I am on my first Honda, a CRV. I bought it during COVID 2021 new because all the used cars were going for new car prices and the new cars… there were not many of them d/t supply train issues. So I went for something that would last a long time and retain more value than a Chevy (which I drove before that and most Chevy’s would last maybe 10 years before major expensive repairs started their siphon on my bank account.

Honestly, people driving huge vehicles are usually distracted by their phones and the amount of accidents dt that are pretty high. They hit pedestrians and cyclists (both bicycles and motorbikes) as well as other autos. One has to be very alert. There are also the assholes who speed weaving in and out of traffic cutting you off that you have to be alert to. Additionally, we have a lot of drivers under the influence since pot became legal.

I really had to take a hard look at my spending habits. I determined that I can probably shift at least 75% of nonfood/grocery purchases to secondhand goods like clothing, appliances, tools, furniture . I can’t do much about services (and don’t really want to since they are local businesses) but prices are still higher and I have some savings goals to meet that I had to decrease d/t increase in the cost of basic living (groceries, fuel, electric/gas). There are also some items I want to purchase for independence in case of emergency events since FEMA is basically useless now (eg. like a solar generator, a water tank with manual pump, rain barrel system, garden fencing, woodchipper, trailer hitch for car and wagon trailer, solar ebike) so I need to save because I am not willing to go into debt.

However, a majority signed on to most of all that with Trump (genocide, removing Khan, embracing MAGA which is somehow even worse than Reagan Republican, and he didn’t carry his state of origin- NY, but did carry FL which became even more stupid after COVID).

Didn’t he run for the presidential nomination in a primary? I am surprised these allegations did not come up then when for all purposes, he had a higher national profile.

The last Republican pol that decided to hold a Town Hall basically all their attendees were chanting “Fuck You” together at them. (I enjoy using “they/them” for MAGA Republicans)

The Epstein class, Republican politicians and their Evangelical nationalist ministries have given the Catholic priests a run for their money on that crime against humanity.

With Windows 11, every stupid thing you save on your computer, a copy automatically goes up into the cloud and fills your allotment and then they want you to buy more cloud space. I have a ton of Google cloud space not being used so just sent all that there and deleted the microsoft cloud stuff… and shut down the permissions for files to be sent there. They want $19.99 a month for more cloud space! I am not a huge fan of Google but my space there is less expensive also… I have a hard drive I am backing my files up to but I have had the sad experience of corrupted drives…

I need to learn more about Linux. I am not particularly tech knowledgeable… just what I have been able to pick up while working, I am in my 60s (did not have computers in HS, a small computer lab in college… I grew up analog).

Happy Easter/Passover I am on Day 21 now! I admit I felt a bit of a pull on Friday when I was out shopping as it is a holiday weekend for us and we typically would substance imbibe on the Friday night of holiday weekends… me with wine and my husband with flower. However this time is different.

My husband is having a harder time with the THC withdrawal and we had to do a bit of a taper with some CBD/THC gummies (very low THC) at night. He has some additional issues related to his meds so is not at his best but is getting medical care/dosage adjustments. However, he is better at discipline and discomfort than I am and has not picked up anymore flower to tide him through this difficulty.

So I instead am focusing on rebuilding my physical fitness/endurance and strength. I am starting small-- walking. Getting in 10K steps a day. I really ran myself down the last 4 to 5 years in the bottle. Unfortunately I am still giving into the sugar/chocolate cravings I get but hope to wean myself off that in time as I realize my body became accustomed to alcohol (sugar) every day. Hope everyone has a great Sunday. IWNDWYT!

Yes and yes. It’s going to happen. Kegseth and Trumpy (and Bibi and MBS) are bloodthirsty and honestly, they don’t care whose blood it is.

IWNDWT! Day 11

I decided that my fatigue some evenings are probably because of particularly physically intense days at work/home. This is likely because the last 4 years of drinking so much (like many, I started drinking during COVID). I was not very active/healthy and probably lost muscle mass and endurance over that time. Even though I have repleted my B12 and am taking vitamins every day, I am still deconditioned.

So I decided I need to start an exercise program… nothing crazy, I am going to take it slow. I am starting with dynamic stretch/range of motion/isometric toning to rebuild my core and keep my ability to reach and balance, and doing a 10K step walking challenge.

