October Optimism - week 1

[rustop61]

October Optimism - week 1

Good morning everyone

Just a quick check in from me this morning. Week-ends seem to be taken over by family. Looking forward to a big cup of coffee and my catch up on everyone's news tomorrow morning!!

"A keen sense of humor helps us to overlook the unbecoming,
understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant,
overcome the unexpected, and outlast the unbearable."
--Billy Graham

A sense of humour gets us through so many of life's difficulties. As part of my meditation course I am keeping a joy diary this week and it's the little things that make you smile and give joy.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

Rustop

[Stargazerlily]

October Optimism - week 1

Good morning on this lovely Sunday morning.

This thread is so informative, just what I needed. I have stink bugs in my neck of the woods too. I found one crawling around on my deck, then one in the house. They are kind of big, so I didn't think of squishing them, just tossed them in the grass. Good thing, since they stink!

Britches, I think that everything aches, is tired, feels weird when withdrawing from alcohol. It can take time to feel normal, your body and brain are craving the booze and protest when it is gone. That is the reason the MWO program is so awesome, get the book, the supplements and vitamins, the CDs and eat healthy. The best chance of success is to treat this holistically, body, mind, and the emotional aspect through this site. We are here and welcome you.

Chill, it is eye opening spending time with family or anyone who overindulges. I cringe to think of my behaviors in the past. I am so happy I can look back at the wedding with no regrets. My poor brother got trashed and is still apologizing....what a waste of time. He is such a great guy, and so not like himself drunk. So wonderful you are getting out and meeting new people, and the awkward silences are surely better than sloppy alcohol talk...Isn't life a mystery sometimes? Having people to stay, then having them leave, makes you appreciate your alone time, like a solitary, enjoyable cup of coffee in the morning.

I had my daugher and son in law this weekend and my father and his wife for the evening. We celebrated an early Thanksgiving, as everyone has other plans on that day. Feasted on turkey, dressing, gravy and of course pumpkin pie and whipped cream. Fun, but lots of work and planning, and lots of dishes and kitchen cleanup. It will be peaceful when they leave, and I will treasure having my home back to myself.

Dill, you sound well, loved your picture taking. I still need to figure out how to get my pictures on computer.

Rebirth, Sunday is a special day, Looking forward to seeing your pictures. Hope the weather improves i the UK.

PA, it is funny, the little things that matter when housebound. Good to hear you are making it through this tough time with lots of support and caring at home.

LBH, my AF journey is like yours in that, over time, I too realize that the few hours of release are not worth the twenty-two hours of feeling like he**. I chose to serve no alcohol at our meal tonight, and my kids went out and purchased a bottle of white wine, had a few glasses, offered me some, which I refused, saying, No, that's OK. It would not have enhanced my meal, set me up for wanting more, and ruined my restful sleep. "Not remotely a good trade." Thanks for your observations, you validated my experience.

A peaceful AF Sunday, to all, SD, Cyn, Rusty, Sooty, Rustop, Lav, Guitarista, Papmom,

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

Good Sunday Morning Optimism Journeyers,

Chill-a potential new beau? Sounds exciting! Good luck, friend! Judging by the pic of yourself that you posted at your b-day party, I can only imagine that he was smitten by your beauty and wit. Good for you for not caving in and drinking! Keep us updated on the progress of this possible opportunity. And, if he turns out to be a dud, let us know. I'll introduce him to my non-date!:H

Mr.G- Why are you upset about Chilli's romantic possibility? Or was the upset icon a mistake? If you are upset....is it because Chill might no longer be in the MWO dating pool?

Dill-I appreciated the information about Ostopenia. I printed it out and plan on reading more about it. Great reason to be AF.

RB-Enjoy your company. Sorry the weather is crap. That's the only thing I don't like about the UK-the weather.

Papmom-enjoy your time in Bar Harbor! Maine in the fall...you lucky girl. Wish I could be there with you.

Rustop-loved your Billy Graham quote. I agree.....it's essential to have a sense of humor in order to enjoy life. It keeps me young-that much I know! I don't like being around people who don't have a sense of humor-it's a real turnoff to me.

Shelley-How was the wedding? Hopefully it was blissful like Star's daughter's wedding.

