Trying to figure it all out

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that Step 4 has really been in my face lately (and that's a good thing)

that I turn my phone OFF or on SILENCE and keep it in my pocket for a full hour during meetings. I am really tired of watching people texting during AA meetings. For all future meetings that I lead as chairperson, I shall ask that everyone refrain from using their phone completely for an hour.

that experience can be a great teacher for those willing to learn

that Hayden and I are able to help someone who's ill and has no family and few friends


The opposite of love is not hate but indifference.
-Elie Wiesel

Happy Monday to y'all

How to tell you're at a gay party ...







todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I was (again) on hand at Lambda Center's Birthday Night where there were 24 recovering alkies celebrating a total of 287 years of sobriety (March was a slow month)

for all the things I'm lucky enough to have ... from my sobriety and health to my friends and belongings

for all the things I'm lucky enough NOT to have ... from a hangover today and poor health to being alone and living under a bridge

that we're all in this together

for gorgeous weekend weather


People get so in the habit of worry that if you save them from drowning and put them on a bank to dry in the sun with hot chocolate and muffins, they wonder whether they are catching cold.
-John Jay Chapman

789 Chevy

1957, 1958 & 1959 all rolled into one!
This little Chevy is just too cool!
This car was built by N2A motors (No Two Alike). Cost $40,000 over cost of new Corvette C6 (MSRP $44,000).
Unbelievable!
The company is planning a production run of about 100 vehicles. It sits on a Corvette C6 chassis, front styled like a 57 Chevy, side like a 58, rear like a 59. Hence the designation "789".

a video AND a joke

BONUS JOKE ...

My wife and I are watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, "Do you want to have sex?"
"No," she answered.
I then said, "Is that your final answer?"
She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying "Yes."
So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."
And that's when the fight started....

Here it is...

click on the article to enlarge it






todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I don't have to be perfect today, but I can be excellent!

for the wisdom behind (A.A.) Tradition 11 ... "Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films."
We could unoffically add the internet.

that I am not a slave to my BlackBerry (many seem to be) or to Facebook

that I have cut down my formal workouts (with a trainer) to twice per week, thus adding to the intensity of my workouts

"How does one become a butterfly? You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."
-Trina Paulus

a sleeper

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for all the people who keep showing up at the meetings I attend; without them, I'd be alone

that sometimes a little effort is all that's required

that I am more aware of those times when I have negative thoughts and can attempt to quell them

for a statement from a friend yesterday at the noon AA meeting ... He was commenting on being arrested last weekend for an outstanding warrant for an unpaid traffic ticket.
He said that the ticket was a consequence of his drinking. The fact that it was unpaid (after 2 years) is a consequence of his alcoholism. BRILLIANT!!


Old age, to the unlearned, is winter; to the learned, it’s harvest time.
-Yiddish Saying

Easy Does It

A friend sent me this suggestion ...


PATRIOTIC RETIREMENT
There's about 40 million people over 50 in the work force.
Pay them $1 million apiece severance with stipulations.
They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings -- Unemployment fixed.
They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered -- Auto Industry fixed. They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage -- Housing Crisis fixed.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a meeting about EASY DOES IT

for reminders of my faulty thinking -- basically, I am wired differently than most people and I accept this

that I have been relieved of solving the world's problems and I no longer am responsible for everything that goes wrong. WHEW!!

for the sitcoms when I was a kid -- they espoused family values and always had a positive message and moral

BONUS GRATITUDE ...

HERE'S some great photos of the history of AA.

Inches make champions.
-Vince Lombardi

Tuesday morning

Babies and Daddies




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for Step 3 and the many interpretations by those in recovery -- for me it all boils down to letting it go (whatever "it" may be)

that the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train

for another day and many chances to practice love and tolerance

that I did my civic duty yesterday and sat for 3 hours waiting to be picked for a jury. I wasn't picked. So I made it to the noon AA meeting at Lambda with time to spare.

Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby.
-Ruth E. Renkel

the letter

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the 6:30am Eyes Wide Shut AA meeting I attend every Mon-Fri

that some of my service work today will be answering a letter to serve on jury duty

that I got to listen to Dianna M relate her story of alcoholism at a Saturday night meeting

for the every Saturday dinner with Zane M and whoever else may join us

that I got some nice and peaceful yard work done yesterday

Challenge is a dragon with a gift in its mouth... Tame the dragon and the gift is yours.
-Noela Evans

Kids say the darndest things!

Song meister

Do you know the #1 song the day you were born?

CLICK HERE and look up your birth date.


Here's another short video that you may not want to watch.
~~WARNING~~ it contains female nudity

Friday morning

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a sober Thursday in which I went to meetings where Step 11 was read from the Twelve & Twelve and then discussed

that two of my sponsees are on Step 4 but neither are making much progress (yet)

that I am really gonna try to be my best today (this includes being [more] careful about the words that roll off my tongue)

that 6 of us will join together and make a hospital visit this morning for a mutual friend who needs an AA meeting

that today is Boston's belly-button birthday - drop by and wish her well!

that I made a first-time investment in some gold -- I moved a little money around (some of what's left) and diversified.

No love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.
-Francois Muriac

Watch Your Step

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the willingness to keep doing whatever it takes

for those rare times when I see someone "get it"

when I can slow down and enjoy the moment

that I tend to take things for granted less often because I make this list

that I got to grow up at a time of great entertainment talent ie: Carol Burnett (I watched a 1-hour special on PBS last night about her)


The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.
-James Oppenheim

Are these extravagant promises?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that whenever I'm able to Live and Let Live, people around me are much happier

for the Promises listed on pages 83 & 84 of Alcoholics Anonymous

for a very peaceful and enjoyable birthday -- thanks to everyone who gave me good wishes

for NASA -- many people don't seem to realize how much the space program has changed our world

that it's baseball season again


No love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.
-Francois Muriac

I'm now the speed limit

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the many concepts contained within the 2nd step

for the wisdom of Father Joseph Martin --- CLICK HERE

that I've only had 1 broken bone during my lifetime (so far), but my broken spirit was much worse. Fortunately it is healing nicely.

that today at 10:10am I made it to the ripe old age of 55


Be your own hero, it's cheaper than a movie ticket.
-Doug Horton

Wizards & Wisdom

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to hear a friend relate 55 minutes of his story and he did it with honesty, frankness and humor

that part of the wisdom that age brings me is the realization of how little I really understand

that I no longer drink alcohol in any amount whatsoever

that I had lunch with a sponsee who has been remiss about making meetings; a very positive talk

that southeast Texas has finally gotten some much needed rain the past 4 days

that I am a little more comfortable visiting friends in the hospital than I used to be; my friend Norris L. is recuperating form 3 surgeries (all with the same knee) in a span of less than 3 weeks


Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.
-George Bernard Shaw

Richard P

This is a clip from 1977-- still funny after more than 30 years!

Click Here

interesting commercial

Knock knock ...

The Lost Generation


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I've yet to find a trigger to make me want to drink; I am neutral to the idea

that I am a little better these days about recognizing when I am playing the victim

that I have the tools to stop being the victim

tha the blackouts have stopped (but my memory still sucks)

for some really good workouts at the gym lately - my trainer is mean, a very mean man

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
-James Dent


btw -- Who's there?

Being ...

Black is In!!!

The most powerful politician in the world is black.
The best golfer in the world is black.
The best female tennis players are black.
The fastest racing driver in the world is black.
The world's best sprinter is black.....

Michael Jackson must be kicking himself.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to be a sober and productive person

that a friend from my small 6:30am meeting told her story yesterday at the much larger noon meeting. It was done with honesty and humility. Very intriguing.

for some interesting observations

that I have some secret information that you don't have - that's what makes it secret (and me sicker than you)


Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money and power and influence.
-Henry Chester

Crabs

Coconut Crab (Birgus latro) is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world. It is known for its ability to crack coconuts with its strong pincers in order to eat the contents. It is sometimes called the robber crab because some coconut crabs are rumored to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents. The second photo gives you a good idea of how large these crabs are - a coconut crab is seeking food from a black trashcan.

