Behan

Let's share our positive recovery stories friends in the hope of inspiring others to consider making a change for the new year!

happyandfree

Congratulations saoutchic!!!!!

lunar

Gadzooks!
I thought today was Saturday!
OOPS! Just catching up now,
Congrats saoutchik!!!!!

Melina

I'm in! Congrats saoutchik!

Weasel1966

On June 11, 2012 this was me
I remember that day and many many others like it.

Today I am much more of a vibrant person.

I look up when I talk. When I walk.

I smile at people and with people.

Life is not a long dark tunnel with no exits but rather a bustling avenue.

I am alone much of the time. By design still and not choice. But that design is working and holding for me. I have done more this year socially than ever.

I ran a 5K. I got a promotion at work.

Debts still tower over me from paying my dealers rent for crack with those damn credit checks I used to get in the mail. But they are a climbable mountain. Perhaps by the end of 2016 they will be but a mole hill.

None of this happened because I sat around and waited for it to arrive like an Amazon drone out of the sky.

It happened cuz I willed it to happen. One second at a time.

Time was never the enemy. Not a friend either when I have a craving. But it is a healer. The thing I had to learn is that the purpose of time is to learn how to spend time. Not fear it.

Stay sober this new year's eve. You owe it to yourself.

Ken

LBrain

Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb.

Me and the wife were out recently and I saw the complete batman TV series on dvd. I said, that's what you should have gotten me for christmas. She said, you're kidding.
I said, No I'm not. Epic!

saoutchik

My heartfelt thanks to all you insightful, intelligent, thoughtful, witty and caring friends on this thread.

Because I was furtive and secretive about my vast intake of 70% proof spirit I have few friends or family that can really understand what I am going through.so it has been so wonderful to be able share my part of the journey with a great group of people like yourselves

biminiblue

sao, what a great achievement. That first year was difficult for me! I am so honored you have spent so much time here in this thread. I would really miss you and your one-liners if you weren't here.

Here is your one year trophy. Next year, a VW!



Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. That car is just silly. I'll shop sooner next year.

ChickChick

Congrats Saoutchick!

I'm joining you all. I've tried joining a few times lately and failed miserably. I should have checked in before I picked up a beer. Duh. I'm feeling like I'm in a much better place now. I hope I'm still with you weekenders this time next year too!

Weasel1966

You can do it and glad you are here! If you hit any troubles, before or after, we want to hear from you. You don't need to go off somewhere and hide. Hide out in the open where we can all lean on each other. k?

Nonsensical

On a side note - I particpate on another forum (personal finance) that is celebrating having just gone over 12,000 total forum posts. Not threads, posts. Been around since 2011.

I should post a link to Dee74's profile over there.

Weasel1966

Last weeks weekender had over 1400 posts I believe. My numbers guy MM usually updates us.

MidnightBlue

I am working on my next test drive of deviled eggs - New Year edition - with avocado and smoked salmon.

My story will follow)

saoutchik

Hope you make light work of those debts Ken

Thanks bim, my favourite colour too

LBrain is spot on about the bomb

Ruby2

Congratulations Saoutchik!! One year is terrific! One year of your stellar humor on the weekenders. Awesome!

Ken thanks for getting us started and thanks for sharing. It can be done!

Brain, that's just about my favorite scene from that Batman movie. "They may be drinkers Robin, but they're still human beings." We are all deserving of dignity. We should accord ourselves respect.

Dharma33

dog_bus.jpg

Save me a seat!

ChickChick

Thank you! I'll keep that in mind.

MesaMan

.
Yo SoBers ~

Had to get my Wireless Internet 'Bridge' Connection goin' after some Morning glitches. Got it.

Then, I had to go find 'the best', legendary Sydney Oz Fireworks Vid Link for everyone. As of a few Hours ago Down Under...

- 2016 Sydney Fireworks - 12:11 -

Now, a lil Ditty for Sao's stellar achievement!

