elihoping

Thanks Ozark and congrats on your 6 months. It is scary how this is something that will never leave us. We will always have to keep an eye on our condition. That's what I find so helpful about this site and the meetings. It reminds me of how awful those early days were and how desperate I was to give up. I can't even read my early posts because I find it painful to see how desperate I was.

Hope you've something nice planned to celebrate your six months.

Jim, good to hear from you.

SBTS, let us know how you are.

soberbythesea

Hey guys, I'm ok and sober. Thanks for asking. My husbands support is pretty much getting me through this trip though,.I'm not going to lie. There have been some tough moments but knowing he is here for me has made the difference. The hotel WiFi is spotty or I would have checked back sooner. Writing from my phone now before going snorkeling this morning. I will write a more detailed status update later if I can get my iPad and the hotel WiFi on speaking terms again.

In the meantime, Congrats Ozark

well91

Congratulations Ozark, way to go.

Well done SBTS, enjoy your snorkelling, I'm too scared to try anything like that.

Great post Eli.

Hello everyone else, what are you all doing?

hope22

Ozark congratulations on 6 months and thank you for your words of wisdom. I'm approaching my danger zone, 6 weeks. For some reason I seem to stumble around that time. But I am aware that this is the time when I need to be extra cautious. So please bear with me.

Eli you are so right, it is something that will need to be managed for the rest of our lives. But that's ok, it can be done. Its the changing of my thinking and coping skills which is the hardest for me. Sorry I'm convincing myself and boy do I struggle with that sometimes

SBTS I hope you had fun snorkeling! I love the ocean and saltwater fish, I'm getting a smile on my face just thinking about it.

Well91, since you asked.... today I finished more job apps, doing laundry and hopefully I'll get to the healthclub.

Have a great day / evening everyone.

jaz06

Ozark, congrats on 6 mos. & thanks for the great post! "All that any of us can do is to keep striving for happiness and it will not truly be found with alcohol involved." Couldn't be more true my friend.

Well91, sorry for your slip, but thank you for your honesty. If you need to post elsewhere for extra support, than do that, but don't stop posting here. Look how much I've screwed up and I end up back here everytime, welcomed with open arms. Funny you talk about how being hungover felt normal. It did to me too. When I first started waking up sober, I felt AMAZING...only to realize, hey, this is how I'm supposed to feel. It's sad to think how many years I've wasted feeling like crap but was just used to it.

Eli, great post as well friend! The early days are the worst. That's where I find myself again. Well91, be proud that you didn't let it go past that one day. This really sucks! Back to the minute by minute, insomnia, having to surf those urges (just got done doing that minutes ago), have recently added a couple episodes to the shameful & embarrassing moments in my life, body feeling bloated and I'm a bit depressed. Eli, I think it's good to go back to those posts...reminds you of what it was like. I don't want any of you to have to start this far back...it's much easier picking yourself up & dusting off after a little slip.

But here I am. I've got my gloves back on.

SBTS, glad to hear you're putting up such a good fight. That's got to be tough. But you're doing it!! Keep pushing through, enjoy your vacation and the warm weather! Still sitting here in several feet of snow in the Great White North! Ugh.

To all of you who are doing so well, congrats and big hugs!!! To those of you struggling, hold my hand, we're in this together!!

Everyone have a wonderful, safe & sober day!
Jaz

soberbythesea

Way to go Jaz. I'm so happy you're back and ready to rejoin the good fight.

Hope, it's good that you know six weeks is a danger zone for you, sounds like you are ready to take it on

Well, snorkeling is fun! Definitely not scary (unless you've seen Jaws a few too many times, lol.)

Back from our morning now and I'm relaxing by the pool. The wifi actually is great down here, just not in the room, go figure. Tonight we are going out for tapas. We are here until Saturday. I'm having a great time but at the same time, the day we return home will be a big celebration for me, my first vacation since childhood without alcohol. It's funny to think vacation is more challenging for me than my regular work and school routine, but in this respect it kind of is. When there's no agenda other than having fun, alcohol is where my thoughts have always turned and I'm having to retrain myself now. I'm sure it will be easier the more drink-free vacations we take.

talk to everyone later

Jimuk

Happy Friday, I need to catch up with this thread after work. Hope you're all well!

Day 5 and I really think this is it, this is the time to stop for good.
I've planned a bike trip to France, Belgium and Germany next month with friends, I'm confident (well fairly) that I can stay sober before, during and after. I feel more committed this time.

Jim x

well91

Good Morning everybody.

Thanks for the support Jaz, I feel really determined now.

SBTS, I am just a scaredy cat and frightened to try any thing new.

I like the idea of snorkelling and think it would be brilliant but I swim like a dead fish and get claustrophobic. (Wow, I sound like sooo much fun, don't I)?

Jim, way to go, your bike trip sounds brilliant, I love travelling in Europe but used to go by train and miss my stops coz I was steaming drunk.

