Daily AF - Friday February 6

[Doggygirl]

Marking! Running!

TGIF!! At least I'm glad it's Friday. I'm looking forward to a weekend of figure skating viewing! Four Continents Championship! Everyone BUT the Europeans. I must say though that North American fans are not nearly as colorful in their fandom as European fans. No comparison really.

Just a quick thing from yesterday - :yougo: Marshy for surviving the Family Drinkfest!

Pamina, you raised an interesting topic towards the end of yesterdays thread regarding rituals. I take this to be something separate from just generally being in a place where drinking is happening and making plans (and executing them) not to drink. I believe you are talking about the rituals such as making toasts to start off the night, taking turns buying, or whatever specific actions a group of friends or "social norms" dictate? LOL I would have gotten tired of more and more cranberry juice too. Reminds me of the nights out with friends when buying rounds meant EVERYONE got another drink whether the prior one was finished or not, or whether one should have another drink or not. That (not so little) ritual is probably how I ended up with the reputation of being able to "drink like a sailor." I always tried to keep up round for round.

I don't envy you having to sit in a bar all evening, even with friends. At this stage I don't think that would make me want to drink, it would just bore the shit out of me. Mr. Doggy and I were talking about that just yesterday - how boring it would be to sit in a bar for hours on end. AL really does mess up my head considering how many wasted hours of my life I have spent doing just that!!

Welcome to the new AFers this week. If you are serious about it, this is a great place!

Well, I'm off to get ready for my usual Friday leads meeting then grocery store than yoga. I wont' know anything about the blood test until next week. I will have the doc's office fax me the lab results so I have them, but I won't actually be seeing the doc until Thursday. Thank you to everyone yesterday who sent such good wishes! I too hope the last one was a fluke and this one is normal.

Happy AF Friday all!

DG

[Marshy]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Hello DG & all to come,

I still glug down drinks (AF of course!) at the same rate that I used to drink booze. Dunno if that's just habit from years of drinking alcohol or not. So I'm often still the first to finish, waiting for everyone else to finish theirs. Pamina - yes, I know what you mean about way too much juice though :H

We've had about three flakes of snow this morning and the transport system is still up the spout according to the radio, so I better leave loads of extra time to get to work. Too cold to cycle so I'm at the mercy of the buses!

Have a good day all

[greeneyes]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

TGIF is right!

I haven't been to a bar AF but once and I never sat down during the relatively short time I was there so my one seltzer and lime didn't matter. Most of my outings have involved food so there's another focus. Wouldn't it be funny if we did sides or deserts like drinks? :H I did waste a lot of time in bars. That and laying in the sun. I look like I'm 85! :H

[Determinatrix]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Hi All!

I wanted to pop in here and say THANK YOU to so many of you for supporting my husband.
I read this thread everyday. Det and I often discuss many of your ideas and concerns.

I had originally posted his ONE YEAR SOBER thread here, but changed it because he has not been completely AF and I didn't want to mis-represent.
Except for a glass or two on New Years Eve, this man has lived drunk free!

What an amazing year for both of us. I am a very lucky woman.

So many of you are a rock in his foundation.

xoxoxo

[Doggygirl]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Dx you are amazing too. You have BOTH come through a lot. Good for you both as a couple!!!!!!!

Congrats Deter! You got the :yougo: squad in your one year thread!!!

DG

[A Work in Progress]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Hi Dx!!! Great to see you here! I'm sure you know that Det means the world to everyone here...

Interesting about the question about "why is it always about the drinks?"! I was thinking about that, too... even not in a bar setting it seems to be the first question asked when guests (even unexpected ones, but especially at a planned gathering) arrive: "Can I get you something to drink?" When my book club meets, the drinks and snacks are all set out... bottles of wine (my bottle of green tea!), nice glasses, ice. Pouring drinks always happens before we sit down to talk; food might or might not happen first, but pouring drinks ALWAYS happens, first.

I think it must be a really ancient human hospitality and bonding ritual/tradition, one that has nothing necessarily to do with alcohol... but in a culture/society in which alcohol is SO glorified and promoted, alcohol will take over the tradition and so we have the business of drinking round after round in a bar or pub... and when others get a new drink, we feel it would be odd for us not to. I've done the same thing, with drinkers... just to fit in, drinking much more tea or water than I ordinarily would. Feels strange, doesn't it?

