Pumpkins galore!

Happy Halloween!!

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Step 7

I'll post some great! photos of Halloween pumpkins this weekend. Drop by and see 'em.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for those days when I remember to actively practice Steps 6 & 7. We read and discussed Step 7 yesterday. Here's a few of my favorite parts ......

... the attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.'s Twelve Steps. for without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all.

... never was there enough of what we thought we wanted

... we never thought of making honesty, tolerance, and true love of man and God the daily basis of living.

... The chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear, primarily fear that we would lose something we already possessed or would fail to get something we demanded.

the quote below. My kind of humor.

In order to fly, all one must do is simply miss the ground.
- Douglas Adams

change & awareness

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that it's OK to be angry and that I know a method to prevent that anger from becoming a major resentment

for Step 4 and the freedom it gives me -- awareness

that I finally learned last night in my Al Anon meeting that I don't need to keep protecting my partner from his own behavior. I allow him to make his mistakes and live his life, but I have always tried to keep those things a secret and I am the one who suffers when I do that.
Hopefully, I can remember to stop protecting him. (this is HUGE for me)

that I'm so blessed and fortunate -- I must always remember to pay it forward.


To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard

I really identify ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for these excerpts from one of the stories in the Big Book ...

... I tried to hide my drinking by going places where I was unlikely to see anyone I knew.
... I made excuses for trips in order to drink without restraint.
... the creeping up of the frequency and quantity of alcohol and what it does to a person is apparent to eveyone but the person involved.
... never having enough, always craving more
... Drink planning became more important than any other plans.
... Not knowing where I had been or how I got home was making me desperate.
... Resenting anyone and everyone who might interfere with my personal plans and ways of doing things -- especially for any interference with my drinking.

This is all from just one page of the book. I totally identify with it all.

Damn!

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
- Raymond Lindquist

staying current

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for Step 10

for the little, but noticeable, changes occurring during my 8th year of recovery

for the preparations I'm making for a fundraiser this weekend. It's a local version of the old TV show, Let's Make a Deal. I am playing the host.

for my mother -- she taught me so much without really trying. She's been on my mind a lot lately and I miss her. She died back in August 2008 from the effects of a major stroke. I was able to be with her during her last 3 years on Earth as her health gradually declined.
A few of you guys travelled this part of my journey with me and for that, I am grateful too.
If you still have your parents, cherish them if you can. There won't be another chance.


Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.
- Thomas Jefferson

Honesty -- really?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I had a full weekend of fellowship -- both with friends in and out of the program

that people trust me enough to handle large amounts of cash -- unsupervised! LOL

that I can resist almost everything, except temptation

that my Corvette actually won 1st place in its category (1970-1979 vintage cars) at a local car show


I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
- Thomas Jefferson

Truths for mature Humans

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Bud Lite than Kay.

17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

24. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important. Ladies.....Quit Laughing.

Rich Little presents...

which way?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for smiles in AA meetings

that my problems aren't as bad as my solutions

that I have no reason to relapse on alcohol -- others do that for me (does that sound crude?)

that I no longer look for love in all the wrong places (you wouldn't believe some of the places I looked!)

The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.
- Oscar Wilde (Irish writer, poet, and playwright)

Learning about life

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that sometimes I'm a fast learner; sometimes a slow learner. I don't know why or when either of those will be dominant.

for some awareness that much of my learning took place before I was 8 years old

that bad habits can be broken and new habits can be formed

that by being the best person I can be, I will remain teachable


Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
- Helen Keller

round & round

Cell phone for seniors ...



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to be sober and relatively happy

that I got to substitute chair the noon meeting yesterday

that my sober life is so different from my drinking life

that I know the trick -- to stay spiritually fit (pass it along!!)

that a good defense is the best offense


In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
- John Muir

the big red wagon

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a 12-step sponsor that took me thoroughly through the steps in my first year

that after I had completed my ninth step, my life and recovery leaped forward

for the people who show me the way -- some intentionally, many not

that an old friend showed up in the 12:15p meeting yesterday - had not seen him in about 5 years

that we got a little rain yesterday - first precipitation in 27 days


A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life.
- William Arthur Ward

the parade of life

It may not look like it, but this is my car in a parade a couple of days ago. There's a high school band in front of us and many cars and such behind us.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my expectations of life are few. I heard early on that my expectatons have a direct link to my serenity, so I found a way to lower my expectations of most things. Now, in my relationship with my partner, that's a different thing. I am at a loss there.

for excitement and passion in myself and others -- I love to see it!

that Mary Christine (Being Sober) ran in and actually completed her first marathon (running). She was originally a marathon drinker, has been in marathon recovery since then, is a marathon blogger and is now a running marathoner!

that I had the opportunity participate in the 50th anniversary of my high school. I drove in a small, local parade and carried the longest-serving state senator of Texas. We had a good chat and then shared a catered BBQ lunch. A lovely afternoon. I would NEVER have done this if I were still drinking!!


It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe.
- Robert W. Service

Boeing 797

Look at this new aircraft....

Boeing is preparing a 1000 passenger jet that could reshape the air travel industry for the next 100 years.. The radical Blended Wing design has been developed by Boeing in cooperation with the NASA Langley Research Center . The huge plane will have a wing span of 265 feet compared to the 747's 211 feet, and is designed to fit within the newly created terminals used for the 555 seat Airbus A380, which is 262 feet wide.

The new 797 is in direct response to the Airbus A380 which has racked up 159 orders.

Boeing decide to kill its 747X stretched super jumbo in 2003 after little interest was shown by airline companies, but has continued to develop the ultimate Airbus crusher 797 for years at its Phantom Works research facility in Long Beach, Calif.

