af sat 21 Nov

[bear73]

morning all - where is everyone - it's a bit late?
Well i drank and smoked last night - 2 beers and didn't want more BUT I didn't feel good today - spacy and sore chest. Triggers were feeling stressed and also not thinking through when I had the desires/cravings just reacting on them and allowing the 'just one' thought.
My new tactic is 'its not an option to drink or smoke - the craving will pass'.

Tonight am gonna drive to friend's birthday so no option and take my gum and not go outside with the smokers.Next weekend there is no big social stuff planned so it's a good long stretch for me to get strong in it again.

I feel positive though have my plan - but also realistic - lapsed 2 weekends in a row.
Good day to all - will be back tomorrow af and sf.

[Leelou]

af sat 21 Nov

Bear, your right, the craving will pass, stay focused on your plan and it's good you know your triggers. I am learning that my cravings demand so much of my thought process but they really do go away. I just need to stick to my goals during that time, using any tools or distractions I can.

Let's kick this cravings butt!!

[Doggygirl]

af sat 21 Nov

Good morning all! Bear, thank you for getting us started today. And hello Leelou too!

Each person travels a different path with this stuff. For me, I found it way, way, way too difficult to give up smoking OR drinking while trying to hang out with smokers / drinkers. I really needed to stay away for quite a long time. That is not what everyone does, that is just what I had to do. I've had to re-build a different way of living that just doesn't revolve around social activities that revolve around AL. There is as saying I heard that I thought was funny - "If you sit in the barber chair long enough you will eventually get a hair cut!" So I got out of the barber chair. :H

Leelou, it was and is an effort for me to stay sober. I used to dislike the amount of time it took - now I love putting in effort on my sobriety because it's just that important to me. AL is a patient and subtle foe and I think if I stop putting conscious effort each day into my sobriety and also the "new and improved me" then I know AL will be waiting to grab me.

For many, many years I put a TON of effort - mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially into my drinking. Thoughts of drinking if not the activity of drinking dominated my days. So I'm willing to put a lot of effort and time into my sobriety and the new and better me each day. That's how I see it anyway!

And yes - those cravings do pass - just have to ride them out. The key for me in minimizing the number of cravings I have is to really change my lifestyle.

Well, that's a mouth full for 6:23 AM!! I'm off to AA, then to the gym, then will be settling in for an afternoon / evening of figure skating!!

Hope everyone here has a great sober day!

DG

[Lavande]

af sat 21 Nov

Good moring bear, Leelou & DG,

Chilly here this morning but sunny - always helps me in the mood dept.!

bear, I coming up this week on 8 months AF & I have to tell you - I haven't had a real crave for a very long time. I have what you could call the occasional passing drinking thought. I automatically follow them up with the 'No, I don't do that anymore' thought! I'm just not going to do it & that's all there is to it

Well, I must go prepare - the Insanity Twins will be arriving shortly! Lucky me to be dog sitting this weekend. I just hope it stays dry so I can keep them outside as much as possible. My son's Goldens are nice dogs but super hyper! I have a large property so they like to run a lot - it helps tire them out

Have a terrific AF Saturday everyone!
Lav

[greeneyes]

af sat 21 Nov

Zoom, Zoom! today. Chores galore. Another birthday dinner tonight! OINK!

Be well and have fun!

[drylifeahead]

af sat 21 Nov

Good morning bear73, Leelou, Doggygirl, Lavande and greeneyes

Good luck tonight at your friends b/day party bear73, we're all behind you willing you strength.

DG, I'm not a fan of Sat night tv, usually tune into AMW, but figure skating sounds good..

Lavande, that's funny...the Insanity Twins. I love dogs that are full of piss and vinegar-they're fun to watch frolicking together.

greenie, Oink?...must be lots of good food happening, can I come??

Off tonight to a closed AA meeting..first time at one of those, so hopes are high this is what I am searching for.

Right now, going to get myself presentable and bring my son on a budgie search. We had to leave our little one behind
with boy/f as we live with 2 cats and I couldn't chance an accident. Since we are moving, I promised my son another
budgie..went online and picked the type, so going to have a looksee. Can't bring him home until all the paint fumes are gone,
but we both are looking so forward to bonding with our new feathered friend. Before I ever had a bird, I never thought
they could have a personality-like a cat or dog. Wow, was I ever mistaken. They are such a pleasure, so funny, just so
cheery (errr, most of the time), and friendly. He went everywhere with us-in the house that is. As soon as we got home,
he'd be calling to come out of the cage. I feel like an excited parent about to adopt a new child.

Have an excellent day all!!
DLA

[drylifeahead]

af sat 21 Nov

greenie, Oink?...must be lots of good food happening, can I come??

Forgot to add shhhhhh, don't tell DG, or she'll get that blasted :b&d: out again :H:H

[LVT25]

af sat 21 Nov

Hello friends!

