Tools & Choices

Another act from the drag show last weekend at Lambda Center.

These are 2 of my favorite lesbians impersonating ...

guess who?




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for more emphasis on Step 10 and some of the benefits of incorporating it into my daily living

for fewer emotional hangovers than I used to have because today I have tools and choices

that one of Hayden's best friends is here from the Caribbean staying with us

that I got to vote early yesterday and I was in and out in no more than 10 minutes

for a cool front moving through last night and the massive amount of rain and high winds that came with it. I love bad weather. Good weather too.

Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.
-Josh Billings

What a Drag!

The emcee at the Drag Auction last weekend at Lambda Center. The fundraiser brought in almost $6K.
More pictures on Thursday and Friday.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I do my best to remain teachable although I often feel much internal resistance

for the consequences of sobriety

that I remember the first 24 hours of my sobriety in 2003 and the feeling of amazement that I actually didn't need a drink

for this quote from The Big Book ...
Selfishness -- self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th edition, page 62


Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
-Colin Powell

2 more weeks

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a drama-free Monday

for the design for living offered me by the Twelve Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous

that when I truly practice Steps 6 & 7, I tend to come up short of my goals less often

for my hot tub on cool mornings

for the Chamber of Commerce weather we've had in Houston recently (you younguns may not know that term, so google it)

that two weeks from today, the election should finally be finished

Tough times never last, tough people do.
-Robert Schuller

on this Monday morning ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a really busy and productive weekend, much of it spent at Lambda Center

for a very nice memorial service for Melody J., who died on October 10th

that several of us had the pleasure of visitng another recovering friend who's dying of cancer

that I usually stay close to home these days because that's where I want to be -- my travelling days are pretty much over and I don't miss all the travel (I was reminded by Todd from Hell's Kitchen )


After the verb 'to Love,' 'to Help' is the most beautiful verb in the world.
-Bertha von Suttner

Secret to a good marriage ...

a nice little mother/daughter talk ...

Political speak

I guess they're the same everywhere.




Navy Man

For her wedding to Prince Charles, Camilla bought new shoes which got increasingly tighter and tighter as the day went on. That night, when the festivities were finally over and they retired to their room, she flopped on the bed and said, 'Charles, darling. Please remove my shoes. My feet are killing me!'

Her ever-obedient Prince of Wales attacked her right shoe with vigour, but it would not budge. 'Harder!' yelled Camilla. 'Harder!' Charles yelled back, 'I'm trying, darling! But it's just so bloody tight!'
'Come on! Give it all you've got!' she cried. Finally, when it released, Charles let out a big groan and Camilla exclaimed, 'There! Oh, God, that feels so good!'

In their bedroom next door, the Queen said to Prince Phillip, 'See? I told you, with a face like that, she was still a virgin!'

Meanwhile, as Charles tried to remove her left shoe, he cried, 'Oh, God, darling! This one's even tighter!'

At which Prince Phillip said proudly to the Queen, 'That's my boy. Once a Navy man, always a Navy man!'

Me? Insane?

My cat MONO.

She was born on the night of my last drunk over 5 years ago.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we had a nice discussion of Step 2 yesterday at the 6:30am meeting

that I didn't give up 5 days before the miracle; that's what I wanted to do

for all the years and all the countries and all the people I was lucky enough to meet and work with in all of those different cultures

that I choose not to air my dirty laundry in this forum mainly because of the friends and acquaintances who read this blog


Tough times never last, tough people do.
-Robert Schuller

Living and Letting

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm often reminded in sooooo many ways to Live and Let Live

for the infinite number of tools offered me to make repairs to my thoughts and actions

for memories -- both good and bad

that whatever happens with the economy, it's not likely to kill me although it may require some adjustment

Imagination was given to us to compensate for what we are not; a sense of humor was given to us to console us for what we are.
-Mark McGinnis

a typical day

an Indian School Bus



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the healthy stuff I did yesterday -- began my day with a short prayer so that I established a conscious contact with my HP, went to a 6:30am AA meeting but got there at 6:05 so I could start the coffee, went home at 7:40 to eat a healthy breakfast, then to the gym at 8:15 for cardio and shoulder rehab before my 1 hour session with my trainer, went home and got cleaned up and then ran some errands before attending a noon AA meeting. Then I ate lunch at a cafeteria with fellow Lambda members. Went back home at 2pm before heading to my psychiatrist session at 3:30pm.

that Scott W posted about HUNGER today. Drop by and see the links he provided.

that we read the Big Book every Tuesday at the Eyes Wide Shut AA meeting

that tomorrow we'll read Tradition Two in the 12/12

An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.
-Friedrich Engels

the tube

The easy way to convert your analog TV ...




