Newbies Nest

[rednose]

I don't recall seeing anyone's quit date January 1!! Look at mine, for 2 years in a row, I promised myself I'd quit as a New Year's resolution, but it didn't happen. We always find an excuse to put it off!
It's 1000 times easier to maintain a quit than to start over!! Stick with us, no matter what and no matter who! B

Byrdlady.

So true. Believe me I know. It's 1000 times easier to maintain a quit than to start over!!

[lifechange]

Here, here, Byrdie!! That's something I'm soooooo happy to be learning now! It's just 2 more days and we've done Christmas.. I'm looking now at how I can begin some new traditions.. Today at work a girl was telling me about her Christmas Eve plans and I was genuinely happy that I wouldn't be drinking at her place.. Thank God I wasn't invited! I asked what she would be doing on the 25th and, you guessed it, she said, "Recovering"! Ok, for someone who doesn't do that often, every once in a while can be dealt with.. but that was my every morning! And I know for a FACT that if I choose to drink on Christmas eve or day, whenever, that even if I fool myself with moderation, or just this once.. even if I keep that up for a couple of weeks or a month or two, I WILL end up back here, beginning yet again, kicking myself in the ass for having started it all up yet again. No thanks! I'm so looking forward to going into the New Year sober and with a clear mind.. what a way to start off 2016!
I'll be having very laid back holidays this year and plan to have MWO up.. if anyone wants to have a chat, talk on the phone, send me a pm.. I'm in Germany and go to bed around 10 pm though!:happy2:

Stay strong, Nesters..

[lifechange]

Here's one of my favourite versions of Blackbird...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yOifFvYW2o

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night

[Overit-still]

! I'm so looking forward to going into the new year sober and with a clear mind.. What a way to start off 2016!stay strong, nesters..

i love this thought!

[KENSHO]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Lifechange!! I love Eddie, his Into the Wild soundtrack was also amazing. Thank you for posting!!

[lifechange]

Me, too, Kensho!!

[Guitarista]

Yeah gr8 song. Thx LC, Looking forward to absolutely raawkin it in 2016. Am rawkin it now, and it's a solid lead in to the new year. We do not have to drink today or tonight nesters. Enough of doing ourselves damage. Enough of the self abuse. We all have a unique gift to share with our loved ones and our communities. The world needs YOU!

[ItsJustMe]

Ok, so I said this morning that Al never entered my head yesterday and I was so happy. Well he showed up this afternoon with a vengeance! CRAP! I think the main trigger is the thought that I am off for a week. Then I get home from work and Mrs. IJM is taking a nap. That is actually another trigger. In the recent past, if she was asleep then I could drink as much as I wanted. I would get pissed off at the kids or dogs if they woke her up. That is pretty messed up isn’t it?

Everyone’s post really helps but Over-it, you saved the day. I could so relate to what you wrote:

Why drink if I'm not going to catch a buzz? - TRUE
And then to keep that buzz you have to keep drinking. - THAT’S ME
I'll wake up with a hangover and have to pretend like I'm really sick to cover it up. - GUILTY – Done it many times.
I'll waste the whole day feeling miserable and make my husband (WIFE) mad at me. - TRUE
Then I'll feel lousy, depressed, angry at myself for having let that happen - YUP
Then to make myself feel better I'll drink the next night – I’ve seen myself do it many times.
And then the torture of stopping again. Getting it out of my system. Getting over the shakes and the night sweats. The red eyes. The weight gain. - YES, YES and YES.

Over-it – is it possible that you are my sister and we were separated as infants??? I can relate to every single one of those points. Or are we all on this board able to relate? Hmmmmm. At any rate, reading that gave me strength and made me ask the question; knowing the answer to each of those points, why the heck I would want to drink tonight. And the answer I came up with? I don’t want a drink!

Ok, off to make salads then do some wrapping (“Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn. If yo girl starts actin’ up….") Oops, wrong kind of wrapping!

Take care all!
IJM

[Byrdlady]

IJM, check out the thread, 'You know you're an alcoholic when....' I just bumped it up for you. You will see that we are all very much alike! B

[ItsJustMe]

Thanks B! I've read the first 10 pages already and sadly can relate to so many of them.

