AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

[Guitarista]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Cy.. re- your parents and harps...That's wild! What a beautiful instrument, but also, and i mean this respectfully, a beautiful piece of 'furniture' too, to just look at...Well, a work of art really..

[kaponium]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Cym - day 5!!! You are through the worst (?) I really really hope so - getting that sleep would have been a great mind-settler. The first 5 days ALWAYS my hardest. Up until about 5 years ago, I would get to day 5 and think "Gosh! I feel SOOOO good, I think I deserve a drink" The insanity of it all....Oh well, not today, and that is largely due to the support of you lot, so MANY THANKS!

[Guitarista]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Yes Cy... Great effort mate...Well done. I think it gets easier from this point, if you can keep a strong focus. I love the way i feel and look now, and i reckon i walk a bit taller too.

[cymru]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Thanks both. Feeling good today, but got to keep an eye on myself, so that i dont slip. I feel different though. Know what i mean? Determined, ready to fight. I dont want to drink, not know i cant. I simply dont want it, and thats important to me.

[Guitarista]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Cy. I feel different this time around too..(if that's what you mean)..I now know at this point in my life, i cannot moderate,tried lot's, always back to square one, so, it's off the grog for me, for a long time, not even thinking about years etc.. just taking it slowly, but enjoying life and the real me again...With the things i want to do with the rest of my life, i'll do them better, and actually DO them, without al. That realisation finally for me, makes giving up a lot easier somehow....no battle or stress in my head anymore...It's cool.

[kaponium]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

That is truly the winning mindset, cym - I love it when I don't want to drink , not just the desperation of "I can't drink".... I wouldn't trade what I have got today for quids!! Goodnight all (Hope you all have fabulous day!) Beddy byes down here pour moi X

[Guitarista]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

G'night Kapo. Sweet dreams, and have a great day tomorrow...

[Cinders]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Good Morning from SE USA.

I woke up feeling very pretty good today. Yay!!

I have to get the garbage out and start cleaning because hubby flies home tonight.

I start all my new meds today. It will be interesting to see if Naltrexone and Campral help with cravings. I am also starting a new one called Lamictal. One of those that makes me nervous to take but will give it a try. I see new doc again in 2 weeks.

Hope all to come have a great day.

Love,
Cindi

[namaste]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Good Morning Glories, from SE USA as well...day 13 AF for me (again) and feeling very sound as well like some others have expresses. Even though I've had long strings of sobriety over the years, it's been a while since I've surrendered to the truth that I simply cannot moderate. Even when I was 'trying' to moderate, I knew I was bullsh__g myself, but now, I have something at stake which gives me a reason. When I quit drinkimg 20 years ago, I did it so that I could raise my kids...when that job was done I defaulted and it has taken me a while to find another purpose, as if my own simple well being were not enough...there in lies the problem. At least my reason is linked to my well being, so it's a start. I have to do it so that I can take care of myself...I'm 50 years old, a self employed artist with zero savings and a mortgage and a car payment...no health insurance because I left my job at the university a year and a half ago and have not been able to find anyone to cover me because my doctor prescribed the topamax for me so now I have the pre-existing treatment for alcohol abuse on my record (needless to say I was mortified, naive as I guess I was, to find this out once I had already decided to leave my job)...My husband is carpenter and brings In a good paycheck but isn't the best buisnessman and doesn't like to work for anyone else so I do my best to take care of the buisness side of his work, including trying to keep up with the taxes...the bottom line is I'm just like everbody else trying to survive and there is something that happens in your 40s and 50s...time gets 'real'. It's now or never...you see the vulnerability of the body, the fragility of the soul...but also the flip side, the strength, the endurance, the miracle of nature and for me, such an awareness of our connectedness to it. For me, this time around, my desire for sobriety has come about and is linked to something bigger than myself...and this feels cool to me, that it is aligned with my desire for the planet to be healed, for us, as human beings and stewards to be responsible in all ways, including economically.. It wasn't e pugh for me to quit drinking when it was just about my 'little me', but when I finally was able to make a connection (collective consciousness? Spiritual? Organic...) something clicked and I feel there are those greater forces helping me along, which include all of you. Thanks for being here. Just reading through the threads strengthen those three things that keep the human race going, faith, hope and love.
Namaste
Dilayne

[universal]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Hi guys,

Cindy, I'm glad your appointment went well yesterday. I know it can be nervewracking from all those meds but you are one hell of a strong woman - if anyone can make this work it's you for sure!

Day 11 here and I"m feeling the mindset change too. We have AL in our house and last night we had a beautiful steak dinner where normally I would have had the bottle of wine open while cooking it - I was tempted, I'm not gonna lie to you - but instead opened a diet pepsi and handed BF a beer. Didn't even talk about it or think about it after dinner was over. BF doesn't know about my wanting to cut back or this site (although he was playing around on the computer last night so I think he may have found it.......and he never asks me if I want a drink when he used to all the time......so who knows, maybe he does know and is being supportive in a quiet way) Either or, no matter, I made it through another day - it's this weekend with my friends wedding that will be difficult. Have to take it ODAT.

