January Mod Squad

[Emmy Lou]

Happy New Year friends! I'm being brave & starting us off for January. Welcome everyone and wishing you all a peaceful & productive start to 2014.
X
Em

[ToMyHealth]

January Mod Squad

Hey, Em, thanks for starting us off in this brand new year! I love fresh starts.

Ended the year on a happy note. Originally, my intention was to take whole month of January AF. Around Christmas the nudge was already there, why not start now. Eventually did and am starting year on Day 4.

Let's make it our best year yet!

TMH

[Eve11]

January Mod Squad

Thanks for starting our Jan thread Em. A Happy New Year to all! For me a good saying for 2014 is:

"Never trade what you want the most for what you want in the moment." So, when you are looking to maintain your sobriety or keep your moderation plans in check, stop and reflect upon that saying and see if it gives you a little bit of strength to just say "No"!

:lEve11

[nonamegirl]

January Mod Squad

WELCOME HOME, EVE! Hurray! Hope your trip was lovely. I believe that our dear Crocus is also on a trip.... mmmmm.... I'll travel vicariously, I guess. Right now hubs is too sick, cat is too heavy on the lap, and I can't reach my suitcase.

So, Eve, my friend. I REALLY like your saying
"Never trade what you want the most for what you want in the moment."
I am going to make that my mantra for the year. I will even put it on my mirror. Great!

TMH, you have done so well. I read in the "Did not drink yesterday" thread all your entries. Lovely! Good for you. I do not believe I want to start posting in that thread, but I am coming along for the ride. Still not on for an AF January, but I AM on for keeping tightly to my goals.

I had a bout of blues the last week of the year. With my guy sick with a bad cold, the roads not conducive to walking with any gusto and the skies a leaden grey, I just felt like poop. But, it is a new year, a new month and so with a new heart I will say this, HURRAY for all of us! Hurray for us wanting to improve our lives and our health. Hurray for us making goals and sticking to them! I think we are quite the group, and I wouldn't change all of you for anyone else on the other boards. I love you guys!
:groupluv::hug:

[Jazi's Mum]

January Mod Squad

Hi everyone and Happy New Year. I"m trying to decide which direction I want to go in, and the information in the Moderation threads has been helpful. I've just started baclofen (I have a Progress Journal in the Meds section) and so far so good. I am drinking now but not a lot, and I hope to start plugging in some AF days once I get going with the baclofen.

I appreciate this section a lot, because I too would like to make new friends in different sections of the Forum but feel the Newbies' Nest is not the place for me. So I'll probably stay in the Meds section, the Canucks section, pop in and out to say Hi with some folks around in general, but I'll also check in here if that's ok.

After reading all the controversy in the "Can you Moderate" thread, I hope it's ok to post here when I want to talk about, or ask questions about, Moderating.
JMum

[Eve11]

January Mod Squad

Welcome Jazi,

Yes, sorry about the controversy in the "Can you moderate?" thread I started. To clarify, it is safe with the moderation group here to post that you drink, drank, etc. Without restarting any wars, I do want to say that the MWO board here can be difficult as there are some folks who cannot and should not believe they can moderate as it could be life threatening to them. So, for a person who is cutting down and not ready to go abstinent, posting on some threads about how they had one or two does not go over well. It is as if a building had a door for AA meetings and across from it were Moderation Management meetings. Definitely could be a conflict when people came out the doors. So, that too can happen here from time to time but just use good common sense of where you post. For example, I wouldn't post I met my goal of only 2 drinks tonight on an abstinence only thread. So, it's all good, and all of that commotion was quite a few months ago.

Welcome and there is lots of good info here at MWO. Check around and you will find a niche.

:l
Eve11

[Emmy Lou]

January Mod Squad

Welcome Jazi and hello all!
I'm happy to say I had another AF day yesterday, I was with my boyfriends family for dinner (which can sometimes drive me over the edge) and I drank water & tonic all night. Even when I'm really enjoying their company it's often difficult to moderate because a couple of them are really big drinkers and share their European hospitality constantly.
I have had 'me' time today, some of it anyway...and am thinking that I may just stay home alone instead of joining friends at the bar for a mates gig...quiet nights are very appealing at the moment.
X
Em

[Emmy Lou]

January Mod Squad

OMG I've just logged in to drink tracker and everyone has started with a zero! Except me...well done to all!