I have DVDs for the first and walking, esp. this time of year is much easier than in the winter - I can do most of it outside. I already had 10K steps yesterday at work by about 1230; going to do short meditations starting at 5 minutes for calm mind. I will see about adding some yoga after a month for spine health. So far I have not had any new cravings and I am not tempted as I feel so much better than I did when I was drinking.

When I was in high school, our track team all met at the high school and got on a bus to the other schools matches, often they were long rides. However, the school provided the bus transpo. I think that was true for all the HS sports leagues. I think the same occurred for the middle school. The elementary school? I don’t know, I don’t think they had inter-school sports. Mostly kids were in local leagues where businesses sponsored teams and they played in local parks. (At least that was how it was in a village I lived in Long Island. We had a few ballfields and just rotated through them. For winter sports like basketball, they used the church gyms and local rec center. Believe me, my parents never drove us to any activity other than a school drop off.

Facebook tried to make me take a video of myself moving my head around making different facial expressions to prove I was a person. I was like… not even my bank requires that. This was after making a comment that was Trump-negging. So I cancelled it.

I stand with your 14 year old. Same thing happened to me (well, very similar, my message was more in that clot has just one job category).

Happy Birthday! Maybe write down all the stuff you can pursue/occupy yourself with? I am glad you were able to moderate. That has not been my strong suit. You don’t need alcohol and unhealthy foods! Although… I will fulfill an unhealthy food craving before I will drink right now. Start at the top/the best stuff-- life affirming healthy stuff/feeling good stuff like going swimming or a nice workout, a good conversation with someone, a hobby focused social event… working down towards a good movie, a pleasant nap, a long bath, to a good book, a really good dinner (healthy), a creative activity, a binge watch, a nice dessert. Learning something new. Look for quality.

IWNDWYT! Today is Day 8. I think I got over the hump of the extreme exhaustion.

I had off work and ran errands most of the day…

I scored at the thrift shop though-- found the entire series of The French Village, completely avoiding Amazon, for about $35. Amazon price $104.50; Mercari price $55. I saw it when I was dropping off my car load of stuff. Also got a bunch of housework done. I did pick up an Annie Grace book (Live Naked AF) from my holds at the library.

Anyhow I was thinking about how I will handle cravings and that point when my brain splits and starts telling me that I can stop and just have a glass of wine or two and go home and be just fine. When it conveniently forgets how once started, the brain goes into gremlin mode and decides fuck it, I am buying a bottle. And how amnesiac it is regarding how I feel the next day and that vicious circle trying to overcome feelings of withdrawal making all that I did today impossible the next day.

I think at first I am going with snapping a rubber band on my wrist. Make it painful to pursue that line of thought. But there have to be carrots too. Soon the weather will get nicer (hopefully) and taking a walk outside instead, and drinking a lot of water, having a piece of chocolate, continuing a project I am involved in, reading a good few chapters of a book (reading was always my escape when I was growing up). Anyhow, I figure I better have something prepared because it is inevitable to have those thoughts after the getting sober honeymoon ends and a stressful day happens. What worked for you?

The very rich probably meet and socialize people who meet at expensive country clubs where one has to prove their wealth for Board approval.

In upstate NY too. Plus, there are lots of horse people here. They are just not racing horses usually.

My MIL and her husband once lived in a gated community in Florida that had a gated community inside the gated community… Like the outer one was the buffer zone. The inner one had actual professional security at their gates, not mall security gate keepers.

My grandparents never lived rich… my grandfather’s father did build a fortune in Long Island but most of it was lost during the 1929 crash and subsequent Depression. However, what they did do was save and invest and land values were inexpensive in the late 30s so they bought a house for $3K a few blocks from the bay. They always lived really modestly and volunteered, worked civil service type jobs, required all their kids to work after school and really just socked away and invested every dime they could. When my grandmother retired, they bought a condo in Florida and became snowbirds. Our family still has that condo. After my uncle died (he was left the house for his lifetime), his brother sold it for over $600K. The rest of the Trust after my grandparents died was divided among the brothers and survivors of the ones that were already gone. They were never Hamptons rich though.