NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

[KateH1]

This morning I was flipping through the AM shows while reading post's here. The AM shows were all excitedly buzzing about New Years Eve parties, what alcoholic drinks are most popular, with streaming film of frivolity and partying in the streets. Too bad this is all a wicked facade. Tomorrow's news will have stories, of people killed by drunk drivers, arrest's made, drunken fights and many, many horrible stories will happen in private, all brought on by this annual Drunk Fest!

OK, so then I am reading on here, horrible experiences, recent experiences and post's begging to make the madness stop........in the next breath, people are talking about getting drunk or drinking (we know this means getting drunk!) "just one last time", the reason? It's New Year's Eve???

So it makes me ponder, whether planning the night AF or drinking, what are your expectations for New Years Eve?

Happy Safe, Sane New Year, Everyone!
KateH

[Diamond7]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

My expectations are to have 2 glasses of champagne in celebration of a New Year of sobriety. It is just easier for me to go ahead and have those glasses because of my situation, after that, I have no one but myself to blame for any relapses. I pray everyone holds to their own commitments tonite and that we all have a happy and blameless year in 2008.

My personal vow is to stay AF starting January 2nd and thereafter, I wish everyone success in their own endeavors, whatever they may be.

BTW, I am soooo happy I found this site. :h

[Bessie]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

My expectations are to go to a friend's house, eat her delicious food and drink only water or tonic. I am driving and my expectation is that the police will be patrolling the roads shortly after midnight and I would be a fool to have any alcohol in my system.

And the best expectation.... that I will wake up with a clear head and that will be the start of a long run of AF.

Happy new year.

Bessie xx

PS On a different matter - you mention watching the shows KateH1 and I realise how lucky I am not to have a television. It means that the number of images I see of people drinking and having a good time are much reduced. And that all helps.

[Shikakai]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

My expectation is similar to that of Diamond's, only tonight is my last night and I feel strong enough to have a couple of glasses of bubbly without hitting skidrow and looking for a bridge to jump off.

I'm not driving anyway, so I won't be on the news.

[Shikakai]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

KateH1;247696 wrote: This morning I was flipping through the AM shows while reading post's here. The AM shows were all excitedly buzzing about New Years Eve parties, what alcoholic drinks are most popular, with streaming film of frivolity and partying in the streets. Too bad this is all a wicked facade. Tomorrow's news will have stories, of people killed by drunk drivers, arrest's made, drunken fights and many, many horrible stories will happen in private, all brought on by this annual Drunk Fest!

OK, so then I am reading on here, horrible experiences, recent experiences and post's begging to make the madness stop........in the next breath, people are talking about getting drunk or drinking (we know this means getting drunk!) "just one last time", the reason? It's New Year's Eve???

So it makes me ponder, whether planning the night AF or drinking, what are your expectations for New Years Eve?

Happy Safe, Sane New Year, Everyone!
KateH

You're right in all of this, Kate... I feel so bad.

[Senex]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

I just recently made a decision to stay away from alcohol completely for at least thirty days. That was Friday. And when New Year?s eve came to mind, the next thing that came to mind was I?d make an exception. Maybe stop drinking after NYE.

But then as I said no, I?m not going to drink on NYE, I got this kind of panicked feeling. How could I possibly go out to a party and not drink? It was a lot of fear, the thought of how ?unnatural? it would be. I think I?d have the same feeling if someone told me to show up to the party in my underwear.

It made me wonder about the function alcohol is playing in my life. It is pretty sad that I am so wrapped up in drinking that I would fear going to a party and not drinking. And all this advertising you mention just feeds in to that perception people have. Of course you drink at a New Year?s Eve party!

Well, tonight I?ll find out what it?s like to stay sober at one. It is a scary thought; but on the other hand, I can?t understand why I?d be so scared. Aren?t I taking a bigger risk if I stuck to my original plans and went out and got plastered?

The scary thought ought to be - that I find it scary NOT to drink at a NYE party. Hmmm.

[KateH1]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

Oh....tkeene, I am not judging what anyone else decides to do.....It all just struck me as odd and I think reflecting and truly being honest with ourselves can save a whole lot of heartache and regret in the future!

As for me, we are staying home. We were invited to several parties, but decided to do what we did last year, stay home, cook a nice meal and watch a movie. Wake up early, feeling rested and ready to begin the the best year ever!

All the Best!
KateH

[Saint Jude]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

I expect to go to work and serve people food... Hopefully everybody will be in a wonderful mood & I'll make a milllion $ and retire into the the NEW YEAR!!:H

Do ya think I'm being too optimistic?

[KateH1]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

Hell No! St. Jude! I think that you have the best plan that I have heard yet!!!!

May All Your Dreams Come True!!!:l

[Saint Jude]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

:H I was just thinking ...sincee I get off work around 10o I could go hang out & drink coffee for a couple of hours, wait till midnight, & become the "drunk-mobile" taxi service! Really make myself useful!

