Friends of Bill W.

Happy New Year, everyone! The most exciting thing about New Year's Day is that I didn't drink last night, therefore no hangover. What a good feeling indeed.

Hey folks, well....it's been the best of times and the worst or times (to borrow a quote) actually not the worst of times, I'm not drinkin' or any similar form of idiocy. I got hurt at work 19 Oct, been through 3 weeks of physical therapy, made things worse, finally a doc suggested we look at the shoulder, see what the problem actually is, anyway, will proly have surgery shortly after the first of the year. Work has been great about it, still getting paid, taking care of all bills, paying mileage to and from Docs, therapies, et al. I've not really considered drinking as a solution to anything, just getting tired of hurting all the time, ready for the docs to do something!!! on the other hand, am making more meetings than I have been able to over the past few years, every coin has at least two sides.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I will be going to my Thursday night 7:30 home group tonight. Yes, I'm so GLAD for no hangovers (I swear, I love every morning waking up sober, it is something I love and find amazing and don't take for granted!).

Well, I will be one of the ones this morning NOT partaking of the Mimosas.

Welcome to the group, jiinxsay! Glad to have you here! Congratulations on your two years! Keep coming back!

Merry Christmas all friends of Bill W! it's officially xmas, 5:40am. thank God it's almost over! (i'll take down that tree pic later today).

i plan on goin to the 5:30pm @ the ARC, here in Marlboro. that's what i'm planning my day around, a meeting.
cuz i read here, by a wise owl, who approved my membership, that we're never cured. i could blow it...tah-DAY. i don't want that.
i wanna keep what i have AND freely give it away.
another reason for my pic being up here. i respect ppl's anonymouty. i just wanted ppl to know who i was when i was posting, a face to the name.
besides, i'm a shmoozer so everyone in recovery in my town knows my name + face<3

i'm new to this group. i was also reminded last night, when being accepted into this great group, that fear does NOT have to run my life... IF i allow my faith to be stronger + actually WALK thru the fear.

i'm so grateful to wake up, super early this xmas mornin, with NO hangover, hallelujah!
i enjoy waking up at 5:30am + havin coffee + reflecting on my plan for my recovery for TODAY. that's it, not next week, next year, or even tomorrow, juss today :-)

December 18th i reached a small milestone. i got 2 years :-) so grateful!

k, ilu all + i pray that today you will feel the grattitude, love, freedom + joy i feel (+ beliEVE ME, this time of yr i can be suicidal, no lie), but NOT today :-)

<3 jiinxsay

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I'm still sober and thankful for the program, my sponsor, and my higher power.

You'r welcome! If they pushed the issue, I think I'd just say, "If I drink that stuff... I'm gonna steal your wife, beat you up and drink your drink!" Then they'll leave me alone. Some are sicker than others. Keep coming back!

I love that "If you hang around the barbershop long enough..."

Some of my reasons for being in a bar type atmosphere would be, there's good food there, the green chile is to die for. But there again, there's always take out. I don't like being around drunk people though. Not anymore. When you're there with them, you just don't notice it. Back when I was drinking, if I saw a drunker person than me, I think I considered it a challenge!

When it comes to hollerday pah-tays, I usually start by thinking about the following blurb from The Big Book (pp. 100-101):

"Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn’t think or be reminded about alcohol at all. Our experience shows that this is not necessarily so.

"We meet these conditions every day. An alcoholic who cannot meet them, still has an alcoholic mind; there is something the matter with his spiritual status. His only chance for sobriety would be some place like the Greenland Ice Cap, and even there an Eskimo might turn up with a bottle of scotch and ruin everything! Ask any woman who has sent her husband to distant places on the theory he would escape the alcohol problem.

"In our belief any scheme of combating alcoholism which proposes to shield the sick man from temptation is doomed to failure. If the alcoholic tries to shield himself he may succeed for a time, but he usually winds up with a bigger explosion than ever. We have tried these methods. These attempts to do the impossible have always failed.

"So our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we have a legitimate reason for being there. That includes bars, nightclubs, dances, receptions, weddings, even plain ordinary whoopee parties. To a person who has had experience with an alcoholic, this may seem like tempting Providence, but it isn’t.

"You will note that we made an important qualification. Therefore, ask yourself on each occasion, “Have I any good social, business, or personal reason for going to this place?..."

Also note the very first qualification.... assuming we are SPIRITUALLY FIT. I have referred to this little blurb many times over my last 20 years... you would be surprised at how many times I really don't have a good reason for being there... then there are the times I do.

When it comes to office parties, missing the party can be interpreted as not being a "team player" in certain circles... when I have felt this to be the case, I have attended such parties and I don't feel gulty about it. Then there are times that some coworkers may just be going out "for drinks" after work... I have a much harder time justifying my participation in that kind of scenario and I generally avoid them.

One final thought when it comes to going to bars or to restaurants with bars attached: one saying we have around here: "If you go the the barber shop often enough, sooner or later you're going to get a haircut." Take it for what it's worth.

As far as what I tell anyone at a company party... I generally don't have to tell them anything. Generally one single "no thanks" is all it takes without further explanation. If they push further, I just say I don't want any. I have never had to make any veiled excuse or anything like that.

Finally: thanks for the happy anniversary McGowdog! Yes, November 14 was my 20th. I'm really surprised anyone even knew, much less remembered!! Good memory there!

I also have tons of phone numbers in my purse. Since I've quit drinking almost three years ago, I try to only go to bars with restaurants attached. I don't think I've been to one "bar-bar" since. Even my sponsor with 15 years says I should go to these things, if I feel I can. I just don't feel like I'm missing much. I'm watching people do something I no longer do. I really like parties now with AA people. We eat, talk, drink water, soda, iced-tea, coffee, tea. And I don't feel like I'm a spectator. I feel like I'm part of something. I feel like I'm relaxed, having a great time. And nobody's getting wasted, and I'm not.

But I suppose there'll be a few times in the future where I may have to visit a drinking establishment. I'll probably order a Shirley Temple.

There was an excellent article in the New York Times online yesterday - I think the columnist is Jim Wilkinson, if I remember his name correctly. He hasn't had a drink in 16 years and writes about the people trying to convince him that he can. I suggest everyone read it.

It's none of their business really, but they'd be bored with it anyway. They, at least some of them, can drink normally and that's that.

If somebody I don't know offers me booze in any form, I just politely say "no thanks." If they push it in any way, I say "I'm sort of allergic to that stuff." Then I have my cup of coffee and I leave. No problem. If I get bored, there's plenty of meetings to go to. There I can have cake, dounuts, cookies, other assorted non-alcohol treats!

If you feel like you can go with them to the pub and drink a soda, then go. But just have your own wheels or transportation for when you decide it's time to go. If you feel like you're not on strong spiritual ground at that moment, then politely say, "maybe next time thanks!"

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc!

Add: Happy belated Anniversary to Johhncakes!!!!!!!! November 14th?

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hannukah...I'm gonna stay sober, too.

I've started a new job, have been there 2 and 1/2 months. Now it's the holidays and people are having drinks after work, and I'm waiting for the dreaded rum balls to come by. I'm not one of those who wants to tell the whole office that I'm a friend of Bill's. Normal people don't understand alcoholics. Also, I don't want to give my personal history to a bunch of people I just started working with. I'm not one of those types who are "take me or leave me, I am what I am and I'll tell you all about me first chance I get." I'm a private person, especially when it comes to my sobriety. Any thoughts on this from anyone?