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that staying sober gives me the awareness of so many details

that I have the desire to want to be entirely ready for my HP to remove my character defects - just for today (I have to renew this readiness each day)

that I seem to have developed patience where there used to be mental chaos

for some recovery of the stock markets

Fill in the blank (on the comment section)...................
that if you took a spiritual x-ray of me, you would find ____________

If you find in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.
-Maya Angelou

another new beginning

todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I was able to fill the time slot when I spoke to a group of recovering alcoholics Friday night and maybe someone heard something that could help them "get" the program

for a peaceful and serene weekend

that Pam reminded me of my fear of horses AND dogs -- I have been bitten many times during my lifetime by dogs; they automatically sense my discomfort

Were there no God, we would be in this glorious world with grateful hearts, and no one to thank.
-Christina Rossetti

Why retire?

Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting.

Well, for example, the other day my wife and I went into town and went into a shop. We were only in there for about 5 minutes. When we came out, there was a traffic warden writing out a parking ticket. We went up to him and said, 'Come on man, how about giving a pensioner a break?'
He ignored us and continued writing the ticket. I called him a Nazi. He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tires. So my wife called him a shithead. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windscreen with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more we abused him, the more tickets he wrote.

Personally, we didn't care, as we came into town on the bus. We always try to have a little fun each day now that we're retired. It's important at our age!!!!!!!!!!!!!

note: This is a fictitious story as far as I am concerned. Someone emailed it to me.

Just monkeying around ...

Let Me See If I Understand This Correctly.

Once upon a time, in a place overrun with monkeys, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for $10 each.
The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest, and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10 and as the supply started to diminish, they became harder to catch, so the villagers stopped their effort.
The man then announced that he would now pay $20 for each one. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. But soon the supply diminished even further and they were ever harder to catch, so people started going back to their farms and forgot about monkey catching. The man increased his price to $25 each and the supply of monkeys became so sparse that it was an effort to even see a monkey, much less catch one.
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys for $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on his behalf.
While the man was away the assistant told the villagers, 'Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has bought. I will sell them to you at $35 each and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each.'
The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the monkeys. They never saw the man nor his assistant again, and once again there were monkeys everywhere.

Now you have a better understanding of how the stock market works.

We

This is the painting I won in a silent auction whilst in Palm Springs at the Hot 'n Dry A.A. Roundup a few weeks ago.
It's 48" X 60" and the artist had to remove it from the frame so it could be shipped in a tube.
Scott W (Attitude of Gratitude) re-framed it for me.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the friendship of Melody J., a good friend of many recovering alcoholics and addicts at Lambda Center and other recovery venues for many, many years. She passed away this morning after a series of illnesses. Melody was my backup singer only 2 months ago in a fundraiser.

for Tradition 1 of Alcoholics Anonymous which states ... "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity."

for the simple things in a life of recovery -- can you name a few?

that I'm telling a little bit of my AA story tonight at a treatment center/halfway house

for a very strange thing that happened yesterday.
Billy, an old friend (we were boyfriends 30+ years ago and have remained in touch) called from his home in Florida. He said that he called me because my mother had spoken to him very clearly in a dream the previous night. She told him to let me know that she is doing fine and is very happy. She told him to tell me that she loves me very much. Billy knew my Mom had a stroke 3 years ago and had been unable to speak since then.
What he didn't know is that she died 2 months ago. In fact, it was exactly 2 months ago.

Zane (Zanejabbers) asked me to let y'all know that he's having computer problems and will return to posting ASAP. Sure. Whatever, Zane.


