Announcement

**thought2much** · July 11, 2007, 05:28 AM

Wednesday 11th

Hiya Scoobs

Great post :goodjob:

I started at this little site about a week after you and am similarly impressed with my progress.

I am finding so many changes in me, that I am still coming to grips with...... alot of emotions have come to the surface that I think had been buried in booze.... It has been hard but I am feeling good. I have a few confusing and challenging months ahead of me, but am happy in the knowledge I will be doing it sober. One less headache to deal with!

I have no interest in going back.

I went to the pub for lunch yesterday and didnt even think twice to order a coke. Six weeks ago it would have been at least 4 beers over a work lunch.....

Congratulations on you achievements. Go you good thing

**irishlady** · July 11, 2007, 07:38 AM

Wednesday 11th

Well, aren't you two doing fine..

Scooby, congratulations on 38 days AF.. Once you get into your stride with those AF days you feel as if you are on a roll and they just keep on adding up.. I'm glad you are feeling better now and you are once again on top of your work.. Its right when you say that a lot of people really envy you when you tell them that you no longer drink, quite a lot of my friends have actually said to me " oh I wish I could do that "... I must admit though that I often feel like saying to them, well don't just wish it, do something about it!!..

thought2much, congratulations to you as well.. One sentence you used there came across as so positive " I HAVE NO INTEREST IN GOING BACK ".. Thats good, because if you start looking back with nostalgia to your drinking days it makes your success in going AF that much harder.. You're right about the emotions coming to the surface though, sometimes they are hard to deal with sober, but its one more thing you have to do to stay AF, it does get easier though the longer you go..

Right as for me, well, I have finally done it and given my notice in at work.. I leave this coming Saturday, HURRAH.. The feeling of freedom I'm starting to have already is quite exilerating.. I have loads of plans and things to do, but for the first week I won't do very much.. I may start up my jewellery business again, nothing very big, I used to do a lot of craft fairs and I have thought of selling stuff on Ebay.. Also I hope to do a photography course at evening classes in September, and I will pick up a craft I used to do many years ago, patchwork, but this time I intend to make miniature patchwork quilts to frame and hopefully sell those at craft fairs as well.. Then again all those plans may go out the window and I will spend the summer just sitting in the garden contemplating my naval :H ..

A happy Wednesday to all who follow,

Love, Louise :h

**Kitty** · July 11, 2007, 08:16 AM

Wednesday 11th

Hi Scoobs, Thought and Irish,

I'm glad I didn't post earlier because this thread is sounding so positive today.

I woke up a bit down about my weight and career prospects but I've just registered to do a Physchology degree with the Open University. So fingers crossed and subject to funding etc, I'll be starting my first module in October.

Have a good day everone,

Kitty

**YoungAtHeart** · July 11, 2007, 08:33 AM

Wednesday 11th

30 Days Today!

Well, I want to shout it out that I've made it to 30 days--well technically, not until I've finished today, but there it is! YeeHaw!

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'm going to try for 60. I'm following Lisa's example of breaking things down into goals. Truth be told, I feel rather disgusted at the thought of buying a bottle of wine every day and drinking it. At the same time, I'm all too aware of how easily I could get right back into doing it, and sometimes, I feel really angry that I can't! Ah, the contradictory feelings that can go along with stopping!

Scoobs, I always see you as having more than 38 days--maybe it's because you seem to have accumulated so much wisdom in your struggle.

t2m, I haven't had that many feelings come up yet, except when I go to my therapy sessions. I think I am devoting a lot of my energy to just staying sober for now. I know that they are coming though.....

Louise, you crack me up! Congrats on finally resigning from your job. You sound like you are going to be anything but retired. I see it more as working at things you enjoy, rather than bound to a paying job! You've earned it! I agree though, that you need a certain amount of time for navel-gazing as well. I hope you are able to do all the things that you want and have success with selling them. I haven't had time to do any of the crafts that I love in recent years, but we have in common making jewelry and patchwork. I haven't made a quilt in years--in fact, I have two or three unfinished ones that are in various stages of having the quilt work done. That is what you mean by patchwork, right?

At any rate, I have some paperwork and calls to make before I head into the office.

Thanks for sharing my big day with me, everyone.

Have a great day to everyone and all to come!

Hugs,:l
Kathy

Oops, I missed you Kitty--posting at the same time. I'm glad you decided to take a course. That can be a great antidote to feeling down. Keep the faith, honey. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. XOXOX

**Paddy** · July 11, 2007, 08:35 AM

Wednesday 11th

Hya all,

Great to read you guys. See what we can do when we're off the booze, ey? I'm happy that you got around Scoobs, really. It's not an easy decision to take, really. And for some people, I mean, when I talk about these matters, they sort of see me a bit as a fanatic. But frankly, if I hadn't gone myself through all this sh!t of trying mods, and failing, I would not have finally opted for total AF. And believe me, it was not an easy decision. Even now, I would much rather sit here with a glass of wine in my hand than with a cup of tea, but that's more psychological than craving physically. And I guess, now I can deal with it in a better way.

Louise, I'm happy for you that you already filled your time with hobbies, and stuff you've always wanted to do. That's important. My dad went into retirement this year. He had loads of stuff to do at home, but he sort of went into a kind of depression. Why? Well, he kind of wasn't as prepared as you. He hung onto his job, thinking he was indispensable .. Even now, he sits at home and nags my mum. Anyway, frankly, me at 35, I'd much rather travel the world than work my butt off ... Anyway ...

Good to hear Kitty that you're doing a Degree in Psychology. You've got loads of guinea pigs on this site. We take cash, credit cards, Topa supply or supplements for payment, thank you very much.

