Class of January 2020 PART 3
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,161
Originally Posted by freedomfries 
Just ordered the rational recovery book. Should receive it friday
I just ordered a set from amazon, This Naked Mind and 3 others, forget which ones. I was looking for naked mind and they had a few different sets so I figured wth, cant hurt to read as much as possible.
Great news cynix!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Michigan
Posts: 171
Congrats on double digits Lixie and to everyone else getting through the weekend strong.
I kinda like your concept of AAV fish. I'm picturing the angel and devil on either shoulder whispering thoughts into each ear. That AAV angel has to be more convincing than the AV devil.
Had a drinking dream this morning. I woke from one dream into another dream. At that point, I was sure I had drank a 12 pack of beer. I laid there, still dreaming, debating whether I had or hadn't and remained convinced I had and was starting Day 1 again. Then I woke up for real. That is one of the stranger drinking dreams I have had. Still shaking it off.
Anyway, have a strong day everyone and be ever vigilant.
I kinda like your concept of AAV fish. I'm picturing the angel and devil on either shoulder whispering thoughts into each ear. That AAV angel has to be more convincing than the AV devil.
Had a drinking dream this morning. I woke from one dream into another dream. At that point, I was sure I had drank a 12 pack of beer. I laid there, still dreaming, debating whether I had or hadn't and remained convinced I had and was starting Day 1 again. Then I woke up for real. That is one of the stranger drinking dreams I have had. Still shaking it off.
Anyway, have a strong day everyone and be ever vigilant.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 546
Good morning/afternoon/evening/night my fellow Januarians.
Here we are, first Monday in February, it's not "our" month on the calendar any more, so we move to this new site for our thread to continue our tales of our travails, our tribulations and triumphs.
Here in the U.S., this being Superbowl Monday, waking without a shadow of a hangover is even a little brighter news than it would be any other Monday.
DB7, my brunch date yesterday went well, thanks for asking. My friends were mildly curious that I had decided to extend Dry January beyond the strict confines of the month, but were quickly more interested in hearing about such subjects as: (1) our tentative (but firming) plans for our trip to France at the end of June, (2) my recent learning (just getting started) about R.D. Laing and his Knots, (3) what someone else is reading for her book club, (4) whether Punxsutawney Phil's shadow-sighting (or lack thereof, I forget) will be a true harbinger of whether winter weather will wither away in a mere two weeks or drag on into March, (5) the alleged benefits of celery juice, a fad food du jour in these parts, with turmeric appearing to be making a run from the pack to overtake celery's fleeting first-place standing.
The AV in me, if it were being candid (but I suppose the premise of the AV is that it is anything but candid) ... be that as it may, the AV, or some voice in me, I have to admit, perked up, when my husband mentioned at the brunch that during his e-exploring of one of the areas we're planning to visit (the countryside around Dijon) he came across an organic, back-to-the-earth-and-first-agrarian-principles-type vineyard that is open for tours.
Jr now wonders: No doubt the tour is accompanied by a tasting, one of those ritualistic celebrations and marketing opportunities to elevate the virtues of wine-drinking to the heights of cultural sophistication, Ok, if the trip goes as presently scheduled, we'll be in Dijon just about exactly five months from today. Where will jr be in terms of his sobriety count and his commitment to the cause, and what will he say to his SobeRlandian comrades in his postcards from La France?
Je ne sais pas, mes amis, but stay tuned, s'il vous plait, jr may need your wisdom and counsel as the trip approaches. But five months is 150 days, give or take, so jr shall take each, one at a time, till then, during then, and apres then.
Jr has a niece and her new husband who have a vision for chucking their current suburban version of the American dream and moving to a remote (and therefore more affordable) area in order to plant an organic farm here in the eastern U.S.A. (the western reaches of Virginia, in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, is one of the areas they are looking into). So, if jr is not infusing ethanol come July 2020, yet finds himself on a tour of an organic vineyard, perhaps he can abstemiously think of the two hours at the vineyard as a research project for agrarian techniques.
Perhaps, or perhaps jr will tour a local mustard-maker while hubby does his vineyard tour and tasting, and jr can tell his sober buds all about the merits of les moutards de Dijon (pardon my (no doubt mangled) French).
