Happy birthday, DD!

I made it through my girls night yesterday with flying colors. At one place, I ordered ginger ale with no ice and it came in a pint glass (usually it's in a plastic cup like the water). It looked so much like beer that I had to smell it before drinking it just to make sure I didn't get someone's beer by mistake. Don't want to repeat that mistake again. It felt great to be out having fun while being responsible at the same time. I remembered coming home, which is a huge improvement from my drinking days when the end of the night would be lost in a blackout. I was tired all day today just from staying out so late last night, but I'll bet I felt a lot better than my friends after all they drank.

Time for me to get under some warm blankets. I live in the freezing, snowy Midwest and I'm jealous of those in warm climates right now. At least it looks like my kind of Christmas though. I've spent a holiday season or two in Los Angeles and that was just weird!

Happy belated birthday from me DD - I meant to come back, but the day got away from me :)

D

Bad bad couple of days. Baby boy went to ER, upper respiratory infection, big bills just popped up, no money pay. Had to stay out if work to help with sick baby/ other son. Unpaid of course. Got down and out, felt crushed between problems. Went for the escape, and really didn't care that I drank. Wow- staying sober is freakin HARD. It's better, but I sure wanted to hide away for a little while. Doesn't matter that I didn't drink a whole bottle. Just down on myself for letting me down. Anyway, the problems are still there, so not much reason to have drank. I'm done whining. Hope ppls Friday- Saturday was better than mine.

Sorry. Happy birthday DD !

Glad you came right back with honesty, JL.....Have you looked up "urge surfing" on the internet? I know that this time it has helped me to get through and identify where the urges/cravings" are coming from....what I am feeling....usually overwhelmed, frustrated, or angry. I try to remember the HALT acronym as well, and try not to let myself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. Glad you could recognize that "the problems are still there"...drinking doesn't make them go away or tend to make them (or you) feel any better. Hang in there!

As for me...actually DID put up the mini xmas tree and decorations yesterday....FOR ME. Wasn't gonna do it this year...kinda feeling "down in the dumps" about my daughter...but we did it and it made me HAPPY:c011: LOL LS...I don't think that Xmas in L.A. is weird....being a native from there, I can say the whole YEAR and every day is weird...LOL. Up before the sun again, and ready to start another sober day! Glad you are all here!

Actually, my birthday is today, so you are right on time! Thanks, Dee!!

Thanks, LS! I bet you had just as good a time with your girls as you would have had you been drinking without all of the negatives that come with drinking. Am I right? I said the same thing to my husband at his company party. His party would have been about the same amount of pressure/fun as it would have had I drunk there, but the next day I would have had anxiety wondering if I said or did something wrong. Good for you!!

Hope your baby feels better, JL. My husband and I went through major financial problems in 2009-2012. It was so stressful. A friend told me that if you are going to have problems, financial ones are the best to have because they can be rectified. It made me angry back then, but she is right. We are back in the black and you will be, too! I think our drinking problems fall in the same light. If you are going to have a health problem, alcoholism is one of the better ones to have because it can be rectified. You came right back here after drinking. You want to solve this problem and you will! :)

Sorry for your nasty weekend JL.

The one thing I find tho is I'm much better in a crisis sober...I much prefer being there for people.

I spent so many years running about from that kind of high stress I convinced myself I couldn't handle it, but I was wrong.

Maybe you're selling yourself short too JL?

D

DD, Happy Birthday! :birthday:day

Thank you, Bilr! I have to tell you all that your birthday messages mean more to me than all my FB birthday posts, put together! :)

have a great day DD :)

D

Went with my wife to what I thought was going to be a house party. Turns out it was just us and another couple. He decided to make a big ole pitcher of White Russians with my DOC, Vodka. My wife drank a glass of wine because she can't have lactose. I just told him "I'm good" and had a glass of sprite. This was the third time around these people so they didn't even question why I wasn't drinking. My AV didn't make an appearance last night but I'm still on the lookout for him.

I like that your AV didn't make an appearance. I find mine showing up less and less lately, too. Dee, you might be on to something with that three month mark . . . .

My birthday is starting out with a bang. My son got into a good university and they offered him scholarship money to go there. It's not his first choice (that one we find out about in February), but it is a great back-up. :) Also, my daughter's guinea pig had three precious babies and she told me I could name one since it was my birthday. ;)

Too funny, my daughter got an acceptance letter over the weekend for one of the schools she applied to. Not her "A" choice, but one of the top 3.

On tropical Christmases: A woman at the Christmas party was telling my husband that when she moved from Boston to FL, she was really depressed the first Christmas. She told a shop clerk that she just couldn't get into the Christmas spirit without snow and cold weather. The shop clerk said, "I may be wrong. But I think the first Christmas was held in a climate more like this . . . ."

Happy Birthday DD... I know you will make it a wonderful sober birthday.

Sorry for being out of pocket most of this weekend. I have been following most of the posts, however, but I have missed a few. I'll need to go back and catch up!

All this talk about dismal warm Chirstmas's needs to stop. It's snowing AGAIN! I grew up in Arizona and have had a warm Christmas many times. I'll switch with anyone. Anyone? Any takers?

When living alone, I would travel home (approx. 2000 miles) for the holidays and things were always a little drab in my home prior to leaving. I finally learned to do a little decorating and put on some Christmas music to get me in the mood. Not wanting to purchase a tree, I had a cactus that I would decorate. Odd, but it worked every time ... although you had to be careful when removing the garland ... ouch. If you're in a Holiday Funk ... start acting like you're in the spirit ... decorate, sing, bake cookies ... whatever it takes.

I'm looking forward to catching up on everyone's posts. Let's rock this week!

Question of the Day: What is your favorite holiday cookie or other baked treat?

Mine ... I like what I think are called Magic Bars ... nothing but chocolate/coconut/and a bunch-of-other-stuff goodness.

Xmas tree always made me feel better. Even a Xmas cactus will work. Just got home from work. Wife called, said Nathaniel (baby), is better today- thanks God. Thank you all for the posts, and just being here. Wow I've been a whiner past few days ! Goin to bed. Happy Monday everyone. Sober is better.