Less Alcohol - MARCH 2020 - One Day at a Time
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@whitpauly Sending you a big virtual hug. You are an inspiration and thank you for being so honest. Love you!
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Hello all, well last Tuesday when the governor shut down NV I completely lost my steam! I had to drink to ease my disbelief at what's going on, this all feels like some bad dream I can't wake up from but yet it's real, I'm feeling very negative even still now but luckily put down the beers 3 days ago after a 4 day drinking bender, ho hum🙄 well shoot at least I finally stopped, no job so no need to be wasting money on alcohol anyways, 11:44 am in Vegas another 24 and a big hug to everyone here💗
💜💜💜💜💜 hugs and thoughts to you @whitpauly. I feel for ya girl. I am a self employed person. So NO unemployment benefits for me. My clients have shut me out. Overnight I went from happily working at my 33 year old business( that I started when I was a young 27 year old girl) to out breaks of crying uncontrollably in disbelief. I would have rather had a massive heart attack and died on the spot.
Good for you for stopping. I know it has been a long long time since you drank. I have so admired your " another 24 AF in Vegas" posts. You ARE still an inspiration.
I'm so sorry to hear about your business. It is heartbreaking. I know that there are wonderful things ahead for you; take time to mourn the business. 3 -
As usual, I am going to try for 16-20 AF days for the month.
I had 18AF days for January
I had a surprising (and record setting for me) 21AF days for the short month of February!
Sunday March 01 - AF - The month kind of came in like a lamb out West.
Monday March 02 - AF -
Tuesday March 03 - AF - It is my designated drink day, and I felt like having drinks but decided not to today.
Wednesday March 04 - AF
Thursday March 05 - 3 drinks
Friday March 06 - AF - Felt like having a few drinks, but didn't because of my recent 2AF days in a row rule.
Saturday March 07 - 3 drinks
Sunday March 08 - AF
Monday March 09 - AF - Going to be AF for at least a few days, I have lots going on this week.
Tuesday March 10 - AF - Stressful work day, my usual drinks day, maybe later in the week.
Wednesday March 11 - AF - Early morning tomorrow, so no drinks tonight.
Thursday March 12 - AF -
Friday March 13 - 3 drinks
Saturday March 14 - AF.
Sunday March 15 - Drinks.
Monday March 16 - AF
Tuesday March 17 - 2 drinks.
Wednesday March 18 - 3 drinks - my post is getting a bit long, I will delete some of it...
Thursday March 19 - 3 drinks. I was just being self-indulgent. Time to rack up more AF days soon.
Friday March 20 - 3 drinks. Self indulgence continues.
Saturday March 21 - 3 drinks. Just about ready to get back on the AF bandwagon although I am not sure really why. At least for a couple of days.
Sunday March 22- AF - Glad to have a motivator to make me AF for at least a couple of days - I have a telephone job interview Tuesday morning at 7am, so I want to be as fresh as possible. Not a great paying job, but there are benefits and stock options which is more important to me at this stage. Garden Centre for Home Depot here in town. Inching toward that 16-20 AF days for the month.
Monday March 23 - AF - Lots of fresh air today, early to bed and getting up very early to be awake and functioning for my 7am telephone interview (thinking that it must be someone in the East to whom that is 9am). I will Zumba first to get some oxygen to my brain : - )
Tuesday March 24 - 3 drinks, hours ago. I was up at 4am to prepare for the phone interview. It went great. So many posts that have touched my heart, but ready for bed, so I will re-read and respond in the morning with my coffee. Love to you all!!
14 AF days out of 24 days5 -
Thank you Julie. How goes your battle? I know a lot has changed in your life since we first met in Jan 2018. You are a very strong, giving person. I would not have crawled out of my sinking pit without your daily posts.RubyRed427 wrote: »
I'm so sorry to hear about your business. It is heartbreaking. I know that there are wonderful things ahead for you; take time to mourn the business.
Much love your way.......
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Thank you both @LoveyChar and @anglilacs. I know there are others with crap going on a lot worse than me. I just have to deep breath and fiqure out which new direction I will go in.7
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Thank you Julie. How goes your battle? I know a lot has changed in your life since we first met in Jan 2018. You are a very strong, giving person. I would not have crawled out of my sinking pit without your daily posts.RubyRed427 wrote: »
I'm so sorry to hear about your business. It is heartbreaking. I know that there are wonderful things ahead for you; take time to mourn the business.
Much love your way.......
YOU are an amazing motivator and kind soul. I read your posts daily. I am well. I just bought a cute little ranch nearby in the suburbs. I remember going through my divorce period completely sober; I felt like Rocky and had to be at my best. Divorce happened in Aug. 2019 and then started drinking here and there... and then some more.
