Thursday, July 20

[Guest]

Happy July 20 in Absville!

WOW, so many interesting posts. I actually cry, then laugh, then cry, then laugh... there's so much that I can relate to. It is such a special feeling to have you all around me saying things that I could be saying! Describing feelings that I have myself! This is a first for me... so yeah, I get a little emotional. But since Matt doesn't mind, it's all good! :lol

Congrats to everyone!

Great job Kathy... you go girl!

Susan, still thinking about you & hoping you feel better... :d

Well, it's way past my bedtime, so I better keep this short...

Love you all,
Deirdre
:h

O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil.
**
William Shakespeare

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

Hi Guys,
Just checking in today and thank you all for this support. I can honestly say I wouldn?t be here today sober, without this website and the people here!
I am so sorry Lori & Kim, I was in my selfish mode yesterday and didn?t even wish you ?Happy Birthday?.
Maggie, my only advice for ?wine o clock? would be to stay busy and do something totally different than normal.
Cv, you were spot on! And I am blood type A, and my sister is schizophrenic creepy??? will do something about this aspect when I get more funds. (I just don?t know where you get the time to do what you do! Do you sleep?)
Kris, thanks for your input, that?s exactly what is happening, I find it really hard to ask for help.
Kathy, why is it when we decide to abstain you get all these other stresses as well, hang in there. I know money problems are the pits. Money can?t buy happiness but sure can make your misery easier to bear.
Deirdre, I will take your advice.
Susan, please post as often as you can when you are miserable, I isolate myself when not coping and it does not help. Just set 1 small task to do. Even if it?s just getting dressed in the morning! And you are an inspiration! 100 days WOW! Try Lori?s idea watch that sad movie and let all the emotions run dry.
Gabby, you can share that worry about your son! All of us who have been through teens can help you and you will probably be helping parents who will be going through it! I have had troubles similar to yours in the past (my son is now 30 yrs old) and it is scary because you only want the best for your kids.
Matt, I love having a guy on our team!
You know the most frustrating thing for me is? I wake up every morning when sober the night before feeling great and then by the afternoon the head talk and the rationalising comes into play! Then it?s downhill for the next 5 or 6 hours. I am taking an extra GABA in the late afternoon and that seems to help. Anyway all you people that are long term when did the ?I want to drink, no I won?t drink? stop.
Thanks again,
Shas :h :d

Sorry Guys I get so confused, this is Thursday for me and in the afternoon. When the Thursday thread starts I will cut & paste this one

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

Thursday, Day 20

Good Morning, All!

And it IS a MUCH better morning than the last couple of days....thank you, everyone, for your great support and words of wisdom--it really helped to get me out of my funk!

Of course, it's true that despite all the good stuff we're doing for ourselves there are bound to be "down" days... I know, though, that I sort of expect everything to be okay now that I'm not drinking--no such luck! Life is LIFE, after all....

Today is a new day and, best of all, I'm still not drinking! No hangover, no having to lie, no trying to get rid of bottles, no sense of complete despair and desperation....I am still in charge of my life and I DID NOT give back my power to a bottle (or 3) of wine or a liter of vodka!

How much worse I would feel today if I had! Instead, well, I'm feeling a bit less miserable and a bit more hopeful and definitely quite pleased with myself!

I think I can actually get on with some of the stuff I've been procrastinating on and today--unlike yesterday--I feel just a little less overwhelmed by the simple tasks that are a normal part of life.... PLUS, I'm still sober, y'all!!! My favorite thing...! :happy

Thanks again, everyone, for being here! And happy birthday to all the birthday people!
:h
susan

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

July 20

Howdy All and happy day 20!

This link is very appropriate for our team right now:

upchucky.net/~upchucky/fl...donkey.swf

Let me know what ya think.

Matt (Milestone day 30!)

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

Glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better, Susan! :happy I know that people do tend to think that once they're not drinking, everything's going to be fine! Oh, yeah, if ONLY!!!:lol

Congrats on 30 days, Matt! That's terrific! I only have 27 to go!!!:eek I'll check out your link after this!

Later in the day is harder for me too, Shas. Any sense of why? Maybe that can suggest a remedy. Or maybe we can all put our heads together to help with suggestions if you want! I'm glad you have been successful so far in fighting the part of you that tries to rationalize drinking. It's a b*tch, ain't it?

I'm okay, today. Woke up before my alarm Actually got up and exercised this morning. Surprise!:eek It was once of my hypno suggestions, and gosh, so much easier to get motivated when you haven't been drinking the night before!! At any rate, I'm actually starting to feel a little more proud of myself now that I'm starting on day 3. :rollin

Have a great day all! Thanks for being such a great leader this week Dierdre!!

Hugs to all,
Kathy:d

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

Good show, Matt!:happy :P

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

I everyone on the block. Rushin in and out AGAIN today. From now on till the end of the month thats how it will be for me. I will have to work more hours.

