Newbies Nest

[paulywogg]

Re: Newbies Nest

Welcome back Kim!

[Quit wining]

Re: Newbies Nest

Welcome back Jvo and Kim! We’re glad you’re here.

Don’t hesitate to lean on your fellow nesters anytime we can help.

QW

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Kim - Glad to see you back too. If sober 2018 is what you're aiming for, then MWO (and the Nest in particular) is a great place to be! Pull up a twig and strap yourself in. You already said it yourself that being active here is a tremendous help for maintaining a quit. Stop by every day - read, post, whatever works for you. Really glad you're back :hug:

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Nest. And hi Kim! Glad you are here.

I decided to spend the day cleaning my office. Out with the old and in with the new! I feel refreshed and it is very weird breathing in my office. I even purged files! It was symbolic - a fresh new start for a fresh new me in a fresh new year. So glad I spend Jan. 2 this way. I was also listening to podcasts by Holly Whitaker of hipsobriety.com much of the time. PAV.... well, what can I say. It's not bubble hour, but I learned I love podcasts. You've only been telling me about them for 4 years now. It's even better to hear an actual person talk than to read their words. A couple things stood out to me:

1. I WAS "that bad". I might make a list of all the reasons.
2. I cannot be at Z if I'm still at A. Its important to be right where I am and not try to "feel all better" if I don't.

I'm also amazed at how fast I lost ground when I started drinking again. I honestly thought my life wouldn't change if I took that drink in May - that I could go right back to the way it was. And I found that I lost myself and my integrity in a matter of days.

Anyway, going to bed. Have a nice night everyone.

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

Sometimes listening to that podcast makes me feel OLD :egad:, [MENTION=20476]KENSHO[/MENTION], but I think Holly and Laura are great at sharing their experiences and helping people face the fact that they really were 'that bad' without a ton of shame. If these cool women can admit (in public!) the extent of their addictions, surely I could privately and anonymously here acknowledge how much I drank and more importantly, how my addiction drove every aspect of my life. Until we manage to push our carefully nurtured egos aside, it's hard to move past addiction. I wanted to wrestle it to the ground and control it, instead of it controlling me. Turned out that all that was needed was the humility to (as gracefully as possible but oftentimes not gracefully at all) surrender - something I was totally unable to do while maintaining my big story about who NoSugar is. xx

[moonking]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Kim and Jvo!

Checking in at 129 days here and glad to be in a positive place. Also happy to have a place where I can share my ups and downs, even if it does make me seem a bit unstable.

Kensho - when we first moved into our house there was a mouse in our kitchen. I had no idea what to do and my husband was on an airplane at the time so I called my dad, who lives 2 hours away. He goes: "And what would you like me to do about this?" I had to put on my big girl pants and get that sucker out with an empty paint can and a broom. Didn't have the heart to kill it. Apparently my grandmother was an expert at killing mice with a pillowcase and a hammer, but she had to live with a 1 year old and 0 neighbors, no phone and no car while my grandfather was off at war...I think she was sort of a badass. Anyway, we've since adopted an outdoor cat and that seemed to end our mouse problem, however she does enjoy sharing her kills with us on the front porch sometimes. Eruuugh.

Anywho - had a rough night last night with the toddler. Woke up at 4am to blood curdling screams from her room - apparently had a bad dream that there was a snake in her bed. Breaks my heart to hear her so scared. My husband brought her in our room and I was so happy to hear: "I want to snuggle with Mommy!" But having a toddler in your bed makes for not very pleasant sleep, so I've essentially been up since 4am. I realize that when this used to happen I would be so frustrated because I "needed" my sleep - meaning, I'd drank too much wine and didn't want to be awake yet. (And I know the dangers of bedsharing and drinking. We didn't start bringing her to bed with us until she was well over a year old. I'm sure still dangerous, but I never drank and slept in the same bed as her when she was a newborn.) Anyway, I don't have to worry about that anymore. Sure, I'm a bit tired but I'll deal.

Anyway, hello to everyone - I need to jump on the podcast bandwagon as well.

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, Nest:

Welcome back, Kim. Sorry you feel like crap, but you're on your way to feeling better for sure. I noticed they made the toolbox "sticky" so it is on top of the threads. There's some good reading in there...

Kensho - that #2 is SO TRUE. That is true in sobriety and in other part of life as well. I haven't tried that podcast - I'll give it a whirl. (My friend who is sober might get on of those T tattoos that Holly has. I'm not that out and proud!) I'm on my way to clean my office as well.

Lav - how will your chickens fare with the killer storm that is on its way? Hope all of you east coasters stay safe!

Hard to set that alarm and get up early today, but back to the job that I love. Looking forward to a day without everyone back to get organized and set things on the right path.

Happy SOBER Hump Day.

Pav

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

I'm trying to drop a few pounds. NS suggested the high protein, low carb plan. I've lost weight with this before, so it was a spendid suggestion. I ran out to Walmart and grabbed a ham, perfect for snacking. That was two days ago and the shiny is off the penny now. For as long as I can remember, I've eaten a blueberry bagel for breakfast. Bleary-eyed this morning, as I arose at 5:45, I instinctively reached for the bagel bag. Then I remembered that I was changing my eating patterns....the thought, "What the hell, I'm not THAT BAD" popped in my head. Then something else popped in....NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES. I ate the ham.

I have learned so much here in this little nest. It applies to many parts of life, too, not just AL. I can keep fighting and complaining about these 5 pounds (now 3!) or I can DO something about them. I'm choosing ACTION over talk!
THANK YOU, nesters.... Hope everyone has an easy day. Byrdie

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Nesters!

