June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

[retteacher]

As far as I can tell, nobody started this thread yet. The weekends are busy this time of year. Yes, another dinner party for us tonight. I'll be OK. I find that if I drink a lot of water at home beforehand, I'm less tempted in the first few minutes. After everyone has had their first drink, I'm fine. Take care everyone. Mary

[Determinator]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

Happy Saturday ABland!

Mary, just you and me so far...wow. Good plan, and you sound resolved

I'm off to the shooting range. Never would be doing such things in the "hungover days"
back in a few......

be well

[Doggygirl]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

Hey Mary - have fun at your dinner party tonight! Sounds like you have an awesome strategery in place.

The weather here this morning is just BEAUTIFUL which is nice in the Midwest US where we've had so much intermittent storm activity - and for some people really BAD storm activity. (we've been lucky about things missing us either to the north or south) It's supposed to get high 80's hot though - so I need to grab a good spot in the shade before the dog training crew gets here! Today's mix of dogs should be interesting - European working line Shepherds, German show line Shepherds, Belguim Malinois, American Bulldogs, an American Boxer, an American Pit Bull Terrier, and a Cane Corso pup. Maybe the guy with the Eurpean Boxers will show up again this weekend! A lot of the Schutzhund clubs in the US tend to be snobs that only working line Shepherds can do the work. I'm glad we're more diverse in both people AND dogs!!

My plan to NOT drink during training includes: Endorphin support (just got back from Curves workout - check!!). Lots of water to drink, and also Diet Green Tea with Citrus as my "special" treat drink, sneak away to eat some lunch (I believe not eating all day contributed to past falls), have a protein shake right before people get here. AND... Don't worry, be happy. I will of course come touch the life line here as needed!

Happy Weekend AF'ers yet to come, or off doing fun stuff!

DG
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[retteacher]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

DG: Definitely, hunger gets me thinking about drinking. Probably the drop in blood sugar leads to wanting that sugar boost of drinking. I find that if I eat a few carbs (even just a few pretzels), it helps. I also love the citrus iced tea. I've actually walked into informal parties & bar-b-que's w/it in my hand. What a great help in those first few minutes. I really don't worry too much about social drinking...it's just that it leads to the alone binging I would do the next day.

Take care everyone. Mary

[beatle]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

Hi everyone.Thanks for the tips Mary. DG, and Det. I learn so much from you.

I'm in a bad mood so won't stick around too long. My husband is off already on a party night (again), overnighting in a town an hour away. Yeh, it's not so unusual, but now that I'm sober, I feel I have the right to get annoyed. So I counted how many times he's been out the last 2 weeks, and it came to over 1/2 of the nights. When I told him, he says: "Well, when you were working" (I'm out of a job now, as most of you probably know), "you came home late every night." Huh. As if you can compare working late, not that I wanted to at all, to going to a nice restaurant for dinner with your friends and then to a concert afterwards, and then drinking 'till late... well, I just bit my tongue. I have to keep reminding myself I'm doing this for me, not for him.

OK, I'm looking at this as a test, that I have to pass. I can be angry and feel I "deserve" to drink, and I can triumph over that "I deserve it" feeling. I deserve to be sober.

Sorry, I said I wouldn't stick around long, and now I have. Anyway, stay strong all. I hope to check in tomorrow feeling proud and strong.

Happy Saturday night all!

[CS04]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

Beatle, I can sympathize with your being angry and resentful at your hubby for being out partying. I get the same way. I would start drinking even earlier if I knew he was going out. Now I'm just trying to go back and forth between my rational and irrational selves (well, that happens a lot these days anway!)

Mary, interesting about fending off the social situation but then drinking alone later. I am not sure where I'm at with that yet. I have a family get together tomorrow for Fathers' Day where I know I will want to drink, and I have been nervous about it for days. I've been pretty mellow about drinking this weekend -- had a few AF beers, and am much better mood-wise than last weekend. I am on day 11. Wish me good words so I don't cave.

I have really been trying to get to bed early and catch up on some needed sleep. Been reading a few chapters of Allen Carr's book each night. Night, all.

[Doggygirl]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

Hi all! It was great to go through dog training day and not feel anywhere near my previous levels of stress and cravings about it. I think so much of that is in my mind...lot of the stuff that our Mary talks about. I think I made the "temptation" much larger than it really is by fretting over Saturday dog training for days ahead of time. I'm trying to view the choice not to drink as a calm steady, and standard thing for every day and every occassion - not something to get all worked up about for certain days or occassions. Does that make any sense? Also...LOTS of people DON'T drink here on Saturdays. They're not bothered by not drinking - nor are they bothered by the people who do have a few beers. I'm trying emulate that and just focus on the other stuff.

And Mary, my Diet Green Tea With Citrus was my FRIEND!! I'm so with you on that!!

beatle, I LOVE LOVE LOVE you saying that no...I don't deserve a drink - I deserve to be SOBER!! (I'm stealing that, with all the love in my heart for you!!) Seriously - that is a great outlook. I'm so sorry you are going through these struggles with hubby. I hope you are able to work it out so you are both on the same page with your lifestyle and activites - drinking aside. It sounds like you are sort of moving in different directions which I'm sure is very frustrating - in addition to not being on the same page with AL in general. I hope you can work things out for improvement!

Deter, let us know how target practice went. Were you shooting clay pigeons? That looks like a lot of fun.

It's Day 25 AF here and I'm sure happy about that!! Hope everyone is off to a great start on Sunday - or middle of the day or end of day in whatever time zones!

DG
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[spedteach]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

Mary,
Active, summer vacationing teacher here. How many times have I passed up alcohol in a social situation, only to go home and drink until I pass out.
I love the way you all support one another on this site.
Spedteach

[Doggygirl]

June 14 - Sat. - Daily Thread

Welcome spedteach!! Hope you will join us here and tell us more about yourself and your goals. (or maybe you already did and I haven't gotten to that thread yet!)

I too can relate to the efforts of public control, and private "reward" of copious amounts of alcohol. This brings to mind MANY years of obligatory business functions where booze was free flowing, but the higher ups were always vigilant about watching for any signs of who had a little too much. (I always felt that the execs used this to lay traps....I never liked that approach) But anyway..... SO many of those event where I would go back home or to the hotel of the moment, and drink to oblivion by myself.

It's amazing to reflect on how much private and lonely suffering so many of us have done - with a problem whose symptoms are so very widespread. I'm glad we have MWO as a forum for breaking down those barriers to the silent suffering - and finding real solutions together to solve the problem.

DG
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