For those of you who would like to expand your non-alcoholic drinks repertoire, check this out: http://www.infusedwaters.com/

If you can cut a strawberry in half you can make anything at this site. Some of the waters look very exotic but will cost you way less than one alcoholic drink and they will taste good and make you feel good!

Good morning gang and happy Friday!

I woke up loving sobriety today. It's interesting in that I used to consider going without the drink as some sort of lifetime sentence. When I found my freedom last year, I used exercise as a distraction and the routine of it to give me structure. Yesterday when I went on the fitness website I use, I discovered they used me as a fitness testimonial. Incredible. This past year without alcohol took me from nausea, trembly, anxiety ridden mornings to finally seeing light break through the clouds.

You're right BigS, I wouldn't have believed it on Day 1. You just go on faith sometimes until your perspective changes.

Wishing each of you the best day.

Behan the ninja comment made me giggle!

I love infused water. Thanks for the link.

Sorry about the losses Mex but great attitude.

Way to go on being a testimonial on the site. Hard work pays off.

Good morning everyone. Friday is finally here. I'll get through work and then three days off.

Behan the ninja has a nice ring to it. I like it!

Mark, way to go on being the testimonial. A witness to your continued sobriety. How terrific!

HaF, woo hoo! Twenty months is fantastic. Congratulations!

Mecanix hopefully it will all get better. I keep buying lottery tickets but with little success. I think the market is a better prospect. Ouch.

Time to get ready. And get kids ready. I keep getting up later and later. Punishing myself in doing that.

.
Well, I popped up & awake at O Dark Thirty - or so it seemed - and ducked outside after starting Coffee to check out the PHEE_nominal Sky. Crescent Moon just rising, and a Milky Way almost down to the Mountain tops. Planets blazing like distant Headlights. That's when you know it's clear; no obscuring near the Horizon.

I shut off the Porch Motion-Sensing Light, was happily hangin' out in the dark, listening to a pack of Coyotes off in the distance. Then, about 8' over my head, this massive Barred Owl swoops in, and sits on one of the huge Beams I designed in on this Arts & Crafts Porch. How you say, I was almost out browning! A ~3' Wingspan if it's an Inch. It sat there for a couple of minutes. I could barely make it out in the pure dark. Then, with a huge swoop, off it flew. The Military Cargo Plane of the Avian World.

I went back to checking out the Sky; now crisply visible without the double and blurred vision of Daze past.

Today's Project du Jour is what we call 'Proof Of Principle'. After getting some Cat 5 Cables yesterday, I'm gonna hook up at Ground level all the Gear I bought for the Wireless Internet Link to run ~1,350' from the House to the Phone Box at the Gate. Get the 2 Antennas 'talking' to each other via on line set-up. For now, I'll run the Gate-end Antenna and Modem off a 120 Volt Inverter plugged into my Truck. Set up the new Modem. Mebbe even 'unplug' this Laptop after initial successes, and get the new Wireless Router dialed in. We'll see.

Next, run that Gate-end Gear off a Solar Panel/Controller/Battery set-up, and get humpin' on a permanent install for everything. That'll keep me busy p/t for the next Week.

Geekin' & Tweakin'. The Guano you can pull off Sober, eh?

Anniversary and Birthday Congrats to all the Champions here! You know who we are! ->

- 'We Are The Champions' ~ Queen + Paul Rodgers - Live -
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Awesoooooome!!
Thank you for this post!
I've had a rough few days...nothing but dealing with loss of the booze as my "everything." But today I woke early, and felt...well. Not exhausted, not depressed, not angry, no heart-pounding from either drink or anxiety. Just "well".

Mesa, terrific! What a great way to greet the day.

Mark - before I quit drinking, I, too looked at going without booze as a life sentence, and I didn't want any part of it. Now, I look back and realize I was imprisoned by drinking. I see my friends who still drink dealing with the consequences, and I want so much to sit them down and convince them to quit. But I just continue my journey quietly and set an example. They will get it if and when they want to. I have one close friend who sees me a lot and he's amazed at my transformation. He's starting to get it. I tell him how great I feel and he says it shows. That's the best compliment ever. I had an acquaintance tell me last night I look great - he offered to buy me a drink. I told him I quit, his mouth fell open, then he gave me a big hug and said that explained why I look so good. Good stuff, that.