And CB, of course all this daydreaming about vineyard tours in France brings to mind your musings yesterday about moderated drinking. (Oh just this once, 3000 miles (4828.032 km) from home, and who will be the wiser, and this situation will not be repeating itself in jr's quotidian life any time soon ... etc. etc.) Yes, of course the case could be made (and the AV will no doubt make it), but like you, CB, jr has learned, and is learning, much from the many stories heard here in SobeRlandia of failed forays into moderation territory, so at least today, at this writing, I am thinking:
Yes (or Oui), maybe just maybe I could "get away with it," but why? A few sips of some proud vintner's organic offerings would, for the moment, afford the opportunity to connect with the wine-maker and praise his product, but think just a little differently, jr: If you decide to do the tour, and you show your interest in the wine-maker's organic art for its own planet-saving merits, and not just as a prelude to an excuse for drinking, won't you both be all the more gratified for the experience?
As I said, stay tuned. As a wise man also said, it is Monday morning, 8 a.m., and it is time to get someone's self-employed and flexibly-scheduled butt into gear.
Congratulations on our Yesterday Plus 1, Januarians. Let us sally forth into February, keeping our powder dry, and our sober selves hydrated and healthy, hale and hearty.
Here we are, first Monday in February, it's not "our" month on the calendar any more, so we move to this new site for our thread to continue our tales of our travails, our tribulations and triumphs.
Here in the U.S., this being Superbowl Monday, waking without a shadow of a hangover is even a little brighter news than it would be any other Monday.
DB7, my brunch date yesterday went well, thanks for asking. My friends were mildly curious that I had decided to extend Dry January beyond the strict confines of the month, but were quickly more interested in hearing about such subjects as: (1) our tentative (but firming) plans for our trip to France at the end of June, (2) my recent learning (just getting started) about R.D. Laing and his Knots, (3) what someone else is reading for her book club, (4) whether Punxsutawney Phil's shadow-sighting (or lack thereof, I forget) will be a true harbinger of whether winter weather will wither away in a mere two weeks or drag on into March, (5) the alleged benefits of celery juice, a fad food du jour in these parts, with turmeric appearing to be making a run from the pack to overtake celery's fleeting first-place standing.
The AV in me, if it were being candid (but I suppose the premise of the AV is that it is anything but candid) ... be that as it may, the AV, or some voice in me, I have to admit, perked up, when my husband mentioned at the brunch that during his e-exploring of one of the areas we're planning to visit (the countryside around Dijon) he came across an organic, back-to-the-earth-and-first-agrarian-principles-type vineyard that is open for tours.
Jr now wonders: No doubt the tour is accompanied by a tasting, one of those ritualistic celebrations and marketing opportunities to elevate the virtues of wine-drinking to the heights of cultural sophistication, Ok, if the trip goes as presently scheduled, we'll be in Dijon just about exactly five months from today. Where will jr be in terms of his sobriety count and his commitment to the cause, and what will he say to his SobeRlandian comrades in his postcards from La France?
Je ne sais pas, mes amis, but stay tuned, s'il vous plait, jr may need your wisdom and counsel as the trip approaches. But five months is 150 days, give or take, so jr shall take each, one at a time, till then, during then, and apres then.
Jr has a niece and her new husband who have a vision for chucking their current suburban version of the American dream and moving to a remote (and therefore more affordable) area in order to plant an organic farm here in the eastern U.S.A. (the western reaches of Virginia, in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, is one of the areas they are looking into). So, if jr is not infusing ethanol come July 2020, yet finds himself on a tour of an organic vineyard, perhaps he can abstemiously think of the two hours at the vineyard as a research project for agrarian techniques.
Perhaps, or perhaps jr will tour a local mustard-maker while hubby does his vineyard tour and tasting, and jr can tell his sober buds all about the merits of les moutards de Dijon (pardon my (no doubt mangled) French).
And CB, of course all this daydreaming about vineyard tours in France brings to mind your musings yesterday about moderated drinking. (Oh just this once, 3000 miles (4828.032 km) from home, and who will be the wiser, and this situation will not be repeating itself in jr's quotidian life any time soon ... etc. etc.) Yes, of course the case could be made (and the AV will no doubt make it), but like you, CB, jr has learned, and is learning, much from the many stories heard here in SobeRlandia of failed forays into moderation territory, so at least today, at this writing, I am thinking:
Yes (or Oui), maybe just maybe I could "get away with it," but why? A few sips of some proud vintner's organic offerings would, for the moment, afford the opportunity to connect with the wine-maker and praise his product, but think just a little differently, jr: If you decide to do the tour, and you show your interest in the wine-maker's organic art for its own planet-saving merits, and not just as a prelude to an excuse for drinking, won't you both be all the more gratified for the experience?
As I said, stay tuned. As a wise man also said, it is Monday morning, 8 a.m., and it is time to get someone's self-employed and flexibly-scheduled butt into gear.
