[SweetCaroline]

GOOD ADVICE that all (DRINKERS & NON DRINKERS) should take!

[A CA Guy]

Don't eat much. Don't be too inactive. Don't create credit card debt.

Do pray.

[RobFromGa]

Great post, here are my holiday wishes for all of you:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all;"

Additionally,

A fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wisher."

(Disclaimer: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher who assumes no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit.)

[Hot Tabasco]

My greatest fear is to be pulled over by some overeager cop-jockey for DUI. Had a good friend who was nailed with a DUI, his second in 3 years, that was nailed to the cross! Living only 4 blocks away from the bar where he had met some business associates, the cop was sitting in the back of the parking lot and arbitrarily pulled out behind him, pulled him over and gave him the breath test. The rest is history.

To date he has spent over $20,000 in fines and legal fees, did jail time (which he had to reimburse the county for) which was converted to community service, was forced to see a psychologist on a weekly basis, attend alcohol abuse sessions and witness an autopsy in the Oakland county morgue. Such autopsy was supposed to be the victim of a drunk driver but instead it was an 80 year old woman who died of natural causes. Family members were never informed of this atrocity.

All the above had to be performed on a year long suspended license (over and above the 6 months he had to wait for his trial).

He was forced to sell his condo to his son in order to rent an apartment across the street from his place of employment because he was no longer able to drive!

Following the reinstatement of his "Restricted" drivers license, he was put on probabition for I dont know how long but they put one of those breathalyzer monitors on his car that he had to blow into every time he entered his vehicle.

FWIW, the female judge in Rochester, Michigan was a member of the Anti-Alcohol Nazi brigade called MADD..............

[muir_redwoods]

This isn't related to drinking but it does deal with how to handle the holidays from a difficult perspective

Any insights from widows/widowers on the first Christmas after the death of a spouse? I have three kids, 13 to 23 years of age at home for the holidays and their mother, my wife of 29 years, died last March. Thanksgiving wasn't too rough but Christmas feels different. Thanks all.

[MissAmericanPie]

I don't drink alchol, I have nothing against those that enjoy it, I can't stand the taste of it. Besides I'm to only one who cooks for the holidays in my family, and I would hate to have a few drinks and end up serving the family pet on a platter.

[Jack of all Trades]

I didn't have a chance to pipe up much during last night's flurry of replies, but here goes. Want to stay sober throough "the holidays"? here's a plan that has a good chance of working.

- Don't drink and go to meetings
- Ask your sponsor what to do. Don't have one? GET one.
- Go to an Alcathon. Take someone who needs a ride.

Going to a gathering where alcohol will be served?

- Make sure you have a real good reason to be there. Rethink it. Run the reason by someone in the program (see item one).
- Don't drink
- Be prepared to leave early. Bring your own car.
- No is a complete and valid answer. Use it.
- Never lose track of your cup. If possible, don't put it down. If you do lose it, get a new one. Never pick up a cup assuming it's yours.
- Be careful of pride or melancholy afterwards. It's just another day.

[this_ol_patriot]

Most of the people I hung out with when I was drinking I hung out with because they were drinking. The real friends that carried over with sober me mostly understand and some are even relieved that they don't have to keep up with me anymore.

God Bless You SweetCaroline

I was reborn on May, 18, 1995.
Thank God.

[delacoert]

At first I had the usual questions and fears about social activities like, what do I drink and what do I say, etc.

When I talked to my first sponser about this fear, he told me, "You can always leave." Duh, never occurred to me.