[Overit-still]

Everyone’s post really helps but Over-it, you saved the day. I could so relate to what you wrote:

Why drink if I'm not going to catch a buzz? - TRUE
And then to keep that buzz you have to keep drinking. - THAT’S ME
I'll wake up with a hangover and have to pretend like I'm really sick to cover it up. - GUILTY – Done it many times.
I'll waste the whole day feeling miserable and make my husband (WIFE) mad at me. - TRUE
Then I'll feel lousy, depressed, angry at myself for having let that happen - YUP
Then to make myself feel better I'll drink the next night – I’ve seen myself do it many times.
And then the torture of stopping again. Getting it out of my system. Getting over the shakes and the night sweats. The red eyes. The weight gain. - YES, YES and YES.

Over-it – is it possible that you are my sister and we were separated as infants??? I can relate to every single one of those points. Or are we all on this board able to relate? Hmmmmm. At any rate, reading that gave me strength and made me ask the question; knowing the answer to each of those points, why the heck I would want to drink tonight. And the answer I came up with? I don’t want a drink!

Ok, off to make salads then do some wrapping (“Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn. If yo girl starts actin’ up….") Oops, wrong kind of wrapping!

Take care all!
IJM

I pretty much talked myself out of it too IJM. Sometimes it's great to hear that we can get through to someone else. I forgot to add that if I decided/planned to drink on Christmas Day I would wake up at 6:00 and be fiddling all day long until it was an acceptable time to start drinking. UNLESS I did start drinking at 6:00 AM and just hid it (I've done that many, many times) Sound familiar IJM?

[Pavati]

Hi, Nest:

Wow - busy. I missed a day and it just took me a while to read back..

LC and Kensho - I am such a Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder fan! I happen to know that it is his birthday today - amazing that you chose today to post that. Thanks for sharing.

G - love your list. Taking my own ride has been KEY for me. I would put it in my top requirements for this season. You always need an exit strategy. There are times I have had so much fun I am still the last to leave, and times I NEEDED to get away. The one time I needed to get away and didn't have a ride was the last, as far as I am concerned.

I find all the booze around just irritating. I am so tired of hearing people say they "need a drink!" FFS, let's get this day over with!

Sorry, my inner Grinch just came out.

A lot more to say but kids in and around making concentration difficult.

Night, take care of yourselves, and DON'T DRINK NO MATTER WHAT. (sorry for shouting)

Pav

[Lavande]

Good evening Nesters,

Raining cats & dogs here but better than sn*w, right? We even had flood warnings & some rumbles of thunder. Not exactly what you expect 2 days before Christmas in my portion of the nest!

Red, great job on your 7 AF days - protect them!!!

Dutch, I understand your concern about B/P meds at your age BUT you need to get your B/P under control. You don't want to risk developing an enlarged heart or stroke problems. Get in to see your doc asap. In the meantime limiting your salt & caffeine will help. (Sorry, the nurse in me just pops out time to time).

I have my very bubbly granddaughter staying overnight, so far so good.
Wishing everyone a safe & cozy night in the nest. Stay on plan everyone!

Lav

[actiongirl46]

Hi all - Its hard to believe it is Day 10 for me. Double digits, woot woot!!

Tomorrow the festivities begin. We will go to my parents for the night and then travel to my sister's house for five nights starting on Saturday. Both locations are huge triggers for me even outside of the holidays. I've been trying not to get too anxious about it and just focus on the day at hand. I've got a plan but, honestly, I'm not feeling real strong. Hubby is though. He told me tonight he is done drinking too as he doesn't think it will work if he drinks around me. I said I just want things to be normal (during the holidays with family) and he said "that normal just didn't work for us. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks." Pretty good, huh? Oh, my AL brain is fighting me hard.

Great job IJM!! Great teamwork Overit!! Thanks for shouting Pav, I NEEDED THAT :happy2:

[LilBit]

RedNose, may I be the first to drop my pants for your amazing accomplishment!! (unless LilBit has beat me to it!)
There's your FULL MOON! Each day of the week conquered! We are so glad you've parked your cheeks in the nest! Stay put and keep it going!!! Well done, Mister! B

Byrdie, you have to get up pretty early to beat an ex-cheerleader in dropping her drawers, LOL. But, you managed to do it. I see that you're *talented,* too. Enough about us and our sordid habits -- RedNose -- woot woot!! :butt::butt::butt: Good for you.

Pav, we love you when you get Grinchy.

Matt, hope you survived your self-mutilation. If I hear that Hawaiian Christmas song piped through store speakers one more time...