Newbies Nest

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Thanks Wags. Love is in the air is what rattled me. I've had a few gals in my time, but it's been a very long time since my heart strings have been tugged.

Congratulations Susie! That's great news.

Thanks Lav and y'all.

[tonyniceday]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Nest

Sorry I've been a bit absent lately - no dramas AL wise, just absolutely manic at work (which is all good!) I'll really try to have a good read back later when I get back in from work tonight!.

Keep away from that alcohol everyone! and have a great day!

Tony

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Getting ready to hit the road shortly. I will be gone for 2 nights. This USED to be my ticket to BoozeVille! I can't tell you how many times I would drag back to my hotel room only to realize I didn't have enough booze and have to go out and find a liquor store. I could have kicked myself for the poor planning. UGG, those weren't the days.

Wags, great post. It is incredible that we turn to AL for comfort/relaxation/sleep and it does just the opposite. Whatever superpowers we THINK it gives us is all just a lie.
Hope everyone has a great day. Byrdie

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Safe travels Byrdy!

[Mr Vervill]

Re: Newbies Nest

Thanks for the support Nar, and Wags, and the rest of ya'll.
Such great news on the health front Susie. I have two sisters that are breast cancer survivors. And, yes alcohol (ethanol) is a known carcinogen. I lost my Dad from Prostate cancer, and I can't help but think that AL played a part. And I should know better, but.....
Safe travels Byrdie.
Glad to here the march went well, G.

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Congratulations, Susie, on your clean bill of health. Good to get al out of the occasion for sure, especially with breast cancer. Rock on!

G - Having strong feelings knock you off course is pretty typical - in this case it was strong GOOD feelings. We aren't used to feeling things so strongly as we have been muting those feelings with alcohol. I hope it all goes well.

Happy travels, Byrdie.

Happy SOBER Tuesday, all.

Pav

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Thanks Mr V
Safe travels Byrdie.
Hello G! xo

Pav, nice to see you this morning, lookin good.

Happy sober Tuesday everyone.

A drinking story:
I was in my hometown on the weekend and I heard a story about a guy I dated in high school. I broke up with him because he drank too much. I probably hung out with him because he made my drinking not look so bad. So over the years he has gone through 2 marriages, does not see his son who is around 22, his sisters won't have anything to do with him. He has ruined relationships all over the place. He has had over 3 impaired driving charges and has been unable to keep a job. He was driving a gravel truck and lost his drivers due to drinking. Now he is very sick and basically his liver is shot. He lives with his parents and they are looking to put him into a nursing home. I think he is brain damaged from drinking too much and he looks like he is 80 years old- he is actually in his early 50's. Scary eh?

I look at his life and it makes me cringe. That is the life I would never ever want.

Don't drink today everyone.
xo

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

Love is in the air is what rattled me. I've had a few gals in my time, but it's been a very long time since my heart strings have been tugged.

We all deserve love, kindness, and respect, Mr G. After going through addiction, it is hard to learn to accept it again but it is worth the effort. YOU are worth it. Have fun! :hug: NS

[Matt M.]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hey All!
It has been a while, all is well for the most part on my end, especially without booze!
The long awaited day has arrived has the Mrs and I head out to Scotland for 10 days, this has been planned and in the works for nearly 2 years. This has been something my wife has wanted to do for several years mostly do to a show she has followed that is set in Scotland (Outlander). It just so happens that one of the areas we will be visiting is directly tied to my last name and way closer in the family tree that I ever knew, so that will be exciting.

I have been on a wee bit of a pity party in regards to this trip. Once upon time I brewed beer competitively (I know surprise!) seriously though I was in a group of brewers and we spent countless hours boiling, mixing, waiting and crafting beer, we entered competitions all over the US. Of course the majority of the beer we brewed was Scottish and Irish style Ales,stouts etc. I longed for the day to be able to have a fresh pint of Guinness or a Scottish ale in a pub in the UK. With all that being said I am strong in my resolve and do not feel tempted,only a bit of disappointment. I remind myself that even though it looks like and likely taste like Heavens tears its still poison for me ( no blasphemy intended :smileya

SO my plan is to not get caught up in any nonsense or delusions that my life was better or would be better without alcohol, quite the contrary, I just about lost everything I hold near and dear to me to drinking. My life over the past all most 3 years :welldone: without alcohol has been unimaginable, of course life has not always dealt me a great hand and times have been tough, had I still been on my destructive addiction binge, I would likely be alone, imprisoned or dead..

