tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-93274702024-03-13T23:11:50.967-05:00higher poweredI drank alcoholically for over 33 years, one day at a time. Today, I am trying to gain a clear recognition of what and who I really am, followed by a sincere attempt to become what I can be. One day at a time.dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.comBlogger3514125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-32722604731364957002013-01-07T04:56:00.000-06:002013-01-07T04:56:00.318-06:00not just another Monday <br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I am grateful and thankful</span><br />
<br />
for the 3,514 posts I've had on this blog since December, 2004. For now, I'm done. I have just lost interest in keeping this thing going.<br />
<br />
I appreciate the loyalty of a number of people who have been here for any period of time. I won't mention any names because it's not necessary. <br />
<br />
Be good. Stay sober.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The only difference between try and triumph is a little umph.</span>dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-68212193448129167942013-01-06T06:33:00.001-06:002013-01-06T06:34:03.266-06:00A bit about character defects
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the greatest challenges in
ongoing sobriety is to repeatedly confront the same character defects over and
over again. Or, more accurately, the consequences of those same character
defects -- especially if you have really tried to address them via the tools
offered in Alcoholics Anonymous.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It has been my experience (my
painful, embarrassing, experience, actually) whenever I am in that place again,
that my real problem is twofold: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first is that I am looking at
the result and not the process. In other words, it is easy to want to
have money in the bank, but where I need to ask for HP's help is in spending
differently. It is easy to want to get to work on time, but the focus
should be on the willingness to go to sleep at a decent hour and get up at a
realistic time to actually get ready and go. It's easy to want a
different body, it's hard to be willing to eat differently or become
disciplined about exercise.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My character defect is really not in
the <i>result</i>, i.e. the bank balance, the tardiness or the numbers on the
scale ... my character defect is to be found somewhere in the <i>process</i>.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The second thing -- and somehow I
have found that although, logically, it doesn't appear related to the above, it
actually is in powerful and unfathomable ways (cue spooky music) -- if I'm
applying the principles and ideas from the 12 Steps to these things, the main
point of the 7th Step (which, for the new kids, is "Humbly asked Him to
remove our shortcomings.") is about humility -- <i>not the shortcomings</i>.
Not the defects. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Humility</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I need a constant reminder of this,
since, in certain areas I keep trying to make it about the problem, and not
about a spiritual solution -- which I reach via humility.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Frankly, on some days it seems like
this whole thing would be a lot easier if we could just scrap this
"humility" thing altogether.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But apparently, some people have
tried that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From what I understand, they can be
found down at the bar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~~ author unknown</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-11857601505095457432013-01-05T05:47:00.000-06:002013-01-05T05:47:00.141-06:00Not just another collector ....<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="617" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6IYISQ6DVwk" width="1097"></iframe><br />dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-39814862154086615782013-01-04T04:52:00.000-06:002013-01-04T05:38:53.833-06:00making adjustments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iR6jnmTtlW4/UOZUEC3hrZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/kni_AzFzUn0/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iR6jnmTtlW4/UOZUEC3hrZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/kni_AzFzUn0/s400/untitled.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I AAm grateful & thankful</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for course corrections, when necessary.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have been having trouble writing this post in the mornings. I usually get up about 4:30am but lately it's been more like about 5am. After feeding the cats and making coffee, I go outside and pray and meditate in my Jacuzzi. Every day, unless the rain is coming down too hard. That's rare. Then I sit down and write on this blog and on Facebook. Along with some reading too. There's also a shower and shave to deal with. Then I leave by 5:50am so I can open the recovery center and make coffee before the 6:30am meeting. <br />
I shall now be writing my blog posts at night, but posting them in the morning, as always.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you don't approve, please call your sponsor.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.</span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-27445887414147607882013-01-03T05:24:00.000-06:002013-01-03T05:27:43.967-06:00not much today<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I AAm grateful & thankful</span><br />
