Taking action

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to learn more about a really cool young woman yesterday when she shared her alcoholic story with us. She is a frequent visitor from a European country but an alkie is an alkie.

to know that I know so little

for this little gem heard in a meeting ........
"My attitude is like a flat tire. If I don't change it, I won't get anywhere."

that I feel comfortable getting outside my comfort zone (sometimes) -- action outside the box!


Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
"I will try again tomorrow.”
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Mid-Week GrrrrrratiTude!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

as today begins, I can't help but thank all of the people who will teach me something today. My job is to pay attention.

for people in the program who are willing to do whatever it takes to recover from the disease of alcoholism

for those with courage and integrity

that I haven't found a reason to misbehave today (yet). Of course, it's only 5am.


Simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
- don Miguel Angel Ruiz

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

Starting a new week

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for some courage to change

that I do so many things differently now than I did before I got sober

for the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous - without it, why stay sober?

for hours spent at an automobile auction where I really had to practice some discipline so as NOT to sell my car at a low price. I am just going to keep it for now because the market is very weak. If you're interested in buying a used/collector car, it's a buyer's market and you can make some good investments now.

for Astros baseball games and the guys I go there with

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Courage to begin

Russia's finance minister has urged his countrymen and women to support the country - by drinking and smoking more.

Alexei Kudrin called for increased consumption of tobacco and alcohol in a bid to boost the state's revenues, reports Metro.
"If you smoke a pack of cigarettes, that means you are giving more to help solve social problems," commented Kudrin.
"People should understand: Those who drink, those who smoke are doing more to help the state."
Russia, noted for its high consumptions of both cigarettes and alcohol, has among the lowest duties on cigarettes in Europe.
In June, plans to double the excise duty on cigarettes from 250 roubles, roughly £5 per 1,000 cigarettes, to 590 roubles (£12.49) by 2013 were outlined.
The comments by the minister seem to contradict recent government moves to control Russia's excessive nature and improve its life expectancy rates.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I had the balls to go to my second AA meeting, 7 years ago. I went alone. I had no intention of ever stopping drinking though.

for the courage to step outside my comfort zone occassionally

that my friend Gavin H. told his AA story with gobs of humility

that I am not in denial about my lack of knowledge regarding relationships; there's so much to learn and it's rarely fun


Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.
- Billy Graham

some things are not as they seem

"Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.Great stories. But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."

(this was sent to me; it's not my actual experience)

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the seemingly endless numbers of fellow humans who show me the the right paths to take, and the wrong paths to stay away from

for so many chances to be me

for the courage I see in others which inspires me to be true to myself

that we went to a little Christmas party at a new 7500 sq ft home; Scott W has pictures hanging there!

for the gift of 4 free tickets to see our Houston Texans (NFL); it was the first time I've seen a football game sober and the first-ever games for Hayden and his visiting brother

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.
- Thomas Jefferson

fear vs courage

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that fear is only paper thin

that many of my fears are only in my head and turn out to be little or nothing at all

that my biggest fear today is that I will stop wanting this good life and allow my thinking to revert to the old days. Because of this, I must constantly stay on top of this thing.

that courage is no longer in a bottle, can or joint


It takes courage to show your dreams to someone else.
- Erma Bombeck

cleaning and changing

CLICK HERE for detailed instructions as to the correct method to clean your monitor's screen.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to see people change

that I had and continue to have the courage to change

that I've never cared to be popular, but I've always liked to be liked


In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.
- Deepak Chopra

just typing thru

• 
  an oldie but a goodie (IMHO)
  
  Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road.
  
  As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride.
  
  With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car.
  
  Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the seat next to
  Sally.
  
  'What in bag?' asked the old woman.
  
  Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, 'It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband.'
  
  The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said:
  
  'Good trade.....'
  
  
  todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful
  
  for in-depth conversations with sponsees
  
  that I know my limitations, although I don't always remember them
  
  that Step 10 helps me to practice these principles in all my affairs ...
  
• honesty
• hope
• faith
• courage
• integrity
• willingness
• humility
• compassion
• discipline
• perseverance
• awareness of my HP
• service
  
  First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
  - Mahatma Gandhi

stepping forward

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to those with courage in any of its forms

for the positive results of stepping through the unknown to get to the other side

to know that half measures won't work for me if I want to stay serene

that I must exhibit some integrity if I am to be the sponsor I wish to be

that I am not attending Michael Jackson's Memorial today, but will probably see a little bit of it on the telly (@ Lambda Center)

When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.
- Charles A. Beard

I am Curious ... From what I've read, MJ's estate is still worth a net of about $500 million. Yet he had filed for bankruptcy. How does this occur? Any accountants out there who can 'splain this to me?

