Afternoon, tis me, Mouse
I'm upset to read that regular, non-regular, newer, older, whatever, posters feel that they are not being supported enough on this thread currently, that there are posters on here who get 'upset' if they don't get name checked every time they post and that some of you feel that your advice, asked for or not, is ignored, so why should you bother?
You should bother because you wanted to. You should bother and you should definitely post how you feel because it helps you to let it out and it ALWAYS helps one of us because we might feel that way too, or even a lurker!
Someone, who is just too bloody scared to post might read about your day, your worries and your fears and think "Thank God, it's not just me.... I'm not alone" YOU COULD HELP!
You could be the one to save that person from picking up, drinking more or doing something that they'd regret the next day........
Who knows, that person might even pick up the phone and seek real life help. As a matter of fact, I know that has actually happened because I've had PMs telling me so :)
This bus is for EVERYONE AND ANYONE, no matter what some of you might think just now. Yes, some of us have been here from the start of the journey, some of us have dipped in and out, and yes, some of us are in contact with each other in real life, yes, some of us have met and continue to do so.
That doesn't make any of us more or less important or in need of support than a newer poster does it?
There may be a group of posters who know each other 'better' because they talk more, there are no rules to say that can't happen, this is a public, open forum for anyone to join at any time.
Clearly there are some here who don't feel supported at all just now, and that upsets me a hell out of me because I have spent a lot of time trying to keep these journeys going, thread after thread.
Not for me, not for any "Thanks Mouse". I do it for YOU. ALL OF YOU. AND ME. To remind me how much I value my own life sober. How close JWN came to losing the most important things in her life and how she kicked the WW* in the face so many times, she put up such a fight and won. Okay, so she had a slight slip up, so what?
She came back to the place that she knew she wouldn't be judged or told she was a fuck up, or frowned upon for it happening. She came back here for SUPPORT. And she got it.
Okay so not everyone gets spotted right away or get responses right away, yes posters get missed, that's just how it is. It's busy sometimes and sometimes there's a poster in need that little bit more, you all know that.
All of the people, real people, out there who need a thread like this to post about how they are feeling about their drinking, about their alcohol consumption, come here because they hope to find help and support and in the most part, I personally believe that they get it.
These threads are for those who are shit scared their marriage is falling apart because they have no way of telling their husband/wife/partner about their drinking. They hide things, they lie, but these threads are a place where they, you, can come to share those worries, share those fears, share that deep seated, gut wrenching knowledge that you have to stop drinking how you are or you will lose something, everything, even your life?
It's not all about alcohol, no it's not all about addiction but it is all about LIFE, REAL, HARD, FUCKING LIFE.
DAY. AFTER. DAY.
This Bus, this thread has ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT SUPPORT FOR ALCOHOLIC/DEPENDANT PEOPLE, ALWAYS! But in time, its evolved into a place where people come more than once to say hello to each other.
Reading some of the posts over the last few pages have shocked and upset me.
No-one wants to see people worry about losing their homes again, or their jobs or their family, or their mothers! venus's mum is dying FFS, she's not here complaining that no-one is replying to her posts, but she's still supporting everyone else.
THIS IS A SUPPORT THREAD. And as such, if you feel unsupported, I'd like to know, I'd like to understand why you feel that way. Or at least be given the chance to try to. If you are feeling left out, then say, say why.
This thread has a lot of posters on here at times and we're all in need of the same thing, a helping hand and a pair of ears to listen, somewhere to offload.
A little voice to say it's going to be okay but drinking's not the answer, tell me about your day...............
We all know that anyway, drinking just makes things worse but ideas of how we can stop the drinking, change our habits, change our mind sets, that kind of support is invaluable to me and what these threads have always been about.
This thread has saved me from losing my son, my husband and my daughter at times when I've wanted to get shit faced, really, utterly shit faced and just zoned out.
I've come here and read about someone else's life, someone else's troubles and tried to help them by replying if I knew what they were in need of. Or not. I've just read and that alone has slapped Barry around my chops.
We can't all fix each other, we don't all know the answers, or have the magic wands.
Yes, I come on here and moan on and on and on about my shitty days, life with my disabled son and my bloody pain etc, same old Mouse, always moaning on about the same old shit.
But it helps me to NOT PICK UP. And, as I have said before, this is a support thread for those who use alcohol to support themselves and would rather not, even if it's for just one day.
Look how many Babes have gotten sober. Those who come back and say "remember me?" 
I do, I do remember those posters. I remember the lowest of the low points that they hit, how they took control and how they did it.
There are some posters who will never stop drinking because actually, they don't want to, not just yet, not 100% or maybe they just want to cut down...... who knows, only they can do what is best, or right by them and that's their choice.
This thread, these threads will remain for as long as there is someone who wants to post on them. And, if that is only me, then so be it. I'll keep posting because it matters. This Bus matters.
I need this place.