January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

[redhibiscus]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Having a cosy night in, watching a movie, reading a book, AF. It is very good to know that I will wake up in the morning not hungover. This is how I want it to be for the forseeable future. Peace, integrity, health for 2010.

[dill]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

And Dill - before I forget again.......We cut the cherry tomatoes in half before putting them in the dehydrator. We haven't used it that much yet but I imagine most things will need to be sliced, diced or something of that nature!

Thanks Lav! I figured I'd need to slice or cut some way so they could dry properly.

Cyn, YES a person can listen to Jane Austen on an Ipod. And for free! That is, if you can figure out how to download audiobooks from the local library! Very cool.

Mau, thanks for the good wishes. Strength to you, too.

LBH, I laughed out loud about your and Lord BH installing TV for your bird. Sounds like something Mr. Dill and I might do!:H And Mr. Dill does not drink!

Red, I'm spending my evening looking up songs from the 70's on Youtube.

Goodnight all!

[lodestar]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Good evening lovelies,

I can hardly believe all this action on only the second of Jan...what a blessing to have so much collective wisdom and support.

SD~ great to see you and ha! Good/Bad to know I'm not alone in the inner banter. Man, I was feeling embarrassed about posting that story, but you guys all have really made me feel good about it. So, thanks So excited for you on your son coming home! Hooray!

Savon~ Thanks for the good wishes...ermmmm...I'm afraid my "plunge" was more like a belly flop today. That FEAR has got me good, but I'm not giving up. To be continued, damn it!

Mau~ Glad you're hanging in there on your 30 days. The first few days can be tough, but it will lighten. Also, getting through your personal witching hour/day (weekend?) feels wonderful. Don't be afraid to celebrate those "little" accomplishments with us, because we know how BIG they truly are!

Dill~ Good for you on the shower! Those things can be brutal. Come to think of it, I don't think I'll ever attend a shower again! A bonus for being AF

LBH~ There you are and oh my gawd on the parrot retirement retreat. Priceless! Lord Bird Heart sounds like a gem.

Lav~ Bottle that big blue 'tude of yours and ship some over this way when you have a chance I'm assuming it works for all sorts of things.

Red~ Oh, "peace, integrity, and health" really touched me. What a beautiful sentiment. Nuff said. Stay cozy and enjoy your AF night!

Cyn~ Boo! I hope this cold stays away. And what is this oil of oregano? Intriguing. I'll have to get my googly eyes on that one. In terms of the Labyrinth...wow! What a revelation. I have heard of them of course, but didn't put the meditation part together with it like you mentioned. I think I remember the character doing that in the book "Eat, Pray, Love." What you said really resonated with me too. Keeping focused, trusting the path...much better than turning in circles. Thank you for that.

Had a nice day overall. Spent a long time at the gym, talked with a friend for ages, went grocery shopping, got a massage, "ate" a protein shake to make up for yesterday's carb-binge. Off to curl up with a movie and hopefully get some decent sleep, before getting back to the grind tomorrow. I have a big push at work coming up, but have enjoyed getting reconnected with my friends here this weekend. That felt extremely important and I am thankful you all.

Blessings

[Sky]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Hi. I'm Sky and NEED to make this year and beyond AF. I have been given another chance by my husband, although we are not together at the moment. I have to fix myself first. I managed to stay AF for a long TIME but I just don't seem to be able to get it together long TERM. I need to be AF.

[redhibiscus]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Good morning to all.:h

Welcome Sky, we are all trying to stay AF longterm on this particular thread. It is not easy and we are not always successful, but over time the AF way of life is becoming what is normal for us. So feel free to be part of this thread. It is true that many relationships are ruined by alcohol, so I understand your need to be AF to continue your relationship with your husband. Alcohol brings out the worst in us, not who we really are.

Woke up today feeling better than I have in several days , due to this miserable cold. I am so happy to be AF this weekend. I am going to focus on all the good positive things being AF brings me: restful sleep, calm mood, improved health, normal appetite, honest relationships and the ability to get things done that are important to me. Wondered if anyone wanted to share their particular AF benefits? I'd love to hear them.

[lilmea]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Monthly Abstinence - My Way Out Forums

Welcome to all our new folks. I posted a link to the toolbox thread in monthly ABs. It has lots of great ways to deal with cravings and starting a plan. Hang in there it does get better.

