Thank you readyornot congrats to ppl reaching milestones

Just checking in here folks. I had Wendy's new jalapeño spicy chicken sandwich for lunch yesterday. I'll spare you the details, but I was up about 3 or 4 times during the night in quite a bit of agony due to the Wendy's. On top of that, I get bad season allergies and pollen is hitting hard here, giving me a headache, stuffy nose and itchy eyes.

Tummy troubles are starting to pass, but allergies bugging me still this morning, particularly the itchy eyes.

In a way, I think having the stomach/allergy issues last night reminded me why drinking stinks. Physically, it's not all that dissimilar from a hangover, but mentally, my regret for eating that unhealthy thing is about 1,000,000 times less than my regrets when I drink.

I've been awake for about an hour despite my desire to sleep in a bit this morning, but whatever. The stomach issues are rapidly getting better and the Claritin is kicking in, so allergies are subsiding. Supposed to be a beatiful day in NYC and I'm going to go out for a jog and then start to chip away at my homework load. If I were here now waiting for some hangover symptoms to go away, I know that the embarrassment/shame/guilt would be building up and building up and I'd be checking for my wallet, keys, phone (outgoing emails / texts), etc. I'd fee so ashamed, I'd want to hide away in bed all day and not see anone. Eating that jalapeño chicken sandwich was a regrettable decision as far as my weight loss plans go, but I can get in a workout to work it off. When I've drank, I can't undo the mental anguish from it.

Good morning. I was awakened before 6 this morning by some noise, still don't know what it was but I was up early and looking for intruders and that kind of adrenaline didn't lead me back to sleep afterwards. So I'm up and dressed. I'm going to see the local minor league baseball team with my dad today, and it's supposed to be nice out. I find I don't remember how to dress for 70 degrees and mostly cloudy. Layers, layers, layers.

I don't anticipate any drinking cravings, but we generally get all the snacks so it will be a food cheat day for sure. What a difference a year makes - last year opening weekend was so cold that I was eating my ice cream with gloves, parka and hat!

Sorry about your sandwich ailment Mets. Enjoy the day everyone.

Readyornot - The play is an Agatha Christie - Arsenic and Old Lace. A fun play. I'm one of the old ladies. It's fun to play crazy.

I also worry about someone finding my journal and reading it, but then I think, if that person is doing that then they are snooping and invading my privacy. After I'm dead - well, what should I care. Maybe the journals will be so awesome that someone will make a movie of my life :-) I will add a list of actresses somewhere in hopes that they will play me. ;-)

I got a new job yesterday! A full time job! I will be out in the public with this job and so I can't help but meet new people and make friends. And because I am in absolutely new place, where no one knows me, I have the most golden opportunity to make a brand new life. As I was walking my dog yesterday, after I got the good news, a little voice popped up..."hey, why not celebrate your new job!". Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky...I told that voice - but I don't drink. Within seconds the voice was gone.

Congratulations on your job calicofish :)

D

Calico, great update! Congrats on the new job. A fresh slate is a wonderful thing.

I love Agatha Christie - that sounds like so much fun. You have a lot going on that is so positive, keep that AV in its place!

Day 60! Wow. Unreal. I truly didn't think I'd make it this far.

Today was not a good day even though it's a good milestone. I found myself with too much time on my hands - HALT basically. I ate a brownie which made me sick to my stomach but I figured it was better than alcohol. :-| I am pretty sure that the only thing that kept me sober today is the fact that I signed up to run a race tomorrow and drinking today would mean being unable to race tomorrow. It was a tough day. But I made it through again. Somehow. Hopefully I can just keep plugging away.

It's rare I have a day with nothing going on over the weekend and I just don't do well with idle time I guess. I need to stay busy all the time.

Anyway.. I love that everyone is still here and checking in! I'm really proud of everyone.

congratulations 60 :)

D

Who is Left in This Class?
 

I was just wondering who might be left in this class. I am sure there are some who are not posting. I don't post a lot - mainly because I've nothing really to say.

So, by my reckoning I see the following who are in this class:

NYmets
Ready or Not
Torn R
60 and beyond

Am I missing anyone?

I went to a bar last night to meet my best friend (who I rarely see) and listen to her boyfriend's band. The bar was an hour drive my house. It was wonderful to hear live music and watch a band. Making me wish it was me up there jamming with them. I ordered my club soda and lime and to my delight - it was free. There was a big celebration going on at the bar - a local patron celebrating his 60th. There was a free buffet of food. I stayed for a couple of hours and then drove home. It was surreal driving home. A very dark night - but lovely. I was hoping a cop would stop me (weird I know) just so I could proudly declare that I had not been drinking. I've never been pulled over for DUI. I do see a cop - after I go through a yellow light...damn. But, I guess it was OK as I didn't get stopped - that's not what I wanted to be pulled over for.

