Dilemma

Thanks again for the posts....where would I be without you all. Thank you.

Well it's Xmas eve. This will be my first gamble free Xmas. I'm really looking forward to having a totally clear mind. I have two goals for next year. The first is to reach the one yea free mark. This will happen on the afternoon of Wednesday during the cheltenham festival. The second is to have my first full calendar year. I have no doubt that I will do this as I do not

gamble anymore.

There has been some interesting discussions this week

on the diaries. It's clear that there is no right way to recover. Everybody is different in there recovery. In the early days, I thought that 'my way' was the best way. I know now that certainly is not the case. What I do believe is true, is that barriers are key. Barriers can take many different forms. They can be physical, emotional or mental. I don't have any physical barriers in place but I have multiple emotional and mental barriers in place.

There are many diaries that I believe will have a full and lasting recoveries. There are also many diaries who I also believe will get there in the end. I'm a big believer that we can become stronger through adversity.

Have a good Xmas everybody. Thanks again for your support.

Russ

Well done again.

Happy Christmas to you and your family.

Brian

Seasons best wishes to you and yours Russ.

Seano.

Hi Russ

Merry Christmas mate, enjoy this, your first gamblefree Christmas

Best wishes to you and your family

Hello Russ and warm xmas greetings to you and family to. Im sure must have been pretty hectic but rewarding day.

Did have you down as a fellow cumbrian, straight, warm and no ballshite, im from Maryport but bought up predominately overseas (miner to airforce old man)! What a great place Bothel to be bought up, not just for the beauty but you cant beat a cumbrian for warmness, a 2nd nature! In times of adversity, especially in fighting this gambling lark i often have a rendition in my mind ' Im a Cumbrian' over and over!!!

Anyway Marrah, enjoy the rest of the day and wishing you all the very very best for 2011 .

Overdid the drink yesterday, hence a dry xmas day 🙁

Hi Russ.

Merry xmas mate. I hope you had a good day yesterday and that you have a few more relaxing days off.

I wanted to thank you for the constant support you have given to me during what has been a difficult year for me.

I hope to reach a similar state of mind as yourself over the next few months.

Keep it up mate.

Hi Russ

I believe you will surpass your 2 targets of one year and then a full callendar year.Anyone that can start thier recovery during the Cheltenham festival has to be strong.Merry christmas and a happy new year kid .Jeff.

Thanks for the posts. Something curly said on his diary made me think. He mentioned that he had a real passion for horse racing. I know curly on these diaries but not in real life...so I cannot confirm if he has a real passion or not (sorry for using you as an example curly!). Since I have stopped gambling....I've noticed a change in my viewing and the sports I watch. I used to think I have a passion for racing. It turns out that I don't. I have not watched a single horse race since my last gamble back at the chelt festival. I used to watch football all the time. I only watch the big games and everton when they are on tv. It's clear that the gambling forced me to watch the races and the football. The sports that haven't changed have been the cricket, rugby (when England play) and the golf. What I guess I'm saying is....that without gambling your passions become a great deal clearer. This counts for all other aspects of life.

Russ

Hey Russ

A belated merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I trust that you had a goos one and the kids were on good form?

I share similar views to you about racing. I still have an interest in the NH but I feel happy just watching the big races now and then. I can take it or leave it. I have no idea which Novices are looking good for the festival. As for flat racing.....yawn!

Now cricket is a different matter. I've always been so passionate about it and that will never change. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed this ashes series just as much as any other when I was gambling. I am sure you are the same.

Thanks again for your ongoing support. Good luck for the new year.

Regards

T+G

thanks for the post russ....unfortunately it looks like i will always be walking on eggshells mate but as long as i can make them bairns happy then for me thats all that counts....talking of which...i still very much miss my race days oot especially the point to point season but if i stick t my one meeting (hospitality) a year then i will be fine....you mention not being interested in most sports nowadays....do you not think having 3 toddlers to contend with leaves you little or no time ?....i havent seen any festive sport whatsoever as been busy entertaining the bairns and long may that continue 🙂 one sure fired certainty if i WAS a gambling man mate lol is that you will easily surpass a year bet free when the C word comes round again 😉 best wishes,we can do this 🙂

Hi Russ,

An interesting thought about how gambling can dictate what you are passionate about. I suppose that as someone who has been very interested in video games and flashing lights on a screen, this led me to those dreaded fruit machines and then the FOBTs. I am still interested in video games but since not going to the bookies, I think a bit less so.

GT

Hi Russ.. just been reading your thoughts to Gt on the running. I enjoy the running to but am out of action at the moment due to injury. Just thought i'd let you know but when i put your time for 8 miles into a running time calculator it came back with 1 hour 56 mins for the half-marathon.

Now 8 minute miling would give you a time of a smidgen under 1 hour 45 mins.. good luck to you! thats my aim for races in 2011. perhaps if your not quite their yet then 2 other targets could be 1 hour 53 .. which is my best time from 2010 and Gt's which is 1 hour 51 if I remember correctly.

Anyway happy running.. hopefully I will be back running in a couple of week.. S.A 🙂

Hi Russ.

Thanks for the post mate and i have no problem with you calling me out on here!

You raise a very interesting point. I do believe i have a passion for NH racing but without doubt i had no interest in racing at all before i started gambling.

I have no passion whatsoever for the flat racing. I couldn't care less if i never see another flat race ever but i couldn't say that about the national or the gold cup. Maybe with a prolonged spell without betting my NH passion will fade? I think it probably will.

I'll always have a passion for the football, golf and cricket but then i have never needed a bet on those sports to help with my enjoyment. Maybe that tells me all i need to know!

Keep up the positive posting into 2011 Russ.

Thanks for the posts. I was down on the south coast yesterday.....I was there from the ages of 12-21. It brought back memories of how we used to get dropped of in Bognor Regis by my dad. I would go there with three or four friends. I would have around 5-10 pounds. We would walk around the arcades. I was probably about 15 at the time. I can remember being mesmerised by the bright lights and sounds. I can especially remember being most interested in the video cards. I never really knew what was going on but I still put my 1 pound coins in. There used to be this kid who thought he knew all the tricks on the fm. He would press all the buttons at the same time in order to get a repeat etc. I wonder where he is now? I always ended up with now money and wanting more. My friends however, always had some money for chips drinks etc. This carried on all through my school life.....washing dinner plates in order to get money....70-80% would always end up in the golf club fruitie. The club steward would always happily change my notes up into pounds. I wonder what he was thinking?

Anyway...I know why I gambled in those early days....it was because I liked it! The reasons for gambling larger and larger amounts was due to increased wages and frequent betting opportunities. Thankfully those days are over now and I can just live a normal life.

Russ

All the best for 2011 Russ.

Seano.