Welcome to March!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I truly have an open mind (I think)

that I have learned (sometimes, the hard way) to monitor my actions and behavior

that I deserve to be treated with respect

that I'm NOT Charlie Sheen


Each one has to find his peace from within.
And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.
- Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi

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

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 Ten

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

how the practice of Step 10 of Alcoholics Anonymous allows me to ...
... continue working my program throughout each day
... keep my side of the street clean
... monitor my behavior and actions
... prevent getting resentments
... prevent giving resentments
... stay aware of my character assets and defects

What can you add to this list?


We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. - Anais Nin

It's about time ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for continuous, uninterupted sobriety

for a minor breakthrough in my thinking disorder(s); it's simply that for the past several months I have been overly defensive towards what I perceive as criticism and/or second guessing --- it has taken me about 8 months to get a handle on this, now it's time to take action, beginning with some step work with my sponsor

for outside help

that our electricity came back on at 10am yesterday after 10 days in the dark


Losers do what they want to do.
Winners do what they have to do.
~~ AA member at a meeting in Palm Springs

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

Sugar & Spice

We spent time over the weekend preparing our current townhouse for staging (click for an explanation). Most of the personal touches are now gone or will be by tomorrow.

I don't much care for the way it looks. I like those icons that set me apart from others.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for another realization -- my entire adult life, until I got sober, centered around my relationships with people who drank. I only knew how to relate to those who drank. Some drank as much as I did, or more. But all my personal friends were drinkers. I didn't know how to connect with sober people. Today, all my relationships center around people who don't drink (except my life partner). I don't know how to relate to inebriated folks.
What I am trying to get across to you is that I do not comprehend how to have a proper social relationship with another human.

for the possibility of one day having some social skills

for a really groovy AA Birthday Night @ Lambda

that when my mind began making up untruths yesterday afternoon, I went to an AA meeting. It provided just the relief I needed, as advertised.

for progress on the home front

Miracles sometimes occur, but one has to work terribly hard for them.
-Chaim Weizmann

for the life of me...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that recovery in A.A. helps to keep my particular brand of insanity within resonable managability

for continuing awareness of the insanity of my drinking days

that I understand the concept of whatever it takes

that Hayden made it home safely

that we are putting our townhouse on the market today; we are looking at upgrading our living situation but in the same area of Houston (we live in Montrose) -- Yes, I know it's not a seller's market, but it IS a buyer's market, so at least I've go it half right!

The only way to find the limits of the possible is by going beyond them to the impossible.
-Arthur C. Clarke (may he rest in peace)

Adversity

todAAy i AM grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a good night's sleep and waking up with a clear head and a prayer

that the time I used to spend getting drunk is much more productive these days

for some awareness of the things I need to do in order to make friends in sobriety; being a shy, introverted loner with a tendency to isolate, making friends is one of the hardest missions for me to imagine

for those who are willing to put themselves out there, regardless of how unpopular it may make them

for those times when I get into action


Adversity introduces a man to himself.
-Anonymous

Trudging

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I neither need to nor want to drink any alcohol today; if you knew me 5 years ago, you'd say I am lying

that I'm not a liar

that there's always time to do the important things

that I don't regret my past nor do I wish to shut the door on it

that my sobriety requires willingness, my recovery requires action

"Power is so characteristically calm, that calmness in itself has the aspect of strength."
-- Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

Relaxin'

To learn a little about Houston, play the video.
It might surprise you.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we study the AA Traditions in our little 6:30am meeting;
yesterday we read and discussed Tradition One;
it's all about Unity

that I spent several hours with my Mom, taking her to a doctor appointment and then back to her comfortable bed in Comprehensive Nursing

for the knowledge that I am grieving as her health slowly deteriorates even as she tries her best to smile when possible

that I rarely got caught doing things I should not have been doing and that today I don't have to worry about getting caught

that the GLBT Houston Roundup begins in 13 days, just after the huge Thanksgiving Day gratitude meeting and lunch at Lambda Center

You can make more friends in a month by being interested in them than in ten years by trying to get them interested in you.
-Charles Allen

hAAlf nAAked thursdAAy

In the beginning, the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous would pass a hat during a meeting with the hope that a few attendees would contribute a coin or two.

In the years since, it's common to donate a dollar bill at a meeting. With rising costs everywhere we look, today many groups ask that we donate 2 dollars.