<br />
for a little bit of maturity, mixed with a little bit of common sense. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise.</span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe</span></em>dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-31002361728293698112013-01-02T04:50:00.000-06:002013-01-02T04:51:55.797-06:00mish mash<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--HroLHYi6tg/UOQRENPUqCI/AAAAAAAAFCo/lmh7uzOTwu8/s1600/securedownloadCASP8WJW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--HroLHYi6tg/UOQRENPUqCI/AAAAAAAAFCo/lmh7uzOTwu8/s320/securedownloadCASP8WJW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I AAm grateful & thankful</span><br />
<br />
that I've recently been reminded (more than once) that I should not expect to be rewarded just for being sober. Sometimes, it may happen a dnd it's nice when it does, but it's just not something I should expect. (see below)<br />
<br />
expectations = resentments<br />
<br />
for new friendships. On one hand, I love the way so many people come into Lambda Center (the recovery center I attend daily). On the other hand, it's a real shame when I no longer see the people that I've grown accustomed to seeing and knowing.<br />
<br />
that I had some local driving to do yesterday and there was almost NO traffic!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you’re in it, but the longer you stay in, the more wrinkled you get.</span> dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-15602137991328086972013-01-01T04:55:00.000-06:002013-01-01T04:55:00.599-06:002013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aM87IKW9u-Q/UOJIxC33dyI/AAAAAAAAFB8/JmhPLna3aCg/s1600/14594165-cute-and-colorful-card-on-new-year-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aM87IKW9u-Q/UOJIxC33dyI/AAAAAAAAFB8/JmhPLna3aCg/s320/14594165-cute-and-colorful-card-on-new-year-2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I AAm grateful & thankful</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for the chances I have today (and you have too) to make 2013 as good or as bad as I want. The more effort I put into my life of recovery, the better it tends to be.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for the progress I've made in recovery, so far</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that Step 12 seems to be the main focus in my life these days. I really make a conscious effort to be a good example to people who are new to the AA program. This often prevents me from making the mistake of following my natural instincts (self-will run riot).</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Let our New Year's resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Goran Persson</em></span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-76074529941011995592012-12-31T04:52:00.000-06:002012-12-31T04:52:00.544-06:00The year in review ...<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">January</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">February</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">March</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">April</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">May</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">June</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">July</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">August</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">September</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">October</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">November</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">December</span>dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-33962726868001049352012-12-30T06:26:00.000-06:002012-12-30T06:26:00.887-06:00How an Old Timer Greets a Newcomer<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans,
and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for the past four years of
life. He is brilliant. Kind of profound and very, very bright.
He became a alcoholic while attending college. Things have <br />
only gone down hill since.<br />
<br />
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative A.A.
club. They want to develop a meeting for the students but are not sure how to
go about it.<br />
<br />
One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his
T-shirt, and wild hair. The meeting has already started and so Bill
starts looking around the room for a seat.<br />
<br />
The room is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, the well dressed
people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.<br />
<br />
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the front of the room, and when he
realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.<br />
<br />
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is
thick. About this time, the evening's speaker realizes that from way at
the back of the meeting, an "old timer" is slowly making his way
toward Bill.<br />
<br />
Now the "old timer" is in his eighties, and has silver-gray hair, and
a three-piece suit. A spiritual man, very elegant, very dignified, very
courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy
everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going
to do.<br />
<br />
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some
college kid on the floor?<br />
<br />
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.<br />
The meeting is utterly silent except for the clicking of the old man's cane.
