Newbies Nest

[Catbuddy]

Newbies Nest

Fin;1399910 wrote: Ha! I'm a MAJOR fan of anyone who has the guts to take on this AF challenge. In my mind there is no higher calling at the moment than to dig deep and start living right. As all of you know who are on this new trajectory, it takes serious-serious resolve, discipline and true grit to face our respective lives 100% as they are -- i.e., no filters, blinders or distraction. And you know what? If only the general population knew our little secrete....being AF is an extraordinary and thrilling experience.

Aleluia. Aleluia. Aleluia. Aleluia. Aleluia. (sing to Handle's Messiah).

So, you will not be caving this weekend. You and I will be here on Monday celebrating four weeks. And on Halloween, DAY 30. That's very cool. I want a special Halloween Hat!!!

Fin, I'm going to run up a mountain now. Got to love days off.

All our friends on the East Coast, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Hope everyone is having a solid AF day. I read all the posts, don't respond all the time as it's a bit like jumping into a dialogue mid flow, but your words are my lifeline in this journey.

Cat

[stumpy]

Newbies Nest

Hi Fin, I joined the October Sober, it seems like everyone jumped ship. I'm around two months now. I wasn't really keeping count. I can at least say I'm AF and loving it.

[rooniferd]

Newbies Nest

I've been having those evil thoughts about trying to drink again, so I decided to take 30 minutes at work today and brainstorm some of the stupid things I've done drunk. Oh, and this list of by no means complete...

• Went to college basketball game with two friends I haven't seen in at least 15 years. They were mortified when I got trashed and got into an argument with the woman sitting in front of me at the game. I deleted them from Facebook because I was too embarrassed to keep in contact.
• One morning, I was so hungover that I went to a breakfast place that serves booze to get a hair of the dog. Before I went in, I ended up puking in the parking lot and peeing on myself. I went back home.
• After going to a concert one night, I passed out in my car. I woke up thinking it was earlier than it was. I went through the drive thru at Taco Bell, and I was pissed off that no one was taking my order. I sped out mad. When I got home, I realized that it was 4 in the morning.
• Slept with my best friend's son.
• Drunken hookups - man, there were a lot of those over the years. Makes me feel so slutty afterwards.
• Called in sick to one of the last Thanksgivings that my Mom was still alive - had been up all night drinking and doing other illegal things.
• Too drunk to break up a dog fight or take my dog to the vet that same night to get her ear stitched.
• Drinking and driving - OMG, too many stories to tell. Some really bad. I've banged up my car many times. Also lots of hit and runs. Only one DUI though (don't know how I didn't have 100).
• Gained 40 pounds in five years from drinking, eating late night crap, and not exercising from being too hungover.
• Harassing ex-husband and ex-boyfriend, both of whom cheated on me. Got arrested for pouring paint on ex-husband's car in a drunk rage one night.Money. LOTS of wasted money. Makes me nauseous.Getting trashed in airports and leaving my luggage.Being unproductive as crap at work.Drinking in the morning to deal with the hangover from the night before. This was really becoming a problem over the last couple of years.Showed up really buzzed at "meet the teacher" night....and I was the teacher!Drank the whole time my mom was in the hospital. That's how I dealt with her sickness. I will always regret that.Throwing away clothes because they've got permanent stains from the pizza grease that dripped on them as I stuffed my face on the drunk drive home.Falsely telling work that my grandmother died (another excuse to lay out a few days and drink) and then receiving a sympathy card signed by all my co-workers.Let the dogs out all night and didn't even know it until the next day.Making promises that I know I won't keep.

[Starfish1]

Newbies Nest

Wow, Roonie! I know making that list was a painful thing to do, but a good reminder to all of us who have done the exact same things. Thanks for that. I hope this list helps curb your appetite for that beast! You are doing so well, Roonie- just look how much better you feel and I bet you haven't woken up one day this month wishing you had gotten drunk the day before- right?

Keep up the good work!

[emily]

Newbies Nest

Hi

Just introducing myself, 1st day AF and my goal is 3 days, taking K9's advice, which I can just about cope with just now and it will also mean a sober weekend.

[Starfish1]

Newbies Nest

Welcome, Emily-

Congratulations for tackling Day 1 and for finding the newbies nest. You are in the best spot for wisdom and support. Three days AF is a great goal. After your first 3 days, all the AL will be out of your system and you will be feeling MUCH better! One day at a time is the motto around here!

Good Luck!

[Alcoholic]

Newbies Nest

Ditto on what star said! Happy to see you and hope you continue the journey w us!

[Alcoholic]

Newbies Nest

Since I started had 8 AF days out of 10!!! So thrilled! Still fingers shake and weight gain but being AF is an addiction in itself w such a high feeling!

[K9Lover]

Newbies Nest

Glad to see you here Emily! Pull up a branch and stick around!

