Australia day
 

Ok so with Australia Day a couple of days away..I thought I would check in with my fellow Aussies and see what they've planned if anything..,
I've been traveling really well so far then suddenly woke up this morning a little anxious!! I'm stupidly in the same place as may year- newly sober and turning down plans with friends. I managed to pass the day last year PAINTING MY BATHROOMS?? and we went to Bunnings and bought a massive pool which took all day to put together haha!! Was just trying to stay busy and not think!!

This year some friends of mine are travelling down from Perth (I am an hour or so away from Perth itself)and planned on spending the day with us. She knows about my alcoholism and is very supportive but not sure I want to be in crowds of people drinking yet.. I know it's not a risk that I relapse because I'm done with drinking I guess it's more about feeling uncomfortable..

Would love to hear what the rest of you have planned- thanks xxx

Same as ** last year **not May year- it won't let me edit my post for some reason

Hi Nic,
Queenslander here and on Thursday I am planning to go for a massive walk and then hopefully hit the beach (if the bluebottles have pi$$ed off lol).
I reckon you will be fine, you are logic enough to know you won't drink and the uncomfortable feelings (if you do experience them) will be fleeting. And if they aren't then maybe remove yourself from the situation for a wee while and shift your energy away from the drinkers :)

Yeah I was thinking of packing a picnic and taking the boys and my dog to the beach.. I live a few houses from the beach so would be a good option... I've been on and off this journey for so long now that I KNOW that drinking is not an option but I don't really want to put myself in the middle of an uncomfortable situation either... Thanks for the reply Poppy xx

It'll be just a normal day for me... :)

D

That sounds appealing too :)

Hi Nic,

A part of me says 'Australia Day? What's that?' That's partly because I'm not in the workforce any longer so the public holiday thing escapes me. But if you're interested at all, the history of its evolution can be found on any reputable website...it's more checkered than most realise, and only became a national holiday in 1994. SBS has a good set of explainers from various perspectives, for example. (My opinions about it are irrelevant here).

But for your purposes, to avoid getting caught up in the 'Australia Day' atmosphere of barbies-AND- p**&^ups, and waving flags (drunkenly by some):

I prefer to note with a smile, when watching the evening news / next day media, seeing the day's citizenship ceremonies. They take place everywhere in this huge continent, from the tiniest town to the biggest cities. And - given Australia's multiculturalism - large numbers of the people who take up their new citizenship are from cultures where drinking isn't even on their agenda.

Imagine that!

You have a lovely day with the kids and dog at the beach, just like any other day - especially if you're close to one of Perth's beaches (which I hear are gorgeous). Maybe even take the kids to view a citizenship ceremony as well?

Apols, Nic, I forgot that you're not 'in' Perth and have friends coming to visit. But still, the beach, some nice prawns / whatever, and maybe a visit to welcome the new citizens, etc could fill much of the day?

Glad you have a friend who's supportive, and who is happy to stand up for you avoiding the crowd. You should be able to work out something do-able. The others can toddle off to do their own thing, perhaps.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to me...I think I am swaying more towards spending some quality time with my Family down the beach and making the most of the day off work!!!
My boys are 15 and almost 17 so they would literally sell one of their own kidneys if it meant I remained sober!!! :lmao
I understand what you mean about it being like any other day when you are no longer working. I had 3 weeks off over Christmas and New Year and never knew what day it was or when the weekends were! Totally disorientating!!
Have a lovely day xx

Sounds like a plan.

Entertaining teenage boys should be enough to fill the day, apart from anything else!

You'll be fine chook.

Still in recovery program. A day has always been booze. I am going to the recovery BBQ here and laying low. I do not feel an inkling of a thought to drink. I know people around me will be- and such people are noisy and disruptive to my peace of mind. So watching doco's.

Hope to make it to the beach, but will not be forgetting indigenous australians.


Have a great day everyone.

I just have to say that one of the reasons I so love SR is the Aussie component!

I'm an American & we have our particular angles & shapes, as you have yours. It means a lot to me that this bridge between our cultures is so vital & well-sculpted.

There are many people on this site from Australia whom I have grown to love. (Special shout out to Dee - who blows my mind with his awe-inspiring & loving dedication!)...

Please, if any of you find yourselves ever in New Orleans, I hope you will reach out & allow me to share my amazing, musical, mind-blowing city with you (as your clean & sober sister).

It is a rare gift that our challenges so powerfully cross such vast distance. Proud to hold the thread of connection...(plus, you are all available at strange hours of my night). Appreciated!

Ps. You Aussies all appear to be really awesome pirates of sobriety! Fierce & reckless in your power.

I am full of respect.

Happy Australia Day (whatever that means to you). Just stay clean & sober...

Hi Nic,

I am another one year who votes for the beach. Pack a picnic, and a cooler full of Pelegríno, iced tea, water, soda. Let the ocean waves take away any anxiety or stress.

Do you have Thursdah and a Friday off, or just Thursday?

That was so beautifully expressed sister heartcore thank you so very much.

I have always wanted to visit New Orleans, and watched in fear as Hurricane Katrina hit. You have my full respect too.

The music, WOW!

One day there, you might find me a knockin'. I'll be sober, promise. :)

The offer is reciprocal, and would love to take you to some real australian beaches. Hope you like fishing. :)

One of my sober life dreams is to actually travel the world, visiting folks I know from SR.

It has taken a while to construct new dreams. I did a lot of international travel before, not always clean & sober.

I thought my only relevant dream was sobriety, but the extraordinary gift of sobriety is that you get yet more dreams.

We've built a community here. A really extraordinary community.

There are so many of you that I would love to fish with, drink coffee with, eat great food with, climb a daunting mountain with, or go see a kick-ass show with.

I mean it. I would love for anyone who is part of this community to contact me if they travel to New Orleans. I love the idea of visiting Australia & having the opportunity to have real-time adventures with people I already treasure, & who share my values & know my real-story.

One of the new dreams, & a good one.

The gazetted public holiday is Thursday but Friday should see another great Aussie tradition in play - 'pulling a sickie' :lmao

Thanks for all the kind words about Aussies :)
D

I've always liked AC/DC! With Bon Scott though, mainly. I salute the Australians, great country!

Aww. Couldn't help the good thoughts about Aussies.

You either have a kick-ass recovery community there, or a disproportionate amount of alcoholics (or both).

You are well represented.

I was taught in school that Aussies are pirates because their origins (as a colonized nation) were as a penal colony. New Orleans also!! They loaded people in chains onto boats from prisons in France (& from Africa) to create this city from swampland. Proudly, during American slavery times, New Orleans was home to an amazing proportion of free blacks, which shaped this culture irrevocably.

This still is a city which is unlike any other in America.

Proud to be part of an outlaw-origin community! That's sort of what SR is too, huh...

We are both carriers of history & transformers of history - all at the same time!
Personally & collectively.

As much as our own struggles seem important, we are all small elements in the tides of the human story. Happy to stand with the pirates!!