In less than 12 months ...

I am curious who is going to attend the Alcoholics Anonymous 2010 International Convention next July in San Antonio. If you need to register, I have a link on my sidebar under the blogroll. It will stay there until next summer.

I'm going to keep a running list somewhere on this blog's sidebar. Let me know if you're going to attend for certain. We'll probably set aside a day and time to all meet each other.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm not running from anything today; I believe I'm able to face everything that confronts me (so far)

that I still have my senses -- to see, hear, taste, smell and feel

that I'm Honest (I think), Open-Minded (seemingly) and Willing (almost always)

that the psychic change I had 6 years ago removed the insane obsession to get drunk


Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don't have any problems, you don't get any seeds.
- Norman Vincent Peale

A memorable anniversary

Momma cat Hayley with her 7 kitten litter September 1, 2003.

These are the 2 kittens I kept. They are 4 years old in this picture. Today, they are 6 years old.



todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful


6 years ago today, I was waking up from one of my worst ever drunk nights. After more than 12,000 days and nights of drinking, I was done. Later in the day, I found out about my atrocious behavior from the day before. I came close to being robbed and possibly murdered by a street hustler and remembered absolutely nothing about it.
I now know that I had hit my bottom. I can think of no better words to use than incomprehensible demorilzation. I will do anything to never feel that way again. But I am stubborn. I drank again that day and the next 3 days. It wasn't until September 4th at a noon AA meeting that I had my psychic change, my spiritual awakening.

that I know my experience can benefit others

for my personal best on the elliptical (cardio) machine yesterday -- 1 hour!!
-- for someone who smoked 3 packs/day for 36 years and now has Peripheral Artery Disease, that's an accomplishment I didn't think I could do


What you do may seem insignificant, but it's important that you do it.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Hanging on

?



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the psychic change I had just at the right time (isn't that how it works for us?)

that I've been fortunate enough to keep taking forward steps, with just a few setbacks since getting sober

for more lessons that I should not judge a book by its cover -- nor an alcoholic by the way he/she appears

for memories -- for some reason, I've been reminiscing about my years in the oil industry. My travels and all the people I associated with. For you latecomers, I was lucky enough to live and work in 25+ countries over the last 8 years of a 20-year career.


To be loved, be lovable.
- Ovid

Yes, there is a substitute ...

... and it is vastly more than that. It is a fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Scott W. snapped this picture of me as I was pigging out on a giant hotdog at Barnaby's yesterday. Mary Christine is also seen here, snapping a photo as well.
Zane and Pam were looking on with glee, amazement and jealousy.
SEE BELOW FOR MORE EXPLANATION



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that Pam, Zane, Scott and I had the initimable pleasure to meet and greet Mary Christine, who is here on a short trip from Colorado. We had coffee together, then ate dinner together, then attended a Sunday night AA meeting together. We're all alcoholics and none of us got drunk.

for this SERENITY ZONE I have experienced the past 2 weeks; quite possibly the finest time of my sobriety. It's different than the pink cloud I was on for my first 3 years. I have actually felt spiritual and emotional changes happening within myself. It seems like my HP has put me under construction to see what I can become before Hayden and I resume our lives together. We both know that some type of psychic change needs to occur to make that relationship successful and happy (for me).

for my new bike

for AA meeting chaired by humans with lots of experience at staying sober who also enjoy tackling tough subjects on a group level

Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning.
-Frederick W. Faber