'I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.'
- Ronald Reagan

a very tall roller coaster

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my sobriety is not dependent upon my happiness

for the 3 years I spent grooming a strong foundation in recovery

that life is as good (or as bad) as I want it to be ...
well, I heard someone say this, but I'm still having a difficult time embracing it to be the entire truth; any comments?

for the concept of letting go, just letting all other people live their own life and not trying to interfere (too much)

The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.
-Gen. Norman Schwarzkoff

Careful now ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I rarely raise my hand so I can share my immense wisdom (experience, strength and hope) in AA meetings. I know I may be depriving many needy humans of some much needed recovery, but I choose to let other, usually less sober guys guide others through their own program.

that I can learn so much by watching and observing others

that I made the right choice, 5 years ago, of a person to help learn me some steps

that you are reading this and may become a follower to my humble blog (just click on the link at the top of the sidebar)

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
-Dalai Lama

Guides along the way

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the Principles behind the Steps;

• honesty


• hope


• faith


• courage


• integrity


• willingness


• humility


• compassion


• discipline


• perseverance


• spirituality


• service

the my perceptions oftentimes have nothing to do with reality

that we'll read another of the stories in the back half of The Big Book this morning at the 6:30am meeting

for the financial ability to pay my bills

Elbow grease is the best polish.
-English Proverb

Still a mess

the main bridge onto Galveston Island, after Hurricane Ike



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I continue to be an alcoholic who doesn't drink and a nicotine addict who doesn't smoke

that my life has a chance to return to some normality, beginning today (although in some ways, I'm still a mess)

that we had a very successful (apparently) housewarming party on Saturday. The caterer was wonderful, relieving H & I of any and all food responsibilities. We had about 100 in attendance throughout the course of the evening. The last guests left about 1am. I'll post some pictures as soon as I get them from the photographer.

that O.J. Simpson was found guilty last Friday, although I don't know enough of the details to make that judgement myself; my feeling is that there's some justice (karma) going on here

Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young.
-Fred Astaire

Consider this ...

WHEN WE WERE FREE FROM GOVERNMENT CONTROL

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright coloredlead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks wetook hitchhiking.

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 199 channels on cable, no DVD's, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms

..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

How did we live through all this?

The Duck

A big city lawyer went duck hunting in rural Texas. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence. As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing. The litigator responded, "I shot a duck and it fell in this field, and now I'm going to retrieve it." The old farmer replied, "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."

The indignant lawyer said, "I am one of the best trial attorneys in the United States and, if you don't let me get that duck, I'll sue you and take everything you own. The old farmer smiled and said, "Apparently, you don't know how we settle disputes in Texas. We settle small disagreements like this with the "Three Kick Rule."

The lawyer asked, "What is the Three Kick Rule?"

The Farmer replied, "Well, because the dispute occurs on my land, first I kick you three times and then you kick me three times and so on back and forth until someone gives up." The attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom.

The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the attorney. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy steel toed work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees. His second kick to the midriff sent the lawyer's last meal gushing from his mouth. The lawyer was on all fours when the farmer's third kick to his rear end sent him face-first into a fresh cow pie.

The lawyer summoned every bit of his will and managed to get to his feet. Wiping
his face with the arm of his jacket, he said, "Okay, Now it's my turn."

The old farmer smiled and said, "Naw, I give up. You can have the duck."

this day

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I usually try to be friendly towards others; now I need to be friendly to me

for another really good Step 1 meeting yesterday morning; we only had 5 people there, but we were all qualified to be present

for awareness of the freedoms and choices I have as an American and as a recovering alcoholic

that I'm hosting our Group of Drunks AA meeting this morning in my new backyard

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up.
-Jesse Jackson

ongoing sobriety

post-Hurricane Ike beach houses in Galveston (in this picture, there's about 7 or 8 missing homes)


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that Boston is leading the 6:30am meeting today

that I have been asked (and of course I accepted) to tell my AA story at a treatment center next week (I've never even been there before)

for some awareness of my false perceptions (occasionally)

Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is.
-Will Rogers

so, here's the deal ...

Important Announcement....

