Class of November 2016 Support Thread Part 9
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
Just a reminder on political chat
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-politics.html
I understand how important Politics is to some of us...but here on SR every opinion invariably has an equal and opposite opinion.
I don't want this thread to derail - it's been a really supportive one
Dee
Moderator
SR
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-politics.html
I understand how important Politics is to some of us...but here on SR every opinion invariably has an equal and opposite opinion.
I don't want this thread to derail - it's been a really supportive one
Dee
Moderator
SR
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NSW - Australia
Posts: 14,592
Just received a phone call from my son. It was civil and with understanding. I am so very happy. We talked about good stuff. Go Ma! Go the boy! Felt really proud when I said I was not drinking and it was only said in passing not as the topic of conversation. 
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
No worries Nands - or anyone else for that matter
I'm not getting all punitive - I just don't want somebody to came past and get involved in a political discussion that might derail the great bit of recovery we have here
D
D
I'm not getting all punitive - I just don't want somebody to came past and get involved in a political discussion that might derail the great bit of recovery we have here
D
D
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
I am finishing up a book tonight, and hope to figure out how to post pictures during my "not doing what I am "suppose to" period tomarrow.
I really want to show you all the ways my son and I are decorating the recovery rat park (cage) here in Kansas
I only have an hour to finish the book.
I had this strong vivid desire to stop for alcohol today ... it pretty much came out of nowhere and was easily laughed at and swept away. The thing that kills me is the incredible feeling I get in my gut (positive feeling) when these momentary desires come up. That is part of the sneakiness of my body. Even it can lie to me. I know that I won't get that good feeling by drinking. Maybe it is more like the excitement a person might feel right before jumping off a cliff.... mmm .. maybe it's adrenaline????
That might be it and the kind of curiosity that killed the cat?
I was realizing yesterday that if I am honest ... I do have some of that ambulance chaser desire. It's not something I'm proud of, but yeah I tend to crook my neck to see the accident, to want to hang around a place with all the catastrophic excitement of a fire, flood or other event. I don't act on it in a noticeable way most of the time, but I'm going to take a look at how I am drawn to the exciting drama of things at times. Perhaps that does play in to the drink thing ... drinking surley makes things dramatic even when they don't need to be I can make them that way.... mmm I need to think on that!
I really want to show you all the ways my son and I are decorating the recovery rat park (cage) here in Kansas
I only have an hour to finish the book.
I had this strong vivid desire to stop for alcohol today ... it pretty much came out of nowhere and was easily laughed at and swept away. The thing that kills me is the incredible feeling I get in my gut (positive feeling) when these momentary desires come up. That is part of the sneakiness of my body. Even it can lie to me. I know that I won't get that good feeling by drinking. Maybe it is more like the excitement a person might feel right before jumping off a cliff.... mmm .. maybe it's adrenaline????
That might be it and the kind of curiosity that killed the cat?
I was realizing yesterday that if I am honest ... I do have some of that ambulance chaser desire. It's not something I'm proud of, but yeah I tend to crook my neck to see the accident, to want to hang around a place with all the catastrophic excitement of a fire, flood or other event. I don't act on it in a noticeable way most of the time, but I'm going to take a look at how I am drawn to the exciting drama of things at times. Perhaps that does play in to the drink thing ... drinking surley makes things dramatic even when they don't need to be I can make them that way.... mmm I need to think on that!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
I almost forgot!!!! I wanted to share this as I found it funny. I was looking up something else and this came up... 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljm6RU6lRuM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljm6RU6lRuM
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NSW - Australia
Posts: 14,592
I'm glad you mentioned the doing of something else when you 'should' be doing something else ananda 'cause that's what I'm doin'
Got a large part of the kitchen done and think I'll wait until I get some good potting mix on Monday before trying to strike my cuttings. And that's me too, always trying to find a short cut and then my flowers won't grow. Patience is a virtue.
Sorta overdid the emoticons I know, but that's me again. Overdoing it.
Been listening to music and mucking around on iPad but will get up and do a bit more. Am trying to balance myself and give myself 'permission' to rest. It's good to have that freedom.
