Life With Sports Bets Only

6 weeks without any random gambling now -I've trained my brain that I dont do any now, cant really say it is any easier to fill the time productively though.

Still, if I keep to this way of life my finances automatically improve and I can still take a small interest in advance bets so thats good, gives me something to look forward to at weekend and some midweeks.

Hoping the space random gambling gives me eventually allows me to improve my life. Difficult to know where to start at the moment, only thing I'm doing in what was random gambling time that is productive is coming on here.

At least coming on here is filling a lot of your free time Captain.....well done on remaining strong in your resolve not to random gamble,how you fill your time is a diffucult one mate,you have the running and the gym so that's surely something you could do more of?....,i've found that i have started to enjoy reading again,and usually have a book on the go,i do spend a fair bit of time doing family things now that in the past i "self excluded" from....,you will perhaps learn to enjoy doing nothing :).

Seano.

Cheers for the post Captain,

I'll level with you mate. I miss the excitement of having a bet. I miss the buzz of watching a horse race with £100ew on a double figure odds runner.

Thing is though mate since i made the decision to pack in i have regained some control in my life. I feel a lot healthier and a lot less stressed. This is all down to quitting gambling.

I can live without the excitement of the bet as i am a better person for it.

If i could place a calculated bet every weekend like you are doing then that would be ideal. Unfortunately i can't and boy did i prove that to myself the other week!

Oh and i'm struggling bigtime to run 5k in 23 mins i have to admit! I'll keep trying though!

Thanks for your continued support Captain.

Evening C,

I've got friends...no they aren't friends...they are acquaintances who are always going on about where they have been, where they are planning to go and how brilliant it all is blah, blah, blah..... and what are you up to Jas? I have developed selective hearing now C and ignore most of the convos. When you go into work on Monday...try it.......tell them you cleaned your fridge lol

Right we need to get C a few hobbies. I will try to think of some on a daily basis and you can tell me if they may be of interest. I will kick off with STAMP COLLECTING. Let me know what your thoughts are....and nothing rude please!

"Love Changes Everything"

Jas xx

Just read your post on seano's diary mate and then read some of your diary including the bit you posted about not being able to communicate well with your work colleagues.

Please do not take this personally or the wrong way but it occured to me that with your gym and running interests coupled with your desire to keep on doing selective gambling that you come across as being a very insular person. Have you ever been a team player? I think that most of us cg's become too wrapped up in ourselves. I know I did, I did not give enough thought to others including and especially my family and close friends. Having said that to keep myself occupied I have tried to help others by coaching and being involved with groups in various ways so that I have others to think about at times rather than just worry about myself.

Why not look at volunteering for something such as helping others less fortunate than most of us. I tried coaching sport to disabled people-wow what a kick I got from seeing people enjoying themselves, learning and most of all laughing.

Try to look outside the box mate I think you be healthier for it rather than running and training yourself to a pulp.

As I said please do not be offended by my comments they are made sincerely and I just have a hunch that if you act on them you will benefit tremendously.

Thanks also for the post on my diary which I have just read. With regards to your winnings that you are experiencing, can I ask what good are you using these winnings for. Treating somebody to something, giving it to charity? or using it to place more bets which by definition will eventually lose. If the latter is the case mate then you are going round in ever decreasing circles.

Thanks for the trivia question--I see Ade knows the answer but regret I am a total ignoramous when it comes to anything to do with Scottish football so I have not got a clue.

All the best

Stumper

Day 43- difficult on 2 counts:

1. I go to bookies to collect my returns from yesterday. As usual I have to wait 10 mins. In this time I read the sports pages of the Racing Post but also cant help noticing 2 dog favourites go in at 7/4 both times.

(From past experience I reckon most dog clear favourites at 7/4 or less win, and I would have bet both and been up for the day had I still been doing random gambling.)

However, obvious thing to say, winning on random was never a problem, I would defo win more individual days than I would lose, say 7 or 8 days winning in a row, but I'd then blow the lot and more in 1 day after backing continual losers. So any short term joy I would have got from today would have been short-lived. I am still on the right track.

2. More serious - when I return I get a phone call from a relative I borrowed money from a while back. They tell me 'circumstances have changed' and they want paid back soon. This totally throws me as the original long standing agreement was 'pay me back when you can', so I have concentrated on reducing debt with companies charging interest lately.

