nymets86

Dee, part of the problem with the NCAA is it runs from noon until midnight both Thursday and Friday, then nearly just as long on Saturday and Sunday. Basically non-stop basketball and it's a single elimination tournament, so it's just crazy, hence the name "March Madness." I read something recently suggesting the USA as a whole loses $2B in lost productivity due to people watching the tournament and not doing their jobs.

Anyway, I'm working out how I'll enjoy it sober this year. Step one is my company's event on Thursday, which I cannot skip. However, I don't have to stay the whole time. I'm planning on showing up late (which is totally acceptable, I'm just usually one of he first people there). I'll then order a club soda and lime and make sure to talk to my boss and my boss' boss. Games will be on TV (4 at a time are being played on Thursday), so witht all that excitement, I can't see people noticing that I'm having club soda. I'll then walk around and talk with as many of my existing clients as possible, hand out my card to some perspective clients and then just do an Irish exit and head out early. My AV is telling me that I need an excuse to leave, but I know that nobody will actually notice if I leave early since there are so many people there and I don't owe anybody an excuse.

On Friday, I'm going to stay at work late (I'll bring my iPad and steam games at my desk, so I'll not be too productive, but I won't be drinking) and then head straight to the gym to watch the evening games before getting home and watching the late night games from my bed.

On Saturday, I'm just going to lay low and watch the games at home and if any of my friends ask, I'm going to say that I have too much homework/studying to do.

On Sunday, I already got invited to a restaurant (has a bar there) to watch some games from a group of my closest friends. I replied saying that I likely can make it, but it will depend how much studying I've gotten done since I have exams next week (which is partially true). I even went as far as to tell one of my friends that I'm "down to join, but just wouldn't drink since I have exams" to which he replied "yeah, I have an interview early next Monday, so I wouldn't be drinking either."

So, sorry for the long post, but that's my plan for getting through this thing sober, while also making sure that I do continue to watch the event that I love.

Happy Monday everybody! It sure is nice waking up bright (well, dark) and early with no hangover and no regrets about what I did over the weekend, other than eating spicy Mexican food last night.

Start of Day 26 for me. Going to get some time in on the elliptical before heading to work.

DrunkenDonuts

Hi all. Haven't posted in the Feb class for a while.

Still haven't had any alcohol. My antabuse has run out and I can't get any more until the 19th or later. Little bit scary because I'm feeling very low at the moment.

Did a little test this morning and used alcohol-based hand sanitizer and I didn't get ill, so the antabuse seems to have stopped working already.

Hope I can make it through to Thursday.

Day 48 today.

nymets86

Esspee, sorry that that happened. However, I think you handled it well and stopped at 1 without even getting a buzz. For me, I kee count of sober days, not tota number of days that I didn't have a sip of alcohol. I will say I'm now on day 26 and haven't had a drop, but if I am handed a glass and told we're making a toast, I wouldn't necessarily reset my sober clock. If I moved on to a 2nd drink on my own and got buzzed or worse, then I'd reset it. To me, it sounds like you sort of just went with the flow rather than actively tried to drink. Could you have said "no thanks?" Probably. Could you have taken the glass and not even had a sip? Probably. But I think it's great that you had just the one glass and stopped there, before any effects of alcohol kicked in. And you stayed sober!

Dee74

It's nearly Tuesday now... I reckon you can do three days DD
Antabuse is a help but you seem to have the sincere desire to change to me

D

ReadyOrNot123

Esspee, so sorry to hear you had a drink. Back on the horse. You have a good perspective on it, beyond the disappointment of course.

Mets, the woman at my job who has served as my mentor always called it "one lap around the dance floor". In other words, you might have to go, but you don't have to stay. I think the idea of going late is excellent. Noone is going to notice at all.

Sounds like people are doing pretty well. Dee, good to see you.

I'm tired but doing fine. Work is just so hard, and I'm quite glad I am not dealing with it hungover. It's all I can do to get through the days as it is.

tornrealization

I second that. Back on the horse!

