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    Newbies Nest

    Grego is right about those genes. Some got em...some don't. I read something quite wise a few months ago....it went something like this:

    Alcohol addiction is not a choice....but we CAN choose NOT to drink.


    As for WHY I am this way....it doesn't matter...because I am. No wishing will change that. So, I have finally accepted that. And that has liberated me from a life of hell and saved me from an earlier than expected death. I stopped fooling myself that my drinking was just a bad habit that had gotten out of control. I let go of the fiction that I could have "just one or two" and stop there. I never really ever wanted just one anyway. I wanted 20. I wanted to feel the buzz. No matter what you want to call it... an addiction, a disease, a dysfunction....alcohol and my body don't mix well. So now I keep it out of my body.

    I've got good news for the newbies and the newly returned...the longer you are AF the less you have to struggle with cravings. It think this is easiest for those who have ditched the feeling of deprivation early on.

    Next time you get a craving or a thought about drinking...do not allow it to torture you. USE that as an opportunity to make your AF muscles stronger. In fact, don't wait for the urge to come along to really celebrate how wonderful it is to live AF. Every morning - before I even get out of bed - I take time to think about all I am grateful for. I do the same before I go to sleep. And, ANY TIME a rogue urge comes along I hook it off center stage of my brain before it can start its tap dance. I NEVER had a buzz from AL that equals the feelings I have now!

    Last night in chat, a couple of us were talking about the weirdness of the physical act of drunk drinking - the kind that all of us here have done. If you were an alien from Planet Gork and you walked into a bar - what would you make of the humanoids who pour 'mass quantities' of a poisonous substance down their throats - a substance that alters their ability to think and even physically move about? It's pretty silly. And for those of us who have been poisoned...it is tragic.

    The fact that we are here and recognize that we can no longer go on the way we have been is a good thing. Today....see yourself as a strong person who is healing. Flex those muscles!
    Sober for the Revolution!
    AF & NF July 23, 2011

    Comment


      Newbies Nest

      Turnagain...thanks for the awesome post. I love the concept of making the AF muscles stronger. And the alien thing...if the sober me could see a video of the drunken me, I am sure it would be like that.

      The support here is tremendous. Because of you all I am tackling this. I don't so much feel like a weirdo anymore either!

      See ya'all at the pool party!
      BelleGirl

      Alcohol does me no favors.

      Pouring poison down your throat is just plain STUPID!

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        Newbies Nest

        Yo Grego...

        I love your most recent Avatar of Chapter Two. Looks like it came from the pages of a glossy travel magazine!
        Sober for the Revolution!
        AF & NF July 23, 2011

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          Newbies Nest

          Hi Everyone,

          Is there room in the nest for one more? Skulking back with tail between my legs!

          Fell down the rabbit hole again after winning a bottle of champagne in a raffle! Really thought I could keep it in my wine rack (yeah right). Weird head stuff - trying to stop the poison, but at the same time thinking be nice for a "special" occasion or even just to be able to actually keep a bottle in the wine rack. Suffice to say the champagne was enjoyed by me only and was the start of a week's bender - well at least vino everyday.

          Setting resolve again but i guess I'm not the only one to take a few starts at this - hope not anyway.

          Going to stay close to the nest - worked best for me when I first found this site and read and read an read. Sorry for pathetic post but thanks for listening
          You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life? Rumi

          :lilangel:

          Comment


            Newbies Nest

            CantBelieve!
            Glad you came back to the nest. What have you learned?
            I rid my house of all AL & haven't purchased a drop since coming here. I wouldn't trust myself having a bottle in the house, still won't test myself. I am completely done with AL! There will be no occasion 'special' enough to make me drink again. That's just the way it is & I have accepted that fact
            Stay close, you know what to do!
            AF since 03/26/09
            NF since 05/19/09
            Success comes one day at a time :thumbs:

            Comment


              Newbies Nest

              Hi all,

              Wow, this has been a busy nest today! I'm here and I'm having a wonderful sober night! Hope you all are too.

              I didn't really do much to hide my drinking since my husband drinks his fair share also. But I'm hoping that with me not drinking that will cause him to decrease the amount. He has a few beers at night. Me, I hate beer so I am not tempted to have any of his...lol. That's a good thing! I got rid of all the wine in my house the night before I went sober (by drinking the rest of the bottle!).

