Another lent sacrifice gone awry. [Archive]

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Matthew

03-05-2005, 03:06 AM

I gave up booze for lent, tongight I am drunk. The rest of my posting tonight will be drunk, CHEERS

Matthew

03-05-2005, 06:38 AM

Notice i did not post much, I feel bad, not guilty, but more like I tried and failed yet again. When will this kind of think stop? I mean, time and time again, I make a promise or sth of the like, only to break it. I dunno, do I even make promises? Do I just live? Why even try? Does this make sence to any of you? (People with less than 100 posts need not apply, since your opinion matters as much to me as what kind of toilet paper I use.)

Threadkiller

03-05-2005, 12:48 PM

Dude, I go with the Charmin Ultra myself and I didn't take the decision lightly. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

I think we all battle some personal demons though and it's tough for anyone outside of that battle to have a good perspective on exactly what you are facing.

When will this kind of thing stop? It stops all the time. It's just hard not to dwell on the failures when you feel shitty. You make and keep promises to yourself all the time. Every day is full of little victories. It's just hard to remember them when you feel shitty. My advice; chill for a little while, go do something that is harmless and escapist like racing driftwood toy boats through a drainage ditch for an afternoon. Or go get some greasy pizza with whoever you can drag along with you. Then when you are in a better frame of mind you can revisit these questions from a more realistic and more confident perspective. Anyway, that's my take for what little it's worth.

RobinHoodDaffy

03-05-2005, 01:00 PM

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
I make a promise or sth of the like, only to break it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am assuming you meant oaths, and will respond as such, if you meant somthing else that buggers this answer all to hell, please disregard.
Are you speaking all about drinking, or about all of lifes challenges and oaths?
Modern day culture has become obsessed with assuming that every one who drinks regularly, heavily or not, is an alchoholic. Science knows this is not the case, some people just drink alot. It seems that many of us go through this while younger, but for some they never seem to feel the need to slow down. Not to make any judgements on you, for I have never met you in person, but if it is really bothering you, try to figure out the kind of person you are and live like that person. I stopped drinking (I mean this by the definition of my Irish roots, I still have the weekly wine or beer) when I was feeling awful, lying naked in a bathroom with my head in the tub, ass in the air, violently turning my self inside out. As my friends pounded on the door as they wanted into the bathroom, I realized that the fun stopped somewhere roughly an hour ago. Most of us have these tales.
Again, I meant this as an answer to the bigger questions in life too, figure out what kind of person you are, and then be that person. You may not always succeed, but at least you have something to aspire to.

p.s. I like the recycled toilet paper, we only get one earth, you know. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

Mighty_Wingman

03-05-2005, 03:08 PM

Inevitably it always happens, you end up at work, or at someones house and all they have is the rough scratchy kind, it could be worse though, I used to go camping alot with friends. And one time , on a camping trip, my buddy used poison ivy. After that it mattered a whole lot waht kind of tp he used. I guess everyone has a story like that.

Anyway, as far as the piety thing goes, God accepts failure, even the God of Abraham. I think he even expects it. So don't beat yourself up over it. I doubt seriously it'll be at the top of your list of things to answer for when that time comes.

FanGirl

03-05-2005, 04:55 PM

You forget about the Catholic loophole. All you have to be is sorry that you did it, ask for forgiveness and poof forgiven. That simple. Just go to confessional and take your 20 Hail Marys, 5 Rosaries and slurp down some Eucharist wine.

Matthew

03-06-2005, 02:48 AM

Thank you all for your kindness and understanding! I was feeling last night specifically about Oaths. (Thank you for the encouragement RHD) I do not consider myself an alcoholic, but I do have a problem with commitment and following through with what I say I am going to do. Some of you have experienced this... "Sure, Ill call you tomorrow..." or something of the like.

I think what I need to do is not make oaths or promises, unless I will follow through! I am by nature pretty lazy, so sometimes I just don't do things because I don't want to.

