Reality

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm not a fake; what you see is what you get (deal with it)

that through sobriety and therapy, I've come to realize that I had many less-than-positive feelings as a youngster. I was never quite like the other guys but I did everything I could to fit in. This went on until I stopped drinking at the age of 49.

that I didn't give up 5 minutes before the miracle (back in my early AA days)

that I got to see Betty White (my current favorite actress) on Inside the Actor's Studio last night. She is fantastic!

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Looking at things differently

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the concept behind "as we understood Him". I think those are the most important words in 12-step recovery. Without them, I would not be alive today. I would not have kept coming back if you guys had forced me to accept the God of my upbringing. But you gave me the freedom to form my own concept of a Higher Power, one that evolves each day I stay sober.

that I'm pretty sure I'll remain sober as long as I keep a relatively close contact with my Higher Power

that as long as I remain sober, I can continue my recovery from alcoholic drinking and thinking

to be more open-minded to new ideas

Letting go doesn't mean giving up... it means moving on.
- Anonymous

Friends

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a really nice weekend, full of recovery, friendship and fellowship

that I don't need any more than I have; that is a feeling of true happiness and serenity

for those who return to the rooms of AA and show me what might have been

for those who stay in the rooms of AA and show me what could be


A true friend is the one who walks in when others walk out.
- Walter Winchell

How OLD are you?

How many of these do you remember?

Head lights dimmer switches on the floor.
Ignition switches on the dashboard.
Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards.
Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals.

Older Than Dirt Quiz :

Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about.
Ratings at the bottom.

1.Candy cigarettes
2.Coffee shops with tableside juke boxes
3.Home milk delivery in glass bottles
4. Party lines on the telephone
5.Newsreels before the movie
6.TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. (there were only 3 channels [if you were fortunate])
7.Peashooters
8. Howdy Doody
9. 45 RPM records
10.Hi-fi's
11. Metal ice trays with lever
12. Blue flashbulb
13.Cork popguns
14. Studebakers
15. Wash tub wringers

If you remembered 0-3 = You're still young
If you remembered 3-6 = You are getting older
If you remembered 7-10 = Don't tell your age,
If you remembered 11-15 =You're older than dirt!

Dogs and Cats

Excerpts from a Dog’s Daily Diary:




8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm – Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm – Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!





Excerpts from a Cat’s Daily Diary:
Day 683 of my captivity:
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.
Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the floor.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. The audacity!
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow– but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released — and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded!
The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe…for now…

Have a lovely weekend

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm gonna be my best today, no matter what my instincts want me to do

that I attended a good Tradition Four meeting yesterday morning. Some good reminders about not taking myself too seriously. And some good information about how an AA group works; that it's OK to let our format evolve and it can be a little different than the norm. It's still AA and we're all sober when we leave.

that sometimes, all it takes to help someone is to say HI

that I'm able to continue making my living amends to the world and to the earth


The path to happiness is forgiveness of everyone and gratitude for everything.
- jonathon lockwood

open minded

Summer is over, but it's still hot here in Houston.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I attend AA meetings where other addictions (mostly drugs) are freely discussed; I am convinced that alcohol was just a symptom and it really doesn't matter what the addiction is as long as I am aware of it. I know this is not a popular attitude with many, and that's OK. They don't have to attend the meetings that I attend. I'm pretty comfortable wherever I go.

that I've really made some personal improvements in my attitude toward others who I used to judge quite harshly -- I think you guys call it compassion!

for things that I take for granted - today, it's clean drinking water

for the beautiful harvest moon and the opportunity to gaze at Jupiter


If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

just thinkin' ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that it's been easy for me to accept the fact that one day, many years ago, I crossed the line whereupon my drinking became necessary for me to make it through each day. Remembering that fact is what makes each sober day for me an absolute miracle!

that by surrounding myself with other miracles every day, I stay sober without much trouble

that when I think or say that something is driving me crazy, I'm usually exaggerating

that it really doesn't matter what I think; what really matters is what I do


Instead of worrying about what people say of you, why not spend time trying to accomplish something they will admire.
- Dale Carnegie

Ready. Set. Action!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my brain cell has been treating me well these past few days

for the bonding that happened with my sponsor after I did my initial 5th step with him

that for today, I don't care about getting drunk nor high

for the chapter entitled "Into Action" in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. There's not a chapter called "Into Thinking".


Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
- 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.

You may be in Texas if ...

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Texas ...

If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work there,
you may live in Texas.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Texas.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Texas.

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you may live in Texas.

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Texas.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Texas.

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them,you may live in Texas.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph --you're going 80 and everybody's passing you, you may live in Texas.

If you find 60 degrees a little chilly, you may live in Texas.

There's a fool born every minute

Going, going ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


that I woke up sober this morning, again

that I'm teachable, still

that I taught middle school for my first year out of college. I was 22 years old. My students were 12-14 years old. Hell, I was only 8 years older than they were. I'm glad it was only a year. I went on to bigger and better things and found a career in the oil & gas industry.

for a nice, really productive day yesterday

that one of my cars, the 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz pictured above, is in an auction later today with 400 other collector autos. I bought this car last October in Denver. It's beautiful and in excellent condition. I just don't have the space for it any longer.


The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.
- Tom Bodett

still workin' it

I like this joke ................

A dog lover, whose dog was a bitch and 'in heat', agreed to look after and house her neighbors' male dog while they were away on vacation. She had a large house however and believed that she could keep them apart but as she was drifting off to sleep she heard awful howling and moaning sounds, rushed downstairs and found the dogs locked together, in obvious pain and unable to disengage as so frequently happens when they mate.

Unable to separate them and perplexed as to what to do next, although it was late, she called the vet, who answered in a very grumpy voice.

Having explained the problem to him, the vet said."hang up the phone and place it down alongside the dogs. I will then call you back and the noise of the ringing will make the male lose his erection and be able to withdraw".

"Do you think that will work?" she asked.

"It just worked for me" he replied.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my sobriety is between my HP and myself - but I need the rest of y'all for my recovery

that learning is automatic but being teachable takes effort

for the Al Anon meetings that I attend

that I could tell when something truly serendipitous happened yesterday - no need for details right now though


He who angers you conquers you.
- Elizabeth Kenny

Wednesday lite

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful for ...

Silver in the Hair
Gold in the Teeth
Crystals in the Kidneys
Sugar in the Blood
Lead in the Ass
Iron in the Arteries
and...
an inexhaustible supply of Natural Gas.


For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

going forward

another aircraft flies into a building




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm not as young as I used to be and I'm not as old as I'll get to be

that I'm slowly (slower than I would have expected) getting back into a normal morning routine after (1) having a colonoscopy (2) having bronchitis for 3 weeks

that life happens, day after day whether I like it or not; let's see if I can respond in a positive way

that I now have my newest used car inspected and licensed and finally, cleaned really well (pictures soon, if you wish)

that I posted early today because I have a busy morning. I am going to be at the gym at 0500, followed by an 0630 AA meeting, then breakfast with fellow AA'ers. Then I have an appointment 50 miles away with my mortgage broker as I continue trying to re-finance my home. Then back to Lambda Center for a 12:15p AA meeting before joining other AA'ers for lunch. Whew!! I'm tired already. A good kinda tired.


I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then.
- Lewis Carroll

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

World's Largest RC Plane

I have always been an aviation buff (nut). I had a remote-controlled helicopter not long ago but could not master the art of flying it for any length of time. As such, I really respect these guys for their abilities. I love this!!

What does this have to do with recovery, you may ask. EVERYTHING!
Remember, we're supposed to be enjoying life.

Where were you?

September 11, 2001.

I was working in my temporary office in London. I was between assignments and was due to go to the small country of Mauritania in northwest Africa on September 13th.

