Class of August 2021 Support Thread Part 5
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: East Coast US
Posts: 1,827
Good Morning everyone!
Thanks for the well wishes. I am feeling much better today. That booster really kicked my butt good. I stayed in bed almost all day yesterday and then actually went to sleep at 7:30pm and slept until 7:00am this morning. The peace of mind knowing my body was mounting a vigorous response was worth the 1.5 days of feeling like crap.
Have a really busy week coming up - we are preparing for a mini-vacation next weekend with friends. Heading out to Las Vegas for Halloween. It's been in the works a long, long time. I've done Vegas in the past without drinking back when I was in AA, so hoping I can stay the course this time around. Too much to see and do and I certainly don't want to feel bad in the mornings.
Lately when I think I want to drink, I tell myself that if I do, I will be sick in the morning so what's it gonna be? Sick or no sick? No sick wins out every time.
We also have a lot of stuff to do around the house this week - bring in the patio furniture, getting HVAC checked out, clearing off the porch, etc. etc. All that stuff we need to do before the weather gets colder.
Congrats to everyone on their milestones! I am not counting days this time around, trying to make a change in mindset that I just don't drink anymore and that seems to be working well for me. I was getting too hung up on the "count". As it is said often on here, what am I doing different this time and so that (not counting) was one of the things I am doing different.
Everyone have a great Sunday!
LHW
Thanks for the well wishes. I am feeling much better today. That booster really kicked my butt good. I stayed in bed almost all day yesterday and then actually went to sleep at 7:30pm and slept until 7:00am this morning. The peace of mind knowing my body was mounting a vigorous response was worth the 1.5 days of feeling like crap.
Have a really busy week coming up - we are preparing for a mini-vacation next weekend with friends. Heading out to Las Vegas for Halloween. It's been in the works a long, long time. I've done Vegas in the past without drinking back when I was in AA, so hoping I can stay the course this time around. Too much to see and do and I certainly don't want to feel bad in the mornings.
Lately when I think I want to drink, I tell myself that if I do, I will be sick in the morning so what's it gonna be? Sick or no sick? No sick wins out every time.
We also have a lot of stuff to do around the house this week - bring in the patio furniture, getting HVAC checked out, clearing off the porch, etc. etc. All that stuff we need to do before the weather gets colder.
Congrats to everyone on their milestones! I am not counting days this time around, trying to make a change in mindset that I just don't drink anymore and that seems to be working well for me. I was getting too hung up on the "count". As it is said often on here, what am I doing different this time and so that (not counting) was one of the things I am doing different.
Everyone have a great Sunday!
LHW
s xx
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,338
Ahhh, good posts here. My mind wants some kudos, so will count until the days pass by so quickly I don’t need to. Can’t imagine counting the non smoking days, but here goes: 12,403 days, one week shy of 34 years!
Reading “The Power of Now”. Really good stuff!
Heres a quote I came across this morning.
I hope you all have a good day.
Miss you, CPath. Come back when you are ready!
Reading “The Power of Now”. Really good stuff!
Heres a quote I came across this morning.
I hope you all have a good day.
Miss you, CPath. Come back when you are ready!
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Eastern US
Posts: 273
Good almost noon, folks! I woke up to a morning of rain here in SC but still so blessed to think these were the first drops since we arrived on 10/11. I had to don a rain jacket to take the pup to the "litter box" early AM. Things have improved since then and we've had our walk (about 3 miles) and the doggie has been out a couple of times without precipitation. All's good here.
I love the quote, Free. I think we collectively miss CP and what he brought to the table. I'm hoping he'll just wake up early one morning and hop back into the fray with us. Fingers crossed.
Hope everyone has a good week ahead. I'll be checking in here daily as always.
I love the quote, Free. I think we collectively miss CP and what he brought to the table. I'm hoping he'll just wake up early one morning and hop back into the fray with us. Fingers crossed.
Hope everyone has a good week ahead. I'll be checking in here daily as always.
