AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

[Guest]

Good Morning. roud:


It's a beautiful rainy day in the north redwood forest. The rain is steady and strong, sounds perfect, exactly how the weather is supposed to be right now right here. That's a nice feeling because of all this strange weather we have all been experiencing.
In January I was getting tired of One More Sunny Day. I know it's cold and snowy and bad in other places, but that winter sun was not right for the forest.

I am doing well, no I did not drink my 2 bottles of wine. For me my new game is thinking about how much I am literally not drinking, that really helps keep the perspective for me.
Yes, no more full recycle containers. I wish I had a photo of our basement, one year we had 10 garbage pails full of recycle bottles. I finally had to hire a person to come and bring them to the recycle. (Well they were clean so it is not as bad as it sounds!)

Back to the rain, hope things are going in a more normal way for you too, in the weather and in the way you are feeling having more and more AF days and finding ourselves with clear minds and clear consciousness. Isn't it wonderful to awaken in the morning and remember "I did not drink yesterday!"


Good Morning! Have a wonderful day.

[gyco]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

hi ocean, a good morning to you,so many things in this world going on,weather,fires,flooding,the list goes on,and we all sit here trying to figure out alcohol,or drugs,humans will never change,selfishness i believe its called,i also believe in the beginning something went tragically wrong,take my dog,all he wants is his home,food and to be petted and cleaned once in a while,do you know animals never kill more then they have to,do you no animals will never eat anything that's no good for them,unless there starving or thirsty,animals only take substances when there ill,that's someting i think man and women alike should take a look at,b4 we destroy them all off,you no ocean ,we should all just stay away from here for a while to get are thinking rite,is not thinking how were gonna manage our day without substance abuse a little insane,gyco s ok just food for thought i love your threads thanks

[gyco]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

ocean i guess im a bit nervous for tomorrow,see the specialist,not for my brain hahaha,last time i talked to a specialist i was put into a sanitatium,the effects will last me for a life time,kinda like Al gyco have a wonderful day

[SAUSAGE]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Morning all

just been swimming this am and then caught up on the end of yesterday's thread. Momof 3 - we will miss you on here, but do what is right for you, take care and as someone else said, it would be nice if you could just drop by around your 1 year anniversary to inspire us all.

Mary - sounds like you have had a very productive day yesterday, keep going, keep strong - you are in my thoughts- and do return to drink tracker - fill in your zeros for the days you have been zero - it helps give a sense of perspective when you see them all.

Re- "drinking a love story", which some of you have mentioned - I am very keen to read it, I have read various quotes and extracts and just know I am going to be able to relate to it painfully well

Well must go now, take care everyone, i'll be back later

[Kirova]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

'Morning all -
Ocean, your rain sounds peaceful...we're supposed to get some too, but it will be mixed with snow and will likely amount to one slushy mess.
Gyco, we could probably learn a lot from our pets...who can't benefit from leading a simpler life? Good luck with your appointment tomorrow -- my thoughts will be with you.
Have an awesome swim, Sausage!
I'm feeling a bit foggy this morning but hoping a run will clear my noggin. Wishing everyone a simple, strong, AF day!

[Doggygirl]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Good morning to all in AB-Land!

Ocean are you in California? It's early there! I'm an early riser myself so I get that. I haven't looked at the weather report yet so here at 5:20AM I have no idea if it will be sunny or snowing today! (it snowed yesterday - the world looks gorgeous covered in white..)

Gyco - I love your observations about dogs and how they live. Their rules for "how things work" are pretty straight forward and clear. We humans are the ones that mess up their world! You would like our dog trainer who is quite a student of dog / wolf and a few other related species' behavior in the wild. This lends an understanding of what dogs are genetically wired to do, regardless of whether "today" they spend their days on the sofa eating Dog Chow. Understanding all of that and applying it to training is a very interesting and amazing process! I hope your test goes OK tomorrow. I will be trying my best to send you some positive energy vibes today!

Hi Sausage! Wow - already been for your swim! You GO girl! Today is my day off from exercise. I thought about doing some yoga but I'm finding that I really need that one day a week to be lazy. Or to rest. However one likes to look at that. Lazy is probably the better word in my case. Back to my roots so to speak. Have a wonderful day Sausage! Are you all caught up and back to normal from your trip now? (laundry, mail, etc.)

From yesterday - Hula the whale watching trip sounds amazing and I bet all the kids had a lot of fun. I can't even imagine how much work it is to organize all that though. It's hard to relax and enjoy events like that when you have to be in charge of it. And yes - figuring out "fun" seems not so easy sometimes. I don't think I had a handle on "fun" in my drinking days either. The planning, execution, and recovery from drinking became a daily grind that was definitely not fun! I'm settling into a simple joy in the simple things. LOL on your oragami experience! I've always been facinated by that and one of my nieces is really into it and makes amazing stuff. I personally don't think I have the patience - I would get frustrated and turn it into a confetti making project.

Narilly you are right - hangover free Sundays are a happy thing!!!! Good morning (when you get here!)