Am definitely interested in this rat cage ananda. I can remember a cartoon in a psych journal which showed a rat in a maze, and the little bugger had a chain saw cutting his/her way out
Oh well probably too many emoticons and I'll get redirected but no matter it's a good and sober day.
My love to all.
Got a large part of the kitchen done and think I'll wait until I get some good potting mix on Monday before trying to strike my cuttings. And that's me too, always trying to find a short cut and then my flowers won't grow. Patience is a virtue.
Sorta overdid the emoticons I know, but that's me again. Overdoing it. Been listening to music and mucking around on iPad but will get up and do a bit more. Am trying to balance myself and give myself 'permission' to rest. It's good to have that freedom.
Am definitely interested in this rat cage ananda. I can remember a cartoon in a psych journal which showed a rat in a maze, and the little bugger had a chain saw cutting his/her way out
Oh well probably too many emoticons and I'll get redirected but no matter it's a good and sober day.
My love to all.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 94
Hi, fellow Nobenders! Just checking in on 6 months sober! I still read some here daily, just not into the lengthy posts some of you are! Not complaining - whatever works for each of us, is what we should be doing.
Off to day three of music festival (sober)! It's quite interesting watching all the drunks and remembering last year when I had to be escorted back to my camper to "sleep it off". I am just so happy to be free!!!
Off to day three of music festival (sober)! It's quite interesting watching all the drunks and remembering last year when I had to be escorted back to my camper to "sleep it off". I am just so happy to be free!!!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
Good Morning (US time),
Steely, did you look at the Ted Talk I posted a while back? You may have missed it as things were a bit crazy. I think it might be it was called "rat park", regardless ... has become a big part of my sobriety!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9D...gFXsCnOB4K-Ap_
You know I have found that the should's just are another way to set myself up to drink. When I focus on what I "should" be doing, I not only am not accepting my world as it is at the moment, but am missing the really cool things in this journey.
I may have said this before, but when I start with I should do this, it leads to blaming something not me which ends up with it's there fault which becomes an excuse to drink. Or for me more often it starts with I should, ends up with I'm intrinsically bad or flawed, which leads me to what the H, I might as well drink cause I'm a hopeless looser.
I am in a very nice time in my life in that I am not working. This means that I really have no reason to feel bad about taking time to do what I feel builds my rat cage/park and firms up my sobriety and makes life a little nicer. When I worked I was only able to do housework, errands, etc. on the weekend and if I drank not even that! So there isn't a real reason to get wound up about it.
Of course I get into the shoulds quite often at this point ...
I just have to recognize it, which often leads to a good chuckle and let's me move on.
Course a lot of people find it really irritating that I do this... but that is them and I work to not take it personally.
You are doing great Steely and it is totally right to take time for yourself, your personal growth and your sobriety, especially in the first few years of sobriety.
Steely, did you look at the Ted Talk I posted a while back? You may have missed it as things were a bit crazy. I think it might be it was called "rat park", regardless ... has become a big part of my sobriety!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9D...gFXsCnOB4K-Ap_
You know I have found that the should's just are another way to set myself up to drink. When I focus on what I "should" be doing, I not only am not accepting my world as it is at the moment, but am missing the really cool things in this journey.
I may have said this before, but when I start with I should do this, it leads to blaming something not me which ends up with it's there fault which becomes an excuse to drink. Or for me more often it starts with I should, ends up with I'm intrinsically bad or flawed, which leads me to what the H, I might as well drink cause I'm a hopeless looser.
I am in a very nice time in my life in that I am not working. This means that I really have no reason to feel bad about taking time to do what I feel builds my rat cage/park and firms up my sobriety and makes life a little nicer. When I worked I was only able to do housework, errands, etc. on the weekend and if I drank not even that! So there isn't a real reason to get wound up about it.
Of course I get into the shoulds quite often at this point ...
I just have to recognize it, which often leads to a good chuckle and let's me move on.Course a lot of people find it really irritating that I do this... but that is them and I work to not take it personally.
You are doing great Steely and it is totally right to take time for yourself, your personal growth and your sobriety, especially in the first few years of sobriety.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
It's nice to meet you Jillwink! I'm new in joining this thread and it is great to meet some of the people I missed early on.
