RDKA

Well, tonight I will be going to my first AA meeting. I'm a little nervous, about meeting someone I know there, but I guess that's part in parcel if you attend one near where you live. I guess in reality it really doesn't matter though cause all my friends can see I have a drinking problem, there just to polite (or not polite enough) to say anything, probably because I'm the happy, crazy funny drunk if you can classify that sort of thing.

Well wish me luck and I will post my thoughts tonight after the meeting.

nogard

Fantastic. Sit at the front and listen closely, discard any thoughts of 'oh thats not me..' and listen to the message.

Kevin

gypsytears

Good luck RDKA . Hope it goes well... looking foward to reading about it!

RDKA

Will do Kevin, thanks for the tip and I'll definitely not try to compare myself to anyone there, I know I'm a total and complete alcoholic, and I'll be there to get information about the disease, and eventually help other people by relating my recovery to anyone that needs help. There is one AA principle I wholeheartedly believe in and thats in helping other alcoholics. I am sure the sense of well being, and accomplishment in helping another alcoholic stay off the booze will be enormous. Cheers:ghug

Anna

I wish you luck!

And, I don't think it'll be nearly as scary as you think.

Let us know how it went when you get back.

nogard

Onya mate, go well and enjoy it too

Rowan

Hope it's a good experience for you, Rob. Can't wait to hear how it goes.

RDKA

Well, I am back from my first AA meeting and it was very supportive and uplifting. I loved it, it was totally not what I thought it was gonna be like. It was a small meeting of around 15 people and about 11 of them shared their story during it. One thing that I found was that I could relate to 1 or 2 points of everyone elses story and if I added them all together they told my story too, just in different circumstances.

At the meeting they asked me at the end if I wanted to share as well, and I did. I basically told them the same story I had written (before the crash lost it) when I started my original thre "My Story".

Man, they were all so supportive, I can't get over it. In this group the ones that shared had been sober for over a year, so it was very helpful to listen to them. They gave me some litereature at the end and a bunch of the guys left me their phone numbers for support. One guy in particular is an ex soldier as well, and I hit it off with him, he's been sober for about two and a half years. He invited me up to the AA meeting on the base, so I may go to that one as well.

One thing I learned is that I'm an alcoholic, I can't control my drinking therefore I can't drink and I need a support structure through AA, family, and SR in order to not drink. :ghug Thanks for listening, today is Day 12 sober

ANGELINA243

Congratulations! I'm glad that you felt welcome and were able to share at your very first meeting. I was too scared to speak when I first started attending meetings--I've always had a fear of public speaking>goes all the way back to grade school.

Anyway, I'm so happy for you! It took me a really long time to figure out that I am an alcoholic--and to honestly admit it to myself & accept that I cannot ever go back to drinking and expect different results.

Keep on keepin' on! Sound like you are okay and on your way!

lostmdboy

I am glad you had a good time. Keep going back. The get better.

User_Name

Congrats, I am on day 11 and I am also new to AA. Already I have made sober friends and I have people to call when I feel like drinking. I haven't had friends in a long time since I tended to isolate, and it's a nice feeling to have friends who actually understand how you feel and what you are going through. Congratulations again on making that step into a meeting. It was certainly tough for me to be a newcomer, but I'll never have to do it again, and either will you!

Rowan

I'm glad it was such a positive experience for you - thanks for sharing

CarolD

Way to go Rob!

RDKA

Thanks everyone! Yes it was a positive experience and I'll definitely be going back. Today was a good day, no cravings, felt great all day. I told my Dad today I haven't felt this good or clear headed in a decade. I also told him that I went to an AA meeting last night. He understood although I think he might have been a little bit suprised...lol...but he was supportive and started telling me war stories of his drinking days in Germany when he was in the army...we came to the realization that we were both out of control with our drinking at different times in our life. He doesn't drink now, except on very rare occasions.

Well have a good night everyone! Another day sober is another day gained!

RDKA

Well, today I had a the wife of a close friend and work colleague over and I forgot to put away the literature, that I got at the AA meeting. She ended up sitting in the recliner that was by the table that the pamphlets were on. I've known her husband for 20 years, we were in basic training together in '88' and he is a great guy. She's nice as well, but is a HUGE gossip. My wife Deb, had to go out for 30mins to get some pet supplies for our new dog and no sooner did she leave than my friends wife made some excuse about getting home (she'd only been at our place for about 30mins) packed up her kids and left...You can bet she was on the old cell phone to her hubby as soon as that door closed telling him what she "saw" in my home...lol...ah well what do you do, I only brought it on myself anyways...and my buddy knows I was a heavy drinker so it should come as no suprise to him...I just hope he keeps his mouth shut at work. Where I work it is a huge rumour mill and gossip mill..."oh my god did you hear Rob's going AA"..."I always knew he was a boozer"...that sort of thing...

Looking at it in a positive light though, I won't judge until I get back to work on Dec 22nd which should be enough time for the rumour mill to run it's course LOL...

Well today was another fantastic day and we got a new dog as I mentioned above. A border collie from the Human society. My kids named her sophie and she is very timid, but smart as heck...Have a good night all...

Another day sober, is another day gained!

JackieG

Had to have a laugh at that - a friend of mine and I always joke that we sit in the front because then we get the message first.

Lots of love
Jackie