abraxas69

Morning all, it has just gone 5am here. I usually get up earlier than I need to, but not this early! Couldn't get back to sleep when I awoke, the sun was just coming up, and I have quite a bit on so thought why not, let's get started with the day.

Having a bit of a busy schedule today, and thinking through the comments to my post yesterday (thank you everyone!) has presented me with another realisation. Just as we learn to deal, sometimes for the first time, with our emotions, I thought that - for me at least - there is also a lot more time to think about things. Exacerbated immensely by the pandemic and lockdown. But even without that, I was thinking that a typical day 6+ months ago could be summarised as: wake up and clear the fog and/or deal with the hangover and/or try and piece together the events of the previous evening in order to remember it; go to work, concentrate fully on that as that's all my brain was capable of doing; come home, start drinking. Not a lot of time to do much thinking or self reflection!

Now here I am, it's just gone 5am, and I'm straight out of the starting blocks. Little wonder these things take time - there's a lot to be getting used to! This is, of course, a very good thing.
----

Wow, Willow, that is a beautiful picture, and a lot of very good reasons not to go swimming, however enticing it looks! It reminds me of how, many years ago, me and my girlfriend at that time were on holiday in Fiji. We swam happily in the sea over the course of a couple of days, before someone told us we should be wearing reef shoes because, whilst rare, there could be stonefish in the area! The thought of standing on one of those certainly put the frighteners up us!

Happy birthday for yesterday fk! My username kinda gives it away, but also born in '69 :-)

Hope you all have a happy and sober day, take care everyone

Willow00

Abraxus you’re so right about having more time when we don’t drink. More time to do things and more time to think. Which is such a gift, even if my thinking sometimes goes round and round in circles and I overthink things. Sometimes I need to try and switch off my thinking and just tune into the present moment. I’m not very good at it but I’m trying. I’m just about to head off for a walk, and will attempt to keep my mind in the moment, almost like a walking mindfulness meditation, if I can. Easier said than done when I get all tangled up in my thoughts as my mind goes off in all sorts of directions .... So I’m going to attempt to stay in the here and now for my walk

Cityboy

Early morning checkin here.

I saw a documentary about box jellies but wasn't familiar with the name Irukandi so I googled it. Symptoms of a sting sound a little like a really bad hangover. (The symptoms include excruciating pain, predominately lower back and abdominal, headache, nausea, vomiting and a feeling of impending doom.) We have lots of alligators, but they are big babies compared to you guys' crocodiles. Lots and lots of sharks. Mostly small, some are quite large, at least we don't get many of those great whites like you have. The sharks mostly just bother people that are spearfishing, which is why I don't do it.

We'll be doing a lot of snorkeling with the family this weekend. I'll just be concentrating on boat operations and safety patrol. It will be interesting to see everyone's reactions to the fact that I won't be drinking beer by the dozens.

Lixie

Wow, Willow! Sounds creepy! Must be hard living so close to the ocean and not being able to go for a swim. I rarely swim in the ocean here because it is so cold, no dangerous creatures here.

Day 3 here, and things are going great.

dontlookbacchus

Good morning classmates

Happy birthday Fish. To your point, yes the quickest, blurry-eyed pre-coffee check-in sometimes is good enough for me.

City, yes, you may be right in your interpretation in yesterdays dream. Unpreparedness for the future is one of my general worries. The dream did motivate me to have a run and made a better day yesterday. I am happy about that.
You next weekend sounds great. Having folks notice that you are *not* drinking will be awesome. Have you decided how to answer their well intentioned questions yet ?

Willow, that is a lovely pic. I am always amazed how beautiful Australia can look while sometimes having deadly threats all at the same time, that you need to think about.

Abraxas, I did the same this morning. Woke, saw it was light, and said "why not". Stuck the coffee machine on and jumped on here. It is a nice way to begin the day.
Reflecting on where we all are.

Lixie, the water is also WAY too cold where I live but nothing dangerous that can eat or poison me. Raccoons with rabies, is about it. Well done on the next sober day into your journey.

I am doing OK. Lots to do but getting my head into the day. Slowly.

Have a healthy, happy and sober Wednesday all.

dlb

Willow00

Cityboy I love snorkelling. The last couple of times I went was out on the reef (the Great Barrier Reef is offshore from here). Which is absolutely beautiful, and no deadly stingers out there. Although last time we stayed out in the boat overnight and whilst fishing, had some massive sharks jumping up stealing the fish as they were reeled in. If I’d seen those sharks earlier in the day I wouldn’t have put my big toe in the water!
There’s whales migrating for the next couple of months so hopefully we’ll get out to have a look at them. I love whale watching, such beautiful majestic creatures ❤️

Dlb I like to start my day with coffee and SR too. It puts my head in the right place for a sober day

Lixie well done on day 3! You’ve got this

I’m back at a week sober (yay) and starting out on day 8. Today is a good day to be sober!

Cityboy

That's funny about the reef snorkeling and the sharks. Well, kind of funny. I've seen sharks while snorkeling, but I've seen some from the boat that I definitely do not want to see on equal terms.

Will be leaving early to head over in the morning. My buddy said today that his wife had already picked up two cases of hard selzers and two cases of beer, which gave me a little twang of AV. My sister will have brought wine with her. My nephews and niece's boyfriend will probably just make daily beer trips to the store. I noticed today that a case of beer from before I quit is still in the boat, so they can have it. I really like the thought of being the designated sober person for safety sake, and to stay ready to administer first aid should anyone need it.

fishkiller

The only kind of Captain is a sober Captain!
One thing I never did was drink while boating. Couldn't imagine being responsible for something or not being able to help someone in need. Let the hull hit the rollers though and it was on.