That's great, MLD. I have a good friend who's told me the same. He's been eyeing the sober lifestyle as well and I've quietly set an example. I've also had many family members and other friends remark on my healthy and fit appearance! For a while I thought they were just humoring me, but today I realize it's genuine admiration.

Nice morning here in Guate. I'm going to participate in a 5K Run this on Sunday to support Down's Syndrome. It's taking place in the capital EARLY that morning (7am) but it will be nice to be out and about at that hour. My girlfriend's niece has Down's and she's a big supporter of the cause, so it will be nice to participate.

My alarm failed to go off his morning and I was over an hour late for work. My supervisor said not to worry and that it happens but I was pretty angry with myself. However, I did acknowledge how much worse the situation could be if I had woken up hungover.

Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

Good morning eveyone! Happy Friday!
Mesa your owl experience must have been amazing. Cool stuff.
slow start here but I need to get it in gear. Busy work day and then let the weekend begin. Got some fun plans and things to look forward to. Gone are the weekends where I did nothing. See you all later.

Morning sober healthy champions! We are Over Comers in every sense of the word and that's not bragging....that's reality. :)

I love the vibe here this morning! It's true what mex said.....it all starts in the mind.

So I choose to live in the moment and not get bogged down with my past or fret about the future. I'll enjoy today. :)

Oh mns.....glad you're supervisor was understanding. :)

Well done everyone!
Xoxo

Let's see, BigS is back home, glad to hear your dad is better and that he may perhaps be 'seeing the light' about taking care of hisself. Again some of you will take notice that since BigS has gone away and returned, his lady friend suddenly became his 'girlfriend' during his absence. ;)
Great reports, and Mark - awesome.

love-love-love Louis CK! Thanks for that this morning.

For those who didn't notice me in my camo photo, did you notice a shadow?
I'll post another one to make it easier.

Nothing like looking at the sky on a clear morning with no light pollution.
I recall several times during my years getting buzzed by an owl walking through the woods in the dark. Or the time I almost walked on a skunk - talk about a brown out!

After researching camo patterns etc, it has dawned on me that I have close $300 in kabellas bucks to use. Their shiite is so overpriced... Since I am out of meat, I do really need to take this serious. I refroze everything- but after some thought, I'm going to slowly ration it into the landfill.

Have a good day - no coffee this morning just a couple big glasses of water with my oats and apples. I eat like a horse!

^^^creepy

And I noticed the girlfriend thing but didn't want to be nosy. Congrats bigS :)

Thanks for link Marcher - definitely going to try them as I am bored with ginger (root) beer!

Well done Mark - you are inspiring me to get some exercise!

Amazing description of pre-dawn on your part the planet MM!

Glad you feel well BixBee - keep on keeping on!!!:You_Rock_

Now, to hone my Ninja skills - LBrain is going to school me the ancient art of camouflage and subtle deception......

Greetings from the sickie ward, all. I've spent nearly the entire last day asleep. Feel about 20 percent better.

Mesa, you are your own one-man IT Help Desk! I got tired just reading about the task ahead! Brain, that photo has a Stephen King-esque look to it!

Some really good reflections here. Yep, sobriety is our "get out of jail" card.

eeeek. Clown.

It is pea soup out there this morning. Tis definitely fall.

I'm weaning off coffee. I'm down to one half-caf a day now and no headache so I'm calling that a win. I miss it. I was up to four or five a day, though - and that's not good. Too much anxiety with that much, and MsObssessive that I am, it's difficult to moderate. I'm going to give no caffeine a try and see how I feel. I haven't done that ever.

Brynn, you sound good. I'm glad you've made the decision.

I would love to spend even one night in Mesa's paradise. I need to schedule a couple days at the coast with nature. The owl story was so cool. My local zoo has a Barred Owl that flies in their raptor flight program. He's magnificent.

http://media.giphy.com/media/E2lRoVYtxbEME/giphy.gif

Me, too, Bim! Sober Bash at Mesa's!

Ok Behan...you win creepiest clown picture. That's very unsettling. Bleh!

I accidentally dumped my recycling into the trash bin. Trying to decide if I should rummage through and get it. I either have to get in the bin or find a way to dump it all out! Being Eco friendly isn't all it's cracked up to be sometimes!

Edit to say glad you're feeling a bit better, Venecia. And I second the sober bash at Mesas!