The Brave Babes Battle Bus - A New Year, A New YOU!

[Mouseface]

New Year Resolutions Anyone?

Welcome one and all, I'm Mouse, nice to meet YOU. :)

This is a thread for those who want to give up drink completely, or are maybe thinking about doing controlled drinking, or cutting down slowly, it's all up to you.

You know your limits, you know what is required, it's in YOUR hands.

Whatever your goal, you'll find unconditional support here. Always.

There will be talk of drinking quite often and those who fall off the Bus will post about it, so if that is going to jeopardise your chances of complete sobriety, then maybe the DRY threads would suit you better, as they are complete abstainers, but EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE :)

There are no hard and fast rules, other than the support here is unconditional, it may be in the form of tough love at times, but it's always meant with the very best of intentions.

There are two sayings that we rather like here -

1. • The Vulnerable Need Our Support, Not Our Judgement
2. • Alcohol Fosters Inertia

For those of you who'd like some history, here is the very first thread and the reason that we're all here now. FIRST THREAD

And here is the lastest thread, which you can scroll back through to see the other JOURNEYS SO FAR

The Bus may be 'mythical', but the support is real, it is honest and it will help you to achieve what it is that you seek, as long as you are honest with us, but mostly, YOURSELF

See you soon. x

for Im and her sober creativity.

Well done Ma, stopping is much harder than not picking up the first glass.

It's good to give yourself something to look forward to Its, even if this week has been difficult. Is there any chance you might be moved somewhere else in your organisation if you have cross-departmental knowledge and experience?

evening babes

Well done on those who have abstained or who are doing their best to cut down.

I'm not going to nc because I still have 900 billion books to mark before tomorrow but it's good to see you here posting and trying to tackle the booze.

its' it was good that you spent time your friends,poor things.

faire yes it is a great quote (wish I'd pretended that I thought of it) and it links to our understanding of mindfulness (kind of) or the concept of living each moment as it comes. Juliene of Norwich was a writer and religious mystic in mumbly peg times (sorry) She had a mystic experience, perhaps visitation from an angel according to her beliefs, and recovered from an illness she was expected to die from. Google her- it's really interesting stuff! I attempted to read her works, since it's free on kindle but was a little too mysterious for me.

Right,this summer I am going to go & have that tatt done. Not sure where. Might get the full quote on my bum.

ma lots of lovely water before bed- you'll be fine.

Hi babes, some thought provoking stuff today. Im I love the poster idea. Some of the things from the thread that have stayed with me;

No one ever regrets not drinking the next morning.
One day/hour/minute at a time
One is never enough
Drinkers dawn (the miserable thoughts that accompany it)
It IS possible to step off the hamster wheel/merry go round.
You are not alone.

I love inspirational quotes too, the ones about never giving up, always having another chance and believing in yourself. "I can, I will" is nice and short for a painful tattoo simple also love 'All will be well", it is like an calming arm around you shoulder - no wonder you and Faire both love it guggs. ON YOUR BUM though now I am picturing you lying on a table, arse out, with a big burly tattoo artist bearing down on you!!

Angry well done on staying af at your dinner party.

Ma well done - half day banked!

rural hope you are feeling better today babe.

Spanna love your quote.

its take care, it must be heart wrenching to see your friends going through this. Your holiday sounds like a lovely thing to have on the horizon.

Sweet blimey babe! that is a busy week ahead. Hope you enjoy dinner with your best friend. X

Still hanging on to dry January, got to be honest at the moment I am counting down the days but all your posts today have been good for me - making me think what I am after exactly. Will there be a DFB contingent? A February posse? (As the shortest month it may be tempting....)

"Will there be a DFB contingent? A February posse?"

Though I haven't managed a completely DJ, Beaches, being on here has helped enormously, so next Saturday I am going to aim for DF - although, unfortunately the 14th is not only a Friday, but there is already a vintage bottle of the champagne DH and I drank at our wedding in the fridge.

Well that would be incredibly difficult to resist. You could always allow yourself that special day as an exception? I also have the bus to thank for my improvements x

I always buy a couple of bottles when I'm in France because its not a brand you come across very often in England, I supposed it's a habit I ought to get out of!

