Thurs~Sept. 6th

[Breez]

Not much going on today. Working the STD clinic-that's always interesting & turning down clients who still haven't gotten their immunizations for their kids because we don't overlap clinics. We don't want STD clients being embarrassed in front of immunization clients. So it's always fun arguing with the mother who yells at me that our times are not convenient for her & her kid can't be in school w/o shots. So it's my fault that our imm. clinics have been open all summer and that she decided to get them right before school and I'm the reason her kid is missing school. You guessed it-I did get a phone call like that.

Have I also told you of the weird calls we get (they are for environmental health) of infested apartments with bed bugs or how this one woman has gone to this restaurant and the food was not good & she wants to file a complaint. Never mind the old lady (my second day) who goes "yes, I was wondering if you could tell me the name of the soda company that's on or off of XXX street?". LOL. People will be people.

Well-I'm running late since I was too tired yesterday to do some of the stuff needed for this morning.

Have a great AF day everyone! Attached files [img]/converted_files/12182=1782-attachment.jpg[/img]

[rustop61]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

You lead an interesting life Breeze, enjoy reading your stories. Day 6 for me and feeling good. Had no cravings yesterday and am very optimistic. I am getting up at 6.30 each morning to listen to the cd's before I have to get the kids up for school. It's the most peaceful part of the day. Take my all in one, my supplments, walk the dogs and am on a cleaning spree in the house. Have not felt this full of energy in I dont know how long. So many days were wasted recovering from alcohol.

[Doggygirl]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Good morning!! Breez you crack me up! You are making me want to go get a job at the local STD clinic. SHAME you you for being such an old meanie and preventing people's children from going to school. hee hee

Rustop happy Day 6 and HAPPY LIFE!!!!Whee!! I'm so glad to hear that the program is working for you, and you have energy and are enjoying your time being productive. Isn't it AWESOME???? (although aching back could stand for a little less productivity in the yard right about now....)

I hope everyone is doing well and having a great AF day. I hope all who are having struggles of various kinds right now are finding light at the end of the tunnels (light that is not a train!)

DG
Day 58 AF

[YoungAtHeart]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Hi Ya All!

Breez, your stories are a kick. I'm sure you get a lot of clients that make you want to laugh or cry. It's great that you have a sense of humor about it all.

Good on you Rustop for getting up early to listen to the CD's. I admire you for that, and it's a great way to take care of yourself and get that quiet time as well. It's good to hear that you are doing so well! Happy Day 6 to you.

Great to see you, Doggy Girl. As usual, your enthusiasm is infectious. Happy Day 58, and you sound just great! Don't hurt yourself in the garden, sweetie.

Anyhow, I'm going to keep it short this morning because my wrist is hurting a bit, and I don't want to make it worse. I feel like I'm falling apart! At least my body that is. Abs-wise, I'm going strong.

Hugs to all to come,:l
Kathy

[Determinator]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

top-o-the-world AB landers!

Breez, isn't customer service fun?

way ta go Rustop!
Woof! to Dgirl
Kathy look after your "mwo wrist" LOL...at the rate I'm on here I'm at risk of that too.

packing out the last of my work supplies today...sniff. it's quite sad having to sad goodbye to the place I toiled at for a decade. oh well. oh and something funny happened this morning...well kind of funny. After our camping trip things have kind of got put haphadardly around the house. in the coffe cupboard this morning was an open bottle of sweet desert wine. I looked at it and a weird memory came over me back to the days when I would have said: oh goody....and taken an "eye opener" swig or two without thinking much of it. So glad to say that part of my brain has been beaten back down into hell where it belongs!
Big day ahead...Be well freinds!

[barry]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Hi everyone. Went to see the Red Sox game at Fenway Park last night. It was the first time I ever went to a game and didn't drink. In the past, I would normally have spent a good portion of the game standing in line to pay $6 for a lousy cup of beer and probably have ten of them by the end of the game. I had no cravings or thoughts of drinking at all, nothing, nada. In fact, the smell of beer was everywhere, which I never really noticed before, and it was mildly disgusting to me.
Well, we had a great time at the game and I can add it to an increasingly long list of "the first time I did that sober".

