af day Saturday 16 Feb

[treetops]

Morning all for 16 Feb - I even bet the sparrow farts today (if you need an explanation of that term - ask Mick when he returns from decadence). Its going to be a great weekend - I can feel it in my bones!

Brewed the tea - big pot here beside me and enough for you all. Its English Breakfast today - is that to your liking Corrie Nutz? I used to watch Corrie a lot - grew up with it - but at some point in my life just couldn't hack it. Mind you I watched a TV series on DVD last night that was so indulgent, retro and really badly acted - that I can't name and shame. Great fun though.

I think its Lavande - who prefers coffee. I swing both ways - probably more a Coffee than a Tea Gal - but don't worry - in a bit I will make a plunger of strong aromatic hot coffee - can you smell it??? (not that piss weak stuff they serve in some places I better not list on this thread!). I used to do the coffee machine stuff - fancy bells and whistles - but now have gone back to the plunger for the way G and I like it and beans we use.

I am with Lavande on reminding you patrice about choice and having a plan. I have not had a major family event to deal with since my quit - so I don't know how I will cope - but I do have a plan. And I have coped with pretty harrowing work stress (people management, and my own outputs) during the past few months. Worries me Patrice when you say
"Of course I felt like shit this morning.. I wanted to." That sounds like you want to hurt yourself - please no, no, no !!! Thats self defeating, takes you down the booze spiral. I know babe!

Nice to see the wee pink car again Nurdl.
YAH - so glad you can not see my abysmal kitchen - but then its not for sale! BTW - why are you the Weather Nerd??
Running Courage - you ARE a non-drinker (of AL that is). Millions of people are and have been for centuries. Its quite normal. And its very cool. Good luck with the uni work - are you studying or teaching?
Hiya Mollyka, PPQP, Cat, CanToo, GG, Blondie, Cinders and all others.

Take care me hearties - and remember that we are the New Cool - we don't drink alcohol here, its not boring and we are getting on with our lives - warts and all!

[blondie]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Morning TT and Abbers

Thanks for tea. Now I'm on day 3 of no Coke Zero, I'm back to my tea. That was difficult to give up (thinking I might have an addicitve personality :H)

Lav - your wedding plans sound smart!
YaH - Have fun??!
Patrice - hope things are better today.

I got up in the middle of the night to try and see the Near-Earth asteroid, but after an hour of gazing, consulting celestial maps and re-checking NASA's web, I gave up.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

[patrice]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Hi TT = I'm back, usually a difficult situation would send me down a hole for much longer than a day but this time I decided it wouldn't. I do really need to practice gratitude and living in the moment and think I also need to start tackling the exercise thing to help improve brain activity!! It is actually quite difficult in the tropics though because every day is .. well.. hot. Outdoor exercise needs to be completed by 8am or after 6pm. I have a lovely tropical rainforest near me with some great hiking/walking tracks through the jungle but there are so many monkeys that everyone walks with a huge stick. I'm a bit scared of monkeys and these ones can be quite aggressive.

Having said that I better fess up and say I do have a cross trainer machine in my apartment. I bought it at great expense 8 months ago only to use a bag hanger!! mmmm, might have to use it as it was intended.
Hi Blondie glad you have stopped the Zero.. that's a bad drink too
MAE everyone!!
Have a great day

Patrice

[kuya]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

MAE maties,

Pat, I think you are cool TBH, just some wedding night jitters IMO.

Do as much exercise or as little as feels right. I couldn't lift my lard arise for four months! I have lost 11 kg since new year as my metabolism has changed.

Getting ready for the wedding......so excited. No child care for a day, adult company, dancing music and sober..... Christmas has come again.

Laters

KY

[patrice]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Wow Kuya = 11kgs that's ace!! Why couldn't you start before? And has the exercise helped with mood?

Enjoy your wedding!!

x
Pat

[TheSunFlower]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Still Friday here. We are moving and I had all these plans to get stuff ready for goodwill....no desire to do that now. I have time....as we are not moving until April!

Det..loved what you said about Cougar Town. TV does trigger me back into the mode of thinking drinking is normal. So I have to be careful to avoid shows like "blue bloods", "the good wife" and "the middle". Blue Bloods....they are always pouring a shot of something as a family. The other two show that it is perfectly normal to have a drink when you get home.

I guess that is true for many as they have one...not me though. TV still ranks as the most powerful medium...that is why all cigarette ads have been banned. If you watch AL ads....they can hold a drink....but not actually show someone drinking it. (like I don't know the person is actually going to drink that beer). And now Gun Shops have been banned due to all the shootings.

My thing has always been.....if you are going to show people consuming that much AL...why are they never drunk and wide awake and ready to go the next day.

Lav I may install a brick wall in our new place and use it.....if my thinking gets in my ass again.