All eyes are focused on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can't even
hear anyone breathing. The speaker can't even continue the meeting until
the "old timer" does what he has to do.<br />
And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great
difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and welcomes him so he
doesn't feel outcast and alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion.<br />
<br />
When the speaker gains control, he says,<br />
<br />
"What I'm about to say, you will never remember.<br />
What you have just seen, you will never forget."<br />
"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Big Book some people will
ever read".</span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-88247161786873243922012-12-28T20:35:00.004-06:002012-12-28T20:35:47.711-06:00Oooops<br />
<br />
I didn't get around to posting this morning and only now just realized it.<br />
All is well, all is good.<br />
And for that, I am grateful.dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-10402088689324940892012-12-27T05:00:00.000-06:002012-12-27T05:00:01.584-06:00AwarenessDid any of you guys think yesterday was Monday all day? My head could not get past the fact it was Wednesday.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">todAAy I AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful</span><br />
<br />
that I love to go to AA meetings. They keep me aware of many of my assets and liabilities. I'm not sure if so-called "normal" folks have this stuff available to them, especially on a regular basis. I know that I didn't have the opportunity of awareness when I was an active-drinking alcoholic.<br />
So, if I have to pick one gift of sobriety, I think awareness may be my answer.<br />
Of course, freedom and choices come in near the top of that list, but awareness is tops for me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>- Dale Carnegie</em></span><br />
<br />dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-61011069041763539282012-12-26T04:38:00.000-06:002012-12-26T04:38:00.320-06:00Being silly, with issues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZXF-8_xB5I/UNplQGY_OfI/AAAAAAAAFBQ/K9T6cAKnyss/s1600/securedownload.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZXF-8_xB5I/UNplQGY_OfI/AAAAAAAAFBQ/K9T6cAKnyss/s640/securedownload.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">todAAy I AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful</span><br />
<br />
for the recovery fellowship with which I am involved. They are many wonderful people, all of whom have mental issues. Some more serious than others. Not that I'm taking anyone's inventory. LOL<br />
<br />
that we had a wonderful Christmas potluck dinner yesterday at my recovery center, attended by 60 or 70 people with mental issues. Some more serious than others. But the turkeys were great.<br />
<br />
for the 20 people that showed up at the 6:30am meeting on Christmas morning. Some of them have some serious mental issues. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.</span>dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-22483790932654996482012-12-25T04:56:00.000-06:002012-12-25T05:01:00.977-06:00Ho! Ho! Ho!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3SGLW7wSOg/UNmHFfpNNUI/AAAAAAAAFAk/wlVAMNQwekw/s1600/Christmas+lights+ditto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3SGLW7wSOg/UNmHFfpNNUI/AAAAAAAAFAk/wlVAMNQwekw/s640/Christmas+lights+ditto.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">todAAy I AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful</span><br />
<br />
for all the great memories of Christmas mornings when I was a kid<br />
<br />
for all the great memories of Christmas mornings<br />
<br />
for all the great memories<br />
<br />
I bet you have some too. What's your favorite memory as a child on Christmas morning?<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">When we recall<b> Christmas </b>past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness.</span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">- Bob Hope</span></em>dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-20477776360569998992012-12-24T04:53:00.000-06:002012-12-24T04:53:00.288-06:00The Day Before<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x7qsXSFigU8/UNe-5j14dHI/AAAAAAAAE_4/ofn_y2nmT-4/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x7qsXSFigU8/UNe-5j14dHI/AAAAAAAAE_4/ofn_y2nmT-4/s320/12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: lime; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">todAAy I AAm grAAteful & th<em>AA</em>nkful</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that I know how to not start drinking. It has almost nothing to do with me or my willpower. Instead, my Higher Power is what I must rely on to not drink alcohol again. Personally, my HP makes it quite easy for me. I just have to do a few simple things (preferably daily) and shazammmm!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I don't drink.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that I have no budget this year to buy Christmas presents. Thus, I didn't go shopping. Thus, I didn't suffer the crowds.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>- Martin Luther King Jr</em></span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-3506951952146084782012-12-23T06:23:00.000-06:002012-12-23T06:27:17.355-06:00Maybe this will help<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aDJ2S2xH0FI/UNGU1AV5LEI/AAAAAAAAE9s/swHc19o4TbY/s1600/224974_4652896193927_1520176129_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aDJ2S2xH0FI/UNGU1AV5LEI/AAAAAAAAE9s/swHc19o4TbY/s640/224974_4652896193927_1520176129_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-32676742365306479582012-12-22T05:46:00.000-06:002012-12-22T05:46:00.699-06:00Three Men<div>
Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by <span class="yiv522812317yshortcuts" id="yiv522812317lw_1354597385_0">Saint Peter</span> at the <span class="yiv522812317yshortcuts" id="yiv522812317lw_1354597385_1">pearly gates</span>.</div>
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'In honor of this holy season' Saint Peter said, 'You must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into heaven.'</div>
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The Englishman fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on.</div>
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'It's a candle', he said.</div>
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'You may pass through the pearly gates' Saint Peter said.</div>
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The Scotsman reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, 'They're bells.'</div>
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Saint Peter said 'You may pass through the pearly gates'.</div>
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The Irishman started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women's panties.</div>
