Do You REALLY Want To Be Sober?

[Wilson1]

Thanks you guys, I agree that we can’t do this alone. We need the help and support of the people who have overcome this, and those who struggled along with us. With this kind of help and support anyone can get sober, they just have to want it, really want it.

Then and now….

I’m going back before this past 2 years, Grey Cup Sunday in Canada. Grey Cup parties everywhere! I remember shopping for our Grey Cup Party, $750 to $1000 dollars spent on finger foods, snacks, mix, and of course, booze. The alcohol being where most of the money was spent. 3 or 4 other couples coming over to watch the game, eat, drink, and cheer on their team. I always got started drinking early, sampling all the different flavours of booze as I got them set out. Beer on ice, wine in the fridge, glasses and mugs set out. By halftime, I was well on my way, and by the end of the game I was slurring my words, staggering a bit, having trouble focussing my eyes. Even after everyone left, I had to have a few more beer while cleaning up and putting everything away. Then falling into bed and passing out! Oh yea, what a great day I had.

Today, got up early, showered and got ready for the day. Texted with Bubba a bit till our son got up and put coffee on. I read and posted on my forums, kibitzed with Adam over breakfast, then headed out for our last day of hunting for 2016. Watching the Oiler’s afternoon NHL game before we head out for the final afternoon hunt of the season. When it’s over, I’ll pack my stuff and head for home to have supper with Bubba and Hank, then watch the end of the Grey Cup. I’ll go to bed sober, read a bit, and wake up tomorrow with good memories of today.

Life doesn’t get much better….

You know ABC, it just simply sounds as though you are living the "simple -good life". I believe that this is all that all alcoholics want to live and I am grateful that you have found your path. I hope that others read your posts.

[mario]

That's it acbowboy, your so right, we cant do this alone, we do need help and support from wherever it works for oneself. And once we get it life certainly does not get much better...

[abcowboy]

Yep, I've found that the simpler you can make life, the easier it is to battle our addictions. If we keep complicating our lives, the easier it is for our addictions to take over again.

[mario]

Something I read today, Our thoughts are just our thoughts they are not reality, when they come ,say hello, then just let them float on pass.

[mario]

Reading this thread helps keep me on the path of sobriety , thank you.

[mario]

Like so many other threads here, there is some great reading here. thanks to all who contributed.

[abcowboy]

Ho, ho, ho! Tis’ the season to be jolly… but being jolly doesn’t mean having to partake in the kind of holiday cheer that you get from a bottle or can. The holiday season is upon us and the TV’s are full of alcohol and chocolate ads. The chocolate ads appeal to me more than the alcohol ads lol. But in all seriousness, the Christmas season is a hard one for people like us. Staff parties, family get togethers, catching up with old and new friends, celebrating the festive season. Do you have your plan in place to keep your quit alive and strong?

Bubba’s staff Christmas party is on the 11th. this year. It’s going to held at another staff member’s house. I didn’t go last year for a couple of reasons, one; I wasn’t yet a year sober, but had enough sober time in that the “maybe I could have just one” thinking could easily have got to me, and two; I didn’t want the others to feel uncomfortable drinking around me or asking why I wasn’t drinking. We are going this year though because all Bubba’s co-workers and boss now know I quit drinking and why. So I can go and just be my sober self, not worry about how the others act or what they are thinking, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am comfortable with my sobriety in any situation. And I don’t have to worry about being pulled over in a Check-Stop, “No Officer, I haven’t had anything to drink, for almost 2 years as a matter of fact!” Being able to say those words almost make me wish I do get pulled over lol.

The important thing is that you plan in advance, do the things you need to do to protect your quit. Maybe you have to miss certain things just like I did. Maybe you have to take your own AF beverages along. And maybe you need to be proud of the fact that you can celebrate without alcohol! So let’s all remember the true meaning of this season, and celebrate it for what is really means…..

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[narilly]

Good morning Cowboy glad to see you here �� I am checking in again just to make sure I stay on track. I was starting to have drinking thoughts and had to banish them away. Christmas parties are tough. I used to be the last one to leave but now I am among the first. It is pretty awesome to leave early and wake up with no hangover.

Hello Mario, nice to see you here too.i like your post about thoughts, that's good. Let them float by.
Have a great sober day.

[mario]

Hi Narilly, good post Abcowboy as usual, it brought back a memory for me. I got stopped at routine checkpoint there a few months back in the early hours of morning, A big checkpoint just there for drinking & driving etc,Handed over my license & id,told them I did not drink when they asked, blew into bag & bang, not a drop, both police actually smiled at me and saluted me on my way, I felt great.

