Touching Base.

[Johnny]

It's been a while since I posted anything of any substance, I have found myself becoming very busy. I am off to Edinburgh tomorrow for the festival and I am very much looking forward to it. These are exciting times and I feel like am really in control of my life. I do get moments of doubt though. I'm at a stage where complacency is rife and I am so busy that it is all to easy to forget what it is I have left behind. I don't want to go back to the way things were but now that the initial period of sober elation has elapsed my resolve is likely to be tested to the limit.

One of my reasons for posting now is to lean on you guys for a little support. I have never been to the festival before and I know that there will be a lot of social drinking. Ironically my apprehensions will probably subside when I get there as I enjoy not drinking and being able to stay sharp and tuned in to what's going on, apart from anything else is will help me to spot and capitalise upon opportunities as they arise. I suppose it is the fear of not knowing what to expect that is motivating me to reach out.

As ever I remain fairly concious and reflective. 'The unexamined life is not worth living'. I simply felt the need to say hi to everyone in order to bolster my strength for the next five or six days. I hope you are all OK, being away from these forums over the last couple of week means that I am not up to date with you all so I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. I think that I am trying to establish a comfortable 'proximity' as far as MWO is concerned as well as AA. I am still keen to find a sponsor in AA, I have met one or two people whom I think would be able to help me and I hope that I have the strength to approach them.

Anyway, that's it from this soldier for now. I hope this finds you all well and as ever I am grateful for your attention.

[Doggygirl]

Touching Base.

Hi Johnny. It's wonderful to read that your sober life is progressing nicely!! I always feel some uncertainly before any Major Events that I will be doing sober for the first time. As an example, traveling by air and staying in a hotel was a big deal. I had really never gotten through an airport, airplane or hotel sober. So I can imagine that this festival might seem like a big deal if it's your first sober one.

All I can suggest is to approach it like you would any other event where AL will be present - with a good plan.

Good to hear from you! Have fun at the festival. You CAN do it sober!

DG

[techie]

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Oh wow, I'm jealous. Several days of theater, opera, and music sounds wonderful. Have GREAT time Johnny. Will be looking with anticipation for a critique when you return!

Your pal in sobriety and acronyms,
John

[aspman]

Touching Base.

i hope you have a gr8 time, have an exit plan... thats my thing

[dancelot]

Touching Base.

Good to see you, Johnny - I was wondering where you'd gone off too!

I agree with DG. It's like any other event. Have a plan, grab an AF drink at the start if you like a glass in your hand, an exit strategy as a backup, etc. Maybe rehearse all possible scenarios where you feel you could be tempted, or situations where you'd always drank previously, and come up with a way to deal with each.

I feel it is important to still live our lives, and as you do it more often AF it gets easier, and before you know it, it's no big deal. You might find out about AA meetings in the area you're visiting in case you need a little tune up. Have a great trip and enjoy the festival!

[mollyka]

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Good luck Johnny, I reckon you'll be grand - you say you've never been before, and in my experience a lot of booze thoughts happen with 'association' a bit like DG says, airports, hotels. Add this to your list of 'sober places'.
Molly

[Kimberley]

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Hi Johnny,

Cool, another Londoner

I can understand some of how you feel - there are many things I have not been looking forward to trying out sober - I sometimes lack the faith in myself that I can do these things. But if I do manage to be AF for these events (I heaven't always), it has always turned out fine.

Some good advice from Dancelot especially - Plan, plan, plan! Ensure that all your bases are covered so that you won't be tempted to drink. You will most likely find that you enjoy it more when you can remember it all anyway.

By the way CONGRATS on being AF since June 13th

K x

[Popeye]

Touching Base.

Hi Johnny,
Thank you.
Your post touched me for some reason.
A lot of what you said rings bells in my mind.
Complacency is always to be guarded against as it dulls the senses and weakens discipline, blurring our focus.
I love the quote; 'The unexamined life is not worth living'. It is important to me now to make judgments based on knowledge of myself and my circumstance as it really is so I might lead a life worthy of the name and grow as a person; to live skillfully, and of course, being sober, mindful and aware helps immensely.

You'll love Edinburgh. I've been many times during the Festival and it's great fun to be around. The place feels alive when it's on. The city centre is small and you can easily walk around and take in the street theatre. I haven't been for a while as they're putting a tramway in and the traffic is horrendous, but I suppose as a Londoner you'd know all about traffic. Parking is a nightmare and the wardens are very zealous and extremely efficient but apart from that it's a good place to be and I hope you enjoy it.

[Tabbers (a.k.a. KTAB)]

Touching Base.

Hi Johnny, its been a while. Delighted to hear it is going well and you have your eyes wide open for complacency is a vicious enemy. You have been given lots of good advice and I am sure you will be careful. If it is anything like Ireland there will be lots of drunk people on the streets, I think that could be a good thing to see, I know for me it was an eye opener to be in Dublin when the pubs closed and I was AF. Look after yourself and enjoy your trip, I have heard it is a brilliant festival.

