Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

[skullbabyland]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Pav, ScottishLass, Free, Spirit, others- hope everyone had a good weekend. I too have been having "fleeting thoughts". Part of me is planning to drink, I think, after I hit 180 days at the end of the month. I've got some thinking to do about what happens going forward.

Grrrrr.

[free at last]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

SKL, I'm curious about your thoughts on planning to drink after 180 days. You have come so far, is there a reason you wouldn't just carry on? I guess I would love to have racked up 180 consecutive AF days and by that time you're halfway to a year. What's your thinking?

[tree23]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

I am in. 3 days until 100AF! I dig this sober life.

[tree23]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

I am going on a West Caribbean cruise in November. Starting to mentally prepare for it. I have enjoyed being AF and I really don't want to go back to old habits. It is difficult though. My new roommate and friend is younger than me and likes to go out. I hate bars both when drinking and not. But I probably prefer them sober. She is always wanting me to go out. I prefer the symphony. She went out on Friday and we went to the symphony on Sat. She wants to go to a wine tasting. I can appreciate wine, but i am not good at tasting it. I guess I could be like real wine connoisseurs and spit it out after tasting it. Or I can be an awesome DD. I got a Vitamix and have been enjoying fruit and veggies smoothies whenever I get the urge to drink. It is happening less and less but after a very stressful day at work or hearing unpleasant news wine was the go to. Replacing it with smoothies and i feel okay with that. A serving of spinach and strawberries with some ice trumps a bottle of wine any day.

Have a good tomorrow all. Looking to be a very stressful week for me. The big bosses are in town and I have a lot on my plate. Not gonna let them ruffle my feathers! AF Cheers!

[skullbabyland]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

free at last;1646109 wrote: SKL, I'm curious about your thoughts on planning to drink after 180 days. You have come so far, is there a reason you wouldn't just carry on? I guess I would love to have racked up 180 consecutive AF days and by that time you're halfway to a year. What's your thinking?

Thanks for asking, Free. Well, I think that basically I was just admitting that my commitment is a little wavering at the moment. I certainly know that drinking again after 180 days won't be a good idea- really I was just admitting to the group that I've been entertaining drinking thoughts.

I'm not in danger at all for April. My Antabuse has seen to that. As for May, well, I guess right now my thinking is getting a little too close to danger zone and I've got to "armor up".

[skullbabyland]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Blooming Tree23;1646320 wrote: I am going on a West Caribbean cruise in November. Starting to mentally prepare for it. I have enjoyed being AF and I really don't want to go back to old habits. It is difficult though. My new roommate and friend is younger than me and likes to go out. I hate bars both when drinking and not. But I probably prefer them sober. She is always wanting me to go out. I prefer the symphony. She went out on Friday and we went to the symphony on Sat. She wants to go to a wine tasting. I can appreciate wine, but i am not good at tasting it. I guess I could be like real wine connoisseurs and spit it out after tasting it. Or I can be an awesome DD. I got a Vitamix and have been enjoying fruit and veggies smoothies whenever I get the urge to drink. It is happening less and less but after a very stressful day at work or hearing unpleasant news wine was the go to. Replacing it with smoothies and i feel okay with that. A serving of spinach and strawberries with some ice trumps a bottle of wine any day.

Have a good tomorrow all. Looking to be a very stressful week for me. The big bosses are in town and I have a lot on my plate. Not gonna let them ruffle my feathers! AF Cheers!

Tree, I am glad that the Vitamix (I have one too and LOOOOOVE it) is helping you replace the wine. Good luck with this week with the bosses- you can handle this! And SO awesome just a few days to 100, you should join us over on 100+ days club

[free at last]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Dear SKL, am encouraging you to "armor up" as you say. You have worked just too hard to go back to anything other than your wonderful, sober self. The threads have been talking about PAWS and relapses and one of the issues being the importance of taking care of your physical needs -- good meals, exercise, rest--as a way of preventing any lapses.

Again, just want to offer my encouragement to follow your heart, not that voice in your head

[bkyogagurl]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Tree- what an awesome idea... Spinach & strawberries when the urge comes calling. I don't have a Vitamix.. I got a stupid ninja and to be honest it doesn't work so well so far. I have just tried protein shake and ice. Usually frozen fruit works better.. I will give it a try.

Does your roomie know you are sober right now? It would piss me off if someone knew I was trying to be sober and they wanted me to go wine tasting. But that is just me... I can be sensitive..
Good luck with the bosses..

Skull- it's hard when those drinking thoughts waver around in your mind. I can tell you it probably won't be as delightful as your misleading thoughts might feel. Just because I just did it.. And notice a difference in my performance on the road running and in the gym. My beast mode has been turned down a notch which bums me out. Dehydration lasts about a week. Yuck. I will have to roll over to your fitness thread and see how things are going there.

I'm happy today. Looking forward to another sober stint. Wish I could make the 60 days mark this time.be good for my body composition.

Where's Pav?

[Pavati]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Hi, all!

Sorry I was awol for a minute - I read and then kids needed me last night so I had to leave before posting.

Skull - you are an amazing sober superhero - I hope you don't give in to those crappy thoughts. I was having them this weekend and read the PAWS articles - I posted them in the Nest and in the Ladies on a Mission Thread. They really helped me realize what to do and to straighten my thinking out.

BK!!! We missed you. Glad you're back and sorry about your drinking. Did you learn anything from it (other than that lady is an annoying drunk??) Come post here if you're feeling weak - we'll try to talk you out of it.