              Greg-I haven't ordered the CD's...I'm doing pretty well with some good supplements, reading MWO everyday and keeping busy. Plus counting all of the good things about life sober and being grateful for them everyday. Your sailboat is beautiful by the way. I live in Coastal New England and have lots of boaters as friends. I read in a recent post a few days ago that you mentioned how much drinking is a part of life when you are in the boating world and I totally agree. I have some friends that own boats and have them in the water during the summer months and they throw some pretty crazy parties. I won't be joining them for those next summer, that's for sure. Always ended up with a some drama on the docks and a bad hangover the next day. I've had enough of that! Good for you on staying strong and AF in an environment where drinking and boating seem to go hand in hand. Must be hard to face at times I'm sure. Keep up the good work!

              As for the drinking gene, my mother's side of the family has it for sure. She drinkings a bottle of white wine every night and has for many many years. She is the one who actually started my drinking career at 18 years old when she bought me wine so I could have happy hour with her. Her parents drank but I don't think at the rate that she does. It's sad. I don't spend quality time with her because of it and I need to work at changing it. Anyway, I definitely inherited the drinking gene. My father wasn't much of a drinker but he did smoke a pack of unfiltered Pall Mall's every day. Luckily I never picked up smoking!

              Well, I'm about to turn in for the night...I've got to be up early tomorrow for work as I open the store and need to be there by 7:45 to do so. I have my coffee pot set up, ready to go and even an outfit layed out which will make my morning go ever so much more smoothly. Never would have been able to do that at this hour if I had started drinking at 5:30 when I get home on Fridays. Instead, tonight I took my dog for a nice walk in the brisk wind and then had a wonderful dinner with my husband. I'm about to have another cup of herbal tea and read a few chapters in my book and then off to the lad of nod! Have a wonderful night everyone and a great day tomorrow! I may not have time to check in in the morning as I am usually rushing out the door on Saturdays.

              Peace!:h
              Whatever you invest in the circle of LIFE is what comes back to you. Multiplied. What you give to people is what they eventually give back to you. Don't do the math. Just increase your LOVE.

              BE HAPPY...BE CONNECTED...BE HEALTHY!
              :h

              Comment


                Newbies Nest

                Hey Turn - Another awesome post - Thanks! And yeah, I really caught some nice twilight in the St Johns River to go with my freshly re-painted transom. The old avatar was a "dream" boat. Chapter Two is reality! Man is it reality - there's a lot of stuff to do on boats - who knew?!! Well, it will keep me away from AL, that's for sure. Tomorrow, I'll be up at 5 AM to drive across the state and dissect the steering system....lots of wires and sheaves and bearings....oh my! Couldn't be dealing with that hung over!

                Windy - Hope you've brightened up a bit and doused your headache!

                Belle - Maybe we're not "screwed"... maybe we're lucky! Since we know we have the gene we do the right thing and don't pour poison down the hatch - we end up winners!

                StillAtIt - Hell yeah we got some room for ya! Pull up a twig and I'll pass you some butt velcro so you don't fall out! Don't be beating yourself up - the important thing is that you came here and you are ready to get your quit on for real! Make sure your recovery stool has at least three legs - supplements, exercise, hypnotherapy!

                (I would go with the "abstinence" CD's)

                Blonde - Keep up the great work!

                Heading off to dreamland now....gotta get some Zzzz's to get up and go go go tomorrow.

                Hope to check back late tomorrow; stay safe Nesters!
                -Cap'n G

                Comment


                  Newbies Nest

                  Hi Lav,
                  Thanks for the welcome back

                  I've learned that without alcohol I feel good and connected to my authentic self. I have a sense of purpose and peace (all that in a short time of not drinking). I've also learned however, that all those feelings are lost REALLY quickly when I decide to go down the vino route. I feel and look like crap with alcohol and I've learned I just don't want to do that to myself anymore. I cannot moderate - my brain doesn't understand moderation.

                  I've learned I need an arsenal of tools and that I need to use them, and continue to use them (not get complacent when I think I've got the little bastard beaten). Also learned that I do pretty well when sticking close to the nest.

                  Cap'n G - I love the butt velcro - pass it over here cos I need it! Will stick it in my arsenal and on my butt of course.