Due to recent economic reversals and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil, the 'light at the end of the tunnel' has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Your Government



todAAy I AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I went to 2 AA meetings yesterday and both were about acceptance (see yesterday's post below)

for some extra effort on my part to just do the next right thing as well as the right thing next

that my path to sobriety wasn't pleasant, but it was sure worth it

that getting outside help for my emotional issues offers me the opportunity to grow

that we're getting geared up for a rather elaborate party for Saturday night, complete with caterers

Memory is a child walking along the seashore. You never can tell what small pebble it will pick up and store away among its treasured things.
-Pierce Harris

Acceptance is the answer

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the incredibly beautiful weather these past few days (since the hurricane)

that I attended a lot of meetings lately centered around ACCEPTANCE. Fortunately.
So, without further adieu ...

And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th edition, page 417

'nuff said

Laughter is inner jogging.
-Norman Cousins

It's Monday (again)

a little fountain in the backyard; it just bubbles and bubbles all day and night


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that today is Boston's 3rd AA birthday; she's really a miracle, y'all

that I can appreciate being bored, or as many might call it, serene

that I got to celebrate my 5th AA anniversary at Lambda on Saturday along with 27 others

that I've been able to help a friend quit smoking, simply by suggesting the book I read. A book that Scott W suggested I read 2 years ago.

for dinner with Scott W (Attitude of Gratitude) and Zane (Zanejabbers)

Todd (Postcards From Hells Kitchen) asked the age-old question, "Where does time go?"
Any answers??

“Stay” is a charming word in a friend’s vocabulary.
-Louisa May Alcott

TV Facts

Things you would never know without TV...

Large, loft-style apartments in New York City are well within the price range of most people - whether they are employed or not.

When you turn out the light to go to bed, everything in your bedroom will still be clearly visible, just slightly bluish.

If you are blonde and pretty, it is possible to become a world expert on nuclear fission at the age of 22.

Honest and hard working policemen are traditionally gunned down three days before their retirement.

At least one of a pair of identical twins is born evil.

Should you decide to defuse a bomb, don't worry which wire to cut. You will always choose the right one.

Radiation causes interesting mutations - not to your future children, but to you, right then and there.

Most laptop computers are powerful enough to override the communications system of any invading alien society.

It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts - your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors.

Rather than wasting bullets, megalomaniacs prefer to kill their archenemies using complicated machinery involving fuses, pulley systems, deadly gasses, lasers, and man-eating sharks, all of which will allow their captives at least 20 minutes to escape.

All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread.

It's easy for anyone to land a plane, providing there is someone in the control tower to talk you down.

Once applied, lipstick will never rub off - even while scuba diving.

When paying for a taxi, never look at your wallet as you take out a note - just grab one at random and hand it over. It will always be the exact fare.

Mothers routinely cook eggs, bacon and waffles for their family every morning, even though the husband and children never have time to eat them.

Any problem of life, no matter how complex, can be solved in 3 hours or less, but always in a period of time divisible by 30 minutes.

Cars and trucks that crash will almost always burst into flames.

A single match will be sufficient to light up a room the size of a football stadium.

If a killer is lurking in your house, it's easy to find him. Just relax and run a bath, even if it's the middle of the afternoon.

Medieval peasants had perfect teeth.

One man shooting at 20 men has a better chance of killing them all than 20 men firing at one.

Creepy music coming from a graveyard should always be closely investigated.

If a phone connection is broken, communication can be restored by frantically beating the cradle and saying, "Hello? Hello?"

Most people keep a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings - especially if any of their family or friends have died in a strange boating accident.

During a very emotional confrontation, instead of facing the person you are speaking to, it is preferable to stand behind him and talk to his back.

Hooked on phonics?

My five-year old students are learning to read.
Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said,

"Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"

I took a deep breath, then asked..."What did you call it?"

"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"
And so it does...

