Un-bloody-believable
 

It was a record for me, six days clean as a whistle.

Anyway, my lame excuse goes like this: football (soccer) is such a buzz for me. The regular TV channels don't often televise the games I wanna watch, the whole industry is dominated by 'fat cat' providers who monopolise the industry. Where I live, the bars are full of big screen TV's and attract a plethora of alcohol consuming spectators. These places are the only venues where I'm gunna catch a game.

Ok, so Timzup decides he can get on down there and sample a few putrid soft drinks whilst watching the game. Brilliant plan, huh?

My mates are guzzling away, usual laughter and banter ensues. Our guys are winning the game, enthusiasm is bouncing off the walls.

Then...... I screwed up, big style....... Pint of Guinness please, and another... third one and I just hated myself more than I ever thought I could.

Well, that's it. That's me lot. Three pints of Guinness and back to day one.

Mind you, if we'd lost the game............ nevermind, I don't even want to think about that.

Tim,

Avoid those places man. My buddy just buzzed me yesterday to go meet at the Crown and Anchor, a pub out here in the States. I said NO. Soccer will be there for you when you get back. In fact, with the money you save from skipping the pints you can buy yourself a satellite dish ok? It is the 5pm-8pm witching hour that most of already struggle with, let alone when we go to the pub to watch the game.
Silly game that soccer is :)

Hi there - something I learned in early sobriety; that I couldn't be around alcohol unless I had a bloody good reason for being there i.e. family wedding etc.

I sympathize that you like to go out and watch the game with your friends, but you were just asking for trouble, in my opinion. There are lots of things that I used to do while drinking that I had to let go of - IF I wanted to hang on to my sobriety.

It's all about making better choices.

I love soccer and go watch matches here in Melbourne, its a great day or night out.

In early days I avoided all places that might set me off, worked my program and stayed close to other addicts.

Kevin

Hey timzup, I usually take one of my friends with me when I have to go to these slippery places with the order to prevent me at any cost from taking the first drink. As I got further and further into the steps my constitution got stronger and I actually have more fun doing things like tailgating sober than I ever did drinking.

Good luck and drop a line if you need an ear.

I relapsed dozens of times before I learned that triggers are not my triggers.

If I am restless, irritable and discontent long enough, I will invent a trigger and use it as an excuse to drink when I simply drank to feel comfortable in my own skin.

Let's not start with that one.

Peace to all sports, huh? Including World Superbikes where they wear specially designed helmets, knee and elbow pads and spine braces. Not dissimilar to "American Football"?

Ok, Ok, Ok, couldn't help that one. Apreciate your insight though. Genuinely.

Just kidding around about soccer. I enjoy it a bit more now that we are a bit more competitive as a country, but the MLS is small potatoes with our without Beckham.

Beckam? Never heard of him. Are you thinking of......... no, that wasn't him,

Oh yeah, I remember the guy. Didn't he play for... err.... wait for it, I'll remember in a minute........ no, it's gone.

Mind you, you guys did really well in the Olympics, didn't ya? That there Michael Phelps is something else.

I see Mexico didn't do so well, after all, any of those guys who can run, jump or swim are already in the USA.

hey timzup

Sorry to go all sombre...I pretty much agree with the prevailing mood here...6 days sober, being around your beer swilling mates in a bar, all cheerfully partaking in a well established ritual...

I pretty much think most of us, if not all of us, would fail that test.

I think it pays not to be too cavalier - especially in the early days, and 6 days is as about as early as it gets.

I hope the time will come when you can do whatever you want, wherever you want and not be bothered - but, for now, my advice?

Think seriously about what's more important - soccer/your mates or sobriety?

D

That is THE best, staight-to-the-point, advice I have heard. That kicked me in the ass, right where it was needed.

Thankyou.

Hey Timzup

I can sympathise with you - I miss going out to the pub to watch the football. I support Glasgow Rangers and Setanta have the monopoly on most of the matches so it's either the pub or mates houses.

What I've had to do for now is stay out of the pub - find other interests and concentrate on them. It's not easy - it's hard for me as well to stay out of nightclubs because I feel like I'm missing something. But after doing my step five I have realised that a lot of the regrets I have and the mistakes I've made are related to those places so for now I'd rather stay out of them.

I hope you're keeping well and sober :-)