[dan-o]

While I'm sure AMS is 'right' in general, I don't believe in black/white for anything.

It boils down to the individual and whether they really want to quit.
Alcohol is everywhere so saying that one must quit everything that might tempt them is extreme. Are you really going to quit going to shows, parties, hang out with friends après ski etc just because you quit drinking and there's alcohol present? Fuck that, I'd rather die a friendless drunk than have no life at all.

My FIL is a great example. He decided to quit drinking about 10yrs ago, on his own. Quite the functional alcoholic and without any carnage motivating the change.

Being an Irish union lawyer, everyone he associates with drinks hard. He was voted Irishman of the year by some group last year, the ceremony of which was on St Pattys day. Everyone was shitfaced, to the point the parking lot was still full next morning due to amount of cab rides, yet he has zero problem hanging in that environment. Family gatherings are no different and he usually picks up beer for me when I'm coming over.

So my advice to you TN is to be true to yourself and keep up the good work no matter where you happen to be.

 

[SkaredShtles]

So when I opened the studio door today, I found a nice letter from my shit bag landlord. Rent is going up, Merry fucking Christmas.

Why are you mad at the landlord for raising rent?

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Why are you mad at the landlord for raising rent?

Landlord used to be really cool, now he's a just a dick. If you complain about anything, he'll tell you what a piece of shit you are. Has absolutely no control over his anger and he doesn't do squat fro his tenants anymore. Retail traffic continues to decline and he raises rents right before Christmas.

 

[boostindoubles]

Yea, it's a dangerous play. Early in the sober game is different than years in. There's no reason to dangle beer carrots in early recovery. Not to compare drugs but a recovering junkie hanging out on his dealers couch ain't gonna be recovering long...

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

While I'm sure AMS is 'right' in general, I don't believe in black/white for anything.

It boils down to the individual and whether they really want to quit.
Alcohol is everywhere so saying that one must quit everything that might tempt them is extreme. Are you really going to quit going to shows, parties, hang out with friends après ski etc just because you quit drinking and there's alcohol present? Fuck that, I'd rather die a friendless drunk than have no life at all.

My FIL is a great example. He decided to quit drinking about 10yrs ago, on his own. Quite the functional alcoholic and without any carnage motivating the change.

Being an Irish union lawyer, everyone he associates with drinks hard. He was voted Irishman of the year by some group last year, the ceremony of which was on St Pattys day. Everyone was shitfaced, to the point the parking lot was still full next morning due to amount of cab rides, yet he has zero problem hanging in that environment. Family gatherings are no different and he usually picks up beer for me when I'm coming over.

So my advice to you TN is to be true to yourself and keep up the good work no matter where you happen to be.

Some seriously bad advise there dan-o.

I gave up an entire way of living to get sober. No bars, shows, very few parties, and no hanging with active drunks. And I'd do it all again if I had to because it's worth it not to be a miserable, stupid, fat, slave to the bottle. However I did not arrive at this conclusion over night, it took a long time for me to get there.

There are times when you have to be around alcohol for work related events. Which is extremely difficult for most recovering alcoholics to deal with. I avoid it like the Plague, because it's a threat to everything I've worked so hard for.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

There have been many times when I felt like I was crawling out of my skin because someone was drinking a beer in front of me. It's one of the most stressful positions I could possible be in. Why the fuck would I want to intentionally place myself in that situation ? For women, friends, money ? None of that is worth it to me.

 

[Serial Midget]

Portland has no shortage of strip clubs, so if you have a "thing" there is likely a club for you to check that out.

I've actually never been to a strip club, I'd be the guy wondering who her fucked up father was and why he couldn't build his daughter's self respect and confidence enough to keep her out of shit holes like this...

 

[jimmydean]

I really love good beer, but I like the dark stuff and drinking a lot of it is tough to do. But I do drink it 75% for the flavor itself. Since I tend to be the designated driver 9 times out of 10, I can have an easy night of not worrying about getting drunk and regretting things later.

My brother had an awesome crack habit, though. Watching him do that was better than any scared straight program. He just hit 25 years sober, but man could that dude party back in the day. I like to think I learned moderation from his example of excess.

 

[jimmydean]

I've actually never been to a strip club, I'd be the guy wondering who her fucked up father was and why he couldn't build his daughter's self respect and confidence enough to keep her out of shit holes like this...

He is the guy sitting behind you getting a table dance from his daughters roommate.

I was in the Navy, I appreciate the pole arts. There is actually a Pole Olympics here in Portland.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Landlord used to be really cool, now he's a just a dick. If you complain about anything, he'll tell you what a piece of shit you are. Has absolutely no control over his anger and he doesn't do squat fro his tenants anymore. Retail traffic continues to decline and he raises rents right before Christmas.