Rustop- congrats on your six days, I think the first couple of weeks are really the hardest, I did the cleaning thing also, my house was spotless. I loved the CDs also, alot of people complain about the guys voice but I thought his voice made the CDs more interesting and helpful. I never believed in hypnosis or that I could be hypnotized and to this day I don't know if I was but something worked for me because I have not had a drink since I started this program.

Be well.

[bear73]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Hello everyone, long day at the office for me today 8-7, and there's lots more to do tomorrow but I'm over the worst of it.
I did well ast being selfish, I cancelled my social engagement tonight and last night, as I was scared I may drink/smoke and also I just didn't bloody feel that sociable!
Think OH not too happy about me missing tonight but tough I'm tired, overworked, grouchy and need a few nights to myself with the cats and dvds.
Well it's day 2 AF and day 10 nicotine free (not counting my little 5.30am lapse).
I feel a bit coldy too but it's fine cos I just feel like staying in and being cosy which is helping me not lapse, save money and actually relax properly.
yay, crap tv and great dvds - just wish I had more chocolate (already had some today so just being greedy!)
Off to a friend's house tomorrow evening so that's nice,it's going out but chilled cos it's out but in(!).
Anyway I will hit the gym then too, too knackered today/yesterday.
Think it will do me good straight from work tomorrow to avoid the popping into the local on the way home for one(or seven) xx

[Guest]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

A wee Hi from me on Day 39.
Hope you are all well and having a lovely day.

Much love,

Starlight Impress x

[retteacher]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Hi Everyone: I see so many of us racking up the AF days. It sure feels great. Today is day 59 & my immediate goal is 90 days. I'm almost 2/3 of the way there. I say "my immediate goal," because I really can't see any reason to go back to drinking.
a. I can't say no to excessive drinking.
b. I feel so great being sober.

Saturday night, we're having our first cocktail party during my sobriety. There will be open bottles of wine here. I'll be very careful. I have the fridge stocked w/water, sodas, & iced teas. Mary

[Breez]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

I'm back-had the usual phone calls "do you guys test" Yes we test but can you be more specific? "Um-HIV and the rest" Yes we do. "Well my husband needs to get tested." Ouch! So sad.....and of course the male prostitute who came in & needed more than one pouch of condoms and the woman asking for lubrication packets "I remember you guys used to have them". Did I mention that I'm helping one of the RNs input the STD data & basically can read all the dirty details that go on behind closed doors during an interview with the Nurse Practitioner & the client. Oooh doggie.

barry-I remember my first Fenway game sober. We went on a Friday night and there were nothing but drunken rowdies. Made me realize how foolish I had been because if I were drinking I would have probably been bonding with them! I also remember my drunk ones drinking cold beer on cold nights, waiting for the bathroom, not paying much attention to the game. When everyone cheered I'd cheer not knowing why I cheered. Glad you enjoyed yourself even though they lost.

Good job Rus-it's such an eye opener when sobriety hits you. You begin to see what life is really all about.

Hi Mary-sounds like you got a goal & plan. Have fun on Saturday.

Hi Star!

Bear-you're doing good. Keep it up!

Hey Deter-good job. I used to hate the situation where I'd find a bottle of something because like you said there would be no second thought about what to do with it.

Kath-geez I'm falling to pieces too! Hubby & I have started working out & also watch a body sculpting show that when we do the exercises my knees sound like sticks cracking. Hope that wrist feels better. How did Maddy do on her first quiz?

Hi DG-My job is quite interesting. I have now experienced another part of society.

