October Optimism - Week 2

[Lavande]

October Optimism - Week 2

GM October friends!

The sun starting to break thru some lingering clouds after a stormy night!!
I'm running late so just wanted to say Hi.

RB, good job on resisting the wine this weekend - it never really helps anything!

John, healthcare manangement - have been there & done that myself! Sorry you are being pushed to pass out the pink slips. That stinks!

Welcome Choochie, nice to meet you. We're a great group of folks determined to make positive improvements in our lives

Gotta run, have a great day!
Lav

[cyntree]

October Optimism - Week 2

A quick morning hello -

Thanks for reminder, Chill of the beauty of Star's post. Star -- it reminded me of my days in MN, when there was a lake or a stream around every corner. In the fall, there would be a particular kind of black duck that would come through and stay until the ice formed on the lakes....I just loved reading about your walk, and could almost smell the autumn leaves. I hope that you can continue to let nature refresh you.

Here's wishes for an AF day to all -

[rebirth]

October Optimism - Week 2

You people are just the best. Lav, choochie, Sd, cyn, rustop, John..Thank you all for your comforting words.
Mr G and Chill yes it was a test from hell! But it showed that my thinking is shifting and its reafirmed my commitment to my new life. But boy was it mentally exhausting. I swear i have more grey hairs... I hope I dont have one of those in a long while!!!

Dill another beautiful message. You always find the right words for my crisis!
I hope everyone is kewl and happy! x

[sooty]

October Optimism - Week 2

Hello all and congrats to RB for resisting such a challenge. I, however, can't say that I resisted last night. I felt down and miserable, don't know where it came from ...but I had a drink and really really wish I hadn't. I feel that I've let myself and all of you down, but I wanted to confess, put it behind me and get back to driving the bus.

I know that you will forgive me because I know how kind you all are. If anything it has shocked me - I hadn't realised quite how unstable I was. So I've given myself a hard talking to and I'm back in control.

I wish us all an AF Tuesday, I can definitely promise that mine will be.

Love from a shameful Sooty

[ladybirdheart]

October Optimism - Week 2

Thank you for your honesty, sweet Sooty. I think it is a part of the way out that is common for all of us, the need to move forward from where we honestly are, as Dill said to find the ?stepping stones? and grow. We can do this Sooty. For me I have to analyze all of the steps that led to a drink, I always know beforehand, often days beforehand, but either don?t pay attention or allow myself to just get more tired, anxious, sad, lonely. I am in an awful place right now and I know the damn first drink will ?work? and make me feel ?better?, relieved for a hour or two, and I want to draw strength from those of you who tolerate despair with more courage than I. I know drink just adds to misery when it wears off and it causes more of the very thing I am already not managing worth a damn, and I am really angry that I can?t make thoughts of it just go away. I guess like our PA I have to remember they don?t have to lead to acting on them. Just don't. Rebirth, you were very brave, you give me hope and I would have really missed you if you went away. Star, enjoy your own ?beautiful universe?, I think you probably take it with you wherever you are. SD you made me laugh and I really needed to with your Room/Alter of Packers, what a fan. Cyn you made me laugh also with your story of language boo-boos and I recall another of my French mistakes when I mixed up words for ?armchair? and asked if I could sit on the ?squirrel?. Your chickens have really sweet serious faces, Lav, and thank you for leading your virtual flock also. Thank you for thinking of me Rustop, I love thinking of you in your countryside of shaggy ponies. PA my heart goes out to you in having to lay off people, when I was part of a similar circumstance I felt as though I was the only survivor of a car wreck. Good luck getting ready for your trip and race, Sped, you are going to have fun chasing snow storms this winter. I on the other hand shall hopefully seek out a white hot sandy beach. I am glad you are having fun discovering a new man in your life, Chill, I love romance in all of its vicissitudes. Speaking of romance, Hi G. Hi anyone I missed. And Sooty, you and I will have a hot cocoa and go to bed. Onward. Love, Ladybird.

[Rusty]

October Optimism - Week 2

Good Evening October Friends,

Sooty:l This is all I have to say.....don't feel ashamed and don't feel like you've let us down. You haven't let ME down, that's for sure. And to say you're "unstable?" NOT. Then if that were truly the case, I guess that everyone on this thread would be unstable with the exception of a few people. It has nothing to do with instability. I've been honest with people on this thread....there have been a few days in the last few months where I've had a glass of wine or two with my mother or at a birthday party. Do I consider myself weak or unstable? Absolutely not. I had that wine because I WANTED it, not because I was HALT and not because the cravings were unbearable. Last Friday, as I mentioned on this thread earlier, I had overwhelming cravings, just like Rebirth...and they were driving me nuts! I thought I would lose my mind, and I knew, I knew, that if I picked up a glass that it would be the end for me..... I would not stop, so I didn't. We all strive here to be AF, but sometimes circumstances are such that as hard as we try, and as committed as we are, we don't reach our goal that day....it doesn't mean we're failures or losers or unstable. If you drank until you were drunk and had a wicked hangover, I can see why you are feeling badly, and we've all been there, too. You're still the bus driver, Sooty. Here I am in lovely Paris, and I've seen a million bus drivers and the only one I want is you.