Having returned to my office after lunch, I was busy at the computer whn a fellow worker stuck his head in the office and asked if I had heard thenews. He told me that an airplane had flown into the World Trade Center in NYC. We got a streaming video on his computer and watched for a few minutes. Word quickly got around the office and we went downstairs to the lobby and watched the breaking news on a real television. Just like you, we were enthralled. By this time, the 2nd plane had hit the WTC and the thinking was that a plane was going to hit the White House.

Before long, we were told to evacuate the building (located on a business/industrial estate near Gatwick Airport). Thousands of office workers did the same. After a short time, we were told to go home.

My bosses gave me the option of going to Senegal instead of Mauritania. In Dakar, the Muslims are somewhat less radical. I knew this because I had spent many months there previously. So I bypassed Nouakchott, Mauritania and went to Dakar.

Where were you?

nothin' heavy today

1954 Dodge Firearrow




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for breakfast with my sponsor this morning

that I know that my nightly conscious contact with my HP has been suffering a bit lately and I plan to fix that

for fun and fellowship in recovery

that I went to the Astros (baseball) game last night with 3 recovery friends and one of them got a foul ball off a LA Dodger (the last time he got a foul ball was 55 years ago)

A somebody was once a nobody who wanted to and did. - John Burroughs

on being responsible ...

1953 Buick Wildcat





todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the larger-than-normal attendance at the early morning meeting over the past coupla months

that my friend Norris L. told his A.A. story of experience, strength and hope

that I am still waiting for the day that I don't have a part in everything that happens in my life

that I took the blame for the major problems in my life


A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.
- John Burroughs

Pass It On

1951 Chrysler K310



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I can stay sober - no matter what. This has not been a problem (yet). I just couldn't stop drinking 7 years ago until I learned about a Higher Power. But because I work a successful recovery program (so far), all of the life situations I have faced have not tempted me to drink.

that I try to pass this along to others -- both verbally and by example

that I don't seem to be a whiner (nor was I a winer!)

for other recovery bloggers -- click here to visit Marie (Experience, Strength, Hope) and give her your favorite recovery slogan


Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.
- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Made a decision ...

1951 Buick LeSabre




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I consider Step 3 to be a maintenance step -- "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him." By practicing this step (when I actually do) I can remove the enormous burden that I sometimes feel when I have to control my world.

that I know a common trait amongst alcoholics (especially recovering ones) is that when we find something that works or serves us well, we stop doing it. I must always be aware of this in my own life.

for some great rain; we need it


When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.
- John F. Kennedy

On to Year Eight

I'll post a few pictures of unusual autos this week.

This is a 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt.




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a newcomer on a Sunday morning -- someone who says he only drank to help his insomina

that more shall be revealed (LOL)

that I still like to suit up and show up -- I enjoy AA meetings, every one of them. They rejuvenate me.

that I had a very quiet day yesterday - the 7th anniversary of my sobriety

for the fellowship of recovery


Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
- Sun Tzu

It works. It really does.

I'm still absolutely amazed.

I bet you didn't know all this stuff ...

Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas.

1... Beaumont to El Paso: 742 miles
2... Beaumont to Chicago: 770 miles
3... El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas
4.. World's first rodeo was in Pecos, July 4, 1883.
5... The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water.
Destroyed by Hurricane Ike - 2008!
6... The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the first full-time coach at Rice University in Houston .
7... Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America
8... Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America's only remaining flock of whooping cranes.
9... Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978.
10... The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900, caused by a hurricane, in which over 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island.
11... The first word spoken from the moon, July 20,1969, was " Houston", but the space center was actually in Clear Lake City at the time.
12... King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island.
13... Tropical Storm Claudette brought a U.S. rainfall record of 43' in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July of 1979.
14... Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, (known as the Constitution of 1845 by the Republic of Texas to enter the Union) instead of by annexation. This allows the Texas Flag to fly at the same height as the U.S. Flag, and may divide into 5 states.
15... A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old.
16 Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
17... Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period in Dr Pepper.
18...Texas has had six capital cities: Washington-on- the Brazos, Harrisburg, Galveston, Velasco, West Columbia and Austin.
19... The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S. which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington DC (by 7 feet).
20... The San Jacinto Monument is the tallest free standing monument in the world and it is taller than the Washington monument.
21...The name 'Texas' comes from the Hasini Indian word 'tejas' meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas.
22...The State Mascot is the Armadillo (an interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies. They have one egg, which splits into four, and they either have four males or four females).
23..The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston.

