Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

[retteacher]

Everyone: I've had a few tough moments emotionally over the past few days. Like everyone's life, mine gets complicated. This is precisely why I drank. I didn't want to feel confused, depressed, annoyed, etc. I blunted it all w/alcohol & didn't work/talk through issues. When it all built up, I drank.

I feel myself coming out of my funk. I had a discussion w/my husb last night. This morning I vacuumed & washed the kitchen/bathroom floors, & it helped. I know, unless something unforeseen comes up, that I'll go to a meeting tonight. What a much healthier way to deal w/emotions!

We had our goumet club dinner on Sat. night. The host got a bottle of sparkling cider for me while everyone was drinking his/her champagne. I felt a slight longing to join in, but it left me pretty quickly. Again, I enjoyed the conversation & food, & the next day, I was up & around wo/any kind of residual effects. What a blessing!

Mary

[catch22]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Hi Every1

Sorry to hear you had a few tough emotionally days, so glad your coming out of it Mary.
It always good to share it. Its all part of growing in sobriety....

Am going to Amsterdam now this weekend for husband B/day looking forward to the break i know i have to be careful in my head saying try a spacecake it will be alright. I know i will have to share this at meetings so that i can get rid of it to clear my head.

Keep safe all and take care.:l

Catch22.x

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Sharing struggles helps so much. Once an issue comes out in the open, then it becomes solvable. Take care & enjoy your vacation in Amsterdam. M

[Arial]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Hang in there

Dear Mary,

I remember you from a few years back when I first managed to get several months sobriety under my belt. However I succumbed to those temptations, got too confident, thought I could handle it sensibly this time - and BAM - another 3 years of life seen from the bottom of a bottle. What a waste.

Well done for working through this challenge - I know you're going to be OK. You were an inspiration then, and you continue to be an inspiration now. So accept the feelings, recognise it for what it is - and slam the door in its face - alcohol is NOT welcome here any more! :l

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Arial: I remember you too. It's lovely to see you here at the AA thread. Do you go to meetings? I too was up & down w/drinking until I made up my mind too go to AA meetings. I never thought I would & didn't want to go, but nothing else worked. I now cannot imagine my life wo/AA. I wouldn't be a sober person today wo/the program. Good luck. Sobriety is such a better way of life. Mary

[Unwasted]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Just dropping by to say hello to everyone.

Mary, sorry you had a down time. Like you, for the first time in my life, I'm learning to deal with problems without drowning myself in alcohol. Even when life is rough it's still better than when I was drinking. Alcohol is becoming less glamorous in my mind as time goes on (thankfully). I'm grateful for this new perspective - seeing it for what it really was!

I'm going on my first ever AF vacation toward the end of next month. We're planning a trip along the east coast - Maine, New Hampshire....still ironing out details. I hope it's not too much of a challenge. I think I have enough sober time under my belt to be ok. I probably won't take the time to go to a meeting but could always call my sponsor if I started feeling iffy.....

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

UW: Sober vacations are great! I've done a number of them over the 3 sober years. I remember everything, I don't have trouble getting up in the morning, & I get along better w/my husb. Mary

[Unwasted]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Mary, I just saw that you're in Massachusetts! We'll be in your neck of the woods toward the end of May. If there's anything you think we absolutely should not miss, please let me know!

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

UW: We are in the western/central part of MA. It is beautiful country to be sure. If you're anywhere near Northampton, I'd be happy to meet you. However, the best place in MA to visit is Boston. It's a marvelous city...full of colonial history. The Freedom Trail is fun to follow, & there is a on/off trolley tour that is great...also something called a Duck Tour that involves a vehicle that is on land & water...I've never taken it, but I've heard it's fun. Just a ton of stuff to do in Boston. Mary

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

A great meeting last night: the speaker really conveyed a message of hope. There were 2 newcomers who looked so downcast. I hope they come back. It's hard to see people going in & out of the program. Mary

[Unwasted]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Mary, about 2 years ago I decided to just go to an AA meeting. I didn't know how it worked...so there I was.......I decided to blurt out my life story (had no idea I should just listen if I didn't have at least 30 days, which I really get now).........broke down in tears, couldn't finish, left the meeting feeling awful and didn't go back until now.

So, a lot of those people you see looking miserable might end up making it down the road. You never know.

Thanks for the Boston tips. We had actually planned to drive/stay along the coast line but may reconsider and spend a day or two in Boston. I don't think we'll be going in your area but if that changes for any reason I'll PM you. I think it would be wonderful to meet some MWOers in person. If not this trip, maybe another? We travel quite a bit and are wanting to explore that part of the world (have always ended up on the west coast in the past but are now ready to head east)...........

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Greetings all.
Mary, I drank because I did not want to feel. I knew that six Budweisers would start the numbness, then I could maintain the level after that as necessary.
Now I choose a different method.

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Phil: I absolutely drank so as not to feel. I hated conflict & uncertainty. However, what I didn't realize is that life is filled w/conflict & uncertainty. There's no escaping it...all we can do is drink & then find out it's still there. I'm learning to deal w/issues as they come up. You'd think I would have learned this lesson already, but alas, I didn't. Now, in my old age, I'm finding out that solving problems is much better than avoiding them. M

[Unwasted]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

Well, I sure relate to drinking to numb. That too was my main goal. Mary, I hear we stop developing when we're drinking and I think there's truth in that. Time to grow up, I guess! My thinking is so much clearer now when I'm faced with an issue. While drinking I was so anxiety-ridden that even the smallest obstacle loomed large. Now I'm taking things much more in stride and with a level head.

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 23 - 29

UW: Ditto here. I couldn't cope w/the smallest wrinkle in my life at the end of my drinking. I'm now learning to talk/work things out in my older age. It's never to late to develop emotionally.