THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Nancy, Vale's book is much like Carr's but better - more modern - Carr's sounded a bit stodgy to me but the principals are the same.

Tips - wow good for you with the dinner party - what a feeling of power, right, to not be swayed or tempted. That's absolutely awesome. And how cool to have people actually notice the physical difference! Just another added bonus.

And, no you are not alone on the tattoo idea. I went yesterday and talked to someone. I e-mailed him my photo of the bird/cage and am waiting to hear back. I plan to get it done next weekend!

Tell me where you're at on the tattoo - have you decided on one for sure? We should schedule for the same day so we have the positive vibe support.

[looking for peace]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Nancy, I agree with you... Wouldn't it be wonderful if the attitude toward drinking changes in the same way the attitude toward smoking has? Although in Vale's book, he cautions that we should not hold our collective breath for that to happen, there's just way too much money to be made by the alcohol industry, advertising and the government. So I will not focus to much on that. I am still reading the book and it resonates with me more as come toward the end.

One thing that I am going to do as a result of the book is to observe other people drinking and how they act when drunk. I will look at them with a sense of humor as well. When people are selecting wine at dinner I will secretly be amused when they select their poison (wine).

Keep up with yor progress fellow readers! Peace

[crimsons]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Favorite line: "It's easy to stop and stay stopped..."
YES!
I love this guy. He's right.

And here's something Vole talks about in the book...last night at my alumni art-gallery party, I got a good look at what drunk looks like. This very sloshed guy was all over me -- way too close and in my face. I'm 51 and not looking my best quite yet, 25 lbs. overweight, zits, face still puffy, so he sure had some beer goggles on! (He was no prize either -- looked like a cross between some anatomical deformity and something out of the Star Wars bar scene). Wanting to take me back to his place for a drink...and I could just spend the night so I didn't have to drive! How incredibly generous! Eventually he lost track of me -- don't imagine he could see too far or clearly. But really, I wonder how many times I've looked that ridiculous.

Also, while looking at my life with more clarity, I realize that at least NINE bartenders within walking distance of home know my name. I could have learned several languages and fixed the world economy in the time I spent with them! Maybe I'll start now!

[Tipplerette]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada and, traditionally, because it falls on my birthday weekend, October 8th, I get a whole bunch of weekend guests. So I can have the tattoo done either at the end of this week or the beginning of the next. I will commit if you will UnWasted. What about you Jennie and you Daisy,.. are you in?

So is it the bird escaping from his cage? Butterfly? Lets do this !!

[DriftyAlison0]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

I saw a drunk person drunk on Friday night and she reminded me of me being drunk. I don't miss being drunk one bit.

[RingingCedars]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

crimsons;1186180 wrote: @Unwasted, I think my juicer is a hybrid. It's got the centrifugal basket, but also has a bucket on the back to catch pulp. It's not all that difficult -- but somehow the kitchen ends up looking like a green Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I have this one: Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer™ Official Site | As Seen on TV from Jack Lalanne -- the smaller "express" model.

The TV thing is out there, and I doubt that many people who know me would happen to be on this site so here goes. It's an HBO series based on my memoir of years as a classical musician, and this spring it went on to the development stages. The creator, who bought the rights, already has a series I just love on the network, so that's a big plus.

My book was controversial and used mostly real names; I have transitioned from music to writing and from one coast to the other. That said, therefore a lot of people are mad at me, and also of course LA is famous for people taking advantage of others -- which happened to me in spades when this naive girl moved here. Also LA is just so spread out you rarely see people in person unless they live nearby. So I'm just learning to get to know people well before signing anything and I'm also making new healthy friends in the neighborhood! It's a good exercise in adjusting the "all or nothing thinking" stuff.

One interesting twist for me is that my mom, now 90 and way too lucid ;-) did the housewife-drunk thing for a good 40 years. So I've been able to talk candidly with her about all of the AL things. She's on the opposite coast, but she's really helped me a lot. When she landed in a 12-step rehab 20 years ago after a bleeding ulcer almost killed her, and she's quite brilliant, she ended up just quitting on her own. Attending AA in a small southern town was not so anonymous. So it's great to talk to her about all of this. I find it slightly hilarious that she's now on 15 different geriatric meds, at least one of which seems to make her pretty happy.

Still, I'm finding the best approach is not concentrating on Al and instead on more interesting things. But it IS great to check in here regularly. I also really like the fitness threads.

@Ringing, did I do something wrong? I'm kind of new here, so entirely possible. Just let me know.

Hi Crimson, not at all. I have enjoyed reading your posts and progress. Sorry to confuse. I really meant I would have hit the Like button if there was one.

