Class of January 2020 PART 7
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London, England
Posts: 354
Hello everyone, great to read your posts - they have uplifted me and reminded me that I am not alone in my own struggles. I have been feeling a bit low of late - living by myself in lockdown is certainly a challenge. My AV has been more vocal of late, which hasn't been particularly helpful. It's not too much of a problem at the moment - I find it relatively easy to dismiss as I know only too well what the outcome of a having a drink would be. As difficult as I am finding things now, oh I shudder at the thought...
I too am trying to lose weight under lockdown. Still trying to establish routines to help with that. The gym was a key part of my own success in this area over the past year or so, but that is off the cards now, and I suspect gyms will be one of the last places to open up again. If this virus never completely goes away, as some are suggesting, maybe they will never open again? The gym was not only a place for physical exercise for me, but my own personal "happy place".
The talk and pic of fishing trips brings back many happy memories from my childhood. My dad used to take me fishing on a regular basis when I grew up in New Zealand. And we used to catch an insane amount back in those days. My poor mum, who was tasked with gutting, de-scaling, and freeing them all!
Well, time to get the place tidied up. Going to pick my son up in a few hours, who will be staying with me for the week. He lives one week here and one week with his mum. I miss him terribly on the week he is not here.
Take care, stay safe :-)
I too am trying to lose weight under lockdown. Still trying to establish routines to help with that. The gym was a key part of my own success in this area over the past year or so, but that is off the cards now, and I suspect gyms will be one of the last places to open up again. If this virus never completely goes away, as some are suggesting, maybe they will never open again? The gym was not only a place for physical exercise for me, but my own personal "happy place".
The talk and pic of fishing trips brings back many happy memories from my childhood. My dad used to take me fishing on a regular basis when I grew up in New Zealand. And we used to catch an insane amount back in those days. My poor mum, who was tasked with gutting, de-scaling, and freeing them all!
Well, time to get the place tidied up. Going to pick my son up in a few hours, who will be staying with me for the week. He lives one week here and one week with his mum. I miss him terribly on the week he is not here.
Take care, stay safe :-)
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 941
Hi classmates
Wonderful posts and a great pic Cityboy. A fascinating and beautiful part of the world to live in. Thank you for sharing. Also on how you would also try to manage your drinking evidence.
I hope you see all your childhood pics one day, Venus. Thinking positive thoughts for you. Miracles can happen.
Abraxas, I am like you as far as gym being in my routine. I think I allowed myself to get in the dumps about not having it. Mentally, the lockdown is still a struggle for me also. It helps having this group to chat to about it. All of us are very familiar with each others struggles.
A shorter post today but I loved reading the posts and checking in with you all
have healthy, happy and sober day & night
dlb
Wonderful posts and a great pic Cityboy. A fascinating and beautiful part of the world to live in. Thank you for sharing. Also on how you would also try to manage your drinking evidence.
I hope you see all your childhood pics one day, Venus. Thinking positive thoughts for you. Miracles can happen.
Abraxas, I am like you as far as gym being in my routine. I think I allowed myself to get in the dumps about not having it. Mentally, the lockdown is still a struggle for me also. It helps having this group to chat to about it. All of us are very familiar with each others struggles.
A shorter post today but I loved reading the posts and checking in with you all
have healthy, happy and sober day & night
dlb
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,425
Morning all.
Venus, hopefully you and your sister can have a better relationship at some point in the future.
I'm missing my once a week trips to the gym, but thank goodness my work is considered "essential" and I get plenty of outside excercise with it. If I were stuck inside all the time I would have gone insane by now. Maybe the threat will die down during the summer months, or a vaccine can become available, or something so that activities like sports and going to the gym can return to normal.
Hope you have a great week with your son abraxas.
Venus, hopefully you and your sister can have a better relationship at some point in the future.
I'm missing my once a week trips to the gym, but thank goodness my work is considered "essential" and I get plenty of outside excercise with it. If I were stuck inside all the time I would have gone insane by now. Maybe the threat will die down during the summer months, or a vaccine can become available, or something so that activities like sports and going to the gym can return to normal.
Hope you have a great week with your son abraxas.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,425
My wife's friend came for dinner again last night. She had a bottle of something and was making drinks for herself, just being more discreet about it. I really don't care if she is discreet or not. Its different watching someone do exactly what I did myself for so long.
Hope everyone has a great day.
Hope everyone has a great day.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: German Village, Columbus with my love ♥
Posts: 88,520
I feel that you have the right to say no to that CB. As in a big fat NO.
You are not bringing alcohol into my house.