Ladybird, sending you love and strength. You are quite a wordsmith. Whenever I read your posts, I have my dictionary handy. I wish I could express myself the way you do.

Chill-I'm glad your London friend knows you as we do....if I had an extra room, I would give you mine, too.

Cyn-what part of MN did you live in? I love that state....it reminds me of Wisconsin.

SD-bummer that the Packers lost. I love Packers games. Our family has season tickets but I never get to go. There is no better football game then one enjoyed at Lambeau Field.

PA-so sorry you have to make those horrible choices....who do you pick? It's got to be eenie meenie minie mo. Most of my clients are in your shoes. I feel for you.

Choochie-:welcome: I've read your posts on some of the other threads and I enjoy hearing from you.

Hi Mr. G-I passed by two men's clothing stores on the Champs Elysees this afternoon and thought of you. Those mannequins are no match for you. I know, I know Chilli, I'm being incorrigible....again! I can't help myself....I really can't.

Dill-When you see the value of continued growth, the circumstances around you become stepping stones." This quote has pertinent meaning for me today. Dill, could I please PM you to ask you how to use Photobucket? I don't know how....I want to post some of my pictures from Paris. No, there are no pictures of me because my Iphone doesn't have LANDSCAPE settings on the camera:H

Lav-I took two pictures just for you! They have special meaning given your hobbies.

I had so much fun tonight.....I hired a taxi to take me to the Eiffel Tower, L'Arc du Triomphe, the Seine, and a bunch of other places....it was a perfect evening....sunny, and absolutely the best for pictures. My hotel is lovely....the Melia Royal Alma. I leave tomorrow :-( And to think I've been dreading this whole trip.....I did it to myself again....played out the worst scenario in my head (who said that, Star or LBH?) and then none of it came to fruition.

Sped-I've eaten a lot of salmon, salad and boeuf while here....and wayyy too much French bread (oink oink)...but the food is to die for here.

A cheery hello to Rebirth, Star, Rustop, Bear, and anyone else who comes along.....have a peaceful evening!

xoxoxo

Rusty

[rebirth]

October Optimism - Week 2

Oh Rusty I LOVE gay Pari!! It's like a museum dont you think? And there is no way I could be dieting in France! The food is irrisistible...their bread is to die for. Send some in the post will yah. Will you be posting some pictures?

Gosh Sooty..Never feel shameful. Think about all those AF days you have also had. And to get back on track so quickly is admirable. I dont think I could stop so quickly. I am glad you are still the driver..although I dont understand why you are sooty the driver.
Er..are you a real bus driver?

LBH I see what triggered me to want to drink on the weekend. The only way I can describe it is similar to a wave that kept growing and growing...I like to control my life and when things dont go the way I want them to, I become overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, frightened,feel inadequate. This then triggers my insecurites (wish I was skinnier, wish I was taller,wish I was better off and other rediculous wishes). That wave was ready to crash on me! But it's a learning curve as everyone says ( including you) and they are stepping stones to continued growth. Oh I like that messsage!

That was a good one Dill. I also liked the message that said ask a question and you are a fool for a minute etc. I am always asking questions. Now I know why!
x

[dill]

October Optimism - Week 2

Rusty, I am no expert with Photobucket, and what I do know, I learned from Chill.

1. go to Photobucket and register (it's free)
2. save you pictures to your computer
3. on Photobucket, upload the pictures you want to use from your computer. I don't think you can do if from your phone, but I could be wrong. Anybody else know?
4. find the one you want to share and copy the IMG code.
5. paste the picture's IMG code into the MWO message window.

You might want to play around with editing sizes on the website. The photo below is "medium".

Rusty, you are welcome to PM me anytime!

[dill]

October Optimism - Week 2

I have spent my day with a nasty little stomach bug and am just beginning to feel somewhat normal. But I'm so very tired, that I believe I will go straight to bed after I finish my little glass of ginger ale.

Keep well, friends.

