Stampede Week Safety Planning

Okay, so TOMORROW the Calgary Stampede will KICK OFF.....yeeeeee haaawe!

It starts Friday - but - the grounds and midway will open for "Sneak A Peek" tomorrow and every Calgarian knows what this means...

UTTER CRAZINESS IN CALGARY - for about two full weeks. Yeah I know the Stampede only lasts 10 days...but people started partyin' several days ago - and they'll continue until a couple of days past when the Stampede events end.

I happen to live VERY CLOSE to the Stampede Grounds...I can walk there from my 'abode.' That also puts me only a few blocks from "THE RED MILE" - 17th Avenue at the Southwest-Central area of 17th...and this is an area of Calgary that is basically nothin' but bars, clubs, lounges - okay, there are some restaurants and other shops, too - but these are conveniently stuffed between all the bars.

Anyhow - I've called a few friends already to let them know I am 'safety planning' around the Stampede celebrations and my will to stay a RECOVERING ADDICT. There's no sense in me relapsing now, at this point, when I have come so far in my recovery. I am very thankful that 2 of my friends have offered an extra bed and a couch to me in the case that I get feeling 'not so tough' with my recovery - and start thinkin' that it would be 'fun' to join the partying mobs along 17th Avenue this year.

To boot - I really REALLY MISS some of my family - who are involved in some of the Stampede events as Contestants (*hint* GO WATCH THE CHUCKS! Root for RICK Fraser!), so I am 'safety planning' around that too - around a trip down to the grounds area where the contestants 'live' for 10+ days. I am pretty sure some of my family are camped out already RIGHT THIS MOMENT - and have probably been up for an hour already, feeding livestock...

How freaky is this post, anyway? How relevant to 'safety-planning'? - check the time on it! haha - it's around 6:30am and I have been so excited about the Stampede this year that I have been up for HOURS already - I couldn't sleep anymore...so I thought it was a good time to post on the blog...so - it's a good thing that one of my first items on my list of 'things to do once normal people are up for all day' is - PHONE 2 MORE FRIENDS about my 'safety planning' around Stampede week.

I hope that others who are in Recovery in the Calgary area will do the same thing. Maybe just tell a few recovery buddies that you might get to feeling not quite as 'strong' about stayin' sober - with all the partyin' going on around town. Ask if you can catch a coffee with your friends INSTEAD OF partyin' somewhere with alcohol. Ask if you can just phone for 'support' if you get feeling rough...

That's all I've done - but I can tell you that having 2 people already who said "YEAH - I SUPPORT YA - YEE HAWE" this Stampede season makes me feel a WHOLE LOT BETTER already than I felt last year when I DID NOT make a safety plan. As well, last year, the only part of a safety plan I had was to NOT GO TO STAMPEDE events, not go over to the grounds to see my family, or anything. I have stayed away from EVERYTHING STAMPEDE for 4 full years now...

THIS YEAR I am extra excited - 'cos I am goin' DOWN THE STREET for a visit! YEE HAW! Unfortunately, the last time I saw family members who participate in Stampede events - was 2 years ago at my Mother's funeral...we all live quite far away...so it will be great to see people - PLUS - know that I have some good friends ready to talk or free up their couch or spare room for the night...if I get feelin' creepy after I leave the grounds.

By The Way - if you don't have tickets yet for events - or if you haven't even looked at the incredible Rodeo line-ups of events or for the line up of Entertainment at the Stampede site or around the city, I'll leave you with a link so you can have a look:

The Calgary Stampede 2007