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Eastern US
Posts: 273
I have not read that book, but I may read it now that there are two great recommendations. I am currently just reading novels. I just finished The Silent Patient which was pretty good.
Free - I just hopped back into SR to congratulate you on your long term smokeless existence. I write a lot here about my Dad who was my role model for all things related to "vices". He was a smoker for many years as well as an alcoholic. He quit cigs cold turkey a year after going alcohol free. He said that smoking was way more difficult to give up than alcohol. Thankfully, that's a vice I never picked up. My current husband smoked for about 20 years but also quit cold turkey about 1998 so he has a lot of time invested in a smokeless life as well.
Funny story about my dear departed Daddy - for many years after he stopped smoking he had a pack of Kool Ultra cigarettes inside the freezer at his home. Those cigs became a joke with the family. Someone would open the freezer and say "anyone want a cool one?" or "does anyone have a light? ... I need to thaw out a cig"... Fast forward to when dementia became an issue for my Dad. One of the standard behaviors for him was always to be looking for "smokes" (in addition to looking for his car). We had removed anything he could make fire with from the house early on but at one point realized we had neglected to take the frozen Kools out of the freezer. We realized it when my sister came in the house and found my Dad walking around the house with one of them hanging out his mouth. He seemed content without firing up. Not really funny, but kind of funny.
Finding humor and being able to laugh in the face of dysfunction, trials, and troubles has always been the best medicine for me.
Free - I just hopped back into SR to congratulate you on your long term smokeless existence. I write a lot here about my Dad who was my role model for all things related to "vices". He was a smoker for many years as well as an alcoholic. He quit cigs cold turkey a year after going alcohol free. He said that smoking was way more difficult to give up than alcohol. Thankfully, that's a vice I never picked up. My current husband smoked for about 20 years but also quit cold turkey about 1998 so he has a lot of time invested in a smokeless life as well.
Funny story about my dear departed Daddy - for many years after he stopped smoking he had a pack of Kool Ultra cigarettes inside the freezer at his home. Those cigs became a joke with the family. Someone would open the freezer and say "anyone want a cool one?" or "does anyone have a light? ... I need to thaw out a cig"... Fast forward to when dementia became an issue for my Dad. One of the standard behaviors for him was always to be looking for "smokes" (in addition to looking for his car). We had removed anything he could make fire with from the house early on but at one point realized we had neglected to take the frozen Kools out of the freezer. We realized it when my sister came in the house and found my Dad walking around the house with one of them hanging out his mouth. He seemed content without firing up. Not really funny, but kind of funny.
Finding humor and being able to laugh in the face of dysfunction, trials, and troubles has always been the best medicine for me.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2,913
Ok weird. My original class board (Jan 2018) ate two of my posts. Actually they were very short but I just kept waiting…and waiting…and it never worked. Anyhow, loving the book recs. I seriously don’t know what I do with my time since I really don’t watch shows and I seem to be very, very slow in reading anything. usually self help books, including quit lit. Being in the child protection world for so long (still am), I’ve found I have no interest in anything painful. but I have watched two episodes of Ted Lasso, and that was cool! Anyhow, all to say, I aspire to read more.
Katlin, that is definitely a funny story, and 100% agree laughter in pain and finding humor wherever you can is definitely very necessary in life.
Agree we all miss CP. I know it hasn’t been as long but also missing Viking and SS. I know I myself skip days and days so I get it. I just like everyone’s posts!
It is a little after 5:00 a.m. I woke up, bolt upright, at 4:30. But now I feel a little foggy. Will just keep pounding the coffee! Hope your days are excellent this Tuesday!
Katlin, that is definitely a funny story, and 100% agree laughter in pain and finding humor wherever you can is definitely very necessary in life.
Agree we all miss CP. I know it hasn’t been as long but also missing Viking and SS. I know I myself skip days and days so I get it. I just like everyone’s posts!
It is a little after 5:00 a.m. I woke up, bolt upright, at 4:30. But now I feel a little foggy. Will just keep pounding the coffee! Hope your days are excellent this Tuesday!