My friend was impressed that I was not drinking. I told her I had stopped for good.

I have a volunteer thing to attend this morning and then a rehearsal. Busy day. And...I'm sober and not hungover.

Can I get a high five!

highfive Calicofish :)

D

High five Calico indeed! 60 - whatever the reason, good job and good luck on the race.

I had a good day yesterday, it was absolutely gorgeous out. I was driving over to my dad's to pick him up, the sun was shining, the music was good and I was singing along just happy knowing I was going to a baseball game with my father. I was (and guess I am still) the quintessential daddy's girl. Now we are aging and it's still fun. In fact, he greeted me with some paperwork he's filled out related to health care proxy, telling me I'm the first alternate (after his wife). I said I'd be a good #2 (would I be good if I actually had to make a decision? in concept yes, but in reality, we'll have to see). And off we went. Cheeseburger, French fries, popcorn and moose tracks ice cream -- yes we overate but we knew it going in and it was awesome. Home team won by a ton of runs. It was all good.

Enough about that, I haven't decided what to do today, might need to go through some of my clothes that I am hopeful not to wear again this season (put away the heavy sweaters), but maybe I'll just be lazy. It's sunny but chillier, I'll still take it - going to rain most of the week.

Enjoy the day all!

High 5

High five calico.

60andBeyond, I'm feeling kind of the same way. I wasn't really tempted to drink yesterday, but the only thing on my calendar was the Rangers game at 8PM. On Saturdays, I'm often hungover and I guess that takes up quite a bit of time. Either way, I just felt incredibly lonely. I woke up early and felt good about things, then went for a long jog, then it was like 11AM and I had nothing to do for 9 hours and was sitting at home, alone by myself. Wasn't a good feeling. I went to the Rangers game last night with my brother, which was nice, then got home and went to bed. I slept in till 10 this AM, and felt pretty depressed on waking up, even though today I have Mets tickets and that will be fun. I just know I'll be home around 5 and be feeling very lonely.

But the good thing is I'm sober, so that crippling anxiety is gone.

Ready, glad to hear you had a nice day!

Have a great start to the week guys

Calico, that is good news on the job front, congratulations! Yes your list of people left is what I noticed. Classes shrink, grow, ebb and flow over time I learned.

ReadyorNot, sounds like a wonderful day with your Dad. Happy sober memories!

60andbeyond, idle times is typically my major pit falls. In two weeks the hubby is going to a beerfest. I made myself sign up for a walk. If I was home alone, I could be idle, and then drink alone. instead I have a ten mile walk with a group.

Sorry to hear you felt alone at times nymets. Are you into sports year round?
Will you be able to watch with family?

I tried to find Allen Carr's book Easy Way to Quit Drinking. Amazon only has $$ old copies. So I ordered his variation, Stop Drinking Now. I've seen his book recommended on here and other sober resources. The interesting takeaway I get from reviews and previews is changing the thinking from even feeling like you are missing out on moderation people seem to enjoy. I'm intrigued.

Teacher threw us another curveball. The big final project was due Friday at midnight. He changed it to Wed. I only know t his because I was sober, not hung over and doing other homework. I lost two days but fine. It'll be done. Messy and raced, I just want done with his class. We have hiking planned this upcoming weekend, so at least I won't worry about homework a week.

torn, yes, I'm into sports year-round. Baseball is my favorite sport, followed very closely by College Basketball. After that, I also really like Hockey and College Football. I don't have a fovorite NFL team, but love watching football. I'll watch the NBA to see my favorite college players on the court, and will also watch the playoffs. I'll watch golf and tennis too. Basically, I'm a sports junkie and outside of my love of travel, sports is my favorite "hobby."

Your hiking trip sounds great. I'm slow, but love hiking. Done a lot of the tallest peaks in the northeast US.

Odd curveball the teacher threw, but I think you have the right mindset. I'm in school too and bad about procrastinating (oddly worse since I've been sober), and bumping up a deadline would help me get my act together.

Overall, I'm happy to say I made it through this weekend totally sober. Went to two big sporting events, with people drinking that I was with (all in moderation) and nobody commented that I wasn't drinking. I did feel very lonely in the times I was at home this weekend, but I got through it and that's all that matters.

