Lucrezia

DEEP BREATHING!!

Take a huge deep belly breath. Or two, or three. Everybody.

overwhelmd

Okay this is totally off subject but for those of you who are foodies can you help me out? My son wants me to make Korean barbecue while I am playing stay at home mom this week. I am sure I can find a recipe online but would appreciate any input from you guys who actually know what it is.

ChickChick

I am no help I just know good KC BBQ. lol. But that sounds FANTASTIC!!

Upward2Enlightenment

Yea, I think you can do it, you are very strong. Just focus on something that makes you happy and you can get through it.

ChickChick

Thanks Luc and Up. I think deep breaths and happy thoughts on the way home will help. I love ice water so I'm sure I will have some in my cool gear chicken cup for the drive home.

SolitaryThinker

I donno I can't focus on anything that will help me, I tried and failing, this keeps happening to me and I hate it...thank you everyone

I have never cooked Korean BBQ but have gone to places where it is cooked infront of you, don't know what went into it but it was basically just chicken kebabs and pork kebabs with Asian sauces and spices, really tasty tho and it was cooked pretty much like any typical BBQ, meat-> metal -> fire
I think the Korean part comes in with the particular sauces and spices most def, hope this helps a teeny bit

SolitaryThinker

All the Asian countries primarily use the same ingredients it's more on the prep and presentation

Lucrezia

I don't know what to do - I'm seriously contemplating drinking. Well, I keep having this first thought - "Oh, I could go downstairs and have a cooler. A cider. People would actually be fine with that. They would probably have one too"
Then my next thought is, how I would be tempted to go and have a drink or two of the whiskey/rum/brandy/whatever is there in the cabinet.
I would feel so nice. It's a dull saturday. It would help my mood so much. Oh, and I haven't gone to my first sobriety meeting or even met my counselour at this counselling place yet - that is wednesday. So like, I could drink just once more before then. And they would understand. I have a problem, right? So ...you know... I could totally just get drunk and enjoy myself and it would be fine. I know I'm on here right now instead of having a drink, but, I feel so close to it.... so weak..... wow, these cravings really catch you off guard!!!!!

Lucrezia

I've only made individual Korean things, usually with spicy pork, kimchi, etc. I probably have the recipes somewhere. I had a whole site for Korean food recipes that was amazing. They probably have info on the BBQ foods on there. Maybe I can find it...

topspin

ChickChick, .. I think it's great you have a plan , whichever one you go with.

Some sports psychologists recommend using a visualization technique where a person visualizes their entire performance before a competition. That's what it seems like you are doing today , in a way, ....and it's supposed to be very effective.

Good thinking !

ST,
There are areas around here that charge folks to access. There are more that no money will get a person into, but thankfully all the beaches are protected by the Federal Gov't as public land. Just accessing them can be problematic sometimes. I have an old beater off road bike for that kind of thing,....and they don't charge bicyclists tolls, on our toll roads, ...yet !?!

Trying to get a little more hydrated after a light workout earlier. Want to get out on the Hybrid soon while the sun is still out.
Actually, I have a headlight, so it's really about getting out there before I lose motivation and change my mind. ...if ya know what I mean !??

I'm passing on a beach party going on today, .....it sounds like it was going to be a drinking oriented thing, .... I can't think of anything more disgusting right now than sugary tequila drinks on the beach. There are several places I can refill my water bottle with some cold crystal clear water on these bike routes.

Lucrezia, you could join me,
change things up.... ..head outside for a bit

Onward we go, ..into another Saturday night.

Stay Strong y'all

Lucrezia

Maybe I will sit outside and read. I've been thinking about it but haven't done it today....yet.... I can try that. I have to walk past several different kinds of alcohol to get there, haha. Like walking through a dangerous jungle rainforest with snakes and spiders and wild animals and thorns!!! Ahahaha.... will I survive the trek... perhaps I should prepare a bit, first. *deep breaths*

DancingDiva

Hey Luc- just remember that this is what you want. You're choosing to stay sober because you know it's right. You also have the choice to drink, but before you do ask yourself why you want to. Boredom? Uncertainty? Pressure? Something else? Then ask yourself if whatever reason you give will be permanently solved by drinking. It might be entertaining to drink now, but what will you do the next time you're bored?