[ToMyHealth]

January Mod Squad

Top of the day to you all! Can you tell I had a good night's sleep? LOL

NNG, thanks for encouragement. It works better for me to say "I did not drink yesterday" than to say "I will not drink today". Have no clue why. Think of you lately in that I have decided I would like to start knitting. I used to do simple things, scarves, slippers, even knit a pretty yellow sweater for my baby girl, then never got it sewed together. Ok, so that was 60+ yrs ago. Living in FL I thought well, what would I knit. Afghans, light weight sweaters. Thing is I need a teacher. Sorry you were feeling down. Think a lot of us experienced that to some degree. But you have a Jan trip to look forward to, right?

Jazi, you are very welcome here!
Em, too funny. You can post zero for yest!

Need some advice. When I was single and out on a date realizing I'd rather be home reading, I knew it was time to end the relationship. Recently, and before getting AF days but more pronounced now, I don't feel like socializing so much. Do not have a strong voice, end up feeling strained and not heard, so I pretty much quit talking. That includes playing golf. Even went to the pro and asked how do I handle these women who feel every brain wave has to come out their mouth. He about fell off his chair. Yest was prime example and think southern country twang. Maybe it's more in my mind since dd gave me the book Quiet and I started reading in bath last night. Do I go with my feelings, preferences and stay home (and knit) or is this just a phase and possibly correlated to not drinking?

Seems odd we are already at start of weekend.....enjoy the day!

TMH

[nonamegirl]

January Mod Squad

Happy First Friday, all you wonderful people!
Jazi, welcome. Please do post here whenever and whatever you would like. We have a lovely group, very welcoming, and tend to be accepting of whatever one wants to talk about. Personally, as you will see in other places, I have chosen to not post on other boards. I have been bitten there, but never here. Welcome!

Emmy, gosh, I just chuckle when you talk about your "in-laws". Yup, I know. I have to physically distance myself when we go to my husband's home... and after all this time they all expect me to, and know that I love them anyway.

TMH, oh my heavenly days do I hear you on the over-talking. I have a very low tolerance for people who just talktalktalktalktalk :blah: . I call it diarrhea of the mouth. I have stopped going to groups, stopped inviting certain people over, and ended "acquaintance-ships" (since I can't call these motor-mouths friends) when people won't stop talking. I do not believe that you should sacrifice your own sanity in order to be around them. Quite obviously you, my friend, are a well-educated, well-rounded, well-spoken and intelligent woman. There is no need at all to allow yourself to be over-run by people who let "every brainwave ... come out their mouth." If they are smart and miss your presence, then you can tell them exactly WHY you chose to leave the group. Your own company is more valuable. Stay home and knit. My own advice, but since you asked....

I ended up being able to get out for a very nice longish walk yesterday. The roads are now getting dry, and there were places I could escape the ice. It felt absolutely wonderful. I came back home starting to think about training for another marathon. Perhaps even two this year? Wow. Have to not let this mood escape me.

Take care, my friends. Have a wonderful weekend.

[Jazi's Mum]

January Mod Squad

Hi Everyone. ToMyHealth, I can relate to what you said about people with 'motor mouths.' I am one of those people, unfortunately. Oh, but I don't take what you said as a criticism at all...we are all different and I do appreciate that people like me can be a pain :H:H

The cause of this for me is twofold: as a bipolar sufferer I do have manic phases when I simply can't stop talking! I have a fairly mild case, if that's possible (??) and I'm fairly rapid cycle. Sometimes I can feel a manic phase coming on, and I can actually look at myself from 'outside' and see myself going on and on...strange! I'm blessed with a Husband who loves to talk himself and we love to discuss and argue about things - it's our style.

The other way I talk too much is when I feel shy in social situations. Weird when many women would be very quiet, I blab just to fill the silence which is so uncomfortable for me.

How I would love to be able to sit and just be quiet!!! I wonder if that could be something I could learn? Maybe I'll try to practice today: silence until noon...a good exercise!

