November Mod Squad

[Stewarts]

November Mod Squad

I had a few glasses of wine with my running group. The good news, I was like, "Wow, I really didn't want to have a few glasses of wine, I should just go home now." And I did. I have a business event to go to tonight, there is AL at these things, I'm actually one of the committee hosts running the thing, it's a big one, Giuliani is speaking. I even get to go the VIP thing for a select few before hand and meet him. We just had a big mayoral election here in NYC and we are now looking at some potential grim times in NYC with this clown De Blasio.

If I don't want to drink at these things, I don't feel the need to do, it doesn't bother me. I may have a beer, but it will be after the event. I think people are foolish to mix too much AL with business events, especially with such a high profile public figure involved. Which brings me something else....

Not about public figures, but the National head of our business unit, actually for all the Americas, was fired. This is an ivy league graduate - both under and post, I am going to say in his late 50s early 60s, and he apparently decided it was a good idea to get completely smashed at a business conference in Vegas of all places, where a ton of allegations then ensued...I will not get into them all. This also is not an isolated incident. This guy has been getting smashed and doing all sorts of crazy things, mostly hurting himself....the first time I met him was at an event in Orlando, his first day in his position, smashed, only to see him the next morning with a golf ball sized welt on his head...

There is a reason I am bringing this all up....as crazy and dumb of some of the stuff I have done...I always find it...bizarre, how a highly educated person, in a position like this, can actually let himself get like this?? I find it mind boggling. I don't even go my own local xmas party and can probably get away with stuff if I chose to and wanted to ensue shenagins.

I do hope the guy gets some help. I know he has a wife and kids. I know financially is well off, so that won't be an issue for his family, but his health is obviously a concern. This may be messed up, but I am glad to see him gone and think he was going to get fired anyway...his vision of how to grow this thing is flawed and I don't care where he has his degrees from, he doesn't get it...anyway...think of this guy if you're having a bad day...

[crocus]

November Mod Squad

Noname, Nancy, Lasha, Stewarts, and TMH, EmmyLou,

I am so grateful that you replied to me! THANKYOU!

I really value your comments because I know my drinking is closely related to things I can't talk about with anyone. For an outgoing person, I have really no friends because I have spent my life with my husband and children entirely. Thank you so so so much for connecting with me out of the goodness of your hearts!

Dave is 66 and I am 64, and I DID school him to be this way, since I married him when I was a 26 yr. old virgin (sorry to get too personal) school teacher. I have no one to blame but myself. Yes, I earned additonal degrees, and have continued to be responsible, but once the kids were grown I discovered fun.

I never experienced a young adult youth, ( I was far too responsible), so now I end up in my sixties contorting reason in order to attend Clapton concerts etc. whenever possible, FULLY accommodated by my wonderful grown kids who pay for the tickets, and fly me everywhere. (Dave has no interest.) My only edge is that apparently I don't look my age; I haven't gone gray, and I'm slender by nature. People buy me drinks when I'm out with the kids, and I (truthfully) never decline. Hence, my issue.

Incidentally, speaking of romance... my husband was the young lobsterman on the Hannah Boden out of Chatham MA. (not Glocscester) in the film "The Perfect Storm." He's the one who almost died when he went overboard without a knife, and in the film, he did die...(Mark Wallberg...) without a knife to cut the line. My husband didn't drown; (I gave him the knife that saved him) and he came home, and we married six months later in 1975. I still love him madly.

But, I digress. Back to how not to drink too much. I have to mention that I am so comforted when you start posts with words likde...my dear Crocus. Just sayin'.

[Lasha]

November Mod Squad

Hi All,

NNG, I was just thinking you hadn't posted for a while, welcome back.

Stewarts, It's the alcohol/drug beast that wins no matter who you are unless you really try to moderate or abstain. My passion in life has been music and football and look at how alcohol takes no prisoners.

Paul Merson, Paul Gascoigne and of course the best footballer of all time George Best. Playing for Man utd married to Miss world and he disappears to a small island in Greece where no one knows him and drinks for weeks in a grotty dark bar on his own.

Music's littered with the latest being Lou Reed. It's a Perfect World was of course all about Heroin, I'm glad I shared it with you.

My dear Crocus, you're a first for me, I've never met someone who starts drinking after there kids grow up. I think you feel you've missed out and want to make up time but you can do this without drinking to excess. Clapton's given up drink/drugs and plays straight remember the song cocaine, I never played at gigs under the influence and had a great time and the best gigs I watched were the ones I was sober at and could remember.

Keep on modding.
Lash

[nonamegirl]

November Mod Squad

Good morning, all!
Such a good group of friends. I sometimes wish we could gather physically, as well as electronically, but since that likely won't happen, please know I send each of you a hug from Montana. :l

My dear Crocus (oh, my... you may end up getting tired of that, now!) I now understand just a bit more. I know lobstermen, know people who make their lives on the sea. Thank God your husband didn't die that day. Do you have the knife framed? I have read the book by the lady captain (can't remember her name right now) but my lord, that sure makes the blood run cold. However, even though he may still have nightmares doesn't mean he gets to give you the cold shoulder. You may have schooled him to where he is now... now start the process to school him to where you want him to be. Love trumps all.