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St. Peter looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and asked, 'And just what do those symbolize?'</div>
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The paddy replied, 'These are Carols.'</div>
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dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-86838689083508022842012-12-21T04:43:00.000-06:002012-12-21T04:43:00.842-06:00One is the loneliest number<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3MOYZNbOKA/UNPNqbhMTLI/AAAAAAAAE_M/VgZ3PanqrAE/s1600/camouflaged_owls_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3MOYZNbOKA/UNPNqbhMTLI/AAAAAAAAE_M/VgZ3PanqrAE/s320/camouflaged_owls_07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>see the owl?</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I am grateful & thankful</span></div>
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<em>for some good old Step One reading in the 12x12 .........</em></div>
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"Alcohol, now become the rapacious creditor, bleeds us of all self-sufficiency and all will to resist its demands."</div>
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"By going back in our own drinking histories, we could show that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression."</div>
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"... few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have hit bottom. For practicing A.A.'s remaining eleven Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking. Who wishes to be rigorously honest and tolerant? Who wants to confess his faults to another and make restitution for harm done? Who cares anything about a Higher Power, let alone meditation and prayer?"</div>
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Have a lovely day, y'all.</div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.</span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-36181058675206740312012-12-20T05:01:00.000-06:002012-12-20T05:01:00.450-06:00P's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uJswdV4Uv-4/UNKBFdgLY6I/AAAAAAAAE-g/GGi24wslUjk/s1600/camouflaged_owls_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uJswdV4Uv-4/UNKBFdgLY6I/AAAAAAAAE-g/GGi24wslUjk/s640/camouflaged_owls_04.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><strong>see the owl?</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I am grateful & thankful</span></div>
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for the "p's"</div>
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patience</div>
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progress</div>
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proactive</div>
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that I got to hear my friend Scott W (some of you know his former blog, Attitude of Gratitude) qualify his story yesterday</div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.</span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-38349940374838454002012-12-19T04:59:00.000-06:002012-12-19T04:59:00.452-06:00I can't hide any more.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x8WehmOg-AE/UNGU7jt_-PI/AAAAAAAAE90/jCqgFI2iRbs/s1600/camouflaged_owls_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x8WehmOg-AE/UNGU7jt_-PI/AAAAAAAAE90/jCqgFI2iRbs/s320/camouflaged_owls_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>see the owl?</strong></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I am grateful & thankful</span></div>
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for these excerpts from the Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th edition, pages 350-352) ...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"I tried to hide my drinking by going places where I was unlikely to see anyone I knew."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had "excuses for trips in order to drink without restraint."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Never having enough, always craving more, the obsession for alcohol gradually began to dominate all my activities, particularly while traveling. Drink planning became more important than any other plans."</span></div>
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Those concepts describe me way too much.</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Only the wisest and the stupidest of men never change.</span></div>
dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-21873556679702560642012-12-18T04:57:00.000-06:002012-12-18T04:57:00.833-06:00just a little bit to get started<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b9KgiYFZpcg/UM_eNApF_LI/AAAAAAAAE9A/8VTg729xUUg/s1600/securedownloadCAOK17A0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b9KgiYFZpcg/UM_eNApF_LI/AAAAAAAAE9A/8VTg729xUUg/s640/securedownloadCAOK17A0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I am grateful & thankful</span><br />
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for less than good days. They make the other days even better.<br />
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for more willingness than ever before. To do what, you ask? Whatever it takes.<br />
<br />
that I miss <a href="http://sobrietyisexhausting.blogspot.com/"><strong><em>Pammie</em></strong></a> and her wonderful sense of humor. MC and I have been reading her blog and knowing her for about 7 or 8 years and now, after an illness, she seems to have stopped posting.<br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Knowledge talks, wisdom listens.</span> dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-28393994277510743332012-12-17T04:56:00.000-06:002012-12-17T04:56:00.126-06:00My mind is out to kill me<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">today I am grateful & thankful</span><br />
<br />
that I have a bunch of friends. It's good to remember this when I feel like isolating. That's how I felt this weekend. I wanted to just stay home and talk to no one. That's what I wanted to do.<br />
Instead, I ...<br />
<br />
... went to 2 AA meetings on Saturday and 1 on Sunday<br />
... ate breakfast both mornings with friends from the AA meetings<br />
... helped a new friend in recovery look for a good, used vehicle (this took 3 hours of driving around)<br />
... had dinner on Saturday with 6 people from the program<br />
... attended a fundraiser at my recovery center<br />
... attended a memorial service for a program friend who died of a heart attack last week<br />
<br />
My mind is out to kill me.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be somewhere else.</span> dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-5838107314939441342012-12-16T05:41:00.000-06:002012-12-16T05:41:00.376-06:00Iceberg!<br />
An iceberg's seismic breakup, believed to be the largest ever caught on camera, is described by the person who filmed it as the equivalent of watching "Manhattan... breaking apart in front of your eyes."<br />