Thought2, congrats to your achievements, 2.

**Paddy** · July 11, 2007, 08:36 AM

Wednesday 11th

Hi Kathy, sorry, I didn't include you. We were writing at the same time :-))

**Breez** · July 11, 2007, 08:37 AM

Wednesday 11th

Morning All-

I love the vibe today. Ah-the positive changes we get from just eliminating alcohol, even for a day. Not only am I enjoying my growing change I have to love the change I see in loved ones. They smile at me. Really and truly smile at me. My huband smiles with love and admiration. My kids smile back at me because I am truly doing something funny and not because I'm acting like some alcohol induced comedian. My parents smile at me because they see I'm no longer in that destructive mode and instead am striving to provide a home with love and stability.

Ok-enough love & smiles...ok one more-

.
I have much to smile about.

Hi Scoobs-it is like living again. Even simply looking into my backyard makes me happy I'm AF. A brand new point of view. You sound like you're in a better place and I'm happy for you. Aren't you off on holiday soon?

Hi Thought-it is very hard in the beginning. You don't know how to react or even feel without booze. It's a whole new world. Congrats on the pub thing. Coke-ugh-I'm now trying to wean off Diet Coke. That was my substitute and now I'm drinking too much of that!:H "No desire to go back"-Amen to that!

Well hello Luise! Congrats on your decision. Life is much too short & is to be enjoyed. Good luck on whatever you choose to do even if it's just contemplating your naval!

Well, I have vacation in a little over the week & that voice is here again. It's telling me how good just one "fancy, fruity drink" would taste at dinner. Funny, because I used to only drink voddy, wine or beer. I think my brain is some how fooling itself into believing it'll be ok since it's not my drink of choice. Crazy that brain. Even the thoughts of sneaking have crossed my mind. So out come the cd's. I'm not planning on drinking as I have too much to lose. But once those thoughts start entering-the temptation starts building. Better start getting busy & look forward to other things on the trip.

Well off to run errands. I should go do that drug test for my new job but since they had me waiting for so long-they can wait too. I'll do it tomorrow.
Another hot humid day but t-storms to end the heat wave this evening.

I congratulate everyone on all the positive changes happening in their lives because of their decision to better it! You all shine!

CONGRATS KATH-WAY TO GO! That's awesome!:thumbs:
Hi Paddy! We posted around same time. Attached files [img]/converted_files/283754=1206-attachment.gif[/img]

**Kitty** · July 11, 2007, 08:44 AM

Wednesday 11th

Great news Kathy, congratulations.

Kitty

**vinophile** · July 11, 2007, 12:23 PM

Wednesday 11th

Happy Wednesday All,

Once again some really great insight by all of you.

I have read somewhere that...... if you really want to understand something try to change it....... I think this is very true of all of us.We're changing by eliminating alcohol from our lives and I must admit it's a change that at times I wish I didn't have to make. As I'm at the beginning (again) of this journey I know I'm going to unearth ie...(understand) parts about me and my life that I don't like. Sometimes it seems so much easier to bury (drown) it in a haze of alcohol.

I applaud you all on how far so many of you have come on this journey. It all sounds so light and breezy on the posts but I know behind it there has been some really hard work and some in-depth soul-searching.

So, here's to us all!!!! I know it's all well worth it. I guess anything that's tough is always worth it.

Have a great day sober.

Janet

**vinophile** · July 11, 2007, 12:27 PM

Wednesday 11th

Kathy,

I must send you a special greeting on achieving 30 days!!!!! Your posts were one of the first I read when I came to this site over a year ago. After being away for awhile I was thrilled to see your jaunty avatar again. Especially after reading your recent posts and seeing how well you were doing.

Great job and good luck with the next 30!!!!
Janet

**Popeye** · July 11, 2007, 01:09 PM

Wednesday 11th

So many smiles.....
Today is a good day.
Well done everyone.

**Last Of The Summer Wine** · July 11, 2007, 03:16 PM

Wednesday 11th

Not much to report, just wanted to say hi and good job guys, everyone sounds so positive and there seems so much to look forward to. Still sober and loving it, Kudzu still doing the trick, I am now looking forward to my third AF weekend, still no desire to drink during week either. Sorry it's not so interesting as the other posts, but I'm happy!

That's all folks!!

**Determinator** · July 11, 2007, 05:41 PM

Wednesday 11th

Whew! late check in for garlic breath. I'ts been a kwazy day.
First big crongrads to all you record breaking AF'ers!!! awesome work indeed...wow the AB's section is on fire today

I got up extra early to go shooting with a friend and on the way out there the camper shell blew off of my truck! I had to drive around and find the bloody thing. Fortunately it fell onto some large desert weeds and none of the windows broke and it only suffered some minor scratching...I can only imagine if I'd been on the Highway when it came off...cripes! That was very fortunate.
Smoke is pretty severe here with 14 seperate fires in the greater Reno area. Smoke is so bad they have roads closed from the poor visibility. This time last year I'd be weezing like a broken bagpipe from my athsma, but since I quit drinking my athsma has essentially dissapeared...and I'm very gratefull indeed. I don't even get exercise-induced athsma anymore and this smoke isn't really bothering me. weeeeeeee!
Going out to sushi tonight with Dx which will be nice. Will order my N/A beer and eat hamachi until I destabilize the ecology of planet Earth....yummy!
Be well me loverly pals.....

**Breez** · July 11, 2007, 09:14 PM

Wednesday 11th

sorry Deter-but I had to laugh. Thank goodness no one or nothing got hurt but that was funny to picture. "whoah-what was that!"

Welcome Guest to My Way Out Forums.

Announcement

Wednesday 11th

Wednesday 11th

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment