Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Don't do it, Tiger!




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I almost always do my best

that I no longer live life in the fast lane

for the miracle that happened in my life when I accidentally practiced Step 3 -- the obsession to drink alcohol was removed!

for so many volunteer activities, especially this time of year


Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
- Marilyn vos Savant


Monday, November 29, 2010

A full weekend. Check.




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I no longer think about drinking and I no longer think about not drinking

that I survived 3+ days of 24/7 AA-related activities in damn good shape, albeit a bit worn out

that we had 287 registered participants in the Houston Roundup

that I was elected to co-chair the 2011 Houston Roundup; this is a big deal for me as it will sorta be like having a real job

for a little reminder that I am constantly working the steps when I have sponsees that I'm working the steps with. Make sense?


A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve.
- Joseph Joubert


Sunday, November 28, 2010

Do, Rem, Mi

I may have posted this before but, what the hell ..........





This video was made in the Antwerp , Belgium Central (Train) Station on the 23rd of March 2009.. . . with no warning to the passengers passing through the station,
at 08:00 am a recording of Julie Andrews singing 'Do, Re, Mi' begins to play on the public address system.
As the bemused passengers watch in amazement, some 200 dancers begin to appear from the crowd and station entrances.

They created this amazing stunt with just two rehearsals!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

He said to me ...

He Said To Me!


He said to me . ... . I don't know why you wear a bra; you've got nothing to put in it. I said to him .... . . You wear pants don't you?

He said to me ... . ......... Shall we try swapping positions tonight?
I said .. That's a good idea - you stand by the stove & sink while I sit on the sofa and fart

He said to me. ... What have you been doing with all the grocery money I gave you?
I said to him . ..... Turn sideways and look in the mirror!

He said to me. ..... Why don't women blink during foreplay?
I said to him ... . They don't have time.

He said to me. . How many men does it take to change a roll of toilet paper?
I said to him .. .. I don't know; it has never happened.

He said to me. . Why is it difficult to find men who are sensitive, caring and Good- looking?
I said to him . . . They already have boyfriends.

He said..What do you call a woman who knows where her husband is every night?
I said. . . A widow.

He said to me.... Why are married women heavier than single women?
I said to him .. . .. Single women come home, see what's in the fridge and go to bed.
Married women come home, see what's in bed and go to the fridge.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Car of the Future

I am attending the Houston Roundup (AA) and don't have my computer with me.
I'll tell you now that I'm as grateful as ever and will just leave you with this enlightening video.



Thursday, November 25, 2010

Every day, I'm Thankful & Grateful!

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
- Melody Beattie



May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

colors




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for red flags

for green lights

for yellow sunrises

for pink roses

for blue cats

for orange cars


Laugh when you can,
apologize when you should,
and let go of what you can't change.
Life's too short to be anything... but happy.
- Anonymous


Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I'm very lucky .......




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful



to be a novice at this recovery thing; I have SO much to learn

that I stuck around the rooms of AA long enough to begin to develop a Higher Power

that my HP has evolved into a concept that I'm very comfortable with; it continues to evolve and I think it will continue as long as I don't start drinking again

that I have a formidable defense against taking that first drink -- my Higher Power!

that sometimes this sober thing seems pretty damn easy


You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.
- Robert Louis Stevenson



Monday, November 22, 2010

47 years ago


I was only 9 years old, but my memories of the day President Kennedy was murdered are vivid. I found out at school (he was pronounced dead at 1pm) and my Mom picked up my sister and I at 3pm as usual. I sat in front of the television for hours and hours over the next several days.

I found the experience fascinating.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


that my life has happened just the way it has

that I don't regret the past nor do I wish to shut the door on it

for the constant reminders of how my life could have ended up

that I do my very best to show respect to others in all aspects of my life

that this crazy Houston weather amuses me -- it's gonna be 80+ degrees today


Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
- Melody Beattie


Sunday, November 21, 2010

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Friday, November 19, 2010

another Friday in the hood







todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my friend, Scott W. (Attitude of Gratitude) celebrated 7 years of sobriety yesterday. Drop by and give him a great big wet kiss! Scott exudes a gentleness that only a serene and spiritual life can produce.

for the following excerpt from page 27 of The Big Book ...