Lasha, I love hearing all your music references. It makes me feel tremendously neophyte, though. I am going to do some research just to get up to speed with your references,... no way I'd ever get up to speed with your skill. I AM getting back to my piano after many years - and my poor guitar languishes in the basement.

Stewarts, your stories of folks who have disappointed themselves with alcohol always make me think, "There but for the grace of God go I." Though I am not a religious sort of person, I know that it is a slippery slope we are on. I make a point of reading the DUI column in the local paper each week, just to remind myself to never ever put myself in that position.

The weekend comes shortly. In our little mountain city the dark is now arriving around 4 PM... and I light my candles and turn on the fire. My jack-o-lanterns unfortunately will go in the garbage truck today, but they brought joy to me this past week. (Isn't it funny that a middle-aged woman with no children still loves carving them?) I am starting to plan Thanksgiving dinner.... I love this time of year when the world seems to be drawing in on itself, calming and soothing itself for the long dark. I love the short days of winter just as much as I love the long days of June when the sun sets at ten o'clock at night and rises at four.

Wish you could all come for Thanksgiving. You will be foremost on my list of what and who I am thankful for.

[RingingCedars]

November Mod Squad

Morning to you All....not much to say. Keeping it real in reporting I drank a bottle of red Wednesday night. Thoroughly enjoyed it too. Not sure when the next time will be. I realized early on I couldn't play games with myself "installing a drinking regime" into my brain. I'm too darn pigheaded for that. What I do realize is that I cannot ever go back to the place I was in when I arrived at MWO and you know what NNG? love was needed in overcoming that place. Love for myself and others for if we have not that love then darkness sneaks in to take up that place. Oo aren't I the philosophical one today. Carry on Modders....:h

[crocus]

November Mod Squad

Good morning all. Just checking in; yes, the weekend is upon us. Today I'm going for the AFF...the alcohol free Friday. That will give me three AF days this week.

NNG...Welcome back. I hope you were traveling for happy reasons. I love this time of year too, and I still carve pumpkins also!

Ringing..., I drank more than I wanted to this week, and I enjoyed it too, although I feel guilty.I think I was just thinking about not thinking about it too much. It's as if someone said "do not think of a camel" so then that was all I could think about. Rats.

Lasha, I never drink too much when I am out hearing live music, I just get wonderfully swept up in it. You're right, Clapton's clean...have seen him three times, once in the front row, and will see Jake Bugg again in January with my kids. Looking forward to that. What kind of music do you play?

Stewarts and Nancy, thank you for your good good advice. I'll take all I can get.

All for now. Hope we all hang in there this weekend.

[ToMyHealth]

November Mod Squad

Hi everyone, start of another weekend. Was AF Mon,Tue,Wed, then had a couple last night. Certainly was anti-climatic. I mean I think we talk more when we visit over a couple drinks which I like, but it was kind of like 'what's the big deal'? Not sure if I know how to explain it.

Personally, I am very saddened today. You hear Stewarts talk about the running community, and I was part of a very large group at one time. We took marathon vacations all over the U.S. One woman younger than most of us dated this guy for 6 yrs before he asked her to marry him. They married and had a baby girl. He passed away from cancer when the baby was 9 mon old. Fast forward. She remarries, and they have twin girls. 2 days ago she posted a pic of snowy roads on FB. I commented. She sent me a PM asking me how I liked FL and told me her dh was down in FL living/working, they were building a house and would be moving soon. I am so sad to say that this a.m. she posted her dh had a massive heart attack and died. Their twins are 9 yo.

I got myself out the door and walked and walked and walked. Embrace each day. Hug your loved ones.

TMH

[Stewarts]

November Mod Squad

Wow, a lot of deep stories here. Lashla I was trying to make your "footballer" connections, I love "football" and I'm like, I never heard of these guys? What's he talking about?..then I realized it was the "other" football, what we call "soccer" :-) If I recall, Lou Reed was clean and had been from some time when he passed away, right?

Well, my former boss of bosses, I heard from other colleagues of mine in other areas of the country, that this crap had been going on for awhile, one found him cleaning his dress shirt and tie in the sink, in the office bathroom, because he had puked all over them from the night before...yes, it is a demon that can creep up...

I've done a multitude of substances over my time here on earth, and all for the same reason, they were fun....Eventually, they stop becoming fun, and that's when I stopped...eg., I loved tripping in college, opening those doors, now, at my age, I'm quite content leaving those doors closed. Cocaine, great party drug, now, I very much like my sleep and do not enjoy feeling strung out...when things stop becoming fun, I find it mind boggling why they don't stop...I guess, no, you definitely can say the same about AL, actually, I believe it's the hardest to vere away from, because it's every where...

j.

