Festina Lente

i m proud of you , you passed from these digusting, miserable bookies and you didnt play, you didnt gamble.thats all that matters.

ok, there will be some urges but they will be lessened.

keep going!you are doing great!

take care

mike 42DAYS FREE OF MY DEMONS

Thanks guys for your comments. Day 45, some reason it feels like I'm treading water, definitely a flat spot, hopefully I'll feel better soon. Didn't make it any better yesterday when I received a £55 fine from the DVLA for not notifying them when I sold my motorbike a few months back (to help cover my losses over a betting binge or two). Well I forgot to do it and now I've a fine to pay. Ordinarily this type of hiccup would spark some sort of irrational gambling justification to 'win' back the money. Yet in all honesty I know I won't act upon it this time because I'm help bent on cutting my losses. The gambling urges are still there simmering away, like an itch you just can't scratch. The more you think about it too the worse it gets. Best thing to do is concentrate on something else, do something else which I intend to do. Yesterday I was wiped out with a migraine from morning until I was finally sick this morning, still feel a bit ropey, maybe that's why I feel a bit low. Gutted I missed my Saturday night takeaway!

Also yesterday I decided that I'd watch a horse race on tv, not to have a bet or think about having a bet but because I've always liked to watch the big races. Maybe I'm taking a chance but it's a bit like someone watching a footy match who once gambled on matches. Turned out fruitless anyway because by Saturday afternoon I couldn't focus my eyes and 'Animal' from the muppets was playing very loud drums in my head, over and over again. Anyway, today I'm not going to gamble and this week the sunshine is going to return with a pleasant vengeance so things are looking up. Take care everyone, keep strong and anybody who enjoyed a Saturday night takeaway all I can say is 'you jammy, jammy ba****ds!' Steve (who loves his food)

Hi Steve

Wherever I av read or posted today u av been there , so well done so much just know it doesn't go unnoticed and be so proud of urself for ur own individual efforts and helping and supporting others so much

Like u I sometimes watch the odd horse race and to be honest the interest is just not there anymore but like u think it's important that we don't just turn away from it completely as u never know what life may throw at u when u least expect it

Stay strong

Castle2

Cheers Castle for your kind comments. Just by going on this site is an enormous help and if I can help anyone along the way, then so much the better, Steve.

good morning stegordon... I hope you feel better today. weel done on your recovery so far, keep it going 🙂 i used to bet on the horses for long time, spending hours and hours over form, going, draw bias, all the stats etc. This is the time which i have reconquisted back but still watch some of the big races - Frankel's back on saturday was such kind of race. If you can enjoy it without the bet or strong betting thoughts then - i think - is perfectly fine. All the best buddy, keep it going. K.

HI Ste,

Thanks for the post on my diary , hope that animal has stopped using your head as drum practice and today is a better day for you.

The sun is shining, and today will be another gamble free day, All is good. 🙂

Blondie day 28 x

Good morning,

I too hope you are feeling a better today.

If I am humming the muppets thyme tune today , I know who to blame.

talking about the muppets.

Just thought of those two grumpy old men , who used to sit in the balcony seats , and moan about everything.

Do you think the inspiration for those characters came from visiting anyone of the bookies in the uk.

Yet another reason ( one of many) to stay well clear of them.

Take care, have a nice day in the sunshine. Me I'm off to work, to deal with a staff member bulling another , through Facebook , oh joy of joys. So no sunshine for me. But hay ho, all in a days work.

Dusty xxxxxxxx

Day 46 (if you read this in a Geordie accent then it sounds like I'm on Big Brother!). Thanks for the posts guys and your advice/support. Nearly recovered from my weekend's migraine, don't get them often but when I do I'm knocked for six. Thanks Kristoff for putting me straight on horse racing. I too, like yourself used to spend incredible hours studying form, reading tweets, listening here and there for whispers. It was a lifestyle really. looking back, wish I'd played with trains or something daft instead. I'm glad I can watch the odd race without feeling guilty, i know i won't gamble. I did want to watch Frankel because he's a machine and a rare wonder. However, as I mentioned earlier, at the time I missed it because I thought my head was going to explode.