And why can't his estate pay the cost of security in LA for this memorial service?

gettin' it together

disassembled VW




todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

that fear may be a mile high and a mile wide, but usually it's just paper thin;
thus, I just have to muster the courage to walk through it

that I heard this yesterday -- it doesn't matter if I believe in God or not. He can do His work without my approval.

for all of you who have preceded me and already discovered the things I need to know

for the few who are able to make it back to the rooms of AA

that I haven't (yet) tested my desire to make it back after a relapse


If you can't get a compliment any other way, pay yourself one.
-Mark Twain

Guides along the way

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the Principles behind the Steps;

• honesty


• hope


• faith


• courage


• integrity


• willingness


• humility


• compassion


• discipline


• perseverance


• spirituality


• service

the my perceptions oftentimes have nothing to do with reality

that we'll read another of the stories in the back half of The Big Book this morning at the 6:30am meeting

for the financial ability to pay my bills

Elbow grease is the best polish.
-English Proverb

to begin a fresh week...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the Step 6 meeting Sunday morning. It's my favorite thing to be reminded of because when I fail to practice it, I am at my worst behavior.

that Mom looked better and was more aware of her surroundings than in weeks past

for peace and serenity on a lovely Sunday afternoon. I had absolutely nothing on my schedule and tried to keep it that way.

that I got to hear William M. tell his tales of alcoholic behavior which led him to that incomprehensible demoralisation, something I can really identify with

that my friend, Bob S., asked me to read in his 4-person play later this month. We rehearsed yesterday morning. Successfully.

that today is Doug's birthday. We were bestest friends in high school (35 years ago). Today, he lives in California and has 3 kids. We still speak on the phone once or twice each year. Today will be one of those days.

that PAM is making a sincere attempt to stop smoking; it was one of the easiest things I ever did once I mustered the courage to do it

Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries.

-Corita Kent

following the path ...

bibulous \BIB-yuh-luhs\, adjective: 1. Of, pertaining to, marked by, or given to the consumption of alcoholic drink. 2. Readily absorbing fluids or moisture.

So, drop that word into a conversation and see how many heads you turn.

For example: “I have not been bibulous for 12 years on Jan. 14.”



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that it's not painful to be sober another day, simply by following a set of suggestions

for synchronicity

for doctors that can speak layman's English

that I am not afraid to make decisions

for some nice, cold winter temperatures. But we'll be back into the mid-70's by this weekend. LOL

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.
~~ anonymous

Courage ...

is the principle behind the fourth Step of Alcoholics Anonymous.

When I wrote my 4th step initially, it took some soul-searching to look back over the years and remember a few situations and people whom I had conveniently forgotten.

As I trudge the road of happy destiny, Courage is often required. Learning to live sober requires me to do things I have never done. With a little bit of courage, I get to experience a new life as a sober man.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a newcomer to the 6:30am Eyes Wide Shut meeting yesterday

that I can make some painful admissions to my therapist; he gives me good advice but I often do not have the Courage to carry it out; actually, more often, I just forget LOL

to read Katia's new recovery blog, Seeking the Cranberry.
Drop by and pay her a visit when you have the opportunity.

that I have a personal trainer that keeps me on a workout program even when I am too tired, or don't have the intestinal fortitude to keep on goin'

that there's been a load of comprisin' on the road to my horizon

y'all have a great weekend, please

In pursuit of happiness, the difficulty lies in knowing when you have caught up.
-R.H. Grenville

Speak No Evil

More pencils.



click on the photo for detail


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for some continuing Courage to Change

that I get to help my mother this morning, part of my living amends to her

for my sponsor, who is experiencing the failing health of his mother with dignity and grace

for the ways my recovery program works me when I allow it to AND that I can even recognize that fact

for a new (but well used) topic on SOBRIETY SOCIETY --
drop by and leave a comment, please

for a really wonderful Saturday with Hayden; we went shopping for about 7 hours, something we've never done together for so long and I have never done at all -- LOL

that I am not ashamed of myself; there are behaviors I would prefer not to have exhibited and performed, but they were a product of my alcoholism and alcoholic thinking and apparently were necessary to get me to this place in time

"People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be."
-- Harvey Mackay

Courage, occasionally

The Happy Couple



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that when I woke up this morning, I was the me I am getting to know. I prayed to my HP for guidance to do His will instead of mine (which is my instinct).

for the WE of the program of A.A. -- yesterday my brain was acting up on me and the insanity would not stop. I was making assumptions because of misguided perceptions that had nothing to do with any reality and as each minute passed, it got worse. I prayed to my HP to please help me, to please make it stop! Within seconds, a friend in recovery who had just returned after a relapse asked to talk with me. After speaking with him for about 10 minutes, he asked me to sponsor him and help him with the steps. From that moment, my own insanity took a back seat to his. My HP works in mysterious and somewhat unpredictable ways. The remainder of the day flew by as usual.

that I can make phone calls these days to admit when I'm nutty and remain accountable to others and myself

that I treated myself to an hour-and-a-half-long massage

for the power and sensibility in this reading (you may have seen it already, but for most of us, it's worth reading repeatedly)

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it.
-Rabindranath Tagore