There once was a Gent, name of Sao
Through 1 Year he surely did plow
His change to get clean
Made SR Friends glean
He was stellar, without dropping Trou

Burma Shave

And finally, I can present the pervious Weekender Numbers:

13.104 Views in 3 Parts!

Geek Mon, here, tried a simple Test. If I click on and 'View' the Thread, does that add another 'View' to the Total? It did not. So, Views by us Members - which Weas joked about a few Weeks ago - don't appear to uptick the Total View count.

A very low key Evening planned for here. Fondue. One of our celebratory favs. As a purely lil Geek Experiment, I decided to skip even bubbly Grape Juice this Year. I'm kinda in the Mood recently to just walk away from any/all that schitte @ nearly 2 Years in. Including anything Champagne-like just because of a date on the Calendar. Part of my own, weird Recovered Regimen. I'm not making anything close to a Big Deal out of it. It's just something I decided to try on a Lark. Because I can. So, I'll be enjoying my usual Diet Ginger Beer instead.

The last Snow Squall is moving out right now, so clear Weather is on tap through when I head out toward Vegas this Sunday for Weeks of RV Trailer fun. MesaMate will enjoy her separate Snowshoeing Soiree locally before flying down to join me a few Weeks from now in my beloved Desert w/MesaDog.

'Whoops! I'm Sober' ~ Me [with Tip O'The Hat to Steve Martin]
.

Ruby2

Thanks for the numbers, Mesa. That's impressive. Your fondue sounds good. Haven't had it in a while.

On lunch at the moment. Antsy to get done for the day.

MidnightBlue

Ok. Here's my short, sketchy-hectic recovery story ( I am practicing being non-serious today)

I distinctly remember the day (to be more precise night, somewhere closer to midnight) when I had my last drink. It was beer - not my drink of choice, but I sometimes fooled myself that I wouldn't be drunk on beer that fast as I managed to do it on wine.

A bottle of half-finished beer on an old dining table serving me as a writing desk. I am surfing internet looking for "internet buddy to quit drinking". While doing surfing finish up the beer. It was my last drink.

After a few results ending with "drinking buddy" I found SR. And discovered another Universe - multicolor open-minded, supportive, friendly... It was like spotting that warmhole - teleporting into future and never looking back.

"Time travelling into sober world" though had been preceded by endless doubts "do I have a problem". Numerous promises to myself. Some blackouts. Crippling hangovers. Never again. Why again???

To say that I was lost in my life on that October night is to say nothing. I never was on the right road in the first place. My entire life since early childhood had been a monstrous knot of lies and prison of delusions. I blocked all my feelings, but pain didn't go anywhere - it was bursting out regularly, tearing me apart. And I didn't know where to look for the source of destruction.

I was emotionally crashed, isolated because of self-loathe and learned sense of unworthiness. I was my worst enemy with my own power going through warped prism of lies and turned against me.

I am 3 years and 2+ months sober now.

It would make quite a list of what I've accomplished in sobriety.

Among all the things I've learned how strong I am - when fear tells "you will die" (at least, emotionally), I clinch teeth and go to test it. And every time I go through fear - I go to up to another level of recovery.

Just today, a couple of hours earlier, I decided to make a list of things I've accomplished this year - and I was little bit surprised myself:

- I've started refurbishment works on my new apartment (which I bought in my 2d year of sobriety) ;

- I've found my....dream job. I've been hesitating to use this word "dream". Ah, superstitions to "scary the luck away". But there's the thing. Over a year ago I made a very detailed description of a job I would really want - like, if there are no limits. Some time ago I thought about it - my current job matches all the points listed. My initial interview for this job was on my Birthday. And the second interview right next day. I seriously doubt I would keep such a clear head and my emotions under control if I still couldn't imagine my Bday without wine. Let alone if I could land this interview at all.

- I started paying off debts;

- Applied paperwork for tax refund and got it;

- Made another chunk of painful work in therapy necessary for locating my source of destruction. It will be eliminated soon, I am sure. I have never seen my life so clear before.

There are more things, of course.

But the main one is - I am not afraid to know who I am any more. And that is real gift of sobriety.

Happy New Year to all!

To my deal weekender friends - I am so grateful for all and everyone of you!

To lurkers - join the ride. Put down a drink. Don't wait for tomorrow. Booze doesn't bring magic, sobriety does.