Drink, Steal, Swear & Lie

sent to me by a friend ...

DRINK, STEAL, SWEAR & LIE

I met this guy while I was in Albuquerque and he has a motto he lives by everyday. He said listen carefully and live by these 4 rules :
Drink, Steal, Swear, & Lie.

I was shaking my head 'no', but he then told me to listen while he explained his four rules. So here they are :

1.. "Drink" from the "everlasting cup" every day.
2.. "Steal" a moment to help someone that is in worse shape than you are.
3.. "Swear" that you will be a better person today than yesterday.
4.. And last, but not least, when you "lie" down at night thank God you live in America and have freedom.

I am not as good as I should be, I am not as good as I could be.
But THANK GOD I am better than I used to be !

Have a memorable weekend.
It's AA Birthday Night at Lambda tonight.

Whew!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I made it through a very busy week -- sober!

for another great 1st step meeting at the nooner -- a woman about my age came to her first AA meeting, not looking at the top of her game

that I may get my T-bird back today after throwing more money at it more mechanical work, including a new transmission

that the house closing went off without incident yesterday

that I'm not having a colonoscopy today (been there, done that)

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
-- Mohandas Ghandi

"One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. 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

"Whether you are a success or failure in life has little to do with your circumstances; it has much more to do with your choices!"
-- Nido Qubein

Closing day (I hope)

The current stage of construction on the new house.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have been able to find the energy (somehow) to complete the process of moving house

that people trust me

that we are scheduled to close the deal on the old townhouse this morning

for help in moving my plants form the old home to the new home, from a lesbian with a pickup truck

Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues.
-Confucius

I am now homeless (sorta)

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we read "Physician, Heal Thyself" yesterday at the 6:30am meeting

for your comments yesterday about the term trigger; it's caused me to re-think about the use of that word as it relates to sobriety

for the HUGE attitude change I recognize in myself over the past 5 years; I wonder if it has anything to do with not drinking and then practicing a recovery program?

that I'm now moved out of the old townhouse; just have some tidying to do today

for a good friend who is allowing H & I to live in his spare bedroom; it's like a 4-star hotel (actually H won't be here until next week - he finishes school today in Trinidad)

that I got this laptop computer last month, otherwise, I would have had to move my desktop puter around like a laptop

"Self-acceptance comes from meeting life's challenges vigorously. Don't numb yourself to your trials and difficulties, nor build mental walls to exclude pain from your life. You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory."
-- J. Donald Walters

picture this ...

this is a picture of everything
(click on it to enlarge)

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we had a wonderful Step 12 meeting at noon

that holidays are not triggers for me to drink; in fact, I have yet to find a trigger

that today is moving day; well, at least half-moving day as it all goes into storage for a few weeks

that I got 95.44% of my packing done yesterday even though I felt like crap

Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours.
-Richard Bach

Memorial Day Monday

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the millions of lives lost so that Americans can have opportunities

for another opportunity to see, feel and experience life as a recovering alkie

that Tracy R. told her story Saturday night; she is a true miracle of the program

for cold meds; I got hit pretty hard over the weekend

that I will get my packing finished in time; the movers are here tomorow morning and the house must be totally vacated by Thursday morning

If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.
-Yogi Berra

Sorry Officer

I dare you to try this.

double play

A man and a woman were sitting beside each other in the first class section of an airplane. The woman sneezed, took out a tissue, gently wiped her nose, then visibly shuddered for ten to fifteen seconds.

The man went back to his reading.

A few minutes later, the woman sneezed again, took a tissue, wiped her nose, then shuddered violently once more. Assuming that the woman might have a cold, the man was still curious about the shuddering. A few more minutes passed when the woman sneezed yet again. As before, she took a tissue, wiped her nose, her body shaking even more than before.

Unable to restrain his curiosity, the man turned to the woman and said, 'Couldn't help but notice you sneezed, wiped your nose and then shuddered violently. Are you OK?'

'I am sorry if I disturbed you. I have a very rare medical condition. Whenever I sneeze I have an orgasm.'

The man, more than a bit embarrassed, was still curious. 'I have never heard of that condition before' he said. 'Are you taking anything for it?'

The woman nodded, 'Pepper.'



"We in Denmark cannot figure out why you are even bothering to hold an election.
On one side, you have a bitch who is a lawyer, married to a lawyer; and a lawyer who is married to a bitch who is a lawyer.
On the other side, you have a true war hero married to a woman with a huge chest who owns a beer distributorship.Is there a contest here?"

Body Art on Friday

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that yesterday's 6:30am topic was Tradition Three -- "the only requirement for membership in AA is the desire to stop drinking" -- a friend says that AA can't lower its standards any further than that. LOL

that Ali (the young girl with the black eye 2 weeks ago) made it back to a meeting, albeit shaking very very badly and moving very slowly. I wanted to help but thought she might better identify with a couple of young women from her own generation, so I asked them to speak to her. I hope we see her again today.

for lunch with other sober drunks

for some tangible progress on our new home; it's about 3 weeks from completion (I hope)

"Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-- Harvey Mackay

Keeping it up

(click on the cartoon to make it BIGGER)





todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that Laura L told a small part of her story yesterday at the noon AA meeting; a few tears broke loose from my eyes

that she reminded me of the tremendous concept of not giving up 5 minutes before the miracle

that I chose to chair a discussion meeting that centered around rejection; apparently, I'm not the only person in the world with those feelings

that Frank T went to a ball game with me; I'm not sure why I called and asked him to go, but on the way to the game, he told me that it was his 6th AA anniversary. Coincidence?

One must care about a world one will never see.
-Bertrand Russell

a new look

Zane (Zanejabbers) asked me to let yall know that he's OK. He's having internet problems and will be back ASAP.







todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the people in my life because they are my life

that I didn't panic yesterday when I found out I must move from my home next week (we close on Thursday and the buyer can't extend our stay; our new home won't be ready for several more weeks)

that my cats will stay in a CatFlat (kennel) and an AA friend will house H and I

for a minor controversy yesterday at an AA meeting. It was about an outside issue being introduced (religion) and several people spoke up about its inappropriateness.

that somebody sent me this yesterday ...
We human beings are very funny: when something bad happens in our lives we say, "Why me? Why is this happening to me?" But when we wake up every morning and are alive and healthy and our family is well, we never say, "Why me? Why am I so fortunate?"

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
-Albert Schweitzer

still changing

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the major changes I have made in my life, personal and professional

that I needed help in making most of those changes

that I have no plans on writing a book

for evidence that I'm not the only imperfect human being
(not that I'm taking any inventores LOL)

that I finally got my new, old T-bird legally titled
(the previous owner sent me an incomplete title and it had to be rectified)

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
-Henri Bergson

May days

IMAGINE YOU ARE AT A PARTY .... Tenth floor of a hi-rise building.... AND THEN YOU HAVE TO VISIT THE BATHROOM.... You open the door.... NOW, REMEMBER, THE FLOOR IS JUST A PAINTED FLOOR !



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my worst problems don't amount to a hill of beans compared to most people

that most of my problems are made by me

that I attended a speaker meeting Saturday night and got to hear a talk by Duncan E.

for my weekly Saturday evening dinner with Zane and other friends

that an old friend returned to the rooms last night after 4 years of additional research

that I got to speak with my therapist for a few minutes at Lambda; he and his partner are moving to New Mexico in 2 weeks; once again, I'm being abandoned (shuddup David)

"Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things. I am tempted to think there are no little things."
-- Bruce Barton

"Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure."
-- Jim Rohn

"It takes less time to do things right than to explain why you did it wrong." -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Bad flight

Best Song Titles

You've seen these before, but they're worth further consideration...

Best Country-Western Song Titles of All-Time...


