Newbies Nest

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Monday--

Right on, Narilly. Glad you enjoyed your celebrations sans alcohol. Happy Canada Day!

Rock on, Rava! You sound good. Keep it up.

Byrdie - SO glad you got a day off. What did that cake taste like? I always think microwave baking is going to be chewy.

I was planning on being home yesterday and then realized that it was a big birthday party for an old family friend turning 75 (so much for a day organizing). They were drinking Mai Tais, Negronis, beer and champagne all afternoon. Of all the times I don't miss drinking it is those daytime parties. I never had just one sensible drink - I would have had at least one of everything, and then polished off a bottle of champagne on my way out, and then had the GSRs early, had a bad sleep. UGH - so happy I don't feel like that today. I talked to another person there who is 13 years sober. I only see her once a year and she never noticed I am not drinking. It felt good to connect with someone who gets it, and makes me realize that as much as I get from coming here, I really do like to have flesh and blood sober friends. I really only have two, and they don't live in my town so I rarely see them. Maybe I'll expand this year...

Laura - did you post and then delete? If you're still reading here, hop back in. We're here for support.

Pav

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Pav, no one more skeptical than I about microwave cake! Take a look, honestly, its as yummy as those from 50 minutes in the oven! Dont look at the frosting job, this was strictly a test for methodogoly! Ha! 522C1A57-B6CA-47F0-957A-B530F6604D1A.jpg

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Frances, good to hear from you. Yes, you and Rava can do this!

Pav, I am with you on those afternoon parties. If I started early in the day thing would get really messy. It definitely would be a black out day. Ugh.
Hi Jude!
Byrdie, the cake looks pretty good
Lav, what a tough chicken. Poor bird. It’s a rainy day here, I hope we have hot weather soon.

It was easy not to drink yesterday, I have to stay strong in my quit. My AL brain has been telling me I could probably have just one or two drinks and I know this is not true. I have to be vigilant and keep coming here, this really helps.

Have a great day, it so nice to wake up Un Hung on Mon. :happy2:

[Overit-still]

Re: Newbies Nest

HELLO! My goodness, I've been gone so long but how great to see all the veterans are still here.

I don't know when I posted last or what I posted but here's the short version. My husband left me last May, we are now legally separated. I bought a luxury RV that I have on a piece of land I'm renting, with full hook ups. I have my dog with me. I'm loving life.....now. I have drank more in the last year than my whole entire life I think. I got to the point I was drinking in the AM to ward off the shakes, then all afternoon, then evening. There were seriously nights I didn't think I would be alive in the AM, and it didn't bother me. I've missed out on so much living. My original quit date was 12/12/12. Can you imagine? I could have almost 6 years under my belt. BUT!, I'm happy to say today is day 5. I really need to make this stick. Using my antabuse. That's the only thing that keeps me from drinking, at this point. It gives me no option.

I was even called out by my pastor and a friend AND I LIED TO THEIR FACES! Who does that?

It's good to see everyone.

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

Byrdie! Who knew that a microwave cake could look that moist? Is a mix from scratch? Glad to see you posting cake photos again. Makes me feel that you are in a good space when I see that

PAV, those memories of the “things we did” work wonders for deterrence. You may have two in-person sober friends, and lots more here. I recently met a builder in my field who also doesn’t drink, and he proudly stated it. It always makes me feel good to join that statement.

RAVA, glad you’re feeling so strong. Ride that wave! It gets better and better, even if there are hard times along the way!

Hi OverIT! SO glad you are on day 5 - the worst is behind you so keep going! Way to go! You deserve better. Sometimes it takes a bit into the sobriety process for things to start falling into place, but they DO start to make sense and our revised self is born - the person we were meant to be all along. She’s in there and she deserves all good things. Hugs to you.

HI Jude, Narily, (where is LC & G?), Belle, AVA, Lav, Wags - and everyone lurking. Have a lovely day!

We leave tomorrow for 6 days in NYC. I've not been feeling that well, so a trip to the Dr. today just to make sure all is ok. I'm excited to get away.

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, Over-It. Great to see you posting here. I replied on your personal thread but this is where the action is!

Have a good trip, Kensho. Thankfully it is supposed to cool off some there after today. I can't imagine being in a big city during a heat-alert!

Byrdie, if you can make your beautiful cakes that quickly, you really can go into business!! Life's too short to be miserable in a job if you can possibly afford to make a change. My switch has been to think about my job differently. I'm getting my ego out of it and just "doing my job" rather than "building a career". I'm still trying to do it well but when I can't because of technological issues and choices others have made to save $, I'm just doing the best I can under the circumstances and then letting it go. It's pretty liberating not to have so much of my self-worth attached to my work - just enough to do it as well as possible, which really isn't that hard after all these years.

It's weird, Nar and Pav, but I never drank at those 'early in the day' events - I've never even had a bloody mary or mimosa or any other "morning" drink. I had no desire for alcohol until about 4 pm - when I totally craved it. In fact, it sounded pretty gross earlier in the day. Now I have the same experience with coffee. At 6 am it seems like the best thing ever but if I'm offered some after about 10 or so, I'm totally turned off by it.

Hang in there, Nesters - it's great to see all the successes going on here! xx, NS

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

morning nesters

I have been busy moving offices, 3rd time lucky i say. I am now sharing with the registrars and residents and its noisy at times but i think i was too isolated in my own office. normally when they get noisy it is my home time so works a treat. i have taken up a LOT of space and i still dont feel i have enough. and i got paid woo hoo. who would have thought life could get better.

So glad your chicken is happy again lav, its a shame our animals can speak to us. If you can push a bit of heat my way please.

