?

[Here Nor There]

This is the first time I've visited this NG.

I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit in a room
full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It might work for some
people but it's not my scene.

I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?

It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time you had a
drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you all, if you
haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).

[DaveB]

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 00:57:14 -0000, "Here Nor There"
<Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote:

>This is the first time I've visited this NG.
>
>I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit in a room
>full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It might work for some
>people but it's not my scene.
>
>I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
>
>It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time you had a
>drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you all, if you
>haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).
>
7 years for me if I get thru today, yeah its good reading.
Go to a meeting and sit in the corner, check it out.

Regards
>

Daveb

[Mias]

Can't really say that it works cause had only had 15 years sober now. Bit
soon to get excited I guess. Will let you know when I reach 30 Years.
Kind regards
Mias
P.S. My God but does the alcoholic in me still show or not?
"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:350graF4haip1U1@individual.net...
> This is the first time I've visited this NG.
>
> I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit in a
> room full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It might work for
> some people but it's not my scene.
>
> I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
>
> It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time you had a
> drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you all, if
> you haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).
>

[JB]

"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:350graF4haip1U1@individual.net...
> This is the first time I've visited this NG.

Then, welcome.
>
> I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit
in a room
> full of strangers and talk about my personal life.

At the meetings I go to, no-one is *forced* to speak. I think that's
how it normally is at AA meetings.
>
> I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?

It does not "prevent" me from drinking.

Best regards

Sheenah

[rosie readandpost]

i get the feeling that you "think" that quitting drinking is in your
future?
i have been sober since 82' and after trying many, many ways to try
to "control and enjoy" my drinking, AA meetings are the answer for
me!
this newsgroup is NOT AA, nor does it profess to
be........................THANK HP!



--
rosie

http://www.truthout.org/fyi/



"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:350graF4haip1U1@individual.net...
: This is the first time I've visited this NG.
:
: I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit
in a room
: full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It might work
for some
: people but it's not my scene.
:
: I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
:
: It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time
you had a
: drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you
all, if you
: haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).
:
:

[rosie readandpost]

7yrs today dave?

a BIG congrats to you!

--
rosie

http://www.truthout.org/fyi/



<DaveB> wrote in message
news:41eb25c6.40895272@news.dslextreme.com...
: On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 00:57:14 -0000, "Here Nor There"
: <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote:
:
: >This is the first time I've visited this NG.
: >
: >I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to
sit in a room
: >full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It might work
for some
: >people but it's not my scene.
: >
: >I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
: >
: >It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time
you had a
: >drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you
all, if you
: >haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).
: >
: 7 years for me if I get thru today, yeah its good reading.
: Go to a meeting and sit in the corner, check it out.
:
: Regards
: >
:
: Daveb

[Dan McGown]

"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:350graF4haip1U1@individual.net...
> This is the first time I've visited this NG.
>
> I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit in a
> room full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It might work for
> some people but it's not my scene.
>
> I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
>
> It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time you had a
> drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you all, if
> you haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).



What I am about to say may seem like a small difference in
terms, but it is a big difference in approach. We count from the last day
we had a drink. We count from the first day we were sober. The important
thing isn't the drink, even the last one. The important thing is the
sobriety; especially that first day because that's the day we reclaimed our
lives.

My sobriety date is May 24, 2003. I don't have two years in
yet, but I feel like a completely different human being from the poor,
hopeless, closeted drunk that used to live in this body. God willing I will
stay this way, and I don't wish to be put to a test, but now I don't desire
to drink - at all. I still go to meetings and I still participate here, but
now it's not because I'm reaching for the lifeline. Now it's because I'm
offering it. We stay sober by becoming a new person who helps other drunks.
The Steps are a battle plan, but they aren't the mission. The mission has
two and only two twin (and matched) goals: stay sober and help others stay
sober.

The key for me was not just resting on the first three steps,
not just continuing to go to meetings and hoping to stay sober. The key for
me started with the fourth step, doing that rigorously honest self inventory
and then starting to do something about it.

We get in big quibbles in here about whether we are "recovered"
or "recovering." I suggest that it is both. I am recovered because I don't
drink anymore and am not drawn to do so. I am recovering because every day
I deal with the additional things that I discover about myself that made me
into that pathetic loser who hid in a sea of booze.

Coming in here helps with a lot of the above because sometimes a
drunk sitting at home alone will wander in here and ask for help or
sometimes a spouse of a drunk will find us and ask for advice in how to deal
with it all.

If you do decide to quit drinking, I would like to offer a word
of advice about that "room full of strangers." Whatever may be their vices,
they have this virtue: they are the only people in the world who know
exactly how you feel. Read "How it works" in chapter 5 of the Big Book.
That common experience, that knowing exactly how you feel, is the strength
that the program has to offer.

All the best,

Dan

[Dan McGown]

"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:350graF4haip1U1@individual.net...
> This is the first time I've visited this NG.
>
> I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit in a
> room full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It might work for
> some people but it's not my scene.
>
> I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
>
> It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time you had a
> drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you all, if
> you haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).

What a horrible typist I am. That critical difference should have been: "We
*don't* count from the last day
we had a drink."

