Stayed out late last night with the family. We traded cars out of town and had dinner together at 830 or so.

On to Saturday!

Thank yoou D, day 1 for me.

Welcome Kirste and congratulations for making the decision to change your path!

Hey cheeto...I found out I can have fun doing anything I did while drinking...Even more fun. What surprised me is how many things I do now I would never do before because alcohol wasn't available. I just never planned anything that drinking wasn't a major part of. Sadly...That's how I lived. I can enjoy anything now.
As far as being around people that drink. I stayed away from that till I was comfortable with my sobriety and had some tools to deal with those situations. Some friends I parted ways with because that's all we had in common. I have drinkers in my family...And I have fun with them now....I just don't drink. Life goes on...But you can actually enjoy it and see it through clear eyes and a clear mind. Give yourself some time. It's so worth it.

Welcome Kirste

Day 8 for me guys. I do enjoy waking up and not being a grumpy git :)

Welcome to all new May joiners. We have a terrific group of supportive people here. Congratulations on choosing sobriety. :)

Count me in
 

Well, as my username suggests, I have hit bottom. I was off work yesterday and was thinking a margarita would be nice. I had every intention of just having one. Well after downing the whole fifth before my partner got home from work and me not remembering him coming home or anything that happened after I realize I have a BIG problem. Today will be day 1 for me. Thank you all for being here.

No problem, that's what we're here for. I had a really good day today, turned down an offer to go drinking with an old drinking friend and went for a meal where everyone was drinking, but I didn't have a drop.

This message is for everyone who is still going strong in their first month of sobriety (and for those who slipped, get back on the crazy train as soon as you can). I would especially like to thank The Sun, FrenchPink, and Dee74 for being on top of everyone. I'm sure I missed some other regulars who have been encouraging people throughout these first few weeks, so to you, thank you as well.

So yesterday was Day 4 for me and I went to a latin dance club for my GF's birthday. It was a good scene, with people drinking and dancing, but not going zonkers, Scooby Doo Style, but drinking moderately and having a good time dancing salsa (I, on the other hand, was dancing some combination of the Russian and Boogaloo Shrimp from Breakin'.). When asked by our waiter what I wanted to drink I was proud to tell him that I don't drink any more (and for some of you, actually saying those words might help) and I asked him for some sparkling water. He smiled, almost as if he understood and perhaps was recovering himself, or empathized with the path of recoverers, and brought me a fantastic bottle of sparkling water called Sant Aniol. Whatever sparkling water is available, if you're at a restaurant or a club with friends, or even at home, I highly recommend having some sparkling water. While I am not (or at least am not intending) to recommend any kind of substitute for alcohol (like supposedly non-alcoholic beer and wine), but the carbonation makes for a sharp drink that might help some of you through the night while at the club.

And did I mention dancing. Go out to dance clubs - the classy kind. You'll find good people there looking to have a good time dancing, and not looking to get bazookled. And dancing is cathartic as hell - i.e., a great way to get rid of any stress associated with giving up alcohol. So, again, continued good luck to everyone and happy bootie shaking!

Harpo

welcome Kirste :)

I wish I had more info for you FP but I was one of those annoying smokers who...just quit....

I had one half cig a few months after that...and hated it - so that was the last one for me.

Can't imagine doing it now...ew.

D

I have to say....I should be in May =)
 

Hi guys, I was originally a member of the March 2012 class, and blew it after 29 days of sobriety. I then kept falling off the wagon with 3 beers here, 3 beers there. I technically need to join this class for 2 reasons: A) My new quit date was May 3rd (I didn't join you guys until then because I hated counting the days up until now starting over, but now that I am on day 9 I can handle it and B) I am looking forward to getting to know all of you....so here I am! Hope to be able to share some insights with all of you and think it is more appropriate to join this class since I am certainly not 42+ days sober as I would have been and can probably relate to all of you since you are close to where I am on this path. I will still check in on all my buddies there, though, but I have to say, it is great to be in May! So hello all...I will post regularly!

Lee

Welcome RockBottom! That means everything you do from here will be bringing you back up to a higher point in your life! You can do it, Day 6 for me and I don't drink anymore - that sure feels good to say.

I'm going to a Hockey game tonight with my 7-yr old son and some other Dads and It will be the first time that I see others drinking. I actually not worried about being tempted...i don't think that I'm denying myself anything. I read a quote today...something like "it's OK to say NO to having a drink...you are actually saying YES to yourself"

Good luck all!

Yes, I agree, not easy to do things with my kids when the other dads are around and drinking, but unlike them, I was unable to moderate very well. One way I really started noticing that I was "different" was looking at these other men and their patterns of drinking...many of my kids' dads drink very very moderately, I guess a couple here and there maybe problematically...but I was a tad different, and the older I have gotten (I'm now 41) the more pronounced IT had gotten....

welcome also to leemzer and RockBottom :)

D

It's 3:30 here on the west coast, and on a day like this puttering around in the yard I'd already be on beer #3 for the day. I thought about that as I reached into the fridge and grabbed my first ice cold GINGER BEER of the day!

I was just sitting on the patio and talking to my kids. Talking. Listening. Really enjoying being patient and present for them. Listening to them joke around and appreciating that I am not buzzed and I'm able to be patient with them.

This is the kind of Dad I want to keep being. Remembering these kinds of moments will help me to be resolute as I continue this decision to not drink.

Man do I relate with the patience....I have such good kids and an incredible wife, but when I drink...I mean drank, I was still me but with a waaaaaay shorter fuse. My kids are mostly good so it pisses me off that I would be short with them. No more.

Hi everyone -- glad to see all of those in the May boat with us! Looks like a great group, and I'm looking forward to continue hearing everyone's story going forward.

Someone asked about interacting with people that are drinking, and one of the things I've realized is how gone many people are after a few drinks. They're not fully processing things you say to them and probably won't even remember what you said. You're fully experiencing that moment but they're not.

FrenchPink, good luck with the double quit! Thought about you as I picked up a delicious coffee this morning -- can't currently imagined quitting coffee too but maybe someday, you never know.

I agree...then you think, "Did I act that way too?" I'd like to think I was better put together than that, but probably not.....

Just got a fortune cookie that said, "The strengths in your character will bring you serenity." God, I hope so!!!!

I'm back at day one after spending last night at the bars making an ass out of myself. Dumbest thing is, is that none of my friends wanted to drink so I left them and went out by myself. I'm lucky I was able to stay safe and nothing bad happened. But yeah never ever again I'm just not going out I don't think I can handle that yet.