Newbies Nest

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good morning everyone, love waking up on Saturday UN Hung

Happy Birthday Byrdie! I love that you dressed up like toothpaste. Thanks for the warm witches, haha, very cute.

Wags, I gotta admit, I was a bit confused because you were talking about your wife. I thought you were a guy, then a girl... whatevs right? I love you no matter what. We all are human and are in this struggle of fighting AL together :heartbeat:

NS, drinking in the tub? I never think I did that but was probably in the middle of a blackout so I don’t remember.
Pauly, yeah, that feeling is gross, I agree. Your puppy sounds really nice, they grow up quickly.

I had that feeling of deprivation at the beginning but gradually it faded away. LC, the fact you don’t care about not drinking around your friends. That is a huge step. Yeah, Byrdie, Kensho, having fun at parties without drinking, who would have thought?

GMan I love the quote you posted. I try to reign in my thoughts and be kinder to myself. I am getting there. Thanks for the post Life.

Ken, your hubby getting up all cranky about the dog sure is a reminder about how much it sucks to have a hangover. I remember cleaning up after my dogs and being SO sick. Or having to get out of bed with a hangover to let them out and then going back to bed.

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Pauly, I love the way you put things! The idea gives me the creeps, too. As someone who loves control in my life I can't imagine that I ever actually wanted to lose control like that. Creepy. That's sweet about Spencer. I do love dogs...

I am SO grateful I don't drink. I love that post, Kensho. I am finding and doing things I only thought about and really, truly feel like I have found myself in all of this - not lost anything at all.

Ava, are you following a specific juicing/eating plan? I'd love to see it. I've said this a thousand times here, but I need to get back into eating better... Glad your cousin is visiting - have fun. Mr. G, do you just follow the G plan??

Off to take care of some things around the house. Have wonderful SOBER Saturdays.

Pav

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

One thing I absolutely love about my husband is that he likes to have fun. We accidentally hit a random channel on TV last night and found a cheesy infomercial on a CD set with music from the 80's. We grew up during this era, and totally jammed out to the sample songs they were playing. We were singing, dancing and making fools of ourselves, and the kids thought we were crazy! We laughed until we cried! What a strange decade. Acting like a fool and a kid - without alcohol. That's where its at!

I've almost forgotten that I used to need alcohol to feel like that. The further away I get from alcohol, the more I just live without it - I've adapted and grown and learned how to live differently. It's not a habit any more. I can't quite grasp just how hard breaking the habit was for me. It absolutely AMAZED me how hard it was. Probably because I used it for everything. It was my response.... to life. To sad, happy, fear, boredom, hunger, revelation, evening, social situations. When it is your everything, it's hard to then feel like nothing. But ALL of those times have been replaced with other, better responses.

Given that, it amazes me that I still feel the pull. I have a healthy respect for that pull, and I have no intention of drinking. But it's there and I need to keep talking about it and remembering how much I HATED alcohol. Life is better without it, FOR SURE. That should be all I need to know.

Thinking of everyone, sending good thoughts.

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hola friends!

Sunday morning here and off to the salt mines. Like i always say - lucky i like my job.

Random dancing and singing friend Kensho? haha. Right on mi amiga! Love it.

Yo Pauly! S'up. I no longer want to mentally check out either. Well, not as often as i used to. Learning to live again without checking out with a chemical. I can check out beautifully with a run or meditation. That's what logic tells me.

Pav, yes, i'm on a Gman food regime. Pretty loose these days. No longer strictly organic veg and fish a few times a week. Now i'm eating meat too, but vegetables, garlic, tumeric are core ingredients. I felt a bit skinny lol, so i've included meat again. I've put on a couple of kilo's so will taper off again soon most likely. Sugar is still kept to a minimum where possible. I can say if someone ate only vegetables for a couple of weeks and no cake/cookies, the kilos would likely melt away pronto. Increased energy levels and great skin are side benefits.

Waves to evabody.

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi dear Nesters!

