Business Trip Tomorrow- Big Test
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 456
Business Trip Tomorrow- Big Test
Well tomorrow (9/11!!!) I'm on the 8:40 am from Seattle to Chicago for the week.
When speaking of triggers, this is an army of machine guns for me, even after almost 7 months of 24 hours back-to-back.
Anxiety about the fact this it's 9/11
First trip in sobriety
Travel Drinking routine will need to be broken
Dinners at night after the meetings which always include booze and plenty of it.
No one will be watching me or even know my story.
I'm 6'2"and all arms and legs- booze helped me be moderately comfortable on an airplane.
I'm used to being moderately shtfaced when I finally board flights over 5 hours so I can sleep.
Well... here's the tools I'm going to use.
"Sobriety is the most important thing in my life, everything else comes second."
I will get to my hotel about 3:00pm. So I will iron my clothes and hang them up. Keep my room tidy like a normal person is there.
Find the exercise room - and use it! Gotta burn that anxiety and excess energy out!
I will contact the concierge for transportation at 7:30.
I will cross the street and get some dinner - or maybe just room service and relax for a while. No kids, wife, distractions.
7:30- Shuttle service to an 8pm meeting nearby (located where it is and mapped it from the hotel).
9:30 Cab it or walk it back to the hotel depending on what the area looks like.
10:00- call my wife and kids (8pm home). Take 200mg of Valerean Root
10:30- read the BB and pop on here for another hour. Take passion flower and meatonin for the final sleep cocktail (2 hours jet lag)
11:30- Lights out
Monday
6:30am - rise and shine, will text message my sponsor at some time during the day.
5:30pm - done with meetings. On my own.
5:45pm - simple dinner or room service
6:45pm - shuttle to meeting
8:15 - 9:45 - back to room, call home
9:45 - Fitness center
9:15 - 10:00 - work on my 4th step.
Tuesday same as Monday but may skip meeting if 4th step could be finished. Call my sponsor and my family.
Wednesday - Same schedule but 8pm meeting. Will hit the pool.
Thursday - getaway day! 7:30pm flight CDT - Arrive Seattle 10:20pm. Arrive home after luggage, car valet, and actual drive about 12:15am
I've planned my time out very rigerously to give me a clear record of when I'm getting off track.
I've been given a lot of tools to use during these times thanks to AA and will probably pull out all of them at some pointduring the trip
I will miss out on a lot of the "socializing" but I've realized that business trips bring out the binge drinker in most business people anyway. I can't think of an excuse to hang out with folks at the hotel bar and I can't see where I'd possibly have time.
I'm really looking forward to seeing meetings in other states. I've heard they can be quite different everywhere you go.
Peace
-StPete
When speaking of triggers, this is an army of machine guns for me, even after almost 7 months of 24 hours back-to-back.
Anxiety about the fact this it's 9/11
First trip in sobriety
Travel Drinking routine will need to be broken
Dinners at night after the meetings which always include booze and plenty of it.
No one will be watching me or even know my story.
I'm 6'2"and all arms and legs- booze helped me be moderately comfortable on an airplane.
I'm used to being moderately shtfaced when I finally board flights over 5 hours so I can sleep.
Well... here's the tools I'm going to use.
"Sobriety is the most important thing in my life, everything else comes second."
I will get to my hotel about 3:00pm. So I will iron my clothes and hang them up. Keep my room tidy like a normal person is there.
Find the exercise room - and use it! Gotta burn that anxiety and excess energy out!
I will contact the concierge for transportation at 7:30.
I will cross the street and get some dinner - or maybe just room service and relax for a while. No kids, wife, distractions.
7:30- Shuttle service to an 8pm meeting nearby (located where it is and mapped it from the hotel).
9:30 Cab it or walk it back to the hotel depending on what the area looks like.
10:00- call my wife and kids (8pm home). Take 200mg of Valerean Root
10:30- read the BB and pop on here for another hour. Take passion flower and meatonin for the final sleep cocktail (2 hours jet lag)
11:30- Lights out
Monday
6:30am - rise and shine, will text message my sponsor at some time during the day.
5:30pm - done with meetings. On my own.
5:45pm - simple dinner or room service
6:45pm - shuttle to meeting
8:15 - 9:45 - back to room, call home
9:45 - Fitness center
9:15 - 10:00 - work on my 4th step.
Tuesday same as Monday but may skip meeting if 4th step could be finished. Call my sponsor and my family.
Wednesday - Same schedule but 8pm meeting. Will hit the pool.
Thursday - getaway day! 7:30pm flight CDT - Arrive Seattle 10:20pm. Arrive home after luggage, car valet, and actual drive about 12:15am
I've planned my time out very rigerously to give me a clear record of when I'm getting off track.
I've been given a lot of tools to use during these times thanks to AA and will probably pull out all of them at some pointduring the trip
I will miss out on a lot of the "socializing" but I've realized that business trips bring out the binge drinker in most business people anyway. I can't think of an excuse to hang out with folks at the hotel bar and I can't see where I'd possibly have time.