Here and there, once in a while, alcoholics have had what are called vital spiritual experiences. To me these occurrences are phenomena. They appear to be in the nature of huge emotional displacements and rearrangements. Ideas, emotions, and attitudes which were once the guiding forces of the lives of these men are suddenly cast to one side, and a completely new set of conceptions and motives begin to dominate them.

that today is Friday and I get to go to 3 AA meetings before dark

To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children,
to leave the world a better place,to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, November 18, 2010

out and about




(left) the coast of Morocco

(right) in Dakar, Senegal with 2 friends



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to lead my first Al Anon meeting last night; I brought up the topic of Attitudes. I shared honestly about my domestic problems and others shared too. I thought it went pretty well.

that my friend, Scott W. (Attitude of Gratitude) celebrates 7 years of sobriety today. Drop by and give him a kiss.

for the decade of foreign travel and living that was bestowed upon me. I got to spend 4+ months in over 20 countries and had the opportunity of becoming part of the culture of many African nations along with European and South American places.
These experiences have undoubtedly shaped my thinking forever.

that I live in Houston, Texas and have no desire to live anywhere else.


Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
- Mark Twain

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

... from both sides



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have just enough to be satisfied (I always did, I just didn't know it)

that I feel a lot better about myself (today, at 7+ years sober) than I ever have before during my 56 years on this planet

that the only reason I drank too much (daily, for 33 years) is because I'm an alcoholic. I didn't drink because I thought life sucked or because life was good.

that I know that I'm not quite ready to make some difficult decisions that I hoped I was ready for. It's OK, those things can wait until I'm ready.

that I think, feel and act differently today than I did yesterday or anytime before then


Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe,
dreaming more than others think is practical,
and expecting more than others think is possible.
- Anonymous

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Principles



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to see my good friend, Jessie J. yesterday morning after about a month of absences from our morning meeting. He is to undergo major surgery today but the prognosis is good. He's a fine example of recovery and this experience will add to his 29 years of sobriety.

for Step 1 and all its implications; it's amazing how long it took me to recognize how unmanageable my life had become during my 33 years of alcoholic drinking.

for the principles of honesty, faith, integrity and compassion. Now, if I can just remember to practice them.

for others


Real excellence and humility are not incompatible one with the other, on the contrary they are twin sisters.
- Jean Baptiste Lacordaire


Monday, November 15, 2010

Staying clean



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my sponsees are really keeping me on my toes

for some meeting/discussion about the concept of fight or flight. I can somehow identify with this but have not yet given it the thought it deserves. Do you have some experience to share on this?

that I seem to stay so damn busy on any given day, even when I have no plans

for Step 3


If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
- Mother Teresa


Sunday, November 14, 2010

The Unseen Sea

Just enjoy this for the next 3 minutes.





The Unseen Sea from Simon Christen on Vimeo.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Friday, November 12, 2010

Friday morning stuff


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a great! Step 8 meeting yesterday. There can be soooooooo much more to the steps than just the words as they're written.

That I got to work with 2 of my sponsees yesterday. They keep me straight.
Wait. Maybe I should re-word that.

that strange words come from my mouth when I work with another alcoholic one-on-one. Ideas, suggestions and overall comments that come from somewhere deep inside of me. Does this happen with you too?

that this seems to have been a very productive week. I am due to close the deal on my home re-finance this afternoon. Over the course of my mortgage, I would save over $100K.
We'll see how that works out.


To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.
- Kofi Annan


Thursday, November 11, 2010

Broiled chicken breast



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for some awareness of how easy it is to fool myself into wrongful thinking -- otherwise, called a mis-perception

that I have been pretty damn forthcoming in a couple of meetings about my domestic problems; I've probably said enough though

that solutions to just about anything is in the Big Book

that my friend Jessie seems to have a pretty good attitude about some new, serious health problems -- Love ya Jessie!!

for the efforts and sacrifices of all servicemen and women throughout our history without whom I would not have had the freedom to drink in all the bars that I drank in


Those who believe they can do something and those who believe they can't are both right.
- Henry Ford



Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Nasty Peach!




todAAy i AAm grAAtful & thAAnkful

that doing the next right thing never involves hurting someone and rarely involves criticising them either

that my home life is challenging me to practice these principles in ALL my affairs and that is a good thang!! Very difficult too.

for the continuing evolution of my higher power

that if you're going to talk badly about me behind my back, you're in the perfect position to kiss my a_ _.


Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.
- Lao Tzu


Tuesday, November 09, 2010

I'd rather be happy than right.


I'd rather be right. Which probably explains why I'm so miserable today.






todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the slogans I've learned in recovery. Today's title hits me between the eyes because I am currently taking some drastic action regarding my partner and my home. I'm not particularly happy about these actions, but I know I'm doing the right things.

I guess it will all come full circle.

I know this -- I have absolute faith that everything will work out the way it is supposed to work out. Of this, I have no doubt.


It is hard to do what you fear, but harder to keep thinking about it.
~~ unknown

Monday, November 08, 2010

change



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


that I get to learn more about people and friends every day, especially when they relate their experience, strength and hope in AA meetings

that I have changed so much since September 2003 (my sobriety date).

for some patience in dealing with some important life decisions

that my sponsor is right on top of things (in my life)

that I don't live in Mexico nor do I need an armoured vehicle just to feel safe when travelling


Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain

Sunday, November 07, 2010

Saturday, November 06, 2010

Old vs New

CRASH OF 1959 Chevy With 2009 Chevy




Stay with this 'til the end as there are several camera views.... A 2009 car vs. a 1959 car in a crash test.... Guess which one wins. No sound but the video is enough.

How many times have you heard: "I wish they would make cars the way they did in the old days."

This video dispels that myth.

You know how we always think about what big huge tanks the old cars of the 50's and 60's were for size?

And how we talk about how there is so much plastic on the new cars that if one of the old tanks ever collided with a new car, the new car would be demolished?

Well, someone in the insurance industry put that theory to the test. Be sure to watch toward the end to see the overhead view - and the assessment of driver injury.

Friday, November 05, 2010

end of week

I hope you like Johnny Carson.






todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that it's not my job to keep you sober, or anybody else sober

to be reminded that life is not getting any shorter

that I got a second chance to do my life and I'd better not waste it

for AA's Tradition 7 -- it's not just about finances but about service to one's group as well


Gardening is all about optimism.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Thursday, November 04, 2010

it passed




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my sobriety opens me up to so many possibilities and opportunities

that I'm not stuck on a barstool, wondering when tonight's blackout will begin

for the years I spent travelling, living and working in Europe and Africa. I could never duplicate those experiences as a tourist. My exposure to so many cultures has provided me with a unique (I think) perspective on the human condition.

that I have something to offer when I'm willing to give it


The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.
- Benjamin Disraeli



Wednesday, November 03, 2010

I've had better days, but I'm still sober




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the practice of pause when agitated AND restraint of tongue and pen.

I was told, in no uncertain terms, to go f _ _ k myself when I defended my right to anonymity on Facebook as regards the program of A.A. This was from a person who just got out of rehab after 6 months in prison from dealing drugs.

that my home life sucks right now, so I'm hoping that this too shall pass

for friends (besides my sponsor) who will listen to me when I need to vent

for the concept of courage to change the things I can


It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.
- Dale Carnegie


Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Gratitude -- what a concept!




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to substitute-chair the 6:30am meeting yesterday and started the new month of November with a gratitude meeting. I'm sure it's the first of numerous ones this month and that's a good thang!

that I picked up on the tools to stay sober after about 6 months in the program. First, I had to develop some honesty I didn't want to face, then I had to become open-minded enough to allow the concept of a higher power into my life and finally I had to become willing to try something different.

for all those people who just keep coming back, for whatever reason

for some rain here in Houston - finally! It's been a record-breaking dry run here - 41 days without measureable rainfall.


Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect.
It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.
- Anonymous

Monday, November 01, 2010

Back to ...

adversity


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for another day to practice the principles, as I understand them

for hope and faith, in everything. Well, I wish I had it all the time, but it may always be a work-in-progress.

for a nice weekend, weather-wise and recovery-wise

that my little game show project was successful; but mainly that it's finished. It was something in planning for almost 2 years (in my mind).


Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.
- Epicurus