Had a lovely Unhung Saturday.. a full day planned and absolutely no stress about needing to get back home to drink! I wasn't jonesin' for anything, I could just sit back and enjoy conversations.. The friend I wrote the message to about not bringing alcohol, wrote back the next morning, in a very nice way, "yeah, I'd been wondering myself.. will think of something else to bring.:love:".. They brought some non alcoholic, yummy juicy fizzy drink and it was totally fine and normal. Such a nice evening. And I have to say, I am MUCH better company when I'm sober! I can follow a conversation, remember what is said, tell a half way decent story, say something funny if appropriate, listen with empathy and interest. Couldn't have a conversation to save my life these past few years while under the influence..
Wags, I really appreciated your post. Thank you very much for that..:hug:
Pauly and Pav, that feeling, the fact that I wanted that feeling is giving me the creeps, too!
Ava, I'm glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better.. what are going into those daily shakes/smoothies? Loved the visual of pulling out the eyeballs to soak them in cold water! Wouldn't that be nice??
Kensho, I wish I could've hung out with you all during the infomercial! Sounds like a blast, rockin' out to the 80's!

Big hugs to Nar, NS, Lav, Gman, Byrdie, Pav, Pauly, Kensho, Ava, Wags, everyone still flying by or stopping in today.. Can't wait to wake up Unhung Sunday morning.. A whole day, an an empty canvas, a clean, clear slate.. xx

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Nice day around here sunny but a bit cool ~ perfect

Glad everyone is having a good weekend. We all deserve it after breaking out of our alcohol hells. I have zero desire to try that experIment again.
Looking forward to election day coming up on Tuesday. Time to start moving forward with some progressive politicians in this country. Sick of the same old same old.

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

Lav

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Sunday, all. Always weird on Fall back Sunday, after the time changes. It was nice to have some daylight this morning, but not crazy about it getting dark so early.
Yes, the further away from AL I get, the more of a problem I realize I had. I was on a path to nowhere, like you, Pauly, I was in a cycle that was really hard to break. I kept giving myself a pass for ‘slipping’ but a relapse by any other name produces the same headache.
I was a great day when I found MWO. Thanks to all who make it their business to help!
Drinking IS gross.
Hugs, Byrdie

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good morning all.

I agree, Byrdie, this time of year makes me tense because of the darkness coming so early. I believe I talk about this here every year.

We're also approaching the 6th anniversary of my joining MWO. I joined telling everyone here that I was quitting for good, but with the real intention of only not drinking for 90 days and then going back to "moderation." I was under the impression that that would "fix" me. If I told everyone here I was quitting forever, I would get the support and wouldn't have to endure the moderation/abstinence advice from people like Lav and Byride! :egad: In other words, I didn't want to hear the truth quite yet.

A concert came up, I decided to drink again "just for the holidays," and then I finally hit my bottom over the Thanksgiving weekend. The feeling I get of remembering that time is one of sadness and fear. I was so terrified because I KNEW that I had to stop drinking if I wanted to have the life I wanted, but I also had no idea who I was without alcohol. What a relief it has been to be able to find myself, and have FUN, without the added burden of finding, drinking, and recovering from alcohol.

Mr. G - speaking of truth - that's it, and I know it. Eat a lot of veggies, very little (if any) meat and no sweets. Lay off the bread and pasta. Exercise. That's what it boils down to. Of course I know that - I just want a magic wand...

Lav - fingers crossed for Tuesday.

Happy SOBER Sunday, all. I hope you have terrific days.
Pav

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good morning everyone. Enjoying the extra hour this morning. I had my coffee and am just planning my day.

Remember spending the day in bed being hungover? I am SO grateful to have that behind me.
I used to just hate myself for being hungover every week and weekend. I saw No way out.

But then I found My Way Out. I agree Byrdie, thank you to everyone for making this work and to Roberta for starting it.

Have a great day everyone and don’t drink today, it’s gross.

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi gang,

It amazes me how by living just sober, the treasure keeps coming. A non stop parade of amazeballs and little things to marvel at. As long as we are open to life and allow ourselves to see it unfold. What a beautiful evolution it is to simply be here on this planet and take part in living. No longer the living dead! I think personal growth is an important factor to keep a handle on and be aware of. i.e. am i growing, and am i growing in the direction of my dreams and desires? If not, no reason why we can't make a plan and chip away at it daily to move in our desired direction. Sometimes changing environment, inner or outer can take awhile, but we can ALWAYS start today from where we are. I'm the boss. I'm steering this ship. It was a ghost ship for many years, but now a healthy kick ass crew and captain have returned.

Take it easy. Have a beaut week y'all. Big waves to evabody.

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

Morning nesters

Well i bought another flat pack on the weekend and my son spent 5 hours putting it together, looks great though. My daughter visited and coloured my hair and we had some lovely rain after the hot weather. All in all a great weekend.

