Zanna

Happy Birthday Snarly

Snarly

Hey .... somethings going on in my head.

WHY AM I REMEMBERING THINGS....in vivid color and incredible details. I can close my eyes and its almost like I can see, hear and even smell these events.

Things I haven't thought about in years! Great things for the most part.

Someone's got some "splainin" to do (Lucy?)

Snarly

Snarly

Hi Zanna,
I did get friend request and haven't spent time yet trying to figure that function as well as the email.

I am not dissing your hometown...I think I spent some time there. Derbyshire if I remember is near Manchester and the "shires"?

Snarly

Zanna

Yes I'm in North Derbyshire, (Peak District) so around 40 miles south of Manchester. Well remembered

Soberwolf

Snarly if you buy Indian tonic water it has quinine in it I'm sure you can get at any local supermarket or shop bud I drink it at nighttime as I do lots of exercise and it's also great for cramps RLS & I didn't get hardly bit at all by the mozzies this summer

Snarly

This one's for you Zanna,

Now I remember Derbyshire:

An RAF Pilot buddy invited me on a rally from Cliffs of Dover to Liverpool (think Quadrophenia).

I met him on base and he helped me tune my MGB and we bot an old triumph that we restored.

We took his highly tuned gulf GTI and went screaming through the country. Not for the fainthearted what with those crazy stone walls on all the back roads.

I thought I was along for the ride...nope...serious navigation skills required. Sharp left ..NOW! kind of stuff. And yep.. plenty of hard cider all during the rally.

Brain is struggling to come back.

Snarly

Zanna

I'm in the countryside - 5 miles of fields and hillls outside and the Red Arrows are hellish for flying over. Of course you never hear them coming, just an almighty bang, when they're flying over. I'm getting used to it lol

Snarly

Hey quick forum etiquette question...

I know this forum's core purpose is Sober Recovery.

I really appreciate everyone who helped me get through rough times in the last three days.

I can even feel changes happening...day 7 or 8 not sure how to calculate but anything over 2 days is longer than I can remember.

Ironically, my head is pounding. Lack of sleep hangover. I remember them from some all nighters in college. No where near as bad as my regular wake up drunk and deal with sobering up and then hangover.

So, my question is this:
I really appreciate the memories you guys have triggered. Is it ok that I posted them? I know this is not the Snarly Channel. I am keeping them only to this thread and you guys seem interested.

"Are you not entertained" favorite line from Gladiator.

Thanks!

Snarly

Snarly

So much for happy thoughts.

A song just came on "leaving on jet plane" written by John Denver and covered by Peter, Paul and Mary.

I just an extreme memory flashback that goes back to me being around 12 years old! I barely remember details from college.

I am the youngest child. My sister was a lot older than me.

The day she left while she was packing she kept playing this song over and over. When she left, she gave me the single to remember her.

I never saw her again. She ended up dying of pneumonia due to years of drinking and heavy drugs.

I only recently learned some of the details. That was part of the wake up call that made me seek medical attention. I have "white coat syndrome" blood pressure spikes just sitting in the exam room. If was up to me, I would almost switch religions to avoid modern medicine.

There really is something to getting whatever family history you can.

Only recently did I also learn that my biological father had his pancreas and spleen removed .

Hopefully I haven't done permanent damage. I promise to keep going to the doctor and cooperating . I draw the line the moment they mention any more anti-depressants, etc.

Once again, thanks for letting me vent.

Snarly

Zanna

Really sorry to hear about your sister Snarly - must have been awful for you and your family. Don't forget what Dee said earlier, about this being a public forum though - just incase you don't want to be recognised

Snarly

Zanna,
I owe you big for that one!
Thanks for bringing it to my attention in time to edit.
Snarly!!!

Snarly

Zanna, Caramel, Dee, Sober Wolf ( and a few others that will probably be around tonite)....

I feel like you guys are making sure I'm ok and don't do anything stupid.....

Z you just confirmed that. Usually I'm the one protecting my boys.

Nothing personal....I really want this day to end!

The next 6 hours is what I'm concerned about.

Thanks again.

Snarly

Only 2 hours to go.... reverse BDay countdown.

Been a few buzzes. Stayed inside all day. Chilling, listening to Amy Winehouse and friends.

