New and want to share.....
What comes around, Goes around
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Warren Mi
Posts: 170
New and want to share.....
I am 38, I would drink 6 days a week at least-I drank alone mostly- It really never effected my job---I am a Chef--almost everyone I work work with or worked with in a kitchen Drink alot. Not all though---I am now 1 that dont. The past 3 months I did alot of what I really LOVE to do, Deer Hunt. Along with deer hunting came alot of drinking---Only at night not while hunting.I was sober while hunting but a little hung over sometimes. I am from Michigan and I have a cabin up north in the woods--I call it my little piece of heaven. Like I said I hunted alot--Many hours up in tree stands or in ground blinds, Just me and nature---The woods and The spirit of the wild. I dont want to sound corny but sitting alone with nature for hours REALLY helps you gather your thoughts. What I thought would be my last day hunting for the year, 11/18/2008, I sat and staired into the woods looking for movement from deer and thought really hard about life. I thought about life with a bottle of whiskey and all the wrong roads It will take me down. I thought really hard about life without a bottle of whiskey and all the promising roads I will go down. I thought of the 2 Deer I killed during bow season, They were gifts from nature-Nature does not want us to drink---its not natural--its bad.
This may sound corny again to some but I was smacked this year right in the face and through my heart from the spirit of the wild both times I shot my deer. So november 29th 2008 I put the bottle down I hoped for good.My thinking didnt stop--I needed more from nature.A hunting buddy and I decided to drive 110 miles on our only day off on a monday 12/15/08 for a muzzle loader deer hunt.At this time I was 16 days sober..we got to out to our hunting sight and nature had a challenge for us--35 mile an hour winds and 0 degrees out---We got to out hunting blinds at 1:15 pm. I sat for3.5 hours with winds belting me--It was awsome--I was free from drinking for 16 days and my mind was clearer than ever--My mind was stronger than ever-It had to be in order to sit out under an apple tree for as long as I did. I was freezing! The whole time all I did was think, Gather my thoughts and look for deer. There it was, A big deer walked out right in front of me, I raised my gun and took a deep breath,I lowered my gun and took a good look at the deer---thoughts raced through my mind. I raised the gun again and shot the deer. That was it---I am done drinking. My hunting buddy and I dragged the deer for 1.5 hours to our truck--Freezing cold, deep snow on the ground---it was brutal, just brutal. I look at this event as natures way of beating the Alcohol out of me.The next day I got sick--Brochitis---I am still sick today but getting better. That last hunt that wasnt planned until the last minute was huge hope for me to stay sober. I made it 1 month and I hope to post many more months as I will stay here for a while and look around. I am glad I can except I had (have)a problem or I would have never joined this forum.
This may sound corny again to some but I was smacked this year right in the face and through my heart from the spirit of the wild both times I shot my deer. So november 29th 2008 I put the bottle down I hoped for good.My thinking didnt stop--I needed more from nature.A hunting buddy and I decided to drive 110 miles on our only day off on a monday 12/15/08 for a muzzle loader deer hunt.At this time I was 16 days sober..we got to out to our hunting sight and nature had a challenge for us--35 mile an hour winds and 0 degrees out---We got to out hunting blinds at 1:15 pm. I sat for3.5 hours with winds belting me--It was awsome--I was free from drinking for 16 days and my mind was clearer than ever--My mind was stronger than ever-It had to be in order to sit out under an apple tree for as long as I did. I was freezing! The whole time all I did was think, Gather my thoughts and look for deer. There it was, A big deer walked out right in front of me, I raised my gun and took a deep breath,I lowered my gun and took a good look at the deer---thoughts raced through my mind. I raised the gun again and shot the deer. That was it---I am done drinking. My hunting buddy and I dragged the deer for 1.5 hours to our truck--Freezing cold, deep snow on the ground---it was brutal, just brutal. I look at this event as natures way of beating the Alcohol out of me.The next day I got sick--Brochitis---I am still sick today but getting better. That last hunt that wasnt planned until the last minute was huge hope for me to stay sober. I made it 1 month and I hope to post many more months as I will stay here for a while and look around. I am glad I can except I had (have)a problem or I would have never joined this forum.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Welcome to SR...
I quit hunting years ago...too darn cold for me..
even in a Mo. duck blind. But I can relate to
the peace of nature.
Glad you have joined us
Well done on your sober time...
I quit hunting years ago...too darn cold for me..
even in a Mo. duck blind. But I can relate to
the peace of nature.
Glad you have joined us
Well done on your sober time...
peaceful seabird
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: floating
Posts: 4,822
Welcome to the SR family!