Deirdre, thanks for your posts. They are so genuine and from your heart. That feels so nice. :d

Shas, night time was my drinkin time. So it was the worst for me too. I bet it still would be without the topa. Day 44 for me and I know I am far from over that want at that time of the day. I think what is helpin aside from the topa is different drinks that I didnt drink before like tea and lemonaide. Ruby Red was way yummy the other night. Just keep on goin. : )

Susan, I am so glad you are feelin better. I say to myself just gotta weather the dips in self. Some how or anther they come out tastin good. :rolleyes

Matt great day 20 for you today. It feels great doesnt it.

Kathy...Great on the exercise! Lets go for a walk today around the neighborhood! I need a nudge myself. Ice cream afterwards? (how fun would that be?) Just joking on the ice cream CV!!!!!

Hey....I forgot who it is that is pregnant? Remind me please.
I have fallen behind here.
Have a happy AF day to everyone else I havent mentioned, Lorik, Lorisunshine, Kimber, Jane....where did she go againa/ And I miss donna too. Alison, Maggie, Cynthia, Kris and Nancy too. And your funny farm! Love ya all...gotta go have a day. gabby

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

Well, I'm feeling all chatty today!

Deirdre--I, too, laugh and cry at all our stories and struggles and triumphs--amazing, isn't it??!! You're amazing, too!

Shas--For me, I still get the "I want a drink" moments--but I then very methodically remember what that drink will lead to: more drinks and more drinks and feeling REALLY hopeless and despairing and lonely and...and...and.... I have finally had to give up the delusion (and for me it IS a delusion) that I will actually only have one or two glasses of wine (or vodka)...it just doesn't happen, and I realize now that I am literally not the same person AFTER I have that drink--and the "post-drink susan" will simply not feel at all bound by any limitations imposed by the "pre-drink susan." In fact, post-drink susan is simply not the same intelligent, responsible person as pre-drink susan--no matter how much I might want to pretend otherwise....I cannot afford to forget this!

For me, this cannot be an experiment to see if I "can handle it"--been there, done that. My decision to either have that drink or not is really about my "choice" between living (with the ups and downs that come along with it) or dying a slow, miserable, lonely death-by-alcohol. One path holds the promise that things will get better (even when they don't look so great--like yesterday) but that other path is a non-stop downward slide into hell....

Whoa! A little intense there...and this is a good day? :lol Well, I'm still here and that's gotta count for something!!

Matt, thanks for the laugh in the wisdom! And, 30 days, hooray!!
And, Gabby, 44!! Wow!!

Kathy, I need to get serious about the exercise thing...thanks for being an inspiration! And congrats on your third day--it's a wondrous thing! Just your own personal resurrection going on here...

Hugs, everyone--
:d
susan

[lorisunshine]

Thursday, July 20

Hi dearest Abbers,
Just a quick check in. Am still working tonight. Today I am sooooooooo stressed. Must hit the tea.
I like the new digs. Sorry, don't have time. Talk to you tomorrow.
Lori

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

southernbelle47

Hi all,
Well I just figured out how to use the old board and along comes this!!!! Wouldn't let me sign in....

Gonna work on it when I'm not so tired.

Hope everyone had a good ab day.

Nancy

[Going Strong]

Thursday, July 20

just checking to see if this works

[lorik]

Thursday, July 20

Hey all! Phew it took a while but I think I'm registerd. Fun fun fun

[southernbelle47]

Thursday, July 20

OK....I think I've got it!

I love the new format. Thanks RJ.

I'm glad that you feel better , Susan.

Lots of hot hard work happening down here. We picked, cleaned, froze almost 60 quarts of peas yesterday.
Had to work on the weeds today. It has rained 3 inches in the past two days....Finally...thank you..thank you.....thank you...
Tomorrow will be another canning day. Soup again, I think.... Looking forward to fall this year.
Baby boy gets married on Sept. 30!

More later....gonna go soak in my tub and listen to James tell me to let all my cares wash away!!

Nancy

[lorik]

Thursday, July 20

In keeping with my "honesty is the best policy" mantra, I'm afraid I have fallen off my wagon .
It really came from out of nowhere since I have been feeling so great abstaining. Of course I ruined my birthday I know there is so much more to this drink problem than meets the eye. Why would I against all better judgement risk losing what I worked so hard for. I just read an interesting post from RJ on the holistic healing thread. Apparently an "extreme memory" may be one culprit. In other words, a kind of false memory about the addictive substance. This makes sense to me especially in light of my tremendous desire to be sober .

Thanks for letting me continue this road with you. I really want quality sobriety. I think I'm doomed to failure if I don't dig a little deeper to look at the "whys". Quitting is easy, it's the staying quit that's a little tougher. Somebody spank me please!

Lor

[Guest]

Thursday, July 20

Yikes

This is Kris. I can't sign in and the post I did earlier in the day is gone. This may be progress, but I am not seeing it yet. I don't see anyway to find out what my password was...