1. Get Your Biscuits In The Oven And Your Buns In Bed
2. Get Your Tongue Otta My Mouth 'Cause I'm Kissing
You Goodbye
3. Her Teeth Was Stained, But Her Heart Was Pure
4. How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away?
5. Can't Get Over You, So Why Don't You Get Under Me?
6. Don't Know Whether To Kill Myself Or Go Bowling
7. Got In At 2 With a 10, And Woke Up At 10 With a 2.
8. Hate Every Bone In Your Body Except For Mine
9. Just Bought A Car From A Guy That Stole My Girl,
But The Car Don't Run, So I Figure We Got An Even Deal
10. Keep Forgettin' I Forgot About You
11. Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well
12. Still Miss You Baby, But My Aim's Gettin' Better
13. Wouldn't Take Her To A Dog Fight, Cause I'm Afraid
She'd Win
14. I'll Marry You Tomorrow But Let's Honeymoon Tonite
15. I'm So miserable Without You, It's Like Having You
Here
16. I've Got Tears in My Ears From Lying On My Back
While I Cry Over You
17. If I Can't Be Number One In Your Life, Then Number
Two On You
18. If I Had Shot You When I Wanted To, I'd Be Out By
Now
19. Mama Get A Hammer (There's A Fly On Papa's Head)
20. My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink, And I Don't Love
Jesus
21. My Wife Ran Off With My Best Friend, and I Sure Do
Miss Him
22. Please Bypass this Heart
23. She Got The Ring and I Got The Finger
24. You're the Reason Our Kids Are So Ugly

just in time

I have been a car nut since my earliest memories.
Growing up in the 60's was a fine era to be a car nut and an adolescent. I recently bought this somewhat rare automobile as it was one of my favorites way back when. It is a 1967 Ford Thunderbird, fordor with suicide doors.

I have had some difficulties getting it to this point. I imported it from a seller in Canada and had it shipped down to Texas. It's been in the mechanics shop for the past 3 weeks just getting prepared for inspection. That's all done and it's now what is termed a daily driver. As with any older mechanical item, it will always need maintenance and repairs. Of course, I can say the same thing about myself.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the Step 3 meeting yesterday morning -- it was just what I needed to carry me through the day

that my major turning point was 1715 days ago and occurred just when I needed it

that I am not a government bureaucrat

that I watched The Steve Miller Band on PBS last night -- great stuff!!

that my new, old car is finally on the road

Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
-Karl Barth

another encore

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am more aware of my triggers than ever before

for tools to deal with those triggers, when I choose to use them

that I think I'm making progress against a few of my character defects

for severe thunderstorms that do no damage

that my little shoulder strain from working out is very treatable

Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.

-Anonymous

Turn up the volume!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that to listen is to learn

that I usually hear what I want to hear

that I often hear what I need to hear

for people who listen twice as much as they talk;
maybe that's why we have 2 ears and 1 mouth

that The Astros are playing so well these past 2 weeks

Hearing is one of the body's five senses. But listening is an art.
-Frank Tyger

Turn left at the next corner, please

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am just as enthusiastic about staying sober as I was about drinking

that staying sober is not a gray area for me; its either complete sobriety OR just give up and go get drunk

that you guys in AA taught me about needing a defense against having the first drink

for another very, very good 1st step meeting yesterday with a newcomer present (complete with a black eye and it didn't look good on her!)

for cats, coffee and computers

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
-Mother Teresa

On remembering ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that Mom seemed to appreciate my visit yesterday

for a peaceful weekend

for a very successful fundraiser Saturday night @ Lambda

that we had another productive Lambda Board meeting and then elected 2 new members to the Board

that the lack of serenity I was experiencing last week disappeared on Friday, simply because of the passage of time AND the fact that I shared my feelings with others, thus taking away the power of those feelings

Growth in wisdom may be exactly measured by decrease in bitterness.
-Friedrich Nietzsche

On this Mother's Day ...

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.
-Spanish Proverb

-- this picture is from 1966; she was 43

At first thought, I would think this is not the best Mother's Day I've ever experienced. My Mom is confined to a bed in a comprehensive nursing home. She is in hospice, meaning she will die any day. She can't speak and can't eat (except through a feeding tube) and rarely seems to understand what I'm saying. I'm not even sure she always knows who I am.

I only visit her once each week now, down from 2 or 3 times each week. Our (my sister and I) only objective these days is to see that her final days are as comfortable as possible. So she's not in pain. Her lifelong belief in God has carried her for 85 years.

As a recovering alcoholic, my newfound spirituality has taught me how to accept her situation and in many ways, how to deal with it. I feel that my HP has allowed her to continue breathing for a reason. I don't know what that reason is unless it's to bring us closer together. That has certainly been the case. And I know she spent many years taking care of her son. Now it's my turn to pay some of that back. Being sober, I do that with no regrets.

So I'll go see her today and take her a card and some flowers. She may or may not know I'm there. But it's the right thing to do and I'll do it with joy.