We all give what we can, but part of the magic of AA is the freedom we all have. I don't have to donate any money at all if I don't feel like it.

look at some personal pictures of more givers HERE


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am usually comfortable with who I am

that I had the privelege of hearing a man with 9 months of sobriety tell how he came to be in AA. He is another reminder of the daily miracle we are all blessed with.

that I was born with so much

for changes ...
... in my thinking
... in my actions

to see a lot of visual progress in my bathroom remodelling project

If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator.
-W. Beran Wolfe

Faith ...

is the principle behind Step Two of Alcoholics Anonymous.

When I read Step 2 on the wall at the first AA meeting or maybe my second meeting, I was about ready to get up and walk out. I wanted nothing to do with a Higher Power. I had not been to church in 30 years and wasn't about to start now.

Three months and about 100 meetings later, I was finally able to muster the bravado to admit that you guys -- the people in the meetings - could be my Higher Power. I was having none of this God stuff!

I put my faith in you guys because you said I could. You said it would suffice. For now.

You were right.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am not going to write about 9/11 - I will leave that to others

that I much prefer to take action rather than think about it

for a wonderful meeting on Step 12 and input from many on numerous avenues of carrying the message

for the Twelve Steps of AA and an almost infinite number of recovery tools to help me get through the bad times ---

AND the good times too!

for the luxuries in my life, not highlighted by anger or resentment

for Johnny Depp

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
-Will Rogers

hAAlf nAAked thursdAAy

With the enactment of a new Houston city ordinance, Lambda Center is now a non-smoking facility.

Sure glad I stopped smoking when I did. It's just one less thing I have to deal with.

Visit a few other friends whose lives have gone up in smoke, some of whom are flamers...

CLICK HERE


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that, for me, reality comes with responsibility

that all problems have solutions

that many solutions don't happen the way I want or envision

for good ideas from my therapist

for Hayden's support at meetings

for all the comments left here yeterday by Pam, Mary Christine, Scott W, Shannon, las, peanut, lisa, drew's sis, anonymous, syd, johno, kathy lynne and tab

that I may get a break on my health/medical insurance policy now because of stopping smoking

for memories of watching The Flintstone's when I was about 6 years old (1960) and that Walt Disney brought programs to me in living color

To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end in life.
-Baruch Spinoza

Being convinced ...

REDNECK DOORBELL


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that because of Tradition 8 of Alcoholics Anonymous, my sponsor has not charged me any money for any of the step work we've done together ~~ Whew!

for busy and productive days, almost all day, every day. This is only noteworthy (to me) because I am retired and still manage to remain quite busy, somehow

that I am learning about detachment; If I don't poke my nose into a beehive, I won't get stung.

that I was able to drive through about 1 foot of water during a flood yesterday and not damage my engine (yeaaaaaa for SUV's !!)

for more good life advice from my therapist

for the power of writing

for dinner with 2 of my support group because my trainer told me that to lose more weight, I must eat more (go figger)

that when I had my wisdom teeth removed a few years ago, I did not have dumb implants

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
-William Shedd

Trying to Do the Deal

This is one of my favorite jokes of the past decade ...

"NEVER QUESTION A DRUNK

A woman was shopping at her local supermarket where she selected...

a half-gallon of 2% milk
a carton of eggs,
a quart of orange juice,
a head of romaine lettuce,
a 2 lb. can of coffee,
a 1 lb. package of bacon.

As she was unloading her items on the conveyor belt to check out, a drunk standing behind her watched as she placed the items in front of the cashier. While the cashier was ringing up her purchases, the drunk calmly stated, "You must be single."

The woman was a bit startled by this proclamation, but she was intrigued by the derelict's intuition, since she was indeed single. She looked at her six items on the belt and saw nothing particularly unusual about her selections that could have tipped off the drunk to her marital status. Curiosity getting the better of her, she said "Well, you know what, you're absolutely correct. But how on earth did you know that?"

The drunk replied, "'Cause you're ugly."

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to be asked to chair the 6:30am Monday meetings at Lambda for June

to be asked to chair the 12:15pm Monday meetings at Lambda for June (I turned this down; didn't want to be too greedy)

for the freedom of choice

that I do not act on all the thoughts that run around inside my brain

that I spent a couple of hours at a friends' home on Memorial Day for snacks and fellowship

that I begin a series of 24 sessions with my new personal trainer today

that I made an appointment for a full physical exam with a new doctor (GP) for next week

Those who believe they can do something are probably right--and so are those who believe they can't.
-Unknown