AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

[ItsJustMe]

Waz Up Dudes?!?!?!

Rise and shine. It?s an awesome Monday and great to be AF. Everyday just gets better and better. I?m getting to the point where I hardly even think of AL these days. I can hardly believe it! Usually weekends are pretty tough but this weekend was the best yet. (I?ve only got 4 or 5 AF weekends to compare it to though and I think I would rather have a scorching case of syphilis than go through the first few weekends again!)

Ok, I said I would follow up on my motivation and progress of my to-do list. I am happy to report that of the 15 things on my list, I accomplished 11 of them. None of these were any big thing, but just general stuff that was needing to be tended to. I found that if I actually made a check list then I was more apt to complete the tasks and I stayed motivated. I think I will start doing that every weekend. I didn?t do much setting around like I normally do.

I made a pretty awesome dinner last night. Steak and Chicken Kabobs. They were pretty good if a say so myself. My youngest who is very picky was even wanting more. That in itself is a testament?

I figured that the next few months I am going to fix some of the big things that I have neglected. So I am making another big step today. I have a dental appointment at 8:30 this morning. So you are probably saying, ?IJM, so what?? I absolutely hate going to the dentist. I have not been in years. When I was a kid I had braces, oral surgery twice, etc. I have nothing but bad experiences from going. But, as part of the new AF life comes other things that I am going to start doing.

Dudes, this is a totally new me. I am sort of rebuilding myself from the ground up. I quit alcohol for good, I have started cooking every night and eating healthy. I go to bed around 10PM and read for a while but generally get plenty of sleep now. Weight is dropping ? slowly ? but it is dropping. I am weaning off the antidepressants.

Big things I want to change:
- Drop about 30 pounds.
- Get my blood pressure down
- Be more outgoing and social (this tanked with my AF ways)
- Get my motivation level up to 100%
- Generally be a better hubby and dad
- Work on my spiritual faith ? start by getting back to church

Those are some lofty goals but like my checklists, I think spelling them out here will help me be more accountable.

Ok, sorry to bore you with all that dribble. But I am excited about the new me. I am wondering if any of you long termers went as far as making other drastic changes like the above once you were AF. And if so, did you accomplish your goals? I?d really like to know how successful you were and any secrets to your success.

I truly hope that you all have a great AF week. Big shout out to DG - goodluck on your first day of classes!

And of course, the IJM thought of the day?.
It's always darkest before the dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

Take care all!
IJM

[Lavande]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Good morning Abbers!

Glad it's not another 'Dily" day :H

IJM, thanks for being so alert today & getting us started properly!!
You sound great, I'm very happy for you! There's nothing wrong with making a list for yourself ~ in the old days they were called 'Honey-Do' lists :H :H Whatever helps keep you on track, right?
I have a great dentist, he's basically a child (about the same age as my kids :H I have been going regularly since I've been AF & I'm grateful for that. Had to get a lot of catch-up work done but all is good now

I am going to do my best to keep my head out of the dark areas today. I think this chronically nasty weather pattern kind of pushed me over the edge The sun is out now & I'm going to enjoy it today.

Wishing everyone a great AF Monday!

Lav

[universal]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Morning abbers!

IJM - I am also a list maker - I find it helps keep me organized as my brain sometimes still goes WTF was I going to do today? I need the structure.

Lav, hope today is a good one with the sun shining!

It's chilly here today but I think I will do some gardening at the trailer and just veg out. Daughter is gone with her dad for a week and hubby had to go back to work so I'm here by myself for a couple of days. I enjoy it - gives me some quiet time for me.

Thats all for me this morning, only on my second cup of coffee so my brain is still not quite functioning at it's maximum capacity! LOL I'll check back later! Happy Monday everyone!

[Treya]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Hey aberoonios wacha?
Yes IJM-just reading through your post and wondering why so many of us 'addicts' (I use the term loosely) are cut from the same cloth. I can recognise me in you and in so many of the other posts I read on here. I haven't dropped 30 lbs but I wouldn't say no. It's slow and steady here and I'm trying to stay off refined sugars and junk and my blood pressure has come down from 150/95 to 130/70-pretty good going in just over 6 weeks and all that I've done is cut out al and sugar and exercise moderately 3 times a week.- in other words act normal!
Lav -please go get some vitamin D. You know you're worth it!
UNI - quitet 'me' time sounds delicious. I hope you enjoy every second.
I'm having a not-before-time-de-clutter in my home office cuz I'm in the mood for a massive tidy!
Have a wild AF day,
Treya