Bear, you remind me of me when I first started here, except I didn't stop at 2 beers. When I finally got honest, and realized what I HAD to do if being NF was my #1 priority--and I had to quit being around my smoking/drinking friends for awhile. Like--months. In the meantime, 2 of them quit smoking as well.
Now, I am a non-drinker and a non-smoker and I have NO problem being around al and my friends in social situations. AS LONG AS...I can leave when I want, and I don't join them if I'm not in the mood. I dislike being around drunk people. I used to add unless I am one of them, but that just isn't an option.
So, even though you didn't ask for my opinion--I have one and I'll share it. Stay out of social situations that involve drinking and smoking for awhile--until you get a few weeks of NF and AF under your belt. Then it is so much harder to blow it--because you have to start over. Your friends will understand. :h
I had such a nice evening hanging out with my sons last night (Friday night). I rearranged the furniture and then we had frozen pizza and popcorn and watched a great movie--Broken Bridges. Hubby was with his friends processing venison. I will admit, as I was getting ready for bed and saw his headlights, I dashed through the house and turned the lights off and jumped into bed so I didn't have to hear how drunk he probably was. At least he is thinking ahead, because he wouldn't take the boys with him because he knew he'd be drinking and didn't want to drive with them. He told them this. I told my oldest son that I hope he knew, that even thought dad does it--it is NEVER ok to drink and drive--NEVER.
I am looking forward to going to friend's house for the Husker game. This is a classic example of how different I feel about being around friends/drinking now. I am looking forward to it. The guys will sit in one room, and us girls in the kitchen--we will kind of watch the game--visit--and there will be lots of yummy food! The guys will high five everyone when Nebraska scores and it will be loud and fun! In the past, I would have to drink--go outside and smoke--worry about getting home or what kind of impression I'm giving to my kids.....and not eat. Tonight I will maybe take some NA beer or just some soda--and eat lots of bagna cada!!! (Probably not spelled correctly, but I'll see if we have any Italians here!)
In the meantime, I'm going to clean up my house--tackle the office--and enjoy my sobriety!

Life is good.:h

[greeneyes]

af sat 21 Nov

LVT, Interesting comment on the netti pot by your chiro. I don't have sinus isssues so I only use it on the rare illness occasion, and usually after yard work Gotta address those wood chunks after using the chain saw. (sorry marshy) :H But I have to ask, is that his opinion or the result of research?

[LVT25]

af sat 21 Nov

Greenie--I would have to ask him. I would assume opinion/experience. This guy is sharp and I trust his opinion. I think for some people the neti pot is great--like you--to wash out allergens, etc. I'm also a fan of Dr. Oz and he is a neti pot fan. I gave mine to my SIL last weekend. I had my son who was 10 at the time use it when he had a really stuffy head--and he ended up with an ear infection.
So, I think it works great for some-just not for me.

[Dolly Sunshine]

af sat 21 Nov

drylifeahead;762046 wrote: Good morning bear73, Leelou, Doggygirl, Lavande and greeneyes

Good luck tonight at your friends b/day party bear73, we're all behind you willing you strength.

DG, I'm not a fan of Sat night tv, usually tune into AMW, but figure skating sounds good..

Lavande, that's funny...the Insanity Twins. I love dogs that are full of piss and vinegar-they're fun to watch frolicking together.

greenie, Oink?...must be lots of good food happening, can I come??

Off tonight to a closed AA meeting..first time at one of those, so hopes are high this is what I am searching for.

Right now, going to get myself presentable and bring my son on a budgie search. We had to leave our little one behind
with boy/f as we live with 2 cats and I couldn't chance an accident. Since we are moving, I promised my son another
budgie..went online and picked the type, so going to have a looksee. Can't bring him home until all the paint fumes are gone,
but we both are looking so forward to bonding with our new feathered friend. Before I ever had a bird, I never thought
they could have a personality-like a cat or dog. Wow, was I ever mistaken. They are such a pleasure, so funny, just so
cheery (errr, most of the time), and friendly. He went everywhere with us-in the house that is. As soon as we got home,
he'd be calling to come out of the cage. I feel like an excited parent about to adopt a new child.

Have an excellent day all!!
DLA

I had a budgie that learned how to say his abc's because I was teaching my son them and he must have been listening. I've had all kinds of birds but he had more personality than all of the others combined! Good luck on your search and enjoy!

[drylifeahead]

af sat 21 Nov

Dolly Sunshine;762075 wrote: I had a budgie that learned how to say his abc's because I was teaching my son them and he must have been listening. I've had all kinds of birds but he had more personality than all of the others combined! Good luck on your search and enjoy!

Thanks Dolly Sunshine,

That's a great story!! Does your budgie still do that?
Reason I ask is that when we first got ours, we had a terrible squeaky bathroom door. Laziness is why it went on for a quite a while.
Finally I couldn't take it anymore..too noisy in the middle of the night, so boy/f fixed it one day. We were in our room later in the day,
and the blasted thing started squeaking again. What the heck?
It was our bird, making the EXACT same sound. I mean...exactly. This went on for a couple months or so...gradually the bird lost interest doing that as he didn't have the reinforcement of hearing
it...thank goodness!! We love him so much, but THAT sound was ANNOYING :H:H
DLA

[Determinator]

af sat 21 Nov

Happy Saturday ABerooonies!

I totally slept in, wow. snow is melting and the sun is out....loverly!

well I have to figure out what is wrong with the heater so just a quick alloooooo from AF-land Reno sector.

be well

[Marshy]

af sat 21 Nov

greeneyes;762064 wrote: LVT, Interesting comment on the netti pot by your chiro. I don't have sinus isssues so I only use it on the rare illness occasion, and usually after yard work Gotta address those wood chunks after using the chain saw. (sorry marshy) :H But I have to ask, is that his opinion or the result of research?

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em... there's a well-known phenomenon that occurs when people first move to London from elsewhere - black bogeys! It lasts for a few weeks/months until your body adjusts to the pollution :H

I'm finishing up at work, then out for a Chinese with a friend. And I've discovered that tea really does taste better with Chinese food than alcohol. Who'da thunk it?

Have a good day/eve everyone!