[karma7171]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

I hope to be back here

Umm what to say and how to explain it. I have had several glorious months of drinking not in what I would call mods, but no bad incidents. No guilt, no remorse and hating myself. Even though that has not returned I feel the need to pull the reins in. I have not had a mind exploding headach or hangover...until today. I usually only drink lite beer as I know that anything stronger will just make me sick. Last night I decided to have one of my hubby's stronger beers before bed. I laid down and instantly felt ill and got sick. Woke up at 5a with a mind exploding headache. After 4 extra strength tylenol it susided and I went to work. I just felt like crap all day. I was totally AF bound until I was driving home and knew I needed a good nights sleep. But feeling the way I did I knew it would be a sleepless night if I didn't have a little hair of the dog. I have had 2 and I am feeling better and plan to be in bed extra early. I have plans for the weekend and into mid next week that will keep me from drinking so I know that a few abs days are much needed and will be somewhat easy to do. I went for a long time doing what I thought was not possible...which was drink a few, don't do anything too stupid and wake up with no hangover. Today gave me some perspective. I feel that low mood, low energy creeping in. The last round of abs was a good stretch in terms of days and months, but I wasn't happy with it. I think mostly because I was subjecting myself to AA and that really could just not be my life forever. So I am working out a plan to get a stretch of abs time back in. I want to look at the whole thing with a clear head. No booze, but also no AA which makes booze the center of your life...except you can't have it. This time I feel like "I" am choosing not to drink because of how it makes me feel etc.

I would love some support. My mom is coming in town on Sat....I plan that to be my first full AF day. Then Sun-Thurs I have things that will make it that I won't drink. From there I will re-evalute my plan.

[vinophile]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Hey All,

Once again a kind of late check-in. At day 4 I had a bit of the booze-blues at about 5pm but I thought of an ad for some diet product that advertised...."Respect yourself in the morning". That is exactly what I want to be able to do so I did what you experts are always advising..... eat a big meal, drink plenty of water, take some l-glut and guess what....... IT WORKS. No more desire for wine!!!!!
My coffee does taste so much better in the morning when I haven't had a drink so I look foward to that.
Loved all your posts tonight. My husband watches every Red Sox game and it's funny that Barry and Breez mentioned it because last night I watched the game and noticed, for the first time, how many fans had beers in their hands.

Have a great night all and see you sober in the morning,

Janet

[Newyear]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Janet- you did great! You got yourself thru it- well done
Lots of good posts today - all seem to be doing quite well.

Just wanted to check in.
I've had one of the most stressful weeks ever. Moving my parents up here, and then my grandmother passing away. My grandmother passed away tuesday - the same day the movers came and my parents drove up here to Atlanta. My grandmother always wanted my mom to move back here.
Today was the funeral and it was done really well. I was worried it would be tense, but everyone was nice and it went well. And although she was 100 when she died, it was still hard to say goodbye. So nice to hear people talk about her and to share stories about her.

The move has been difficult. My mom is 71 and doing well but my stepdad is 85 and has many medical problems. Everything is just kind of difficult to manage.
At one point I thought "let's just see how much I can take!" Other stuff going on I won't even go into (minor stuff)
I've been talking with a friend of mine who knows that I quit drinking but has no idea that I had an actual problem with alcohol.
Anyway, she keeps saying -
"I think this would be a good time to take up drinking again!"
I have wanted to drink and I have wanted to smoke this week.
But no alcohol and no cigarettes.
I told myself that I'm tough and I can do it. So far I have. I do realize too that drinking would only make this time more difficult - it really would.
thanks for listening...just wanted to share what's going on with me.
Have a good night all.
So nice to come here!
Lisa

[Accountable for Me]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

Lisa, good for you for sticking to your AF and your not smoking even after such an emotionally stressful ordeal! And you are right, it doesn't help any. You show such strength!!! You must be coming up to a year pretty quick of being AF!

and Janet, you did great! Those booze blues will try to getcha' but you didn't cave!!!

Welcome here Karma!

Starlight I hope you are feeling better soon with all that is going on at home.

Breez - your job must be hilarious at times and of course aggravating. I think it would be a very interesting thing to work in a clinic. Some of those questions people ask.... holy man!

Deter, Kathy, Bear, rustop, DG, Barry and reteacher and all of the others (sorry if I missed any of you) I may have missed glad to see you all doing well. Have a great day or what is left of it!

[Determinator]

Thurs~Sept. 6th

heya Karma, nice to see you in here and bravo for taking a stop-check measure before really going into a dark spiral. You'll be able to have a great time with your folks with full confidence and clarity.

Big howdy to all I missed XXX