Congratulations on our Yesterday Plus 1, Januarians. Let us sally forth into February, keeping our powder dry, and our sober selves hydrated and healthy, hale and hearty.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Colorado
Posts: 702
Congrats Lixie!!
Jr, glad your brunch went well and that you all had so much more to talk about.
Cynix, glad your lab results were good!
MrWolfie, I was just coming out here to post that I had a drinking dream the other night. I, too, woke up and had to think about whether I had really drank alcohol. So bizarre!
Loving all the book recommendations!
Jr, glad your brunch went well and that you all had so much more to talk about.
Cynix, glad your lab results were good!
MrWolfie, I was just coming out here to post that I had a drinking dream the other night. I, too, woke up and had to think about whether I had really drank alcohol. So bizarre!
Loving all the book recommendations!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 414
Hi everyone.
Checking in. Congrats to all of us for 'graduating '. Loving the new digs and happy to see everyone keeping the faith and staying strong.
Yesterday I visited a small neighbouring town with my family and there chanced upon a wishing well with a plaque on its side with the serenity prayer written on it. I took that as a positive sign.
❤🤗.
Checking in. Congrats to all of us for 'graduating '. Loving the new digs and happy to see everyone keeping the faith and staying strong.
Yesterday I visited a small neighbouring town with my family and there chanced upon a wishing well with a plaque on its side with the serenity prayer written on it. I took that as a positive sign.
❤🤗.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London, England
Posts: 354
Hello everyone! It's been a while since I posted - a couple of weeks I think? But still going strong - 32 days now under my belt! 
It's been a weird couple of weeks. Thankfully over all the vagaries (for want of a better term) that are unique to those first couple of weeks. Now really beginning to reap the rewards of a much improved cognitive function - it's quite the revelation to be able to think with a clear head!
There is a flip side to that though - having to deal with all the things you deliberately avoided through self medication. Or rather, as I am now, being in that phase of being aware of it all but still nowhere near having the skill set to quite deal with it. A bit more patience required - 30 years of drinking my problems away isn't going to be fixed within a month!
Good to post again, even if ever so briefly. Going to try and get back in the groove of doing so - I lost contact with SR about 4 years ago after 2 months of sobriety, and was drinking again within a month. (That makes me sad, but the past is the past, can't change it. But I can change the here and now - right!?)
Oh, unexpected bonus of the last 32 days - my long distance vision has improved to the extent that I probably will no longer need to wear glasses for driving!
It's been a weird couple of weeks. Thankfully over all the vagaries (for want of a better term) that are unique to those first couple of weeks. Now really beginning to reap the rewards of a much improved cognitive function - it's quite the revelation to be able to think with a clear head!
There is a flip side to that though - having to deal with all the things you deliberately avoided through self medication. Or rather, as I am now, being in that phase of being aware of it all but still nowhere near having the skill set to quite deal with it. A bit more patience required - 30 years of drinking my problems away isn't going to be fixed within a month!
Good to post again, even if ever so briefly. Going to try and get back in the groove of doing so - I lost contact with SR about 4 years ago after 2 months of sobriety, and was drinking again within a month. (That makes me sad, but the past is the past, can't change it. But I can change the here and now - right!?)
Oh, unexpected bonus of the last 32 days - my long distance vision has improved to the extent that I probably will no longer need to wear glasses for driving!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: German Village, Columbus with my love ♥
Posts: 88,521
But you're here now dear abraxas. 
xx
Easy Does It comes to mind.....and first things first.
I was very overwhelmed at over 20 years of messes that needed to be cleaned up, but I went slowly. I watched too many friends go fast and crash and burn. I knew this needed to be forever for me, and I really wanted to enjoy being sober, rather than have it stress me out. xx
xxEasy Does It comes to mind.....and first things first.
I was very overwhelmed at over 20 years of messes that needed to be cleaned up, but I went slowly. I watched too many friends go fast and crash and burn. I knew this needed to be forever for me, and I really wanted to enjoy being sober, rather than have it stress me out. xx
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,426
Good to hear from you buttermarsh.
I know exactly what you mean abraxas. Some of the more immediate things that had been dealt with by alcohol dilution for so long were resolved immediately. Other issues will have to be addressed as things move forward.
I'm looking at it like that episode of Seinfeld in which George began to do everything opposite of how he had done it previously.
I know exactly what you mean abraxas. Some of the more immediate things that had been dealt with by alcohol dilution for so long were resolved immediately. Other issues will have to be addressed as things move forward.
