N101CS, Im a newbie here..Trying hard to get the terminology straight:) Ive been reading all the old threads and it seems this issue was talked about by the original members and then dropped..I was wondering,could it be revisited..The Idea of a chat room..It seems to me that you "originals"were able to get to know one another and form relationships and gain support from one another..As someone new,I kind of feel out of the loop..I am on my own with this,family,friends,AA,coworkers,Exwivesetc..They all think Im crazy..It would be nice to be able to talk live to people who are in the same boat..Ya know,trying to figure this thing out??Instead of being preached to by elder members.?Please dont take that wrong,I completely understamd the need for expierience and advice..But there is also something to be gained from a feeling of comeradery that can only be found with ones peers..I guess what Im asking is can u revisit the Idea of a chat room?? so that newbies dont have to roam all over the board for support..Thanks..Goodman

nearly everybody currently posting on this board is a newb. I'm 6 months in, and I guess that makes me a non newb but surely not a seasoned, cured, vet. but the vast majority of folks here are non cured. the cured folk tend to drift away leaving us PEERS to enjoy each others' company. including N101CS, who's been so kind as to create this board for us all but has found a new, non AL obsessed life and is a busy person. I'm sorry you feel out of the loop. we had a thread going about putting up a sticky with a glossary of TSM terms in it for newcomers. and sorry you felt preached to, especially if I came off that way. I, and others, simply try to pass on info we've gathered from those before us and seen for ourselves. But damn, it's not like AA where there are a bunch of old timers banging on a book! there are plenty of peers commenting here. look around

as for the chat room, I don't know how much work that entails or if it takes server power etc. I do know N101CS is busy and am just glad we have a board. Feel free to PM me about any terms you want to know. I won't preach

Hey Joe12pack,,I appologise..Seriously..This is all so new to me..This whole internet thing,texting and all..Thats what makes me feel disconnected..Ya know?? Out of the loop??I am also trying to deprogram from AA and finding it really hard to give myself permission to drink..My ex wife,who is 10 years younger than me,tells me I have to be real careful about what I post on these boards..Im a shoot from the hip kind of guy..Ya,know? I think something,and it comes out of my mouth..In the real world,that serves me well,In cyberland,I reread my posts and realise what an asshole I come off as..Anyways,no,I dont feel preached to,certainly not by you..Thank you for all of your replies to my posts..You seem like a pretty cool dude..I guess "preached to" was the wrong term..See,this whole tsm thing has got me pretty excited..I am really enjoying the discovery process and have no one to share my excitment with..Thats all.So I guess it just makes me feel stupid that I didn't learn about all this years ago..Hope you understand..Ill get used to this..Goodman

Goodman, I'm one of the "oldies" who posts here from time to time, and been doing so lately. Yes, the idea of a chat room has been talked about but never created for one reason or another, I suspect time and $$$$. I know this site has been supported mostly byRV9. Doubt very seriously it is self-supporting.

But a chat room would be iffy...depends on how many would be there,etc, I guess. I would certainly visit on a semi-regular (several times a week) basis. Good luck to you here!

GMO: no need to apologize, and shoot from the hip all you want. I dont think it's possible to do worse than I have. I have Teed off on AA so many times here and other places it's not even funny, and i am the king of posting and deleting after I see that I came off harsh. I hope I didn't sound condescending. Seriously though PM me with any questions. We don't really have a moderator right now that actively moderates, there was talk of making me a mod and we'll see. I' already here enough and have a job where I'm able to go online while waiting for the next task. N101CS hasn't surfaced in a while but will no doubt show up sooner or later. maybe then I'll be a mod.

These cured people just drift away. Life grabs them by the short and curlies and they go out and LIVE BABY LIVE! I didn't understand that at first, but I do now. see DOMD's progress thread. here's an excerpt,
"The main thing that I am gaining from this entire journey is possibility. My life was effectively over before I began this treatment - everything was mired in my addiction and it was impossible to move forward in any regard or in the pursuit of any endeavor. Now I'm free to become and achieve anything I want without dragging around the millstone of addiction where ever I go. The future has been given back to me.
As the rest of you begin to emerge from the fog of alcoholism you'll feel the same way and you'll understand just how important a gift the future is."-DOMD
I was fortunate enough to watch this guy's journey and he was very insightful. he still pops in from time to time as well. he started just a little bit before me and made it to the cure way faster, but I've been drinking daily for a lot longer so I think the habit may be a bit more stubborn, or maybe I'm a GABA drinker as described in the book. (hope not) I recommend reading his whole progress thread, or skimming it.
anywho, glad you're here and you'll find the inmates are definitely running the asylum around here.

another thought on the chat room: if you scroll look at the bottom left, there are usually only a couple of people here at a time, and that probably doesn't warrant a chat room. it might even make people post less. it's still a pretty small forum at this point. ask questions, you'll feel in the loop soon. I came in from an AA relapse and felt a lot of what you are expessing so I understand.

Thanks Houtx and Joe for your kind and patient responses:-) I think things are starting to make sense to me..I will stick around and keep posting my progress..goodluck to both of you also...Goodman