. That is being grateful and making time for the little things we used to take for granted and were too focused on the buzz and the next one, as you say, to experience things in the now. I am so glad for you!

Amen HFA, me too. But in my case I would not just be resetting my clock. Even though I thought of my alcohol consumption as slow suicide when I quit, I have since been diagnosed (last month) with a weak heart valve. Between my smoking 3 packs a day, and drinking 30 units as well, I was literally killing myself and apparently stopped just in time. For me it would be a fairly quick suicide I think so I am not even tempted at all and so grateful I stopped when I did. It is suicide for us all, just a little quicker for those of us a bit further on down the road.

Hi Kablume!

Dee it is great to see you out of the dress! You look so much better needing a shave as usual. :lmao

Itchy...I'm so glad you stopped in time! Is there anything else you can do for your weak heart valve? I will be sending healing thoughts and prayers your way:)

In retrospect, I think it was pretty rare in my drinking career for me to chase a buzz...I was more likely seeking oblivion.

On Wednesday I start an acting class off Broadway. Not because I want to act, but because I want to confront my fears instead of hide from them. Instead of sealing things I don have that I believe I need in order to thrive and grow. I am looking at what is already in my life...and I'm pretty darn blessed.

Hope everyone is enjoying a spectacular Indian Summer Days like the one here in my little corner of the world. Back outside for me!

T,
Good for you! I look forward to how that goes. Our demons always look bigger in front and seem to always disappear in the rear view mirror I have found.

Thanks. I am going to see my doc tomorrow and see what the deal is as I was referred to a cardiologist for an echocrardiogram, and have heard nothing beyond some reassurance that I have the best kind of valve problems if one had to choose. If you are really interested you can google "Diagnosis weak heart valve." In any case, there is no healing and no strengthening possible and nothing I can do but perhaps lose the weight I gained from it (yes that is a symptom) and little else.

However I am sober and can pursue whatever it needs. I am just wondering why no surgerical alternatives were even mentioned. The funny thing is this did not appear on the radar until well after I quit drinking. Alcohol and caffeine are to be avoided if at all possible.

However contrary to what one would think I am active and can work but the Dx does explain my lack of motivation lately.

5 months before i can really join this one but ive got you in my sights, see you soon.......

I love the traffic this thread is getting lately.:) It always makes me feel good to read of others' success. :hug:

Professor Fudger!
I look forward to seeing you here too. I remember when you first got here in anticipation of going to rehab if I remember correctly. Get here by all means.

Least I know what you mean. :wink:

Missing you in the Undie Onedies Itchy.... not long and I will be up here with you all. :)

keep on trudging prof

trudging no, hop, skip, and a superman flying at the minute, have been since day 1, no change, i dont do anything different, im as jolly about stopping now as i was at day 1. people say its over-confidence, or was a high we get when out of rehab, but every day just gets better and better, am lovin it.

Prayers for wellness coming your way Itchy. An acting class sounds so interesting LF. I can understand facing your fears. I am still trying to conquer mine.

I am finishing up a course in Pharmacy Tech soon and I have started my internship. I believe this is the first educational adventure I will have ever completed. I have my first interview next week. I believe I have a fear of success as much as a fear of failure.

Prof and Manz, I look forward to you both joining us!

I feel really happy this morning from reading a post by a newcomer who made his first day sober yesterday.:) Reading that took me back to my first days and how determined I was to finally stay sober for good.

I remember how grateful I was/am for the support I got here. It is now a labor of love to give that support back to others' struggling in their first days. Helping others helps me!:) Pay it forward, indeed!:)

Manz! Hey kiddo! :ghug3

I still read down there and miss all of you very much too! As busy as you are the time will pass way too fast, which should be, relatively speaking, just right. Time is screaming by for me, and weeks take no longer than a day, and a day takes an hour anymore. Give wee man a hug from his over onedie unkie that is hunky dory. :lmao:

Thanks Kablume! My SH was a pharmacy tech for several years. I referred to her as the drug dealer in the family. :lmao:

Congrats on making good on your educational goals. I really know how that feels and am so very happy for you! (Hey, I am out of promo notepads, calculators, and mouse pads, can you send some? [but no pens!])

An early Happy graduation! Just put these in water.
:flow:

Least you were there all through my early days here. Maybe we CAN pass it along. I will certainly keep trying. Besides, there are a whole lot of very good likeable people here. (some of them just don't know it yet ;) )

Hope all goes well with the Dr Itchy :)

D

well prof, happy to see your on the eternal pick cloud,

it's been over 8 years for me...

and they key is in the tude,

the gratitude, and the attitude

to trudge: walk with a purpose

Good to see we've got some newcomers checking out the place. It's good to have something to look forward to. So glad we started this group!

Well, my life coach and I decided it was time to start scaling back on our meetings...since things are about as good as possible in my pysche these days:)

Had a fantastic day...finished a couple of preliminary sketches on a dog portrait and made some good headway on another one. Plus I rearranged the furniture in the house...that always makes me happy:).

Professor...I had a similar attitude...I have just shy of 15 months of pink cloud right now:)

Cheers all...:)

good for you LF on the PC

and congrats

T
Congrats on being scaled back!

Thanks Dee!
I forgot yesterday was a Holiday so just made the appt for Thursday at 1 PM. I have learned that the 1 PM slot is no waiting like the 7:30 AM slot, but I don't have to get up at 5 AM to make it on time. One of the perqs of being retired is getting up when I am through sleeping and not one minute before. I usually do 7 AM but have slept in till 9 when up late for a movie or other activity. :whoop