did I do good?

[Peyton Fan]

I'm new here, but have been following this thread, hoping for the best for you. Did you end up spending New Year's Eve with him?

Happy New Year.

[Sandi Papaya]

I'm new here, but have been following this thread, hoping for the best for you. Did you end up spending New Year's Eve with him?

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year to you, too. And no, I spent NYE at home alone, pretty much. He went to a party (didn't get drunk, I'm proud to say) and wanted to invite me, but it was out HIS way so it would have made more sense for me to drive out to his house, which involves freeways and things I can't deal with again post-accident just yet. So I declined, stayed home, and stayed up long enough to ring in the New Year and post some REALLY long analyses of Harry Potter to my LiveJournal.

I'm back at work tomorrow morning, bright and early (after 4.5 months, eek!), so I have to go to bed here in a bit, but he did call me this afternoon, and we talked a little bit. I had promised to call him when I got in this evening, but he's still pretty miserable from the cold that will not go away, so we cut it short and he said call him tomorrow, but the last 2 words out of his groggy, sleepy mouth were, "Love you." 

So we're getting somewhere. I've no idea where. But...somewhere.

[Sandi Papaya]

Oh, and I thought I'd add, I decided I'm going to take some scraps of yarn (or some of the unused yarn we've got lying around here) and make a little doggie blanket for Diesel (the infamous wienerdog who came along on our little In-N-Out hangout date), not because he's lacking in home comforts, but because I thought it'd be a nice idea. And it would help me get my knitting skills back.

Plus, I think Paul would like the idea of me being nice to his friends. N'est-ce pas?

[Sandi Papaya]

Just an update I thought I would share with you all...

Paul has told me he's going to AA meetings and is trying to clean up.

I am so very, very proud of him.

[goblue2539]

Good for him!  I'm glad to hear it.  Now you just keep being smart about him and everything will be wonderful.  And then you can start giving me advice about the guy I met a couple weeks ago.

[MineralDiva]

That's great, Moon!  And I agree with goblue:  Keep being smart about him, and it will all turn out for the best.  He's got a road ahead of him, but he's taken the first, most important step.  Stay supportive, while guarding your heart as things develop.

[Sandi Papaya]

I'm trying - I told him I'd be there for him no matter what. And I really do mean that.

I care about him very much, and I do want to see him reach his full potential, because he has so much of it. This isn't just my bias talking; I have a friend who is, like him, amazingly smart and a wonderful person and is full of potential. The thing with this friend is that he is severely alcoholic, but also in severe denial of his problem. I don't want to see the same thing happen to Paul.

Which is why I am very proud of him. It's a big step, and one I know he needed to take on his own. I'm just glad he realized on his own and it didn't take him reaching rock-bottom to realize that he had a problem and that he needed to do something about it.

It kind of complicates things all the more because it makes me love him more; I love that he is doing something for himself which can only be beneficial as long as he follows through. Regardless, we're friends and I want him to be happy and successful, and I know he can't be happy if he can't get a handle on his drinking. So if only for that - I'm happy.