Time to stop!

Hi Steve,glad all is going well for you mate,you have a good run of work days ahead now!!!,no doubt you'll spend xmas day asleep!!!,good result for your team,i see the manager is being linked to the blades vacancy,hope you keep him at donny,he's doing a great job:).Well done on reaching 10 months free of gambling.

Seano.

Hi Steve,

Thanks so much for taking the time to post such a wonderfully crafted message of support on my diary. It meant a lot mate and i'm glad to have you in my corner.

Well done on 10 months mate. I remember when you started your latest recovery and i'm so happy you have really stuck to your guns this time.

I hope you have a great xmas mate.

Hi All,

Thanks Stumper, Seano, Post n Curly for your messages of support. They really do mean a lot.

I'm not going to be able to post until after X-mas I don't think as i'm heading for a massively busy week at work next week, so for all it's worth, Merry Christmas Everyone!!

I'm setting a challenge now for everyone to agree on the best X-mas song ever and the worst one ever? My take on it is:

Best - The Pogues - Fairytale In New York

Worst - Anything by Cliff Richard!!

Have a gamble-free stress-less Christmas!!

Stay Strong

Steve

Thanks for your support Steve. I'm glad all is well with you. Your post on the Opg page was great. A real turnaround and example of what can be done. I'll give the best and worst christmas songs some thought! Russ

Hi All,

The Man On The Bus

A True Story

By Steve AKA Yorkie360

I was on the bus as always this morning on my way to work, and on stepped a guy who I see virtually every morning. We don't know each other, but we probably know each other more than most, for I saw this man for the first time nearly 10 years ago. I doubt our paths crossed at all before then, but then again I suppose that we didn't have anything in common back then to make that so. We do now however.

The bus is crammed full like sardines in a tin, and we are standing uncomfortably close to each other at the front of the bus. He doesn't smell very fresh and his clothes look a bit worn and un-ironed. His facial expressions match the look of his clothes and there is an air of despair about him. I know these expressions and this look very well as i'm sure that i've worn them on many an occassion. The kids around us snigger and chuckle under their breath and i'm unsure whether it is directed at this man. He seems focused yet miles away as he stares out of the window. What is he thinking about? I wonder. We finally reach the town centre and get off, like every morning, at the same stop. We then take the same route until a point where our lives seperate for the day. It wasn't always that way, we used to see each other a lot more.

10 years ago I saw this man for the first time. His name is John, that's as much as I know. I only know this as he was greeted by the staff at his chosen establishment by that name that very morning. You see, that was the first day I went into a bookies on my own and of my own accord. If I had hindsight, I would not have stepped one foot in that door that morning. But then again, hindsight was not something I was blessed with, or I would have been seriously more successful than I was a failure, at this game.

Back then I was starting to develop a really bad habit. A habit that would cost me a lot more than the loss of money over those 10 years. I lost my wife and step-kids, my home and very nearly my sanity. God only knows what poor old John has lost, i'd hesitate a guess of about the same if not a lot more.

This morning however, our paths as they have for the last 10 months seperate. I go off to work and he takes the deadly turn into the 'house of horrors'. Maybe I should talk to him and try and explain about the salvation I found on these forums, maybe I should let him know that he isn't the only one, maybe just maybe I should help him leave that life behind him. I think maybe I will just see him take that same journey again tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, a time for celebration and hope. Maybe i'll just wish him Merry Christmas in passing tomorrow and see how it goes. One thing is for sure though, I won't be following John on his journey tomorrow. I have far too much to live for now and I aint letting those bookies have one more penny of my hard earned.

Chapter 2 tomorrow....

Stay Strong

Steve

Terrific post Steve!!!,......hope your christmas is good:).

Seano.

Hi Steve.

Merry xmas mate.

My missus got my a book called the LOST encyclopedia which is crammed with little nuggets of info so my obsession has started again. I've got a few hmv vouchers so i'm thinking the box set will be picked up soon.

A brilliant last post mate. I think we all know that we will end up like 'John' eventually if we do not wise up. It's been great to see the progress you have made this year. You can start 2011 as a new and better man.

I wanted to thank you profusely for the support you have given me over the last year.

Enjoy the rest of the xmas holidays mate.

Hi Steve

Just wnted to say Happy christmas m8 and wish you all the best for the new year.Jeff.

Hi Steve.

I'm popping by to wish you a happy new year mate and to give you a virtual handshake.

I hope you are still keeping on the straight and narrow as far as gambling is concerned. If you do get any urges then i hope that you will use these pages to help as you chose to do recently.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon pal.

Nudge, nudge.

I hope everything is going ok mate. I know you do not post much anymore but to tell the truth i miss having you around the place!

Post soon Stevy boy!!

happy new year steve mate !!! i know i was taking a break from the diaries but what happened to chapter 2 ??? hope your well mate 😮

Hi Steve,

If you are reading this then pop by and let us know how you are doing? Hopefully you are keeping on the straight and narrow and you are working toward that sub 90 round!

Hope to hear from you soon mate.

Hi Steve

Not heard from you for a while.Give us an update kid .All the best Jeff.

Hi Steve.

Not sure if you still pop by for a read now and then? I miss your input on here pal.

I still have not got around to buying the LOST boxset on BluRay. I'm waiting for a decent price and i've not seen it for less than £120 thus far. The irony of this does not escape me as i was never this frugal with money when i was throwing £50 after £50 on the dogs.

I hope things are ok with you buddy.

Well 10 years on from when I first came on here and I'm back asking for help and encouragement. Guess it's day one all over again, it needs to be for good this time though as I don't think I can cope with another load of relapses. My life is different now. I'm scared of making really bad decisions. The consequences are bigger now. I need to do this for my family.