My favorite monkey

THPIF

When the lightning flashes, this is not what you want to see……...
Taken Thursday night, April 3, 2008.
Lariat # 2 -- Sandridge Energy -- South of Ft Stockton , TX



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that a young person (23) chaired a meeting yesterday about money problems;
this is a HUGE trigger for many people in recovery, thus something well worth discussing in a meeting

for all your nice comments yesterday regarding my low self-esteem;
I appreciate hearing it, but my mind tells me that you're just being nice because that's what you're supposed to do

I gotta long way to go

my mind also tells me that no one, absolutely no one, wants to be anywhere near me. This, in turn, causes me to avoid all people except those I may come in contact with as I go through my daily routines

I gotta lot of work to do on ME

for Steps 6 & 7

Don't solve your problems, dissolve your problems--so that they should not recur again.
-Yogi Bhajan

I'm not Unique?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to hear David D. tell his A.A. story yesterday; he is a former blogger from these here parts

for reminders of the effects of (perceived) rejection

for patience

that I'm going through another episode of very low self-esteem, but I know that soon it will pass

that I don't live near THIS sinkhole; it's devouring part of the town

that I went to a very exciting Astros game last night

No man was ever wise by chance.
-Seneca

mid-week stuff

THIS IS INDIA.

IT'S WHERE YOU CALL WHEN YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL PROBLEM WITH YOUR COMPUTER.




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that going to AA meetings consistently gives me the reminders I need to consistently live sober

that I am aware that I don't do well when I over-analyze a situation too much

that I know that I still have a lonnnnnggggg way to go before I can practice these principles in all my affairs

that I was paying attention in elementary school when we were taught to spell words correctly and perform simple arithmetic; it seems like younger generations have minimized the importance of these traits

that the Astros are lookin' much better these past 2 weeks

for Houston weather in the Spring


Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.
-Confucius

todAAy

i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for people who are willing to put themselves out there instead of just waiting for others to make things happen

for loyalty

for the nearly infinite number of ways that the practice of Step 10 can change my daily life (if I so choose)

that my legs are so much better today after a year of walking on a treadmill; I suffer from Peripheral Artery Disease, a result of 36 years of smoking 3 pack of cigarettes every damn day

that I am about 15 pounds lighter than a year ago

Leadership is doing what is right when no one is watching.
-George Van Valkenburg

beginning a new week ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that you guys give me so much freedom -- to make my own choices about how much recovery I want

that I'm always given the opportunity to do the next right thing

that The Golddiggers (Lambda's fundraising group) will produce the annual Mr/Ms Lambda contest this Saturday night and as always, I get to assist in some small way

that I have no desire to watch Miley Cyrus - the lost interview

that I got to meet Zane's new dog, Mamie

Tell me whom you love, and I will tell you who you are.
-Houssaye

An amazing young man

This is just about too much to believe.

meet Jay's friends

Only $20 for Answers & Solutions

todAAy i Am grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my circumstances leave no doubt of my powerlessness over alcohol
and everything else)

that I was able to conceive of a Higher Power

that when I surrender, I find serenity

that if I could remove all my character defects and grind them up, they could provide enough power to illuminate a small city for a month (what?)

that I'm going to the Astros game tonight with a friend in recovery

ATTITUDE

"A positive attitude is perhaps more important at home than anywhere else. As spouses and parents, one of our most vital roles is to help those we love feel good about themselves."
-- Keith Harrell

"We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of these assumptions."
-- Stephen Covey

"…look at that word blame. It's just a coincidence that the last two letters spell the word me. But that coincidence is worth thinking about. Other people or unfortunate circumstances may have caused you to feel pain, but only you control whether you allow that pain to go on. If you want those feelings to go away, you have to say: 'It's up to me."
-- Arthur Freeman

"Optimists are right. So are pessimists. It's up to you to choose which you will be."
-- Harvey Mackay

another sober day

todAAy i Am grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have been sober for 1700 days

for a good meeting about money/spending habits and how it can effect my sobriety and/or serenity

that Laurel K will be chairing the Wednesday noon speakers meetings in May

that I'm here today, sober and grateful

that some day later this year, all this election nonsense will be over
(for a little while, at least)

Two things a man should never be angry at: what he can help, and what he cannot help.
-Thomas Fuller