Bilr44

Trudging, I like the Rav 4 and we looked at a used one for my daughter. There good and reliable.

I decided to push the issue with the job rather than wait which can be good or bad. The bottom line is I need some peace of mind too. I'm learning to try and be more patient but it's still a work in progress. No word back but I didn't send the email until 4:00 EST.

trudgingagain

Yeah, I totally get the patience part.....taking the bus home today...YAY! No word from the President yesterday....so.....I guess it is time to hire the lawyer Will this **** EVER stop?!?!

Bilr44

I heard back from the hiring manager saying that they are concluding the process tomorrow and they'll communicate a decision by the afternoon. The good news, I guess I'm still technically in the running. I would think by now that they have it narrowed down to 2 people at the most. He could have just said we are moving forward without me so I guess that's good. Oh well, what's another 24 hours or so.

Trudging, it seems like everyone is taking their sweet ole time.

DoubleDragons

At least you know that you will have an answer soon, Bilr!!

Bilr44

Yes, an answer, thankfully! I really need to start making travel plans for the summer so this answer can't come soon enough, lol. Part of me wants to get the job but I'm also a little leery about going back to full time after not working for so long. At least my stamina should be better with the sobriety. I remember fading in the afternoon after drinking so much caffeine to get rid of the alcohol affects.

Two things I'm trying to work on with sobriety, patience and pessimism.

LittleSparrow

Got through my conference with sobriety intact! The others had 1-2 drinks with dinner but I had a virgin margarita one night, San Pellegrino another night, and water the rest of the time. I didn't feel like I was missing out at all, and I didn't have to sit through presentations with a hangover.

The best part of my trip was completely unrelated to the conference. I saw that it was Give Local America day yesterday. It's a 24-hour fundraising drive for local charities throughout the country. San Antonio put together an amazing drive that I was keeping an eye on while packing and then sitting at the airport. They raised over $2 million. In a single day! My city raised $3000. I've been inspired, and I'm now considering creating a community foundation to raise money for local nonprofits. I've got a lot to think about and a lot to learn, but I'm very excited. Now I just need to figure out how to double the hours in a day so I can do all the work needed.

Bilr44

LS, Good for you on the business trip. Yeah, 1-2 drinks would have just been enough to wet the whistle. That's why it doesn't really bother me to be around people drinking. Most are normies like my wife who can take it or leave it. I can usual spot the person who is enjoying it too much or slugging it down to fast as that was me in my past life.

What is the charity that you are trying to start locally?

trudgingagain

Good for you LS! Yes, I too find it interesting to watch how other people drink....and realize that it is NOT like me....lol.....Well, RAV4 was checked out by mechanic today. Will know results tomorrow....but, not looking good. Here, it is very common to have odometers that have been rolled back. This 2001 only had about 50,000 miles....obviously too good to be true! My step-son is a mechanic (on the side)in the States (he is an mechanic for army fighter jets and helicopters for Edwards-civilian)...brilliant! He told us all of the questions to ask the mechanic doing the inspection....soooo we are now taking a giant step back....just glad to be home! Attorney retainer paid today.....AND found an article, by a higher education paper, on a website with an article from 2012 citing the EXACT issues in my grievance (mine are even more magnified) and identifying 35 grievances in the same regard filed by other faculty members (recently in 2010). Soooo it was forseeable and there remains consistent disregard of policies.....feeling quite validated!

Bilr44

Yeah 50,000 miles should be a big red flag. I guess all cars are more expensive there since they don't manufacture any. It's amazing what we take for granted here.

I'm supposed to hear about the job, one way or the other, this afternoon. I'm meeting a friend from Spanish class at the Cheesecake Factory this afternoon so I'm not sitting around waiting for the news. I've only been to the Cheesecake Factory once or twice so looking forward to it.

Cynderino

Hi Friends! Quick check in from Ireland! I am still sober. I'm not going to lie - this has been the hardest challenge for me yet. I wanted to drink so bad just because I was in "vacation" mentality at the beggining. I was back to thinking about it non-stop. Luckily that passed in the first couple of days. Doing much better now and can say with confidence I will not drink on this vacation! It is beautiful here and the break from work and kids has been lovely. Tomorrow is our last full day here then I am on to Birmingham UK for a couple of days before heading back home.