[LVT25]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Hello friends,

Thanks for starting us off IJM, it sounds like you had a very productive weekend. If your wife ever kicks you out of the house........:H Anyway, I am a also a list maker. I love lists and calendars. I make lists for my kids too--they can't seem to remember what I've asked them to do if they don't have a list to check off.
I had pretty much the same goals as you when I quit al. The spirituality was a huge tool in my sobriety. We had some awesome pastors at the time, but I joined a "bible study" group which ended up being a great place to share some issues and prayers. Some of the stuff fell by the wayside-like eating healthy and exercise, but I dropped 15 pounds just by cutting out all those beer calories. I was already doing yoga--but think that was also a huge help.
I even went to a counselor for awhile. I felt like I needed some help finding my inner child, and dealing with some stress and family issues. I'm not sure this helped a great deal. I still feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at time, and that inner child is still afraid to come out and play. But I am working on it.
Anyway, it sounds to me like you are becoming a better man without the al. I'm happy to be a part of your journey.
Lav--I hope the sunshine perks you up a bit. Here's a cyber hug.:l
Hi Uni! I would love to see your new tattoo!
I am grateful for my ice cream addiction today. Yesterday I bought some at the store, and when I went to the freezer in our basement to put it away, I noticed the floor was damp in the cracks. We had water in there several years ago, so hubby basically cut a hole in the concrete and buried a bucket so we could pump out any water that seeped in. WE haven't seen any for years--until last night when I looked in that bucket it was full of water!!! Oh no!!! I put the pump in, but it's not a sump pump, so I had to go down and turn it on when the bucket filled up--about every 30 minutes. The worst part, is we have NO IDEA where this water is coming from! We haven't had any rain for weeks, and didn't get water even when it did rain bunches. It almost has to be coming from irrigation water. We have a big main ditch above us, and it's possible there is a gopher hole from there to the house or ???? I just hope it quits soon. Hubby went to get a different pump, but I'm guessing the carpet is already ruined from the seepage. UGH!
ONE thing is for sure though....................dealing with this stuff is so much better sober and unhung!!!
Kas--I hope my stories weren't too depressing for you yesterday.:l I believe there are different degrees of alcoholism, and it's the worst kind that causes people to choose alcohol over absolutely everything--even their life! So sad.
This is the last week of summer vaca for the kids. They start school Thursday, and I am ready! I had another moment of panic and distrust last night and I hate that so much!! I want to be able to trust my boys and not have to worry that they might do something stupid! A big part of me wants to just turn a blind eye--I'm going to have to contemplate this some more!
I am going to start eliminating some of my computer time again. Mornings need to be for meditation and exercise! I will probably check in in the evenings, but this is a habit I do need to change!
Have a great sober week all!!!:h

[LVT25]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Hi Treya--cross posted. And I forgot to say hi to all to come today!

[Nelz]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Well played IJM, well played,

I empathize with the dentist thing, I neglected it for YEARS and had to pay a price, both financially, and painfully to get back to normal, but well worth it on both ends.


YAY for a sober Monday! And gl with your next goal

[greeneyes]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Swimmers take your mark!!

Love mondays! Fresh start to a brand new week!

IJM, I find that checklists help me keep track of things when I have multiple projects going on. Which is usually the case. Otherwise it gets to be end of the business day and I've not gotten to things that needed to be accomplished during business hours like some errands, phone calls, etc. This is particularly challenging for me during summer & daylight savings. And I too like the satisfaction of checking something off. The finality of it. Regarding drastic changes, well, yeah but mostly they just happened naturally as my mind body & soul cleared out the AL toxic haze. There was a divorce, but that was coincidental. How I handled it was not.

Treya I feel the need for a massive tidy too! But I've got to direct that to bathroom walls right now. Tough to stay on task with that mundane grunt work. ugh.

Cindi are you lurking?

DG - kick arse with school!
Keep the beat!

[greeneyes]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

LVT :upset::upset::upset: I FEEL YOUR PAIN OVER THE WATER LEAK!!!!ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

Good to see you nelz, & hi uni!

[Kaslo]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Good morning Fabboneras and Fabbonistas, thanks IJM what a postive start to a monday morning, holy cats! You seem like new! Thats fantastic!

My changes over 7 months were... lost about 6 pounds, not much but I'll take it, and I need to lose more. Mainly I lost the balcony off the front of me, that was a good thing. And I lost the sore feeling in my back and left side which was probably my kidney telling me to knock it off already. I fixed up a room for photograph processing and started working on my photos in the evening instead of you know what. When gardening started I did a major overhaul of the garden and put it through the local garden tour in late June. I went through a grumpy period where my temper could sometimes flare up. But that seems to be over now. I am more positive. I dont get depressed or blue any where near as much as I used to (since I quit). I have a much better short term memory. I think the changes are subtle and low key but very positive. One thing is joy. I dont know how to describe it but when my sister died in 1981 I lost joy. Then about 3 months after quitting that feeling of joy that I used to get from a beautiful scene or a particular accomplishment, even a small one was just gone. Now it comes back and I soar with it. It sounds kind of hokey, but that is my main tiny little thing that makes it SO worth while.

Lav, enjoy your sunshiney day.
Uni, do you get ALL SUMMER OFF? Im jealous.
Treya, normal is really good. I love normal.
LVR I dont like the sound of that water in the basement coming from...??? Could that be a pipe burst some where underground, or is it really your irrigation in which case....yikes!
Greenie, you must be awesome in the office, I wish I had your panache. Or what ever it is you gots.

Doggy_G you must be off at school today? Deter, that thing around your waist there looks heavy, hope you have a strong back. Hi Nelz! And all others I have cross posted over top of or underneath, the basket at the end of the daily AF thread is full. Love you all.