That is my rule, and I know many other SRs who feel the same way.
s
Oh.....I was misleading.....this is my older sister and we are fine.
I just don't see her ever getting the photos out of storage.
She can't face it and I can't ask her to....not being there to help her.
Maybe one day.
A lot of the gyms here have been delivering equipment to people so they can work out from home.....not sure if they are renting it out or what exactly, but perhaps that is an option for you abraxas and bacchus?
I own a giant treadmill that I am not using. And I must. I love and need that kind of workout.
I know you can rent them, short term.....if you have the space and it is affordable, you can make an awesome home gym.
Bring your happy to you.
You are not bringing alcohol into my house.
That is my rule, and I know many other SRs who feel the same way.
sOh.....I was misleading.....this is my older sister and we are fine.
I just don't see her ever getting the photos out of storage.
She can't face it and I can't ask her to....not being there to help her.
Maybe one day.
A lot of the gyms here have been delivering equipment to people so they can work out from home.....not sure if they are renting it out or what exactly, but perhaps that is an option for you abraxas and bacchus?
I own a giant treadmill that I am not using. And I must. I love and need that kind of workout.
I know you can rent them, short term.....if you have the space and it is affordable, you can make an awesome home gym.
Bring your happy to you.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London, England
Posts: 354
I have a very rudimentary set of equipment myself, I just need to use it! Funnily enough I have a basic set of very old weights (crumbling concrete encased in split plastic, held together with packing tape) that before the lockdown I couldn't give away. I've been using the excuse that I don't have the room in my tiny one bad flat/apartment to use it, but it is just an excuse. I can make room! I just need to adapt things a bit - if there's a lesson in all of what is happening now it has to be learning to adapt right?
CB, your post about your wife's friend really struck me. Not so much the "discreet" drinking - but the whole needing a drink thing whatever the situation or surroundings. I didn't so much do the discreet drinking thing - I was more a "if I can't go somewhere and have a drink I'll stay at home and have a drink" kind of person. Sad but true. Gosh, haven't allowed myself that kind of introspection for a while - I am so very thankful I am not in that place now!
CB, your post about your wife's friend really struck me. Not so much the "discreet" drinking - but the whole needing a drink thing whatever the situation or surroundings. I didn't so much do the discreet drinking thing - I was more a "if I can't go somewhere and have a drink I'll stay at home and have a drink" kind of person. Sad but true. Gosh, haven't allowed myself that kind of introspection for a while - I am so very thankful I am not in that place now!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,425
I had a set of those concrete & plastic cover weights in high school. Mom got Dad a really nice weight machine that I don't think he ever used a single time but I certainly did. My friends would come over a couple of times a week and we would work out. I had a cassette player and an Air Supply tape. Good times.
Other people drinking really doesn't bother me hardly at all, though there are still a couple of situations I have some anxiety about. Like we've discussed, group fishing and sports events, both of which usually entail a lot of alcohol, are on hold for now because of the pandemic. Don't know if it's better so that I can build my tool chest, or worse because of increasing anxiety. Really not worried about it though.
But for the last 20 to 25 years, I've been someone who would incorporate alcohol somehow into nearly all situations after five pm. If there was no open drinking, then I would have something squirreled in a bag or something, and it made no difference if I was the only one doing it. Different to see the same behavior now in others.
Other people drinking really doesn't bother me hardly at all, though there are still a couple of situations I have some anxiety about. Like we've discussed, group fishing and sports events, both of which usually entail a lot of alcohol, are on hold for now because of the pandemic. Don't know if it's better so that I can build my tool chest, or worse because of increasing anxiety. Really not worried about it though.
But for the last 20 to 25 years, I've been someone who would incorporate alcohol somehow into nearly all situations after five pm. If there was no open drinking, then I would have something squirreled in a bag or something, and it made no difference if I was the only one doing it. Different to see the same behavior now in others.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 941
Hi Classmates
A quick check in just to say hi. Not too much to report today. Great to read everyones posts.
That is an interesting idea, Venus, about gym rental equipment. I will look into it. I have been jogging and doing one of those YouTube personal training core workouts afterwards. It makes me feel good afterwards. Today will try to motivate myself on get some exercise in.
Right now, another cup of coffee and email seems to be the likely start to the day.
have healthy, happy and sober day all
dlb.
A quick check in just to say hi. Not too much to report today. Great to read everyones posts.
That is an interesting idea, Venus, about gym rental equipment. I will look into it. I have been jogging and doing one of those YouTube personal training core workouts afterwards. It makes me feel good afterwards. Today will try to motivate myself on get some exercise in.
