Bryan wrote:
> Have my alarm set and ready to go at a 10AM meeting. I am excited. I
> really am. When i quit before i actually looked forward to meetings.
>
> Hard part is i have plenty of friends who are alcoholics and from past
> experience i can't really be around cause like me, everything is planned
> around drinking. Can't be around that shit.

You preparing yourself well. I've stayed away from obvious bad
situations where alcohol is freely available for awhile. You CAN
completely avoid it all together. During Christmas, I drove to parties
and when things got at all stressful or weird feeling I left.
I feel Ok to be around people NOW who still drink, but know I don't.

>
> Got in plenty of trouble drinking, legal, job loss, etc. etc. list goes
> on. Back on my feet again ok job, time to get some sobriety under my
> belt and change my life around.
>
Yup. It took awhile for me to get in really big trouble.
Actually it was a relief to get it over with. I was going to
AA and it was getting worse.

> And no i am not a fallen down drunk, drink a fifth a day, etc. etc.

I was ending up just a sick drunk. mentally and phyically ill. Yet I
couldn't stop. No energy for anything except throwing up in the mornings.

> i am definitely an alcoholic, i've been out of
> denial after about my third and final drunk driving so i got that taken
> care of. Know the principles of AA. Went to AA, but I did it for show,
> to look good for court, and i didn't work on the steps good enough. I
> liked going and it helped my sobriety but i didn't work on it hard enough.
>

For most, hitting a precieved bottom is the only way to really
turn around. Surrender. It really is a relief.

> This time will be different. NO MORE.

Check in daily.

My morning pray: God. Please set aside everything I think
I know about myself and my illness and give me clear
direction so that I may experience something new TODAY.