Sobriety, V2.

[basinbeater]

I drink shit loads of LaCroix. Pamplemousse and pasteque are my favorites. I also like the cucumber blackberry I think it is.

[el hefe]

Had a great weekend, big party on friday, was a bit socially anxious at first but ended up being fun. Bocce a good distraction.

Sat went camping with friends and family, was great again. Drinking "bubbly juice" (flavoured carbonated water) as my kids call it mixed with lime and salt. Also had some yerbe mate to mix in, was tasty.

Feeling good, wife is super happy. I think she was trying to scare the shit out of me and it worked. Thanks again for the support! Talked to a couple buddies who live close doing the sober life. Good local support and its amazing how passionate they are about it. Lots to look forward to.

[Buster Highmen]

++++.
Good to read about others AA experiences and alternatives, especially just community.

[byates1]

^ I look at aa as a community. Not a heavy god thing. Good on ya hefe. I want the water I am on in my little boat to be as quiet as possible. No more self induced storms and rough chop. Just quiet will do.

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[Buster Highmen]

Some years ago, there was a bit of animosity concerning my doubt of AA and how it hadn't worked for some close to me.

Not saying it can't ever work, just that there's other ways of managing the situation.

[byates1]

Fully. Not for everyone. Ran into a drunk nightmare at a new job in April. Said he wanted to go to rehab. Doesn't have 2 nickels to rub together. Where is 30 grand going to come from. And in rehab, they tell you to get honest w yourself and go to AA.

Drunk nightmares are everywhere. The guy I worked next to this morning is fall down drunk on main St nightly. Real peach to be around let me tell you..

The boss doesn't want him to leave bc he's a body playing a role. Everyone else is refusing to work w him. He's all done tomorrow thank God.

Constant heavy drinking. No bueno migo. Best to everyone.

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[RShea]

^^^ love the end of this. Because friends and family are the ones who will ask. Just be straight with them. Be straight with yourself too.

I also do the soda water with lime so people don't ask as much, but, if people do ask, I am straight with them I say I don't drink. With friends and family you might need to add "anymore" because they know you. I don't say I am not going to drink because I'm the driver and I don't want to risk a DUI, it's not true. I think one of the reasons I've been able to not drink the last 6 or 7 years, (lost track now) is because I've internalized it. It's not that I don't drink at an event, it's that I don't drink.
For a the first while after I quit, I was asked more about it than now, and I would usually give some variation of yeah, I just decided I didn't want to anymore. Most of the time it was fine, and sometimes I would drink too much and regret it so I stopped. And that is pretty much the truth. The response was almost always positive and chatter would quickly move on. But to try and pretend to people, oh, I can't tonight I'm driving, you are lying to them and lying to yourself. And that reduces your likelihood of success for long term sobriety. In my humble opinion.

I wish all success with their efforts.

The idea that I did not want a DUI or DWI was in fact one of the reasons I quit drinking when out. So not a lie or an excuse for me. For the most part I could handle alcohol but 1 or 2 times I probably should have not been driving home with the lower BAC levels. It was also way before Uber or Lyft, and limited taxi's... Then, if it was a time I was not driving and I had 1 or 3 drinks (really did not drink alcohol at home ever) spread out across a night, I'd have the biggest hang over and many times a headache the next morning and I did not like that at all. So I just quit all alcohol after 1 or 2 times of that. Was about that same time I had a cousin the same age as I am, end up being sentenced for another DUI and ended up doing state prison time. He had other incidents before that with probably fines and probation or a few days in county jail probably. Respect that others may have had bigger issues, or became different people while drinking, or whatever their demon is or was with it.

[The Reverend Floater]

Right on, Jefe. You might find that some stuff is actually more fun sober...not all, but some.

[el hefe]

2 Weeks Today! Made it through a "Mr. Okanagan" contest on Saturday, average beer consumption per contestant was around 20 bud lights, half of them shotgunned. Still had a blast and almost won.

[basinbeater]

Nice man! Lose any weight yet?

[el hefe]

Yeah, about 3 lbs. I am pretty fit and skinny and work out so hoping to actually gain some weight as booze is not good for protein synthesis. Stomach is definitely tighter. Not missing the hangovers.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Solid work Jefe!!!!

[rideit]

Fuck, I struggle more with weight now than when I was drinking. I have replaced booze with sugars of all sorts.

[basinbeater]

Ha me too. I dropped like 10, and am back at the same 190, but much fitter now. I remember bad hangovers, don't miss them.

Anyway, keep on keeping on everybody.

[Core Shot]

It’s not uncommon. A big part of drinking is gut health (actually not health) and sugars.

I find myself drinking cranberry juice and soda. Makes my stomach happy without boozing.

