Hi all. Greenie, I'm going to "mark" this thread again today. I guess I need a new avatar huh. 
DG
I can't believe it's already December. 2008 sure has flown by fast! Special congratulations to Keeta and Sausage and Beatle and all other AFers who had some difficult cravings over the weekend and STILL CHOSE NOT TO DRINK!!!!! No hangovers. No guilt and remorse. No taking risks such as drunk driving. WIP had some great words of advice over the weekend too - about thinking through our triggers, and thinking about how we can handle them even more effectively next time. Lots of great posts over the weekend!
Keeta - you brought up a scenario yesterday that lots of us are facing with the upcoming holidays - activities ranging from baking cookies to trimming the tree that for years have equaled "DRINK!" for many of us - certainly for me. (this is my first sober holiday season since I was a teenager) In addition to keeping strong resolve about it, don't forget your supplements, and especially the L-Glutamine trick. For emergency strong cravings, open up the capsule and put the L-Glut directly under your tongue. L-Glutamine promotes stable, calm and alert brain function. (remember that - we will have a test later!)
Greenie - thanks for the link to Atlasquest.com. I read a bit there yesterday and actually registered. Who knows....
OMW - I'm glad your family visit is over - *I* got a rash just thinking about it and I DID NOT have to have family company all weekend! I wish I lived near you because I would love to get in on some Mutual Mooching of your brussel sprouts. I don't know enough people near here who garden to organize mutual mooching. Maybe through the CSA involvement I will meet more people and also learn more about gardening myself - I think that will be a good benefit of a CSA where I actually have to put in some work!
Hello to startingover and anyone else who enjoys reading these daily threads more than posting. Of course you are always welcome to post!! But if just reading is helpful to you, then that is cool too. In the words of Beatle, whatever works!
WIP I totally agree that the words and phrases we use in our heads can make a big difference. I've mentioned it here and there recently - but a BIG break through for me was truly reaching a point where I don't think drinking is fun and I don't think at ALL that I'm missing out on fun when others are drinking and I am not. This took a LOT of work inside my head on my phrasing of things, and mentally forcing myself to really think through the drinking experience to capture all the NOT fun stuff (i.e. the hangovers, the guilt, etc.) rather than allow AL to downplay the bad stuff, and overly glamorize a very small part of the drinking experience. I think it does start with catching ourselves thinking in the wrong terms - and re-training ourselves to think in other terms until it becomes habit.
Beatle, I bet you were glad yesterday to be unhung for your day out doing holiday stuff with your kids!
Deter - I did pass the garlic breath test last night, meaning yes, I had garlic breath.
Chicken breasts marinated in olive oil, fresh lemon juice and GARLIC then baked. Greek style spinach to go with it. Yum. Boy you are not kidding about those empty calories in a bottle of booze. Not to mention sugar spikes and all that jazz. Poison!!
Hello to all who did not have a chance to check in recently, and anyone I missed, and all yet to come! Here's to a FABULOUS AF December! WE CAN DO THIS!!!!
Maybe some of the folks who had an AF holiday season last year (or multiple years) can tell us who are on our first AF December all the good stuff about it! I would love to hear more about that.
DG
DG
I can't believe it's already December. 2008 sure has flown by fast! Special congratulations to Keeta and Sausage and Beatle and all other AFers who had some difficult cravings over the weekend and STILL CHOSE NOT TO DRINK!!!!! No hangovers. No guilt and remorse. No taking risks such as drunk driving. WIP had some great words of advice over the weekend too - about thinking through our triggers, and thinking about how we can handle them even more effectively next time. Lots of great posts over the weekend!
Keeta - you brought up a scenario yesterday that lots of us are facing with the upcoming holidays - activities ranging from baking cookies to trimming the tree that for years have equaled "DRINK!" for many of us - certainly for me. (this is my first sober holiday season since I was a teenager) In addition to keeping strong resolve about it, don't forget your supplements, and especially the L-Glutamine trick. For emergency strong cravings, open up the capsule and put the L-Glut directly under your tongue. L-Glutamine promotes stable, calm and alert brain function. (remember that - we will have a test later!)
Greenie - thanks for the link to Atlasquest.com. I read a bit there yesterday and actually registered. Who knows....
OMW - I'm glad your family visit is over - *I* got a rash just thinking about it and I DID NOT have to have family company all weekend! I wish I lived near you because I would love to get in on some Mutual Mooching of your brussel sprouts. I don't know enough people near here who garden to organize mutual mooching. Maybe through the CSA involvement I will meet more people and also learn more about gardening myself - I think that will be a good benefit of a CSA where I actually have to put in some work!
Hello to startingover and anyone else who enjoys reading these daily threads more than posting. Of course you are always welcome to post!! But if just reading is helpful to you, then that is cool too. In the words of Beatle, whatever works!
WIP I totally agree that the words and phrases we use in our heads can make a big difference. I've mentioned it here and there recently - but a BIG break through for me was truly reaching a point where I don't think drinking is fun and I don't think at ALL that I'm missing out on fun when others are drinking and I am not. This took a LOT of work inside my head on my phrasing of things, and mentally forcing myself to really think through the drinking experience to capture all the NOT fun stuff (i.e. the hangovers, the guilt, etc.) rather than allow AL to downplay the bad stuff, and overly glamorize a very small part of the drinking experience. I think it does start with catching ourselves thinking in the wrong terms - and re-training ourselves to think in other terms until it becomes habit.
Beatle, I bet you were glad yesterday to be unhung for your day out doing holiday stuff with your kids!
Deter - I did pass the garlic breath test last night, meaning yes, I had garlic breath.
Chicken breasts marinated in olive oil, fresh lemon juice and GARLIC then baked. Greek style spinach to go with it. Yum. Boy you are not kidding about those empty calories in a bottle of booze. Not to mention sugar spikes and all that jazz. Poison!!Hello to all who did not have a chance to check in recently, and anyone I missed, and all yet to come! Here's to a FABULOUS AF December! WE CAN DO THIS!!!!
Maybe some of the folks who had an AF holiday season last year (or multiple years) can tell us who are on our first AF December all the good stuff about it! I would love to hear more about that.
DG
ray:
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