I keep it at bay most time; but sometimes I break and binge. For me as an alcoholic, I walk a tight rope every day; most times I stay on the rope balanced but once in a blue moon, I fall hard.
Recently, I printed out Smart Recovery forms from their website and will fill them in this week. I'm proud of you and your sobriety. We are all here for each other. Thank you so much for the way you keep this thread moving and for your motivation.7 -
22 AF days/24 days done.....my heart goes out to you folks who lost your business suddenly. I was laid off a few month back after a very long tenure. It was a major loss for me. Will try to hang in there until the summer and get back to work then. By then this crisis should subside.
Until then I refocus on improving me because that's all I can control today.....5 -
7:59 am in Vegas another 24,I guess one positive in being stuck at home is I can sleep in a bit 😆 @LoveyChar the noodles look great I need to try some new recipes like that, 4 days off drinking but I'm STILL feeling hungover, I drank soooo much I just can't even believe it or maybe not as much as I used to but being sober for 8 months it hit me harder, I have no clue but I need my foggy head to clear, I'm sure I depleted my already low iron during that fest as well maybe that's another reason I feel shiity, @MissMay I'm sorry about your business 😢 so you can understand my situation and the boat I'm in, it's just really hard, waves to the gang and wishes for a wonderful day 💗9
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Middle daughter has been working from home during the current unpleasantness and this has thrown off the schedule of both househusband and cats. She still takes her morning walk to Crazy Mocha...6 blocks in the hood and then home to make her own fancy drink, and her lunch walk, during which she shows up at my house to make sure I'm still staying home, like a dutiful old person. On one of her lunch breaks she grabbed up a newly fallen twiggy branch and pranced around my yard with it on her head like antlers. We are all stir crazy here...thankful for little things...my magnolia is blooming beautifully... ALDI's delivers...
Headed out to my gate to receive the monthly prescription delivery with my OWN pen and a previously sanitized bag, only to find that the driver hung the meds on the fence and instead of a 3 signature clipboard...he took a phone photo instead !!
Not being able to get wine by ANY means has caused me to go into conservation mode. Ain't gonna touch the cellar rack til I can actually get more. Just in case. It may be months. The fear of running out is my motivation.
Boy, do I have plans for later----> much later.
Not everyone has the luxury of still having a job and I hope that things can get better for everyone soon. @MissMay , thanks for the positive post above.4 -
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7:59 am in Vegas another 24,I guess one positive in being stuck at home is I can sleep in a bit 😆 @LoveyChar the noodles look great I need to try some new recipes like that, 4 days off drinking but I'm STILL feeling hungover, I drank soooo much I just can't even believe it or maybe not as much as I used to but being sober for 8 months it hit me harder, I have no clue but I need my foggy head to clear, I'm sure I depleted my already low iron during that fest as well maybe that's another reason I feel shiity, @MissMay I'm sorry about your business 😢 so you can understand my situation and the boat I'm in, it's just really hard, waves to the gang and wishes for a wonderful day 💗
A sports drink might help a little if your electrolytes are also low. I have never had a 4 day-er before. The last time I overdid it was early last year and it was a 2 day. I think at the time it had been 2 months since drinking.
Based on your experience though I have to be really careful whenever my next time is. My streak just passed the 11 month mark and with my vacation being cancelled and wanting not to drink during this virus situation I guess I am heading for the year mark. The length of this streak was not intentional. Things just kept getting in the way which is a funny thing to say since it was once that drinking got in the way of other things.7 -
As usual, I am going to try for 16-20 AF days for the month.
I had 18AF days for January
I had a surprising (and record setting for me) 21AF days for the short month of February!
Sunday March 01 - AF - The month kind of came in like a lamb out West.
Monday March 02 - AF -
Tuesday March 03 - AF - It is my designated drink day, and I felt like having drinks but decided not to today.
Wednesday March 04 - AF
Thursday March 05 - 3 drinks
Friday March 06 - AF - Felt like having a few drinks, but didn't because of my recent 2AF days in a row rule.
Saturday March 07 - 3 drinks
Sunday March 08 - AF
Monday March 09 - AF - Going to be AF for at least a few days, I have lots going on this week.
Tuesday March 10 - AF - Stressful work day, my usual drinks day, maybe later in the week.
Wednesday March 11 - AF - Early morning tomorrow, so no drinks tonight.
Thursday March 12 - AF -
Friday March 13 - 3 drinks
Saturday March 14 - AF.
Sunday March 15 - Drinks.
Monday March 16 - AF
Tuesday March 17 - 2 drinks.
Wednesday March 18 - 3 drinks - my post is getting a bit long, I will delete some of it...
Thursday March 19 - 3 drinks. I was just being self-indulgent. Time to rack up more AF days soon.
Friday March 20 - 3 drinks. Self indulgence continues.