Pav, hope you get as much satisfaction cleaning your office as I did! Hipsobriety.com is very "no b.s.", and I like that about it. But it is not for those offended by the f-bombs that they drop excessively. I'll check out bubble hour when I ride the bike later today.

Moonking, I don't think I could do the hammer treatment to a mouse! I would have to release it in the wild far away from the house. Definitely bad-ass genes in your pool! I SO get the toddler waking you up. My daughter has had nightmares of "things" crawling on her for years. The recent mouse escapade hasn't helped. They grow out of it soon enough. Hope you're not too tired today!

Byrdie, don't forget the veggies! Just protein with less carbs can get a person in trouble.

On that note, my friend who I've felt pressure to drink from has announced she is doing a Whole30, partly because it will make her take a break from alcohol for 30 days. There have been several back-handed mentions now about her drinking (by her and her husband). I hope she will strike up a conversation at some point if she wants support. I DO really feel it is the people with alcohol problems themselves that are the least supportive of me.

I'm off to do work that is much less rewarding than cleaning my office. Have a happy day.

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good Morning Nesters!!

Welcome back, Kim! No better day than the present to begin your new life.. it's good to have you in the Nest with us. I, too, have had the most success with sobriety when I've been active in the Nest. And this time I decided/promised myself that I would check in here AND post each and every day, multiple times if necessary, with the blahblahblah's (that's how I feel sometimes).. as much as I need to even if I don't feel like I have anything to say or feel like I'm getting on the nerves of other Nesters. It has helped me so much and has been my number 1 tool. I've worked so much out within myself by writing it out, with the responses I've received, with reading about what the others are experiencing/have experienced, by being part of a community. It works if you use it, the aa'ers like to say.. and I think it holds true for whichever method we choose to get and stay sober. :hug:

So this is actually a quick fly by for me.. I have a friend in town and it's getting to be our last week of visiting family so I guess I'll be in the Nest a bit less. Still checking in and reading each and every day, though!!

Hugs and strength and love to you all..
All I/we have to do is not drink! That's become my motto thanks in big part to all of you.

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

NS suggested the high protein, low carb plan.

Almost, Byrdie - low carb, moderate protein, high but healthy fat :smile:
Here's a really useful website: Diet Doctor - Making low carb simple
For me, high carb/sugar foods are like alcohol - none is so much better than one! And it makes sense given that their overall metabolism and effects on the brain are similar.

Let's all have a healthy 2018 in as many ways as possible!!

[MyNameIs]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hello, all! I'm not exactly a newbie, but I am making a return here. My name is MyNameIs, and I was hanging around on this forum back in 2013. Well, I am still drinking and trying to cut back. Happy New Year to everyone!

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Kensho - that must've been heartbreaking to revisit the screen where you went from Day 275 to Day one. What a good idea though - at least I think. I know people have different feelings about counting days and it certainly isn't the best strategy for everyone, but my numbers mean a lot to me and I us them for all they're worth! I am so glad you're back at it, and you're really being honest with yourself about al. That's a major step, and it really sounds like you're off on a different foot this time. Really happy for you! Congrats on the office cleaning as well. Wanna come and tackle mine? :congratulatory:

Ava - I am not a golfer at all either, but I was in a 7-year relationship with a golfer and I used to tag along and play just to have time together. I never cared one way or the other about the game, but grew to appreciate being surrounded by greenery, getting fresh air, and having some social time with another couple we often played with. Now I don't think I'll ever pick up a club again, but it is what you make of it and if you can find ways to enjoy it, do so!

Lav and all you other east coasters here in the U.S. - I hope the coming storm isn't as fierce or harsh as they're predicting, and that you all stay safe and warm. I'd send blankets if I could, but I guess hugs will have to do :hug:


Over here on the west coast, things are milder temp-wise. Our un-seasonal ice and snow has all disappeared, and now we just have high winds. We live up on a ridge near a major river, so the wind really whips through our part of town. It's a bit unnerving, and not fun to be out in, but otherwise not too bad. Certainly not a reason to stay inside and drink! I might try to sneak in a short nap here though. I've got another couple of hours of work to get done and then I need to relax a bit. One of my resolutions for 2018 is to maintain a better balance between work and play/relaxation. So far on Day 3, doing ok!

Happy hump day/night everyone!

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hello, all! I'm not exactly a newbie, but I am making a return here. My name is MyNameIs, and I was hanging around on this forum back in 2013. Well, I am still drinking and trying to cut back. Happy New Year to everyone!

:welcome: and Welcome back MNI. Glad to have you with us. Some of us were around back in 2013, while others are newer. Settle in and tell us a bit about yourself if you feel like it. Also fine to just ready back through posts and get a feel for the group.

We're glad you're here. :hug:

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

I wouldn't be game to voluntarily hand Ava a golf club..........:congratulatory: Wags and Byrdie, i'm glad to hear that work/play/relaxation balance is part of your plan. Wishing same for Pav and Kensho!

Welcome back My name is! Take care of yourself there friend. Good to see you.

Jvo, how are you doing?

Sun is shining, sahdana done, which now includes as a daily practice restoring my old motorbike. Daily. I set my phone timer for 5 minutes and work away. It's only 5 minutes so not a daunting thought. This strategy is just taking small do-able, bite sized chunks that i can handle every day in the name of progress. Simple technique that i apply to my daily morning breathing/meditation and speed yoga. You know something?.........It fkn works!

Ok, back to my travel plans and dreams! Git some self lovin' in today y'all, K? K.