Or people who have sworn off alcohol???

And why did you do it??

Myself, I've only had enuf alcohol to fill a six ounce glass in my entire life.

I just can't imagine I would like feeling "out of complete control" of my body and mind. Call me a control freak. [BD]

I`m comin up on two years dry.
Why?
Many reasons, basicaly I had my fair share, the rest is up to those that enjoy. I stick to my alternate.

On August 16th I will celebrate 9 years of clean time.

Ropes

PS. Clean time does not refer to the date I started showering and bathing again [:D]

I'm just like you... I have seen what happens when people drink, whether it be funny or sad.  Almost lost a few friends to drinking.  I do not allow alcohol (or smoking... or drugs) in my house, unless it is a 'special edition' something or other that will never be opened.  I have always been proud to say that I have never been drunk or stoned in my life.  I do not care what others do, as long as it doesn't hurt someone else.

I used to drink quite a bit in my younger years before the wife and kids came along. Now I have the occasional beer when with friends. Have not been drunk in over 12 years. Like anything in life, moderation is the key.

I am a Friend of Bill's and Dr. Bob's.

I "met them" in March of 89, and we've been Bud's ever since.

I will say that there is life after you "walk the steps", and whether it's a good thing or not, the foundation I laid after my first 5 or 6 solid years have seen me through some tough times, and I find myself not needing to rely on the meetings the way I did originally.

I recognize that the "Message" from the meetings can be important, but sadly, at least around here, the messenger's soured my tastes.

Too often, I found that many of the people who had years of sobriety, continued to stagnate, and whine about life in general, rather than showing signs of growth.  The sniveling just got too much for me, and I stopped going...  Well, I will admit that it had become hard to keep Principles before Personalities, and that the Personalities got in the way, for me.

I still practice the principles, and I still work the steps, on day at a time, more than 4500 days and counting...

The reason why I chose to live in Sobriety, because I wanted to actually Live...  I was going to die if I did not stop, plain and simple...  I would get temporary relief at first, and in time, no matter what I took, or what I did, I just couldn't fill that hole that was inside...  I was just tired of running.

There was a friend early on who helped me to change the way I lived, and it's the one thing I try to remember each day...  he used to say ~

Just FYI so you can understand why some people enjoy being intoxicated:

Although someone under the influence of alcohol does suffer a loss of control, that isn't how the drinker himself perceives things.  In fact, he feels that the opposite is true -- because alcohol reduces inhibitions, there's a feeling of freedom from the usual self-imposed restraints.

Stopped drinking about 4 years ago, also with Bill & Bob....best damn thing I ever did.  Helped me get a GOD in my life plus saved more money to spend on guns.  I stopped because I didn't like were alcohol took me anymore...........like different towns......different homes.........ect.

I wasn't a matter of lack of will power either.  Put me in the middle of a desert while I was drinking and I would have figured out a way to turn cactus juice into alcohol[;)].


So [beer]<---------Opps!! Wrong icon[:D]

Sgtar15
[img]http://www.tartarus.net/images/food/coffee1.gif[/img]

I didn't drink till I was 22, and I never got into beer...I drink tequila, vodka, whiskey and mixed drinks.  I used to get drunk every once in a while if it was convenient (eg there was someone else to do the driving) but ever since my son was born I rarely drink more than one drink at a sitting, except at New Years Eve where I plan to get buzzed.
Main reason is that it's not wise to set a bad example for the kid (he stays at a relative's house on NYE) but another reason is that my stomach isn't what it was when I was in my 20s and more than a couple drinks starts it to roiling something fierce.

I am an alcoholic.
I have a drink on New Years,my anniversary,my birthday,and two other times a year.
If I could,I would drink a liter of Wild Turkey 101 each day.
My kids came to me one day and asked me to quit getting drunk.I have had 4-6 drinks a year since then.I would love one right now.
cpermd

Alcohol? Wazzdat? [beer]

I stopped over 20 years ago-->TO MANY NEGATIVES.

I don't believe in that recovering alcoholic label. If a persons tolerance for alcohol is low, than that person should not drink it.

Also, a lack of self control and respect for ones self and others shouldn't in every instance be called a disease.

The difference between a grown man and a boy is, where men call upon their character,inner  courage and dignity to deal with life's hurdles, boys choose to use a potion.

Recovering from a hangover count?

I used to drink a LOT.  Started early in high school with a wild crowd and kept going from there.  I still drink, but I've got two rules to my drinking; no drinking at home and no drinking alone.  If I'm going to drink its going to be at a bar or a restaurant, and since I'm a cheap SOB, I don't usually drink too much at $5 a pop.  I'll still get good and gassed up occasionally, but its becomming more and more rare as I get older.  The mornings after are starting to get worse in my older age.  And because I'm usually in NYC, there's never any  driving involved (subway, cab, or just walk).