I am feeling better today... I don't think I have been feeling really OK since I got that food poisoning, then immediately flew to Florida and bossed all the repair guys for several days, sleeping on the floor in a house that is still a bit spooky... then had to fly home at the crack of dawn. Just exhausting. Yesterday I got the pile of bills paid, got my mother visited, and had a nice walk. Today there is less pressure-laden stuff that must be done....

[retteacher]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Dx: Thank you. It's wonderful to hear the other side of the drinking story. I have so much more fun now w/my husb than I did when I was drinking. No more retreating into the bottle.

DG: As far as going into a bar: never for me. If my entertainment doesn't involve eating or doing something (i.e. playing a game or doing an activity), I'm not interested. Yes, we've had guests in "for a drink" but it usually is about getting to know people or catching up w/people. Nothing I do will revolve around drinking anymore.

I'm happy & sober today. I haven't had any real cravings...just a few thoughts now & then. Yesterday, I drove near a familiar liquor store, & I thought about the escapism of drinking. But, a few seconds later, my mind returned to normal. I know that drinking thinking can take me over, so I never get complacent.

I'll check back later. Mary

[retteacher]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Hi WIP. We cross-posted. Mary

[AAthlete]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Hey guys - I apparently missed all the hubbub yesterday but I guess it is water under the bridge now.

Wow, what an awesome sleep I had last night! I would contribute 90% of it to the quieting of my mind before bed. Seems like that throughout my drinking career my mind would never shut it.... It was always over-analyzing everything to the point where I would get drunk just to settle it down. It wasn't until I 'resigned from the great debating society' in my mind that I was able to achieve a modicum of peace and serenity.

So, last night, through a combination of factors, I went to sleep filled with that peace and serenity and slept like a rock (I normally sleep well anyway, but last night was a deep sleep). I need to remind myself that doing things, both large and small, for others goes a long way towards putting me in that frame of mind. When I only focus on myself (my perceived issues & problems) - that is when I become restless, irritable and discontent.

Anyway, have a great Friday everyone, and Big D congrats on one year. You rock, my friend!

[A Work in Progress]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Hi Mary! Hi AA!

What hubbub? I hate to miss out on any hubbub... (well, not really!).

[AAthlete]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Sorry WIP - I meant the thread over in long-term abstainers.

My viewpoint (without starting another war) is simply that I can only control myself. I can offer advice, tell people what worked for me, and give them encouragement, but I cannot control them or their actions, nor do I want to. And I promise you this, I will not go to sleep at night worried that someone else is not doing what I think is right or best for them. It is completely up to them to choose their path...

[A Work in Progress]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Oh yeah. That one. I agree, AA. I think back to the years in which nobody could have gotten through to me, whether by gentle encouragement, or by cheerleading rah-rah, or by "tough love", or by brow-beating... I think it's good that we try to help each other, when we are asked for help, in all sorts of different ways. Eventually, maybe something will stick. We never know what that might be...

[LVT25]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

I thought it was an interesting subject Pamina brought up about drinking rituals. It reminded me of the last time I helped out in the kitchen at a "club" where the helpers get free drinks. I think I ended up drinking 4 Diet Pepsi's!!!! I, too need to learn that it is ok to do something without a drink in hand--esp in public--unless it is water of course--that is cool!:H

I can also relate to Marshy when it comes to drinking fast. For as long as I can remember I drank faster than most others (except hubby). I could never drink those little tiny glasses that mixed drinks came in--nor mixed drinks in general! A sipper I am not!

Gotta go make lunches and get ready for another busy day. The good news is I got another little job that has flexible hours and should be fun. More training!

Have a good weekend all!:h

[lilmea]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Good morning all,
Just working my program and staying AF.

Hope all have a good week end.

[Accountable for Me]

Daily AF - Friday February 6

Good morning my wonderful friends!

Well, it is Friday. Nothing exciting planned for this upcoming weekend. I wanted to take the kid to the beach for a picnic but the weather is pretty dreary. We were at the beach the other day; and it was the most beautiful day. We got in a great walk and built a sandcastle. I will take her and bring nummies when the weather gets better again.

Well, Deter..... congrats to you man! You have been my inspiration. You came out of some very rough binges and look at you now! Geesh - way to go!

WIP - you must take some time and relax. You have so much on the go and with the food poisoning incident included in all of this; your body must be exhausted. The problem with myself is that I can go, go, go; and once my body is crying out for rest, my brain keeps on going. Try to get some rest this weekend.

Hello to the rest of you. I hope you all have a wonderful, AF day!