Pamina - It sounds like your friend is in a negative feedback loop. Sadly, I don't think there is much we can do for people in that situation until they have a desire to change it. Then maybe there will be something you can do to help. It's hard to watch though. I also believe in the ebb and flow of things related to "giving of ourselves." There are times when we have an extra amount of energy to give, and other times when we need to recharge our batteries. It is so important to learn to distinguish that I think. And I am still a student!

Mame thank you for sharing the piccy of the Archies!! I'm glad Sugar and Wookie have reached a truce of sorts. That is so funny. Hey - catching up on sleep and having a sort of lazy weekend IS fun in my book!!! Can I just say I am SO HAPPY you are back Aunty Mame. I miss you when you leave. No more drinking!!!

Are our expectations too high? Do we feel a bit lost without that physical and mental buzz going on? That buzz was clearly powerful considering how much of our lives we all wasted chasing it. Even though it ended up to be a fleeting thing that came with more pain than anything. Hmmmm.....

Well, I better get my butt in gear! I'm feeling motivated to work on my sober life today so I'm going to an early AA meeting and then to my regular weekly SMART meeting. I can't imagine wanting to do that every Sunday, but today it feels right so that's what I'm gonna do.

Congratulations WIPper on 7 months sober today!! Travel safely to Florida and do something wonderful for yourself OK? I am 9 months sober today. OK - so I've been through the friggin' pain. Where's the dang baby? :H

DG

[speedster]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Good morning abbers,

Went to dinner with friends last night and was the only one who didn’t order a beer. Theses are people who don’t drink much, and I said I needed to lose 10 lbs if I was going to fit into my summer-weight clothes. A couple people agreed they were in the same 10-lb boat and that was about it.

I read Drinking a Love Story a great deal. The story has progressed to places I have not gone with alcohol and it’s riveting. I relate to her early stages of AL so reading about how she progressed has really made me grateful for finding MWO early and taking an honest look at my AL habit.

I relate to her in other ways too - death of both parents when we’re still relatively young. Both having a father that was a highly-functioning AL. It’s a reality check for sure. I can see how this book would be hard to read, it can bring up a lot of personal emotion.

On a lighter note, it’s a good day although forecast to be about 15-20 degrees below normal. I need to groom the dog and do will hit the gym.

I’m not counting my AF days each day and not weighing too frequently. I’ll do that about every 2 weeks.

WIP - congrats on the 7-month milestone!

Gyco best wishes tomorrow. I too look to my dog to understand the basics for peace and happiness.

Sausage - I have thought about taking a fitness swim class at our gym. The class is not a good time for me but I’d like to learn better technique.

Oatmeal is about to burn. Have a great AF DAY!!!

[aprilmoon]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Hey Ya'll.

Gyco.....my dog eats things that are not good for her. She's crazy I guess. I will not list the things she eats, but they are not good for her. She's crazy I know. We get along great. LOL

I am gonna fix a big breakfast for my husband and I. I'm hungry. Then we will be off to church. It's great going to church without a hangover and the guilt of drinking last night.

I'm on 25 AF days I think. Woo Hoo to me.

[A Work in Progress]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Good morning to everyone... beautiful day here in central Florida... I am happy to report that I am delighted with the paint job on the house (outside and inside); I was SO worried that I would not like it when I saw it "in person" but it absolutely rocks. A deep raspberry sherbet outside, with slate gray and yellow trim; and inside, white ceilings, yellow walls, plus one big exposed brick wall in the living room is raspberry sherbet. It looks great with the floor tile. Among the many remaining jobs: curtains and blinds! Yikes!

I got here in time yesterday to pick up my new bicycle, too! Now, THAT is fun! It gives me some basic in-town transportation and a way to have some very easy and fun exercise. Renting a car every time I come down here is getting horribly expensive.

There's a little wine bar in my Florida town, right next door to the bike shop. I nearly walked in there once yesterday, thinking I was walking into the bicycle place! Startled me. I found myself thinking... now, this is one reason I kind of wish I still drank.... or, rather, that I could "drink normally," because I am so much enjoying getting to know the little shops in this town. On the block where the bike shop is, there is also a pottery studio (and they have art lessons! I am signing up, when I can be here long enough!), and the little wine bar; there is a used bookstore around the corner, and a fantastic folk art gallery. I've been in all of them, hanging out and meeting people. But... not the wine bar. Oh well... The other "drinking" thing from yesterday is that the bike shop owner kept offering me beer... we were there as the shop was closing, and there was a big bike race in town yesterday, lots of riders hanging out in the shop, with some pizza and beer... It was one of those times that I felt social pressure to not be "weird" and refuse a beer, but also didn't want to say that "I don't drink" because, in the setting, it seemed as if it might sound moralistic or something. So I just kept smiling and saying "No, I'm great, thanks!"