Your honesty does not sound corny to me. I am glad your commune with nature brought positive change into your life. I'm really happy for you that you did not have to bring sobriety into your life after missery (dui, death, etc..) Sobriety is awesome.
Make yourself at home!
Your honesty does not sound corny to me. I am glad your commune with nature brought positive change into your life. I'm really happy for you that you did not have to bring sobriety into your life after missery (dui, death, etc..) Sobriety is awesome.
Make yourself at home!
Ending the Old Me.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Under a Rock
Posts: 377
Welcome and congrats on your sober time. The holiday season isn't an easy time to get or stay sober but you seem committed. Stick around and keep reading and posting.
We're about the same age and I grew up in your neck of the woods; used to do a lot of hunting in the Gaylord area. Difficult to do where I'm at now.
I'll send you a PM (private message) but you'll need a few more posts before you can respond.
Take care.
We're about the same age and I grew up in your neck of the woods; used to do a lot of hunting in the Gaylord area. Difficult to do where I'm at now.
I'll send you a PM (private message) but you'll need a few more posts before you can respond.
Take care.
What comes around, Goes around
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Warren Mi
Posts: 170
Thanks again everyone---looking forward to posting and reading posts.
I did learn 1 thing about being sober---You really have to want to be sober or it wont happen--I tell co-workers I Quit drinking and some say"sorry to hear that"
Thats got to be the dumbest thing you can say to someone.
I did learn 1 thing about being sober---You really have to want to be sober or it wont happen--I tell co-workers I Quit drinking and some say"sorry to hear that"
Thats got to be the dumbest thing you can say to someone.
I'm just a little unwell
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 2,219
My husband and I were talking about just that last night. I'm really nervous about telling people that I've quit. Saying, "I don't drink anymore" isn't the hard part. It's that they will inevitably ask, "WHY?" and I don't know what to say to that. I know I don't HAVE to say anything, but I don't like to be rude just for the sake of being rude so I'd like to have a "stock" answer to fill in the gap.
If you tell people you've quit smoking, they say, "Good for you!!" and pat you on the back. You tell people you've quit drinking and they want to know why and try to talk you into having "just one", just with them, come on it's not that big of a deal.
People can really suck.
If you tell people you've quit smoking, they say, "Good for you!!" and pat you on the back. You tell people you've quit drinking and they want to know why and try to talk you into having "just one", just with them, come on it's not that big of a deal.
People can really suck.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: aground
Posts: 102
Love your post!! 110 miles on your only day off...Brutal conditions...Rewarded with a four star hunt!! NOT happening with a hangover, I know. I'm an avid fisherman and lately most of my fishing time was spent on the the couch hungover watching other people fish on tv. No more. I'm recently sober and your post really inspires me! Time to get back to the things I REALLY enjoy!! Thanks for posting and I hope you feel better soon..
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,537
Welcome Rouxballs. If you can hold on to that determination you should be fine. The hard part for me was reminding myself of the terrible times, not focusing on the fun times. Actually there were no fun times anymore in the end, but I kept seeking them! People without our problem just don't get it - I remember thinking myself how dull and boring those who didn't enjoy drinking must be. It seemed to enhance my life back then. I wish I'd had the sense to reclaim my life about 20 years ago - the way you're doing.
TSH, I know what you mean - I worried alot about what to say when offered a drink. No one has ever tried to coax me into having one, but that's probably because I was much further gone than most of you, and people realized it was a good thing I was stopping. My husband's family never knew how bad off I was, so they were surprised Christmas Eve when I didn't have my usual 6 or more drinks. I told them I hadn't had anything to drink for almost a year because I felt I was becoming too dependent on it. No one asked for details, they looked surprised/disappointed maybe - but they didn't have a clue how bad off I was.
Keep us posted, Rouxballs.
TSH, I know what you mean - I worried alot about what to say when offered a drink. No one has ever tried to coax me into having one, but that's probably because I was much further gone than most of you, and people realized it was a good thing I was stopping. My husband's family never knew how bad off I was, so they were surprised Christmas Eve when I didn't have my usual 6 or more drinks. I told them I hadn't had anything to drink for almost a year because I felt I was becoming too dependent on it. No one asked for details, they looked surprised/disappointed maybe - but they didn't have a clue how bad off I was.
Keep us posted, Rouxballs.
What comes around, Goes around
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Warren Mi
Posts: 170
Originally Posted by hadit 
Love your post!! 110 miles on your only day off...Brutal conditions...Rewarded with a four star hunt!! NOT happening with a hangover, I know. I'm an avid fisherman and lately most of my fishing time was spent on the the couch hungover watching other people fish on tv. No more. I'm recently sober and your post really inspires me! Time to get back to the things I REALLY enjoy!! Thanks for posting and I hope you feel better soon..
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