Oh I don't know, champagne is in its own class. I like to think that as a special occasion drink champagne can still be enjoyed. Is it your wedding anniversary? Or are you just a romantic valentine couple

No, not an anniversary, that's in July, but DH usually does something - I got up to find my car entirely filled with pink and purple balloons one year (I don't like cut flowers so he has to use his imagination!).

Wow! What a wonderful surprise that must have been. We are not a house of romantic gestures but perhaps I will try and come up with something to surprise my dh this year. I did send him roses at work in our early days, which although embarrassed I know he quite enjoyed!

I cut out a load of heart shapes last year and wrote messages on them, then put them 'anon' in his work pigeon hole . . . I was the embarrassed one when he pinned them all up on his notice board!

Beaches I love your list especially 'no-one regrets not drinking the next morning' - oh so true. The other one I like that's stuck with me from the bus is 'see the film through to the end' (or something like that) look ahead to beyond that first drink, for me as my inhibitions disappear and I get louder and louder and talk more and more bollocks It is quite nice to not be like that, it makes me very aware of what I'm like one, two, three bottles of wine down.

I am also seriously considering Dry February.....but then I think damn I could really do with a drink but I have manage 25 AF days

Baby how are you doing?

Will go for dry February and see if I can better 10 days - no birthday to sabotage it in the middle - and the big posh do looming in March. Need to lose some pounds. Going to be some senior mi!itary chaps there in full mess dress....mmmmmm HMMMMMMM!

Thanks for your kind replies x

Hi sweet - My job role primarily involves patient casenotes, about 90-95%, but as the NHS is going paperless, casenotes are no longer required. Maybe I'll have to re-train and do something entirely different....but there's that saying: you can't teach an old dog new tricks
We'll see, anyway.

Perfect beaches thankyou I will add those in the morning
I think your doing amazingly really all the DJB's its easy to forget why we stop drinking until we start drinking again

Day one done today

Waves to the brave babe bunch

sweet hello we've not 'met' I don't think

"Nobody ever regrets not drinking the night before" will be the name of my sophomoric, off-Broadway, Tony award-winning one-woman show.

Hi babes. Bunch of really nice posts. I think I'm going to cut and paste stuff from here to somewhere I can refer to. I keep meaning to read back but often can't find the posts I'm after. Some of the stuff you amazing people write is exactly what I need to hear. I'm on my phone so can't nc. Day 5 for me today. I'm definitely in for DF

why I would definately come to NYC to see that!

Spanna yes of course - play the film through to the end. That one is one of the best ones. It reminds me a bit of that advert when you see a girl with all her make up smudged over her face, a missing earring and a broken shoe (among other things) and the question "would you go out looking like this?" My film has me repeating myself, pouring glass after glass, banging on about some rubbish, being unaware of anyone else's feelings and falling into a coma before the drilling head and hateful feelings wake me up. . So why do I want to drink? That is not a pretty film.

Ma military men! Well, that is as good a motivation as any girl needs!

Soc well done on day 5 babe

Im day 1, first the worst they say. Well done. Also for the poster which I think is such a great idea.

Night all xx

Morning babes. Day 23. Can't nc as on phone and about to head to work but back later x love to all x

Morning babes lots of nice positive vibes today!

For some reason my resolve is starting to wobble - is it because the end is in sight, and I keep thinking "only one more week" ? I would love to do February too, but something in me just can't make that ultimate decision.

Hope everyone had a good weekend, my planned moderate drinking went out of the window again - but starting what will hopefully be my third week of being AF during the week.

Didn't hear about my job interview, have got huge tax bill so will be robbing Peter to pay Paul this week. Had a huge row with a family member, why can't i keep my mouth shut.

Just want to hide under the covers now.

Hi I'm another one who is not sure about dry February, not sure why as I'm not even looking forward to drinking now. I have an anniversary coming up so I will have a drink then but I'm scared I'll slip back to daily drinking.

I managed to get to the gym today, first time this year. I really want to try and lose a few pounds and get fitter - have put on about five pounds in December - so that's my goal. I'll try and do Get Fit February, shame I don't have ma's military men as motivation!!!

Checking in day two getting past the deadly o clock ATM back later how's everyone doing x