Filmmaker Jason Balog recorded the spectacular calving event while making his documentary "<a href="http://www.chasingice.com/" target="_blank">Chasing Ice</a>" about global climate change. He had set up his camera on Greenland's <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0822-06.htm" target="_blank">Ilulissat Glacier</a>, which has retreated approximately 10 miles in the last 12 years.<br />
Balog figures almost 2 cubic miles worth of the Ilulissat broke up over the course of 75 minutes.<br />
"Pieces of ice were shooting up out of the ocean 600 feet and then falling," he says in the film, which contains bass-thumping audio that makes it almost as impressive to listen to as watch.<br />
"The only way you can really put it into scale with human reference is if you imagine Manhattan, and all of a sudden all of those buildings just start to rumble and quake and peel off and just fall over and fall over and roll around."<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YoA_Z7y8f6Q" width="560"></iframe><br />dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-1688714745079157662012-12-15T05:59:00.000-06:002012-12-15T05:59:00.311-06:00How to start a fight (part 3)<div class="yiv590418855MsoNormal">
<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3103"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3107"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's License to verify my age. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3111"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3113"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3115"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">to go home and come back later. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3119"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The woman said, 'Unbutton your shirt'. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3123"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3127"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">She said, 'That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3129" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1354201261160_98"><b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1354201261160_97"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1354201261160_96" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">me' and she processed my Social Security application. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3133"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3135"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">the Social Security office. She said, 'You should have dropped </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3137"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">your pants. You might have gotten disability too.' </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3141"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the fight started... </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3145"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">________________________________ </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3150"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">My wife was standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3152"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">She was not happy with what she saw and said to me, </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3156"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">"I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3158"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">to pay me a compliment.' </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3162"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">I replied, "Your eyesight's damn near perfect." </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3166"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the fight started........ </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3170"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">________________________________ </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3175"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rear-ended a car this morning...the start of a REALLY bad day! </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3179"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The driver got out of the other car, and he was a DWARF!! </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3183"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">He looked up at me and said 'I am NOT Happy!' </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3187"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I said, 'Well, which one ARE you then?' </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="yiv590418855ecxyiv2142732393msid3191"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">That's how the fight started. </span></b></span></div>
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dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-10353709937924812332012-12-14T04:53:00.000-06:002012-12-14T04:53:00.160-06:00Have a nice Friday ...<br />
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">todAAy I AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful</span><br />
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that I'm just a beginner (at so many things), but my life experiences have gotten me this far<br />
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that my bad shoulder (rotator cuff) that I wrote about last week has healed. The cortisone meds seem to have done the trick. Yea me!<br />
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for a little fundraiser we do every year at my recovery center. We call it "'twas the Night Before Christmas". We'll do it tomorrow night. It's basically a gift exchange event and it's soooooooooo much fun and laughter. There are usually 60-80 people in attendance and all go home happy.<br />
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The two most common elements in the world are hydrogen and stupidity.</span> dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9327470.post-55167310161731357592012-12-13T04:52:00.000-06:002012-12-13T04:52:00.528-06:00not just words<br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">todAAy I AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful</span><br />
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for life, sobriety, recovery, friends, serenity, knowledge, awareness, courage, integrity, willingness, honesty, consistency and many more concepts and words.<br />
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that the holidays will be over in a couple of weeks<br />
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for my friend <a href="http://onesobercatholic.wordpress.com/"><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Mary Christine</span></em></strong></a> and all the things she teaches me<br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.</span><br />
<br />dAAvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378341182741173178noreply@blogger.com3