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Eastern US
Posts: 273
Originally Posted by Bodhi02 
Ooh Kaitlin I read the silent patient..really good book!
I’m reading Turn on the Key now it’s really good.
I’m reading Turn on the Key now it’s really good.
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Eastern US
Posts: 273
While I'm recommending ... someone else posted here that they liked English shows. Has anyone watched Broadchurch? We are watching almost nightly and sometimes a couple of episodes at a time. We're on season 3 with only three (I think) episodes left in the series. I really have enjoyed it. As mentioned, twists and turns. I also watched The Five a while ago on the recommendation of a friend - just a few episodes but good.
Hope everyone is having a great day today. My husband is scheduled for his Moderna Covid booster later today. The pup and I will likely ride along for a "field trip". Tomorrow will be cleaning the condo and packing for our trip home on Thursday early AM.
Venus - I want to thank you so much for calling me out on the possibility that my subconscious was wanting to keep my no-drinking commitment to myself before vacation in the event I wanted to loosen the rules while in SC. I know you hit the nail on the head and I have repeated this to myself several times when I felt the slightest inclination (and the inclinations were indeed pretty mild) to imbibe. I'm so very glad I've gotten through sober.
Hope everyone is having a great day today. My husband is scheduled for his Moderna Covid booster later today. The pup and I will likely ride along for a "field trip". Tomorrow will be cleaning the condo and packing for our trip home on Thursday early AM.
Venus - I want to thank you so much for calling me out on the possibility that my subconscious was wanting to keep my no-drinking commitment to myself before vacation in the event I wanted to loosen the rules while in SC. I know you hit the nail on the head and I have repeated this to myself several times when I felt the slightest inclination (and the inclinations were indeed pretty mild) to imbibe. I'm so very glad I've gotten through sober.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: New England
Posts: 4,420
Hi, Class-
I missed posting and saying hello but I had a wonderful trip and saw my BFF, went shopping, ate good food, got lots of fresh air and it felt like a mini-vacation. Drinking was not even a consideration but I did continue to appreciate my sober-self and had a great conversation with my BFF's husband (sober 7 years) and he was sooooooo supportive and helpful. My BFF did drink, and she killed a whole bottle of wine one night and woke up the next day and apologized to me. I completely didn't understand and asked why and she said, "I shouldn't have drank, I don't know why I did and I feel like a jerk." I really did not care at ALL and yes, she did get a bit buzzed and that was a wee bit annoying but I'm used to that as that's how she gets and we have been drinking together a LONG time. So I accepted her apology but told her it was not necessary and I moved on. She could not! She kept bringing up how bad she felt and how she's a jerk and on and on and I told her whatever issues she has about drinking had nothing to do with me, it was all about her because I just was not bothered by her choice. We did have a talk about my not drinking anymore and she was all, "Well, I've been through this before" (w sober husband) and she kept telling me how proud she was of me, which was nice and also weird as I am not good with positive reinforcement. Because I feel so much more balanced and settled in my choices, I had no stress all weekend, even when the drinks were flowing. In fact, I added some fine herbal teas to my stash. I had a great time!!
I love the book recs! I used to be an avid reader- now it's more audio books (any autobiography- now it's Dave Grohl, Broken Horses by Brandi Carlisle was fantastic) and crossword puzzles. Getting back to reading is on the list, but I also got my guitar back from a friend and it's time to get serious. Who starts guitar at 55? LOL.
Free- congrats on being smoke-free for so long!!
Free, katlin, Numblady, Bodhi, LHW, SS- I missed our pow-wows and have a great evening... SS- thanks for the topic on sleep/nutrition- I'm going to go check it out right now.
Just a shout out to CP- still missing seeing you here.
