workin' it

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for what is possibly the ultimate honor in recovery; listening to the fifth step of a recovering alcoholic

for AHA! moments, whenever they come. Funny how they are never expected. I guess that's why they're called AHA! moments. LOL

for some cool thoughts about my mother. Sometimes, I really miss her presence.

that I've never been a troublemaker although I have always enjoyed stirring up some ____.


Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.
- Anonymous

Eyes Wide Open

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have a conscious contact with my HP every morning and every night before falling to sleep. It has become a way of living that I absolutely must have. Before recovery, it would never have been possible.

that I'm a survivor and it's for a reason

that I will hear a 5th step from a sponsee later today; one of the finest honors I have experienced

that I have no feelings of entitlement

You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry.
And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.
- Walter Hagen

Dogs have Owners, Cats have Staff.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for birthday nights at Lambda Center, where we celebrate years of continuous sobriety every month. For January there were 35 people celebrating 480 years of not drinking.

that my form of mental illness doesn't require me to make a total fool of myself

for the way that things happen, just the way they're supposed to happen. I'm grateful when I recognize this.

for the 22,000 runners who competed in the 39th Annual Houston Marathon yesterday

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

Stress management

I did not write this. Someone emailed it to me and I would like to pass it along to you....



A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... pick them up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"


1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker..

5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague

6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it..

7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

8 * Never buy a car you can't push.

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.

13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

19 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.

20 * It was I, your friend!

*Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!

I owe my mother ...

1.. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA ..
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have
wonderful parents like you do."

16.. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23.. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25.. My mother taught me about JUSTICE .
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you !"

Bye Bye Brougham

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


for some closer-than-usual and more personal fellowship this past week or so

for Tradition One of Alcoholics Anonymous --- "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity." We spent an hour discussing that yesterday morning at the 6:30am meeting I attend.

that I'm getting to know the guy inside me a bit better each day

that I sold one of my fine cars yesterday. I'm gonna miss it. I over-extended a bit last year and am needing to downsize. I paid a pretty hefty price for driving the pictured car for only 4 months. I'm not a very good car guy as I buy with emotion instead of practical sense. Oh well.

Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness.
- Zhuangzi

More is being revealed

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I completed my month of commitment of chairing the 12:15 Speaker meetings

for a small AHA! moment regarding some childhood thinking. It's so true what they say -- More Shall Be Revealed.

that I no longer sit on a barstool, fantasizing and wishing

I'm not so great at math. One of you tell me WHY this works.
Take the last 2 digits of the year you were born plus the age you will be this year and it will equal 111.

Life is too important to be taken seriously.
- Oscar Wilde

today's potpourri

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the 3rd tradition ... "The only requirement for membership in AA is the desire to stop drinking." It doesn't say quit drinking or to do something about your drinking; it says stop drinking.

that my physical health didn't suffer too much from my drinking. I had progressively worse DT's ove rthe last 10 years I drank, but it disappeared within a week of stopping

for my spiritual life; it's mine and NO ONE can take it away. But alcohol can.

for someone who returned to the rooms of AA yesterday after a relapse after 8 years of being sober

that I watched the President last night so I could get the message from the horse's mouth instead of hearing some reporter's opinion of what he said


Begin each day as if it were on purpose.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Basic stuff .....

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the basics ......
don't drink
go to meetings
get a sponsor
read the literature
establish a conscious contact with a Higher Power

for more clarity of thought (I have my moments)

that it rained all day yesterday in Houston and didn't even flood

for TV games shows -- I've always loved 'em


More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent.
- Billy Sunday

Transparency

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm focused on what I do; I just don't know what's coming next (usually)

that I have no particular secrets; I just don't tell everything to everybody

for a fun and busy weekend. Saturday was all about recovery and putting on a talent show. I was just the emcee so I didn't have to perform, but I had to know a few details about the 19 different performers. It went almost flawless and I believe everyone enjoyed the show. We have a lot of talent. Alcoholics are definitely over-achievers.

that some people seem to trust me enough to seek advice (or maybe just my opinion) LOL

that my partner is OK. He's quite ill in London with a virus that's going around. He's lucky in that he's staying with a relative who happens to be a nurse.


Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.
- John F. Kennedy

Want my cell phone?

(This is not my story, but it almost could be)


When I bought my Blackberry I thought about the 30-year business I ran with 1800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter. I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, 13 grandkids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.

That was before one of my grandkids hooked me up for Tweeter, Tweetree, Twhirl, Twitterfon, Tweetie and Twittererific Tweetdeck, Twitpix and something that sends every message to my cell phone and every other program within the texting world.

My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of everything except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.

The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife and everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. I had to take my hearing aid out to use it, and I got a little loud.

I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside that gadget was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10 minutes, she would sarcastically say, "Re-calc-u-lating." You would think that she could be nicer. It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then if I made a right turn instead. Well, it was not a good relationship.

When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.

To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cordless phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven't figured out how I can lose three phones all at once and have run around digging under chair cushions and checking bathrooms and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.

The world is just getting too complex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sudden "Paper or Plastic?" every time I check out just knocks me for a loop. I bought some of those cloth reusable bags to avoid looking confused, but I never remember to take them in with me.

Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, "Paper or Plastic?" I just say, "Doesn't matter to me. I am bi-sacksual." Then it's their turn to stare at me with a blank look. I was recently asked if I tweet. I answered, No, but I do toot a lot."

Classic songs - almost

Old classics updated with new words.

From comedian Tim Hawkins.



click HERE

going forward

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I get to emcee the above (poster) event tomorrow night

for the concept of trudging

that I don't have to "get there" in a hurry; I have the rest of my life.

that my journey is going to be the most exciting part of "getting there"

to know many of my limitations and the opportunity to realize and acknowledge more of them in the future


When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
- Lao Tzu

Shakespeare said it best

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my vision has widened since I got sober

for the subtle changes that Al Anon is making in my relationships perceptions

that my friend Don B. shared his experience yesterday at the noon meeting

for patience; without it, I would not be sober


Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
- Paul Boese

Follow me

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have some sober history and more and more sober experiences

that I ran into one of my first sober friends after a 2-year absence

that I don't get upset at little things (except sometimes at home, LOL)

for some different behavior at unexpected times



Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it.
- Rabindranath Tagore

Tools

"What NOT to do on your lunch break today."



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to remember that I didn't get sober until I had a Higher Power to surrender to. I can't be in recovery from my alcoholism unless I practice the 12 steps and 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous each and every day.

for all of the spiritual tools I've been offered in recovery

for acceptance of others as doing the best they know how

that the Truxillo House, a 3/4 house for recovering alkies/addicts, has finally reopened after a serious fire 13 months ago. They rebuilt with private donations. No insurance. No government funding.


Too many people grow up. That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up. They forget.
- Walt Disney

MLK

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have NO hate in my life. It's been many years since I've felt that emotion. I am frequently perplexed by those who hate others because of their beliefs. It seems to me that I must allow all people to be free to believe as they wish, without hating them. That doesn't mean I have to agree with them, but I must give them all the leeway I want for myself.

Anything else speaks of hypocrisy.

that Syd is celebrating a birthday today

that I saw The King's Speech yesterday. An excellent movie!



Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.
Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.
Hatred darkens life; love illumines it.
- Martin Luther King Jr.

Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes. . . . than what other people think. . . . . or say. . . . . . . . or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.

The remarkable thing is ….. that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day.

We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play the one string we have … our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. And so it is with you.
We are in charge of our attitudes!

Author unknown

Definitions

CANNIBAL
Someone who is fed up with people.

CHICKENS
The only animals you eat before they are born and after they are dead.

COMMITTEE
A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.

DUST
Mud with the juice squeezed out.

EGOTIST
Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation.

HANDKERCHIEF
Cold Storage.

INFLATION
Cutting money in half without damaging the paper.

MOSQUITO
An insect that makes you like flies better.

RAISIN
Grape with a sunburn.

SECRET
Something you tell to one person at a time.

SKELETON
A bunch of bones with the person scraped off.

TOOTHACHE
The pain that drives you to extraction.

TOMORROW
One of the greatest labor saving devices of today.