Beer, that is my drink of choice, as stated above if they made a good NA that would do fine.
I spent a lot of time in the field while in the military and of course no beer allowed, same in the gulf. The last time I really got drunk was after comeing back to Germany from the Gulf war and drinking a case of export, six months with no beer and body wight down to 140lbs, I was not ready for it. Now I buy a 30 pack on monday, by the next monday I am ready for another 30 pack.

Oh yea.  I used to keep a fifth of Maker's Mark in the freezer at all times.  I used to come home and pour a BIG plastic mug full of bourbon and coke on the rocks, and go climb on my backhoe and move dirt around the land until dark.  Once in a while, I would walk down the hill and into the house and tell my wife that I needed help.  She immediately knew that I had turned the tractor over again.  She would pull her boots on and climb in the truck.  Amazing what the flick of a remote control switch on the Warn winch will do for an on-sided backhoe.  I was to the point that I was drinking every single day of my life. :^(  

One day I decided I had had enough.  I struck a deal with God.  He took me from a guy who HAD to have a half a fifth a day to a bone dry, cold sober, Believer in the twinkling of an eye.  That took place on Oct. 18, 1996.  Would I like to have a big cold drink from time to time.  You just don't know how bad I would like to.  BUT, I know that it would all start over again if I did.  I wouldn't be able to say no.  On top of that, I would feel like the biggest loser on the face of the earth.  I struck a deal with God, and I intend to keep it!

Cope  

Those of you who have been around here a few years know that I am.

IM-balming-FLUID

I have been clean for 62 days.  The longest I've ever gone before this was 90 days in 1986.


Balming

Started drinking when I was 11 years old.Drank as long and as hard as I could.Tried to drink myself to death, but it was too slow and painful.I was always sticking my gun in my mouth but didn't have the guts to pull the trigger.
 Bill W. & Dr. Bob saved my life.I haven't had to take a drink or drug sense 6/21/1985.I will go to a meeting at 8:00 tonight.I don't know If I will be able to help anyone else but I share my experience, strength, and hope.
                      Bill B.

OK. You're a control freak.

Ditto to what JayDee said.  Am 5 years and 7 months clean and sober.  And now I've got all this extra money for guns and fun!
W

I carry a gun every waking minute of my day, I haven't had any alcohol in so long I forget what it feels like.

I drank myself out of a killer job, had a future and everything, and then drank myself out of a home. I know what it's like to live in a car, I've had my dinner via a .45, and never want to go back to that lifestyle, EVER! I've bben clean since Sept. 17, 1990. No AA, no God, all my own will.

I am a alcohlic, I started at age 10 and was a full on drunk by 14 I went in to rehab at 24 after my ex left me and my kid's that was 4 1/2 years ago. With out my good frinds Bill and Dr.Bob I am sure I would not be here today clean life is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First: There is no such thing as a recovering alcoholic.  My younger brother went the AA route and has an 11yr. clean trophy from his peers.  I admire him for his strength and wish him continued resolve.  I had a choice, marriage and a better liver or die alone from the vodka.  Had one relapse after 7-8 years and wife helped me through that slip.  I drank to get drunk and I saw that I did that and that alone.  I still miss a good German beer, a Stinger or a glass of Boujolais but I'm keeping the wife.

I can count the times I've almost died of alcohol poisoning or woken up covered in my own vomit more times than I'd like.  One time in Mexico I chugged 2/3 of a liter bottle of rum in under 10 seconds.  That hurt! [}:D]

Drinking like that just got old, especially after I got married and then had kids.  Daddy getting shitfaced isn't a good example for my kids.  My friends still talk about the parties I used to throw, but I couldn't have kept up that pace and stayed alive.  I'll drink [b]a[/b] beer or mixed drink now and again, but never more than one as I'm a lightweight now.

But I must admit I don't miss it at all.  It's just not who I am anymore.

God Bless Texas

Christmas Day will make 1 year sober for me !
I did it for my family. For 15 years, there was always a Bud in my hand ( 'cept at work ).
Feels great to be alive again.

I have nineteen years and nine months of
sobriety. It's all been good, even the rough
times.

Eight years, three months.I choose life.

Unlike most of you, I'm actually thinking of becoming an alcoholic.  I've been through a shitty time the last few days and I need something to take my mind off of it.  I'm going crazy.  I can't function because I can't stop thinking about it.  I've had my share of alcohol in the past, but never as an alcoholic.  At this point, it sounds better than a bullet through the brain or drugs.

