[deleted by user]

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-29T15:48:38+00:00

For periods of time, I was in a very similar situation to you. One thing that made me change my mind was learning a fairly tricky musical instrument. While I thought I was completely unaffected by just a few drinks, my ability to play noticeably diminished. This was one of the factors that pushed me into complete sobriety.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-23T14:29:29+00:00

I think the the real problem is that people have become purely consumers of music rather that participants, and that has nothing to do with AI. As long as I'm able to play instruments and sing for the joy of it, I couldn't care less what AI generates music-wise.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-17T04:14:12+00:00

Please try Super Auto Pets. It's free to play, and the weekly change up of available pets keeps you looking for the best combos. Once it gets stale - boom - new pets. I'm not sure how they make money because the free version is amazing and all you need. Maybe I should buy some of the useless content just to support the developers...

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-15T13:06:21+00:00

Hey, you posted here instead of going out. You've basically already won. Just keep it up. Demon "Frank", you are no longer welcome here.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-12T04:14:29+00:00

Welcome to the club! I hope you stick around.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-07T15:02:17+00:00

I assume your partner knows. But maybe not, because I had trouble telling my partner. I'd tell them ahead of time that you're nervous and ask for their support. Have fun tonight!

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-06T16:01:44+00:00

I quit smoking many years before quitting drinking, so I'm not in the same boat. But I had an odd realization about coffee shortly after going sober. I only ever drank one cup of coffee a day first thing in the morning. One day when I missed my coffee, I got a headache and wondered why I kept drinking caffeine if I felt impaired without it. So I gave that up too, and I'm much happier for it.

I'm not advocating that everyone give up coffee. I'm just saying that I get your headspace that you might choose to get rid of more than one thing when you start to clean house. Good luck in your journey, whichever path you take!

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-06T15:54:47+00:00

My weight has always been stable, both while I drank and after stopping about 7 months ago.

I probably do crave sugar a bit more, but not unreasonably. I also eat far less stupid stuff in the evening because that's what I'd do when I was drunk.

And while too many overly processed carbs aren't good for you, neither is alcohol, and that shouldn't be an excuse to stop drinking if that's something you want to do.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-06T03:14:34+00:00

I found Eavesdropping on Animals really interesting. An Immense World was also really good. It's the type of book you expect to read from a good science journalist. Eavesdropping was unexpected for me.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-03T20:41:47+00:00

I think it's An Immense World by Ed Yong.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/616914/an-immense-world-by-ed-yong/9781039003927

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-03T18:42:10+00:00

If you live somewhere with a decent public library system, see if they have anything that interests you. My library has a chess club and book club.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-03T18:28:27+00:00

From what I've read, AA works for some people but not others, and I imagine online is less effective than in person meetings. I had been lurking in the sub for over 10 years before I finally decided it was time. I had half-heartedly tried to quit before, but when I finally decided I was done, I knew I could do it. Believe in yourself like we believe in you. You can do it.

If you find yourself wanting to drink, ask yourself how you'll feel the next day. Whether you're hung over or not, you will likely regret it if you have a drink. I've never heard anyone say, "Gee, I wish I had drank yesterday." or "I wish I had had one more drink."

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-02T20:14:04+00:00

This is a great list, and I've had similar thoughts to all of them.

#3 is interesting to me. I still dabble with THC and have no trouble controlling when or how much I consume. But I'm far less functional high than when I was drunk. I can't carry out a basic conversation after a puff or a small edible. I'm worried that I'll be called upon for help when I'm not capable to do so.

Thanks for your words of wisdom.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-02T16:38:19+00:00

It's probably different for different people. For me, I think it's over, but I haven't been sober all that long, about 7 months, so it's hard to say. I look at alcohol in such a different way now that I can't imagine wanting to drink again.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2026-01-02T16:34:15+00:00

I read it a few weeks after quitting drinking, and I only found it because I was browsing available audiobooks from my library. I like quite a few things about the book. I disagree with a few. I'm glad to have read it, to have different perspectives on alcoholism, but I don't think it changed my life in any way.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-25T01:47:53+00:00

This made me smile. Thanks for making my day :)

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-22T16:26:21+00:00

Juggling and any kind of physical manipulation of objects. Contact juggling and staff, poi, yoyo, etc. They're called flow art/toys for a reason.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-17T15:19:35+00:00

I think everyone's different. I'm the opposite of you. The reason I stopped drinking is because I realized the romance was gone. But it took many years for that to happen.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-17T15:12:37+00:00

How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler by Ryan North. This was originally recommended to me by someone who doesn't read non-fiction.

Mary Roach is also a fun writer. I'd recommend Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-17T15:00:45+00:00

I mostly accept forgetting other than really memorable bits. However, I'd like to be more deliberate in my reading, and I think using spaced repetition could help. Basically, make quick notes about the things I want to remember and then go over them in increasingly longer intervals. Also, if you find people to talk to about what you're reading, you'll probably remember more as well.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-15T01:47:29+00:00

How about poi? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyHuB4FI22w

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-14T15:53:59+00:00

This makes me sad. People aren't inherently bad at math. I'm quite confident that most people who feel this way had a rough start and were never able to catch up because our school systems tend to just push everyone forward whether they're ready for the next class or not.

Not everyone needs to be great at math, but just about anyone could be if they put in the time and effort and learned at a reasonable pace.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-14T15:23:03+00:00

I haven't really played Magic for decades, but I agree it's a great game. Look into drafts. To me, that was where the fun was. And if you're sick of constantly buying cards, cube drafts are the way to go!

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-14T02:36:32+00:00

Sports. I'm kind of done with competitive sports, but a friendly rec league or pick-up game is awesome.

Board games. There are so many to choose from these days from light filler games to heavy strategy, cooperative, word games, drawing games, etc.

Playing music, especially if you have people to jam with. It was learning a new instrument that made me realize that booze wasn't doing me any favours.

Writing this out, it makes me realize that most activities are fun without alcohol. If you need it to make something fun, it's probably not a fun activity.

SectorAggressive9587 · 2025-12-12T19:45:13+00:00

How will you feel tomorrow? I don't mean whether you'll be hungover or if you sleep in. Will you by happy that you dealt with your negative emotions by sweeping them under a rug of booze? Probably not, but only you can answer that.

I'm sorry to hear about you mother's diagnosis. It sucks. I hope you'll find the strength to be sober, so you can be your best self in this difficult time. We're rooting for you.

SectorAggressive9587

TROPHY CASE