I missed posting and saying hello but I had a wonderful trip and saw my BFF, went shopping, ate good food, got lots of fresh air and it felt like a mini-vacation. Drinking was not even a consideration but I did continue to appreciate my sober-self and had a great conversation with my BFF's husband (sober 7 years) and he was sooooooo supportive and helpful. My BFF did drink, and she killed a whole bottle of wine one night and woke up the next day and apologized to me. I completely didn't understand and asked why and she said, "I shouldn't have drank, I don't know why I did and I feel like a jerk." I really did not care at ALL and yes, she did get a bit buzzed and that was a wee bit annoying but I'm used to that as that's how she gets and we have been drinking together a LONG time. So I accepted her apology but told her it was not necessary and I moved on. She could not! She kept bringing up how bad she felt and how she's a jerk and on and on and I told her whatever issues she has about drinking had nothing to do with me, it was all about her because I just was not bothered by her choice. We did have a talk about my not drinking anymore and she was all, "Well, I've been through this before" (w sober husband) and she kept telling me how proud she was of me, which was nice and also weird as I am not good with positive reinforcement. Because I feel so much more balanced and settled in my choices, I had no stress all weekend, even when the drinks were flowing. In fact, I added some fine herbal teas to my stash. I had a great time!!
I love the book recs! I used to be an avid reader- now it's more audio books (any autobiography- now it's Dave Grohl, Broken Horses by Brandi Carlisle was fantastic) and crossword puzzles. Getting back to reading is on the list, but I also got my guitar back from a friend and it's time to get serious. Who starts guitar at 55? LOL.
Free- congrats on being smoke-free for so long!!
Free, katlin, Numblady, Bodhi, LHW, SS- I missed our pow-wows and have a great evening... SS- thanks for the topic on sleep/nutrition- I'm going to go check it out right now.
Just a shout out to CP- still missing seeing you here.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Litchfield, SC
Posts: 585
Thanks NL. Checking in. I haven't been posting due to very full days, no other reason. AA still daily. But I'm doing the full court press on my back rehab and going out west to see my folks next month. When I've had time to post, I'm trying to keep the Holistic thread alive.
But I am reading and congrats everybody on milestones, good health news and navigating the rough patches.
Speaking of...a couple of old-timers (AA) very gently but constructively told me not to grind too hard. I'll leave that for a future post, but that's good counsel. I really don't know how to take it easy. And no doubt it's led to burnout in the past.
If anyone cares to share on "Easy Does It," would love to hear it. best, SS
But I am reading and congrats everybody on milestones, good health news and navigating the rough patches.
Speaking of...a couple of old-timers (AA) very gently but constructively told me not to grind too hard. I'll leave that for a future post, but that's good counsel. I really don't know how to take it easy. And no doubt it's led to burnout in the past.
If anyone cares to share on "Easy Does It," would love to hear it. best, SS
Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 517
The last few days have been very blah. I’ve been on auto pilot and not really taking care of myself. I tried to cut out added sugars and was doing good for a while but the 2 weekend getaways in the beginning of the month really threw me off my path the rest of the month.
I really need some motivation everything is just kind of grey right now. I need to get out of this funk. I had taken a CBD edible yesterday and that isn’t really adding anything to my life it’s just kind of taking the edge off everything and that’s dangerous for me especially since that’s a big factor of why I drank.
cbd and weed have been substances I’ve used here and there but didn’t really think I had a problem with it but I do have a problem with it it makes me feel lazy and hungry and wipes away all the other healthy goals I have for myself. So I think I’m finding cdb or weed are not something I want to consume because it’s not doing me any favors. I guess I’m just going through the extinction process.
I really need some motivation everything is just kind of grey right now. I need to get out of this funk. I had taken a CBD edible yesterday and that isn’t really adding anything to my life it’s just kind of taking the edge off everything and that’s dangerous for me especially since that’s a big factor of why I drank.
cbd and weed have been substances I’ve used here and there but didn’t really think I had a problem with it but I do have a problem with it it makes me feel lazy and hungry and wipes away all the other healthy goals I have for myself. So I think I’m finding cdb or weed are not something I want to consume because it’s not doing me any favors. I guess I’m just going through the extinction process.
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