Love,
Uni

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Good morning from the Midwest! Congratulations to everyone one their achievements today - Cy at 5 Days AF and Namaste at 13 Days AF, and everyone else for their AF days and also personal progress in other areas that we can ONLY accomplish while sober!

Namaste - the state of health care in our country is down right scary. And it's a REAL problem for the solo entrepeneur. Insurance was much easier to obtain when we structured ourselves so that Mr. Doggy and I are both employees (getting a paycheck, even at minimum wage) from our company. I had back surgery several years ago so on an individual insurance basis I was either declined or they would exclude about 3/4 of my body parts from coverage. Now we are eligible for group insurance which is more highly regulated in terms of limiting or declining coverage. PM me if you would like more info on what we discovered so we could legally qualify for group coverage. Maybe your husband should be part of your company too.

I was thinking last night while watching "When a Man Loves a Woman" about quitting AL for good, and just deciding that and saying so. For whatever reason, there seems to be a vibe in the world of problem drinkers that you CAN'T say "I quit for good" - somehow that is cocky or over-confident or unrealistic, or something. Maybe it's the "one day at a time" AA way? I have no problem at all with whatever works for people. And there are many - including on this thread that I admire, and who do best with a "one day at a time" mental approach. For me, that approach seems to leave a small door open for "well, it's just one day....so how about a drink .... " that sort of thinking. So I seem to do better with an "I'm done with this forever - I won't be ever drinking again - so let's figure out what we have to do to move on and re-structure life around that decision.

Anyway...just food for thought. I'm not suggesting that any particular thought process is better than another - quoting Beatle again "whatever works!"

Discuss.....



Beatle, I am so excited to hear about your triathlon!! :b&d: Let me know if you need a trainer to help motivate you. And thank you for starting us off today, and for the funny joke!! Love to smile in the AM!

I'm out the door for my Friday leads group meeting. So gotta run but it will be an AF day and weekend here - hope the same for all of you my daily AF friends.

DG

[namaste]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Uni, sounds like you are doing great and being graceful about it with BF. In years gone by, my efforts seemed to have to involve some drama. I'm happy to just have some peace about it... I came back to post a quote.. They get sent to my email from Oprah, Marianne Williamson's series on A Course in Miracles, this one is about surrender, which seemed appropriate to my thoughts this morning (I'm wondering if this is an appropriate thread for how I'm using it...I haven't figured out if there is a format or not...anyhoo...the quote

"Surrender means stop fighting the world, and to start loving it instead. It is a gentle liberation from pain."

[retteacher]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

DG: I too must say to myself:
-I'm a non-drinker...I don't drink...I will never drink.
-It's over for good.
Any small sip would throw me right back into the pit I was in prior to coming to MWO. I don't even want to look at booze or ads for it. I'm at a point in my program where I can't have any wine or spirits in the house. I'd drink it all. I don't know if I'll ever be able to have them here. When we have guests, I have them bring the bottle home w/them. My husb is very moderate about drinking & never thinks about it.

For me, the one day at a time message works for the daily work of dealing w/urges & temptation. The long-range goal of never drinking is my only option. I tried & tried to mod, & my drinking had progressed to the point where it was impossible.

I'm amazed at how this thread has grown over the past few months. Perhaps it's the onset of the holiday season. Or perhaps peoples' consciousness has changed. I'm quite thrilled about it. You all can't imagine what MWO means to me. You all have really helped me to:
-Admit I had a problem.
-See that I can't drink mod.
-Gotten me onto the road to abs.

BTW, I've noticed that the local liquor stores are gearing up their advertising for the holidays. Yesterday I saw a full-page ad for all kinds of wines & spirits. I don't even let myself look closely.

I'll check back later.

Mary

[charlee]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

Morning everyone
Our achievement thread is certainly growing and it's great to see so many posts, so early here on the east coast. Yeppers, whatever works....I am, and always will be a ODAT kinda gal, still make no promise for tomorrow, and never say never. Over the past years I made so many promises to myself and others always ending with never again only to break my word, and I knew, as did my family my words meant nothing......This time round had to be different. I (DG borrowing your words) can choose to drink anytime, I am just choosing not to today..that is what I live by, and it has worked for me.....my today's have added up one day at a time......I took my power back and I am in control..at least for today!!
Can't believe its Friday already, hope everyone has a great weekend.....

[on my way]

AF Daily, Friday, Dec. 5

WOW, busy thread this morning.

It's waaaaay toooo cold here this morn and I don't like it.

We have a great weekend planned and I am not worried a bit. Lots of fun activities that don't involve al. It amazes me how much fun can be had without it!

Here's to a fun al free weekend!!

nat