The coconut crab is a large edible land crab related to the hermit crab, and are found in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans . They eat coconuts for a living! How would you like to be on an island and come across a crab that is more than 3 feet from head to tail and weighs up to 40 pounds, with a pair of large pincers strong enough to open coconuts! They can climb trees too, but they only eat coconuts that have already fallen to the ground.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I've attended first step meetings 2 days in a row -- they are usually jam-packed with experience and knowledge

no more blackouts and the embarrassment that went with them

that I remind myself every morning to be more compassionate and patient than I was yesterday

for the years I spent working offshore (1981-1984) and the sights I had the opportunity to witness -- from the magnificence of the weather to the beauty of the many species of animals


Life is a roller-coaster. Try to eat a light lunch.
-David Schmaltz

Tuesday morning

My favorite television character of all time is Rob Petrie (Dick van Dyke Show).
Check out this blooper reel.




How 'bout you? Who's your favorite TV character?



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I can give back in more ways than I can think of

for the importance of not having that first drink and that AA has taught me how to avoid it

that I haven't experienced an alcoholic blackout in years -- that's really nice!

to see some new faces on old people in the rooms of AA

Friendship is a promise of future loyalty, loyalty no matter what comes. Promises are the bricks of life and trust is the mortar.
-Stephen Carter

Thoughts on a Monday

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


for the WE of the program and to be reminded that those who are not in the program cannot possibly understand how important it is

for a slowly increasing knowledge of my fears

for a nice talk with my sponsor

that I don't feel threatened by the act of 2 people practicing heterosexuality

that the bi-annual time change doesn't bother me at all -- I don't even notice it
(I also never get jet lag)


Never miss a chance to keep your mouth shut.
-Robert Newton Peck

Is your dog this smart?

Many of us are quite confused about how we should present ourselves. We are unsure about the kind of image we are projecting and whether or not we are correct as we try to conform to current fashions. Despite what you may have seen on the streets, the following combinations DO NOT go together ...
And should be avoided:

1. A nose ring and bifocals
2. Spiked hair and bald spots
3. A pierced tongue and dentures
4. Miniskirts and support hose
5. Ankle bracelets and corn pads
6. Speedo's and cellulite
7. A belly button ring and a gall bladder surgery scar
8. Unbuttoned disco shirts and a heart monitor
9. Midriff shirts and a midriff bulge
10. Bikinis and liver spots
11. Short shorts and varicose veins
12. Inline skates and a walker

And last, but not least...

13. Thongs and Depends

Saturday morning

I've only just begun

video stolen from donated by Scott W

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for new behavior, backed by a better attitude

that I enjoy life as a sober person; I would NEVER have thought this possible

for patience that not only comes from serenity but enhances it

that I am now 5 years, 6 months and 1 day sober

that we've only just begun

for the PBS program last night entitled -- "Celtic Woman - The Greatest Journey" -- some beautiful music.


We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.
-Charles Kingsley

Can you do this?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I didn't trip over the fork in the road

for some of the lessons from Step 10 ...
continuously looking at my actions and even my thinking
the spot-check inventory
doing the next right thing
pause when agitated
letting go of anger and resentments
live and let live
compassion towards others and myself
recognizing my motives

What have I missed?


We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
-Marianne Williamson

Say nope to dope

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my sobriety is my priority, which is why it leads my gratitude list

that I don't even miss smoking that ounce of marijuana each week

that Step 4 has kinda been in my face the past week (2 sponsees have just begun Step 4 and yesterday we read about it in the Big Book)

that Hayden very innocently reminded me how screwed up my thinking can be


Life is like a ten-speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use.
-Charles M. Schultz

forrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre!!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for people who care and take action

for the infinite number of ways to carry the message

that I can usually carry the message rather than the mess

that I don't try to practice recovery; I try to live it


Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time.
-Lou Brock

fishnet

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a very enjoyable AA birthday night @ Lambda Center; 26 celebrants with 293 years of sobriety

that until I met forgiveness, I only knew resentments

for some occasional sanity

for a new link, drop by to visit Recovery 101

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.
-The Hausa Of Nigeria

A great way to start the month ...

Just sit back and enjoy this!