I'm sure glad I no longer get drunk

A New York man is being sued for apparently losing a £900,000 ($1.6m) painting after a drinking session.

James Haggerty says he lost the Jean Baptiste Camille Corot masterpiece, Portrait of a Girl, after a bender at The Mark hotel in Manhattan, according to court papers.
"I think he's a complete fumbling idiot," Kristyn Trudgeon, who co-owns the painting, told the New York Daily News. "He's just a complete a**hole."
Ms Trudgeon and Tom Doyle, the other co-owner of the painting, had hired Mr Haggerty to assist with a possible sale of the painting to London gallery owner Offer Waterman.
Mr Haggerty was ordered to take the painting to The Mark, where Mr Waterman was staying, so he could see it at first hand.
Ms Trudgeon's lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, says hotel security footage shows Mr Haggerty leaving the painting at the front desk and entering the bar with Mr Waterman at 11pm.
At 11:30pm, the two men left the bar, retrieved the painting and had a conversation in the hotel lobby, court papers say.
"Something just didn't feel right and I didn't want to be involved," Mr Waterman said. "So I said no, and I said goodbye."
Mr Haggerty then went back to the hotel bar, once more depositing the painting at the front desk.
He resurfaced 90 minutes later, the suit says, when he stumbled out with the painting and declined a doorman's offer to call him a taxi.
At 2:30am, he finally returned home, without the painting. Later that morning, he apparently told Mr Doyle he couldn't recall its whereabouts.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for my constant and consistent connections to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous; these have flourished through fellowship and service work

that my sponsor taught me the importance of being of service to others

for an improved ability to let go of those things I can't control; it begins with awareness!

for good weather here; my thoughts and good wishes are for all of you who may be affected by Hurricane Earl

He who rejects change is the architect of decay.
- Harold Wilson

acceptance

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I can think for myself, but hearing other opinions is crucial for my survival

to accept the fact that I can't do this (stay sober) alone

to be able to share in a meeting that I would never want to drink like a normal person. What would be the point of that? I drank to get as drunk as possible.

for a new recovery blog -- SOBRIETY IN THE PASS -- drop by and say howdy to David


If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.
- Gail Sheehy

just thinkin'

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that all those feelings I had during my 30's and 40's (I got sober at age 49) turned out to be wrong.
I didn't have to die with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

that I've never attempted suicide. I have thought about it a few times, more on an intellectual basis. I've thought about how I might accomplish it, but have never been serious about actually doing it. I know many who have done so however.

that I have no big resentments, but there are a few things that I wish weren't the way they are.

for some common sense


You don't have the power to make life "fair,"
but you do have the power to make life joyful.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie.

Not perfect, just excellent

todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to hear a good discussion about one of my plethora of defects -- Perfectionism.
I have learned that it's one of most selfish and self-centered defects I can have because it sets me apart from others as I try to be special. It can be my attempt to be superior to you.
Today, I don't have to be perfect. But I can be excellent.

that I occasionally get to experience sanity.

that yesterday our high temperature (in Houston) was only 92. It was the first day this August that the high temp was under 95. Wheeeeeeeee!!


It is always a good day to be grateful for all of life - grateful for large blessings and small. Especially to be grateful for the symbolic blessings - the rainbows and butterflies that come into our lives what we least expect and most need them.

beginning this week...