I'll probably just come home & snuggle with my Honey though... I don't have that much patience with inebriated folks when I'm not one of them

[Shikakai]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

tkeene;247713 wrote: You are dead on Kate. You can read one post from some members and they say they are finished drinking and the next post says they are going to drink tonight in the name of NYE? I'm not judging, just pointing out fact. I am not going to drink tonight as I have decided that I have tempted fate long enough and have been fortunate enough to have escaped all these years of drinking unscathed. Bless the angels that have looked after me. But I am tired, sick and tired of poisioning myself, nite after nite in the name of having fun. It stopped being fun, when it became a problem. And if were really honest with ourselves, we will know it is just the addictive drug trying to make drinking sound like fun. Please be safe all, this really is a scary nite and I too want to start the new year sober and with a clear head. Good post Kate.

I know you and Kate are talking about me, but I'm just trying to be real. I had such a rough night last night and for all good intents and purposes, I really thought I would be able to just scratch alcohol.

I'm finding solace in knowing that when I do get plastered (not IF but WHEN), I won't be driving. No one is going to lose their life or a limb or that of a friend or relative because I was behind the wheel.

Isn't that progress? The wisdom and will to at least stop DRINKING and DRIVING? I'm sure the State of California thanks me and every driver on the road does too!

I'm just being honest because I've lied to myself too many times, and I feel also that the reason I keep thinking of suicide is because I make these futile promises to myself and then when I don't deliver, it makes me CRAZY!

So maybe a dose of honesty and reality about what I'm going to do instead of pretending I'm not will help to curb the thoughts of suicide.

I had told myself I was buying a gun before NYE but I did not and part of the reason why I didn't is because of you all.

[Shikakai]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

Senex;247714 wrote: I just recently made a decision to stay away from alcohol completely for at least thirty days. That was Friday. And when New Year?s eve came to mind, the next thing that came to mind was I?d make an exception. Maybe stop drinking after NYE.

But then as I said no, I?m not going to drink on NYE, I got this kind of panicked feeling. How could I possibly go out to a party and not drink? It was a lot of fear, the thought of how ?unnatural? it would be. I think I?d have the same feeling if someone told me to show up to the party in my underwear.

It made me wonder about the function alcohol is playing in my life. It is pretty sad that I am so wrapped up in drinking that I would fear going to a party and not drinking. And all this advertising you mention just feeds in to that perception people have. Of course you drink at a New Year?s Eve party!

Well, tonight I?ll find out what it?s like to stay sober at one. It is a scary thought; but on the other hand, I can?t understand why I?d be so scared. Aren?t I taking a bigger risk if I stuck to my original plans and went out and got plastered?

The scary thought ought to be - that I find it scary NOT to drink at a NYE party. Hmmm.

I thought Saturday night I could go out and not drink, ya right!

Let us know tomorrow how your party went. I can't see myself out and about while everyone is carousing but me... especially since I have always been HEAD carouser.

It's awful the GRIP alcohol has on our minds and our bodies. Alcohol has run my life for at least the last 10 years. When I was 35, I knew I was in trouble but didn't know how to stop it. Still don't. That's why I'm here.

[Diamond7]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

Shikakai;247709 wrote: My expectation is similar to that of Diamond's, only tonight is my last night and I feel strong enough to have a couple of glasses of bubbly without hitting skidrow and looking for a bridge to jump off.

I'm not driving anyway, so I won't be on the news.

I'm holding you to this! You are worth more than that and you know it!!! BTW if you're on the news I'll be hunting you down and kickin ur arse. I'm good at it :blush:

[Shikakai]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

You know, every New Year's Day I turn on the news to find out who got arrested! They have already arrested well over 600 people in California alone since Thanksgiving!

I know that number is going up exponentially tonight.

[Cinders]

NEW YEARS EVE EXPECTATIONS??

Shikakai,

I truly don't believe Kate or tkeene were singling you out.

There is a lot of this discussion going on about needing to quit, the damage it is doing and the hell we are putting ourselves through, and then the "but tonight.." thing.

Kate and tkeene, both who have been doing wonderfully, are looking at this from the other side of the looking glass and offering some words of wisdom and a gentle reminder about the perils of drinking.

How will next year's New Year's Eve be any different than this one? Will people think "Oh, I've gone a whole year AF, I can handle one night?"

Chief, Neil and Satori have also pointed out that Friday and Saturday nights are ultimately no different than any other night of the week. Three more VERY successful AFers who have seen things from the other side of the looking glass.

I guess the only advice I can give is perhaps we should listen to those who have made it to the other side?

However, there will be those who drink tonight and I do hope and pray that those who do manage to stay safe and not hurt themselves or anyone else.

I do think it is much wiser to learn from those who have managed sobriety, though, and myself plan on being AF tonight.

Much love,
Cindi