I'm really looking forward to seeing meetings in other states. I've heard they can be quite different everywhere you go.
Peace
-StPete
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 456
Well day 1 is nearly in the books and everything went as planned - except the meeting was abit longer and I'm going to chill out and try to get aclimated to the 2 hour time difference.
The meeting was a nice small group. It's interesting looking at the differences. I had to take a cab there since the shuttle doesn't run on Sundays - it was $10. I got a ride back to the hotel from one of the old timers and they are picking me up tomorrow night for a back to basics meeting.
Good stuff!
I went to the White Castle next to the hotel for late night grub since each time I walk by the restaurant bar I can hear the loud roucus and don't need to be near it.
Tired and sober - and very happy about it.
7 months of sobriety on the 14th!
Peace,
-SPG
The meeting was a nice small group. It's interesting looking at the differences. I had to take a cab there since the shuttle doesn't run on Sundays - it was $10. I got a ride back to the hotel from one of the old timers and they are picking me up tomorrow night for a back to basics meeting.
Good stuff!
I went to the White Castle next to the hotel for late night grub since each time I walk by the restaurant bar I can hear the loud roucus and don't need to be near it.
Tired and sober - and very happy about it.
7 months of sobriety on the 14th!
Peace,
-SPG
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 274
I like your plan StpeterGrad, stick to your plan and stay focused and it sounds like your doing just that. And remember to take everything 'One Day At A Time'.. And most of all be proud of yourself on this Wedesday for 7 months Sobriety..WTG!
Take care and have a nice trip...
Take care and have a nice trip...
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal CA
Posts: 1,319
Great job St Pete! I just had a similar experience. Business trip last week to the midwest to do a RFP presentation for a big contract. I didn't think about it at the time, but it was the first time I have ever flown sober. I don't care what time it was I was drinking before or on the plane.
Well I didn't even think about it until the cart came around on my return trip and the guy next to me ordered a beer. Other than that my presentation was a success, and I came home to a city wide blackout in Socal. After a 4 hour wait at the airport to get home because all the traffic lights were out I got home to a candle lit house sober and happy. I really never thought about the drinking thing even when I was having dinner with the owner of my company on the trip when he ordered a beer. It was nice to reflect on my sobriety and my journey the past year when I got home and there was no electricity.
Great job again St Pete!
Well I didn't even think about it until the cart came around on my return trip and the guy next to me ordered a beer. Other than that my presentation was a success, and I came home to a city wide blackout in Socal. After a 4 hour wait at the airport to get home because all the traffic lights were out I got home to a candle lit house sober and happy. I really never thought about the drinking thing even when I was having dinner with the owner of my company on the trip when he ordered a beer. It was nice to reflect on my sobriety and my journey the past year when I got home and there was no electricity.
Great job again St Pete!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 456
Day two in the books.
It was strangely nice waking up about an hour early and eating a nice breakfast not completely exhausted, nauseated and shaking from the previous night's binge.
Tonight was a bit bittersweet. I thought the back to basics meeting was tonight but it's tomorrow so plan A fell through. I walked by the hotel bar on my way back to my room at 5:00 and was felt just a bit resentful that I couldn't join the others for drinks and networking. I have worked with many of the people in this training for years and many are really good friends. They completely support my chosen sobriety but I still can't justify sitting in the bar with them.
I ordered room service, called my wife, got caught up on some work, watched TV. I was slightly agitated tonight but finally chilled out and got ready for tomorrow.
For the first time on a business trip in years I felt a little lonely. It gives me time to pause and think about my priorities. I called home and my wife was all worked up about everything so I had to listen and try to settle her down.
There is a bowling alley next door so I went over there for an hour and played pinball.
At the end of the day -it's just life being life and me being a part of it sober.
I'm going to sleep sober and content. That's never a bad end to a day.
Peace
-SPG
It was strangely nice waking up about an hour early and eating a nice breakfast not completely exhausted, nauseated and shaking from the previous night's binge.
Tonight was a bit bittersweet. I thought the back to basics meeting was tonight but it's tomorrow so plan A fell through. I walked by the hotel bar on my way back to my room at 5:00 and was felt just a bit resentful that I couldn't join the others for drinks and networking. I have worked with many of the people in this training for years and many are really good friends. They completely support my chosen sobriety but I still can't justify sitting in the bar with them.
I ordered room service, called my wife, got caught up on some work, watched TV. I was slightly agitated tonight but finally chilled out and got ready for tomorrow.
For the first time on a business trip in years I felt a little lonely. It gives me time to pause and think about my priorities. I called home and my wife was all worked up about everything so I had to listen and try to settle her down.
There is a bowling alley next door so I went over there for an hour and played pinball.
At the end of the day -it's just life being life and me being a part of it sober.
I'm going to sleep sober and content. That's never a bad end to a day.
Peace
-SPG
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