When I started trying to get sober, I would attend AA meetings and I could relate to just about everything that was said, but often I would hear people say " You cant just quit drinking, you have to get to the underlying cause! Just not drinking is not going to cut it!" I wholeheartedly agree that past issues, defects must be dealt with, I for one have had horrible issues with PTSD, but in my opinion, It is a whole hell of a lot easier to deal with these issues with a clear and sober mind and rid of the poison. For me not drinking AND changing my entire mindset and though process about the actual substance we call Alcohol and finally realizing it is poison, perfectly packaged poison!
Hell Just typing this out and reading it makes me feel better! One thing is for certain I will be all jacked up on coffee for damn sure!:horse::spin:

Stay Hard freaks!

[Mick]

Re: Newbies Nest

Matt..you dont need the booze to see Jockland ..it is a magic place without it!!I may be a tad biased...but when you come back tell me I was wrong!I applaud your resolve friend ..well done to you

[Matt M.]

Re: Newbies Nest

Matt..you dont need the booze to see Jockland ..it is a magic place without it!!I may be a tad biased...but when you come back tell me I was wrong!I applaud your resolve friend ..well done to you

Thanks Mick!
Forgive me for not reaching out, I meant to, if anything for some advise.
Here is a brief rundown of where we will be during our stay. Let me know if we will be close...
Falkland, Iverness, Glasgow > Dublin

[treetops]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Matt. I hope you have a great trip.
I have travelled a lot internationally both while drinking and while sober. I can assure you that its much easier when sober and you will see and experience much more. Its also easier to deal with the inevitable hassles and stress of travelling if one is sober. I have also been with companions who choose to and can drink AL - and have been with them when they have imbibed AL. Its not such a big deal. I just wouldn't go on a pub crawl or opt to accompany folk who go wine-tasting. Actually I did have to do the latter once when sober and it was as boring and pretentious as it was when I was drinking.
Although it may not appear so, plenty of people of Celtic descent (including me) do not drink and that is because they know they can't handle it and it destroys them. So you will not be alone! Having said that, it can be great fun in the right pub with the right food. There are plenty of non alcoholic drinks on offer - including water!

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters!

Byrdie, I hope you have a safe & fruitful trip - good business anyway, ha ha!

Matt, I hope you enjoy your trip. I had a great trip to Quebec just three months into my quit & enjoyed it immensely. I'm sure you will do the same!

Tony, nice to see you around the old nest
Glad you are busy & staying outta trouble.

G, I hope you have two feet solidly on the ground & moving you forward

Hello to everyone & wishing a safe night in the nest for all!

Lav

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good Morning, Nesters. Just as I was patting the dog on the head and packing the car for my trip, one of the meetings cancelled, so I am leaving today. I hate that I didn't get to see the guy, I am hoping for confirmation that I can meet him next week, so another 8 hours of driving next week and an overnight. You gotta love sales.

Matt, I'm so excited that you are getting to travel to the MotherShip! As you know, Mick, Daisy and I met in Dublin last year! I believe that travel is made memorable by the people and places you experience, NOT by what's in your glass! You got this! When we went to the Netherlands and visited a diamond factory, I wanted one of those, too, but as our buddy Mick Jagger says....'You can't always get what you want'. eheheheh.

Hope everyone has an easy day. Byrdie

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Matt - have a great trip and stick with your plan! It sounds like you are grounded in reality yet ready to enjoy your dream trip - I hope you have a fantastic time and I'll look forward to hearing about it.

Byrdie - safe travels home. Yep, road trips are MUCH easier without al as the driving force, pun somewhat intended

Nar - that's very sad about your high school ex who seems to have let al take away his life in so many ways. When we're young especially it's so hard to believe there will ever be consequences for our actions - being 50ish seems SO far away and so many of us as adolescents think we're invincible, or that it won't happen to us, or... Very sad for him, but also what a great contrast for you to see what a difference it has made since you gave up drinking.

Treetops - I agree about traveling sober, whether internationally or more locally. Traveling invariably brings with it the unexpected, and if you enter different cultures and/or languages, all the more so. While it's tempting to add al to the mix, everything is so much easier to navigate (and remember!) without it.

G & Pav - so true that strong feelings are often a triggering force, partly I think because we often don't see them coming. Glad you jumped right back on track G, and I hope your heart strings continue to be tugged in a very nice way <3

Happy Hump Day/Eve everyone!