tekink

I'll have 10 months coming up on December 9th.

Martin1

Well done mate.

It will be one year for me in about three weeks. Seems to have flown past.

I have felt like this before but one year is a long time, I feel confident that I have beaten this. I feel fear at the thought of having a drink.

I had some good news yesterday, my provisional driving license came. I had one when I was 17 but I got burgled, lost it and never replaced it.

I am doing mock theory tests and keep getting the odd pass but mostly fails, (you need 43 correct out of 50), just failing on simple things road users will know like the signs and how the car works.

HelenofTroy

Martin that is a huge accomplishment, coming up on one year. I am so happy for you. I am not far ahead of you and I agree, I also feel afraid of the idea of one drink. I don't want to lose all that I have gained in this last year.

That's great that you are getting your driver's license. Keep on doing practice tests, it will come. I am so glad to hear you are doing well

Dee74

You'll get there on the test Martin - congrats on your upcoming year
Hi Helen

D

Martin1

Thanks guys. I have good days and bad days. But as of right this second I am OK. I have a lot of support that some people do not have.

The best thing I have done is stop drinking. All aspects of my life have genuinely improved and even though it's slow things are improving.

On a drinking related note, my sister has been a drinker for some time, not as bad as I was, but bad enough to cause her problems. She got convicted for drink driving recently and is banned for two years so I am hoping this will be a wake up call for her.

Martin1

Merry Christmas guys x

Dee74

Merry Christmas Martin

D

HelenofTroy

Merry Christmas to you all!

Martin1

This was the day last year when I messed up and went on a five day binge.

Got through today.

Gonna settle down into bed in a bit.

Hope you all had a lovely day or are having one (time difference).

tekink

merry christmas everyone!

Martin1

Today marks 1 year sober for me.

That's mad.

Martin1

I also went for an eye exam today.

I would not have done that before, I would have been too scared to go.

The people were very nice, they know about my anxiety, last year the guy who runs the opticians actually came to our house and brought his equipment because I wouldn't go to the opticians.

Glad I went. Bit uncomfortable but it was OK.

Barbs

Congratulations Martin! You have come so far. Looks like 2018 will be a wonderful year.

Dee74

Congratulations Martin

Happy New Year to you and everyone here

D

tekink

Congratulations!

One year is coming up around the corner for me. Just waiting for tomorrow to be over, I know it's going to suck hard for me. I've been stressing over it for a couple weeks now. I have to DJ the nye party at our bar so it's five hours in the thick of the drunkenness and I'm not ready for it. It sucked last year and I wish I would have gotten out of it somehow this year but alas it'll be over with in 31 hours.

HelenofTroy

Good morning folks.

Martin congratulations on one year!

You recently posted this:
That is so true for me as well. When we are in drinking mode it is easy to not think about the fact that alcohol is a depressant. My life feels so enriched since giving up booze. It's not perfect by any means but definitely improved. I am so glad to see that you got through the holidays and are doing so well.

Tekink you are also doing so well! As far as your DJ role, I would think that would give you the perfect vantage point to see just what idiots we become when drinking. If you can get through the earlier part of the night when it *looks* like everyone is having fun (when in reality many are just using booze to cover up their anxieties and really aren't having fun at all) you will notice at least a few sloppy souls as the night wears on and be able to be grateful that that isn't you! Also think about how good you will feel in the morning

Wishing all of my classmates a happy New Year!

Dee74

Well done to you, tekink and Helen, too
How are you barbs?
D

Martin1

It has gone midnight so I can now say 2017 was a sober year.

The last sober year for me, was probably back in the 90s.

Barbs

Congratulations tekink, helen and again to you martin!

2017 has been a year of ups and downs for me. Trying hard to get beyond my recent slip.

I am happy to end the year sober!

Happy New Year to you all!

tekink

I haven't had a sober year yet, I'll get that for 18. I also haven't had a sober year since 1990. I never drank until I went to collage and it's been every year since around 94 turned from only drinking at the club to drinking every day.

NYE went really well, I was really worried that I'd have trouble pulling people in. A lot of folks won't dance to music that isn't familiar. I'm from the circles where the dancers are there to dance and are waiting to hear the coolest thing they've never heard before. I was a club dj for a long time quite a few years ago and that's a different game. It's more like a performance and people have zero expectactions that you'll actually play something they've heard before. It's all about finding that new sound first.

We had a 20s theme so I was worried about what to play once the dinner part was over, I didn't think 20s stuff would work all night and I was fretting over what to use to pull people on to the dance floor. Turned out all it took was disco and I like disco so it was easy and fun. It's a little harder to figure out how to pull the folks that need the familiar but I found it fast and we had a record night.

I made people happy and that's my goal in life. Feeling great today, looking forward to February 9th! I've worked in Bars for 25 years, it was always rewarding knowing you are helping people enjoy their night out. I think dancing and celebration is key to embracing life.

Happy New Year everyone!