I'm looking at it like that episode of Seinfeld in which George began to do everything opposite of how he had done it previously.
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 8,762
Oh that wishing well sounds lovely Buttermarsh
It brought to mind a lovely little country town with flowers blooming around little cottages and a little stream tinkling along. It took me into a gorgeous nostalgic little daydream of when I was a child with my Mum actually ❤️ thankyou
It’s 7.45am and I need to kick my own butt to finish getting organised because I’m off to work pretty soon, see you all later class
It brought to mind a lovely little country town with flowers blooming around little cottages and a little stream tinkling along. It took me into a gorgeous nostalgic little daydream of when I was a child with my Mum actually ❤️ thankyou
It’s 7.45am and I need to kick my own butt to finish getting organised because I’m off to work pretty soon, see you all later class
soberfighterwriter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,732
Good morning class. It was so cold in my bedroom when I woke up that I simply couldn't stay in bed. Now I'm sitting on my couch under no less than two thick blankets, trying to get warm. On Thursday my partner and I are going to visit her family 7 hours from here, and they are heavy drinkers. This could potentially be the recipe for disaster, but we have called ahead and explained that we no longer drink alcohol and they have promised to have a sober weekend with us. SO happy about that.
We're going to the library today to do some research. It's nice to look for information in an actual book, even though the Internet is a wonderful source of information. I hope nobody checks my browser history... I've googled so many creepy things! My story is a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tale, and there are quite a few murders in it. I'll spare you the details.
How is everyone doing today?
We're going to the library today to do some research. It's nice to look for information in an actual book, even though the Internet is a wonderful source of information. I hope nobody checks my browser history... I've googled so many creepy things! My story is a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tale, and there are quite a few murders in it. I'll spare you the details.
How is everyone doing today?
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 941
Hi classmates
Settling into the week.
Great to hear back from you Abraxas and Buttermarsh.
MrWolfie, I love your drinking dream. I haven't had one for a week or so. Mine can be equally as vivid. Especially the panic and shame, when I wake, thinking I am back to day 1.
The relief when you realise it was a dream is wonderful. It shows how much our subconscious is fighting. And that we are winning, I guess.
Lixie, it is super cold where I am also. Well done explaining, in advance, to your new in-laws that you guys don't drink. It will be a great opportunity for everyone to really get to know each other. And maybe look nicer in pictures !
Cynix. Good luck on the next results.
Venuscat. Thanks for sharing those thoughts on the time it takes to repair a past life prone to drunken mistakes. I know I need patience and not to be so hard on my self, sometimes, about my own past actions. Patience is the hard one
have a healthy, sober and productive day all
dlb
Settling into the week.
Great to hear back from you Abraxas and Buttermarsh.
MrWolfie, I love your drinking dream. I haven't had one for a week or so. Mine can be equally as vivid. Especially the panic and shame, when I wake, thinking I am back to day 1.
The relief when you realise it was a dream is wonderful. It shows how much our subconscious is fighting. And that we are winning, I guess.
Lixie, it is super cold where I am also. Well done explaining, in advance, to your new in-laws that you guys don't drink. It will be a great opportunity for everyone to really get to know each other. And maybe look nicer in pictures !
Cynix. Good luck on the next results.
Venuscat. Thanks for sharing those thoughts on the time it takes to repair a past life prone to drunken mistakes. I know I need patience and not to be so hard on my self, sometimes, about my own past actions. Patience is the hard one
have a healthy, sober and productive day all
dlb
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,426
Originally Posted by fishkiller
Good morning class!
looks like everyone is doing well
I'm off to kill some fish. Finally!
looks like everyone is doing well
I'm off to kill some fish. Finally!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Colorado
Posts: 702
Lixie, you have me intrigued about you search history. Very smart of you to call ahead to your hosts to let the, know you will not be drinking.
fk, enjoy your day!
Hello to everyone else, and welcome back to those who popped back in.
Snowy, cold day in Colorado. Usually January and February tend to be warmer than this. Our snowiest months are March and April. Not used to this cold!
I’m working on finishing up Step 3 today.
I hope everyone has a peaceful, sober day today!
Very smart of you to call ahead to your hosts to let the, know you will not be drinking. fk, enjoy your day!
Hello to everyone else, and welcome back to those who popped back in.
Snowy, cold day in Colorado. Usually January and February tend to be warmer than this. Our snowiest months are March and April. Not used to this cold!
I’m working on finishing up Step 3 today.
I hope everyone has a peaceful, sober day today!
s xxxx
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