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Crimsons, you have some really entertaining stories - keep them coming. We'll live vicariously through you. I have yet to experience being sober around someone really drunk, and I can't wait. It will be a first for me! And, the bartenders - too funny. You just might bring about world peace now that you're sober LOL.

Tips, I'm still thinking the bird and the cage and everyone doing what they really like. It's so personal and permanent - people have to like what they put on themselves, right? I'm still waiting to hear back from the tattoo artist I sent the picture to. I would imagine they have to first draw it. And, I have no idea how long it takes - probably a while. So, I'm not sure if they would do the cage in one sitting and then the bird another time? Anyway, I really want to do it. I'm probably going to have to stick to getting it done on a Saturday because of work.

Important to consider - I have been told that lots of work places don't want any tattoos showing. For me that would mean wearing long sleeves. I live in a very hot climate, so I'll have to think that through a bit. I still think I'll do it - for me the idea of seeing it when you lift your arm to drink is powerful and I want to stick with that. I guess I'll just deal with the workplace issue when/if it ever comes. up.

LFP, glad you're reading along - we will look forward to hear your thoughts as you continue.

Drifty, good to know that the desire to be drunk goes away. It's gone for me too.

Take care everyone - sending you peace and strength.

[crimsons]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

@Unwasted, you can always cover it up with Dermablend if you really want it there.

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Well, that's a good idea Crimsons. At least it's an alternative if I have to cover it and can't wear long sleeves. I'll keep that in mind. :thanks:

[crimsons]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Well, here's the story of the day for an image of why not to get drunk. There's a very popular waterfront restaurant across from me with a huge beach bar. I was there with a girlfriend who's married to a local firefighter. The ladies' room looked like a bomb had gone off, and fire trucks were outside. It turned out that an enormous woman (over 400 lbs) had gotten drunk, slid off the toilet, and was wedged between it and the wall with her bare derriere (none too clean) sticking up in the air. (Er, the fire department has to take pictures). They got one of those huge tins of olive oil from the kitchen and greased her up, to no avail. They finally pried the stall doors off and broke apart the john with a fire ax before carting her out on a stretcher.

If that isn't incentive for sobering up....

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

OMG - how unbelievable - Truth is certainly stranger than fiction. :H This story is also incentive to watch your diet. LOL

[Irie]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Holy cow, Crimsons, what an image! If that's not a wake up call for that poor woman, nothing will be!

I'm reading Jason Vale's book right now (about a third of the way through) and it's making all kinds of sense to me. I think I was ready to hear this kind of a message. Something is definitely changing for me in the way I think about alcohol. Instead of it being something I desperately want and crave, it's slowly turning into something I don't think of often, and when I do, I have no desire for it. I know it won't always be this easy to abstain, but right now I'm thanking my lucky stars that I am having some success. I really feel like this is a pivotal moment in my life.

About the tattoo.. I like the idea of a visual reminder, but a tattoo isn't for me. But I did come up with an alternative. I'm going to look for a bracelet that can serve as a reminder to me and a tribute to my decision to be sober.

I've got a super busy day ahead of me and better get going. I hope you all have a wonderful Monday!

[Crunchy]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying this thread. Congrats Crimson and thanks for that "reasons to stay sober" image. I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and birthday Tip. I don't have the book in my hands yet but am looking forward to it.

[looking for peace]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all of our Canadian friends!

Im further along in the book and have been noting many great insights. I just finished the chapter "Cut Down". Which is what I think I have been trying to do for 10 years. Playing around with moderation, thinking that with few AF days here and there and trying all the tricks I could think of in order to keep my units down on the days I did drink was sort of "working" for me. That's just plain exhausting and no way to live.

By doing this we are just permanently using willpower, obsessive thinking and discipline in order to keep our drinking from increasing much over the years.

All of the tricks we use to cut dowm like, starting later in the day, switching from wine to spirits, finding new activities, reward yourself for af time (oh yeah, what do we like to reward ourselves most with?) don't work because we are still trying to control a drug, that by definition Is controlling us.

I especially like CAN'T , which was mentioned earlier in the thread. Continuous And Neverending Tourture that happens when you say you can't have a drink as opposed you CAN have a drink, but choose not to because you simply don't want to. Saying can't brings about the forbidden fruit syndrome, so the more you resist,the more you want it. We become like little children having a tantrum over a toy when someone says they can't have it.

I have been averaging about 2 to 3 chapters a day, there are 45. Every chapter has great insights that I think about all day. It actually helped to write down what I learned from this last chapter. Good stuff!

[looking for peace]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

By the way, Irie I really like the idea of a bracelet. Crimsons, what an image! Will we be seeing this woman on an episode of the Biggest Loser or Intervention? But seriously, sad story for that woman, maybe it will be a wake up call.