AF Daily Sunday March 15

[Cinders]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Det,

Glad you are feeling better!!

Love,
Cindi

[Mohun]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Determinator;572688 wrote: Happy Sunday ABanators!!!!!

wonderful to hear of our successes against our common foe.

WIP this line of yours is great:

I find non-alcohol-dependent people so intriguing!

I totally agree. lets catch one of them and poke it with sticks and interrogate it. hahahahhahaaa, sorry my sense of humor is coming back after this nasty cold (warning).

Tom isn't Tolle something? I really enjoy his audio CD set I have of "a new Earth".

I was really looking forward to doing some long range shooting today but the winds have picked up, so I'm hitting the drawing board now. all this talk of cycling sounds good.
Incidentally I have the perfect 'push bike' (as our Brit friends would say) for a jaunt around the cobblestones of London..... a vintage Dawes Galaxy. it's really a neat old bike.

well, I'm off to peel some garlic for breakfast.

enjoy your 'super-now' everyone! and be well.

I think there are days I would rather BEAT them with sticks. :H

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

....lets catch one of them and poke it with sticks and interrogate it. hahahahhahaaa, sorry my sense of humor is coming back after this nasty cold (warning).

Good to have YOU back Deter!! :H

Hello to all in AbLand and happy sober Sunday. It's a gorgeous day here. So I am working on being in the house and lazy, and not feeling guilty about it. I really do have to learn how to be at rest or even "lazy" sometimes without feeling guilty about it. I spent so many years fighting off hangovers where sleeping in or taking a nap = I drank way too much = guilt that I don't know how to just relax sometimes. Hopefully practice will make perfect.

Cindi, the candle light birthday party sounds really fun! I would imagine you had a stressful moment when the power went off. Glad you were able to relax and enjoy the unexpected fun of the moment!

Mo I love the pic of the birds!

Mary and WIP, I love what you both had to say about drinking thoughts. I learn so much from you both and everyone here. Great food for thought.

AFM, how do you cook your spare ribs? I have some in the freezer. I was thinking about just throwing them in the crock pot with some BBQ sauce but am open to better ideas if there is a better way!

Tom good for you on kicking the SAD. And I have finally added the Tolle book that you and Deter are recommending to my long and getting longer reading list!

Arial, I love what you have to say about drinking thoughts too. It's a good reminder for me - here at almost 10 months sober the thoughts I get now are not nearly as strong or frequent as they were in the early days. Good reminder!! I hope it will continue to get easier. You are also right that sober = good. Better than ANY drinking experience could be.

I saw the SMART guys for breakfast today and we talked a bit about drinking thoughts. He reminded me that when we have thoughts that start with some iteration of "a drink would be really nice right now....." that it's OK to acknowledge that there IS something nice about "a" drink. Otherwise why would we crave it sometimes? We just need to remember the horrid part of where "a" drink leads too, and keep a balanced and truthful perspective on it. I thought that was an interesting take.....staying honest about a "nice" part of a bigger bad picture. FWIW...

Joanna, you are dashing all my wonderful fictional dreams of the MWO London Bicycle Tour with that smog talk!!

Greenie, thank you for getting us started today. Hmmm....do drinking thoughts just naturally come more frequently with the change of seasons or something? (or maybe any old excuse will do LOL...) Here's a toast of tea to all of us for not acting on the thoughts. I've tried a few chicken crock pot recipes lately. They were "OK" (including the curry chicken yesterday) but nothing I'd write home about. I'd go with LVT's recipe which I am going to hunt down and print out as soon as I'm done typing this!

LVT did you buy anything at the auction? I know a guy from one of my business referral groups that owns and auction place and I've heard he is a really fun and good auctioneer. I've yet to go!! I need to make some plans. I haven't seen "Fireproof." Let us know if the book is good. (as long as I have my spreadsheet of books to read someday open and all of that jazz...)

WIP - is that bike pic taken recently (like yesterday or today?)? If so...WOW your grass is already coming up!! I am anxiously awaiting some green around here, and to find out if there are survivors among all the bulbs we planted last fall. Nothing yet, but with the warm weather and sunshine the last couple of days it should happen soon.

I finally finished Drinking - A Love Story. What a read. Like looking in the mirror, and often rather uncomfortable with what I saw. So many things hit home, but here is a new one. Somewhere early in the book she talks about "running" being a common trait among alkies. Including geographic running - willing to move at the drop of a hat, etc. I'm sure this also includes short distance running and mental running too.... I've been a fearless "runner" all my life. Including some pretty significant geographic marathons at the drop of a hat. The grass always looked greener or something. Hmmm....not sure what to make of it. But it seems like it's a significant thing for me to explore. When I am angry with Mr. Doggy (or others in past relationships) I have a very strong running instinct. Yesterday I had one of those "I'll show you I'll go to a bar and DRINK.." moments. (I'll show who what??????) Of course I didn't but the pull to leave the house was strong as it always is under those circumstances.

I haven't a clue what I've been running from.....don't even know where to start looking.

I seems these days I AM like an onion. Not like a clove of garlic at all.

Now I am going to go start the lazy part of the day!! I'm very glad that all of you are here and that we are sharing this journey.

DG

[Marshy]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Hey all,

Everyone's sounding good!

Drinking thoughts here too last night. Fortunately it was about 11.30pm and I was home with no booze in the house (of course). And it does pass. Just takes a bit of surfing. I'm sure I've said this before, but my counsellor said the same thing about "why wouldn't you think about drinking?" It's been a 20-odd year "relationship" for me and I'm not going to forget it overnight.