Irony.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the things I so often take for granted ...

my health
my friends
my home
my cars
my income
my abilities

that I DON'T take these things for granted ...

my sobriety / recovery
my serenity



We come this way but once. We can either tiptoe through life and hope we get to death without being badly bruised or we can live a full, complete life achieving our goals and realizing our wildest dreams.
- Bob Proctor

Foreign Commercials

Which one is your favorite?

Oh, no -- more bad puns ...

1. The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

7. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

9. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

12. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

13. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

14. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

15. The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

16. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

17. A backward poet writes inverse.

18. In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

19. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

20. If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine.

21. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'

22. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says 'Dam!'

23. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

24. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.'

25. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

26. There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

over the hump

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful for some things I've learned ...

how to get sober and how to stay sober

to never say never

that I'd rather be happy than right

that I'm absolutely powerless over all living things (and most other stuff as well)

that I can't do moderation with moderation

that things almost always work out the way they should

that advanced mathematics is not for me

The only limits in our life are those we impose on ourselves.
- Bob Proctor

rocky road

Do you see the road? Nice view, huh?


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm aware of so many more of my character defects -- mostly, these things went unnoticed during my drinking years

that there are ways to deal with those defects; I just have to be willing

for Maggie. A very cute, 1-year old brown Labrador Retriever that a friend just adopted from the SPCA this week. She's so damn cute!

that I have always been interested in sports -- my likes and dislike have changed over the years, but I am still a fan of most sports

Whatever you do, do with kindness.
Whatever you say, say with kindness.
Wherever you go, radiate kindness.
~ unknown

a few quips, here and there

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

A.A. is not a plan for recovery that can be finished and done with. It is a way of life. page 275*

in return for a bottle and a hangover, I have been given the Keys of the Kingdom. page 276*

that the alcoholic has to continue to take inventory every day if he expects to get well and stay well. page 265*

a complete change takes place in our approach to life. page 275*

* The previous statements are from ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, 4th edition.


Life's most persistent and urgent question is, "What are you doing for others?"
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

a peaceful journey

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for consecutive days of serenity

that my serenity comes second, just behind my sobriety

to see examples of guys and gals who do the right thing - they are some of my greatest teachers and they never know it

for opportunities to be of service

As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

ups & downs

This week, I'll post a few pictures of some cool and unusual streets and roads.







todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that AA accepts anyone who wants to stop drinking.

to know that I'm so powerless over other people, especially others in the program who want to blame their problems on me -- LOL

that most of the people I know seem to like me or at least accept me for what I am

that I had the honor of emceeing a fundraiser Saturday night. It was a spoof on the old Newlywed Game, which we renamed The Gaylywed Game. Lotsa fun and recovery.

that I usually volunteer to participate in my own recovery

I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.
- Maya Angelou

Glue commercial

Best Glue Commercial

The good old days

I don't know how accurate this is, but it makes for interesting reading.

The year is 1910
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1910:
*********************************

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower !
The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year ..
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME .
Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The Five Leading Causes of Death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars ....
The population of Las Vegas , Nevada , was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school..
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.
Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.'
( Shocking? DUH! )
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help ....

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

a few simple facts ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm not just sober, but I'm in recovery

that recovery allows me to handle the difficult times without wanting or needing to drink alcohol

that I found a Higher Power just by being willing and open-minded

for some friends I haven't met yet


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

Steps 4 and 5

Cereal junkie...........

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that by writing out Step 4 (of AA's twelve steps) I could visualize on paper some patterns to my faulty thinking; I learned a few things aobut myself I would never have imagined

that Step 5 gave me the opportunity to trust another human with my deepest and darkest secrets; by doing this, the negative power of some of that knowledge was removed

that my 8 years relationship with my other half is, at times, the most difficult thing I've ever tried.

