January Jewels - week one 2012!

[Cassia]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Morning all,

Thanks so much for the warm welcome back. I am on the iPad now which I hate typing on so apologies for any spelling errors in advance.

Lav - sounds like you had a fabulous new year's dinner! I hope the grankids are getting on well. Sounds like you might have a green thumb in the family!

Kaslo - I loved your picture!!! I really enjoy interesting pictures of nature. Please post more!

P3 - that's very much and thoughtful of your family to get you the agility classes! I know how much you enjoy them. Is there any chance you will be able to keep them up on a more regular basis after the twelve weeks is over? Anything happening on the job front? There economy does seem to be improving, albeit slowly! Fingers crossed for ya!

Cyntree - happy knitting!!! Do you have any items that you enjoy knitting most?

Chill - I hope that you get the guidance you need on the next path to take sooner rather then later.

Dew - I hope you have a lovely walk on the beach. You sound bright and cheerful and I am glad you are feeling better health wise.

Star - Enjoy your day with the snow! I hope it doesn't turn into a blizzard. We have been very fortunate - one freak storm back in October and nothing else! I heard February is meant to be brutal here!

:hallo: to rustop, g, Wally, Tdn, sped and dill. Sped - glad to hear the positivity from you. Six months wasn't for nowt and you will be back there before you know it!

Had a blissful day yesterday! Watched movies (good girl, my big fat Greek wedding, mean girls and pretty woman), baked cookies and my husband made steak pie and a trifle. I found my spanish course I want to do at NYU! I will get a certificate in foreign language after I complete four. Will prob take two years. It starts in February! Also will be doing my cpa exams but will go for November sitting! Today, I have to go to the la CFO at, get some food , cook and go to bikram yoga! Bliss!

Wishing you a happy and AF Monday!

X

[Lavande]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

NO COOKIE TALK!!!!!
I just went to Curves & I want to keep the momentum going :H

Hi there Wally, Dill, papmom, cyn & Shelley!

Shelley, i'm sorry about the relapse & I was concerned for you when you posted something about feeling crowded out with everyone in the house, etc. I know you have learned a lot over the past 6 months & you will be OK as long as you keep trying. Just be safe & focus on self care now :l

My mother & grandmother both tried to teach me to knit but honestly.......I didn't get it so I turned to the sewing machine as a kid. That worked for me & kept me out of trouble for most of my life

About the Kindle - I prefer it to a real book these days - I am a total convert.
Although I'm not sure about the knitting illustrations - you may need a paper book/magazine for that. Of course there's always the internet for that too.
Have you ever listened to Tolle on YouTube? Pretty cool

OK, I need to get my 3rd & 4th quarter sales tax filed & paid so the revenue man doesn't come shut me down.

Have a great AF Monday everyone!
Lav

[sdlovespackers]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Hi Jewels!!

Quick check in...I slept in way, way too late today. My son and I stayed up so late last night...although he was sooo tired and was VERY obnoxious most of the night (to be quite honest). He usually really tries to test me when he gets back from his dads and this could be twice as bad since he was with his 16 year female cousin who is a completely disrespectful thing to her parents and they don't say/do a thing about it (or course my ex is the same way...anything goes....)...should be a fun next couple days. I'll just get my garbage bag ready again...all his stuff (wii, psp, cell phone etc...) goes in there and into my closet until he can earn it back one piece at a time!

BIG :welcome: to WALLY and KASLO!!! SO great to have you hear!! Kaslo--that was a beautiful picture!! I wish I lived closer to the beach...or just some place warmer in general..lol!!! Wally--sorry, no knitting for me...tried it but couldn't get the hang of it...I don't think I'm that coordinated!! I could see how drinking and knitting would be VERY difficult! :H

Cassia--I've always wanted to take Spanish classes as well. I'm thinking it is definitely going to come in handy with some of the different plants they are opening in our community in the near future (or so we our told). I also want to take a Sign Language class...we house the Deaf Ed students my school and I would love to be fluent in sign as well. I hate to always have to use to interpreter to communicate with the kids.

Lav--Thoughts of spring...that sure sounds nice...although it really feels weird that we haven't had ANY snow here AT ALL yet!!!! NONE!!! How crazy is that??? I mean I practically live at the North Pole!!:H

Chill--:l 4 weeks...yep...somehow the answers will come....they always have...continue to keep your eyes and heart wide open!!!

Sped--Maybe this isn't a question for you, as it for anyone to answer...I posted under your name because of what you said about an after Christmas "relapse"...I'm unsure what that means...I mean, you had chosen for 6 months not to drink and then made the adult decision to drink....and it doesn't sound like you are continuing to...another responsible decision if it makes you feel better...why then would that be a "relapse"?....or is it only me that sees that word with such a negative spin?? I just feel that you, Sped, have come so far (and maybe it's because I KNOW how hard 6 months is now)...I wouldn't want a decision I made (because at this point it would be a choice) have such a negative spin...I may feel that way in the morning...I may learn something from it the next week...but aren't we all...learning and growing?? Just my .02...
Love ya, girl:l

Dill--I just LOVE seeing your name back on the thread each day!!! yippEE!!!!!!