Never seemed to bother me on land though. I have driven drunk and got so wasted I couldn't even take care of myself. For some reason that all used to make sense to me

dontlookbacchus

Hi all

Good luck, Cityboy, on your big family fishing trip.
I know you will do great.I hope you planned for a few of your own interesting refreshments. It will be interesting to hear if people notice the difference in you and what they say.

Willow, I would love to try snorkelling. That overnight trip sounds incredible. I am sure the sounds on the water, at night, were intense.

I am fine today. Woke up early, OK. With a full work day. Getting my head into the right frame of mind still.

Hope everyone else is doing OK
Have a healthy, happy and sober Thursday all.

dlb

Willow00

Cityboy the boating trip sounds great, and I agree with Fish, a sober captain is the best kind of captain

dlb it was lovely out on the water, although I didn’t sleep much, the bobbing of the boat and the sounds of lapping water were soothing, but I wasn’t used to it and I just kinda dozed on and off until it got light about 4.30am. I was really tired when we got home late the next afternoon. Then the boat and all the gear needed cleaning and the fish needed gutting and scaling and filleting. In the dark by torchlight, with mosquitoes eating us. Which wasn’t exactly my idea of fun lol
But I did enjoy eating fresh reef fish, yum!

abraxas69

Morning everyone, I hope you're all well. My thoughts are with you cityboy, it sounds like a challenging time (?).

I am taking it easy today - I've been doing a lot of walking lately, and stepped it up (no pun intended) by incorporating some pretty steep streets into my suburban walk. My body has kindly reminded me that it is a long time since I was in my 20's lol. No walking means no audio book, from which it is nice to have a break from also. (Currently listening to Russell Brand's Recovery - Freedom From Our Addictions. It's not for everyone - there's a lot of swearing for one thing. It goes in to depth on each of the 12 steps, and can provoke some quite challenging thought processes at times).

Take care everyone :-)

dontlookbacchus

Hi all

I am sure, Willow, that the reality is different than my imagination. Sleeping on a moving boat is something you probably have to get used to. Waking up tired and grotty the next day is probably more the reality. Even though, I would love to give it a try. I have never scaled or filleted buckets of fish on a boat. At least you don't worry about making a mess, I suppose.

I saw a great Russell Brand documentary on drug addiction, Abraxas.
I like him, actually. I know he is not for everyone as he can be a bit of a nutter. That is cool that you are varying your walking route. I have one main route, for my jog. It is mostly pedestrian. The other runners and most cyclists are fine. You do get these non-cyclists on rented bikes, blocking up the sidewalk, unable to bike properly or with no concept of safe-distancing. I try to not let other people ruin my run. I listen to music usually and find a groove or beat I can run to.

I have a lot to do today for work, but it should be do'ble. Some of it should be fun, if I let it be.

have a healthy, happy and sober Friday all.

dlb

venuscat

I also like Russell Brand. I haven't listened to any of his recovery stuff though.

And sleeping on a boat is heaven. Or was, for me. Did it quite a few times in my youth. Big boats though....a houseboat and a big yacht.

abraxas69

Morning everyone

I saw that documentary too dlb - in fact it was watching that that led me to reading (listening) to the book. I'd seen the book mentioned in a thread, and thought nothing much more of it. Then watched that doco and decided to give it a go. I've certainly found it a good read so far, from all sorts of angles. As already mentioned, it's quite an in-depth analysis of the 12 Steps. But he also reveals quite a bit about himself... I'm not much for celebrities, but he shows how the media persona celebs portray can be a long way from the actual reality.

Been on plenty of boats (although not in a long time), but don't think I've slept on any come to think of it. Getting out on the water, and with a bit of fishing, is definitely on my post-lockdown to-do list after reading all the wonderful posts here over the past few weeks.

Have a great weekend everyone, take care

Lixie

I love sleeping on boats, big or small. Trains too, anything that moves, basically.

30 degrees C outside, and I'm staying inside. Way too hot for me, when I don't have a pool to cool down in. Should probably go to the beach, but I suspect everyone else is going there and it will be very crowded. Better to stay at home close to the A/C, drink fizzy water and read.

Thanks for being in my life, dear class. <3

Cityboy

Morning all.

Having a great time on our snorkeling trip. I think that my buddy's wife and I were the only adults in our group that weren't drinking yesterday. Waking up this morning, I don't have to speculate as to how I would feel this morning if I had drank.

dontlookbacchus

Hi Classmates

Lovely to read everyones post.
To quote Lixie, thank you all for being in my life too, dear class.
I woke in a bit of funk, for no reason at all that i can tell. I did well at work last week so I don't know what caused it. Sometimes it is can be that I dreamt, forgot the dream, but still feel troubled by it. And, yes, I am that crazy.

It is a sunny early morning outside. The humid air still smells of plants and gardens waking up. I will take my coffee outside and leave this computer for the day. Or try to.

Have a healthy, happy and sober Saturday all. I already feel happier

dlb

PS. Well done Cityboy for staying strong and keeping that AV at bay. You can do this.

Cityboy

I wonder if funk could be due to allergens? I have a terrible time when they are bad, which they are a lot in Florida.

venuscat

Oh my gosh that is a Huge YES for me!!! I sneezed my head off yesterday, and honestly my day was just a mess. I tried, I really did, but I have an infection in my jaw (healing slowly) and the allergies were just the last straw.... s ❤️

....I am the same re my dreams.....I get troubled as well.

Willow00

Good morning everyone
Sunday morning and the winter solstice. I took this about an hour ago. It’s a beautiful day here ❤️