It's wonderful that you are 6 months sober, and even better ... you seem to be enjoying your sobriety and discovering you can still do the stuff you like!
Yeah ... I post a lot because I've been unable to form any steady companionship and friendship in my F2F interactions. And now that I've dived in here ... I expect I will continue the friendships with sober people I have found here.
I would love you jump in and post occationally (even if it is short), just because if nothing else it helps remind us all that many of us are sober even if not big on posting here.
Keep on enjoying life and staying sober!
It's wonderful that you are 6 months sober, and even better ... you seem to be enjoying your sobriety and discovering you can still do the stuff you like!
Yeah ... I post a lot because I've been unable to form any steady companionship and friendship in my F2F interactions. And now that I've dived in here ... I expect I will continue the friendships with sober people I have found here.
I would love you jump in and post occationally (even if it is short), just because if nothing else it helps remind us all that many of us are sober even if not big on posting here.
Keep on enjoying life and staying sober!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
I had a wonderful 2 hour meditation/Ajan Sumedo time this morning. I have done some dishes and revised my weekly calendar, and got all my web pages open to the items in the works today (10 tabs 
)
I did go to an AA meeting last night, and it was "OK". Was thinking this morning though that it is really me who builds walls between me and others. When I cling so hard to "who I am" .... I am a Buddhist, I am retired, I am a woman, I am alchoholic, I am a gardener, ..... I start to define myself by my differences and start splitting everything into me and not me and all the other judgement stuff.
I want to catch that and remember to remember that "everything belongs in this world". Not only are we all human, but at some levels we are also the same as animals that have certain instincts in their lives. I even think we have more in common with the plants and even the dirt and rocks then we think we do. (er ... yeah ... I certainly relate to a rock when it comes to my strong ability to not want to change ).
Anyhow ... I'm off to start the day at 11 am US time
I just can't get to bed early enough yet to get up early like I did for the first 4 months sober. Miss it, but over all I think the 8 hours of sleep is helpful.
Talk to you later
)I did go to an AA meeting last night, and it was "OK". Was thinking this morning though that it is really me who builds walls between me and others. When I cling so hard to "who I am" .... I am a Buddhist, I am retired, I am a woman, I am alchoholic, I am a gardener, ..... I start to define myself by my differences and start splitting everything into me and not me and all the other judgement stuff.
I want to catch that and remember to remember that "everything belongs in this world". Not only are we all human, but at some levels we are also the same as animals that have certain instincts in their lives. I even think we have more in common with the plants and even the dirt and rocks then we think we do. (er ... yeah ... I certainly relate to a rock when it comes to my strong ability to not want to change
).Anyhow ... I'm off to start the day at 11 am US time
I just can't get to bed early enough yet to get up early like I did for the first 4 months sober. Miss it, but over all I think the 8 hours of sleep is helpful.Talk to you later
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NSW - Australia
Posts: 14,592
Hi Jillwink congrats on your six months.
It's 3:50am (Sydney Australia time) and my foggy brain can't do much more than read. I'm gunna make a cup of tea and breath in the early morning and relax. Talk soon.
It's 3:50am (Sydney Australia time) and my foggy brain can't do much more than read. I'm gunna
make a cup of tea and breath in the early morning and relax. Talk soon.
. Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NSW - Australia
Posts: 14,592
My sleep is still really disrupted ananda and woke at 3:50am which is an improvement as was waking constantly. No wonder I'm so tired and lack energy.
Looking forward to seeing your pics of rat cage and if I get to express this properly I take a pic on my iPad which gets automatically saved to Camera Roll then go to tiny pic (free) which allows me to cut and paste here.
Just watched this rapper guy from America who does this really great rap on 'I'stuff and now I feel embarrassed. I feel like an Idick
He's here in Melbourne for an Arts Festival and really good.
Looking forward to seeing your pics of rat cage and if I get to express this properly I take a pic on my iPad which gets automatically saved to Camera Roll then go to tiny pic (free) which allows me to cut and paste here.
Just watched this rapper guy from America who does this really great rap on 'I'stuff and now I feel embarrassed. I feel like an Idick
He's here in Melbourne for an Arts Festival and really good.
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