Thanks Blondie and Dusty too, 'Stadler and Waldorf' I think the characters were called from the muppets and yes funny enough you do find a pair of those in bookies, well the ones I went to anyway. They were probably happy and positive once before gambling and cynicism took hold.

Been for a little swim today, gorgeous weather and did some gym work too. Felt like I reached a plateau on giving up gambling and my enthusiasm was waining. Ive had time to think about this though and I realise this is perfectly natural. When youre climbing a mountain you're going to hit a flat spot every once in a while where you don't feel like you're getting any higher. Now though i feel ready to plod on with renewed determination. Today I'm not going to gamble because I want to see what it feels like to reach 50. Take care all, we can't control other things which happen in our life but we can always choose not to gamble, Steve.

P.S. Dusty I hope that work wasn't too stressful, why people can't get on with each other like in the 70's is beyond me

Day 47, another prime number, Archimedes would be proud. Don't wish to tempt fate but it feels like my mood is lifting. Is it the sunshine? Couldn't sleep last night because of it. Went fishing yesterday afternoon on a beautiful blazing sunny day. My skin which has spent the past 15 years in front of a pc watching/listening to the racing in semi darkness found this thing called sunshine difficult to handle. It went pink, red then blistered by the time I'd sat down. Unperturbed I carried on. I'm now quite severely sunburned. What make it worse is that I was sitting side on to the sun so one half of me looks like pasty and deathly whilst the other looks like a cooked lobster. From a distance I look like the vanilla and strawberry sections of neopolitan ice cream. Got to now go back and do the other half so I don't look like a fool. Half baked maybe but I never gambled, things are progressing well. I miss work, too much leisure is not ideal. I miss shouting at people and having a laugh. My year off is coming to an end soon and I'm feeling ok. Can't wait to teach again but at least I've had time to sort things out in my life, suppose I've grown up and become a better role model too. Yet still a long way to go. Did my physio this morning, feel strong, mentally and physically, take care all, enjoy your day, the sun is shining for you, Steve

Hi Steve, well done on the 47 days gamble free 🙂

U r doing gr8, u should be really proud of urself!

I'm glad u have been enjoying the sunshine, the neopolitan ice cream comment made me smile 🙂

Stay strong and keep going 🙂

Hi Steve,

That made me chuckle, imagining you looking half baked !

Glad to see things are continuing to improve for you and that you are gaining your strength back, Well Done to you!

Thanks for your post it really helps me.

Keep Strong you are doing just fantastic!

Smiling Lucy

Thanks for the posts. Just got back from topping up my left side now. Feel less self conscious now that I'm pink all over. Weather still beautiful, all the flowers and trees are in bloom, the birds are singing and all is well with my world. Not a snifter of an inkling of a desire to bet. I was even polite when the bailiff caught me earlier fishing on his pond and paid my fine with a chuckle and a whistle. Nite, nite all off shopping.

Hi Steve,

You were caught fishing on someones pond, what fine did he issue you with, didn't he just give you a warning and charge you the day ticket price or is it a private fishery?

I fish too mate, what do you fish for, carp?

Fishing is a good hobby to have, I intend to start night fishing more now that the weather is getting better.

Well done on staying bet free.

Wilsy

HI Ste,

thanks for the support and post on my diary, thought id pop by and cheer myself up and as always i wasnt dissapointed, i really did laugh out loud at the suntan, I will keep my eye out for a lobster man walking around.

Your posts always make me smile, Your doing so well ste and so positive and happy

maybe its time to do the legs today lol.

Have a good day

Blondie day 30 x

Thanks Blondie but I'll give getting my legs out a miss, last time I did I got arrested. They look like bleached twiglets and apparently scared some pensioners. Anyway today is day 48 and I know for absolute certain that I won't gamble today, so all is good. As a treat I'm off now to buy my daughter some nail polish, she's really girly girly. Feeling slightly uncomfortable about this, feel like saying 'they're not for me you know.' shouldn't think like this but it's there anyway. So that'll be my morning sorted, along with a swim and in the afternoon, if the sun comes out I'll be topping up my tan in the garden whilst doing my nails, whoooah I meant practising my cage fighting. Off now, take care all, not gambling takes some insanity out of your life but it doesn't necessarily make you any saner! Keep Strong, Steve (male)