My cousin will be here in 2 sleeps and i have signed us up for a "parkour event for oldies". My children are just peeing themselves laughing at me as its for young people who jump off things and do it very quickly, i will be bending over going "ohh my back", so i will have an audience with my two girls.

Driving my daughter home today she was telling me about a friend of hers who is celebrating a year off heroin and being sober. She said he has not been doing much in the past year but they are going out for dinner to celebrate which she said he totally deserved. He has guarded his sobriety 110%. I remember my first birthday sober and there was a cake and flowers and i had all of the children over to celebrate. The feeling of proudness and joy that i had actually achieved this brings a smile to my face remembering. Coming up to six years there is still that profound sense of happiness and serenity. Looking back at how far i have come due to sobriety is amazeballs as my children would say. Nothing will entice me to drink again, that door is firmly closed.

Lav, how is your hubs going?

Nar, those memories are still vivid laying in bed all day and just wishing the world would end to feel moderately human around 11am and then going to get more al about 1pm with a really bad case of the shakes. Wondering if i would be able to sign my name without shaking. i never want to feel like that again.

Public holiday tomorrow for the horse race that apparently stops a nation. Not me, i plan on going to see a rose garden or something.

take care xx

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

Amazingly enough my younger grandson requested a day here with us. I think he’s maturing after an awful couple of years in behavior hell
Waiting for his Dad to pick him up now.

Ava, my husband is doing fine. I imagine biopsy results will be in this week so I’m staying positive for us both.
I don’t think I’ll ever lose my sense of gratitude - we all have done something wonderful & Should be happy & proud of ourselves

G, ‘no longer the living dead’ - you got that one right friend!

Narilly, I hope Roberta is as happy as we are with ourselves.

Pav & Byrdie, hello to you! Hello to everyone.

Wishing us all a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

It's so fun reading people's thoughts back to when they first joined MWO. For me it was I think May or June of 2014 and I made it through the first 100+ days. I lost access to that account when they moved the site to the new platform (or whatever they did) and then I also fell off the wagon and was absent for about 2 years. Come July of 2016 I was scared out of my mind and knew I had to quit drinking for good, forever, for me. After getting about 6 weeks of sobriety I suddenly remembered MWO and the Nest in particular -- I created this account and was so happy to see so many familiar names and "faces" (or avatars in this case). This nest has become like family in so many ways. I'm so grateful we all have each other :heartbeat:

I'm wiped out from a super long day of tutoring so I'm gonna hit the hay early and hope to get a really good night's sleep. Happy Mondays and almost-Mondays to everyone - catch you on the flip side!

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Un-Hung Monday morning, Nesters!

One of my 7 favourite days to wake up Un-hung! This morning I woke up to the alarm at 6 and didn't know where I was.. thank goodness I set it! I had such a lovely Sunday.. had a 7am coffee at my neighbour's across the street and other than that, didn't leave the house or bother getting out of my jammies! Cozy!

Yes, Pav, we always talk about the darkness this time of year.. for me, and for the girls and I guess for everyone else as well, the mornings aren't THAT bad, but the afternoons are tough to swallow. The candles do help!! As does good, uplifting music for me.
I've got so much alone time now as the girls grow up and go off to do their own things.. so I'm also looking at going to more exhibitions and concerts.. getting out a bit more so as not to become too much of a homebody!
I'm so looking forward to the big 6 year anniversary coming up for Pav and Ava!!! That's a really nice and solid amount of time!:love:
dear Ava, what is a flat pack? I'm sure I should know that, but I can't figure it out. Wishing you a lovely week with your cousin!
G-man, that was a really nice post to read before going to bed last night..
Wags, I hope you have a relaxing Monday after working so hard yesterday!

ok. Not so much going on here.. I thought I had a hair appt on Saturday, but turned out it had been onf Friday.. so yesterday I took the scissors to my own head and cut off a few inches of old colour that's been driving me batty.. Now I have sort of a shaggy bear look.:eek-new: Hopefully my hair dresser won't kill me (and can work with it!) on Wednesday.

I'm wishing all of you Nesters a good start to the week.. Thank you all who make this place cozy and safe. Big hugs all around.xx

[paulywogg]

Re: Newbies Nest

Morning nesters, LC I love when customers have chopped their own hair cuz then I can be creative and do something creative cuz they've already messed it up so anything I do will be much appreciated haha, could NOT fall asleep last night! I think staying up the extra hour gave me some sort of second wind cuz I was fully awake and tossing and turning,very annoying,anyhoo waves to the gang and hope we all have a wonderful day