I will check in then!

Hugs ladies and fingers crossed, Bill!

Fishy - loving the encouragement from you lately.

Hope JL is hanging in there.

Driver - those babies are the sweetest! Thanks for sharing!

trudgingagain

Good for you Cyndi! Glad you checked in! Have a blast! Billr....I LOVE the Cheesecake Factory

DoubleDragons

Good job, Cynderino!! I am so happy that you are having a great time! I also remember having some highly embarrassing moments and some really terrible hangovers on vacations, too ~ so the vacation buzz does not come without a price, either.

Bilr44

Good to hear from you Cynderino. Also glad you were to over the first couple days without drinking. During our Christmas cruise, the first couple of days were tough for me as well. Just seeing everyone (10% of the passengers) in a partying mood was tough. The last cruise I wasn't even concerned with whether I could drink or not.

fishoutawatta

All,
I've been at a conference the last few days...not much time to check in.

Good to hear from you Cynderino! You're doin' great!

Bilr.... we're waiting in tenterhooks!

Can't wait for this academic year to be done! I need a big rest!

Fishy

Bilr44

Fishy,

I did not hear back today like they said they would. I'm not sure what to think of that other than I'm not real happy right now. So they were either to busy today, offered to someone else and are waiting for an answer, or haven't decided yet. As tom petty said, the waiting is the hardest part.

LittleSparrow

Bilr, how frustrating! If only you knew just one way or the other so you could get on with your summer plans. Hopefully you hear back tomorrow.

Cynderino, great to hear from you. Glad your travels have been safe and sober. Can't wait to hear about your trip when you get back home. Enjoy the rest of it!

I think my motivation to form a new community foundation is gone, but it's mostly because I've picked up yet another volunteer opportunity. I'm working with a foundation to help people with financial or other hardships get veterinary care for their pets. I'm excited to see that the work I do will keep pets in their homes and out of shelters when the pet owners run into hard times. I had wanted to start a foundation that would help all kinds of nonprofits, but I don't think I'd have time (or the energy) to keep up with the other work I'm involved in. We'll see how this goes for now. I would never be able to do any of this if I was still drinking. I could still use more hours in the day, though.

DoubleDragons

I love how devoted you are to animal causes, LS. Pets have always been a very important part of my life. I can't imagine life without them. Thank you for your devotion.

trudgingagain

Hang in there, Billr! Going to try to make today tranquillo....it's been way too crazy around here lately

Bilr44

Tranquillo es una buen palabra por la fin de semana.

I just received an email from the recruiter that they will have "news" about the job on Monday. I guess news can be good or bad. I'm just glad I have 8+ months of sobriety to deal with this. Had it been earlier (60-90 days) I might have been tempted to drink.

Have a wonderful day to all the mothers out there. We will be going to West Palm Beach to visit the inlaws this weekend.

On a good physical note, my knee might be getting strong enough to start incorporating one or two outdoor runs a week.

DoubleDragons

Thanks, Bilr. I still feel hopeful about the job situation. Whatever is best for you is what is going to happen and I know that you know that.

Thanks for the Mother's Day wishes. Speaking of mothers, I purchase the Adult Children of Alcoholics 12 step book. A lot of unresolved childhood crap is coming up for me lately and I can no longer afford to stuff it down or drown it in alcohol. I am now understanding how the unresolved stuff is affecting how I go about being me in this world and I want change. (too much controlling, people pleasing, anxiety, lying to myself about reality, etc. etc.) My mom really didn't turn into an alcoholic until I was an adult, but they say the ACOA big book works for people who had any kind of chaotic, dysfunctional upbringing. Trudging, did you do an ACoA work?

Unfortunately there are no ACoA meetings close to me. I don't feel the need for AA (I like SR for keeping my drinking in check) and I went to a few Alanon meetings but I felt out of place there, so I may have to go it alone or go into therapy again. I think my therapy in my 20s validated to me that my parents were dysfunctional with their narcissism and other personality disorders, but I didn't do much with that awareness. I continued my stuffing of my feelings, my nuturing to get nutured, my drinking away my feelings to numbness, etc. I now have to put the work in to make my recovery whole.