AF Daily - Sunday July 12

[Doggygirl]

Is everyone sleeping in this morning? Or better yet, already up and enjoying the day un-hung? I know I'm grateful to be un-hung this morning!

For some reason I feel a call for a topic today, but am at a loss of which good AF topic to pick! There are so many! Actually, maybe a good one might be naming your #1 first choice tool to stay sober when the urge to drink is really, really strong. I was thinking of AFM's post yesterday - GREAT JOB AFM pulling out the Antabuse tool when you need it! I hope your day today is better and more peaceful.

For me, I am so glad to have a variety of tools that work in different situations. But if I had to pick a favorite, it's the willingness to WALK AWAY from ANY drinking situation and put my sobriety first. The only time I could realistically fulfill an urge to drink is when alcohol is near. I can't avoid alcohol completely, nor do I want to. It's out there in life. BUT. I don't care what the circumstances - business, family, whatever. If I need to leave, I will. If it's leave or drink, there is no question which choice I will make and any excuse will do - I won't spend much brain energy on worrying over what people will think or which of many easy excuses I will give. It gets easier for me to be around alcohol with more sober time, but I am still wary and won't force it.

Today I'm going to try to make some of Speedster's refrigerator pickles! Have a great AF day one and all.

DG

[The New Me]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

I so agree with you.
I initially agonized over how am I going to tell my friends I do not drink any more. Then, I said to myself - what on earth does it matter? It is not even a fear of disapproval, for I know they would approve whatever I decide. It was my own discomfort with not drinking.
I am over that hump now. As a matter of fact, I just got an email from a friend who said she quit smoking. I wrote back - I quit drinking. Nice and clean.

[LVT25]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

It is great to be hangover free!!!!!

DG--I think the tool I use when I get an urge is to eat. Or to drink something else.

Another quick story. Last night we went to a big annual fund-raiser in our community. There is a lot of alcohol served, and in the past I have gone by myself and it was quite easy to drink too much. This year they were raffling off a Harley Davidson motorcycle, so hubby went along. We had a great meal, and I drank too much.....Diet Pepsi. Anyway on the way out of town the cops had a road check--5 state patrolmen. I told hubby how this just reinforces how glad I am that I quit drinking! I was still nervous and shaking even though I hadn't touched a drop! I would have been screwed in the past. It's just not worth it.

Just had to share. Have a great day! :h

[The New Me]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

That's such a great story! It is so nice to feel like a respectable person, not a potentially haunted criminal. The DUI stories are just too fraightening. Thank God, I never got one and it is NOT because I did not deserve one. I rather not think about it - had two Angels sitting on both of my shoulders more than once!
Good for you LVT25!

[Cinders]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

Good Morning!!

DG - I totally agree. If I feel even the slightest discomfort, I walk away. No excuses necessary. My sobriety is too fragile to endanger.

LVT - I am so glad you got such a positive reinforcement last night. It sure does help, doesn't it? Also kinda funny how we still feel "guilty" even though we aren't.

New Me - I have no issue telling people I can't drink anymore. I let it lie there. If it is business associates and they ask why I tell them the meds I am on. It is the truth, after all!!

Hope all to come have a wonder AF Sunday!!

Cindi

Det - Hang in there. Those breaks are miserable at first but day by day they get better. :l

[SarahH]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

The reason it is so hard to say to people that I don't drink is that part of me still wants to. I am going to get past that. "I don't drink." There, I said it and I will say it again.

No thanks, I don't drink.

Yes, that means never.

[Determinator]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

Happy Sober Sunday ABerooooos!

Thank you DoggyGirl for the thoughtful start to our late sunny day

ah yes, know when to holdem, know when to fold 'em and (most importantly) know when to run. On my way to friends house last night to watch the fights I was thinking to myself: what if they are doing shots of single malt and doing the whole 'macho male bonding' thing? I thought about trying to rationalize various things, thought about excuses regarding meds, thought about all kinds of things and eventually returned to the truth as my only really good answer. 'no thanks guys I don't drink'.
Then I could shake their hand, give them a bear hug or whatever seemed appropriate.
Thankfully the evening was very mellow and I think the most anyone had was 2 lite beers. (not even drinking according to my old standards!). I was in rare form and drank 4 O'douls. At home I normally just drink coffee, water and carbonated water.

Sarah H, congrats on your statement here. I do indeed know how hard it is to even type that out. Nice to meet you, I don't drink either

be well my friends

[The New Me]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

Doggy Girl et all,

You will be glad to know that today I re-started my exercise regime. I address this to DD, becasue a)she wrote to me suggestiong I start immediatelly and b) becasue I know she believes that exercise is an intergral part of recovery.
But even prior to my walk/run I felt very good, very balanced and centered. Now I see that most of my anxiety, if not all was alcohol - induced.
Is it normal to feel so euforic on day seven? (Question is rethorical)

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

LVT that is a really good story about the road block, and also that creepy guilty feeling even though you were completely sober! Just goes to show that our brains do indeed remember the old pathways. I bet it was GREAT to be able to tell youself you had nothing to fear.