A good topic....and I'll google that book you mentioned.
JMum :h

[Eve11]

January Mod Squad

ToMyHealth;1607218 wrote: Em, too funny. You can post zero for yest!

Need some advice. When I was single and out on a date realizing I'd rather be home reading, I knew it was time to end the relationship. Recently, and before getting AF days but more pronounced now, I don't feel like socializing so much. Do not have a strong voice, end up feeling strained and not heard, so I pretty much quit talking. That includes playing golf. Even went to the pro and asked how do I handle these women who feel every brain wave has to come out their mouth. He about fell off his chair. Yest was prime example and think southern country twang. Maybe it's more in my mind since dd gave me the book Quiet and I started reading in bath last night. Do I go with my feelings, preferences and stay home (and knit) or is this just a phase and possibly correlated to not drinking?

Hmmm, interesting question TMH. I think it's related to both, getting older and wiser... and not drinking. I am older too and have noticed in the past year that I am just not into going out as much as I used to. It is a lot of energy to interact with people (especially new ones) and both hubby and I find that if we are with people who aren't very socially skilled or stimulating, then the conversation becomes all about them and they never ask once about us or what we do or like, etc. So, I too, have found myself thinking in situations like that "I'd rather be home". The other thing that I have noticed is that when not drinking AL, social situations do tend to get boring sooner and one would rather just be at home relaxing or getting things done. There is something about the booze flowing, and the hahaha good time of it which motivates people to stay and keep drinking and having fun, but as we have all learned...is the price we pay (hangover, guilt, remorse, etc. worth it?) For me, just not anymore. Hubby and I were actually talking the other night and thinking we should cut down our drinking to even just one night a week. Maybe Saturday when we go out and that's pretty much it. We find we just don't hop out of bed or feel as good health and energy wise if we've been drinking the night before. I have a company "after Christmas party" tonight and the hostess asked everyone to bring 1 bottle of red and 1 bottle of white for a wine tasting party! It sounds like just too much wine and goofy temptation that I just don't think I need right now so am opting (for the first time) to not go. So, I'm there with you TMH. I totally get it. Feel it out, and do what your heart tells you. Nothing wrong with just "chillaxing" at home and doing an activity that's quite peaceful I think.

:l
Eve11

[ToMyHealth]

January Mod Squad

Thanks for replies. Glad you all seem to get it, even if you are one who talks a lot. One of the friends out
NYE talks all the time. She recently joined a Ladies Tues group. Exclaimed how much she liked the 1st woman with whom she shared a cart. She was a "good visitor". The leader of the group ran into same woman later. This woman's comment - OMG, she never shut up!

Funny thing is this same woman is Suzy Homemaker- sews, knits, quilts, good cook. I did buy a beginners knitting book, yarn & needles today. Tonite Dh fixed himself a "Fri drink," asked what I would like. Admit it was quite tempting. He is being supportive, but don't think he buys into how long I plan to do this. Didn't dare get out my knitting stuff (history here, tons family members knit, mostly sedentery, so he equates knitting with laziness). That won't stop me, I just did not think it would be good timing. Instead poured myself an ODouls after starting dinner and made it another AF day.

Feel sorry for lots of country with winter storms. Trust me, we are not at the beach either, but my gosh see that MN has closed schools on Monday.

Stay warm, my friends!


TMH

[sparkles143]

January Mod Squad

Hi everyone I have been posting in different forums here but I really think this is where I need to be, to set goals about minimal drinking and keep in touch with people who are doing the same. Is this what this is?
I find if I start to drink I usually over do it however I do have self control. I haven't been drunk over a week and have had only one night of more than one glass of wine and AF all other nights no withdrawals just fighting off the thoughts of drinking here and there.
I really like the support of this website.
In 2013 I'd like to start running, create a cool blog or writing journal, use more of my creative talents and very rarely have a hangover if ever at all.... I saw there is a drink tracker? What else goes on on this thread? Sounds really cool'.

[I'm Strong and in Control]

January Mod Squad

Happy New Year all! Still on holiday in Oz and not missing the snow and freezing cold of Midwest USA (and flight delays and cancellations). Been drinking like a normal person with the normal people. Went to a few wineries yesterday. Have been sober, satisfied and hangover free,. Don't want to get complacent.