Shelley-You're closing in on 6 mnths? So am I. I am nervous about this one as I had a relapse at little over 5 mounths. I will just be glad to have it 'done and dusted'

LHB-You and Mr. LHB seem to have a very interesting time. I left my TV on for my Diva cat when we went on vacation. Forgot to tell the pet sitter. The first time he came thought there were people in the house and almost called the police.

Lav, Dill-It is coo-oold here. It got to 1 below last night. How about you? SD is in South D so I know she got cold.

MM-Have you read any of the post down in Long Term ABers yet? There are some really good ones there.

Hi to Cyn, Red, Lod, Sooty and all to follow.

Have a warm, peaceful, af day.

[dill]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Greetings Red and Lil and all to come. And :welcome: Sky! Alcohol was affecting my marriage and that was one of the chief reasons why I got serious about my problem. You can turn things around. I have.

Lil, It is 1 degree here as I type. I really dislike the bitter cold. I am OK with anything above 20. Thanks for the link to Monthly Abs. When we moved the thread here to Generals, I mentioned possibly moving it to Monthly Abs. LBH said she would like that, and you have said you would too. How do others feel about making this move? We'll go with majority opinion, because to me, it's more important to keep the group together than to be one place or another.

Red, I like the topic of AF benefits. Thanks for getting that started. I experience the same as you listed. I can add: Remembering what I did each evening and remembering the endings of movies I watch. Also, having moments of genuine delight and laughter. Those were kept down under the haze of alcohol and hangovers.

Peace and strength. Keep Warm! (SD - 20 below?!!! Here's a hug to warm you up.:l)

[Lavande]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Good morning Dill, Lil, red & Lodestar,

Welcome Sky, glad you've joined us! I think AL, most likely, has affected most of our marriages.........sure doesn't help! Stick with us, we'll help keep you on track!

It's a sunny 16 degrees here right now - I'm feeling pretty bad for SD!!! Anything below 0 is just too cold, brrr!

LBH, the TV installation for your parrot is quite believable. We leave a radio on all day to entertain our cockatiel.....he loves it

We're heading off to our daughter's again today to do one or two little things. The Realtor has been good in bringing in potential buyers already! I have a feeling their house will sell soon!

Wishing everyone a good AF Sunday, afterall - that is our goal!
In addition to the AF benefits already mentioned I have to add I love that my kids can depend on me again to be available for them, anywhere & anytime. And of course, the precious time I've been able to spend with my grandson

I'll be back later.
Lav

[cyntree]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Good morning all - welcome Sky! I'm sorry for all who are experiencing subzeros...I lived in MN for 25 years, so I feel your pain. I heard from my Mom that it's even been 18 below in NE...unheard of there.

Dill, something that you wrote a few days ago hit home with me...that your husband just wanted to know who he was going to be with after 6 p.m. That was the situation with me as well. My dear man, a prince, has been blindsided by this different person that would show up. He has said to me that it is the only thing about me that he would change. Then I read recently in an organizing book "if you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be". Didn't have to think long about that. Above and beyond damaging my relationship with my husband, I had to realize that alcohol was causing me to lose MYSELF. I had become someone that I didn't recognize, and the fear of having that poison control the rest of my life is what has brought me here. The wisdom that you all provide is what keeps me here. The thing is, I CAN change that one thing about myself, and so I AM changing it.

Sending good AF energy out to all today!

[spedteach]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Gosh everybody's up!
And hangover free to boot. Lots of times when I'm out for an early run/walk, I think of all the people so hung over that they can barely lift their head off their pillow. Also think of all the mornings I woke up like that.
My boys are gone. Son #3 left last night. This is such an up beat thread so I hate to admit it but I am terribly blue this morning. Does the empty nest ever go away? Go back to work on Tuesday and that structure always helps a lot.
Need a plan for the day obviously. For me, in this state that means lots of physical activity. Luckily it's 28 degrees here which is brisk but refreshing. I go to a Sunday morning meditation group at a Buddhist center so will bike there, keeping with my resolution to bike and walk whenever possible. Maybe later go to the gym, walk with Jane Austen or a friend.
The thought of drinking is alway close by when I feel this way. It's so habitual for me to medicate any negative feelings I have, be it blues, anger, frustration.
This has become large and quick moving thread. Exciting to see how many people are giving sobriety a chance.
Lav, I'm with you. In terms of alcohol free benefits, I love to see the beginnings of my kids' trust in me to be available for them. Had coffee with my 24 year old yesterday and he mentioned that he was so relieved to see me make it through a Xmas holiday without drinking.
Good morning Lil, Red, Dill.
Cyn, I loved your discussion of a labyrinth, the whole walking meditation thing is very appealing to me.
Wish me luck on my blues. Will definitely visit this thread later today.
Shelley

[mighty mouse]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Morning everyone, It is very cold here but sunny! So I'll be thankful for that.