Nar, my fur baby is her bouncy 15 year old self. i thought she was depressed from losing her friend but obviously she was also unwell herself. Now she is back to inhaling her food and happy happy happy.

Rava, i made it a plan each and every day to be accountable on here and check in especially in the early days. those thoughts of al can have a way of popping in with a vengeance at any time. Lucky you having a grandbaby to spoil and love rotten.

I am so glad Frances to have the witching hour behind me and those cravings that came on so suddenly out of nowhere. time away from al is great. i have no inclination or desire to drink thank goodness. last night the SO said he was going to have a glass of red wine and god the smell was revolting. it was funny as he went to get the cork screw out and of course it was a screw top. i told him the happiest day of my life was when wine bottles had screw top lids! he just laughed. nothing worse than losing that cork screw due to being so damn drunk.

Hi Over and welcome back. Congrats on day 5. i think we all hit our rock bottom at some stage and each bottom is different. for me i knew that 2 bottles a day was a tad ridiculous and killing me, not that i cared one way or the other. Yes i get the lying to their faces but i bet they didnt believe you one bit either. its awful how we will justify our drinking as we are so scared of losing our best friend when really al is our worst enemy.

Happy holidays Kensho.

Best go and do some work. Take care xx

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Reporting in from the land of extreme heat & humidity, yuck. I am fortunate to have AC & I am staying inside as much as possible to enjoy the blessing, ha ha!
I just moved my patient back out to the chicken house, hoping the others just leave her alone for the night so she can readjust. 10 in my laundry room ICU was enough for me, LOL

Frances, hang in with us & you will find success once again. Only you can make sure that this is your final & forever quit

Overit, great to see you & Congrats on your 5 AF days! Sorry you had such a bad year with everything. I hope your new home & your new life are both wonderful! Stick close to the nest, we're glad to help.

Kensho, enjoy your NYC vacation!

Ava, enjoy that new & improved work space

Nice looking cake Byrdie, yum!

Hello there Narilly, Rava, Pav, NS & everyone!

Wishing a safe night in the nest for all!

Lav

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Ava, I loved the screw tops on the wine bottles and yeah not finding a cork screw was a real issue. I remember just pushing the cork in and drinking the wine. Gross.

It’s cool here Lav, about 13C, hopefully the warmer weather is on its way. We enjoy our brief summer A lot!

Don’t drink tonight.
Xo

G, please check in.

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All--

Welcome back, Overit. I am glad you're here! I'll tell you who lies - addicts. Much easier (in the moment) to lie than to face the truth. I missed that paper bag head! Let us know how we can help.

Ava - glad all is well with your fur baby, and glad you're in a more social setting for work (I think congratulations are in order??).

NoSugar - I can't imagine how you took your ego out of your work. Any tips? Do you mean that you stepped back and saw where you had control and not? I see this as yet another book in the NS canon.

Byrdie - I, too, am glad to see a cake picture, even a microwave cake. The icing is better than my best, so NO judgement. The cake looks delicious!

What's going on, LC? Hi, everyone! Come back, Mr. G!

Off to work. It will be nice to have a day off tomorrow!

Pav

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Over It, drinking wasn't my bag either! Glad to see you back and ready to kick some AL arse! We can do anything with the right support and tools! Hugs dear lady! Byrdie

[Overit-still]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good morning! Checking in sober! I forgot how it feels to wake up and appreciate the morning instead of dreading it and that LONG day ahead before I could hide in my house and pass out with my bottle.

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

Morning nesters

Well a blustery cold day in Melbourne and for some reason i just love waking at 4.30am. the positive is i can work my own hours and i do love the peace and quiet of the hospital at this time of day.

Pav, i think the socialising in small amounts if vital for my sanity. i am a talker so not using any words was hard for a few months!

Nar, i so forgot about poking the cork down into the bottle, god the cork tasted awful and i spent half the time spitting it out. very classy ha ha. 13C is about our top at the moment and i would not classify it as warm or hot.

there is nothing better Over than waking up without a hangover. there is no way i would ever be out of bed at 4.30 and at work by 5.15am and able to work a full and productive day. I love the reminders of why i dont drink.

well back to the salt mines i go.

Take care x

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

@Pavati, I could write a book on the subject but don't want to bore the nest to the point of needing a drink :egad:!!! (not that any of us drink, right @narilly :smile so I'll try to get to the main point: I finally understood that nothing outside of me could cause me to feel anything -- the only place my feelings come from is the thoughts I have about whatever happens. Which is why the exact same thing could happen to the 2 of us and we could have entirely different experiences of it. The certainly happens to my husband and me all the time :distrust:! So, work stuff happens but knowing that only how I think about it can hurt me makes me calm and gives a feeling of control. I still have to deal with the people and happenings, but it is with a much calmer mind than I used to have and everything is so much easier. And I see my self-imposed deadlines and rules as what they are - things I made up! I also know that my colleagues are acting as they are because of how they feel given what they think about the situation. I may think it is horrible or ridiculous sometimes but the fact is, they are doing the best they can with what they know. It really tamps down the anger and frustration. I no longer spend time imagining what others think about my actions and outputs - or even about me. I was probably wrong about what they were thinking most of the time anyway. Realizing that our feelings are nothing more than our thoughts come to life makes them much less scary and it becomes easier not to chase thoughts that cause bad ones. Why spend life unhappy about things that we create??

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

There's a huge thunder storm getting close, our power has already been off & on Just wanted to check in & say hello & wish everyone a safe night in the nest!

Btw NS - I no longer believe any of the stupid sh*t my brain used to conjure up. No wonder I was driving myself to drink
Living in the present & letting the universe handle the big stuff is much better

Lav