This upcoming Saturday will be a real challenge as I have a friend's bday I really don't want to miss. It's just going to be very tempting to drink and I'll need a great sober plan. I'd just skip it, but I have another friend from out of town visiting just for this party and I really want to see everyone at this party. There will certainly be alcohol, but all but one of my friends going I always see drinking in moderation. It's usually the two of us that get the drunkest.

I'm planning a combination of saying I'm on a diet and allergy medication and that I'm simply not drinking. If things start going south and I feel I'm going to drink, I'm planning to say my stomach is bugging me and that I need to leave early.

Years ago I walked into a room where my dad was watching some espn channel showing girls high school basketball somewhere. "Dad - why on earth are you watching this?" Dad: "they're playing, ain't they?". That's what Mets's description reminded me of a little, and it makes me smile.

Torn, good for you on the sober plan, and also not getting too worked up about the change in school schedule. And Mets, I think you're going to sail through this weekend, you're prepared and know the benefit of a plan. Between the two of you it makes me wonder that if I had mastered this concept, maybe I wouldn't have relapsed so many times.

Today is a completely nasty day here, I guess we are paying for the nice weekend weather. Today was the Boston Marathon, I work right in the area of the finish line so started to walk over a little before I got to the office (the energy level is always fun, even that early), started getting a sick feeling and didn't finish the walk. I was out of sorts for most of the day - I don't remember feeling like this last year so can't be sure this had anything to do with what happened two years ago - maybe it's just the cold and raw. I'm glad it's over and nothing bad happened. I'll tell you one thing, it'd be hard to imagine with all that security everywhere you looked.

Have a good night everyone.

NYMets, so you have an exit plan for the party and that is good. Will there be another person not drinking? I find having or knowing someone else isn't drinking at all helps.

It's this kind of stuff I'm hoping the new book helps with a bit. In the reviews that I read it supposed to change the way you think about even moderation. So you don't feel like you are missing out.

I mean it's obvious in the hang over free morning or when your weight is going down it was the right choice.

Work was stressful, and I'm becoming more stressed over this looming paper. I hate papers. HATE HATE HATE papers and I hate papers where there are no guidelines but you are told that as "Masters students" you should know what to magically write about and how many pages and make it mind blowing and super freaking awesome. Nothing is original anymore. I hate this. Give me outline or topics to pick from.

So I'm submitting a crappy paper I haven't written yet in two days. I took hours to figure out a topic this morning and I hate it and it almost nothing to do with the Europe trip. I give up. I spent 3 weeks trying to find a topic nothing moves me to write. I hate this damn class. Hate it.

Next class is the last thank goodness. It's one big gigantic paper and presentation, however it has structure. None of this just make me a 'graduate' paper creative open assignment. Blah.

I cried on the way home. I am overwhelmed. My previous class was all papers. I miss tests and assignments. Those I can handle.

Ok, fixed hubby's computer. Accomplished something today.

Feeling better after paper rant, but still foolish cause I knew this paper was coming. I just couldn't figure out what to write and now I have something and less than excited. I'll make it through. Should get a good grade for class even if I bomb the paper.

Bedtime! Sober! Yes! Drinking wouldn't have made any of this better, a least it crossed my mind for less than a minute. Then I was like, NOPE!

Good job torn. I can relate to that stress. Tests are always a bit nicer since no matter what, the test is happening on a given date. If you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail.....With papers, the procrastination on my end can be brutal and I wind up doing the whole thing LATE at night and just totally screwing up my sleep schedule.

Anyway, my exit plan Saturday night is to just say goodbye to my friends and say that my stomach is bothering me (or I have a bad allergy headache) and then tell my friend that is staying with me that I'm going home and going to bed, but will give him a key to let himself in when he gets back to my apt.

Right now, it seems like this will be super awkward or something, but I've pulled an Irish Exit several times before while so drunk that I don't even know why I left. Or I've been one of the last people there and just been completely trashed. I don't want that to happen. I'm really focusing on how nice Sunday will be without a hangover.

My friend staying in NY is a very light drinker, so I'd imagine he'll be up early and down to do some sightseeing. I LOVE touring people around NYC, so will be nice doing brunch and a tour Sunday morning. If I drink, I know it's possible I won't have a hangover, but highly unlikely. So, I'm really focusing on that. I'm also trying to put all the other events coming up out of my head for the time being. I can't stay sober three weeks from now today. I can just stay sober today today. So one day at a time, while focusing on this weekend.

Good morning everyone!