I'm tired too ReadyOrNot123, my class is kicking my butt. NyMets, I've used homework to get out of drinking sometimes. I've also used homework to isolate and stay at home and drink without worrying about embarrassing myself in public.

It's truly good that you recognize that people probably won't notice your arrival and departure times. They might notice a total lack of being there, but the plan of making your rounds and leaving sounds like a good one.

I think you can get through March Madness without the madness of drinking. You've made your plans so that is great!!

Well I'm getting ready for my Europe portion of my class and the teacher dropped surprise assignments on us. I'm actually very frazzled by this ordeal and so far I'm so busy with work and this class that I'm losing sight about how awesome the trip is probably going to be. I don't feel I'll get any time to relax until the long long plane trip and maybe getting some shut eye - maybe. I have a hard time sleeping on planes.

My bloodwork already has been processed. Liver and Kidneys looking good and my vitamin levels are better than last year and cholesterol. I feel so lucky and even blessed (I'm not really religious). WHEW.

Time for tea and bed, gdnight everyone!

nymets86

Enjoy the trip to Europe! Glad to hear the bloodwork is good.

I've been avoiding the doctor myself. Went two years ago and everything was fine. I wasn't 100% honest about how much I'd been drinking. Probably should go and put my mind at ease (or find out if something is wrong)

soberseedling

Building a live edge table and walking a lot this last month. Staying busy and taking care of myself (lost 20 pounds since I quit). Last time around I had a lot of anxiety about doing social things without booze. Feeling better about myself has about made all my anxiety disappear. I went out twice for birthday parties and still had fun without drinking, plus I felt great while my friends all felt terrible the next day. When did they come up with club soda? That stuff is delicious!

60andbeyond

Day 27. Made it through another Monday ... feeling distracted and unable to concentrate. Don't know. Just a weird day I guess. Maybe I feel a little bit like I'm uncertain and floating around? :/

I know that tomorrow I'll feel good that I didn't use St Pats as an excuse to drink more than what I usually did on a normal night so my Wednesday will be good.

Oh I suppose it's that the anniversary of my Dad's death is coming up on March 21. I'd usually go on a 2 weeks bender right about now to get through it. It was a good excuse to stay drunk. This will be the first sober anniversary. My dad would be a lot happier and prouder of me that way so that's my goal.

Hope everyone has a good Tuesday. Not really sure how I feel right now. Just weird.

Thanks for giving me a place to type my thoughts out and for understanding.

Trees39

Esspee, funny I thought about you and 1stepup the other day and wondered how you both were.

Lovely to see you again!

nymets86

60, I've been feeling weird hour to hour. More and more better hours tho.

I think you have the right attitude about St. pattys. Tomorrow will be better if no drinking is done today.

And you are right, drinking on the anniversary of your father's passing won't be any relief. Use a day of sobriety to honor him and know that you being sober and working on recovery would make him a lot prouder than if you drank to his memory.

Stay strong.

Happy St Patty's everyone. I'm starting day 27 here. About to head to the gym. Thinking I might go to the gym again after work just to really keep my mind off st pattys (though its not really a trigger for me as I've never really gone out and celebrated it much in the past). Either way, going to the gym helps elevate my mood and I'm trying to drop 20 pounds so that I can improve my self image.

ReadyOrNot123

Maybe this class will incent me to lose weight too - I've been on a 4 day "bender" of ice cream and cookies. It's unrelated to alcohol, I just love sweets. I lost a ton of weight a couple/three years ago, but about 25 lbs. has crept back and I'm trying to lose it. So today is my Day 1 of sweets! (not keeping track of that one though, if I slip on cookies I'm not likely to make an ass of myself).

Some good numbers getting accumulated here. And awareness, and hope. And also a fondness for club soda!

I'm not tempted by St. Pat's day at all, and I got some really good sleep last night, so I'm feeling pretty good (still tired, but not nearly as bad). Today is a work from home day so I don't have to deal with commuting, always a plus. It's raining, so hopefully the snow melt has well and truly started. All good things!