" A f r i c a n Elephant "

Hooked on phonics! Ain't it wonderful?

getting along

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a trouble-free day just passed

for a great 3-day weather forecast for we in Houston

that I don't have many of the answers, but I've heard a lot of the solutions

that I'm attending 3 A.A. meetings today

that H and I will soon host an openhouse and you're all invited


If you treat every situation as a life-and-death matter, you’ll die a lot of times.
-Dean Smith

Still insane after all these years

My backyard Jacuzzi before Hurricane Ike ... and the day after.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am accountable to those around me AND myself

for the challenges I face every day -- usually, they differ from day to day which help keeps life fresh

that those challenges offer growth

for a continuing awareness of my character defects

that I am so lucky in just about every aspect of my life

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
-Abraham Lincoln

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

Back home

view from a Starbucks in downtown, Palm Springs, CA

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to realize better than ever that I am not socially comfortable in large groups of strangers

that, in fact, I am a social retard (imho)

for the fine folks at the Sunny Dunes gay recovery clubhouse in Palm Springs, CA

for an acronym of gay -- God Adores You

that I am organized enough to be at airports in plenty of time


Your three best doctors are faith, time, and patience.
-From a fortune cookie

goin' home

(left) the 2008 Hot n Dry Roundup logo

(right) the pool area before the evening banquet for the 890 attendees


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful



that I'm leaving Palm Springs this morning and heading home to Houston

for the fellowship that I encounter in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous

that the closing sobriety countdown at Hot n Dry had people with sobriety ranges from 3 days to 46 years

that I watched a little bit of the celebrations at Yankee Stadium on TV. It was the last day of play there before being replaced. Its operating dates were 1923-2008. 85 years. The same dates that my Mom operated.

that it's not too late for you to sign-up as a follower of this blog -- see the right-hand sidebar at the top

Happiness is the delicate balance between what one is and what one has.
-F. H. Denison

Hot n Dry 2008

Scott W asked for a little update on the Hot n Dry (click for info) event that I am attending this weekend. It began last Thursday and closes today at noon.

First of all, it is damn hot in the Southern California desert. I really don't care if it is a dry heat, it's friggin' hot!



There are about 890 registrants for this years' event. All males. Most (it seems) in incredible physical shape except for a few of us guys who don't spend many hours every week in the gym. Except for a couple of workshops each day, most of the events are held outdoors in the sun. They take over the Palm Springs Hilton for a week and it is exclusively used for this event. No outsiders are allowed in.

It is good recovery and the theme is WE INSIST ON ENJOYING LIFE. So there are 890 guys having a good time. On Friday, we had 3 exclusive hours at the local waterpark. Just us guys in recovery and closed to the public.


Yesterday, I watched as 2 gay couples in recovery were legally married. They were married by a local councilman. Amazing.

Then, last night we were entertained by Chelsea Handler. She was quite funny and really seemed to enjoy her audience.

Twelve Rewards

Ann C. wrote this "a number of years before" the 1985 Internation Convention in Montreal, Canada where she set it to tape at the Oldtimers Meeting.

She wrote it to show the contrast that can take place in any of our lives if we will try to follow the AA principles.


We can all have Hope, instead of desperation;

Faith, instead of despair;

Courage, instead of fear;

Peace of Mind, instead of confusion;

Self-respect, instead of self-contempt;

Self-confidence, instead of helplessness;

The respect of others, instead of their pity and contempt;

A clean conscience, instead of a sense of guilt;

Real friendships, instead of loneliness;

A clean pattern of life, instead of a purposeless existence;

the love and understanding of our families, instead of their doubts and fears;

and the freedom of a happy life, instead of the bondage of an alcoholic obsession.

All this and more through AA, are we grateful enough?
Gratitude will continue the miracle of your sobriety, I found that out.


as written by Ann C. of Niles, Ohio - sober April 1, 1948

It's very hot here

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I've changed over the past 5 years, since I got sober

that there were about 55 guys in recovery at the 7am meeting yesterday morning here in Palm Springs; probably about 15 or so were visitors from out of town, just like us

that I'm not a newcomer to heat -- the temperature here in Palm Springs yesterday hit 100 degrees

for the entertainment provided by the Roundup committee -- last night we saw Jackie Beat, a drag artist, perform


Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.
-William A. Ward

a different journey

todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

that Rodney and I made it to Palm Springs safely and on time. I've not experienced any of the travel nightmares that I so often hear about. YET.

