The Disney-lands

When I was young I visited Disneyland quite a bit.  This was back, if anyone remembers, when Disneyland used coupons for every ride.  You paid your admission and ended up with a coupon book with a certain number of tickets to be used for rides in different sections.

Adventureland
Tomorrowland
Fantasyland
Frontierland
Main Street USA

A few "lands" have since been added like Bear Country, New Orleans Square, Toontown....but I digress.

All the really cool rides used the "E" coupon/ticket.  (Hence the expression you may have heard "that's an E-ticket", meaning fast, cool, awesome.)  There were A, B, C and D coupons too for less favorite rides.

When I would go home at the end of the day, most of Tomorrowland ride tickets would be used up, generally the E-tickets.  I would have some left in Adventureland and Frontierland and then a lot from Fantasyland (mostly little kid rides.)

In my progression through changing my life in regards to alcohol, thoughts of these old "lands" bubbled up as a descriptive way to think of quitting drinking.  I've already explained my views on Drinking Tiers and my goals associated with such.  For me, quantifying things is my way of maintaining control and understanding where I fit.

Frontierland:  This is where I was when I quit drinking.  Seriously giving up alcohol for any extended period was an entirely new frontier for me.  I explored, I learned a whole lot about myself.  I changed habits.

Fantasyland:  I have had visions of this land.....a place where I could drink a glass every day without drinking more than one, or even two and never have more.  This is not ever going to be my reality.  My testing of the waters has shown I really don't have an "off" switch.  I think that switch is broken.

Advertureland:  This is where I exist now.....generally operating with no alcohol.  I no longer crave it.  When I do crave it, it's for entirely different reasons.  Instead of craving it to cope, to get through the evening.....it's a craving that I can push off or, when I don't, it's a very conscious decision, not an out of control one.

Tomorrowland:  This is where I would like to head.  To embrace being truly alcohol free.  Mainly just because I think that is the healthiest choice.  I don't know if I'll ever be on that E-ticket ride as so many of you are, but I do see it out there as a choice.

For now I will just be happy with where I am, feel good about how far I have come and see where I head.

“After all, tomorrow is another day!” 
― Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind