Monday, July 17

[Guest]

Hellooooooo Absville!

Happy July 17!!

Well I'm back from the beach and now I'm convinced that I need to go every weekend! What a relief from the ugliness and stress of city life... I think connecting with nature is going to become an essential part of my program.

Lot's to catch up on with you guys. Thought of you all... while at the beach bar sipping water, had so many thoughts of the wonderful freedom I'm experiencing, in contrast to the way things used to be - BQ (before quitting!) The thought of drinking simply pales in comparison to the beauty of abstinence for me.

I'm hoping things are well with all of you too!

One Love,
Deirdre
:h

Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.
Albert Camus

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Mornin abs friends,

Oh Dee, the beach.....as Belle would say..."my favorite thing"......It's a four hour drive from here down Interstate 65.... I NEED to go for my soul survival!! There's just something about the waves crashing on shore and then the sunset!:h

You guys are doing great. Sounds like a whole lot of clairity starting to take place in our brains. Keep up the good work!:d

I've never gotten much out of sitting on a doc's "couch" and spillin my guts....this place is so much nicer..

Have a quote to share:
"It is one of the maladies of our age to profess a freinzied allegiance to truth in uniportant matters, to refuse consistently to face her where graver issues are at stake". Janes Aray

I say Truth is our new "best friend"... What do you guys think?

AF on the funny farm in Bama.

:h Nancy & Belle

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Good morning there in Absville,

I'm packing up! I'm pretty scared about moving, although the last several days continue to reinforce my knowledge that Absville is where I need to live!

I'm REALLY SCARED! Scared to give up alcohol, scared of how I'll feel, scared about whether you'll all accept me, scared of failure, scared about so many things. But when I see your posts, they are so inspiring, and I am daring to hope that I can succeed. Absville seems great!

I guess it is just the adjustment period that is freaking me out!!!:eek I'm trying to remind myself that I've done some abs before, and I've gotten through the first days, so I should be able to do it again. And that was when Absville was just getting started!

Have a great day all!
Needing a few hugs!:d
Kathy

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Greetings Kathy,

We welcome you with open arms and total understanding. All of the worries you have are being created and caused by your abusive friend alcohol. It senses that you're ready to say goodbye and is pulling out all the stops to keep you trapped. Take that first big leap and join us on the journey to happiness and health! You cando it!

Matt

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Right on Matt!! Kathy, you're going to be fine. More than fine! And we're gonna love having you here... :d

Matt, I loved your post from yesterday... the one to Living In LA ... I especially love this part... "The overwhelming experience has been one of feelings of freedom, self-forgiveness and believe it or not a calmness. The hardest part by far is that first step and the letting go of that little selfish devil that is inside of all of us. After that each day has gotten truly better and better - no lie!" Congrats on 26...27 days now!

Nancy, love that quote, it's SO true. And yes, truth is our new best friend. No more living in an illusion made of booze! Now get your butt & Belle to the beach already... you guys deserve a break!

Living In LA. Welcome! Please do join us. There is so much insight happening on this board - if you'd care to go back and read some of the past posts, I think you'll find lots of great info. For me, yes AF life is very enjoyable, much more so than my drinking life had ever been! It's a little like coming back from the dead actually. So hope you'll stick around & find out for yourself!

Lori, good going with the Perrier. Whatever works right!!?

Gabby, congrats on 40... 41 days now!

You too Miss Jane!

Shas, so good to see you!

Peggy. WOW!! congrats on 30 days!!! That's a beautiful thing you've done! Keep up the good work, you are doin' it girl!!!

So glad you guys are doing well.

II'm so happy to have all of you "in my life" :d

:h Deirdre

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

There ya go Nancy!!!!!!
Thats a GREAT NEW BESTEST VERY BESTEST NEW BUDDY!
TRUTH!
Now why didn't I think of that. The Queen of Truth here. That IS me...honestly I have had to work at that. I mean its not that I cant lie. But to me its so much more natural to tell the truth. Like each morning I take truth serum or somethin. I have actually had to LEARN how to tame that. And am still...yep its just like me to accidentally blurt something out....totally the truth.....but that I wish I could take back.

Ok....now the funny thing. Sure took me a long time to be truthful to myself about my drinking didnt it? In fact....I think its happening NOW....that I have 41 days (did ya hear that!!!!! 41 days) more than ever. Now that I am begining to peel a few off what are we gonna call em....ALCOHOL INDUCED EMOTIONALY DULLED LAYER BUILD UP. Help me think up a name for that. What ever it is its slowly coming off and I'm slightly getting in touch with whats underneath it. The truth. Yep...again Nancy, thank you very much. Been there all along, but now my new best buddy. Especially when it comes to myself. And how many times have I preached that whole be true to yourself. It was in there all along....just under my layers. man...I know there is so much more good stuff under those layers.
Well....hi everyone I hope ya ll have a great day. I thinkin I have been workinon this post for about 2 hours and keep on havin interruptions. So off for a workout sorry if it didnt make any sense. But it does to me. So hugs to everyone.
be back later. gabby

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Monday, July 17

Hello Absville,
Just wrote a long post - but the sucker disappeared.
Here briefly - its my 15th day. Welcome to Kathy - you will like our Village ((((((((((((((((((((hug)))))))))))))))))).
More this evening.
Love Lori

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Lori...that happens to me many times...I just decided that I need to rethink what I was going to say because I, like Gabby sometimes open my mouth and stuff comes out....any way...don't be put off by the post that go away.....where do they go...btw??:rollin

I wishhhhhhh I could go to the beach, Dee.... Maybe this fall after the summer crowd leaves and before the snowbirds flock in!

Matt....you are so brave to hang out with a bunch of women!!

Kathy...........welcome to Absville....the place where if you fall down, everybody helps you up and brushes you off, slaps you on the butt and says " come on you can do this..you're on our team now"!!:happy

Nancy:d

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Hi all...do you mind if I join you on this board? I am on Day 50 and looking for inspiration and support while trudging through this and working AA.

I sure wish my emotions would stop going up and down so much...

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Welcome Jenram,
Dang day 50.....good for you!
Kathy....come here for a big hug....squeeze, squeeze. Oh good, I cracked your back too! That was a bonus. Come on...unpack your stuff and hang out. I share a lot of your feelings too. Your not alone. :d :d :d Gabby

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Monday, July 17

Hey Everyone!!

So, did ANYONE notice I was absent???!! :

Actually, I'm having major computer problems and logging on has become totally unpredictable.... AND I'm feeling just generally down and miserable for who-knows-what reasons....

I have all sorts of things to do and I just find myself totally FROZEN and unable to even begin...does anyone else go through this? I mean, I have phone calls to make and I just don't make them...I have piles of papers to file on my table and I just get this weird, panicked feeling and then can't seem to get it started...there are clothes that need hanging up and I, again, just get this weird, panicky, anxious feeling and don't do it.... I KNOW this sounds absolutely absurd--even I would say, Just Do It (whatever it is), but I truly just get all frozen up...

In the past, this frozen weird panic is when I would immediately have a drink, which would then become bottles of wine--and then I wasn't worried or panicked or frozen...I just didn't care any more whether stuff got done or not....I'm not drinking now (98 days abs), but I sure do feel like it...

Honestly, I know the only way I can get past this is to just do these things...I don't know why I feel as though I can't even begin....does anyone else ever feel like this???

I'll try to come back later, but who knows what the computer will have planned for me instead!
:h
susan

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Deidre abd Matt--thanks for reminding me it really is all how you look at it. Honestly, there really is no better feeling than being out if the monster's clutches. The freedom and calmness are amazing after you get through the tough part.

Kathy, if you fall down you simply get back up again. There is no failing if you keep getting back up. God knows I have had to get back up so many times it was ridiculous.

Not only do I know that I have to have a permanent residence in Absville--I want it--and I am enjoying it. I don't post much, but I am always in town.

Kim

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Sorry Susan, it's summer so I just expect everyone to be in and out. We notice believe me!

Hi Jen:d Welcome back! I think you'll really like it here in Absland. It really simplifies things when there is no debate about drinking or not drinking. Like you, many of us have tried to moderate with the end result becoming painfully clear. What is so great about us having our own little corner in MWO is that we need not worry about offending those who are moderating successfully. Some of us here are planning to drink again at some point and that is OK too. I'll hope and pray that they find peace in their journey.

And a journey is what this is. Kathy, there's SO much strength and wisdom in here and we all are growing up. Please don't be timid about sharing your struggles. None of us are judgemental. We can't afford to be. When someone (including myself) slips up or falls, we MUST pay close attention and LEARN from those experiences. My personal failures teach me volumes more than do my successes. Please share your strengths with us.

Matt, Gabby, Deirdre, Marcie, Donna(prayers goin up),Belle,Lori S., Vickie, Jane and everyone .......God Bless, congrats on another sober day:P

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Susan,

I get those weird overwhelmed "can't do s*&t" feelings now and again. The only thing that seems to really clear my head and calm me down is to leave all the "to do" stuff until another time and go out for a nice long walk. I know it sounds absurdly simple but it works for me. You are so far along! Stay on the good path

Kim,

Thanks for the good thoughts and dropping by!

Matt

[Guest]

Monday, July 17

Of course we noticed you weren?t here Susan! I just figured you were up in VT for the weekend. I hope your computer problems get solved. We?ve had some service interruptions at my job on the upper w. side with Time Warner. Sometimes they last all day. So I know it sucks when you can?t log on!

I can?t say I?ve gone through what you?re experiencing with feeling frozen and panicky, & unable to get things done. But I have had periods of procrastination throughout my life. With drinking, like you, it would bother me and nag at me until I just didn?t care from drinking - like any & all of my problems, it would just fade into the background. But that?s very different from what?s going on with you I think.

Wish I could be more help. Hopefully others will have some good advice for you.

All I got is hugs? :d :d :d !!!

Deirdre