Kas PS thanks for the help with Helen. She is sort of a lost step mom, not a real one, but she was there all the time, and I wish I could have helped her this summer. I suspect maybe she had started to drink again???? Anyway.... NOT ME THAT IS FOR SURE.

HAVE A GREAT DAY

[Doggygirl]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

fABbies! Thanks for kick starting us IJM. I hear you and the others on the dental thing. It took many appointments just to catch up on the cleaning, which hadn't been done in about 20+ years I'm embarrassed to say. Drinking definitely took precedence (sp) in my life. I'm lucky there weren't a bunch of other problems on top of tartar. You are not alone! I too am a list person - you're not alone with that either. I can't remember shit (CRS) without my lists.

LVT - so sorry to hear about the water! :l I hope you find the source soon and it's not a big deal to fix it.

Lav, I hope exercise helps you stay out of the darkness. I know it helps me to get an endorphin boost, which I have not been doing enough of lately!

What are you up to today Greenie?

Treya, when you are done de-cluttering at your house would you like to come visit me?

Nelz - good to see you here! Happy Sober Monday back at ya - I still love your progressive goals in your siggy line!

Uni - I love hearing about your time at the trailer. It sounds so peaceful!

P3 - can't wait to hear what they have to say re: Job 2A. :soapbox:

Hi everyone else!

Well, the one class I expected to start today is not starting until tomorrow. We got an e-mail from the teacher that the "school week" for this class is noon on Tuesday to noon on Tuesday of the next week. So... since I had my desk cleared and was in a good frame of mind for school work, I found a guest lecture in the library to listen too. Dr. Kevin Osten, a Phd in Psychology who has worked in addiction treatment for 20 years, if I caught all his bio correctly. This was a lecture he gave last May to a group of students in the mental health field about addiction. He talked in general layman's terms about the effects of various drugs and alcohol on the brain. He talked about the brain changes in recovery. It was very interesting for me to listen to the "science" behind some of the things we witness around here (and of course in my own recovery) every single day.

I was able to down load his presentation off of the college site, and I didn't see any disclaimers. So if anyone would like to give it a listen, just PM me your e-mail addy and I'll send you a zip file. It's about 75 minutes long.

So that's my Day 1 back to college report!

One thing is for sure...I'm not going to flood my brain today with 400 times more pleasure chemicals than sex today, resulting in impaired functioning of ALL areas of my brain.



DG

[Kaslo]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

DG....Um...Im guessing that flooding of the brain,.... not a good thing. If you are referring to AL as having 400 times more pleasure than ______, then I musta missed that. Dang.

[greeneyes]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Kaslo;1167064 wrote: DG....Um...Im guessing that flooding of the brain,.... not a good thing. If you are referring to AL as having 400 times more pleasure than ______, then I musta missed that. Dang.

me too. 400 times more? 400? according to whom, exactly? :H

[Doggygirl]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

greeneyes;1167068 wrote: me too. 400 times more? 400? according to whom, exactly? :H

400 times the pleasure chemicals (dopamine primarily, if I understood him correctly - some other drugs primarily promote the release of seratonin) as sex. And of course, our brains are not designed to deal with it.

If you are curious, I really recommend listening to the lecture. I can never summarize this technical stuff with accuracy!

Let's face it - when we started drinking we definitely got pleasure from it. Over time all the systems break down until we reach a point where we can no longer get pleasure from it, no matter how hard we chase the high. This guy provided a sort of layman's (not extremely technical) explanation for how all of that works with AL as well as some other drugs. He also addresses (at the overview level) some difficulties with combinations of things i.e. AD's + AL, etc.

I also found his discussion of what happens in black outs very interesting. It's not that memories are created, and we just can't remember them. In blackouts, the part of our brains that is normally "recording memory" is not recording. It's shut down, as though the pause button has been pressed on the recorder.

Very interesting.

DG

[Cinders]

AF-DAILY AUGUST 22 Monday

Hello Abbers!!

Greenie, no, I haven't been lurking. I was in FL and my dad's computer is so slow that often MWO locks up IE and Firefox. I gave up. But thanks for asking. :l

I am doing well right now and happy to be AF.

IJM, your list looks a lot like mine. Although spirituality and religion are two different things, I have spent my entire life within the Christian church. While at rehab, I met and very much felt at home with the Catholic priests who were there if you wanted to go to mass or talk, etc. No pressure from the rehab. My parents converted to Catholicism in their 60s. I am interested in taking the classes. However, hubby is not ever going to be comfortable in the Catholic church. I face a dilemma. I may just find a regular Protestant church here in this area and see if he will start attending with me.

Sorry for the religion discussion but I would be interested to hear from those who go to church and their thoughts.

It is good to be back home. Whew. My mom is my best friend but her dementia is getting worse and worse. She knows it is happening since she watched her sister succomb to dementia. It is heart breaking. In some ways, I wonder if fate has intervened for me to ensure I spend some time with that precious person before I lose her permanently. If so, I am eternally grateful.

Hi to all and all to come.

Love,
Cindi