[Lasha]

November Mod Squad

Hi All,

Got to get a new telly for my in-laws so must rush, talk to you all later but must say to TMH I'm so sorry for your friends loss of her husband and really feel for you. I've had a terrible time the last few years with losing family and friends and it's horrible. They say time is a good healer and it is but it's still hard.

:l:l:l

Lash

[Emmy Lou]

November Mod Squad

Hello all, I don't really have much to say. Which is why I didn't post yesterday too. I'm on day two AF and it will probably continue until I've finished a last minute dress for the Opera. My deadline is too tight. I do seem to have developed a habit of starting work around 10am & working until about 10pm, several half hr breaks though. Then I take a few hours to wind down. 2am is now my regular bedtime. That will stop in a few weeks when I start another contract...I'm dreading having to catch the train just after 7am! Working from home it's too tempting to be a night owl.
As I said, I've nothing groundbreaking to report, being AF got a few days at a time is working. I am reading your posts though and thinking of you all.
Now to read a few pages of my latest loan from the library which will make me fall asleep.
X
Em

[nonamegirl]

November Mod Squad

Hi, everyone!
TMH... I am so sorry for your news. What a horrible thing to have happened. Yes, we need to hug our loved ones as often as we can, and never miss a chance to say "I love you!"

Crocus, glad you are doing okay. You are much in my thoughts.

Lasha, what fun to bring a new tv to the in-laws! We miss our old folks... used to care for quite a few.

RingingCedars, nice to hear from you. I appreciate your honesty.

Stewarts, I appreciate your honesty, too... and yes, alcohol is just like those other things. Fun to begin with, and then a burden to carry around.

So, this morning, my husband says, "Ummm.... how about we buy more diet tonic and cut down on the drinking? Only on Fridays, maybe?" And I told him without hesitation, "YES! I am ready." I know he is doing this for me... as he only has one and on the rare occasion a second. So, here's my own bit of honesty. I'm ready to cut way back and will be so doing.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

[RingingCedars]

November Mod Squad

ToMyHealth;1582432 wrote:
Personally, I am very saddened today. You hear Stewarts talk about the running community, and I was part of a very large group at one time. We took marathon vacations all over the U.S. One woman younger than most of us dated this guy for 6 yrs before he asked her to marry him. They married and had a baby girl. He passed away from cancer when the baby was 9 mon old. Fast forward. She remarries, and they have twin girls. 2 days ago she posted a pic of snowy roads on FB. I commented. She sent me a PM asking me how I liked FL and told me her dh was down in FL living/working, they were building a house and would be moving soon. I am so sad to say that this a.m. she posted her dh had a massive heart attack and died. Their twins are 9 yo.

I got myself out the door and walked and walked and walked. Embrace each day. Hug your loved ones.

TMH

Very sorry to hear about your friend's circumstances. So much in life seems harsh and unexplainable. I try to remember to everything there is a purpose.

I was given an awesome documentary titled "Grounding" yesterday on this subject. Your walking activity caused me to share this link. Unfortunately the documentary is listed as private or I would provide a link to it as well.
Earthing_Institute | The official worldwide information website of Earthing (grounding) containing articles, research studies, videos, feedback, and FAQs.
Have a great day and kick you goals Modders.

[Emmy Lou]

November Mod Squad

Hey NNG what an exciting development! Your hubby is so lovely to be such good encouragement. He will feel good too for not drinking during the week,
Good on you both,
X
Em

[crocus]

November Mod Squad

Dear Ringing Cedars, I am so sorry to hear your news. Lots of pain in this world; so much grief and sadness. I will keep her in my thoughts today when I attend church. I have two books by C.S. Lewis entitled "The Problem of Pain" and "A Grief Observed". They have been helpful to me over the years, and I recommend them. They were written after Lewis (Chair of Medieval Literature at Oxford) became a Christian after a lifetime of atheism. He writes that he was the most unwilling convert of all time, and came to his conversion "kicking and screaming." I am an admirer of his intellectual toughness.

I think I'm doing better after my screw ups. Three AF days last week and today I will start the week with an AF day. I has some drinks last night....husband stayed up with me to see a movie...yaaay! I tried mixing my wine with some apple cider and it worked pretty well. I don't feel like I overdid it. Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday as we start a new week.

[ToMyHealth]

November Mod Squad

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. It helps. Crocus, thank you for the prayers. My son is a huge fan of C.S. Lewis. He reads and re-reads Mere Christianity. I have started the book but never got through all of it. I didn't know his history.

Well, I have been drinking all weekend (nights) and I'm ready to not drink now. We have a Residents Party tomorrow night, free food, Happy. hour drink prices. Then Wed night is our Pairings Party to be followed by a 2-day tournament. Friday starts with lunch, then golf, then meet at the club to hear winners. i am going to try hold off until Fri nite.

So NNG that is so great to have your dh support. It does help a lot.
RC, I get the grounding, connecting to the earth.
Lash, yes time will help. i let her know that if she & girls needed or wanted to come to FL to contact me.

Ok, here's to a great Sunday!

TMH