Wed July 30

[Determinator]

Rise and shine ABeroooos!

off to see if anyone survived the free booze reception last night here at the hotel. My coworkers drank so much they lost their appetite so I had a nice quiet dinner alone last night which was fine with me. So long as there's no more earthquakes I'll be just fine!
back home tonight late so it's going to be a big day.
Last night I felt the pressure of being around so much heavy stupid macho guy energy and was feeling really uncomfortablel so I took an antabuse as insurance. Last thing I need is to be putting myself in jeapard, especially travelling and needing to drive tonight from the airport etc etc. There are just so many things we need our clear-mindedness for.
off to find a starbucks....

be well friends!

[time2change]

Det
You may want to stop off at a pharmacy and pick up a bottle of Tylenol to share with your hung over co-wokers, No doubt you are the only one without a headache and worse this morning.
Glad to hear you are safe from the earthquake. That must be a very scary thing.
Have a safe trip home and good job on dealing with the "stupid macho guy energy".
Time

[Seacailin]

Good Morning
Glad u made it through the earthquake alright. Scary. Never been through one of those, but these days I rule nothing out here in NH. We did, after all, have a tornado a week ago, and that is highly unusual for us. You also made it through a tough drinking situation. Way to Go!! So much nicer to eat dinner than to drink it. Hope u have a safe trip home. Best wishes to all today on staying AF or Mod.

[retteacher]

Deter: Many thanks for starting this thread. We don't have any friends that drink like that...they drink but not to such excess. I've seen people get a little lit but not so drunk they couldn't eat. It's not very pretty is it? I've certainly gotten like that: where I couldn't eat beautiful food, because I had imbibed too much.

We have an obligatory party tonight, but it's family & no one drinks to excess. I have a lot on my plate at the moment (who doesn't?) & am taking it one day at a time (ODAT). I need to remind myself that I only have control over today. I can tackle tomorrow when it comes. I don't have to fret about it. (Easier said than done.) Worry & anxiety were my main motivators for drinking too much. So, I will try to stop that thinking before it gets carried away.

I'll check back later if I can.

Mary

[Pamina]

Afternoon Abbers,

That sounds scary, Det, both on the natural and man-made tremors. Good for you for taking the Antabuse! No point risking it. I lived in CA once upon a time and was very aware of quake potential but luckily it didn't happen then. Sea, I wouldn't be crazy about the tornados either.

Mary, good luck with the fret-busting. It's absolutely true we waste energy worrying about things we often cannot control though it can be hard to snap out of that.

I'm looking forward to a fatter than usual paycheck tomorrow. Just goes to show the many things I can thank these boards for. We had a re-evaluation of people's jobs a while back that I put a lot of thought into at the time and was bumped up a few pay grades as a result. Then I got the new draft contract and was going to just sign it, thinking HR must know what they're doing. That day I chanced upon a post where Cindi was urging someone to get the best deal they can for the work they do. So I decided to run my contract by someone involved in the pay negotiations, and sure enough, there was an issue of interpretation that could be - and was - revised in my favour. As a result I get hundreds of pounds more in back pay tomorrow. THANK YOU CINDI!!

In anticipation of celebration, I'm also going out for a coffee, Det, though my corner of London must be the only one overlooked by Starbucks!

And Lopppeeeee! Good to have you back! I think the abs corner is full of people who would agree that life doesn't turn into a fairy tale in sobriety so post away, whatever it is. Life does get better, though, over time.

[Sheepish]

Hi Det
Thanks for posting your story about the party and how you took care of yourself (by taking the antabuse) It is very helpful to me to hear how people address specific issues (like a party). You assessed how you were feeling, realized it was not healthy and did something to ensure your success. That is really great- wish I could be more like that. It is taking that moment to step back and figure out what is making me want the drink that I have trouble doing-
Anyway- have a good day all
And I agree Det- as an LA girl, no more earthquakes!
-Sheep

[ready2change]

Morning everyone...yeah Det, I live in CA and have experienced MANY (too many) earthquakes in my lifetime. If I never experience another one, it will be too soon!! So good that you averted drinking, good food is so much better than being drunk and then hung over!

I was AF yesterday and I will be today. I commented on another thread that I am forgoing Rod Stewart tickets for a show tonight (that I paid $100.00) for because I know if I went, I would drink, and I just don't want to do that. My sobriety is worth more than that. I will go to the gym tonight instead.

Perhaps someday I can attend things like that, but not now, I am definately not ready. Everyone have a great day and I hope you all meet your goals.

R2C

[caysea]

Hi Det
You have done what I plan to do in tough situations .Pull out the antabuse.I had gotten it and used it one other time when I was stopping.Went 6 months and thought I could mod WRONG. Any way I haven't used it this time to stop but will not hesitate to take it if I know I am going into a tough situation.Way to have a plan and stick to it
Stay Healthy and keep Fighting

[Doggygirl]

Happy Wednesday Absters!

Deter, I can't even count the number of out of control work related parties I somehow survived over the years. Drink more rather than eat dinner? Been there 49674967 got the T-shirt. So GLAD you went for dinner solo and stayed AF. If I had to go back to that type of work environment, I think I would not hesitate to go get some antabuse as an insurance policy. LOL - at our sales meetings at my last corporate job, they would have tables set up outside the big meeting room full of aspirin, antacids, etc. etc. each morning. So glad to be out of that rat race, and so sorry that so many here still have to deal with it! Glad you survived the quake too.

Seacailin, glad you made it through the tornado. Those are SCARY.

Waving to T2C and Sheep and R2C and Caysea!

Pamina, that ROCKS about your paycheck!! Cindi inspires loads of good things around here! You sound terrific.

Mary, these corporate events can get over the top crazy. And on one hand (at least in my experiences) there are boss types leading the drunken frenzy, and on the other side of the room are more boss types who are organizing the open bar activities while counting exactly how many drinks everyone has and saving up the blackmail chits for later. What a crazy treadmill!

Mr. Doggy made some tweaks to our business web site (background stuff for Google's benefit) and we just got a new client this afternoon. YEAH!! 'Bout time we ate our own cooking to get some results! (we do computer support and web site work)

It's a good AF day here. That's sounds sort of sickeningly sweet or something, but it's true. I'm off to prep a roast chicken and get ready to try a new Greek recipe for zuchini for dinner. It has garlic in it. The roast chicken will too.

DG
Day 70 AFHF

[tlrgs]

good man det we love you buddy