[kuya]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

It is a case of ' monkey see, monkey do' SF, which is also one of the arguments against reading about relapse talk.......

BUT this place has counter balance, TV does not.

[patrice]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Seems like a bit of a 'monkey' theme starting up here

[kuya]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

patrice;1463582 wrote: Seems like a bit of a 'monkey' theme starting up here

:H:H

[treetops]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

I have lost weight since stopping AL 4 months ago - I don't weigh myself - am just going by clothes fitting and what I look and feel like. Its not a radical but is a decent weight shift. I need to exercise more for general health but also because I like walking and moving my bod.

I ws going to cut out Coke zero completely but decide I will have a can now and again. I do not think its in the same league as AL. My main priority was and is AL addiction and I am not going to obsess and call other 'weaknesses' and crappy substances (like Coke) addictions. I personally think the word and concept addiction is used too loosely these days. We here, need to focus on what our common addiction is.

I lived in the tropics for 8 years and exercised more on a daily basis than I do here in NZ. It was easier for me at that stage in my life as I did not have children. I have never been a Gym bunny although I have done dance classes and - confession aerobics - back in the 80s. In Africa - it was a lot of running and mountain climbing - but heaps more temperate there. Focus on the stopping drinking this time and this day Patrice - and then find a way to get some decent exercise that works for you where you live. Don't agonise about it.

Sounds like Kuya is getting dressed up to the nines - good on ya! My shopping day for necessary major kitchen things has not gone so well - much time wasted and zero service. Nobody wants to take my $$$$.

[TheSunFlower]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Kuya thank you for the response. It is good known fact that people should refrain from triggers. I don't really appreciate you making fun of them. I try really hard to just be honest here. What triggers me....may be different from you.

Someone posting something like this....just gets me more back in the frame of mind of not sharing. I most likely will post.....but it will only be the happy stuff.

Probably better anyways.

[Mick]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Morning all hope you are all well..just having a coffee in the sun...weather luvverly enjoy your day

[kuya]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Mick;1463681 wrote: Morning all hope you are all well..just having a coffee in the sun...weather luvverly enjoy your day

Howdy Mick, glad you are having a good time.....make sure you get a tan on those little white legs :H

Pat.....I had really bad fatigue for four months, I'd be fine until about 3pm and then so tired......until bedtime, then wide awake.

I couldn't and didn't contemplate exercise till it suddenly lifted ...... Everyone is different but listen to your body

[kuya]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

Oh yeah........just home from the wedding. It was great fun, the DJ was a bit naff and a lot left early which I thought rude.

It is customary to stay till the bride and groom leave but many didn't.

Anyway I danced a LOT, had a great time, good food and company.

Not drinking was a no brainer, didn't even occur to me. One guest who knew i was not drinking poured me champagne for the toasts and I said ' I don't drink ', he said ' it is just a little for the toasts' so I replied ' I STILL don't drink !' But that was no problem

It was a lovely day

[porqoui]

af day Saturday 16 Feb

MAE ALL...

TT...thank's for kicking us off. See you got the culinary art covered, I'll wait for the coffee please. Now, how are you at laundry :H

Can't wait for Mick to get back so...

Urban Dictionary

1. Sparrow's Fart - The earliest time of the morning. About the time when all the sparrows get up and let out a little fart signifying their awakening.

Did you know you can buy Sparrow's Fart Mugs & Tshirts? :H

Blondie...I think you and half the universe were out looking to the skies. Good thing you don't live in Russia.

Molly...hope you had a good sleep. Out policing the boards again today? :H

Patrice...I can always tell when I've got my gratitude hat on...I just feel good. Sometimes it just comes out of the blue...this feeling of contentment and I think where did that come from. When I look it's usually because I've self counsiously thought of something I'm grateful for. I've been through some horrendous personal "sh*t" as well so hang in there, it'll come. Don't blame you on the monkey front, best to move the handbags and stay in.

KY...hope you had a great evening. I agree with the monkey analagy and MWO's counter balance. Yup some people find it hard to read about the relalpses and have decided to post elsewhere. But they always pop in 'cause home is where the heart is.

Mick...glad you're able to pop in and out and that you're able to somewhat keep up, otherwise you'd be MIA for a week when you get back just trying to catch up. Hope you're having a fabulous time.

Yesterday's dress rehersal went off without a hitch, so feeling confident about my presentation today. Was just sitting here thinking I'd ususally have drank all night, trying to finish something, which wouldn't happen because of the drinking, then feeling like sh*t for the formal presentation. Talk about gratitude.

Some lawyer decisions were made last weekend so feeling positive on that front as well. Next deadline is Feb 28th. Fingers crossed everyone.

Second cuppa, dash around the boards, down to see my Dad then presentation at 1pm.

Have a fabulous AF Saturday all and all to come...PPQP