Saturday March 21 - 3 drinks. Just about ready to get back on the AF bandwagon although I am not sure really why. At least for a couple of days.
Sunday March 22- AF - Glad to have a motivator to make me AF for at least a couple of days - I have a telephone job interview Tuesday morning at 7am, so I want to be as fresh as possible. Not a great paying job, but there are benefits and stock options which is more important to me at this stage. Garden Centre for Home Depot here in town. Inching toward that 16-20 AF days for the month.
Monday March 23 - AF - Lots of fresh air today, early to bed and getting up very early to be awake and functioning for my 7am telephone interview (thinking that it must be someone in the East to whom that is 9am). I will Zumba first to get some oxygen to my brain : - )
Tuesday March 24 - 3 drinks, hours ago. I was up at 4am to prepare for the phone interview. It went great. So many posts here that have touched my heart.
Wednesday March 25 - AF - Really felt like having drinks, but need to get back to that spacing of at least 2 days AF in between.
15 AF days out of 25 days6 -
Hoping that as we all have to slow down our busy lives that we can find some joy. Going for a walk is productive. We have all been so ramped up for so long this is a weird new way of living, but we can maybe gain some insight through the solitude. Lots of soul searching could happen. We are all so much more than our careers, we will define ourselves by other qualities right now.
We are lucky to live in a time with internet!6 -
23 AF days/25....goal today is to re-fuel my happiness tank. No energy to run today so will go for a hike. Limit the poisonous news and get outside first and focus on the blooming desert plants and look for animals. We usually have bunnies and quail but as the weather warms we start to see coyote and javelina families.6
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13/26 AF days...50% that’s not too bad. Feb was better but I ain’t beating myself up about it! I’m still eating well and been active.8
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7:30 am in Vegas another 24 💖 hope everyone has a wonderful day and stay safe and healthy friends!10
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Good afternoon to all you lovely individuals.
Taking a long hard look at the one portion of the thread name. -One day at a time-. Very powerful.
Day 25th of March. 24 days AF
(I added together the 3 non-consecutive days of having 4 ounces of beer, to make it one 12 ounce standard drink. Is that wrong?)7 -
Good afternoon to all you lovely individuals.
Taking a long hard look at the one portion of the thread name. -One day at a time-. Very powerful.
Day 25th of March. 24 days AF
(I added together the 3 non-consecutive days of having 4 ounces of beer, to make it one 12 ounce standard drink. Is that wrong?)
It sure beats going the other way around and getting a huge cup and calling it a single drink <- I have been guilty of that.8 -
I'm still finding my relationship with alcohol. That relationship has both "drink less" periods practicing moderation and AF periods.
The best parts
Not wasting a weekend day on a hangover!
Not worrying about driving/DD/leaving a car/Uber
Saves money
Saves calories
More control
Better memory of fun times
The hardest parts:
Problem: so many social things involve booze.
Solution: if you don't talk about it, usually no one cares if it's booze or soda water. Any mention tends to make people defensive. It's less enjoyable once people start getting wasted, but the value goes down then too. Go anyway! (When you are able to control yourself)
Problem: Alcohol was my only real treat. I don't like soda, juice much, or many sweets/desserts. If I want something special to taste, it's alcohol.
Solutions:
1. enjoying the day is treat enough
2. Less/no alcohol has somewhat increased my sweet tooth. Splurging on a piece of pizza or dessert is still less calories than a drink or 6.
3. "Special" NA drinks. Soda water with fresh squeezed citrus (I squeeze a bunch and save in ice cube trays), virgin mojitos, Fre Brut with oj is indistinguishable from a real mimosa (5 person blind test), Ariel Cabernet (does NOT taste like normal wine but has deep dryish satisfying flavor, all of the antioxidants, and 150 calories a bottle 😮), Run Wild NA IPA (I wouldn't have known it was fake if you hadn't told me, but all 3 of us did pick it out in a blind test compared to a normal IPA. Far and away better than any na beer I've ever tried).
if more of these options were available out, I think I might be ready to pull the trigger on a 100% AF lifestyle.
Note on the wine/beer substitutes. My first break from alcohol in my adult life was 50+ days, and it was hard. About 30 days in, I tried the Ariel wine at a weekend getaway with friends. It wasn't enough for me to break my dry spell, but it seriously triggered cravings. My mind thought it was going to get the nice buzz from that taste, and it WANTED it. The last 2, month long breaks, I wasn't triggered at all by the substitutes. It was nice to have something nice to drink. Nice to look/feel part of the group. I highly suggest them only once you are no longer struggling with strong cravings or just to space out "the real thing". I've also had a drink or two then switched for the evening so that I could drive home.
I hope this helps some of you. I hope you don't mind me lurking even though I'm not completely on the wagon. I like reading your stories and your tips, and apply what makes sense. A lovely AF day to you 😘
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