Sticky, Chrissie, EL, I'm on to week 11, feeling just peachy keeno. Although yesterday was relatively high, thoughts are in really good space, spirits high!

Please hi jack my thread as much as you want. I look forward to hearing from you, especially when the rollercoaster gets a little tough to handle by myself. Being a source of strength, courage, happiness, and source of wisdom.

I am feeling protected this is why I'm in a space of peace, keeping open to new learning opportunities. This is what this process is teaching me, especially today. Remaining mindful of timely right action and correct conduct will protect us in whatever we do. We may not win, but will not lose, we can always learn from what takes place.

Honestly looking into what my wishes are for us all is that this demon will not get the best of us. Regaining who we are in our heart, and to have the ability to live life without it's grip of pain. On to week 11 with the hopes of an AF day and a week with a record low of units. Wo ~ pretty deep. No worries, just in the moment.

Sticky, Michigan is in the North East of the states, shaped like a mitten surrounded by lakes. There are two parts to the state, Upper Peninsula and Lower. It's a beautiful state, lived here all my life, born in Detroit, and grew up in Cheboygan, which is at the North end of the Lower Peninsula. We have four seasons, Mother Nature is fickle, never known what you’re going to get. Michiganians are ever resilient to the changing weather. My favorite parts of the state are the West Coast and the North.

Zippy Smiles

Looking great, Zippy! Keep the positive vibration going, mon (cue Bob Marley).

I've spent a lot of time in your home state, including Ann Arbor. Used to love to go to Drake's ice cream shop. And the original, non-chain Border's books. But it's been some years...

Hey Hey!!!

Sad to say Borders is closed. That rhymes, I'm a poet! Seriously, Borders is sorely missed. I love Ann Arbor too, I moved here a little over two years ago after my divorce. I found the perfect home on the north east side actually in Northfield Township ten minutes from downtown. Big bonus I don't have the taxes! This place has brought me so much peace.

Today, hanging onto a thread of hope that someday I'll wake up not feeling ashamed of the alcohol again. (feeling beat up this morning.) I didn't want to drink last night, ended up with 4 glasses of wine and a vodka tonic. Ouch

Forward ho, onto making it a great day!

Zippy is Smiling

Zippy, what is the differences between c's 7 u's, from where I stand (which is the second week of reading and practicing TSM) it look's like you are progressing and your consumption is down. Keep naling on! keke

Keke,

My counts are in c = cravings and u = units, american units. I have decided that cravings are not really a factor anymore so no need to keep track of them. I'm keeping track of them in my daily journal so I know, we are only allowed so many characters for our signiture so I'm also trying to save space.

Smiles, Zippy

Keep up the positive attitude Zippy! It's a delight to have you on the board. And we all have ups and downs on TSM....I guess I just hit a point, gradually not like a eureka moment at all, where I realised....I might still ahve black-out drunk horrible incidents here and there, probably with decreasing frequency, but they don't control me, they don't control my life, and I know MY DRINKING IS NOT GOING TO GET WORSE. I'm no longer in a downward spiral. I'm not there yet to calling myself cured, but even if I never get better...I can live like this just fine. Hope that helps as inspiration!

What a great post, E-Lou...well put. No "Eureka" moment, but undeniable success in so many ways. No sudden flipping of a switch, but still growing illumination.

Wow, it doesn't get much better than that! Okay, it would be a messy plot line for a Hallmark Hall of Fame production, but the success is just as real. We (I) read the dramatic instant turn around stories of the rapid responders and compare myself to them, but they are the exception. Still, ALL the success stories add to the collective wisdom here. Thank you for expressing it so well.

Chrissie

Now where was I??? I came here to post to Zippy, but got distracted by E-Lou, and (once again) hi-jacked Zippy's thread...please forgive me, Z-Girl!!! It is late and I think I will check in tomorrow and see if Zippy is smilin', or if she needs a little encouragement.

Chrissie

I love "growing illumination." That hits it spot on!

Hi Zippy

Bugger - I thought I'd posted a reply to both you & Chrissie here, but it didn't register while I had to go off and do something else. Not sex this time - hubby just wanted his lunch made. Usually he makes it himself or we have it together at home since we both work from home. Chrissie - I laughed at the idea of 24 hours in bed. If only! Of course I've spent many days in bed ill after too much alcohol, but hubby wasn't usually in the mood for sex then as he was pissed off with me.

Also, thanks for explaining the words I didn't understand. We do say "arse" here. I thought you Americans said "ass", which for us is a donkey?!

Z - thanks for explaining where you live. It sounds lovely, as is New Zealand. We have Borders here and they are cool bookshops, despite not being the original thing. The one in the city is massive with lots of places to sit and look at books & a cafe. Massive by kiwi standards anyway. (Auckland, our largest city, where I live, only has 1.3 million peeps.)

I hope you are having a good week. I exerted some willpower this week and had 5 days AF. Finally!

Cheers
Sticky