Britches-keep reading! L-Glutamine (3,000 mg. 3 times per day in powder form) is great for cravings and will give you an energy boost. This thread is a valuable tool because we have a wealth of knowledge here. We have 2 nurses, 1 professional musician, a couple of teachers and college administrators, a few small business owners....have I left anyone out? Where are you from, Britches? Are you from the US? I am from Wisconsin, the Land of Cheese. When I was drinking, it was Swiss Cheese because my brain was full of holes. Our group leader, Lavande, accidentally referred to me as a "he" in her post yesterday...but I assure you, I am not a man. Lav-you goofball!:H If I am a man, then I am missing that one vital organ that makes a difference (heh, heh)

Lav-how are things with Mr. Lav? I wish I could take you to Paris with me!:upset:

Cyn-aw, you're so sweet!:l Yes, I do have to go to Paris right now. I'll be in a quaint little town outside of Paris called Pacy Sur Eure. My hotel is anything but 5-star but it's close to my client's company. Cyn, I'm so glad your friend's prognosis is good! That's better news than you expected!

Paguy-what do you do for a living?

I am visiting a friend today who has been sober for 9 years. She quit drinking after 25 years because her husband threatened to divorce her. She is one Energizer Bunny (EB). Talk about having bad genes....both her parents were alcoholics, and her 3 sisters are alcoholics and drug addicts. Her family is totally dysfunctional. I feel badly for people like that. It makes me grateful for my wonderful family and friends....even my virtual ones on this thread.

A cheery hello to my friends Sooty, LBH, Star, SD and anyone else who drops by, have a wonderful AF Sunday!

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

Hi Star,

Sorry-cross post! And a wonderful cross post it was. So sorry your brother got trashed at the wedding! Good for you that you were AF! Oh yes, I cringe to think of the times I made a fool out of myself.

Star, that Thanksgiving meal sounds wonderful! So glad you got the chance to be with your daughter and son-in-law. You sound genuinely happy and at peace!

[Chillgirl]

October Optimism - week 1

Rusty;972282 wrote:
Mr.G- Why are you upset about Chilli's romantic possibility? Or was the upset icon a mistake? If you are upset....is it because Chill might no longer be in the MWO dating pool?

Rusty you are incorrigible!!! :H Of course Mr G would be top of my list if we didnt have the small issue of being continents apart...:upset:

I wish I could meet you in Paris, its 3 weeks till I meet the MWO Army in Dublin, I dont supose you could tie that in to your trip?

Im interested in your friend who's been sober for 9 years and how she finds life. Apart from AA I dont know anyone who is in long term sobriety and because of the format I never get the chance to sit down with anyone and ask them a zillion questions.

[Guitarista]

October Optimism - week 1

Chillgirl;972295 wrote: Rusty you are incorrigible!!! :H Of course Mr G would be top of my list if we didnt have the small issue of being continents apart...:upset:

I wish I could meet you in Paris, its 3 weeks till I meet the MWO Army in Dublin, I dont supose you could tie that in to your trip?

Im interested in your friend who's been sober for 9 years and how she finds life. Apart from AA I dont know anyone who is in long term sobriety and because of the format I never get the chance to sit down with anyone and ask them a zillion questions.

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

Chilli:H:H:H

You know me too well. I've been called incorrigible countless times in my life.

You are so sweet to ask me if I can make the Meet-Up but I will be in California then. Also, Chill, despite the fact that I love the people on The Army thread, I wish to remain anonymous. The reason is that I know soooooo many people because of the business I am in, and I can't tell you how many times I've run into my clients in restaurants, on planes, in airports, and I want to keep my battle with AL a secret. I don't want my clients jumping to the conclusion, wrongly that I am hungover in case I have a stiuation where I have to reschedule a meeting with them. I know from experience with a co-worker who has not kept his alcoholism a secret that when he is unable to make a company meeting that the first thing people say is, "ohhhh....he must be hungover." Sometimes it's true, but there have been some times when it's not. His body is worn out from alcoholism, his liver is shot, and he has chronic illnesses due to his 30 years of abusing AL.

My friend loves her sober life and oddly enough, she is like me in that we do not seek out other sober people. If we cut out all of our friends and family who drink, we would always be alone. She enjoys a very active social life and is a very talented musician. She plays drums in a community band. Her sobriety has allowed her career to flourish, her marriage is better, and she is enjoying being a first-time grandmother. Her father was sober for many years before he died and was very active in AA. He helped a lot of people in their community, and despite all his efforts, could not convince his wife not to drink. My friend doesn't attend AA meetings and prefers her privacy, logging onto a site like MWO, although I don't know the name of it. She is wonderfully supportive of me, and saved my life a couple of times when I thought I could drive home:upset:. She drove me instead. I am lucky she is still my friend. I have told her many times and whenever I bring it up, she yells at me and says, "Rusty!! Quit talking about it. Move on!"

[paguy]

October Optimism - week 1

Good Morning Folks:

I just LOVE waking up early on Sunday mornings and savoring the peacefulness and solitude. Even my little doggie is propped up on the bed with me just staring out the window and quietly taking in the beginning of a new day. Doesn?t get much better than this, especially not being hung over and trying to remember what happened last night. I remember perfectly well what happened last night! We went out to dinner with another couple (I drank iced-tea), had a lovely evening, returned home, and finished reading my latest book (So Brave, Young and Handsome by Leif Enger ? unfortunately, a disappointing read that I would not recommend) and then off to bed!