Cologne, Brussells and Paris are great, I have also been to Nancy which is beautiful.

You'll have a great time.

Way to go. mate.

jaz06

Morning All!

Way to go Jim & Well! Your determination is awesome! Big hugs to you both!

Thanks SBTS, glad to be back. Not feeling right physically or emotionally just yet, but I know that takes time. Still plugging along with baby steps. I'm blaming part of the blue moods on this weather too...at this point, we usually can at least see the ground & the sun comes out a little more often. I think we've seen the sun twice in the past month (maybe a bit exaggerated, but it feels like it), we're still scraping windshields & shoveling just to get out of our driveways. We've got a Jimmy Buffett themed party that we're attending in a couple weeks...I've got my outfit all picked out, paired with my winter boots, hat & gloves!

Hope, congrats on 6 weeks!! So happy for you!! I'm with SBTS about you being aware that this is your danger zone. Maybe go back to earlier posts like Eli had mentioned earlier...might remind you of how you felt in the beginning & help you push through knowing you never want to be there again. I know you'll make it just fine!

Everyone have a wonderful, safe & sober day!
Jaz

soberbythesea

Hi all, I am back in the exact same place I was yesterday... By the pool! My husband is upstairs in the room watching tv, I have no idea how he can spend precious vacation time doing that, seems like a massive waste of this weather to me but to each his own. Later we are going shopping for souvenirs and then on a sunset cruise. We go home tomorrow.

Jaz, I am sorry about your wintry weather... I'm afraid we might be in for some more of it too, it snowed in New York while we were gone. We never get a real spring, it's always like two weeks between winter and summer.

Well, I understand. I am afraid of lots of things. I love snorkeling, but was a disaster at scuba diving when I tried that. Too claustrophobic.

Jim, good luck on your new streak of sobriety, I think it says a lot that you've stayed with us all this time.

I'm doing well myself, still occasionally wishing for a drink (like when we had to wait 45 minutes for lunch today) but overall I'm feeling a lot better than the first couple of days we were here.

Back to reality soon!

Will check back tomorrow.

well91

Happy Saturday night everyone, I am drinking tea, what are you all doing?

Soberbythesea, you are doing really well, sounds like you have had a great holiday.

Jaz, it sounds like a really cold winter out there.
It is cold here today but nowhere near as bad as you.

Jim and Hope, so glad you are both going strong, stick with it.

Ozarkcowboy, how are you mate?

It has been over a week since I had a drink, I am glad I did now because I see how over rated it actually is.

I was more than 6 months sober before last Friday, but I am not counting days or weeks anymore.

Sobriety for me now is for life and if someone like me can do it so can all of you.

soberbythesea

Good attitude well!

I am home now, officially made it through my first adult sober vacation ever. Tired now and just happy to be going to sleep in my own bed, will check back soon.

hope22

SBTS congratulations, I'm glad to hear you had fun and are home safe.

Jaz hope your feeling better. Hopefully it will start to get warmer soon.

I'm making salmon today. Its funny I actually enjoy cooking now, I never thought I would say that! I used to eat soo crappy when I drank. I would either not eat or throw a pizza in the oven. So glad I'm not doing that anymore, and I'm actually enjoying the little things.

Well, Jim, Ozark, Eli, Jaz, SBTS, Dee and anyone I may have missed have a great sober day.

Ozarkcowboy

Very busy last few days for me here. All is well though.

Great you had a good vacation SBTS. It is always nice to do something sober that you

would of have in the past been doing whilst drinking. Like cooking,(Hope), I have been

working on a New York style cheesecake this afternoon while trying to keep up with the

ballgames. These are two things I would have been drinking while doing in the past. See

more of the games and I'm sure the food tastes better.

See you guys at the podium in the morning, best wishes to all.

well91

Happy Podium Monday everyone.

I hope you are all "Well".

(Did you see what I did there)? :rotfxko

Ozarkcowboy

Good Podium Monday morning from here too.

Hope everyone has a great week.

Jimuk

Morning, happy podium Monday, day 8 and feeling really good. Have a great day. X

jaz06

Happy Podium Monday my Friends!! Haven't been here in awhile. I'd be a liar if I said I didn't struggle because I certainly did. But I'm proud to be here today. Congrats to the rest of you who are on the podium with me!!

SBTS, way to go!!!! I knew you could do it!

Well, your post made me laugh! Cute!

Deadline today, with a lot to get done. So guess I better get to it.

Everyone have a wonderful, safe & sober day!
Jaz

Jimuk

Hi all, day 9 and feeling great. It's great to see you back posting again Jaz. Huge hugs to you all x

hope22

Good morning all, jaz congratulations on making the podium yesterday Weekends can be tough, that's for sure. (I made the podium too, just forgot to post)

Well cute comment ha... I "hope" everyone is "well" too. :rotfxko

Jim congrats on 9 days!

Dee I hope you feel better, I read on another thread you were not feeling well? Take care of yourself!

Have a great day everyone!