String a few AF pearls together with me!

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Hi Everyone - just adding a pearl. This will be day 11 for me. I had the best night's sleep I've had in the last 15 years. I can't tell you how good I feel. I'm so optimistic about making it after having found all of you. I just don't want to get on the roller coaster again and following everyone on this site is the key.

Bratty - you are strong, woman. I'm impressed that you're already able to be around other drinkers like you're doing. I'm not that tough yet - having to stay in my little cocoon for a while.

Chook - thanks for coming back to this thread and supporting the newbies who are hanging on here. Very helpful.

Fluff I hope you're doing ok. I'm like Chook too, though, in that I don't take any of this for granted because when we least expect it, the craving can come back. I read somewhere that you can break open an L-Glut and put the powder under your tongue for a quick fix to a craving - anyone heard of that? I'm taking the L-Glut 3x day and drinking lots of lemon in water and Tulsi tea. Seems to be helping!

My weekend is going to be a visit to my sister's and general errands - grocery store, etc. I'm a jogger, so I'll get a good run in. Bratty, I ride my bike some too.

My best to all of you -- enjoy your day and stay strong!

[bratty57]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Choochie,

CONGRATULATIONS on day 11. You are doing fantastic ! Every day is like a pearl .. a gift.. every day that is AF.

[bratty57]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Choochie,

I am not so sure it was very wise to do what i did going to the bars. I felt alot of pressure cuz it was his birthday. I made it.. BUT, i did tell him a couple of times cuz i was aggravated, that I might not be drinkin tonight, but i would be tomorrow.

It scared me that that even came out of my mouth. I didnt mean it, but this little thing kept going off in my head that this was something i would use as an excuse to drink in the past. Dealin with drinkers is not easy when you were one of them just a week ago.

I intend to try to stay out of those circumstances in the future as much as i can.

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Seems like a very wise move to me -- at least for a good while. For me, it will be forever unless I just inadvertently am stuck in a situation!

Stay strong!

[fluff]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Late check in-Hi all-my other computer was attacked by some virus- so had to steal my daughter's laptop- after searching through the mess that's called her room-
I was actually wondering if that virus might have been caused by some of the pictures I posted from photobucket-(in the thread killer thread)...
Going to see a Rutgers football game tomorrow with the family-should be good football weather-brisk-!
Thanks for welcoming me-Choochie, bratty and Chicken-Congrats on your al free days-
I love jogging too-try to do it everday-!
Hope you all have a good weekend

[ChickenNumber3]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

I feel guilty..last night I binged on junk food!!!! So my diet has gone to the dogs..but atleast I'm still AF......
You all make me feel lazy, I am not doing alot of exercise lately adn have never been much for jogging,but I like long walks and swordfighting..so that gets the blood running pretty good!
Fluff-good to see you posting..Bratty and Choochie are a great team and I am so proud of them.....!

How are you feeling with the AF thing? Like I said, I'm still not craving free and temptation is never far off. There is a half bottle of bourbon in the cupboard and sometimes I think the only thing stopping me from drinking some is that I'm not buying any diet coke to go with it.That is a very conscious decision, when I want a diet coke I am only buying it buy the single can now, so there is only one drink to be had and none left in the fridge to use as a mixer! So far so good!

This is Day 27 af for me and the best I've done for ages. A long time back, when I first joined MWO I did 30af, then drank on the 31st day as some kiind of weird-ass reward!!(Don't ask me where my brain was at? then it just went back to the start again). Since that point its been SO very hard to get it happening again. I would get 2 or 3 days, somtimes a week, and then go on a week long bender..then start again. Those first days were the easy part for me..cause I think I always knew i was going to give in and would drink again.....so getting a few together was always the big hurdle.

Like Choochie said, I'm not taking it for granted, I am so very vulnerable at this time, and this state of being is a fragile and precious thing..I need to nurture it and treasure it!
We should all be so proud of ourselves here and also just a little bit gentle with ouselves!
Chook

[Made in England]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Hey there! Great idea! I'm with you guys tomorrow.

MIE X:new:

[ChickenNumber3]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Welcome MIE!

The pearls are pretty over here!
Chook

[Made in England]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Thanks Chook. Am feeling optimistic and completely with you guys.
About to chuck ciggies in bin and watch Lord of The Rings. Long movie so will probably pass out on sofa!

MIE X

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Good AF Morning to You All - Chook, Bratty, Fluff - Welcome MIE!:colorwelcome: Happy to see that you've joined us. Chook is our resident veteran who began this lovely string. It's so comforting to hear from you guys every day - thanks for being here.

Chook - re your junk food dilemma. My cravings seem to have rerouted to gummi bears and potato chips. I'm trying to balance out by making myself eat fruits and vegies to offset the junk. But I know exactly what you're talking about. I know that AL turns to sugar in your bloodstream - don't know the psyiology of it all but just that they're linked. I haven't gained weight but just don't like putting crap in my body. I read something written by a long-time abber that was interesting that I thought I would mention. She said that for the first five months of being AF she didn't try to add a strict, healthy eating regimine on top of trying to stay sober -- too much to deal with at once. She then brought in the good foods after she felt stronger in her sobriety. Makes sense. So, I'm not being too hard on myself at the moment about my Gummi Bears Just hope to "hit the switch" before my teeth rot out...........