Keep it up folks.

nymets86

Ready, if you actually slip and fall on cookies, you'll make an ass of yourself. You'll just be able to laugh it off though!

ReadyOrNot123

Mets that is a visual, isn't it?! And a first - I keep my cookies safe!

Soberwolf

Have a nice sober evening guys

nymets86

Almost 7pm here in NY. Home from work. Resisted all the temptations and invitations to drink today.

Happy I went to the gym this morning as I'm good and exhausted now. Just going to make it a night in and relax. Watch some of the NCAA play in games and The Jinx on HBO.

I'm realizing more and more how easy it is to say no to booze. I'm a bit upset to say I strongly considered giving in, but glad to report I didnt. Everyone that asked wasn't offended when I declined the invitation. I think that realization is a nice step. My desire to drink was usually stoked by an invite to drink and so I'd feel like I was letting someone down if I was busy and couldn't partake. And if I had time, I wouldn't dare offend them and decline the offer.

Well today, I had nowhere to be and declined the offer. Nobody yelled or got offended and last I checked, the Earth is still spinning.

H2SO4

I feel like when I go to this wedding in a few months I'm just going to say that my Dr. told me I couldn't drink or I would die. Make something up about my liver. That's not a complete lie though. My liver is fine but I'm sure I would die if I kept up my drinking.

It's just going to be easier to say that rather than having to explain what this is like to people who don't understand. I feel that those who remember me as a hard and fun drinker would just simply not press the issue if I just said my liver was shot. Some people are acting like someone died when I tell them I've quit. It's not like I haven't missed out on anything when it comes to alcohol. Plenty of war stories, good and bad.

Does this sound like a dumb idea, or should I just tell the truth? Which is if I can't drink at least 12 drinks then I don't want to drink at all.

nymets86

H2SO4, I have three wedding coming up, ugh.

I think maybe saying you're on antibiotics and can't drink is a lot easier than something really intense like saying that yor doctor told you you'd die if you drank. The antibiotics one won't get too many follow ups, whereas I feel like you might cause a lot of cl concern and draw attention to yourself if you say that your doctor said you might die.

Similarly, you could just say you quit drinking, are taking a break from Drinking, etc.

tornrealization

People may or may not respond to it but I had to quote you because that is so true for me. If I have one, then evil drink monster comes out. If I'm trying to control it then I just become a beotchy aggravated person because I'm itching to drink how I want but I can't. It gets frustrating, everything becomes annoying and time slows down until I can get home and finish the job off.

Sigh.

St. Patty's day - I'm missing our friends yearly party for the plane flight. Last year I went and was sober and I had a rather good time and nobody was fall on the floor drunks.

Even after a couple of years of on/off drinking - I do notice that most our friends don't consume like my husband and I. His brother does only like once a weekend, but he must have his weekly binge night. I think that's dangerous too, but I guess better than every night.

My little app game released green beer decorations today. I was amused but not tempted. lol

Well lots of homework lots of prepping oh man, I'm so tired.

60andbeyond

Day 28. Feeling really tired and "meh". Lots of people walking around downtown today that smelled of beer. They smelled gross. I saw the tent at the big St Pats bash and for a second thought about how much fun they were having but then replaced those thoughts with all of the idiotic things that happened. Saw the mobile DUI van ready to go and book people outside the police station and thought good - don't need to worry about that one.

Went to the gym and was surprised at how many people were working out. Made me feel somewhat better. I'm just really tired and never found energy today. I think I've been working out too much to try and keep myself busy and I'm just exhausting my body. Need to take a break and be kind to me and just rest. I feel like I just need some good sleep. I've been afraid to have too much downtime but it's catching up.

I'm proud of all of you for staying strong and for checking in. Makes me happy to come here and read everything - the good and the bad. It's just nice to have a group that gets it I guess. So thank you again.

And now it's my turn to watch The Jinx on HBO.

Happy St Pats and an even happier clear headed and crisp Wednesday morning to you all.