I thought the topics were going to get deleted, so asked for the posts to be moved here. Turns out @anon8189768 went the ‘anonymise’ route instead, so they would have been safe anyhoo.
I once heard an explanation of the (supposed) origin of the term “to take the piss”. I say “supposed” because life is full of such plausible, rather quaint sounding stories which, on fuller investigation, turn out to be modern inventions made up out of bits of historical fact, so I’d advise everyone to take this one with a pinch of salt(petre).
Britain needed saltpetre in order to make gunpowder. The most available source from which it could be derived was urine. When need was especially great (i.e. during war), city dwellers were encouraged not to empty their chamber pots out of the window as per usual but to have the urine collected by the poor, who were paid a pittance per gallon for their gleanings (they were literally “piss poor”). The urine from London’s population was put into old sherry barrels and sailed up the UK coast to the North East, where the gunpowder factories were.
So far, this much is true. Now for the potentially fanciful bit…
Understandably, transporting stale urine was not considered a very salubrious business to be in - certainly not the sort of thing a sailor would boast about when trying to chat someone up in the pub etc., so when asked what cargo they carried, a crewman might say “Sherry” - after all, that’s what it said on the outside of the barrels, right? …to which those in the know would reply “Don’t believe him, love - he’s just taking the piss.”
I read a similar thing regarding using urine for tanning leather, you pissed in a pot and it was collected for cash, hence some people being SO poor they didn’t even have a pot to piss in!
Long but beautiful reply @anon8189768
Massive well done on being clean for 3-4 weeks along with opening up to us here about your struggles as know it can be hard to talk about for some but made easier when talking to complete random people with shared interests.
Quite admirable in my books and wishing you all the best in your future progress
@anon8189768 - Thank you for being there for me during such a difficult time. You have helped me more than you know! You’re a good guy, keep your head up and keep working at your goals. I pray you work things out, I can tell by all your past posts that you dearly love your wife. Best wishes my friend!!
@anon8189768 have you tried getting professional help? There are ways of undoing all types of compulsive and addictive behaviours, but you need to first understand and then address the drivers in your psyche that cause and perpetuate them, otherwise the pattern only repeats and repeats, or pops up in another guise (like Whack-A-Mole).
If you’re noticing this cycle in your own life, please know that’s it’s not due to a lack of willpower. It can be difficult to see where we need to do the work on ourselves. You just might need a bit of assistance.
Take care, friend,
Thanks for all the LH love last night migraine has reduced to a wonderful full ache today. Which is MUCH appreciated! Luckily I took the good drugs at the right time this episode- usually not that lucky. Especially as I don’t like taking potions and pills
My husband says he knows a good cure for a headache…can’t think what he means?!
)
