AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

[Tom 4.0]

Good morning one and all,

Feeling a bit groggy this morning; maybe caused by that fully loaded cheeseburger for lunch yesterday. It sure was good at the time, but I guess even something like that can have consequences! I'll consider this a pre-Thanksgiving warning for food moderation.

Thanks to all for bumping up the Tool Box for us newbies!:thanks:

WIP, about getting through the weekend; I am so truly grateful for all the ways my life is better than before, that I do not even consider drinking most of the time. There was a moment Sunday afternoon when the Beast appeared, but as someone advised earlier, I did not fight him, I did not get in the ring with him. I knew he would win the fight, so I ignored him and he went away.

On another subject, a good friend has asked for help. It seems his mother-in-law is in the grip of multiple addictions. As I understand her situation, she's using a little bit of everything; nicotene, alcohol, medical prescribed marijuana, methadone, prescription and non-prescription pain killers. She is semi-functional but seems to spiraling down. I don't believe she has acknowledged the need to change. Can anyone suggest a source of guidance or information for such a complex problem?

Thanks again for everyone's positive energy and support!

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Good morning v3.0 (I still think that is so funny!) and thank you for starting us off today!

You have such a positive attitude about sobriety - focused on the benefits of getting AL out of your life - and I really do believe that positive attitude really helps kick this thing. I really learned that first when I quit smoking. I spent the first 2 or 3 months being SO miserable and a big part of that was just "resenting" that I "couldn't smoke" and being envious of every smoker I knew or just saw on the street, etc. etc. etc. Talk about staying in the ring with the enemy! To a large degree we DO have a choice about our attitude. Is the cup half full or half empty? Will we get up today on the right side or the wrong side of the bed? Will we be grateful for our own blessings or envious of someone else's? I will never forget a wonderful on-line friend at a quit smoking board - Texas2Step - who set me straight on attitude! I have found that the exact same thing applies to quitting AL. Anyway...enough of my philosophizing for 5:15AM!!

I hope someone has some advice re: your friend's mother in law. Sounds like a serious situation where face to face help is needed - and if she has not acknowledged a problem I am guessing that makes it really rough.

I still have some catching up to do from yesterday's thread so I will probably come back and edit this and add some more. But in case I don't get to it - hello to all who came after I posted and I hope you are all having a great week.

So what's everyone's game plan for Thanksgiving? On Thursday we go to my Aunt's house for a big family do. There is a small chance that a box-o-wine will be present but I'm really not worried about it. My family are not big drinkers so even if there IS wine there, only a few people will even have any. Child's play compared to dog training days and events!!!! One of my big strategies for controling urges when I'm around booze is to not let myself get hungry. I don't think there will be any danger of me getting hungry at this particular event! Friday we are hoping to pull out some semblance of a productive business day, then the usual weekend of Saturday dog training for Mr. Doggy and some figure skating viewing for me. No room for AL in my picture.

Today we have to juggle trucks and get Mr. Doggy's into the shop to have some work done on the propane injection system - it had a defective part. That stuff is always so convenient. (not) I am going to make a cranberry / orange / walnut cheesecake today as one of my Thanksgiving day contributions. This new way I found of making cheesecake is awesome but takes patience and lots of extra time. (though it's not difficult - just long!) And it needs to rest for a day. I like to cook so this will be fun - I will just worry about the taste since I am altering some ingredients and have not made this flavor before. I hope if it's destined to taste bad I will be able to tell that from the batter. In any case, the risk of a bad tasting cheesecake in front of relatives is a far FAR lesser risk than the zillions of risks I took while drinking.

OK - nuff of my babble for now. Have a GREAT AF Tuesday everyone!!

DG

[SAUSAGE]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Morning everyone

It's SO cold here in England this morning - but bright and sunny

Had a bit of a weak moment last night - was really tempted to just have ONE glass - my husband was drinking and I'd had a tough day - but I managed to stop myself. Am a bit worried at the moment (day 23 since my holiday relapse) - am starting to go through a "maybe I can moderate phase" I must snap myself out if it pretty quick!! as I know where it will lead me - is this normal folks?

Interesting to read all your plans for Thanksgiving - as you probably are aware, we don't celebrate that here in UK, - I hope everyones' Thanksgiving goes well - this must be a tough time for some of you if its the first one where you've not drunk - and what do you all say to family and friends whom you've not "opened up to" about why you're not drinking? My tough one to come will be Christmas and New Year!!

Have a good AF day everyone! Will check back later.

[charlee]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Morning everyone
Just another gloomy work day here......I will not be doing the cooking this holiday....my family is not one for Thanksgiving leftovers and in years past, I did the cooking saved the leftovers because I was "supposed to" only to pitch the later on in the week.......A crime in the minds of leftover lovers everywhere!!!!
We will be going to my sisters, I will bring some wine and dessert, they will enjoy their leftovers, and I will enjoy my day with the family....
No big drinkers around, just a glass or two with the meal, so I will be ok.....
Hope everyone has a good Tuesday.

[retteacher]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Hi Everyone:

I have to go out in a little while but wanted to check in. No big drinkers in our fam, so Thanksgiving should be OK for me. I have LOADS of AF stuff stocked. I've been talking to myself & visualizing myself AF all day. That's pretty effective. There will be wine, but I won't be drinking it & will have the folks who brought it, take it home w/them when they leave.

As far as the "maybe I can have one drink" or "maybe I can mod now": That's just the kind of thinking that has caused multiple slips (which included binging). I wouldn't be a member of MWO if I didn't have a drinking problem. I KNOW that one drink would lead to many, along w/plenty of guilt, self-recrimination, & angst to go around.

