Just Wednesday night, I attended a concert (Ministry) with my wife at one of the best concert bars in the world – and it’s a twenty minute drive from my house.
As you can see, it’s an “intimate” setting – we were but 20′ from the stage, and we showed up after the opening act. In other words, if you want to see a band, this is the place. It’s amazing. My wife and I have seen Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Spacehog (Liv Tyler was there, too), Scott Weiland (Holy $#!+ was he awesome), Ministry and a few others.
The main point, though, is that it’s a bar. Friends, at just shy of 27 years clean and sober, I still check my motives before I enter a place like that: 1) Do I have a legitimate reason for being at the establishment? 2) Am I on solid ground, program and spiritually? 3) Do I have an immediate way out should I turn stupid at some point.
If I can’t honestly answer “absolutely good to go” to all of those, I won’t go. Skipping out gets a little pricey, so you can bet your @$$ I make sure I’m ready days in advance. No matter what, though, if there’s even a tinge of hesitancy, I’m out. No concert is worth the misery that would come with a drink.
So there I am, listening to one of my favorite of all time bands rock out one of my favorite all time songs, and some dude launches his beer (accidentally, I believe). Foam pelted my back. What I wasn’t expecting (getting doused by a beer at a heavy metal concert wasn’t a surprise), the guy apologized and used his sleeve to wipe my jacket off. I almost fell over.
As the night wore on and the band got to the older stuff (their new music is still quite good), the mosh pit got rowdy. I considered jumping in, given the stressful times of late. In the end, I decided risking a broken nose was probably not necessary so I just watched from the sideline. Blowing off some steam sure looked tempting, though.
Mrs. Bgddy and I left after the encore and the drummer started throwing his sticks, about 10:30. We were in the driveway at 10:50. And I was no worse for the wear. We had a brief discussion on the way home about how I was doing…
Because my recovery was built on a solid foundation, the world didn’t have to quit drinking because I did, and I don’t have to hide from it. Not anymore (it was definitely advisable while I was building that foundation).
I’m the one with this problem. It does me good to remember that.
Fit Recovery 
Nice one man. You’re doing solid! 🙂 If you can’t answer “good to go” those three questions, skipping out may seem a little pricey at the time, but not as pricey as falling back into the hole…
Yeah, that’s an inescapable hole, too. Too ugly to even contemplate.
Congrats at your resolve! Proud of you and thankful you have Mrs. Bgddy to support your resolve.
She’s a great one, alright. Thank you.
Love the 3 questions! Will be borrowing that. My gut was clenched reading that!
Thanks! It’s right out of the Big Book, I just can’t remember what page. That and “we recoil as if from hot flame”. That’s what I do if I’m squishy on any of the three questions.
Yes! “we recoil as if from hot flame” goes through my mind often – as I avoid that aisle in the grocery store. Shut. it. down.
You’ve inspired a good post for tomorrow. Thank you!
LOVE that! Can’t wait to read it!
Okay, I’m going out on my own leap of faith, here. Yours will be the first vegan/vegetarian blog I’ve ever followed. You’ve contributed so nicely to my own, I simply have to reciprocate. I’m going to take you at your word that we won’t be trying to convert me. I appreciate you.
Gah! I’m honored! I promise I’m not out to be THAT vegan! LOL! Like most folks – it’s simply one aspect of what I write about!
[…] blog I read regularly, the author had a recent post entitled, The World Doesn’t Stop Drinking Just becuase I Did.” Always with the impeccable timing you crazy universe! Yet again I’m told to sit down, […]