I end up arguing on the phone but I need to stick to my guns and just pay back some of what I owe to my relative shot term, I cant pay all of it, I cant just not pay other creditors, have to get the balance right.

well done on refraining from betting the dogs Captain,you will need to be really carefull now though as following on from that experience was a call asking for repayment.....,you know how our minds can work,stay focussed and even if you have to somehow refinance to pay the relatives don't let the thought of betting to get the money enter your plans.Stay strong.

Seano.

Hi C,

Are you really an insular person? I'm not sure about that one 🙂

Ok...I'm not really competitive but you have been sneaky and made a list of all our song titles....it's getting serious now. Right...I'm going one better for you....lyrics

"Love Never Dies"

I never knew how long a day could be

It was winter and the sun was shining

Beyond the shadows I could see

It was winter and the wind was blowing

Love never dies

I know that true love never dies

The season end

And time moves on

But true love never dies

I look at picture I took of you

Now it's winter and the color's fading

I just sit here while the wind blows through me

No matter how hard I try

Can't stop this feeling

Love never dies

I know that true love never dies

A day comes to end

And time moves on

But true love never dies

True love never dies

Never dies

Now I don't want to be wanting you

It's been three years and my heart's still crying

Love never dies

I know that true love never dies

A day comes to end

And time moves on

But true love never dies !

True love never dies !

Love never dies

Love never dies

Right.....think I'm about +20 ish on our "love"

theme.

I hope you work it out with your relative C. Before I gambled I lent my brother quite a lot of cash.....to feed his gambling. Never got it all back but I don't really give a s**t about money......to be honest I need that money now but it's history. I don't know what your relationship is with your relative but if they are nice peeps I'm sure they will understand.

Jas xx

Cheers for the post Captain,

Intersting thoughts mate and i appreciate your input. I would not be able to do this controlled thing though mate. Anyone who walks into a bookies with the intention of placing one bet and then has 20 bets on horses and greyhonds and also cartoon horses, greyhounds and speedway has to admit they have a problem. I have a problem mate.

I think you should quit too mate. Controlled gambling does not appear to be making you happy. I'm amazed that you have done 6-7 weeks to be honest. On the positive side this shows you have a lot of inner strength. It seems like torture for you at the moment though Captain.

Would it be any less torturous to knock it on the head completely?

Captain,i agree with Curly 100%....,you aren't any happier doing the non random thing....,who knows no betting at all (even on a trial basis) may prove to be the answer.

Seano.

Captain,

I know it might not be the best option, but have you tried managing your money through the CCCS? That way you can afford to live, and they take into account family/friends you owe money to in advance of any companies. They can manage it all for you - not difficult to set up either.

Thought it might be worth throwing that in just in case you hadn't thought of it.

Take it easy - Matt

Don't think i have totally misread you Captain......,i know your doing things in your own way,i just want you to find that bit of peace of mind that seems to be missing at the minute,when you post that your not sleeping,and not acting on a hunch that came right troubles you ,it is very hard to understand how your strategy is helping?.........,i do realise though that the "Captain is not for turning",obviously i will continue to support you if i can.

seano.

Captain,

Loads of advice coming straight at you....it's good.

Mmmmmm........I don't really know how to put this but i will say that maybe it might be an idea to try to abstain.....totally, for a week....maybe?

Get it out of your head...you, me and loads on here are toooooo clever for this cr**.

Jas xx

Hi, not sure if you have seen the message but Chat is now at 9-10 tonight

insular [ˈɪnsjʊlə]

adj

1. of, relating to, or resembling an island

2. remote, detached, or aloof

3. illiberal or narrow-minded

4. isolated or separated

[from Late Latin insulāris, from Latin insula island, isle]

insularism , insularity [ˌɪnsjʊˈlærɪtɪ] n

insularly adv

Listen C....i have only known you for a few weeks but I really don't feel you fit this profile. That is just my opinion, I may be wrong.

Your choice of gambling in a responsible and controlled fashion is for you to decide. I daren't say this......but I think you are my friend....so I will.........give it a rest for a short period of time.....see how it feels eh? I mean NO gambling whatsoever.......say for 1 week?? Get lost Jas...I can hear it now.

Just thoughts for a friend in recovery.

Jas xx