Hi Tiller,

Saw you were online posting on everyone's threads like the good man you are. So appreciate all the thought and effort you put into helping everyone!

Every time I think about the event of your AF day and how casual and natural it was for you, I smile!

You put in the work, and then...the opportunity of the long day and late arrival home met your preparation.

So cool! I picture STeve McQueen!

Deja

No, Deja...I'm SURE he's a dead ringer for Brad Pitt - (that's the mental avatar I've ascribed to our Tiller). But yes, as cool as Steve McQueen.

Yeah, I, too smiled at his casual mention of an AF this week, like it was no big thang...he was redeeming the previous night w/ an AF...man! what a GROWNUP, scary stuff.

At any rate, it's good to get these continuing good reports.

Chrissie

Deja and Chrissie, you cats crack me up. There's a very funny movie called The Dao of Steve about dudes either being a "Steve" (McQueen) or a Stu (as in a dumpy guy). I'm neither, but you can keep on thinking what you want!

So, to confirm the idea of TSM roller coaster: last night I went to a movie that had a lot of drinking in it and it shot off a big old trigger. Man was I thirsty! Afterwards got myself 375ml of bourbon and stayed up late watching the tube and emptying the bottle. It was such fun. Haven't had hard stuff in the house for weeks. But I'm paying for it today!

That said, I used to drink that much on many nights, so I'm still going to finish the week lower than the old days. And I limited myself by not buying a larger amount of booze.

I'm mildly irritated at myself for the fact that I'll have to soldier through today feeling tired and crummy, especially since I have good and important stuff to do with the kids. Weekend days are just too valuable for this. Hell, all days are too valuable. But I'm reassuring myself by reading some old threads of people who went through the same stuff and made it to the other side.

I know some might say I'm over-thinking and should, instead, just let TSM take its course -- which is kinda what I allowed myself to do a couple times this week. But I also don't want to lose the traction I've gained. So I better stop giving myself permission to play with the amber fluid, get back to the beer diet and focus on the objective.

Onward!

I just have to say, you're pretty cool, Tiller! We can count on you for concise, accurate and thoughtful accounts of exactly whats going on with you. I like your current assessment - those roller coaster surges are hard to take after a good run, but it sounds like the highs are much lower than they were, back in the day...That's great you've got some clear-headed days under your belt now, to compare w/ the less moderate times - so not worth it! (I'm talking to myself, now, too!)

Chrissie

"Weekend days are just too valuable for this. Hell, all days are too valuable."
This is EXACTLY what I realized when I was a few months into TSM (it helped that other factors in my life changed as well, but still...). How did we ever live with near-constant hangovers ??? They were almost every other day for me for years....

Heya Tiller!!!

Just catching up on what everyone has been up too.

I'm picturing you as George Clooney, kinda sums it all up for me.

I too appreciate your honesty and how you express whats real for you. Everyday every minute is so important, aren't we fortunate to have the experience to say "it's all going to be ok" keep pushing on ward. Life is great, we have options and the opportunity to love every little thing along the way. As for me I can honestly say with all certainty that the old drinking days are in the past. I believe we are all on our way to a new way of life with the fortune to enjoy it in ways we never have before! Isn't that grand!!! What joy!

Smiles,
Zip

No, no, no.... Tiller looks like Ryan Reynolds.

Duh,

Ketchikan1

Yeah, I swear, when I read Tiller's posts, I can just HEAR George Clooney's voice...but our Tiller Man is a lot younger, I'm thinkin'...

Chrissie

OK ladies, cut the teasing!

I am George's age, about as tall, but the resemblance mostly ends there. My wonderful wife likes the way I look and that works fine for me.

I would not mind the villa in Italy, though.

BTW I thought old George was really good in The Decedents.

So this week was another ride on the coaster. Some moderate nights and some AF nights and a couple where I tipped in more than I should. I hit the sauce too hard Friday night which had me feeling crappy and blue Saturday. But I took a long hike and tried to sear into memory why the day after is not worth the (arguable) fun of the night before. Gotta grasp those disincentives along with the positives.

Getting ready for the big game with family and (mostly) lite beer. Go Pats!

Will check in on other threads soon.

Eventually our brains will click, Tiller - and we will finally understand that the night before is not worth the pain of the morning after