The Airbus A380 has been in the works since 1999 and has accumulated $13 billion in development costs, which gives Boeing a huge advantage now that Airbus has committed to the older style tubular aircraft for decades to come.

There are several big advantages to the blended wing design, the most important being the lift to drag ratio which is expected to increase by an amazing 50%, with overall weight reduced by 25%, making it an estimated 33% more efficient than the A380, and making Airbus's $13 billion dollar investment look pretty shaky.

High body rigidity is another key factor in blended wing aircraft, It reduces turbulence and creates less stress on the air frame which adds to efficiency, giving the 797 a tremendous 8800 nautical mile range with its 1000 passengers flying comfortably at mach 0.88 or 654 mph cruising speed, another advantage over the Airbus tube-and-wing designed A380's 570 mph.

The exact date for introduction is unclear, yet the battle lines are clearly drawn in the high-stakes war for future civilian air supremacy.

Old Rock Stars -- updates

Click HERE for some updated songs

tidbits

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I get to hear so much wisdom on a daily basis

for Step 6 - "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."

that when I'm "entirely ready" my life seems to run a lot smoother

for having the proper attitude -- it allows many good things to happen


A good life isn't measured in material goods. There is no quicker path to misery than coveting your neighbors' stuff.
~~ anonymous

Going Slowly ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we got to hear a fantastic speaker yesterday at our mid-week noon meeting. He really hit the nail on the head.

that I don't always have to be up front and in charge -- it's great to let others do that

for consistency. I've said it before, but need to remind myself.

for a return to Al Anon after a 3-week absence. I needed it last night and heard some things I needed to hear. My home life is going through one of its most difficult times and I'm kinda tired of trying to figure things out. Right now, I'm taking no action other than just talking. And then, I have the Confucius quote below. LOL


Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
- Confucius

It's Real!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the ongoing rescue happening in Chile - watching the drama is a great reminder for me to keep my thinking in perspective

that we read CROSSING THE RIVER OF DENIAL yesterday -- one of my favorite stories in the 4th edition of the Big Book.
I really identify with so many of her feelings and experiences .......

*** "I just kept lowering my standards."

*** "I got drunk, blacked out, threw up, had dry heaves, was sick to death the next day, and I knew I would do it again."

*** "Finally, I made some friends who drank just as I did."

*** "After a day's drinking disguised as softball ..."

*** "... the thought of getting sober terrified me."

I love this program.


A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.
- Cicero

Tuesday lite

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

the color green

silliness without hurt

that I rarely take myself too seriously; when I do, life ain't much fun

for Step 8 and the willingness involved. That was an interesting process.


Is a small rainbow any less a miracle than a large rainbow?
~~ anonymous

Keep the Faith

CLICK ON THE PIC TO ENLARGE



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for perspective to see that things happen the way they do - for a reason. I rarely see those reasons until much later. Thus, I must always keep the faith that everything will work out just the way it should.

for the time I get to spend working with other alkies

that yesterday, I celebrated 4 consecutive years of NO SMOKING!

for the past 10 days of beautiful weather here in SE Texas

A coincidence is a small miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous.
- Anonymous

ten-ten-ten

Dancing at the Movies

Service

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we had a tremendous Tradition Five meeting yesterday morning. It was all about our primary purpose.

that I was able to put aside my selfish instinct to say NO! and accept another sponsee

for so many ways to be of service to others

for THIS link to some recovery sloganz

that I'm gonna have a great Friday, if I choose to


Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
- C.S. Lewis

being there

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the feeling that I'm doing mostly the right things; I rarely feel a need to make amends anymore

that a few people actually ask me for help; often, that's just to be a good listener and I am very happy to do that

for a busy day yesterday; I didn't get to sit down and rest until after 8pm -- and I'm retired folks!

that I no longer live in hotels. I did just that for many years when I was working overseas. It's great to have a home. And a home group.


Listen to the compass of your heart.
All you need lies within you.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Blog post # 2,700

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm still eager to fullfill my commitments to myself; this blog is one of them

that I'm one of the few alcoholics on this planet who is now a non-drinker; I hope you are too!


that I don't blame my drinking on anyone else

that my journey through active alcoholism was not fatal

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone.
- Bill Cosby

bright & shiny

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have not had a drink in over 7 years, no matter what!

that I'm accountable; to myself mainly and to others as well

for those who make it back to AA after a relapse; they teach me a lot

that I lived through another baseball season; I've been a Houston Astros fan since their inception in 1962. It's been a lifelong lesson in loyalty and patience.

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

Ten-Four, good buddy

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


that our friend, Zane, told us his story of experience (lots of it), strength (it's obvious) and hope (everlasting) at the Saturday Night Live speaker meeting at Lambda Center

for a relatively quiet weekend

for naturally funny people; I am around many of them every day

that I came across The Recovering Alcoholic. He's the "best drinker ever". Drop by and help make him welcome to this unique world of recovery.

for beautiful weather to be one of many who showed off our cars this weekend; I took a lot of pictures and will psot some of them this week


Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits.
- Mark Twain (humorist)

Choke!

I can't imagine how THIS guy must have felt!

Hay!

How drunk does somebody have to be to do this?

one-oh-one-one-oh

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that today is Friday

for a day spent listening to other alcoholics and practicing my compassion

that I get to go to my 3 recovery meetings today

that if I ever get burned out on being sober, happy, joyous and free, I can always go back to being absolutely miserable

that I didn't freak out when my gym went out of business last Friday. I found another one on Saturday and joined it.


It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.
- Benjamin Franklin