Ok...this is way longer than it was suppose to be....I gotta get movin....back to work tomorrow...oh yea...can you feel the enthusiasm!!!:H
SD

[papmom3]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Sped, what triggered the relapse? I think talking about it will not only help you but everyone on here. You endured a DUI, you went 6 months AF, attended AA and seemed pretty entrenched, and seemed pretty peaceful with your new life. Please enlighten us.
:l

[ladybirdheart]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Hi, Gems. Things are getting back to a peaceful routine here today. Last night I was so tired before our last outing that I was a bit spooked as by history I have used alcohol as fuel to just ?keep going?. Lord Bird Heart and I were the only people not drinking and as it turned out I had a surprisingly good time talking about weird science and books and not feeling nearly as socially awkward as I would have with alcohol on board while trying to appear as if I didn?t. But you all know that one. I exercised hard this morning, put all of the holiday things away in their nests, and made the cat supremely happy by restoring full access to all window sills. It will be a simple AF evening, just music, food, and reading. Speaking of books, I second Dill with recommending a listen of Eckhart Tolle. His voice adds such a gentle, hypnotic dimension and helps with ?monkey mind? Cyn. I put The Power of Now on my iPod and am listening to for a second time along with, as Dill does, having a hard copy if I need to mark something to go back to. There is also a follow up, sort of a workbook, Practicing the Power of Now, that I am going to try as well. I really what to get out of the incessant mind chatter that pretends to be ?problem solving? but instead generates a reality that sustains nothing but itself. I am so sorry about your relapse Sped. I have never made it more than three months, but I have no intention of giving up and I know neither do you. I think it is important that this thread has people in all stages of recovery but with a common heartfelt goal and willingness to not leave anybody behind, ever. I say this as somebody who could easily get lost. Love, to all, Ladybird.

[Lavande]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

SD - I used to absolutely torture my kids with trash bag threats :H
They knew I meant business too ~ I made a lot of things completely disappear :H
We are expecting a few more flurries tonight, it's gotten very cold & windy today. I hope the real snow holds off forever.

papmom, you feeling any better?

LBH, I gave my MWO CDs to another member a while ago but I really used to love the Clearing CD to help calm the monkey mind. These days I just sit & tune in to one of the guided mediattions online for the same effect

Keep the monkey mind quiet at all times!
That should be our thread motto

[Kaslo]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Awwwe! Thanks for the warm welcome!! Esp. Stargazer...love your avatar, and thanks for the kind words....

BTW you guys, that beach was at -4 C, not sure what that is in F, but I am sure F is the operative consonant!

Kaslo

[Chillgirl]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Good morning guys

Kaslo - where in the world are you? Sounds like close to me at these temperatures! -4c is about 30f I think. We have serve gales and rain here and the electricity keeps cutting out.

Wally - I loved your comment "it's hard to drink and knit at the same time" :H I'm the worst when it comes to anything domestic but I sure could do with something to do with my hands in the evening to stop me eating!

Lav - I love the motto keep the monkey mind quiet at all times would make an excellent meditation mantra too. Boy would Davidji be proud of us

LBH - I have the audio of Practicing the Power of Now, it's good stuff! The New Earth was my fav book by Tolle and I joined Oprah's master classes way back and still have them on my iPod, time for a relisten I think.

Sped - :l stick with us. I hope you are also getting good support from AA. You made a year AF before and now 6 months. I can't help but feel there is a rebellious self sabotage going on here. It's not that you can't control the urge, it's something else.

Papmom - hoping you are feeling better today :l

SD - I feel for you not getting the support of your family over your plans. I has a grueling day yesterday with family. One Sister and my Mum knocking and ridiculing every single idea I had about getting back to Portugal. It was hard to keep defending myself and I'm just not going to discuss it with them anymore.

Last day of my holidays today! I have an early spin class then I'm heading up to the City (Glasgow). Through my Positively Alive group I met this girl, only once, and she befriended me on FB. She picked up on one encrypted message I posted to do with AL and sent me a private message. Turns out she has a major AL problem. Anyway over the holidays she has been bingeing more than ever and yesterday was on her knees. Had been drinking since she woke up and crying hysterically. She has asked for my help so I'm going up to meet her this afternoon. I'm praying the weather improves as driving conditions right now are horrendous. She is the 3rd person to approach me in the last few days about AL issues and I reckon that's too many signs to ignore. Taking the focus off my own challenges right now will be a good thing.