Wip - your bike looks much more serious than mine. Bring it over and we'll have a race over the cobblestones (wha Det???? cobblestones?)! Whoever survives wins! Of course, it'll be the "wrong" side of the road for you so I might have a small advantage...

Joanna - smoggy??? It was gorgeous sunshine yesterday! Or maybe I'm just used to the pollution. My lungs are probably black.

[hulagirl]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Aloha All! I had to smile at your observations of "non-drinkers" WIP. I would take two bottles of wine to parties. One for the host, one for me!
It looks like I have another subject for pics, besides the dog. The bike!
Hey Mo, Beautiful photo of the birds. Are they migratory?
Sorry DG. I'm skimming. You sure have a way with words.
Enjoy another day everyone.

[Marshy]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

DG - the running away struck a chord with me too. Pretty much ALL of that book strikes a chord. Still struggling through it...

[Mohun]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

hulagirl;572755 wrote: Aloha All! I had to smile at your observations of "non-drinkers" WIP. I would take two bottles of wine to parties. One for the host, one for me!
It looks like I have another subject for pics, besides the dog. The bike!
Hey Mo, Beautiful photo of the birds. Are they migratory?
Sorry DG. I'm skimming. You sure have a way with words.
Enjoy another day everyone.

Hi HG. Yes, they are migratory. The small picture doesn't do it justice. Here is another one.

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Hee hee. Hula, yes I have a way with words. I use LOTS of them, that is just my way.

Mo - WOW - you are one awesome photographer. I have got to get off my lazy rear end and learn how to use the camera I have one of these days!

Yes Marshy - so much of that book really does strike a chord. Another memorable part for me was when she talked about drinking "alone" even with other people - i.e. going out for the evening with friends but not really caring about what's up with them. It's all about the drinking. It got that way for me too until I finally dispensed with the "sham" of "needing" people to justify my drinking and just got drunk at home. But one really was just as lonely as the other.

DG

[ThatGirl]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

DG - I also sympathise with the 'running' trait - I finally found out a ocuple of months ago what I'd been running from, it was a liberating experience.


Anywho: This is my 7th day sober, had some serious drinking thoughts yesterday when offered some champagne to go with the dinner that I cooked for my fiance, but we both declined and spent probably our first fully sober evening together, it was wonderful couldn't have asked for a lovlier evening and the perfect way to end my half term break. Back at college tomorrow - gonna be nasty xD

Enjoy your days everybody

-TG

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Good for you TG!!! I so happy for you that you had a really nice evening without AL being part of it. It's great to know that there *IS* life without AL, and it's a GOOD life, isn't it. Congrats on a week AF!

DG

[A Work in Progress]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Congrats TG! Good going!

Mo, I love Cedar waxwings! Those are wonderful shots!

Jo, between you and Marshy, I am becoming more and more determined to bicycle in London! I do love challenges... But...I admit that I'm hoping we can detour around the cobblestones? Ouch!

DG I totally agree that it's important to tell the truth to ourselves about the entire picture of what we are giving up, when we quit drinking (and when we say a firm "no" to drinking urges), including the (very transitory!) "nice" part of having "a" drink. If we paint the picture entirely black, our mind will know that we are lying to ourselves, and then the whole exercise becomes less effective, I believe. I have to do that every time I spend time with my mother... I have urges to drink, and then I re-visit the entire scenario, from getting the alcohol, to drinking it, to the brief feeling of relief/escape, and then quickly to drinking huge amounts more, and being drunk... then blackout... then various types of regrettable behaviors... then hangover... and then hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. No, thanks.

[SAUSAGE]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

I have urges to drink, and then I re-visit the entire scenario, from getting the alcohol, to drinking it, to the brief feeling of relief/escape, and then quickly to drinking huge amounts more, and being drunk... then blackout... then various types of regrettable behaviors... then hangover... and then hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. No, thanks.
WIP I just had to highlight that and quote it (first time i've managed to do this as I didn't understand how the quote button function worked!!)

What you have just posted is hugely significant / helpful to me and I will apply this entire scenario thing every time I get a craving - might be helpful to put this in the toolbox bit (unless someone has already posted something similar) as I'm sure it will help others too.

:thanks:

[SAUSAGE]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

OOps - it didn't do the blue highlight thing - must have done something wrong?!??!? - (not v good with computers /forums etc) anyway I've reprinted it out again anyway which was worth doing as it was really helpful.

[Accountable for Me]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

A Work in Progress;572971 wrote: I have urges to drink, and then I re-visit the entire scenario, from getting the alcohol, to drinking it, to the brief feeling of relief/escape, and then quickly to drinking huge amounts more, and being drunk... then blackout... then various types of regrettable behaviors... then hangover... and then hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. No, thanks.

Why is it that we feel 'suicidal' after a night of getting drunk? We really have crossed that line with alcohol, I am assuming. I know that over the last year I have felt 'suicidal' the day after I had drank. Alcohol is such a nightmare. It is so not worth it.

When I have a long run AF I feel so good and it is hard to look back and believe that I had drank so excessively.... to the point where I totally destroyed my life, relationships, and my poor brain. Anxiety, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts.......... why in the Hell would any of us want to go back to that? Certainly not me.

Thanks for the reminder WIP. I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy either.

[hulagirl]

AF Daily Sunday March 15

Thanks all for inspiring me to get the bike out, fill the tires, oil and chain and insist that hubby go on a bike ride with me. We had fun.