I promise, you CAN do this. You have a good start under your belt, take it from me - that momentum is very valuable.

Chickie - definitely have something non-alcoholic in hand on the drive. I'm so amazed at how often my drinking was about just needing something to hold onto and to swig off of.

I like to cook, but Korean BBQ is a little out of my league, lol. I'm just beginning to get a handle on Thai food - making coconut curry tofu tonight...mmmm....

This morning I had my first ever surfing lesson, and officially got my butt whipped by the ocean. But at least it wasn't whipped by wine last night - I'll take an ocean beating over a hangover any time!

I hope everyone is doing ok. It's a gorgeous day here, and I'm sending strong sobriety vibes your way!

Lucrezia

Thanks DancingDiva! And surfing...awesome!!

My mood is just really, really low today....and I know that drinking makes it go up. Way up. And beyond. Warm and fuzzy, happy glow, all that.... yes, it's temporary. What would I do tomorrow if my mood is low again? Drink again. Atleast, that's what I used to do. But I've never liked that example - the "well it's only temporary, and tomorrow you will feel the same way and feel the need to drink again - it's not permanent" thing. Why? Because every day I get hungry, so every day I eat (except when I was in my ED stages, eeeeek)

So.

Thank you so much for reminding me that this is MY choice. I have to remember my reasons for not drinking. I have to remember that.

I did sit outside for half an hour, reading and thinking.... now I'm inside again.

I still want to drink. Though right now, I have just poured myself a fancy glass of welches grape juice (I only mention the brand, because that goes back to my childhood. I think because it was the expensive kind, and we were very poor, that my mum was always very adamant that we 'sip it in small sips, slowly and carefully, savouring each drop'. So...my relationship to this juice, whether the white or the red/purple, has been how some people's attitude is to wine, I think. Weird, but good, in this case! haha)

So anyway. That's what I'm doing right now. All the sugar in it might help, too.

But I'm still kinda scared, because once I have it in my head that I want to drink, it's hard to get that idea out of my head..... but let's hope that I do what is best for me....

And good luck to everyone else out there. I hope that you can also find good sober things to do!! I see a lot of you already have.

Edit: I'm looking up the brand now, because I'm a nerd. But I thought this was neat
"Our story began over 140 years ago, when Thomas Bramwell Welch decided to serve grape juice instead of wine at his church."
Haha, so it really is an anti-wine. This is great.

DancingDiva

Good call on the Welch's, Luc - funny how things from our youth stay with us. I still remember the jingle from Velveeta when I was a kid and it brings back fond memories...even though Velveeta itself is kinda gross....

No worries on the "permanent" thing - what makes sense to you is important. For me, the saying "just don't drink today, if you want to drink tomorrow you can," never worked for me because (big surprise) I usually did want to drink the next day and I couldn't buy into a scenario where tomorrow never came. So, I'd put off drinking a day, and then I "had permission" the next day if I still wanted to drink. Which I usually did.

Long story short - it's important to find ways that work for you . It doesn't matter what works for anyone else if it doesn't work for you.

I hope you can enjoy the rest of your day I'll be thinking of ya!

Dee74

People like that almost always have a problem themselves. A lot of m,y buddies for very angry with me for quitting because I was a great smokescreen for them...they didn;t have to drink alone...and I made them look good.


There's been some great suggestions here ST. I hope you'll look at them and maybe get some ideas

D

Dee74

It's still early days Luc.

Like I always say - thoughts are thoughts - it what we do in response that really counts.

For a long time I thought of a low day as something that needed to be 'fixed' - now I accept that some days are low days and the likelihood is I'll feel good again tomorrow.

Stay Strong

D

Dee74

We'll all be with you Chick.

Think about some of the likely scenarios and how you might handle them - have an escape plan too

You can do this

D

Applekat

Luc sorry if I missed it but did you watch OITNB episode 2 yet?
That's my plan for tonight!!
Hugs!

Applekat

Chick I would prob get a giant iced coffee, or a can/bottle of sparkling water. And also plug into some iTunes songs or Pandora. You will be ok. Think of us.

SolitaryThinker

Ungh I tried a few things here I'm still really bent out of shape, I really wanna just feel at peace, thanks for the advice tho everyone