Have a gem of a day guys.........

[Guitarista]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

spedteach;1237058 wrote: Hey all,
I'm cat sitting in Indiana. Snowing lightly here.
I relapsed briefly after all my kids had left after Christmas. Know relapse is a common symptom of this disease but it does get damn tiring. My 6 months was not for naught. I learned a lot, found some peace. One thing I know for sure is that I will never stop trying.
Hope you don't mind if this once again newbie stays on this thread. It's where all my friends are.

Love and pax, Shelley

Hi y'all,

Don't worry Shelley. 6 months was not for naught.
Sounds like you are getting back on the AF horse? Been there myself recently. I just keep peeling back the layers of my thinking to work out where i was at, why i made the decision to drink again, why i still wish to be AF, and what can i change/improve about the way i now live sober day to day, for a satisfying life. What did i learn, what can i learn, and then tweak my daily sober living strategies. Great to see you!

Lav, today i went back to work. Community health sort of stuff. I like it.

Have got power of now book. Good read, and will look up Tolle on you tube. Thanks Lav.

Take care everyone.

[Chillgirl]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Chillgirl;1237507 wrote:
I'm heading up to the City (Glasgow)

:upset: no trip to the city for me today, the bridge has been closed due to 3 trucks which have blown over in the severe winds and there are trees all over the roads here.

[sooty]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

I came on here to post, ended up reading back, got sidetracked into Tolle, Oprah and Deepak, and I'm finally back about 30 minutes later

Weather awful here too Chill, stay safe. Funny how people with AL difficulties have been drawn to you recently. You have special qualities obviously and it's so typical of you to reach out to others. never mind going back to Portugal, come to South Wales instead

I'm going to make plans today, to exercise, lose weight and fit in a daily meditation. I like timetables, they help me so I'll do that till it's safe to go for a walk ...but first another cuppa coffee I think.

Have a good day all, catch you later

[Guitarista]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Chillgirl;1237552 wrote: :upset: no trip to the city for me today, the bridge has been closed due to 3 trucks which have blown over in the severe winds and there are trees all over the roads here.

You've got your pushbike haven't you?

Hi Sooty!

[sooty]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Morning Mr G

[dill]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Greetings Jewels, and about 'relapse'...I believe relapse is a choice. I've made it many times. I also think at times it is not a choice, but is the result of a compulsive craving that one is too weak to fend off that happens in the early stages of abstinence. That's how I see it. I'm sure there are other points of view. I've been pondering the subject for days now. Not in monkey-brain fashion, mind you!

the only people not drinking and as it turned out I had a surprisingly good time talking about weird science and books and not feeling nearly as socially awkward as I would have with alcohol on board while trying to appear as if I didn?t. But you all know that one.

(from LBH's post) I wonder if this really is common to all of us drinkers or if it is just common to those of us that are trying to hide our drinking? Just pondering. Monkey-brain may be creeping in here.

About the Power of Now. It seems a number of us have read it, listened to it or have some other connection with it. Perhaps we should adopt it as our thread's official book!:H Now...shall we adopt an official bird?

[cyntree]

January Jewels - week one 2012!

Morning all -
P3 - Thanks so much for the instructions!! I will print them out, and use them soon. Hope you feel better today... Chill, maybe the weather was helping you - maybe it is OK for you to keep focused on yourself and not get too wrapped up in others' dramas. Good plan not to discuss plans with family. If they can't be supportive, they lose.

Sped, thanks for your honesty, it is a big help to me. After an AF year, I have been tripping over thoughts of drinking - not really cravings, just 'what if' and 'why not', etc. Your post, and thank you LBH yours as well reminds me of some of my big triggers, which have been happening recently: 1) giving too much of myself away, and using AL to create a buffer, a private 'vacation', my own space. 2) fatigue in the face of 'must keep going' - LBH I counted on AL to fuel so many parties that I was giving or going to.

Last night we were invited to a dinner (first social event since we moved) with 3 other couples, all brilliant in their respective fields. It had been a long day already, I had just driven 2 hours to collect HB who had to take a different train back from the city than previously planned, I was cranky and couldn't figure out what to wear, I was feeling 'less than' in every way.... Well, the first thing the host did was to press a glass of Prosecco into my hands. I was too tired to explain or ask for anything else, so I just carried it around from room to room with me - looking for a potted palm to dump it in. End of story - lovely dinner, I was able to make conversation, I also almost fell asleep sitting up, but I guess better that than falling over in a stupor. So this curious journey we are on has hills and dales and unexpected terrain. Instead of living in fear, I am starting to think that training myself to live in the moment and to just accept how I am at that moment really is the key. Hmmm, now how to do that...

Sorry for the long post, but writing to you helps me figure it out...good AF day to all. ODAT.