[rosie readandpost]

and in case you don't have a BIG BOOK, you can read chapter five
here:
http://www.recovery.org/aa/bigbook/ww/chapter_5.html


--
rosie





"Dan McGown" <dmcgown@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:1NWdnfZlOuPsUXbcRVn-hg@adelphia.com...
: "Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote
in message
: news:350graF4haip1U1@individual.net...
: > This is the first time I've visited this NG.
: >
: > I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to
sit in a
: > room full of strangers and talk about my personal life. It
might work for
: > some people but it's not my scene.
: >
: > I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
: >
: > It's up to you if you want to answer, but when was the last time
you had a
: > drink? And I would like to add a massive congratulations to you
all, if
: > you haven't had a drink in the last week or last year(s).
:
:
:
: What I am about to say may seem like a small
difference in
: terms, but it is a big difference in approach. We count from the
last day
: we had a drink. We count from the first day we were sober. The
important
: thing isn't the drink, even the last one. The important thing is
the
: sobriety; especially that first day because that's the day we
reclaimed our
: lives.
:
: My sobriety date is May 24, 2003. I don't have two
years in
: yet, but I feel like a completely different human being from the
poor,
: hopeless, closeted drunk that used to live in this body. God
willing I will
: stay this way, and I don't wish to be put to a test, but now I
don't desire
: to drink - at all. I still go to meetings and I still participate
here, but
: now it's not because I'm reaching for the lifeline. Now it's
because I'm
: offering it. We stay sober by becoming a new person who helps
other drunks.
: The Steps are a battle plan, but they aren't the mission. The
mission has
: two and only two twin (and matched) goals: stay sober and help
others stay
: sober.
:
: The key for me was not just resting on the first three
steps,
: not just continuing to go to meetings and hoping to stay sober.
The key for
: me started with the fourth step, doing that rigorously honest self
inventory
: and then starting to do something about it.
:
: We get in big quibbles in here about whether we are
"recovered"
: or "recovering." I suggest that it is both. I am recovered
because I don't
: drink anymore and am not drawn to do so. I am recovering because
every day
: I deal with the additional things that I discover about myself
that made me
: into that pathetic loser who hid in a sea of booze.
:
: Coming in here helps with a lot of the above because
sometimes a
: drunk sitting at home alone will wander in here and ask for help
or
: sometimes a spouse of a drunk will find us and ask for advice in
how to deal
: with it all.
:
: If you do decide to quit drinking, I would like to
offer a word
: of advice about that "room full of strangers." Whatever may be
their vices,
: they have this virtue: they are the only people in the world who
know
: exactly how you feel. Read "How it works" in chapter 5 of the Big
Book.
: That common experience, that knowing exactly how you feel, is the
strength
: that the program has to offer.
:
: All the best,
:
: Dan
:
:

[Gail]

"JB" <JBCatRB@coldman.com> wrote in message
news:csftht$e2v$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in
> message news:350graF4haip1U1@individual.net...
>> This is the first time I've visited this NG.
>
> Then, welcome.
>>
>> I haven't quit drinking at the moment and don't really want to sit
> in a room
>> full of strangers and talk about my personal life.
>
> At the meetings I go to, no-one is *forced* to speak. I think that's
> how it normally is at AA meetings.
>>
>> I guess my question is does this NG help you guys?
>
> It does not "prevent" me from drinking.
>
> Best regards
>
> Sheenah
>
>

I have attended meetings where the chair person suggest that the newcomer
with less than thiry days listen. There have been times that I had wished
the newcomer could have been *forced* to shut up and listen. I don't know
where this person is getting their information. No one is forced to say
anything. A person might be asked their first name in an introduction and a
person doesn't have to do that.
Best,
Gail

[Here Nor There]

Thanks for the replies guys.

How long were you a full blown alcoholic before you realised you have a
problem and need help to stop?

[DaveB]

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 19:18:11 -0000, "Here Nor There"
<Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Thanks for the replies guys.
>
>How long were you a full blown alcoholic before you realised you have a
>problem and need help to stop?
>

Twenty five years..........I was the last one to find out

Regards
>

Daveb

[rosie readandpost]

i drank LONG after i realized that i was probably going to need to
stop.
i don't have a very interesting drinking history and rather a boring
story, but i drank long enough to alienate most around me, and
almost lost everyone and everything i love!

rosie







"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:352hbjF4en54pU1@individual.net...
: Thanks for the replies guys.
:
: How long were you a full blown alcoholic before you realised you
have a
: problem and need help to stop?
:
:

[Mias]

First time 8 years (Went to rehab voluntarily age 25.)
Had seven years 'not drinking' using willpower. Did NOT go to AA. Wasted my
own bloody time and waited seven years for that next drink.
Second time 10 years ((Went to rehab 'voluntarily' age 42.)
Kind regards
Mias
"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:352hbjF4en54pU1@individual.net...
> Thanks for the replies guys.
>
> How long were you a full blown alcoholic before you realised you have a
> problem and need help to stop?
>

[Bobby L]

"Here Nor There" <Temporary_J66At_SPAM_KILLER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:352hbjF4en54pU1@individual.net...
> Thanks for the replies guys.
>
> How long were you a full blown alcoholic before you realised you have a
> problem and need help to stop?
>
>

Do you mean how long before I realized I was a full blown alcoholic.... That
part took several years.... Of course at the time I thought it was pretty
normal.

By the way... Perhaps instead of sitting in a room full of strangers and
talking about your personal life, you could just sit in a room full of
strangers and let them tell you about your personal life... you might find
out you are neither special nor unique. Just another drunk... same story...
same drink ... same need to be different.

Just a thought,


Bobby L