Tree - Wow - 97 days is amazing. I was so thrilled when I hit 100 days - seems like such a giant milestone. I don't really like wine too much either, but I would go for being DD. You could have fun? Or you could take a pass and head to the symphony. I am finding a lot of joy in being by myself lately - I am a very social person, so it is new for me. I quite like it.

FAL, hope things are better in your neck of the woods. I had a completely annoying, stressful, tension-filled day at work today, and I didn't even contemplate a drink. Wow did that feel great.

Hope you Aprilists are awesome!

xo
Pav

[bkyogagurl]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Pav- your funny... Made me laugh. Yes I do need to stay closer and not let my daily activities consume me. Glad you are getting along so good. Your strength really shines thru. I'm off to bed as I am really trying to make sure to get enough sleep these days...:l

[skullbabyland]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Free, BK, Pav-- thanks much for the encouragement. I needed to hear it

Well, looks like I armored up. I signed up for a 12-weeks program with a fitness trainer who is going to be pretty darn strict. 12 consecutive weeks to 'supercharge' my fitness, and that definitely means no alcohol (or junk food or smoking, obviously). So that'll take me through April (which was a given anyway) but also May and June.

That feels good because, though it's good to take it one day at a time, it's also good (for me anyway) to really commit to a chunk of time rather than just hope for the best. Additionally, I've found that creating firm, external goals such as a trainer or therapist or some such is really good to stay motivated. I suppose it's one of the best ways I've found to "buy good habits".

Additionally, I am definitely protecting myself with healthy living otherwise- my diet, sleep, etc. is really pretty solid right now. I was in bed asleep by 9pm last night, lol. (and my Vitamix is a powerful ally... one of the best purchases of my life, as I use it daily!)

Thanks for the gentle nudge, you guys. Just what i needed.

Hope everyone's well today. BK, how's your fitness regimen going? Free, I hope you're doing well out in W Africa. Be safe and well and come home soon. Pav, so cool to hear that you're enjoying being social as a sober person. I have moments of this myself, and it's refreshing and encouraging!

[free at last]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Hi SKL,
So good to get your update. As for having a longer-term goal, why don't you join the yogini 108 AF days challenge? Like you, I needed a slightly longer term target, with a goal of then being able to make it a lifestlye. And, are you adding yoga to your exercise regime

Warmest,

[spiritwolf333]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

skullbabyland;1645963 wrote: Pav, ScottishLass, Free, Spirit, others- hope everyone had a good weekend. I too have been having "fleeting thoughts". Part of me is planning to drink, I think, after I hit 180 days at the end of the month. I've got some thinking to do about what happens going forward.

Grrrrr.

Hi Skull -I am little behind in reading this thread. However, I have noticed several people (two), discussing drinking after 180 days.

Skull, here is two cents worth:

(1) I would be extremely worried about you and any other alcoholic that did not think about drinking at the six month mile marker. I remember a group that I use to belong to and the six and nine month markers were the most challenging. By telling on your self, you may just be gathering some added strength to pass on bye.

(2) There is not a single alcoholic, recovered or not, that does not imagine just how right that first drink would be-at certain points in time. Decision time, I guess.

(3) The memory mechanism for most alcoholics is shot out. A lot of damage has been done to the brain. On top of that, alcohol assists an alcoholic to have selective memory ---remember only the good times.

(4) As I have experimented a few times drinking this past year, I did discover one thing; alcohol really does screw up a great reality. I did want to find out if I were to drink again, would it mean a total disaster -back to the old binge self. The baclofen helped me to not continue down that path and get right back on the wagon. However, I do not even want to test those waters anymore. FIREWATER could take back over and then all really would be lost.

(5) It has been my experience that most alcoholics start back drinking when things are really going good -and not during tough or challenging times. These are the times we all have to keep an eye on.

Peace to all of us.

[bkyogagurl]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

Spirit... You have a way of putting things that puts things into perspective... In a unique way.
Non-judgmental reasoning which helps me reason with myself. Very interesting you say that people start back ou drinking when things are good... I am totally running into this...
It is like a false confidence. I'm doing great. I can have some beers and get away with it cause I will jump right back on the wagon. This is how it starts anyway... Then the progression begins... A few beers one night... Woo hoo I can have just a few beers and get away with it... Take a few weeks off.
Then it becomes every weekend again... The drunkness forgetful nights.

*sigh*. It's such a mind fuck. At least I am thinking about and came back here first before I went thru the progression again.

Thanks for your always appreciated insight!:thanks:

[spiritwolf333]

Sober Aprilists- Assemble!!!

bkyogagurl;1646972 wrote: Spirit... You have a way of putting things that puts things into perspective... In a unique way.
Non-judgmental reasoning which helps me reason with myself. Very interesting you say that people start back ou drinking when things are good... I am totally running into this...
It is like a false confidence. I'm doing great. I can have some beers and get away with it cause I will jump right back on the wagon. This is how it starts anyway... Then the progression begins... A few beers one night... Woo hoo I can have just a few beers and get away with it... Take a few weeks off.
Then it becomes every weekend again... The drunkness forgetful nights.

*sigh*. It's such a mind fuck. At least I am thinking about and came back here first before I went thru the progression again.

Thanks for your always appreciated insight!:thanks:

Thanks for the comments BKY.

As you just said, Alcohol is just waiting for us to forget how damning it really it is. I think one of the toughest parts for alcoholics is the fact that many of us enjoy "getting" away without anyone noticing or catching us -like a game of hide and seek. In some respects, it is almost like we are hiding from ourselves when take just one or two and no one else sees. Regardless, the end result is always the same; we come out the other end completely demoralized and full of shame/guilt.