I do relate to what a couple of you said yesterday about "fun." I think we get a skewed idea about what it is (or should be) like to have fun from messages on TV and otherwise in popular culture, where fun is depicted in a very revved-up fashion, usually including drinking, and really geared to a younger (teens or twenties) crowd. Some of us just don't get into giddiness when we are enjoying whatever it is that we enjoy. For me, reading and talking about ideas is fun! But I'm not giggling and jumping around when I do that... Riding a bicycle is a quiet, sometimes even joyful, kind of fun. Again... it feels great, but I'm not laughing out loud (the way you would see people in a TV advertisement for bicycles.... the people are all laughing, all the time!)...

Pamina, the story about your friend touched me. It reminded me of being in that place where he is... very unhappy, feeling trapped in a terrible cycle, but/and not yet willing or able to see any possibility of getting free. The way he just sort of slides away when you try to talk about it... I know that feeling. It's so very damned sad.

I hope everyone has a good day.

The Sandhill Cranes just arrived! They walked right in front of my window, and looked in at me! I love those birds...

[retteacher]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

First: congratulations to WIP for 7 months & DG for 9 months. I hold you both up to myself as wonderful role models.

Second: Yes, yesterday was emotional, but I think I'm finally coming to terms w/what happened last week. Talking to my priest felt very big, & he was incredibly compassionate. He's one of those rare priests who doesn't have an ego the size of the world (sorry to all those Catholics out there who still hold their priests up as paragons of virtue). He's a very humble person who was able to listen to me & sense the pain, shame, & guilt underneath.

Third: I just spoke to my sponsor. I'm going to start working the 12 steps today. He wants me to call him on a daily basis, read, & write in a journal. I didn't share what happened to me but will when we have a one-on-one meeting next Sunday. This didn't feel like something I should talk about over the phone.

As far as fun: I think one of the biggest reasons I drank was to give myself a sense of fun. I put a lot of burdens on myself. When I feel completely over-whelmed, I feel the need to let go & have fun. This is a habit I've gotten myself into that I need to get myself out of. Real fun, real joy, real good times don't need mood-altering substances to happen. If I'm aware enough, daily life can provide more than enough fun & joy. I don't need to throw a big muffler over myself (in the form of drinking) in order to have fun.

I hope all is well w/everyone. I will go back to DrinkTracker, but I'm trying to take my program one day at a time for a while. Dealing w/all of this has been mind-bending. I'm trying to look at the small picture instead of the big one for a while.

Mary

[greeneyes]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Morning abbers!

Sunny day here. Maybe I can cut back a few shrubs. I really can't use the word prune anymore - they are past that. I have to face the drudgery of completing my workbook for my tax return meeting tomorrow. Ugh! On the other hand it should be easier this year with a glass of tea instead of......

I went to a birthday party yesterday. Sprite and lime was my drink. My friend who is a top notch divorce attorney questioned it. She had told me in the beginning I must keep a clear head. It was good to wink at her and say sprite!

My dad in the nursing home asked me if I wanted a scotch and then said oops nevermind, I'm really proud of you. We laughed. We used to knock back some scotch in the old days.

Well off to do paperwork. Yippee.

[Marshy]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Hello all,

:wd: :yougo: :wd: :yougo: :wd: Congraulations to Doggygirl & Wip!! (DG, I thought you were kidding about the limit on smilies!! I tried to put some more and it wouldn't let me!)

Ocean, your redwood forest sounds gorgeous. It must smell great in the rain.

Wip, I'm tempted to comment on your thoughts on the wine bar... but I really ought to be cleaning up or baking a cake or something domesticated because I've got friends coming over later so you're spared my amateur psychology for now (That's my last smilie!)

I've just been out shopping and walked past the spot where the local street drinkers hang out. It does me good to see what my possible future holds if I choose that path. I'm always struck by how many women there are in the group, usually at least a third/even half. Fear of getting to that point is a big motivator for me.

[Mohun]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Good morning. Checking in again. Everyone seems to be in fine spirits (no pun intended) today.

Have a great Sunday.

Mo.

[Accountable for Me]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Good morning!

Not much going on at the moment. A bit of light rain and it looks like it is clearing up.

Congrats to WIP and DG for their awesome milestones!

That is one thing I never enjoyed - riding a bike. It hurts the arse too much!

My plans for today is probably heading out to the mall. The parks are all wet and I must get some things that I have been putting off.

Have a great day everyone!

[hulagirl]

AF DAILY Sunday February 22nd 2009

Good Morning All! WIP, I Love your Florida place! Raspberry sherbert or sorbet! Sounds delicious. I would love to have a home that shows creative, personal expression. Because I live in one of the most expensive places on the planet, we bought a townhome. All we could afford (barely). I hate condoland with the rules (no fireworks) and the conformity. I have a big back yard though, which is my escape from the cookie-cutter street image. Any where a bike can be ridden for errands is heaven in my book. I just love the way you describe your little neighborhood.
Wishing everyone a good day today. Notice that I didn't say "fun". I am still in pursuit of what has become an elusive concept, twisted and shaped into unrealistic expectations by popular media culture. Actually a nap does sound fun to me.
Peace.