New Me, I too hate to think about the number of risks I took behind the wheel. Thankfully I too never got a DUI or worse, killed anyone although I sure could have done either, way too many times. As part of my journey to sobriety, I have FORCED myself to think about that (although as you mentioned, I too would rather NOT think about it!). Firmly implanting the realities of my poor judgement when under the influence is an important part of what keeps me sober. Sometimes what we easily remember is the "glammed up" part of the drinking. That first cold drink in a nice setting and that initial feeling of a slight buzz that felt so good. If I think about that, I force myself to view what I call My Vodkapades in their entirety. That includes not only the very fleeting good part, but all the bad parts leading up to that drink (jonesing for it, being distracted by obsessive thoughts of drinking when I need/want to be focused on other things) and also what happens after the fleeting good part. (doing / saying things ranging from stupid to down right dangerous, the hangovers, the guilt and remorse) There is no question I need not be drinking when I really think the whole thing through.

Sorry for that long rant! At any rate New Me I'm glad you are posting with us here. Your story is quite amazing and I aplaud you on your decision to ditch the booze and get back to the excellent qualities of life!

Hi Cinders. I just read your post on the AA thread and it sounds like you've been keeping a very hectic schedule - still with all that travel. I don't know how you do it. You have my utmost admiration! I hope the tests you have to take go OK and that it's not disruptive to your customer work.

Hi SarahH! Good to see you on this thread. I'm Doggygirl and I don't drink either. Don't even want to any more. You will get there. Don't give up. And don't drink.

Deter, I have a vision of you in the Deter's Decorated Dorkboot bear hugging with your male friends. It's quite a vision too. How are you feeling today???? I hear you on the two lite beers. That definitely qualifies as "why bother?" quantity from my old drinking days.

I am debating on breaking my driving restriction to go get some Tumeric which I am unfortunately missing for those refrigerator pickles. What do you think? I did freeze some green and yellow beans. And I blanched them this time. What do you think will happen to the ones I didn't blanch before freezing? Will they be edible? I have such a horrid habit of doing things first then reading the instructions second. Good think I am not a nuclear scientist.

DG

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

Oops - New Me good for you on that exercise program! You are a Hottie in the making. About that euphoria, just you wait. There will come a time when you have random happy moments that will make you think somebody slipped you something.

DG

ETA: Oh - and I'm sort of liking that "stealth registration" thing (I saw your post that it's a technical glitch). I vote you tell them to leave it.

[The New Me]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

It makes me look more misterious, like Jmaes Bond's girlfriend

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

The New Me;662673 wrote: It makes me look more misterious, like Jmaes Bond's girlfriend

OH now I'm pea green with envy. Over your "stealth" thing AND your boyfriend. Johnny Depp is my boyfriend but he's not as cool as James Bond.

[The New Me]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

That's what happens to cool chicks like us when we stop drinking. We get ourselves fabulous boyfriends
(Psst, do not tell Mr. Doggy!)

[speedster]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

Quick hello to all on this AF Sunday.

Farmers Market - corn is in and I bought 4 dozen & with hubby's help we cut it off the cob and froze it. I like having enough for holiday meals and throughout the non-fresh corn months. I'm headed out for a bike ride which will include a couple errands. If enough energy left will make Peach marmalade later.

Went to a touring kayak demo yesterday. Have wanted one for over a year and have tried them twice and will probably purchase one soon. Will enjoy it in the heat of August.

Gave my pupster a haircut yesterday. I'm no professional. Luckily it grows out. I can never get his legs even. He doesn't seem to care.

Love, love, love AF weekends!

[Marshy]

AF Daily - Sunday July 12

Hello: DG, The New Me, LVT, Cindi, Sarah, Det, Speedster and all to come

Topic! I also think about a bad time to convince me that drinking isn't a good idea. Specifically about one day early on when I was trying to stop drinking but couldn't string more than a few days AF together. I walked to the off licence (liquor store) to get some beer, and when I got there spent five minutes pacing up and down outside trying to stop myself going in, but also desperately wanting to drink. I can't remember now whether or not I gave in that day, but I remember feeling absolutely miserable that something had such power and control over me. I don't want to feel like that again.

DG - re blanching. I had this conversation with my mum just the other day! She doesn't blanch anything before she puts it in the freezer. She freezes broad beans and runner beans (I'm guessing that you probably don't call them that in the States, but BEANS basically) and they both work really well. So I'm sure yours will be fine either way. So nice to have your own veg to eat in winter!

Speedster - kayak sounds great. Are you near sea/river/lake?