Right now, another cup of coffee and email seems to be the likely start to the day.
have healthy, happy and sober day all
dlb.
soberfighterwriter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,732
Yesterday was Norway's National Day, and we had to celebrate a bit differently this year... https://www.facebook.com/visitnorway...8340501167033/
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,425
Morning all.
My wife gets emails, from NASA perhaps?, and got one yesterday evening saying that the space station would be passing over head. It said that it would be moving from southwest to northeast and at what time it would become visible and how long it would be visible from our position. We walked out into the yard and darned if we didn't see it. Cool.
On the local morning news, they are doing a piece on a vaccine with which results from early trials are promising. I generally do not trust the "news", but this would be really great.
Will be off to the computer shop soon.
My wife gets emails, from NASA perhaps?, and got one yesterday evening saying that the space station would be passing over head. It said that it would be moving from southwest to northeast and at what time it would become visible and how long it would be visible from our position. We walked out into the yard and darned if we didn't see it. Cool.
On the local morning news, they are doing a piece on a vaccine with which results from early trials are promising. I generally do not trust the "news", but this would be really great.
Will be off to the computer shop soon.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London, England
Posts: 354
Hello everyone, good to see you here - still getting used to the different time zones and when everyone posts :-)
Great video Lixie, it has certainly put a smile on my face.
Seeing the space station must have been really cool cb. Too much light pollution where I live to see much at all unfortunately - getting away from the city lights and enjoying the night sky again is definitely on my to do list for when things return to some kind of normal - whatever that normal may be!
I have had quite a productive day so far. I deliberately woke up to an alarm this morning for the first time in weeks. My body clock does a pretty good job of waking me up 7-8 hours after falling asleep (assuming I get a good night's sleep, not always the case) so I haven't felt a need to set an alarm. But I was thinking yesterday maybe the lack of an alarm was, in some way, contributing to my lack of motivation of late.
It has certainly helped today - time will tell if my theory has merit or today was just a one off!
I finally got my workout in today! Very pleased with that. Working on a to-do list - and actually doing what's on the to-do list! :-D
Speaking of which....
Take care
Great video Lixie, it has certainly put a smile on my face.
Seeing the space station must have been really cool cb. Too much light pollution where I live to see much at all unfortunately - getting away from the city lights and enjoying the night sky again is definitely on my to do list for when things return to some kind of normal - whatever that normal may be!
I have had quite a productive day so far. I deliberately woke up to an alarm this morning for the first time in weeks. My body clock does a pretty good job of waking me up 7-8 hours after falling asleep (assuming I get a good night's sleep, not always the case) so I haven't felt a need to set an alarm. But I was thinking yesterday maybe the lack of an alarm was, in some way, contributing to my lack of motivation of late.
It has certainly helped today - time will tell if my theory has merit or today was just a one off!
I finally got my workout in today! Very pleased with that. Working on a to-do list - and actually doing what's on the to-do list! :-D
Speaking of which....
Take care
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,161
Hello Class!
Haven't posted much lately just been reading.
I see the Class is still missing a few members. Actually there are more missing than posting I think.
I suppose this is normal as this is not an easy journey.
The AV is still there on occasion but it is more like a passing thought than an actual craving. I don't think I've had a serious craving in quite a while. When the weather 1st turned warm here there was the occasional beer craving but I have replaced it with hot tea, Earl Grey black tea to be exact. MAN that stuff is good. A little honey and BAM! LOL
I am just over 4 months alcohol free but I seem to have gotten past some triggers and old habits. 4pm is just another hour of the day, beer aisles do not scare me, to name a couple. I bought my BIL a case of beer Saturday for installing a heat pump in my shop and had 0% interest in drinking any of them.
Not to say I am living in total peace and harmony, far from it. lol
New business is getting stressful, people trying to push me to get things done asap, material orders getting lost by Fedexsux. Work piling up a little. I just need to remind myself to enjoy it and if folks ain't happy they can go elsewhere. Easier said than done for me.
I think cityboy mentioned a few posts back about how the sense of accomplishment when completing a task is quickly drown out by the list of tasks still waiting. This is my biggest mental hurdle right now I think.
I am looking forward to the day I can wake up and have 1 or 2 things to do then I can have me time. The problem with that is I don't really like me time. I like to be doing stuff, accomplishing things. I don't like being behind a mountain of to-do's but I don't like not having to-do's. My own worse enemy here.
Oh well, supposed to do a boat cover today but think I will work on organizing the shop instead. My kind of me time.
Be well all and have a great day!
Haven't posted much lately just been reading.
I see the Class is still missing a few members. Actually there are more missing than posting I think.