Star ? an early Thanksgiving dinner celebration ? GREAT. Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. I have lots of childhood memories as my mother always hosted her family Thanksgiving dinner. We lived in a tiny house and there would be people and food everywhere. I am sure it was very stressful for my mother but it has left a lasting impression on me. Thanksgiving has become the one traditional family holiday that we all make a point to attend. You can have Christmas and all the stress that the expected gift giving causes ? YES, I am a scrooge when it comes to Christmas! :yuk:

Rusty ? I work in Information Technology management for a medical diagnostics company. It is a highly visible and stressful position and for that reason, I really hope to ?retire? and move onto something less stressful within the next 18 months. That is my plan at the moment. I would like to take some time off to focus on volunteer work and then see if I can get into some IT consulting work. I am in that 55-60 year old range which does not make me very marketable but I am fortunate in that I look considerably younger than my age. I still think of myself as being in my 30?s ? that can be good and bad!

Rustop ? I am a firm believer that maintaining a healthy sense of humor is a key to leading satisfying life. I am frequently reminding people to not take themselves or situations so seriously.

Chill ? I completely agree ? I think Rusty ranks up there as a 10 on the incorrigibility scale!!

To everyone else and all who follow today, I wish you a peaceful AF Sunday?.

[Lavande]

October Optimism - week 1

GM October friends!

It's 9 am & everyone has been here already! Geez, I guess I slept too well :H

I'm thinking of Shelley this morning - hope the wedding was fabulous!!

Well, Mr Lav is due back soon to replace a ceiling fan that didn't make it trough the power outtage Thursday. This house is only 7 years old, it's sad that things don't last longer. We picked out really good fixttures when we built this house but what can you do?

I haven't been out to the chicks yet - they're probably wondering where I am

Wishing a great day for each & everyone of us

[papmom3]

October Optimism - week 1

Good Morning as well my friends!!

It was such a joy to read up on everyone this morning. It's always a joy but today's posts just resonated joy, happiness and OPTIMISM!!

Thinking of Sped and her wedding weekend. Can't wait to hear how it all went.

Star and LBH-brilliant words once again. "Not remotely a good trade". Exactly how I have felt anytime I even entertain the F** It thoughts but I just never knew how to express it to myself. Thank you!!

Lav-good luck with the ceiling fan project. Hope it isn't anymore complicated than a dud fan. Are the chicks doing OK in this cold weather?

Rusty-I'm so worried about you going to Paris. The paper was full of doom and gloom this morning about all the alerts. and RB said something about all of the UK being closed this morning?

Lots of company for everyone this weekend!! I do like having visitors but LOVE it when they leave :H

Chill-I'm so proud of you for not giving in to AL last nite to get you through the awkward moment. he's probably the town's most eligible bachelor (bachelor being the key word) for a reason but I hope you at least get a date or two out of him!!

Hi Ho to everyone else-Rustop, RB, Sooty, John, Mr. G and anyone else coming by today.

Busy day for me that started early and will progress until late tonite. Filled with chores, garden digging, TV hunting and a cool car project and of course trying to get ready for my trip to Maine.

will check in later!!

:l

[dill]

October Optimism - week 1

Chill, MWO meetup in Dublin? I wish I could be there. How many are planning to be there? You made a wise choice not to take the edge off with a glass of wine at dinner. The road to that relationship may’ve been closed by the end of the evening! But now, it is wide open.

Rusty, I have a friend that has more than 10 years of sobriety. I remember when she decided to quit. I remember when she joined AA. All this was at a time when I was progressing in my drinking. I remember visiting with her once several years ago and telling her that I was drinking far too much and wanted to stop. She didn’t jump on it and try to get me to join AA or anything. She said simply, “You’ll stop when you’re ready.” I’ve never forgotten that.

my kids went out and purchased a bottle of white wine, had a few glasses, offered me some, which I refused, saying, No, that's OK. It would not have enhanced my meal, set me up for wanting more, and ruined my restful sleep. "Not remotely a good trade."

Star, I appreciate that little snapshot. We will be having our Thanksgiving at the traditional time, but I know for a fact that the same scenario will play out here. I only hope that I have the strength of mind to stay on the path, as you chose to do. It is so not worth it to take that first glass of wine. It will only be the beginning, and not a good one, for me.

