crazychef

Went to the Miami boat show. Sunny 80 degrees. !st test I parked and hopped on the water taxi which is a 30 minute boat ride. Soon as we leave the dock they announce that they have ice cold beer for sale. I bought a water. Get to the show walking around and there are beer, magarita, and bloody mary stands every 10 feet. Not a big deal.

I see a lemonade stand. I get in line and its a vodka frozen lemonade stand! I walk away. Walk around more and see a kid ordering lemonade. Get up to the front of line and there's a bunch of bottles of grey goose. I order a regular lemonade. I'm walking around and it was fun but weird not to be drinking at a boat show with a floating dock bar.

I didn't stay as long as I usually do. Usually drinking time slips away. So take the water taxi back. It's later in the day so people are drunk and having fun. Beers are offered and I declined. So I'm back on land at bayside in Miami.

To get to my truck you have to walk by all the restaurants and bars with sidewalk cafes. I caught myself looking at every table walking by and focusing on the cold beer, wine, shots, Martini's ect. I realized what I was doing and literally bust out laughing shaking my head at myself.

One last blow on the way out was the live cuban band with everybody drinking, dancing, and laughing. I beelined it for my truck. I spent the next hour driving home deciding weather to stop and get a pint of rum or not?? My "AV" was saying you were good at the boatshow. You can have some rum at home and no one will know. It was literally about 6 times I told myself I would stop at the liquor store and then talk myself out of it.

I've been going to boat/yacht shows for 15 years and this is the 1st one sober. I'm happy but am starting to realize how hard its going to be. Boating/ fishing/ yachting/ and sailing industry is surrounded by alcohol. Between the sponsorship, photos, music, andbooks, ect. Alcohol and boats is like peanut butter and jelly! Probably similar in the music business. It's hard to get away from it, when its everywhere you look.

Not making any excuses. Still on track. This is just the first time sober looking at things in a different way. It's a strange new world!!!!!

biminiblue

Well done getting through it. Keep it going! We all had to learn to negotiate the gauntlet. Most of those people won't go home and keep drinking until they do something stupid or pass out. And it may be their only time this month that they drink.

As if that would work for me.

Anna

I'm glad you got through that. And, you're right, it isn't easy. I had to avoid places where alcohol was being served for many months. The first time I tried, I made it through the evening, but was miserable. First thing the next morning, I went out and bought wine. It was clear what I needed to do to stay sober.

BrendaChenowyth

God love you! That was like walking through a mine field and managing to not step on any of them. And then almost in disbelief that you could pull that off, you toyed with the idea of going back and standing on one just to see what would happen. Right? Glad you didn't lol

Upstairs

Well done! One of my strategies for making it one year sober is never get in that situation. Geez, you described the scene very well.

Hevyn

Hi crazychef. Proud of you for getting through that stressful situation.

I admire your attitude. In my first few weeks of sobriety I was still a bit resentful & suffering from 'fear of missing out'. I wasn't so sure life would ever be fun again - even though in the end, my drinking was making me miserable. You're right - it's a strange new world - and you seem well prepared to take it on.

Mattq2

Good for you crazy,
It gets easier things are started to be fun and normal for me sober. You have a great attitude. I found it useful to laugh at the discomfort. It help me to realize it for what it was. Temporary

alyn528

You should be proud of yourself for handling your sobriety

Also, they tell us well I know in NA they tell us to Change your routine. Avoid places and people you used with.

crazychef

I get what your saying, but... Hard to avoid boats and yachts. I live on them and work on them. Alcohol is something that is always around and is always going to be available for anyone who wants to get their hands on it. It's maybe a little more difficult because every place I tend to live is where people tend to take vacations. Maybe the subconscious drinker in me planned that a long time ago???

Anyways, I'm just taking this thing head on with a pissed off attitude towards all the bulls#it that I created in my life choosing to abuse alcohol and putting myself in bad situations.

Reading the AVRT thread really resonated with me. About looking at alcohol like your worst gf/boyfriend/ex-wife/ex-husband relationship you have ever had. The one that cheated on you, the one that degraded you, the one that stole from you, the one that lied to you, ect.ect..... The one you took back or got back together over and over again thinking it would be different, only to get more hurt and more screwed over than the last time. Everyone has one of those.

Eventually after years of trying, you come to the conclusion that the relationship is toxic and nothing good will ever come out of it. It took you years and lots of break ups to finally realize you will never be with that person again and you stick to it and move forward. It was my ex fiance for me.

Every time I think I want a drink. I picture her and our past. I know I can walk away from something that I know will just hurt me in the long run. I've done it before. Now it's just a different beast. So when I'm tempted I pretty much say FU#K YOU ALCOHOL, we're breaking up!

ThomPom

"I've been going to boat/yacht shows for 15 years and this is the 1st one sober". Great to read you having a milestone taken. One, that is you, can do it. Cool.

And the first show / round might be about just to resist, but at the next ones you might find ways to enjoy such shows without alcohohol. It's a step by step learning experience.

Delilah1

It gets easier as time goes by. I have been in Vegas celebrating my husband's 50th birthday for the past three days, and a few times this weekend I think I may have been the only sober person in the entire city. However, I had no desire to drink, a year ago, I wouldn't have been ready for this trip. I have so many amazing memories of this weekend, and the best part is none of them are fuzzy!