Started cleaning my office book case - and came across this little book of famous quotes someone gave me few years back. I literally just read the whole book.

Here are some really cool and relevant quotes:

It's never too late to have a happy childhood. Tom Robbins

Be yourself and be the person you hope to be. Robert Louis Stevenson

We all live in suspense, from day to day, from hour to hour; in other words, we are the hero of our own story. Mary McCarthy

There is nothing noble in being superior to someone else. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self. Hindu Proverb
*My fav at the moment. Just virtually ran from some thread war over AA - scary stuff even for a seasoned newbie

What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? George Eliot

Optimism supplies the basic energy of civilization. Optimism doesn't wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time. Norman Cousins

There is no education like adversity. Benjamin Disraeli
(amen)

He liked to like people: therefore people liked him. Mark Twain
(how true)

Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.
Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, and most do. Dale Carnegie.... hhhhhmmmm nope won't do it

The most profound relationship we'll ever have is the one with ourselves. Shirley MacClaine (ya gotta be kidding me!)

Hey - again keeping busy. I kind of like that these quotes will be safely tucked in the thread for easy access.

for a rainy day

Snarly

Quotes part 2 (ADVERSITY)

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity. Albert Schweitzer

Out of adversity comes greatness. The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Epicurus

Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it. Horace
(darn Greek philosophers)

You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best you have to give.
Eleanor Roosevelt
(what an amazing person - see I did not say woman - I took Women's study classes - whatup)

Failure is success if we learn from it. Malcolm Forbes

Einsteins three rules of work:
1. Out of clutter find simplicity.
2. From discord make harmony.
3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity
( also known as lemons + work + sugar = lemonade) my formula

and last....from the great one himself:

It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up.
Vince Lombardi

Snarly

And last - one that I have in my girls room:

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten

by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.


If only life was that simple.

Thanks everyone....BDay is just about over.



I'll take this as a milestone for me with everyone on this forums help.

Thank you all. I won't ever forget what you all did to get me through this.

Now the real work begins.



Drum role - one of my favorite quotes of all time:

"It was with Tenacity and Perseverance that the Snail reached the Ark"

Snarly ...yup still need to get virtually whacked: booze= bad stuff WILL happen

Soberwolf

I'm loving your posts Snarly

DolAndel

Haha, yup. Keep 'em comin'. I can't sleep for **** either.

Snarly

Hi Folks,

I'm surprised that I have an update on one of my main "friends" and the meeting we just had. I did not expect to be doing this for a few more days.

Our building failed the 5 year Fire and Building inspection.

They are back today and tomorrow checking to see if we complied. So I had to go to lobby.

My main drinking buddy sees me and comes up to me.

He starts off angry...I let him vent.
He stops. I just stand there. (my well thought out strategy...let them ALL vent.)

Loooong silence.

Him: Are you going to talk to me?
Me: you ready to talk?
So we went and sat down and I calmly said parties over. Club ********
is officially closed.

His first comment: what are you doing with your booze? WTF!!!!

Me: its gone (it really is - I gave it all to the corner bar - they do charity events and I know the owner so it will actually do some good)

Silence. Long stare down. I took a defensive stance.
I'm really relieved it was just him. Otherwise who knows?

This is the point he knows I'm serious and he had better be very careful what he does next.

I have been preparing for this moment for days. One more brawl won't scratch what I have pending.

He gave me the nastiest look and walked away.

Good riddance.

Just what I expected. I got the real "Pack leader". I'm sure he's on the phone now letting the others know I'm out.

Making my job a heck of a lot easier!!!!

None of the others will do anything without his say.

Chess anyone? That called check...next checkmate.

Couldn't have done it without all of your support!!

tekink

Yo Snarly, it's your thread, you "do what you want" we just hope that doing what you want is staying sober as we trod through this together!

talking about stuff makes it a lot easier for me. holding it in gives my AV some voice, but I'm getting good at shutting the AV down these days.

HelenofTroy

Snarly that took a lot of guts to stand up to your buddy. I can't imagine it was easy. I don't know any more about that situation than what is in that one post but my guess is he is upset he is losing a main drinking partner. I give you huge kudos. Keep hanging in there!