[papmom3]

October Optimism - Week 2

I'm BAACCCKKKK!!! Finally!! Only took me 11 hours yesterday to make a 6 hour trip!!
there is no way I'm going to be able to catch up on 4 days of posts so please forgive and I hope everyone is doing great and had a marvelous weekend!!
I really really tried to post some pics from my phone this weekend but reception was really spotty, even with the mobile hotspot. Not to fear-I have a few I'm going to share right now:

Cool Car all packed and ready to go:



You should see what's behind the crates!!:H

[The following thumbnails are supposedly clickable for a larger view]:

Stopped at LL Bean on the way up



Bye Bye Down East Maine!! (Bucksport)





One last look [Camden State Park overlooking Penobscot Bay (I think)]



__________________________________________________ ______

Sorry I didn't get any pics of the trial or the campground where it was held-too busy volunteering, running and shivering!! It was COLD up there and I wasn't totally prepared!! I did take a short video however of Koby, Mickey and Guinness and friend on the small beach down the road yesterday afternoon (hear that wind???). I apologize for the orientation-you'll have to tip your PC-I can't seem to rotate it either on my phone on on photobucket (double click on pic and it should open up a separate window for the video):




We did very well bring home 3 first place ribbons, 2 second place ribbons and 4 Q (we did 5 runs over the weekend). Our last run was supposed to be the easiest but my back spasmed up during the walk through and I just couldn't move the way I needed to so poor DD got all confused and we ended up with an NQ for the run. Oh well. No biggie. It was a super fun weekend-lots of good fun, food and people. Will defo do this again next year but hopefully with an RV instead of moteling it.

[papmom3]

October Optimism - Week 2

Rusty-my new phone is an EVO android and I found an app for photobucket in the market place. I'm willing to bet there's a free Iphone app too. I had already registered for photobucket so I didn't have to do it again. I just downloaded the app to my phone and it prompted me to turn on auto upload which I did. Now everytime I take a pic with my phone, it automatically uploads to photobucket. Then i go onto the website and find the pic i want to put into my MWO post. Then I copy and paste the IMG code (click "share" which is on the top of your pic) into my post. Let me know if you need anymore help with this. Can't wait to see your pics!!

:l

[sdlovespackers]

October Optimism - Week 2

Just popping in to say good night!

Rusty I loved your post....to Sooty....it really spoke to me as well!! Awesome!!! And about those Packers tickets...:H I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get to a game at Lambeau someday...I really had hope to before Bratt left...I had a chance with my ex (years ago) but the thought of staying with him even longer not to mention seeing that amazing place with such a jacka@@, I thought nah...I'll hold off!! LOL!!!! Someday!!!!! In my class I'm taking on leadership I did my Transformational Leader on Vince Lombardi...heehee!!!!
Pap3--AWESOME PICTURES!!!!!! Sounds like you had a fantastic time!!!! I sure wish I knew ifI could download pictures...maybe I'll have to play around with the computer this weekend!
Dill---Get some rest...I hope you feel better tomorrow!!!
I got the dishes all done and the Biggest Loser watched, so I'm ready to put my little (well not so little anymore) one to bed and get there myself!!! Happy hump day tomorrow everyone!!
Peace!
Sd:l

[cyntree]

October Optimism - Week 2

Good night all, my what an active day here today.

Dill - feel better.
LBH - thanks for checking in; sorry for the constant challenge. Just keep walking.
Rusty - travel safely.
Pap - congrats on all, thanks for the pics.

Everyone - 'see' you on Humpday....

[sooty]

October Optimism - Week 2

Thank you all so much for kind wishes - I am feeling much stronger today and knowing that you are all out there means so much.

RB I became the bus driver quite a long time ago when we ficticiously compared our AF journey with a real journey and I said that I wanted to drive the bus - we all had different roles on the bus and it was great fun for a little while. We talked of destinations and the music we would play .....

Its humpday today and I've got quite a lot of things planned. One of them is to join a group for the retired - they have lots of activities going on and I'm going to an open day today and hopefully will find even more things to do. They have a walking group ...so you never know, I might make some more walking buddies.

Have a grand day everyone, I'll be back later I promise
love Sooty

ps Rusty hope you haven't got into any difficulties with the strikes in Paris - it looked pretty scary on the news last night
xxxxxxx

[rustop61]

October Optimism - Week 2

Good morning everyone

Pap3 - Welcome back and thanks for the fab pictures

Dill - Hope you are feeling better today.

LBH - thanks for checking in and sorry that you are facing this constant challenge.

Rusty - Hope you get back from Paris ok and that you are not impacted by the strikes. Will be thinking of you.

Sooty - Happy Hump Day, glad that you are feeling stronger today. Could not word it any better than Rusty did yesterday, she really summed up this thread.

John - Sorry you have to make those horrible choices, good luck.

Lav, Chill, Rebirth, Star, Sped, Guitarista, SD, Cyn and anyone else I missed big hello.

Rustop