we attended a 5:30pm meeting at the 5th Tradition Group and are going to a 7am meeting this morning before registering for the Roundup later in the day

that this is a very "liberal minded" city (if you know what I mean)

that we're here hanging out with another Lambda friend who was here last year and thus, knows the layout of the place (there are 6 Lambda Houston associates scattered about this place)

You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.
-Unknown

go west, post-middle-age man

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the opportunity to go to a convention of gay and sober alcoholics in Palm Springs, California

that this is my first time ever to travel to the west coast of the USA

that I am taking my computer with me

HUMILITY

"You can't brag that you're humble... and be humble."
-- Terry McEwen

"A great man is always willing to be little."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact."
-- George Eliot

"Humility is a virtue; timidity is a disease."
-- Jim Rohn

I'm still powerless

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the continuing resourcefullness of the human spirit when under trying conditions

for all of the comments from you guys these past couple of days; I loves me blogger buddies

that we've had a cool front blow through town just after a major hurricane. It's lowered temperatures to a very coimfortable level considering we have no air conditioning.

for the 1000's of individuals who have arrived in southeast Texas from other states to help reconnect electricity and provide additional services

that Rodney and I are off to California tomorrow morning for the AA Roundup (convention). I may or may not take my laptop; I'm still undecided.
But considering the phrase below, hmmmmmmmmmmm....


Silent gratitude isn’t much good to anyone.
-Gladys Browyn Stern

Grateful

I composed this post on Sunday evening from Lambda Center. I scheduled it for publishing at 0500 today. We still don't have electricity at our home and have no idea when it will be restored. Most of Houston is without power.

Here's a couple of pictures I took with my cell phone during the storm. The one on the right is a palm leaf draped over a power line.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that very few people in Texas were killed or injured during Hurricane Ike; unfortunately, that was not the story in the Caribbean

that on Saturday evening, I went to Lambda Center early (6pm) for an 8pm speaker meeting. There were about 12 others sitting in the lobby chatting and telling war stories (from the Hurricane) and we decided to have an impromptu AA meeting. It was great and was a poingnant reminder of the "we" of the meeting. This continued all day and night Sunday. There were at least 100 people who came and went through the doors of Lambda during the course of the day. People who had no electricity at home. They came and charged their cell phones and brought their laptops. Some brought food so it would not go to waste. Some cooked pasta for whoever wanted or needed to eat. Hayden and I spent about 12 hours there. The fellowship and comraderie were almost magical.

that I met some of my new neighbors on Saturday as we as we all got out and helped each other clean up the debris from the street


The wishbone will never replace the backbone.
-Will Henry

Click click-- Ike Update

THIS is why you should stop using your cell phone so much.

UPDATE -- we are just fine after the storm. Power is a rare commodity as of Sunday afternoon here in Houston. Our home is still powerless, just like me. However, power was restored at Lambda Center yesterday afternoon. Yes!! Air conditioning!!

Ike & the DNA Test

Just ridin' out the storm this morning.
I am aware that the last time I experienced a mandatory evacuation was before my colonoscopy last year.

I don't like Ike

"Imagine yourself a year from now, looking back on today. Imagine your future self being exceedingly thankful for the way you lived this day. Then step forward and live today with that in mind. Think, speak and act in such a way that the person you will become inherits many positive benefits from the person you are right now. Confidence, integrity, strength and effectiveness do not simply appear out of nowhere. They are built by the way you live your life. And now is your opportunity to live in a powerful, positive way that will benefit your life for a long time to come. Now is your chance to make your future self thankful for the empowering paths you choose to take.”