I keep trying.

that my bronchitis is a little better, but the cough remains deep within me at times


In all things and in all ways, choice impacts virtually every element of our life. It bears repeating that even those things which seem out of reach of our choice are governed by how we choose to perceive them.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Steps 1, 2 & 3

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to know that I'm powerless over just about everything that happens

that my faith and trust in a HP brings me comfort, which in turn offers me some serenity and sanity

that I don't have to control anything except my behavior

I think you'll enjoy THIS.

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.
- Leo Buscaglia

doormat, no more

my favorite doormat!!!


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my recovery seems to be a life of lesser addictions; some new, some are just now blossoming

that I hope to never finish working the steps

that I haven't missed any of my regular AA meetings since I've been on bronchitis medication -- however, it's really difficult to stay awake and I've gone home and slept after a few of those meetings

that it will be really nice to get back to the gym -- I think I'm gonna have to wait another day or two though


If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?
- Confucius

Back to Gratitude!

great doormat!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that nothing is more important to me than my sobriety

for the wisdom and experience I hear in the rooms of A.A.

that I have the rest of my life to practice recovery and the knowledge that I'll get a little better at it as the days pass by

for a peaceful weekend in which I got almost enough rest


Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.
~~ unknown

Amazing Grace

Rhema Marvanne - 'Amazing Grace' REVISED 6/11 from Black Olive Media.com on Vimeo.

The Importance of Walking

Walking can add minutes to your life.

This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $7000 per month.

My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60.
Now he's 97 years old and we don't know where he is.

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing..

I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks.
Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there.

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they'll say, 'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'

If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.

I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years, just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Friday the 13th

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I get to be sober again all day

for the unity that's spelled out in Tradition One of the 12/12. Without it, I, along with countless others, would not still be here.

that my illness is a mild case of bronchitis. The headaches that accompany the heavy coughing are not caused by a brain tumor which I thought might end my life at any moment.

that I'm gonna have to rest all weekend -- doctor's orders! I am not going to like this.

Self-care is critical to having a strong inner foundation. Taking good care of YOU means the people in your life will receive the best of you rather than what is left of you.
- Lorraine Cohen

Thursday RANT!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that a California judge said that my constitutional right to marry the human being that I want to marry should not be up to the voters

that I seem to be the only person who thinks Steven Slater (ex-flight attendant) is a friggin' fool. He caused a hundred passengers to miss connections and meetings due to his selfishness.

that I think it's some kind of karma that former Senator Ted Stevens (the $450M bridge to nowhere) died when his small airplane flew into the side of a mountain. There ain't no bridge/mountain high enough?

that it will all work out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end!

You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.
- Rabindranath Tagore

good thangs come-a-knockin'

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I didn't really have a nervous breakdown 7 years ago; I was just on my way to my alcoholic bottom

for the many things I have accomplished during my 56 years on this little planet; it's a very long list when I really think about it and I bet your list would be just as long or longer!

that I'm no longer a living hell for/to my partner

for the concept of detachment that I've learned in Al Anon, although sometimes I think I may detach too much (Syd?)


A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.
- Ralph Nader

8-10-10

I used to have a sign at my door that said, "No Solicitors" but I like this doormat too.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that, even though my memory isn't very good, I can remember what I did last night

that, even though my memory isn't very good, I can remember what I did last night

that, even though my memory isn't very good, I can remember what I did last night

and I don't plan on drinking today

I'm up really early today, so I'm off to the gym


Where there is no vision, there is no hope.
- George Washington Carver

Walking through the door

This week, I'll post some pictures of doormats you probably haven't seen before.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that if I stay sober today (and I think I will) I'll have a real good chance of practicing and experiencing some recovery

for recovery fellowship - without it, I'd be drinking. No if's, and's or but's.

that I am a little better at adjusting to life when things don't go the way I want them to

for a free ticket to see comedian Kathy Griffin with a group of friends in recovery this past Saturday (I'm glad I didn't pay for it!)


It is our choices ... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
- J. K. Rowling

Understanding Engineers part 2

Understanding Engineers Four

The graduate with a science degree asks, "Why does it work?"