[abcowboy]

Yep mario, amazing how there are so many less things to worry about when you no longer drink! DUI’s are just one of them! And there are so many others….

Narilly my Albertan friend! Great to see you back! And even better to hear you’re still stuck to your quit, good for you! By the way, do you know who won the Grey Cup?lol Yep, I’m still here, or more like you, was away for a while then came back. Much to the chagrin of some of the members based on a few of the pm’s I received when I returned, but they’ll get over it, or used to me lol. But we can all be thankful for having a place to come to when the AV starts to whisper, just reading a bit and catching up on old friends helps to get the AV locked back up again! And speaking of coming back….

I hear that many are afraid or ashamed to come and post their problems and worries, but if this isn’t the place to do it, where is?? Don’t be afraid to pour out your heart and soul, we’ve all been there, maybe not the exact circumstances, but something very similar I’ll bet. No one here has the right to judge anyone, and if they do, they better look at themselves first. We can all beat this demon, if you don’t believe me, just look at how many members are doing it, all it takes is just not drink today, then do the same tomorrow...

[Wilson1]

Ho, ho, ho! Tis’ the season to be jolly… but being jolly doesn’t mean having to partake in the kind of holiday cheer that you get from a bottle or can. The holiday season is upon us and the TV’s are full of alcohol and chocolate ads. The chocolate ads appeal to me more than the alcohol ads lol. But in all seriousness, the Christmas season is a hard one for people like us. Staff parties, family get togethers, catching up with old and new friends, celebrating the festive season. Do you have your plan in place to keep your quit alive and strong?

Bubba’s staff Christmas party is on the 11th. this year. It’s going to held at another staff member’s house. I didn’t go last year for a couple of reasons, one; I wasn’t yet a year sober, but had enough sober time in that the “maybe I could have just one” thinking could easily have got to me, and two; I didn’t want the others to feel uncomfortable drinking around me or asking why I wasn’t drinking. We are going this year though because all Bubba’s co-workers and boss now know I quit drinking and why. So I can go and just be my sober self, not worry about how the others act or what they are thinking, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am comfortable with my sobriety in any situation. And I don’t have to worry about being pulled over in a Check-Stop, “No Officer, I haven’t had anything to drink, for almost 2 years as a matter of fact!” Being able to say those words almost make me wish I do get pulled over lol.

The important thing is that you plan in advance, do the things you need to do to protect your quit. Maybe you have to miss certain things just like I did. Maybe you have to take your own AF beverages along. And maybe you need to be proud of the fact that you can celebrate without alcohol! So let’s all remember the true meaning of this season, and celebrate it for what is really means…..

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I look back at my first year at becoming sober and the Christmas parties. I did not attend several because of the fear of the alcohol that would surround me. Finally, I attended two xmas parties and felt great -especially afterwords. I remember watching others drink and becoming more friendly and cheerful, but I also noticed that many of them stopped after just a few rounds. It was fun watching them and I felt proud that I could easily fit in with them without drinking.

[myonlyway]

But you're not sober Wilson1. You have admitted it as Spiritfree and have demonstrated it everyweekend here. Just saying.

[abcowboy]

Please keep the drama and snarky comments in the Meds section! I would ask that you refrain from posting them at all, but it appears taking those meds make everyone downright mean and nasty...

[mario]

As I posted in the nesters thread I can't do party's for to long as I get bored, most times anyway, And one has always to be aware & have your exit plan ready,

Love this thread great motivation in reading it.

[abcowboy]

I’m not sure what makes the Christmas season such a drinking season, I’ve been to 5 small jobs in the past 2 days and at every job I was offered a Christmas drink, no matter what time of day it was. I gratefully declined, invoiced them, wished them a Merry Christmas, and went on my way. And in our local paper, one of the taxi services is offering a “Christmas Party Pickup”, reduced rates to help prevent drinking and driving, along with group rates. Why not all year long then?? But it’s nice to see him offer the service since there is so much partying going on this time of year.

And the houses I’ve been in have all been decorated up for the season, Christmas trees complete with presents, ribbons and bows, festive season candles burning, and the side table filled with alcoholic beverages of all kinds. Not one house did I go in have an Advent Wreath or Nativity Scene set up. It got me to wondering what the majority of people think Christmas is all about.

As I was driving home I got to thinking about what Christmas really means to me, am I caught up in all the commercialization of the season? And what would I really wish for Christmas if my wishes came true. So I thought that this evening, I would make out my Christmas Wish List, heck, I might even get one of those pre-addressed envelopes to Santa that you see in the Post Office and send it off to Santa lol. Then I thought it would be nice to see what all the members of MWO would write on their Christmas list so I thought an MWO Christmas wish list might be a cool idea!

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