                  So, happy to grab a twig - feels safe in here. Big hi to fellow nesters. See you all tomorrow
                  You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life? Rumi

                  :lilangel:

                  Comment


                    Newbies Nest

                    Glad to hear that CantBelieve
                    If you can't moderate you can't moderate so why waste your time - right???
                    After a while you'll realize it's just plain easier to remain AF, healthy & safe

                    OK, wishing everyone a safe night in the nest! Seat belts & butt velcro available for all

                    Lav
                    AF since 03/26/09
                    NF since 05/19/09
                    Success comes one day at a time :thumbs:

                    Comment


                      Newbies Nest

                      Thanks Lav - I'm looking forward to the day when I actually don't think about AL for a day, then I'll know I've turned a corner.

                      Anyway velcro securely in place - just think after a few months without AL I won't need so much of the stuff as hopefully the butt will have shrunk!

                      Off to yoga - will check in this evening to report day one locked down
                      You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life? Rumi

                      :lilangel:

                      Comment


                        Newbies Nest

                        Butt Velco? Hahahahahaha! Greg, you crack me up! Hey, we all need a little butt velco now and then to stick close to the nest.

                        I agree with Lav...why waste your time moderating if you know you can't? It's easier and healthier to just quit and get on with life.

                        Can't Believe-I can relate to your new found feeling of peace and purpose know that we've given up drinking in just a short amount of time. I have been feeling this way for the last few days. Today is only Day 4 and it's only going to get better and better. I feel a sense of calm these days. Like I've been through one hell of a battle and I've reached a safe harbor. And in a sense, I guess I really have! Safe calm harbors to all you Nesters this weekend.

                        Slept like a baby last night and I'm up and out the door early for work. Will check in with you later and in the meantime, have a beautiful day!

                        PS, Greg, about the boat...isn't there an old saying; B.O.A.T.: Break Out Another Thousand? (relating to your comment that there is always so much to do with a boat. Work that is. But it must be all worth it. I love being on the water. My father was a boat builder from Maine...worked on wooden boats and high end yachts for the wealthy summer folks mostly. Even was the foreman on a few of Billy Joel's boats back in the 80's). I remember being a young girl and going to one of his boat christening's in the Bar Harbor area (where I grew up). He was married to Christy Brinkley then and I got to go to the party. I remember trying to save the glass of champagne they served, like it was gold or something. Sat in the fridge for about a week...lol. And I got his autograph on a cocktail napkin, which was pretty huge for a teeny bopper back in the 80's as he was big back then. Anyway, geez, I gotta get to work but thought I'd share my admiration for boats with ya! It's a labor of love, that's for sure.

                        See ya later all!
                        Whatever you invest in the circle of LIFE is what comes back to you. Multiplied. What you give to people is what they eventually give back to you. Don't do the math. Just increase your LOVE.

                        BE HAPPY...BE CONNECTED...BE HEALTHY!
                        :h

                        Comment


                          Newbies Nest

                          Good morning nesters

                          Happy to see the sunshine today! Improves my mood immensely!

                          Great to see some up & about early after a safe night in the nest!
                          I have a full day of work lined up for myself so I'll just get started.

                          Wishing everyone a wonderful AF Saturday!
                          Lav
                          AF since 03/26/09
                          NF since 05/19/09
                          Success comes one day at a time :thumbs:

                          Comment


                            Newbies Nest

                            good morning! off and running - but feeling so satisfied with my AF state...don't give up on it....i'm on 6 weeks AF free this weekend and loving life.
                            ~

                            Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

                            Sobriety date: Sept 26, 2011

                            Comment


                              Newbies Nest

                              Hi Nesters,

                              Lolab -- I am right with you....I feel like ....a million bucks today and I know it's because I am getting better living the AF life.

                              Greg -- I was thinking just this morning that (perhaps) I was one of the lucky ones to be afflicted with the desire to catch the bigger buzz, because it has truly taught me to be more compassionate to other people's struggles. It has also humbled me quite a bit. I don't think I would have become the person I am without having this problem and taken time to reflect on it.

                              I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I am typing on an ancient computer, so have to make it short due to my impatience.

                              Hi to Lav and I am glad Can't Believe is back -- good for you!

                              Blonde --- You are doing great in this battle. Keep up the good work. I truly am enjoying your posts.

                              Comment


                                Newbies Nest

                                Hi windy & lola!
                                Hope yo are both ahving a nice day. It's perfect here today, sunny, cool not too cold
                                AF since 03/26/09
                                NF since 05/19/09
                                Success comes one day at a time :thumbs:

                                Comment

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