I think this is from Ralph Marston. Not sure.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous -- without them, AA would be just another set of initials

that Scott W chaired a meeting yesterday where we discussed honesty, humility and of course, gratitude

that my Houston Astros have won 14 of their last 15 games and are making a late season run at the playoffs

that I hope to be back tomorrow online, but this storm may have other ideas (I am going to try to publish my weekend jokes ahead of time, so they should show up even if I can't get online)

that the rest of you will possibly sign-up to be a follower of this blog (look at the top of my sidebar)

HABITS

"Habits are like comfortable beds; they are easy to get into, but difficult to get out of."
-- Denis Waitley

"Nothing needs reforming so much as other people's habits."
-- Mark Twain

"Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, and a lot more rewarding."
-- Harvey Mackay

"You leave old habits behind by starting out with the thought, 'I release the need for this in my life'."
-- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Remembering

I haven't written about my newest acquisition. I've always been fascinated by cars, especially the 1950's and 60's autos which I grew up with. I bought this one a couple of months ago and it's now ready for the Houston streets.

It's a 1965 Buick Riviera. For those in the know, it has a 401 cubic inch Nailhead with 340 bhp and dual 4bbl carbueretors under the hood. The clock is the only thing that isn't working (yet).

My 1967 Thunderbird is now for sale. Any takers?


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm willing to be responsible for my mistakes

for my lifetime hero, my high school track coach, who taught me about integrity

that I'm thankful and grateful

for the signifigance of today's date -- remember how it brought all of us together?

that we're about as ready and stocked up as we can be for Hurricane Ike.
(we ain't going anywhere and my hope is that if we have high winds, they will be from the east and/or south where we have the best protection in our home and newly landscaped yard)
The last really big hurricane (Carla) hit the greater Houston area on this date in 1961.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. -Aristotle

Success

an Oldsmobile , obviously



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that time heals many wounds; patience heals the rest

that I woke up sober again today, my first success for today

for my sponsor, who happens to be loaded with all kinds of helpful advice even though he is as sick as me

that you might be willing to list yourself as a follower of my blog -- the widget is at the top of my sidebar

The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
-Unknown

Growth?

a Texas BBQ grill


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a meeting where I was reminded that when I am upset or angry, there's something wrong with me. I always want somebody else to blame. I really must remember how to respond to situations that are uncomfortable or that tend to upset me.

for progress in several areas of my life

that I know I have soooooooooooo much more to learn -- about me and my relations with the rest of the world

that Hurricane Ike appears to be headed well south of the Houston area

GROWTH

"But as I look back at my life, it is easy to see that the times when my wisdom and understanding grew to new levels; those times when I approached becoming the person I long to be; it was always the times that followed negative circumstances."
-- Vic Johnson

"Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely."
-- Karen Kaiser Clark

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you will help them become what they are capable of becoming."
-- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

"We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be."
-- May Sarton

Here we go again

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a really, really good discussion meeting about H.A.L.T.
(ther were a few other words/initials added during the discussion; if we'd had another 6 hours for that meeting, we could have done the entire alphabet)

that I got to hear Bob R. tell his story of Experiences, Strength and Hope over the weekend @ Lambda

that my fresh attitude is working well (most of the time)

that we are finally nearing completion on home (re)construction -- it's now all outside, at least

an outdoor kitchen is being built and the landscaping should be complete by the middle of this week

that we begin the Hurricane drill once again starting today

Here are the two best prayers I know: 'Help me, help me, help me' and 'Thank you, thank you, thank you.'
-Anne Lamott

The Perfect Dress

Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement -- not even her parent's nasty divorce.

Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear and would be the best dressed mother- of-the-bride ever!

A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new young wife had bought the exact same dress! Jennifer asked her to exchange it, but she refused. 'Absolutely not, I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it,' she replied. Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, 'Never mind sweetheart. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day.' A few days later, they went shopping and did find another gorgeous dress. When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, 'Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it.'

Her mother just smiled and replied, 'Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.'

Adam and Eve

Enjoy your Saturday!!

1826

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I've been sober for 1826 days
that Hayden (my angel) shoved me into the rooms of AA in 2003
that my incomprehensible demoralization convinced me to accept a higher power into my life 1827 days ago
that I haven't had a blackout in more than 1826 days
that I've been an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 1826 days
that I haven't put myself in a position to have a DUI in 1826 days
that for 1826 days, I have had NO desire to drink or get drunk again
that I could go on and on, but I do this list just about every day, so if you want more, check my archives.

