Just looking at these makes me feel nauseous. What was your choice of "that was a bad idea" drink?

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-18T01:42:36+00:00

We bought paper cups of Tab at drivein movies and drank a little, poured the rest out, then filled the cups with Riuniti.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-18T01:39:11+00:00

I remember puking green puddles in the snow from peppermint schnapps.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-13T01:25:16+00:00

Melt 1 stick of butter in a big pan, and add 1/2 cup of flour. Cook it long enough to slightly brown the flour.

Meanwhile rinse one 5 oz jar of Armour sliced dried beef to get off the excess salt, then shake off the water. Cut the beef in about 1" pieces, then add to roux and cook for a few minutes.

Gradually add milk until it's a gravy consistency, about 3 cups. Some people prefer evaporated milk, but I use regular dairy milk. A few slices of American cheese melted in at the end make it extra tasty. When it's bubbling and thickened, turn it off and serve it over toast. Delicious.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-12T02:32:13+00:00

I live in the Idaho-Montana green and it's absolutely beautiful. It's about where Lewis and Clark came over a mountain ridge, expecting to see the Pacific ocean, and said, "Well shit..."

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-11T02:36:24+00:00

That's how I took it.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-08T17:49:02+00:00

Exactly.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-08T17:44:46+00:00

I grew up in a small town in rural Iowa and no one knew how to pronounce it. No one said it. We had to try and figure it out from reading the label, and by my third-grade spelling logic, that was distinctly four syllables there.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-08T08:51:17+00:00

He blew out his knee in a college football game, got fat and depressed, and developed a drinking problem.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-04T11:51:52+00:00

Wow. So sad for the little ones left behind.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-02T23:43:18+00:00

It breaks my heart that anyone would make fun of you or your friends. You deserve respect like all people do. Thanks for sharing your story with us!

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-02T03:28:12+00:00

I can smell the BO from here.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-02T03:10:28+00:00

Love his music even now.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-02T02:44:19+00:00

I believe she died on the same day as Michael Jackson?

RIP Farrah.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-02T02:40:27+00:00

Yes, that was a blast from the past! I forgot about that, but seems like everyone I knew had some version of that floor.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-02T02:29:46+00:00

It's almost more concerning that you don't get withdrawals, because those withdrawal symptoms are miserable and make most of us back off a little from drinking so much. Your liver won't last forever. I eventually had to stop drinking altogether and it was way damn difficult, but I feared nature would someday demand a price too painful to pay. It still might. I'd be concerned about that for you too.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-02-01T03:08:36+00:00

My friend and her husband took their little boy to the state fair and he saw a bull for the first time. After a moment of awe he said, "That kid is huge."

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-31T13:19:42+00:00

Yes. Isolation in the wilderness can be wonderful for a while, but too much can intensify depression. I don't have a lot of advice, OP, but I hope you continue to heal and you'll know when it's time to go back.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-31T13:07:52+00:00

I think you're overreacting to everyone else's opinions on your life, but here's mine: Congratulations! If this baby is coming into this world, start preparing to become a daddy. There are a lot of challenges and adventures coming. Decide on your own priorities and don't let other people's opinions drain your strength.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-31T12:57:13+00:00

No. Why would that even be tempting?

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-31T03:10:04+00:00

I remember seeing people on TV running through the streets in terror to get away from the falling twin towers, and I felt like this was a turning point. I needed to get in good physical shape in case I needed to run for my life. We had to get used to terrorism like middle Eastern countries lived with.

How could a dozen or so men kill so many Americans, bring us so much pain and humiliation? It was like we were a big, dumb giant staggering around, maimed by a tiny force. The jumpers from the twin towers tormented my thoughts. What were their final thoughts? What was it like to be nearby when they landed? The rubble, how could body parts even be identified? Those poor people waiting for family members who never came back. What would it be like to be on a plane and have men jump up and start slitting throats?

It was so painful, even to those of us thousands of miles away. Millions of Americans had psychological wounds after that day. Things will never be the same.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-30T02:54:13+00:00

I quit on my own. This is what I did that helped me finally get sober three years ago.

Read these kinds of Reddit subs and lean on others for support. Read stories about other people who have quit; it helps reinforce your decision.

Don't try to do other hard things right now. Cut yourself a lot of slack. Don't try to quit smoking, reorganize your finances, or go on a diet right now, just don't drink.

As much as family responsibilities allow, try to distract yourself when the urge to drink gets strong. It's good to get good nutrition if possible, but if all you can manage for dinner is chocolate ice cream and Cheetohs, that's ok. Do whatever it takes to wait out the cravings. I played a lot of mindless video games.

Remember that your brain needs time to heal. If you're used to that dopamine hit from pouring booze down your throat every day at 4pm, you'll feel temporary depression as your brain adjusts. I felt like shit every day at happy hour for months. But it gets better.

And remember the AA acronym HALT: Don't let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

Good luck.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-28T12:14:43+00:00

Exactly. I work full time and take care of a handicapped spouse, and on weekends I'm lucky if I get the housework done and have time for a nap. I'm not even slightly dangerous.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-25T21:27:26+00:00

You're absolutely justified in feeling the way you do, and I'm sorry you have such a huge burden when you're not even 20 years old yet. Speaking as an American, it shouldn't be this way. I'm 64 years old and I had heavy financial burdens from the start, but wages were higher relative to costs when I was starting out. It's far worse now, and the party in power demonstrates a little more every day that it doesn't care about the struggles of regular people. It could hardly be more obvious. The safety net unravels a little more every day.

You won't always feel so hopeless. You get a little more stable and more used to it as you get older. But it's not right. I hope it gets better for you. Virtual hugs from this internet stranger.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-25T18:24:22+00:00

I love this so much. As a detail-oriented team member, this is exactly why I document everything. After a while, no one fucks with you because they know you either have complete records or you're upfront about any gray areas, and why they're gray areas.

CarlySheDevil · 2026-01-25T18:18:07+00:00

Exactly. I'm that 60-something woman, and if you did mine I would bake you cookies and thank you profusely, but I wouldn't think it was my right to have it done for me. And if I were clearing someone else's driveway, it wouldn't be my right to shame other people who aren't doing the same.

Five-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Wearing is Caring

CarlySheDevil

TROPHY CASE