Paguy, I am in the 55-60 age range, too and would dearly love to retire in two more years. I would want to work part time at that point and do something I have more control over. Working in the schools has become very stressful. There are always more demands placed on you by a top heavy administration and top heavy government. The quality of my time and services with students has diminished by requirements of paperwork and countless other things devised to “improve education”. The agencies “in charge” are usually duplicates and at odds with each other and the paperwork is usually triplicate of the same thing and is more meaningless that I can express. The endless and expanding and inane bureaucracy smacks of one of the themes of the novel Catch-22.

Papmom, you sound like one very busy woman. What is the “cool car project”?

Lav, you are going to have to start knitting some tiny little chick sweaters! Maybe sweatshirts would be better, so you could embroider them?!

LBH, It is amazing how that two little hours can throw the remaining 22 out of whack. Of course, in my case, it would be more like 3-4 hours…or maybe even longer on a weekend. It was scary how the hours were extending now that I think of it. Thanks for the perspective. I am thouroghly enjoying the audio version of The Help.

SD, you really sound remarkably positive and chipper, in spite of your headache. Hang in there. Count days or not, whatever works for you. Yay for Brayden!

Sooty, how was your Mindfulness class?

Rustop, I loved the quote. I rely heavily on humor to get me through my work day.
Sped, can't wait to hear about the wedding! Hello Rebirth, Mr. G, Cyn, and all else.

[Rusty]

October Optimism - week 1

Good Afternoon Friends,

I have been working (when you own a business, you never stop) all day and Paguy, I just had to say, if you're in IT, and you're in the 55-60, you will have a job in whatever city you're in. You're never too old!

[papmom3]

October Optimism - week 1

hi All,
Just checking in after my busy busy day off. got just about everything done or at least started. Now it's off to sister's for some pot roast. Yea!! I do want to have one glass of wine just to relax but I won't. I'll fix myself my mocktail as soon as I get there and hope that we eat fairly quickly.

Dill-my dad and I measured the cargo area of the outback for a platform. Under the platform will be 2 underbed storage containers which I'll be able to slide out to access. Inside those will be my sun shade, my tarp, extra towels, clamps, blankets, leashes, water bowls, and anything else I have in a big tupperware tub at the moment. The crates will sit on top of the platform and behind the crates will be free space for duffle bags, coolers, whatever else I decide to bring along to the trials. I'm very excited about this!! We got every thing done but screwing in the supports because my drill died. Dad took it all home and I'll get it back Tuesday evening. I'm pretty organized now with all the gear but this will really go over the top in being organized and so I will be at super peace!! We even made it so that I can put the back seat up when not traveling but leave the platform and containers in. Ahhhhh.

Well, gotta scoot out to dinner. Have a great nite everyone!!

:l

[ladybirdheart]

October Optimism - week 1

Wonderful description of your early Thanksgiving, Star. Quick check in from the construction zone a.k.a. Sunday Afternoon. Your project seems a bit more advanced than mine Pap. I shall be so happy when this creation is over as I just returned from a preposterous trip to Home Depot to haul boxes of glass block, a fifty pound sack of mortar, paint cans etc., not in my truck but in Lord Bird Heart?s Smart Car (he wanted to also get gas next door at Costco). I don?t they had ever seen anything like us at the Home Depot loading dock. The brave little pistol made in home like a champ, all toy tires inflated and a big goofy grin on its tiny car face. Off to mix mud and kiss the car. Love, Ladybird.

[Guitarista]

October Optimism - week 1

Hi everyone,

Them smart car's are nobody's fool LBH. :H
PMom, what's your car project? Restoring an old Chevy big block?

Pa, great to hear of your plan to move from your current job situation within 18 mths. Don't worry about your age. I'm brand new in a new (day job, aside from first love music)career at 51, (thought i was an old fart at 27, 35, and 40 by the way :H) and the reason i got my current job, i know, is that i was living af. My enthusiasm showed, my energy, the 'can do' and positive attitude absolutely shone through, my job interviewer's have since told me. This attitude is directly linked to being sober, and living sober. It allow's our self confidence, and natural enthusiasm for life to emerge, in a more relaxed way. We look great, are switched on, and 'together.' Not to mention if we are good at field of work we're going for. Now, after 15 months in the job, i've worked out how i can put in a 3 day week, and occassional w/kend work, to be able to survive, but also get some work/life balance happening. My point is, that if i wasn't sober, i doubt very much i would've made this happen, let alone have the job. I would've likely been still slugging it out as a furniture removalist, battling my hangover's, if i hadn't left that job, and gone feral to enable more drinking time. Go for that work life balance, with a positive mind set, everything is possible, in my experience.

Beaurocracy's Dill! That is bloody frustrating when admin trivia, (especially in triplicate!) get's in the way of the real work. You'll make a grand solution appear very soon, i'm sure.

Safe travel's Rusty!

Best wishes all!