I am not Catholic, but I am Christian. I was not worried about the forgiveness factor, just came to an understanding that this portion of my life needs to change. So I guess breaking another oath was not completely bad, because enlightenment came in return.

Again, thank you guys!

jjcourtright

03-07-2005, 03:22 PM

Stupid hard-working Catholics. The only way to go is Lutheran, or as I like to call it, Catholic-lite. We have the same "loophole" that you speak of, but we don't even have to go to confessional...in fact we don't even have confessional...um booths(?)

03-07-2005, 04:49 PM

Everyone tells me I'm still Catholic even though I joined the Methodist church. If Lutheran is Catholic-Lite, we're the diet/caffeine-free Catholic, kind of a Diet Dr. Pepper Catholic... almost the same, but completely different.

Droogan_Leader

03-07-2005, 05:10 PM

Matthew, drinking is either alright or not alright for you. I wouldn't worry about slipping during Lent--to me, the whole 40 day 'give something up' thing is kinda arbitrary. What is at heart here is the question of self control. Drinking might just be the addiction, but lack of discipline is the root of the problem. Think about it--people can't control all kinds of behaviors--drinking is just one way you can screw up, so to speak. By the way, I know how you feel--I've [accidentally] ended up at two parties lately where it was really hard for me to not booze it up. Take courage, bro--you CAN do it. Something that really has helped me has been being back in church and being involved. I haven't made a lot of friends, because I think it's harder to make friends in church for some reason, but volunteering to help move furniture for homeless people and stuff like that gives me some accountability and makes me want to try harder, because I'm not just letting myself down when I blow it. Think about it, man.

By the way, Hey! I got bored enough to visit the Shoot after how long?! /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

TLS

03-07-2005, 05:23 PM

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
but volunteering to help move furniture for homeless people and stuff

[/ QUOTE ]
Um, not to be mean and miss the point, but I used to know some homeless people and none of them ever had any furniture.

Oh, and I agree with you on the whole 'lack of discipline' part. Plus if you're going to give something up, it's got to be for the reason that you really want to give it up and not because you should.

Razorback

03-07-2005, 05:27 PM

karmattack

03-08-2005, 09:47 AM

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
By the way, Hey! I got bored enough to visit the Shoot after how long?!

[/ QUOTE ] Youch. It took you 4 months before you had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for some fun. /forums/images/icons/smirk.gif

Droogan_Leader

03-08-2005, 03:21 PM

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
Youch. It took you 4 months before you had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for some fun.

[/ QUOTE ]
Please don't be hurt, karma--every minute away from your humor and wit was painful. I had to come back because of you, you see. That whole post was to see if you still...cared. And now I know that you do! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

Droogan_Leader

03-08-2005, 03:26 PM

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
Um, not to be mean and miss the point, but I used to know some homeless people and none of them ever had any furniture.

[/ QUOTE ]
What, so homeless people aren't good enough to own their own furniture? Are you trying to imply something?

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
it's got to be for the reason that you really want to give it up and not because you should.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sometimes it's best if your reason and the fact that you should are one and the same /forums/images/icons/wink.gif For example, I've found that changing (or asking someone to change) for a girl doesn't work. I always feel like I've been untrue to myself when I do. Realizing that you should change because you're wrong is [or should be] a very powerful motivator. You can change yourself, but others should not. Most often, if you're worth your salt, they won't succeed if they try either.

DangerSeeker

03-08-2005, 08:06 PM

The process of changing for other people is what happens as you try out different things, slowly discovering what you're into and who you are. Only change for yourself.

Know why you want to change. Do you want to quit drinking because it costs too much? Because of hang-overs? Because of how you act? Because people tell you to? Once you eplore why you want to change, that will tell you how to handle the decision.

If it's a money issue, find cheaper bars or set a curfew. If it's because of how you act, try other drinks, and start the evening with soda until you really could just use a drink. There are ways to cut back until it's not a huge deal if you drink or not. Marginilize it first.

And homeless people don't have furniture because they live in furniture boxes, and anyone who has ever moved can tell you. The stuff NEVER fits back in the box.