Dill, We could move to monthly abst. That would be fine with me. I haven't figured out chat yet. We might have it off of our settings when we set this computer up because of the kids? And no one knows I'm on this site so hard to ask questions. Does your husband know you are on here? Mine doesn't I haven't wanted to tell him either.

Lil, I haven't read any posts in Long Term Abers yet. Seems most of the time I have just a small amount of time to hop on here. But when I can I do need to explore more. Great job on approaching 6 months!

LBH, :H Such a funny bird story

Lav, It's nice to hear you enjoying your daughter.

Cyn, Lode,Shelly, Red, sky and all else. Have a blessed Sunday. I have a lot to do today so have to go. Will try back later. MM

[sooty]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

I'm here and I've missed you all so much. Visitors finally left today and this is the first time I have had five minutes to sit down and reconnect.
The New year was very stressful and tiring. I got a bit resentful as I felt I was the chief slave and I did succumb to a drink but no excess and my resolve is still active and present -I'm just a bit behind the rest of you!
I haven't had chance to catch up on all posts - I do hope the virtual party went well - I did think about you all (jealously I'm ashamed to say!)
Bitterly cold here too, slight covering of snow and everywhere v slippy!
See you all later - back in the zone now!
love Sooty

[cyntree]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Posting again, because I can!

Sped - good for you for seeing your trigger for what it is -- just keep that last conversation with your son close to you - your sons will still need you to be present for them today, whether physically close to you or not. Sunday morning meditation? I have a terrible fear of groups (except this one!) but maybe I could get myself to something like that. I'm finding out more about the labyrinths...I have a 2-dimensional version, a 'finger' labyrinth, that I'm thinking of keeping in the car to distract me during the 'want to drive to the store' times. I'll see if I can track down where to find them.

Dill -I keep forgetting to thank you for the 'laughter' story. We had our own family laughfest on New Year's Day - my stepdaughter gave us a book of MadLibs, and the resulting campaign speech (this particular one was 'politics') was truly hilarious. I agree, it was fabulous to laugh together!

Also Dill, I vote for moving the thread to Monthy Abs. It just feels like a more apt and directly supportive environment -- but I'll happily follow wherever the thread is!

Greetings, all to come.

[ladybirdheart]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Hello! I send deep sympathy to everybody in the deep freeze, I have been there and it can be so harsh and unforgiving. It is a amazing how things are still alive there under the earth waiting for spring just like us with our troubles. I read your posts this morning before I had a chance to respond, and Shelley, if you were at twenty-eight degrees and about to bike to a Buddhist center, you are either my neighbor or we live in a parallel universe. I love the labyrinth, Cyn, I have never walked on one. I have a friend who is a doctor of oriental medicine and he describes the chatter we have in our heads as the ?monkey mind?; such a walk might put my little critters to sleep for a while or else I would be jumping over the lines, gibbering and messing with the rules. Red, I agree, every day I want to think about the benefits of being AF, I think we have just begun to scratch at the surface. I am so grateful that it is something we have a chance to control, at least in terms of not taking the first drink, unlike so much of what ails the world. Shelley, I hope your blues lift with the day, I can get a major dose myself now and then that can be relentless, don?t ever hesitate to bring it up especially as it is a trigger. There is a sweet John Prine song I really like, ?somebody said they saw me, I was swinging the world by the tail, jumping over a white cloud, I was killing the blues?. Hi, Dill, MM, SD, Lav, Lil, Lodestar, and anybody else popping in or by. Off to find curry. Love, Ladybird.

[cyntree]

January: Just Do It! ~ AF ~ Week 1

Cross-post MM, Sooty, and LBH! Welcome back Sooty, glad to hear you survived.

I'm off to accomplish the To Do List that ate New York - I'll try to pop back on this evening.

Stay warm!