October Optimism - week 1

[dill]

October Optimism - week 1

"The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes, but in having new eyes."--Marcel Proust

Greetings All. I thought today we would begin week 2, but I see we've already got a good start here today. Let's start week two tomorrow.

Star, I appreciated your perspective on taking the Bible literally and quite agree. I get tired of over all Christian bashing because of a some that take things to the extreme. I must admit though that I used to engage in it myself. I was wondering if you have ever heard of the book The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta? It is an interesting interpretation of the Sermon and of Christ's life, written by a hindu Swami.

Yesterday was a non-stop busy day so I didn't have time to post. But I did think about the question about cravings. I still have cravings at the end of the day, but they are becoming weaker. Somedays they are "just thoughts". I long for the day when they disappear.

Oh, and Cyn, I don't know that I would ever strive to be "normal". But it was interesting to reflect on that yesterday, too.

Thanks for being here, threadsters.

[papmom3]

October Optimism - week 1

Good Morning Optimers!! I'm here-just been really busy this week with MD appt and trying to get ready for my trip to Maine in the "cool" car. I leave in about 45 min but just wanted to pop in and say Hi-I'm still alive and very excited about the trip. I can't imagine a better way to celebrate my 5 months anniversery of being clean and sober!! Thanks Chill for the shout out!! I have tears of gratitude and joy right now!
I'll be sending a pic of the completed car project if I can figure out out to do it from my EVO as I'll have to send it to photobucket first and then open up MWO and insert the code into the post. Easy on the PC , not sure about the phone LOL!! I do have Hippy Chick's email so as a last resort I may send a picture mail to her and ask her to forward it to the group if possible.
Wish us luck!! It's going to be a gorgeous weekend up in Bar Harbor so even if we do crappy it will be a great time.
Take care all!!
:l Papmom and the doggies

[Guitarista]

October Optimism - week 1

Safe travel's Pap mom! Great stuff on 5 month's af!!!! You sound positively aglow!

Bravo!

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

HAPPY FIVE MONTHS AF, PAPMOM!:wd::yay:

[rebirth]

October Optimism - week 1

P3
you are a STAR!!

[rustop61]

October Optimism - week 1

Hi everyone

Dill - Thanks once again for the quote. Like you I did not get to post yesterday, real life sometimes takes over.

Cyn - Dont be sorry about bringing up normal, love your comment about cherishing your true self. So many of us alcoholics have a distorted view of our true self. I enjoyed your comments the other day about the clouds. You would love Ireland, we have any amount of them and dont ever appreciate them, your comments made me see them in a whole different light.

Papmom - Congratulations on your five months, what an achievement. Enjoy your trip to Maine, its a beautiful spot and we spent many wonderful holidays there.

RB and Chill - So sorry you are both going through financial difficulties, stay strong.

Shelly - Glad the wedding went ok.

Star - I agree with you about people doing their own thing and also about materialism. It reached an all time high here during our celtic tiger years and brought out the worse in people.

Lav -Sorry about your friend with cancer.

Sooty - How is the meditation going? We did hatha yoga this week and are doing it every second day with the body scan as part of our homework. Enjoying the mixture as I found it difficult to fit in the 40 minutes body scan during the day last week. (Cant do it at night as I just fall asleep).

John, Guitarista, Rusty and anyone else I missed have a great week-end.

Rustop

[paguy]

October Optimism - week 1

Good Morning and Happy Friday Friends!

I hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend. And, although it?s not a holiday for me, many folks have a long weekend ahead as Monday is Columbus Day here in the States.

RB ? I, too, am focused on trying not to be judgmental when it comes to my partner and his drinking escapades. Yes, it challenges and frustrates me when he repeats the same thing over and over again and his speech is slurred. And I know when to back away from an argument because it would be just useless babble in that condition. But, I have to remember that it was not that long ago when I was in that same situation. I have to find a balance between my compassion/caring instincts and the risk of becoming complacent and having his behaviors derail my personal goals and objectives. I have always been the stronger of the two of us and that is what I am relying on to help guide me through this.

Chillgirl;976519 wrote: One of the things I got really early on in my sobriety was the rawness of real emotions which I had been supressing for years with alcohol. This may sound strange, but even the painful ones are a blessing to me, they make me feel alive! I truly believe that the experience of being human is to feel all these emotions, good and bad. We cant just pick the good ones thats not why we are here. I remind myself that our capacity to feel pain is the same as our capacity to feel joy and thats what makes it worth it.

Chill ? your perspective reminded me of one of the daily meditations I read in The Promise of a New Day during September:


Life is full of contrasts. What we perceive or feel at this moment is often heightened by an experience we just passed through. It?s the sum and substance of all experiences and our feelings about them that give meaning to any single moment.


So, for me, it?s trying to take all the good and bad experiences and molding them into one perspective and reminding myself that ultimately I am in control of my feelings and emotions. Sometimes, this is easier said than done but this is what helps ground me.

Our hot water tank bit the dust last night so Mr. Partner is heading to Home Depot this morning before work to get us a new one; and our heater still has not kicked in so the furnace has to be serviced! Just another day in the life, heh?

Have to get ready for an early teleconference for work this morning so off I go ? Hope everyone has a peaceful day and get ready for the weekend!

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

Good Morning Optimism Friends,

Papmom, congratulations again on your 5 months AF! Enjoy your weekend in Bar Harbour...the colors should be phenomenal.