[one2many]

Touching Base.

Hey Johnny,

GREAT to hear from you, cannot offer you any more advice than has been given.

ENJOY yourself and think sbout how great it will be to remember every last moment!!

[neart]

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Hi Johnny, you lucky thing going to the Festival!! I thought I'd add my own experience from last year when I went to a wedding and stayed sober. I was dreading the thought, esp as I was meeting loads of college friends who i'd usually drink with. It was a bit weird for the first little while as I got used to not knocking back drinks as I usually would have, but it turned out to be one of the best weddings I'd ever been to. I was up dancing half the night (and I"m scared of dancing ) and I had such fun. I could talk to everyone, I was coherent and could follow every conversation, I talked to way more people than usual. One of the most surprising things for me at the end of the night was actually how many people weren't that drunk. Sure, there were a few people falling over etc but loads of people were grand at the end of the night. In the past, I presumed everyone was as drunk as me... Best thing was waking up in the morning, being able to enjoy the hotel breakfast and go off doing stuff at 9 am when I'd usually have to write the day off!
Have a great time

[Doggygirl]

Touching Base.

neart;933096 wrote: Hi Johnny, you lucky thing going to the Festival!! I thought I'd add my own experience from last year when I went to a wedding and stayed sober. I was dreading the thought, esp as I was meeting loads of college friends who i'd usually drink with. It was a bit weird for the first little while as I got used to not knocking back drinks as I usually would have, but it turned out to be one of the best weddings I'd ever been to. I was up dancing half the night (and I"m scared of dancing ) and I had such fun. I could talk to everyone, I was coherent and could follow every conversation, I talked to way more people than usual. One of the most surprising things for me at the end of the night was actually how many people weren't that drunk. Sure, there were a few people falling over etc but loads of people were grand at the end of the night. In the past, I presumed everyone was as drunk as me... Best thing was waking up in the morning, being able to enjoy the hotel breakfast and go off doing stuff at 9 am when I'd usually have to write the day off!
Have a great time

I love this post! I especially like your mention of how everyone was NOT in fact, as drunk as you used to assume they were. I did that too. I assumed *everyone* drank like me. Most people do NOT drink like that. I shudder to think what a spectacle I made of myself knowing that I DID stick out as one of the few drunks. I guess we are the last to know. Life is so much better now.

(OK Johnny - you can have your thread back now! :H)

DG

[aspman]

Touching Base.

neart;933096 wrote: Hi Johnny, you lucky thing going to the Festival!! I thought I'd add my own experience from last year when I went to a wedding and stayed sober. I was dreading the thought, esp as I was meeting loads of college friends who i'd usually drink with. It was a bit weird for the first little while as I got used to not knocking back drinks as I usually would have, but it turned out to be one of the best weddings I'd ever been to. I was up dancing half the night (and I"m scared of dancing ) and I had such fun. I could talk to everyone, I was coherent and could follow every conversation, I talked to way more people than usual. One of the most surprising things for me at the end of the night was actually how many people weren't that drunk. Sure, there were a few people falling over etc but loads of people were grand at the end of the night. In the past, I presumed everyone was as drunk as me... Best thing was waking up in the morning, being able to enjoy the hotel breakfast and go off doing stuff at 9 am when I'd usually have to write the day off!
Have a great time

hehe, i was so drunk at my own wedding...my new wife was worse, we got lost in the hotel in the morning with splitting headaches...

[brightlite]

Touching Base.

Johnny,

Congrats on over 60 days. I'm with Popeye...I love your quote, 'The unexamined life is not worth living'. To think all the time that has been wasted going blindly, drunk and aimlessly through life. I am envious, the festival sounds awesome. You will probably meet some wonderful, non-drinking or at least not drunk people which you will enjoy the experiences and good conversation. Best of luck, come back and post of your adventure.

[Johnny]

Touching Base.

Thanks for all your posts Guys. It's day 3 in Ed and like DG said much of my anxiety was the prospect of an unfamiliar experience. I am still sober and very much enjoying the festival. Techie.. I am here purely for the comedy as I am an aspiring comic myself so in a way this is like work really. Being away on your own can be a lonely experience and as a comic in Edinburgh it is well known that it can be very isolating. Although there are in fact a lot of people here who I know, we are all very focused on our own comedic journey and therefore, although it's nice to have people around, it is to some extent inconsequential. I am lucky enough to be staying with a really nice couple and I feel comfortable and secure in my surroundings and am now feeling very settled. Brightlite... that quote is my all time favourite. It is by Socrates. He had been sentenced to death by the rulers of ancient Greece as his teachings flew in the face of established beliefs, at the point of execution he was afforded the opportunity to renounce all that he had said in order to have his life spared his reply was 'The unexamined life is not worth living.'. Thanks again for all your replies, I will make a concious effort to devote more of my attention to MWO when I get back to London, it has always been there for me and reciprocity is one of life's free gems.

Johnny.