I want to enjoy my life sober. I don't feel I need the haze any more.

Mary

[LVT25]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Good morning all

Just a quick note this morning, I have to get to work early as we are leaving town tomorrow for the holiday and I have lots to do! If it were up to me, I would stay here and work! But the gal I work for won't let me! :upset:

We are traveling 12 hours to SIL and BIL's for Thanskgiving (surprise!) and her 50th birthday party. As some of you know I've been a little worried about this. When you add up 12 hours in the car with 2 kids, hubby, and knowing when we get there they will have already been in the cup---will be some tests for sure. I plan to keep feeding my face, find things to do outside the home, walk, and bring non alcohol drinks. Pray for me!

I hope I can access the Internet while I'm gone, I don't think I can survive 5 days without you guys!!!!!:h

Happy holiday all who celebrate! Happy soberness to everyone!! :h

[A Work in Progress]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Good going, Tom! Sorry but no real advice about the person with multiple addictions. There is a terrible helplessness about watching someone engaging in self-destructive behaviors. They cannot be forced to change their ways, and persuasion, argument, begging, don't do much, either. Some folks still endorse the old "intervention" method (there's that TV series about it, have you seen it?); that can be done, and occasionally it works well. But it really has to be done right, and that takes quite a lot of preparation.

DG I wish I liked cheesecake... your recipes sound fantastic! For me, T-Giving will be with a friend and her family. It was never a really big holiday for my family, so I don't have to worry about my mother (Christmas is her big event.... I dread that one!). For years, I did T-Giving with a couple who I'd been friends with for many years.... that friendship dissolved just over a year ago, for several reasons. Painful.

This year it will be low-key, my friend is someone I've known for 25 years, she and her husband are wonderful, not heavy drinkers. I've not met the family members who will be there, but it'll be fine. I've been around my friend (we do a book club) a couple of times, not drinking, already. Just telling folks that I am re-committed to being much more healthy, and that I feel so much better when I am not drinking at all. Sometimes I also say that I knew I had been drinking too much during my mother's recent hospitalizations etc., and that it had worried me. Most folks I've known a long time are well aware that I drank heavily.

I'll take some of my own green tea with mint along with me, because I don't like sweet "soft drinks." Helps a lot to have a glass in my hand.

Sausage, and LV, be strong! Don't get into internal arguments! Just notice the urge, back away from it, refuse to engage with it, distract yourself, etc.

Mary, the visualization practice you're doing is GREAT! Charlee, what a nice low-key plan.

wip

[retteacher]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

I'm back from my g-son's school. I just felt the need to come to MWO & see how everyone is doing. I guess that's one of my strategies to staying AF.

Also, while I was driving up my street, I noticed that the recycling was out for the trashmen to pick up. There were plenty of wine bottles in peoples' bins. At one time, that would have been a visual trigger for me. Now, I look at those bottles & realize that each one represents $10 - $20 that I would have wasted if they had been in front of my house.

When I got in the house I had a few crackers w/peanut butter. That hit the spot.

Take care everyone.

Mary

[Determinator]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Top of the Tuesday ABERooooos far and wide!

a frozen yet gloriously sunny morning here in the high desert.

LVT road trips can be a real stressor but they can also be a fun family adventure.

for the hoiday season I'll be sipping on my new fav drink "sinvino" a n/a adult beverage made from currant and grape juices. I must say that tea with mint sounds like a winner WIP...will do that for sure.

as for temptation there is a simple visualization for that. Al to us is poison of the mind and body plain and simple. there is NO excuse for poisoning ourselves after a long day, or to celebrate. it's a complete absurdity to do so. so I will actually reward myself with good things...I'm grateful the world is full of good things

be well friends

[cyclefan]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Hello MWO MA's. Today is my Day 10 AF. They say you live longer if you don't drink alcohol but that's not true, it just seems longer haha. I kid. I kid. I'll be here all weekend and don't forget you pass by the tip jar on your way out.

I keep saying how effective the hypnotherapy and topamax have been for me. I had a plan when I started the MWO program, in fact I waited almost a month before starting to get some business travel commitments out of the way so that I could give my entire attention to this program and that was a good decision for me. I hit the ground running and haven't looked back. Also thanks to everyone here for all the support. I'm on here every day reading, reading even if I don't post much.

[SAUSAGE]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

Hi everyone

Some great tips for the holiday weekend which I'll try and apply to Christmas / New Year here. Mary - what you said about the bottles out for recycling is very true! I've found myself looking at bottles outsides people's houses and thinking how much it would have cost, etc etc and noting just how many some people seem to get throuh each week!

I'm not feeling too well tonight - coming down with a fluey cold - something viral - feel very shivery with achy legs. sore throat. NO desire to drink tonight at all, but I won't be exercising tonight either as I just don't feel up to it - early night for me,

Enjoy the rest of your AF day everyone

[Determinator]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

cyclefan, big welcome to you! glad you are off to a fast start and not looking back..love it!

Sausage, sorry your feeling puny...some hot tea and extra vitamins for you dear.

[vinophile]

AF Daily - Tuesday November 25

A quick late check-in......

I'm having about 25 people for Thanksgiving so I have quite a bit of work ahead of me. I'm very committed to remaining AF this Thanksgiving so I hope this committment remains fresh in my mind. The Holidays often hold so many drinking memories that it's hard to break free from them.
Certainly, for me, it's important not to let myself get hungry(not too hard over Thanksgiving) as hunger is always a big trigger.Since quitting drinking I've eaten a lot more but fortunately have not,as yet put on any weight. I shudder to think how many calories I drank!!

I hope to go through the tool box post and share any other thoughts I have on remaining sober tomorrow.

Sleep well all.


Janet