Chill- your comment "I think my mind has played out the worst case scenario so many times," is true for me....I think it's one of my worst faults, and I have to work soooo hard to retrain my brain not to do that. Change is work! It doesn't matter whether it's giving up AL, a diet....it takes focus and commitment, doesn't it? Mr. Lav, are you listening? HELLO! Lav has been trying to get through to you all these years and she is about ready to hit you over the head with her titanium frying pan! Good luck with your date with McDreamy. An accountant? Hmmm.....well, he may be the most eligible bachelor in your town and you are the most bachelorette, but if he pulls out his calculator during dinner, just say your best friend was just killed in a motorcycle accident and you have to leave. And if your date with McDreamy turns into McSteamy, then just let me know so I can publish the details in the MWO Daily Mail.:H

Dill, thank you for your quote of the day...do you have a Book of Quotes ?(my dad used to have one). I think of the quotes you post several times during the day. They always carry a pertinent meaning for me, and I so appreciate you doing this for us. You're a wonderful threadmate.

Cyn, Star and Rebirth....dear friends, what IS normal? I don't know....many times I think I'm not....I'm overly sensitive, impatient, impetuous, incorrigible, (might explain why I've never married but generally, I like myself, I really do. What you see is what you get with me....and my clients agree. I don't put on acts....which has haunted me in the past because when I meet someone and I don't like him/her....I have an impossible time hiding it. You can see it all over my face. I used to try and mask it, and that makes it even worse.

Star-you handled that comment about the gay man's suicide with incredible class. Good for you. I hope the idiot felt as ignorant as he/she sounded.

Rebirth-Regarding drinking thoughts, I had an overwhelming craving this morning, when I woke up! For crying out loud, why now? I'm in a really good mood today, had a fabulous night's sleep (Sped and Paguy....guess what, I had energy all day and didn't go to bed until 11:00 p.m.) Good thing I have no AL in my house.... I probably would have caved!:upset: I love your honesty....and I know you'll find the right guy some day....you're beautiful, intelligent and kind. Good for you for not caving into the beast given your stressful business situation.:l

Paguy-I hope you're able to be more mobile this weekend, and that Mr. Partner does not imbibe in front of you.

Lav-hope your evening with EB went well and I'm glad your daughter is feeling better.

A cheery hello to Shelley, LBH, Mr. G, Sooty, Rustop, SD, and anyone else who drops in, have a wonderful AF Friday!

[paguy]

October Optimism - week 1

:wd: Awesome Job, Papmom on 5 Months!!! :wd:

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

inkele:GOOD LUCK AT THE MARATHON, SHELLEY! RUN, SHELLEY, RUN:cheering:

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

Hi John and Rustop,

Sorry-cross post!

[sooty]

October Optimism - week 1

Congrats Papmom, very well done - be rightfully proud of yourself.

Shelley good luck with the marathon.

I've had a busy couple of days - am still managing to do the daily meditation - at the moment I can find 15 minutes. Yesterday was very hard, I just could not settle to it so gave up, when I next see the teacher I shall ask her about times like that and what one should do.

I hope everyone has a lovely Friday and a happy weekend. We've got good weather predicted until the beginning of the week so I'm hoping to get onto the cliffs for a walk on Sunday!

Keep strong lovely threadfriends
Sooty

[Lavande]

October Optimism - week 1

CONGRATS on your 5 AF months Papmom
Have a great time in Maine!

Best wishes to Shelley that racing woman!!

I have thousands of things to do today to prepare for the craft show in town tomorrow. The weather is expected to be near perfect, I'm happy about that.

Wishing everyone a great AF Friday, I'll try to get back later.
Lav

[spedteach]

October Optimism - week 1

Morning everyone,
Hard to catch up after missing a day on this thread. Sometimes responding to everyone seems a little daunting.
Star, good to hear you are enjoying your job. For the first time in a long time, I really enjoy going to work and usually feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. And you talked about getting older and not feeling it. I was surprised looking at wedding pictures. I look a lot older than I feel.

Chill, I know what you mean by imagining all the worst case things that could happen. I do that all the time. Interesting that you have been an optimist all of your life. Feel like i've been the opposite. Good luck on your date. Glad you escaped the get rich quick scheme. I imagine they are everywhere right now.

Rebirth, you can judgmental if you want. It's your house your partner's being drunk in and it's your life and your son's life that he's disrupting. How often does he overindulge? Sorry to hear about your shop. Retail is probably not the best place to be right now. Can you sell on line?

On being normal; that's something I haven't strived for since junior high school where I tried so desperately to fit in. I was so unsuccessful then, I gave up trying all together. The wedding was a good example of my intolerance of all things normal. I wanted quirky and offbeat. But I wasn't the one getting married.

Dill, sorry you are still having cravings at the end of the day. My only cravings these days are for sugar. My little alcoholic interlude in August was enough of an awful experience to last me at least another year. I hate to drink. It must have done something for me at some point in my life.

Going to the balloon fiesta this morning. Taking my little girls from Mexico, the sisters I tutored last school year. Their family has now been abandoned by their father. Mom at home with a 1 and a 3 year old, no job skills, no English. Am wondering how they will survive.

My youngest son is still here. Am realizing how uncomfortable he can get talking about personal things. He loves to talk science, music, food, safe topics. But is it unrealistic for me to expect a 25 year old guy to talk to his mother about personal things?? Personal things like relationships, feelings.
Have not talked to any of my sons yet about my relationship with their father. Feel like it's the elephant in the living room, the one everyone skirts around.

I need to get moving here, feeling unsettled. Off to the balloons.

Pay, my altitude here in NM is as high if not higher than Denver. That's one thing I don't have to worry about. Healing blessings on your foot!

[spedteach]

October Optimism - week 1

Calm down everybody...marathon is on the 17th!!