Rooni - All I can say is WOW that took some guts to write! I know it's hard, but in a way it's good to see it in writing. I've posted my drunken escapades all over the boards, and seeing them become public somehow makes it easier for me to let them go. Never, ever forget the truth about alcohol....it WILL try to convince you that it's your friend...but re-read your post and see what your "friend" did to you! I'm proud of you! :l

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Rooni, we all have a list like that....ah, Romancing the Stoned....did I ever tell you about the time I was at a company meeting and fell into a ditch of water in my cocktail dress? Glamorous. And the next morning in front of 300 co workers the VP of Sales was making a bet I wasn't there. Jeebus....those weren't the days...THESE are the days! You are doing great. If it were easy eva'body'd be doing it!

We will have a bunch of hats going out next week!! I am so proud of you all...when I first came here I couldn't imagine ONE NIGHT without a drink...and now look at us?!!! We are all getting there! Every single one of us started with Day 1....and so it goes! Rinse and Repeat.

Don't let the basturts get you down...hold your AF head up high...be loud and be proud! As Allankay so aptly stated: Sober is the new drunk!

Emily, welcome! You have landed in the best possible spot if you are serious about getting AL out of your life! Please see the Tool Box in my signature line, there are 100's of tips and coping skills to help you. We will be along all weekend if you hit a rough spot. Every one of us know what you are going though....and it IS worth it! Just dig your heels in and don't give in no matter what and no matter who!! If I can do this, so can you!! We are here to help!! Byrdie

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Dottie...I was going to say something about dotting the i's and crossing the t's but with your eye in the shape it's in...maybe cross the eyes and dot the t's? Stay off it, is all I know. Hope you feel better soon!

Star, thanks for the help while I was pulling my head out of my arse...

Batton down the hatches East Coasters...Sandy is going to make herself known.
Hugs to all, B

[matchee]

Newbies Nest

Wow Rooni,

I want to share my last straw.

Last weekend my 12 year old son had a baseball tourney about 30 minutes from home. Saturday and Sunday. Of course I drank all day long as the wife and daughter stayed at home. Saturday somehow made it home and stealthly played it off. Sunday I think the other parents had seen enough and called me out after about 6 hours of drinking when I intended to drive my son home. Another Dad called me out in front of everybody and told me there is no way I was driving. Luckily I relented and let another dad drive us home.

I went and passed out in my daughters room. Woke up Monday morning. Drank before work. Got shitfaced. Got home passed out and did the whole thing one more time before Wednesday morning I just couldn't do it anymore. I actually went into my attic and got out my guncase. I didn't unzip it but held it for a few minutes.

That was it. This is day 3 of AF and I feel much better. Eating right even exercised last night. I always forget how Alcohol literally makes me insane. I'm healing up nicely now. Just hope I can repair the damage done to my family.

[rooniferd]

Newbies Nest

matchee;1399967 wrote: Wow Rooni,

I want to share my last straw.

Last weekend my 12 year old son had a baseball tourney about 30 minutes from home. Saturday and Sunday. Of course I drank all day long as the wife and daughter stayed at home. Saturday somehow made it home and stealthly played it off. Sunday I think the other parents had seen enough and called me out after about 6 hours of drinking when I intended to drive my son home. Another Dad called me out in front of everybody and told me there is no way I was driving. Luckily I relented and let another dad drive us home.

I went and passed out in my daughters room. Woke up Monday morning. Drank before work. Got shitfaced. Got home passed out and did the whole thing one more time before Wednesday morning I just couldn't do it anymore. I actually went into my attic and got out my guncase. I didn't unzip it but held it for a few minutes.

That was it. This is day 3 of AF and I feel much better. Eating right even exercised last night. I always forget how Alcohol literally makes me insane. I'm healing up nicely now. Just hope I can repair the damage done to my family.

The LAST STRAW - the point where you are so fed up. Sick and damn tired of the chaos. We've struggled so much because we've looked for every reason in the world why our lives had become so shitty and just couldn't pinpoint it. Until one day....yes, I figured it out - you bastard ALCOHOL.

So what do you do? Treat it like breaking up with a bad girl or boyfriend. First and foremost, break up with/eliminate the problem (quit drinking), heal and recover from the abuse and mental torture, start to introduce new people and activities in your life....and then.....one day you realize that you've got it made!

All this could be yours for the low price of getting sober, folks! But don't wait, this opportunity won't last forever. GET A MOVE ON! Don't let another precious day be stolen from you!

We can do this!

[matchee]

Newbies Nest

rooniferd;1399973 wrote: The LAST STRAW - the point where you are so fed up. Sick and damn tired of the chaos. We've struggled so much because we've looked for every reason in the world why our lives had become so shitty and just couldn't pinpoint it. Until one day....yes, I figured it out - you bastard ALCOHOL.

So what do you do? Treat it like breaking up with a bad girl or boyfriend. First and foremost, break up with/eliminate the problem (quit drinking), heal and recover from the abuse and mental torture, start to introduce new people and activities in your life....and then.....one day you realize that you've got it made!

All this could be yours for the low price of getting sober, folks! But don't wait, this opportunity won't last forever. GET A MOVE ON! Don't let another precious day be stolen from you!

We can do this!

Well Said!

[Yogamom]

Newbies Nest

Rooni...you are so right. Alc is a thief who wants it all and gives absolutely nothing in return. Matchee. So glad you found this place. you can do it.