GRATITUDE

"Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life."
-- Christiane Northrup

"Develop an 'attitude of gratitude.' Say think you to everyone you meet for everything they do for you."
-- Brian Tracy

"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light."
-- Albert Schweitzer

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
-- Melody Beattie

I'm so blessed

Our finished backyard deck.
It's waiting for some landscaping now.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my journey is ... my journey. No one can take that away from me.

that my session with my therapist gave me some fresh outlook on keeping a better attitude -- about myself and those close to me

for a morning spent plant shopping with our landscaper

that one of my favorite AAers celebrated his 72nd birthday yesterday (his naval birthday, not sobriety birthday)

for my red-hot Houston Astros -- it's too late to make the playoffs for this season, but I can wait til next year. After all, I've been saying that for the past 47 years about them.

The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between political parties either--but right through every human heart.
-Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn

The journey continuing ...

A couple of pictures of the deck being built in the backyard. It was completed a few days ago.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the miracles I see each day in the rooms of AA, and ...
I am one of them!

that I'm eating breakfast with my sponsor today

that I'm going to Palm Springs in 2 weeks for the AA Roundup; my sober friend Rodney is also going as is Hayden (although he is not in the program)

that I miss my mother -- the way I knew her for so many years

GOALS ...

"A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder."
-- Denis Waitley

"Goals. There's no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There's no telling what you can do when you believe in them. And there's no telling what will happen when you act upon them."
-- Jim Rohn

"If you want to reach a goal, you must 'see the reaching' in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal."
-- Zig Ziglar

Fields of Tulips

todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a Step 1 meeting yesterday; I love to hear about our powerlessness.

for a normal weather day here in Houston, just a couple of hundred miles from a hurricane

that PAM hasn't smoked a cigarette in 6 months and it's been 23 months since I have done so and 3 years since Scott has smoked. WOW!!

for technology and the ongoing potential it has to change our lives

We aren’t what we ought to be. We aren’t what we’re going to be. We aren’t what we want to be. But, thank God, we aren’t what we were.
-Anonymous

no Labor today

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to see 32 recovering alcoholics celebrate a total of 399 years of living a sober life
(Saturday night @ Lambda Center)

that someone shared about the practice of Step 10 as a combination of working steps 4-9 each and every day

to realize that I'm growing in my recovery, even if it's not as quickly as I might have imagined

that it appears that Hurricane Gustav will bypass the Houston area; we get lucky once again

that I was invited to a baseball game yesterday and got to sit 5 rows behind home plate in the whoop-dee-doo rich man's section, just behind the Presidential seats where George 41 and Babs sit

that Jerry Falwell isn't still around espousing his own brand of hatred

To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
~~ dunno who said this first

Then & Now

Click HERE to see how some celebrities looked then.
And how they look now.


Some great before & after pictures.

BUGgered?

This is why your favorite TV station should reconsider hiring that gay weatherman.

another Friday

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my first day sober led to my second day sober

and so on and so on ...

that 7 recovering alcoholics sat around talking about Tradition 10 for a full hour yesterday at our 6:30am meeting

that Mary Christine apparently survived the Democratic Convention this week

that I can help friends in recovery by throwing some business their way

GETTING STARTED

"If you wish to reach the highest, begin at the lowest."
-- Publilius Syrus

"What is the most important thing that you should do right now? It's easy to figure out the answer--the most important thing is usually the item you least want to do. So jump on it. Get it out of the way. Then go on to the next thing you don't want to do and get rid of that item by completing it. You'll be amazed at how it frees your spirit no to have them hanging over you."
-- Tom Hopkins

"Think big, start small."
-- Patricia Fripp

"Don't wait. The time will never be just right."
-- Napoleon Hill

not for sore eyes

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a fruitful visit with my sister and our CPA as we are trying to tie up any and all loose ends with our Mom's estate

that she went to lunch with Hayden and I after we twisted her arm forcefully

that I may have some relief some of my character defects today - that mostly depends on me

for a good time at the baseball game last night. I've been fortunate enough to attend 22 Astros games this season (so far). I may have gone to this many games when I was a teenager, but it's been along time since then. I've really enjoyed it.


You should not suffer the past. You should be able to wear it like a loose garment, take it off and let it drop.
-Eva Jessye