Exercise: Chook - appreciate that you're not a runner - swordfighting, though - really? Would love to hear about that. My latest "gift" to myself to keep me sober is a Zumba tape. Have any of you ever heard about it/done it? It's a kind of dance exercise. We'll see - I've only been good with sticking to jogging - just though I'd give it a try. They had one of those ads on tv where you get a special deal (sucker here bought it).....

OK - observation and question re AL in the house -- I still have some sitting around - figuring if someone stops by............not sure it's a good idea. Re Chook drinking on day 31 as a reward - we need to ask a shrink about that one!! LOL I just don't want to ever have to start over - don't want to set the craving in motion again. I think mine are lessening (probably due to the gummie bears lol)..........Really, though, the thought of giving up my hard-earned progress does not sound fun. One thing that's really helping me is reading books about sobriety. Just started First Year Sobriety. Will let you know if it's any good.

Just one last thing about the cravings - have you guys tried lots of lemon in filtered cold water along with L-Glut 3x/day. I think it's helping me.

MIE - hope you're putting the cigs down for good. I gave them up and am almost as glad about that as I am being AF - it's ALL good............

Bratty - trust that you had a good evening and that we'll hear from you soon..

OK everyone - here are some inspiring words from my new book - the author talks about about being sober as "miraculous consciousness." I think that's a beautiful way to describe being AF. I spent so many hours either toasted and numb (evening) or in a fog-like agony (trying to recover the next day)........I really like these words - they capture the way I'm feeling now - just the idea that sobriety might be "endlessly fascinating" (author's words). I know that sometimes I feel like I'm "flatlining" (my word) -- you know, bored....but I really think that those feelings are giving way more and more to something more profound - this idea of being truly present and "conscious."

Last thing - I am sleeping like I did when I was very young - haven't felt this good in decades!

Sorry to have written a book - but I have so much energy now.............

Big hug to all,
Choochie

[bratty57]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

HI Everyone ,

I am passin thru, but had to stop and string some pearls ! I am on DAY 10 AF ! !

I will get back on here later today and read posts and talk to ya'll !

Take care and have a wonderful day !

[ChickenNumber3]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Morning Divers!

:wd::yay::happy:Bratty on Day 10 af *woop*

Choochie- your last post was very insightful,thanks so much! Interesting too that you say about not adding a 'health kick' too early, cause me being me..that's what I've tried to do!So perhaps I should follow my own advise and be a little more gentle on myself! I do hope to start walking again though..my puppy needs the walks and so does my body! But today is Swordfighting day..so that can wait until Monday!

(The Swordfighting is a hobby, part of a Medieval Re-enactment group that I have joined, and it totally rocks.. I have not gone into great detail about it only because I know for others it would be very 'ho hum', but I am loving it. Good stress reliever too, especially when I get to beat up on hubby with my two-handed sword!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I have heard of Zumba, but not seen it in action. I am being 'encouraged' by a good friend to join her in Bellydancing classes this coming week *yikes* so will see how that goes! Not sure about exposing my post-baby belly to the world though

Fluff-you hanging in there? Don't forget your scuba gear okay!
MIE- that goes for you too!
Stay focused peeps and enjoy the 'miraculous consicousness'!
Chook:h

[ChickenNumber3]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Choochie you are near the same amount of pearls as Bratty aren't you? Let me know? You are doing brilliantly

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Chook - I'm day 12 today (Yea)...........

I think the swordfighting sounds cool - definitely get to work out some of that AL agression, huh. Just curious - you mentioned your hubby - does he know that you feel like you're an alcoholic? I always wonder how people handle all this with their spouses. Mine knows I think I have drinking issues, mainly centered around interference with my sleep (which in and of itself is reason not to drink because I always am exhausted the next day -- even a small amount of AL disrupts my sleep). Anyway, he's very supportive and has even quit drinking with me.

I have to tell you that my neice has been belly dancing for a few years and absolutely loves it. She posts her performances on You Tube - she's very pretty and you should see how great her body looks - you should definitely go for the belly dancing. I would do something like that but it would be too long a drive for me because of where I live.

Goodnight to everyone - Fluff, MIE, Bratty - will touch base with you guys tomorrow.

[sapphire1]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

HI there Choochie,

Just dropping by to say hello. I picked up on the things you mentioned about being truly present and conscious. I am studying the writing of Eckhart Tolle and his thoughts about how to be present and conscious resonate with me. I have read a lot of books about this subject; mindfulness, Zen etc.etc. but Eckhart has a way of telling it thats just gives me the aha experience...I am hooked. Been al free now for 3.5months and with my practice of being fully present and conscious it has made my whole world make sense and seem so much more wonderful; less fearful and exciting, and much much less struggle. I was also thinking about what both you and Chicken said re having al in the house. IMHO its best not to have an, at least in the early days. Maybe guests could bring their own. My mum has this saying, it drives us crazy because she says it lots, but I think it rings true sometimes: If you sit in the barbers chair for long enough, eventually you will get a hair cut!!!!! Hugs and strength to all, Saffy x