I suppose this is normal as this is not an easy journey.
The AV is still there on occasion but it is more like a passing thought than an actual craving. I don't think I've had a serious craving in quite a while. When the weather 1st turned warm here there was the occasional beer craving but I have replaced it with hot tea, Earl Grey black tea to be exact. MAN that stuff is good. A little honey and BAM! LOL
I am just over 4 months alcohol free but I seem to have gotten past some triggers and old habits. 4pm is just another hour of the day, beer aisles do not scare me, to name a couple. I bought my BIL a case of beer Saturday for installing a heat pump in my shop and had 0% interest in drinking any of them.
Not to say I am living in total peace and harmony, far from it. lol
New business is getting stressful, people trying to push me to get things done asap, material orders getting lost by Fedexsux. Work piling up a little. I just need to remind myself to enjoy it and if folks ain't happy they can go elsewhere. Easier said than done for me.
I think cityboy mentioned a few posts back about how the sense of accomplishment when completing a task is quickly drown out by the list of tasks still waiting. This is my biggest mental hurdle right now I think.
I am looking forward to the day I can wake up and have 1 or 2 things to do then I can have me time. The problem with that is I don't really like me time. I like to be doing stuff, accomplishing things. I don't like being behind a mountain of to-do's but I don't like not having to-do's. My own worse enemy here.
Oh well, supposed to do a boat cover today but think I will work on organizing the shop instead. My kind of me time.
Be well all and have a great day!
soberfighterwriter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,732
Originally Posted by Cityboy 
Norway Day, cool. Question for Lixie, is salt cod still popular in Norway?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,425
I like to manage the volume of pictures and videos by sorting out the best and then deleting the rest so that it's not so overwhelming. At least now the older people can have those display screen things to run a continuous slide show of family pictures instead of having them on every square inch of surface space inside the house. I'm not crazy about looking at old family pics from when I was young for some reason.
Dad said that when he was young, before everyone had refrigeration, they would go to the gulf coast to get salt fish. It doesn't even exist here anymore and most have probably never heard of it.
Fishkiller, good to hear that you have maintained control of the triggers. Yes, I know all about customer driven stress. It's very difficult to manage when you actually want your customers to be happy.
Dad said that when he was young, before everyone had refrigeration, they would go to the gulf coast to get salt fish. It doesn't even exist here anymore and most have probably never heard of it.
Fishkiller, good to hear that you have maintained control of the triggers. Yes, I know all about customer driven stress. It's very difficult to manage when you actually want your customers to be happy.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 546
Good afternoon class (1 p.m. here).
I started to reread Coming to Our Senses, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of his long books on mindfulness meditation, this morning, then did an extended meditation session. Well, 45 minutes, which is not that long, but longer than I've been doing lately. Actually, I've been less consistent about meditating altogether lately -- another habit that when I do it I am glad I do, then all of a sudden realize I've let it slip for too long. Happens with the gym (when it's open), and other stuff, too, the biggy being, for me, attending to my workywork in a timely manner. So here it is 1 p.m. and while I've done some positive things today, I have not yet turned to that yet, so here I go.
Well almost, but first:
Good to hear from Fishkiller, and to see others doing well. Thanks for the lighthouse pic and story, CB. Reminds me I think I have a photo of the historic lighthouse on Key Biscayne that I mentioned on my laptop; I'll try to post it when I'm using that machine.
The Norway National Day video was kewl, Lixie. I watched it with no sound (gotta charge up the headphones I use for sound on my desktop), I'll check it out again with the sound track later.
Ok, Jr, off to work with you.
I started to reread Coming to Our Senses, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of his long books on mindfulness meditation, this morning, then did an extended meditation session. Well, 45 minutes, which is not that long, but longer than I've been doing lately. Actually, I've been less consistent about meditating altogether lately -- another habit that when I do it I am glad I do, then all of a sudden realize I've let it slip for too long. Happens with the gym (when it's open), and other stuff, too, the biggy being, for me, attending to my workywork in a timely manner. So here it is 1 p.m. and while I've done some positive things today, I have not yet turned to that yet, so here I go.
Well almost, but first:
Good to hear from Fishkiller, and to see others doing well. Thanks for the lighthouse pic and story, CB. Reminds me I think I have a photo of the historic lighthouse on Key Biscayne that I mentioned on my laptop; I'll try to post it when I'm using that machine.
The Norway National Day video was kewl, Lixie. I watched it with no sound (gotta charge up the headphones I use for sound on my desktop), I'll check it out again with the sound track later.
Ok, Jr, off to work with you.
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