To Nick's point, I continue to make progress, in my drinking ( < 10 drinks/week), in my thinking ( < 2 urges / week), and in life in general. Even after the drinking slows way down, one still learns to live without alcohol-driven thoughts. Now I rarely even think about alcohol; hence my partial absence from this board. I expect to continue my progress for the foreseeable future, maybe reaching the point where alcohol doesn't exist in my life anymore.

Abstinence was never my goal, but now I'm beginning to see it differently. TSM does indeed work magic.

Firebird, I hate to split hairs, but do you have your arrows going the wrong way?? >10 means "less than" 10...<10 means "more than" 10. So I think you mean you are drinking "less than" 10 drinks a week or >10/wk, w/ urges >2 (meaning below 2)??

I remember this b/c the alligator's mouth opens up to eat the "greater amount" so < 10 means the alligator is eating 10 greater/more than he needs to...Just wanting to clarify.

Sorry - it's my job :-))

Erm.

'the alligator's mouth opens up to eat the "greater amount"'

Oh so many years have passed since I've heard (read) that

That said, in colloquial writing we're talking about 'x' or 'x drinks', so,

'< 10' == 'x < 10' == 'less than 10'

'> 10' == 'x > 10' == 'more than 10'

i.e.,

'<' == 'less than'
'>' == 'more than'

Not this is a rule or anything, it's just the way I'm used to seeing it (and the way I use it too).

or what PV said =)

So now I'm mixed up, do I have it backwards? I meant less than 10

Ok who let houtx take the helm

Nope, you've got it right

Another indictment of the Texas public school system as HouTX is a teacher there.

Love you HouTX! LOL.

I learned it this way:

On the < symbol, the smaller end is first, so it is the "less than" symbol.
On the > symbol, the larger end is first, so it is the "greater than" symbol.

It's easy to remember.

Firebird is correct.

Bob