The graduate with an engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"

The graduate with an accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"

The graduate with an arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"



Understanding Engineers Five

Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.



Understanding Engineers Six

An engineer was crossing a road one day, when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess."

He bent over, picked up the frog, and put it in his pocket. The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn back into a beautiful princess and stay with you for one week."

The engineer took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket.

The frog then cried out, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a princess, I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want."

Again, the engineer took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket.

Finally, the frog asked, "What is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess and that I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?"

The engineer said, "Look, I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog, now that's cool."

Understanding Engineers part 1

Understanding Engineers One

Two engineering students were biking across a university campus when one said, "Where did you get such a great bike?"

The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, "Take what you want."

The first engineer nodded approvingly and said, "Good choice; the clothes probably wouldn't have fit you anyway."



Understanding Engineers Two

To the optimist, the glass is half-full.
To the pessimist, the glass is half-empty.
To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.



Understanding Engineers Three

A priest, a doctor, and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly slow group of golfers. The engineer fumed, "What's with those guys? We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes!"

The doctor chimed in, "I don't know, but I've never seen such inept golf!"

The priest said, "Here comes the green-keeper. Let's have a word with him." He said, "Hello George, what's wrong with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"

The green-keeper replied, "Oh, yes. That's a group of blind firemen. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime."

The group fell silent for a moment.

The priest said, "That's so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight."

The doctor said, "Good idea. I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist colleague and see if there's anything he can do for them.

The engineer said, "Why can't they play at night?"

The Promises

This is YOUR lucky day!! click here



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful for The Promises ...

... If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through (step 9).
... We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
... We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
... We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know a new peace.
... No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
... That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
... We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
... Self-seeking will slip away.
... Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
... Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
... We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
... We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
- Brian Tracy

feelin' it

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we had 20 persons at our Eyes Wide Shut meeting yesterday (6:30am). Traditionally, it averages about 10-12 souls. We have been having 15-16 lately, but 20 looked huge!

that some of the most wonderful AA meetings I've attended have had less than 10 attendees

for the absolutely incredible effect that the practice of Step 3 has on my day-to-day life. Being able to just let go and allow life to happen, without fighting it or anybody, is the best way to serenity that I've found. Thanks, y'all.

that I understand almost enough new technology to get by

Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

not much new, but I'm here as always

redneck baby chair AND teething ring

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that it was what it was, but more importantly, it is what it is

that I found a Higher Power even though I thought the idea was rubbish
that I'm rough around the edges and I'll always be that way

for the aging process (I may not be grateful for this in a few years, so I thought I'd mention it now)

A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain.
- Samuel Johnson

room for two

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I woke up sober this morning, no hangover or anything

that I don't have to wonder about how much of a fool I made of myself last night. I remember everything.

that my less than pure thoughts don't turn into actions or bad behavior (usually)

that I am more open about sharing about my sarcasm and smart-ass-ness than I used to be. That doesn't mean I have any intention of curtailing such behavior. I believe this is covered in the steps.


No man who is occupied in doing a very difficult thing, and doing it very well, ever loses his self-respect.
- George Bernard Shaw

Step this way ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a very pleasant weekend, although it's hot as hell here (like many places)

for the things I've learned from Step 4 -- "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves." It teaches me to continuously look at my part in everything that happens in my life.

in a meeting about Step 4, someone shared, "I am waiting for the day when I don't have a part in something that happens in my life." Love it!!

for end-of-the-month birthday nights at Lambda Center. For July, we had 24 celebrants with 290 years of sobriety.

that I got to participate in another Lambda fundraiser -- our own version of The Gong Show. It was a lot of fun. Later this month, I'll be hosting/emceeing our own version of The Newlywed Game, which we've renamed The Gaylywed Game.


Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.
- Conrad Hilton

By any other name ...

Take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.

Here are some examples ...

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

3. Intaxicaton : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

7. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high

8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido : All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.

And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n.. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3.. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4 esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.

6.. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v.. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.