[ZomblibulaX]

Fuck, I struggle more with weight now than when I was drinking. I have replaced booze with sugars of all sorts.

You and me both. Orange Fanta and nutty bars got me through my first year sober; fortunately I was young enough that I won't need to be buried in a piano or something.

On social engagements, I found that bartenders were actually a huge help when I first sobered up. Weddings, work functions, just tell the barkeep you're trying to keep straight and need something to keep your hand busy. They will look out for you, believe it or not. Call you up from across the bar to give you a fancy mocktail when you're dry. Seems counterintuitive but I always had good luck. Fat tip never hurt either.

And yes, like others have said, just be honest with friends and family. If they don't get it, fuck 'em. They'll come around or you'll find out who they really are. Personal wellbeing and health is exactly when it's 100% okay to be self-centered, if you can't put yourself first it won't work.

[detrusor]

I second the barkeep looking out for you. Also, friends will stay or leave. A bunch of my old “friends” did the “do your to good for us now” thing…I really didn’t understand. Over the past 20 plus years a number of them have gotten sober and we’re friends again. All have apologized… as have I for being a test when I drank.

Good on ya el hefe!

[uglymoney]

I haven't had a beer for a couple months now. Not something I really planned, nor do I have a destination in mind other than make myself skinny again, but it has been a nice break and I think I appreciate the slightly different perspective on life. I don't really have strictly 'drinking' friends I spend a ton of time with anymore, so no issues with that. Those guys are my friends but I never hang out with people that are just drinking, and haven't for 15 years, fuck that. Sleep is better. I lost some weight at first, but after losing about 5 lbs quickly, I must be replacing the calories, but still the needle on the scale is slowly dropping.

I like Heineken 0.0 better out of the bottlle. But the cans are cheaper. I crush quite a few of those. I can't mow my yard without a couple. Corona 0.5 are good. Stella is fine also. Haven't tried any of the Athletic brews. I can't imagine an IPA with no alcohol. I don't even enjoy lower alcohol session IPA's.

I don't feel like I have solved any life problems. Just chip away at them as always.

But it has been a nice change of pace, even if it is a limited time offer.

[RShea]

I haven't had a beer for a couple months now. Not something I really planned, nor do I have a destination in mind other than make myself skinny again, but it has been a nice break and I think I appreciate the slightly different perspective on life. I don't really have strictly 'drinking' friends I spend a ton of time with anymore, so no issues with that. Those guys are my friends but I never hang out with people that are just drinking, and haven't for 15 years, fuck that. Sleep is better. I lost some weight at first, but after losing about 5 lbs quickly, I must be replacing the calories, but still the needle on the scale is slowly dropping.

I like Heineken 0.0 better out of the bottle. But the cans are cheaper. I crush quite a few of those. I can't mow my yard without a couple. Corona 0.5 are good. Stella is fine also. Haven't tried any of the Athletic brews. I can't imagine an IPA with no alcohol. I don't even enjoy lower alcohol session IPA's.

I don't feel like I have solved any life problems. Just chip away at them as always.

But it has been a nice change of pace, even if it is a limited time offer.

I ordered a Heineken NA bottle at a local bar that was a club gathering in a private room off the side. The bottle was not 12 Oz serving size anymore, 10.5 if I remember right. (So calories are lower also I guess.) So shrinking of the serving size for the same price or maybe even more was noticed since the last time I had ordered any NA bottle beers. Maybe it is the Euro influence? Most of the Euro brewers and Canadian brewers make what I feel is a pretty good beer. Much better than one of the original NA beers O'Doul's from AB and USA.

[m2711c]

o'douls is good for cooking with. adds a nice sweet malty flavor to the dish.

[RShea]

o'douls is good for cooking with. adds a nice sweet malty flavor to the dish.

Only way I can have more than 1 O'Doul's is to ask for a glass and pour it out of the bottle. Way too much gas for me to drink more than 1 out of the bottles.

[buttahflake]

I’ve been liking the Golden from Athletic Brewing, crisp, refreshing and it tastes like the real deal.

[Cono Este]

I just got done with 7 days of picking an ex off the floor, with 4 bottles of Chardonnay in her, and helping her detox. 5 days sober. No one cares anymore, I had no choice. But I think she’s listening now, got real tough, took the battery out of her car, watered her plants and did burpees while she shakes it off. the Karen’s from her support groups started falling out trees and I took charge of them too. 9 months in, not fucking around anymore. Not quitting either, call me stupid, but my word is my word, she ain’t dieing.

Totally exhausted.

[byates1]

That's a tough one. Best of luck

[Todd Zander]

First time at a bar in 4 months and I made the best of it, N.A. Guinness on the wharf in Boston and N.A. Heineken at Radia’s in the north end.

They were surprisingly good, but I gotta disagree butter, the athletics are gross.