USPC40

-------------------------------------------------
[b][blue]NRA Life Member[/blue][/b] - [url]www.nra.org[/url]
[b][blue]GOA Life Member[/blue][/b] - [url]www.gunowners.org[/url]
[b][blue]SAF Member[/blue][/b] - [url]www.saf.org[/url]
[b][blue]SAS Supporter[/blue][/b] - [url]www.sas-aim.org[/url]

[img]www.ar15.com/members/albums/USPC40/alabamaflag.gif[/img]

Hey I got a great idea just submit your names and soc. security numbers and let everyone on the planet know all the problems you have and lets not leave out depressions,,hell if you have been treated for that let us know. You never know how important any and all information will be of the powers to be the slash "power elite" but don't worry they care about you N me/us,,just lean back and trust.

dumb bastards,,ok it is real nice that some have recognized that they have a problem or many for that matter. Hello is anyone out there? Geez, if I was big jerk off lookin in whoz best interest full of shit big brother, where the fuk would I be lookin? But you know what? I know I'm dumb often,,but ya never know,,and this ain't never knowin to far off the deep side. Why? why the fuk would you draw attention to a potential flaw in your credibility? ie. jeez can the powers to be trust a recovering alcoholic? your fuked for life in the the catch 22 situation,,you say you are ,,you can't be trusted by society . Cause you might have a trip/fall. You say your not yor in denial,,there fore you are.  Why would anyone whant to say oh oh oh mister kotter I'm a moron for the worls to not only see but also document. Sure there are many times when I'm under the influence of sleep deprevation (xcuse spell) and I offer what is at the time my honest interpretaion of my reality at the given moment. You all have to wake up and realize that this ain't the flesh to flesh heart to heart good old neigborhood that we all would love to trust and belive in, this forum might even be a weapon used against US. I can't even be trusted cause I brought this up. Cause unless you and I for lack of a better term "broke bread together" and were literally blood or more than. Geez I'm tired but the piont is, trust nothing and nobody,,,great if you have stopped drinking etc. but shut the fuk up don't think for a second that avery key stroke on you computer won't be used against you,,,I love US and you all, that is the people amongst US, that believe in the core values that not only built Country, but the values that keep it strong. Unfortunatly,,the majority of this silent majority does not realize that our America is slipping away,,Some of us have been comfortable for way to long. The can't happen in America atttitude is what has gotton us here in the first place. Talk about the walls having ears. oh damm working to much volunteering to much saving lives of people who would not give me the time of day,,makes me wonder why I care,,,Why do I care,,though I'd like to snuff out alot of the the fukers that I save etc. Cause, I love the concept of "America" and the Constitution etc.. unfortunatly I live on Long Island in NY,,and I treat alot of liberal pieces of shit,,and I'd I'd soon as shit slit their liberal throats,,oey vay!!

I only drink a beer now and then, but for a fellow co-worker of mine, the docs gave him 6 months to live IF he didn't stop drinking.  He use to put away a 200ml bottle of Wild Turkey wiskey a day.

I am looking for a new hobby and since I have recently begun to cough up blood smoking is out but chronic drinking would be in.

Postives:

It is cheap entertainment for the night.

Helps me forget my troubles.

Makes it easier to talk to womenz and even easier to tell them off after they give me dirty looks.

I would have a life and new friends to drink with at the hidden tent city the homeless people set up in the bushes by the freeway offramp.

Negatives:

Hell, nothing comes to mind.

YOU ARE A FUCKING IDIOT, WHY DONT YA GO LINE YOUR ROOF WITH FOIL OR SOMETHING DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ALCOHOLIC'S?

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1721265&a=13415479&p=56702796[/img]

Considering the way he spells, his syntax, his generally aggressive attitude, the number of times he says "fuk", and his deep level of paranoia... I'd say he's completely wasted.

"the majority of this silent majority" - lol

Drink up IronMike, but make it fast!  [beer]  It's your bonghit after all.

As far as the government knowing everything about me.... hell, I buy my beer and firearms with a Visa card.

If this guy could bang out a complete sentence that wasn't puncuated with a pair of commas, I might (MIGHT) bother to read his posts. As it stands, I do not.

If you went home and ate your gun you would be doing the world a favor. I am sure you do treat alot of liberals but what you do in the subway mens room is your concern, we really dont need to know about your sexual preferences.

Mildly amussed, Ropes

[left]I have not drank for about a year now! i'am a born again christian! I went through hell with booze, sitting in jail getting accused by police for being a drunk is not funny or fun! I'am through with booze; got rid of bad influence friends along with the booze. i ended up in the hospital twice because of it, and could not remember how or why i got there...[/left]

Somewhere the grammar nazi is having involuntary convulsions...

Wow, Calm down Iron Mike The J.B.T.'s Know all about me and you.  

Priceless!


IronMike,
In spite of your rant's long winded nature, I thought your ulterior motive was sincere, though perhaps just a tad convoluted.

Then your final statement shot that theory ALL to hell.