July Mod Squad

[nonamegirl]

July Mod Squad

Hey everyone!
Stewarts, sounds like you are being wise in taking things a bit slower. Good for you! Keep coming back here and letting us know how things are. It seems to really help when we have someone to "talk" to, doesn't it? Someone who understands, I mean, the difficulties of trying to mod - or someone who understands the decision process of modding vs abstaining.

I have not been handling July as well as I would like. So, it is time for this girl to get down to business and start behaving a bit better. We have a trip to New York coming up next week, and I want to make sure that I stay on an even keel while we are there... no over-indulging at all.

Anyone hear from Lasha recently? I know he was going on vacation, but he should be back by now. Hope all is well with his wife.

Eve, Nancy, TMH, howdy to all of you. Hope you are enjoying your summer. Smoke in the air today, but this is just the beginning.

[Stewarts]

July Mod Squad

Well, being a native here, NYC is definitely a place where over indulging, on everything and anything is very possible, and very easy...good luck... Yeah, I'm doing a lot better.

All the best to everyone.

j.

[Lasha]

July Mod Squad

Hi NNG and all,
Went off the rails what with wife and patient confidentiality, am going AF to clear my head. Didn't mean to stay away just not in a good place.
I'm on day 9 wish me well.
Lash

[nonamegirl]

July Mod Squad

Ah, Lash. You have my very best wishes. You are taking a brave and good step to go AF. Day 9, now maybe Day 10? Fantastic. Best of luck with your struggles. I believe that in many cases things happen the way they do for a reason... and I know you will come out of this stronger, better able to help your wife, and with a happy puppy who will no doubt benefit from some nice long walks. Good luck. Come back any time you need us.

I'll be gone for a week here shortly. See you in August, my friends.

[Lila]

July Mod Squad

hi all -
i am modding and its going pretty good, really good in fact. Now I'd like to see some pounds melt away....has anyone noticed that with drastically reducing consumption? i went about 3-4 weeks abbing, and now have one drink a night, planning on skipping tonight to stay in control.
NNG, your acupuncturist helps you with modding? Really? I might go again, there is a practitioner i have seen before for depression issues, not sure if it made a difference, but the needles really put me in an altered brain state!
happy summer and modding all!!!
L

[Stewarts]

July Mod Squad

Lila, you'll definitely see some weight reduction...not only because less drink, but you'll most likely be eating a lot better. I went about a month AF, and not only that (not that I'm overweight, I just felt "leaner"), you feel a lot better mentally...it's funny, everyone says that, but then goes back to drinking....

My modding overall has seen better days. I have not had any days like my post from a few weeks ago, but when I go out, I definitely drink more than the amount I want. I went out with that same girl again, drinking wine...now I was fine, as I could be, she got pretty smashed. We went back to her hood in Brooklyn and she suggest I go home to sleep at her place and she wanted to stay out ??? I told her that wasn't happening and she'd thank me in the morning...

Fridays in my business can be very quiet in the summer, so I took some "liberties". My weight is not what I like for marathon training, but I'll bring that down.

I'm getting better, but not back to my premier "mod" level. I started reading this book, is by that English guy that wrote the book on how he quit smoking, Allen Carr, who wrote one about controlling drinking too, I think even one about abstaining. It's very contradictory to what AA has to say.

I'm just starting to get into it, have not seen the magic formula, but I got to one section that is so simple, yet so profound, and when I think back to my life...true... paraphrased...you're never in control of drink (or any substance for that matter) it is ALWAYS in control of you. The first thing you need to accept it.

For example, when I was younger, I could pretty much consume a lot of beer, if I paced myself correctly, I wouldn't get "hammered" for lack of a better word...I thought this was me being in control, but no, it was AL controlling me....like saying, "OK, you can drink a lot of beer, but if you want to black out, take a shot or two" (which I never wanted). Now I'm older and it controls in different ways.

Anyway, I'm excited to get more into this. I will let you all know how it goes.

j.

[ToMyHealth]

July Mod Squad

Just dropping by to say hi everyone! July has had its ups and downs. For the most part, drinking responsibly but one night got out of hand. Hindsight tells me that happens more when I start drinking earlier in day, i.e. couple beers out playing golf. I have a friend who is a daily drinker, however, NEVER drinks during the day. Her attitude is "I drink enough at night, I don't need to start drinking during the day". Think I need to adopt that one.

NNG, congrats on your races. Stewarts, agree about it being worse after a marathon. I always compared marathon training to being pregnant. Anticipation, pain, letdown but I mean that all in a good way. Hope you're having a good time on vaca, NNG.

I have told my dh that after this weekend I am going AF for rest of month and into the month of August. We are leaving for the midwest on Thursday, Aug 1st, and I know I look & feel tons better without the alcohol. Kind of like your statement, Stewarts, everyone says that and yet goes back to drinking.

Lila, I, too, would like to shed a bit more weight. Get back home mid August, maybe you and I should have a friendly challenge after that. I will be in your vicinity week of Aug 5th.

Anyway, I am looking forward to this AF stint. Seriously.

TMH

[Lila]

July Mod Squad

Stewarts, I do think I am eating less. I am sure hoping!
TMH, yes, seems like the later you start drinking, the less, or maybe you see its so late, and maybe just skip? That works for me a lot.

[Stewarts]

July Mod Squad

I got to this one part of the book, I am still pretty much in the preamble part, but starts to talk about one thing, and I can totally see where he's going with it, and it makes a lot of sense. Now, I am parahrasing here, but it talks about exhiliration as a drug, and something that controls you, he didn't get into with AL yet, but I can kind of see where it's going. Some of the times, or I should say the times I look really forward to a beer are: after skiing, after a hockey game, after a marathon, hell, I get a bloody mary, going to a concert with old friends, sports, etc.

All those activities are exhilirating and some AL after only enhances it. For example, some friends of mine and I went out last night to Brooklyn to see a show...we saw that satantic swedish band ghost, sorry bible thumpers if you're offended, but you need to realize these things are all an act and quite entertaining.

I kind of knew I might go over my mod, so I was being self concious, my one buddy wanted to go early, I declined for the reasons mentioned before, that can usually be the kiss of death, so we met for dinner, didn't drink, then we went to a bar to kill some time and we werene't necessarily killing throwing them back. We then got to the venue...over the course of the show I had two...and the show was amazing! We all thought so...it was in a small place where I think this band will never be able to play anymore...we were all pretty excited and pumped, so after the show we went out for another beer. It was pretty late for a Sunday, but nothing crazy. I then bought another round for the guys...I then looked at my watch, and was thinking it's time to wrap this up...I then started thinking about the exhilirating concept...I really didn't need to buy the guys and me another round, I mean trust me, I know they weren't complaining, but I almost did it automatically.....it was like we were all trying to hold on to this "little kid" feeling, because that is what it feels like when you go to a retro act, for some more time. We all thought we saw history, we felt like teenagers and very much were obviously enjoying....anyway, I am seeing this as the exhiliration trap... again, I went off too long...time to get back to work..

All and all, I am doing quite well.

j.