Uhhh... move? Sounds like maybe you should have moved earlier.

 

[jimmydean]

Uhhh... move? Sounds like maybe you should have moved earlier.

And miss the gentrification of his neighborhood?

 

[Serial Midget]

Landlord used to be really cool, now he's a just a dick. If you complain about anything, he'll tell you what a piece of shit you are. Has absolutely no control over his anger and he doesn't do squat fro his tenants anymore. Retail traffic continues to decline and he raises rents right before Christmas.

The number one way to control costs is child labor and owning your own facility. If business is declining similar to traffic, use this as an opportunity to find greener pastures. If business is good negotiate a lease that spells out exactly when and how much the rent will increase... rent is never not going up but you'll be able to work the additional cost into you business plan.

 

[I Are Baboon]

5 mile run complete. I am surprised the wind didn't blow me away to Oz.

 

[dan-o]

Some seriously bad advise there dan-o.

I gave up an entire way of living to get sober. No bars, shows, very few parties, and no hanging with active drunks. And I'd do it all again if I had to because it's worth it not to be a miserable, stupid, fat, slave to the bottle. However I did not arrive at this conclusion over night, it took a long time for me to get there.

There are times when you have to be around alcohol for work related events. Which is extremely difficult for most recovering alcoholics to deal with. I avoid it like the Plague, because it's a threat to everything I've worked so hard for.

Fair points and I applaud your success beating alcohol.

That said, your experience is yours alone and perhaps not the only avenue to success.

IMO, TN is doing a great job sticking to his promise to himself. If he can make it work despite putting himself in tempting situations then more power to him. If he falters, and he may, then it's time to reevaluate going forward.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Uhhh... move? Sounds like maybe you should have moved earlier.

Yeah, it's been on my mind. The only reason I've stayed this long is because the rent, up until now, has been fairly cheap and moving a metals studio is a giant pain in the ass.

The number one way to control costs is child labor and owning your own facility. If business is declining similar to traffic, use this as an opportunity to find greener pastures. If business is good negotiate a lease that spells out exactly when and how much the rent will increase... rent is never not going up but you'll be able to work the additional cost into you business plan.

I accept small, mechanically inclined children as payment. Their little hands are great for detail work.

No lease. Landlord doesn't believe in them. So basically he can boot anyone any time. It's a control thing with him.

Next year, I plan on doing some things differently.

 

[canadmos]

Holy balls what a poopshow getting home. The freeway leaving the city to get to my town was fuggin' closed. I went through almost a quarter tank of gas navigating the hilly side roads to get home.

Time for a beer, perhaps a trip to the bong shed and then I'm going to go cruise the neighborhood and walking/bike path that cuts through town. Lets see how many cute dog walkers I can bump into.

It just hit me that tomorrow is Friday. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS.

 

[stevew]

I will save the still-prints for court dates. With any luck what I capture will make me a YouTube dozen-aire. I've already earned $100 from my videos' ad revenue… over a period of about 10 years.

a friend of my brothers still gets money off this video...

 

[canadmos]

no. noooo. NOOOOOOOOOOOO.

 

[slyfink]

Managed to make it back to the indoor bike park. First time since I bought my dirt jumper in the spring. It's nice to do something different on a bike. Also discovered there's a "massage parlour" across the street now... Looks like the rooms have showers. That's convenient, being across from the bike park and all...

 

[canadmos]

Managed to make it back to the indoor bike park. First time since I bought my dirt jumper in the spring. It's nice to do something different on a bike. Also discovered there's a "massage parlour" across the street now... Looks like the rooms have showers. That's convenient, being across from the bike park and all...

If you had said massage parlour and lived in Toronto, this is what would come to mind:

And next to Shawarma!

 

[jdcamb]

Broke even on my Toronto property. Parking space for the win!

 

[slyfink]

If you had said massage parlour and lived in Toronto, this is what would come to mind:

And next to Shawarma!

No that's pretty much what it is... I looked up their site caus I was curious. (Used incognito mode because... Well because!) but now I can't remember the name of the place. Something about angels... Angel's massage maybe? And no shawarma next door. Though it is behind the Lowe's...

 

[canadmos]

Broke even on my Toronto property. Parking space for the win!

Lets ride the Don Valley next summer!

 

[StiHacka]

Is getting shitfaced at a corporate dinner on back to back nights a bad thing?

 

[Serial Midget]

Is getting shitfaced at a corporate dinner on back to back nights a bad thing?

Obligatory me thinks... but it's still a slippery slope.

 

[jdcamb]

Lets ride the Don Valley next summer!

That would be cool. I have access to a cool spot in Waterdown.