YAWN
An honest opinion openly expressed.

WRINKLES
Something other people have, similar to my character lines.

"We're wise to acknowledge miracles."

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the miraculous recovery (so far) of Congresswoman Giffords in Tuscon. Her primary physician, in a news conference yesterday, said the doctors have done just about all they can do and must now let her recovery take over.
He also said, "We're wise to acknowledge miracles."

for Tradition 12 of Alcoholics Anonymous --- "Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities."

that an ability to live and let live is crucial to my peace and serenity

that the timeline of my life seems to be just what it's supposed to be


Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman,
before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
- John Quincy Adams

Happy Joyous and Free

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a heightened sense of the importance of humility as I understand it

that Ginger S related some of her dramatic story of experience yesterday

for peace in my little corner of the world

that my co-chair and I have begun some serious planning for the 2011 Houston Roundup, scheduled for late November.



It is our choices ... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
- J. K. Rowling

Mid-Week Musings

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I actually remembered to use some of my spiritual/recovery tools when I needed to

that I get to experience another day of thinking, not drinking

for the alkies I get to work with and get to know

for more awareness of when to say no

that our friend, Mary in Denver, will be runnin' again!

that my partner made it safely to London; he'll be there for a month


The man with insight enough to admit his limitations comes nearest to perfection.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

1 11 11

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a wonderful 1st step meeting when we had a newcomer (first AA meeting) at the 6:30am meeting yesterday. We rarely have a first-timer that early in the morning.

that I can remember to tell a newcomer to return for a second meeting; I think that's the most important meeting they may ever attend.

for a seemingly increasing clarity of thinking

that I have no desire to be popular, but I do like for people to like me


Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Post #2800

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to listen to my friend Juan O. tell his story of experience, strength and hope. He's 19 months sober and has come a long, long way in that short time period.

for restraint of tongue AND pen AND keyboard

for a newly-developing ability of not taking the bait because usually I'd rather be happy than right

that I don't believe everything I read on the internet or hear on the news


In the midst of difficulty lies opportunity.
- Albert Einstein

I'm just the messenger ...

1. My first job was working in an Orange Juice factory, but I got canned. Couldn't concentrate.

2. Then I worked in the woods as a Lumberjack, but just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe.

3. After that, I tried being a Tailor, but wasn't suited for it -- mainly because it was a sew-sew job.

4. Next, I tried working in a Muffler Factory, but that was too exhausting.

5. Then, tried being a Chef - figured it would add a little spice to my life, but just didn't have the thyme.

6. Next, I attempted being a Deli Worker, but any way I sliced it... couldn't cut the mustard.

7. My best job was a Musician, but eventually found I wasn't noteworthy.

8. I studied a long time to become a Doctor, but didn't have any patience.

9. Next, was a job in a Shoe Factory. Tried hard but just didn't fit in.

10. I became a Professional Fisherman, but discovered I couldn't live on my net income.

11. Managed to get a good job working for a Pool Maintenance Company, but the work was just too draining.

12. So then I got a job in a Workout Center, but they said I wasn't fit for the job.

13. After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a Historian - until I realized there was no future in it.

14. My last job was working in Starbucks, but had to quit because it was the same old grind.

Piano Brothers

If you're offended by this, talk to your sponsor.

I see you!

todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

for familiarity

to know that I have so much more to learn and most of that will come from experience

that solutions to problems (large and small) often come disguised which means I have to remain observant

for those who came before me


You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
- C. S. Lewis

take your pick

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for another serene day - that makes about 3 weeks, ever since I lowered and all but eliminated my expectations

that Melody G. told her interesting story yesterday at the noon AA speaker meeting.

for the springtime weather we're having - I'm wearing shorts every day after early morning 40's

for Mr SponsorPants and his post yesterday. Maybe the best blogpost I've ever read. Click HERE to see it.


Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.
- Henry Ford

up to speed

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

I try not to romanticize my drinking days, but memories of those times (good and bad) are necessary for me to keep fresh. Yesterday I was reminded about those first days of drinking as a teenager and the warm feeling of Drambouie as it slowly slipped down my throat. I can look back on that and know now that my alcoholism began then.

for this quote from the Big book, 4th edition, page 450 ...... "I had to separate my sobriety from everything else that was going on in my life. No matter what happened or didn't happen, I couldn't drink."

that today, I get to chair the first of 4 Wednesday noon speaker meetings this month

that my work on lowering my expectations (of everything) is on track and working well


Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
- Mother Teresa

it's in the trunk ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a wonderful Step 8 meeting; I shared about becoming willing to make amends. It's not always easy, but it's certainly worth it.

for a clear head

that I have an instruction manual that tells me how to get sober, how to stay sober and how to live sober

that we got a brand new car yesterday (not another one of my old collector cars). Our 3rd straight Nissan Murano. I think it may be the most car for the money.


This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
- William Shakespeare

Back to my routine

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that the holidays are over and life can return to normal, whatever that is

for fellowship in AA meetings - before and after

that I was present to hear the recovery story of a young woman from Ohio who has the gift of communication

that I stayed home on New Year's Eve; no desire to be out with the revellers. Does this make me an old fogey? If so, that's just fine with me.

for lovely weather here in Houston over the weekend


You don't have the power to make life "fair,"
but you do have the power to make life joyful.
~~ unknown

S.T.C.

Since seniors are texting more these days, there appears to be a need for a STC (Senior Texting Code). If you qualify for Senior Discounts this is for you.

* ATD ~ At The Doctor's
* BFF ~ Best Friend Farted
* BTW ~ Bring The Wheelchair
* BYOT ~ Bring Your Own Teeth
* CBM ~ Covered By Medicare
* CUATSC ~ See You At The Senior Center
* DWI ~ Driving While Incontinent
* FWB ~ Friend With Beta Blockers
* FWIW ~ Forgot Where I Was
* FYI ~ Found Your Insulin
* GGPBL ~ Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!
* GHA ~ Got Heartburn Again
* HGBM ~ Had Good Bowel Movement
* IMHO ~ Is My Hearing-Aid On?
* LMDO ~ Laughing My Dentures Out
* LOL ~ Living On Lipitor
* LWO ~ Lawrence Welk's On
* OMMR ~ On My Massage Recliner
* OMSG ~ Oh My! Sorry, Gas!
* ROFL-CGU ~ Rolling On The Floor Laughing-Can't Get Up
* SGGP ~ Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
* TTYL ~ Talk To You Louder
* WAITT ~ Who Am I Talking To?
* WTFA ~ Wet The Furniture Again
* WTP ~ Where's The Prunes?
* WWNO ~ Walker Wheels Need Oil
* GGLKI ~ Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In
* NCDCWPH ~ Never confuse denture cream with preparation H
* OMG ~ Oh my grandkids


I'll leave you with this non-holiday joke ........

A woman walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch. “I couldn’t help noticing how happy you look,” she said. “What’s your secret for a long, happy life?” “I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day,” he said. “I also drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods and never exercise.” “That’s amazing,” the woman said. “How old are you?” He responded, “Twenty-six.”

4 commercials you may enjoy on 1-1-11

Bye Bye 2010 ........

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful for 2010 ...

I stayed sober for all of 2010
my sister and I remain in relatively good health
Hayden and I are still together
my sponsor is still around and we are a little closer than a year ago
I have 4 sponsees that are sober
my understanding of the 12 steps increased tremendously
Lambda Center thrives
I get to co-chair the 2011 Houston Roundup
my Al Anon program is really changing my life
my hobbies of gardening and collecting cars continues
our home is a little more comfortable, although the mortgage is difficult
I got to attend the International Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous in San Antonio
I made so many friends in 2010 I can't possibly count them all

Celebrate endings - for they precede new beginnings.

just pluggin' along ...

this is NOT Houston



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that things happen in life when they are supposed to happen

for a design for living that grows daily, as long as I don't return to my drunken instincts

that I got to lead another Al Anon meeting last night; we discussed boundaries and limits

for the good times

and the bad times


Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.
- Bill Cosby

The miracle continues

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a sustained increase in attendance at our (formerly) small 6:30am Eyes Wide Shut group. For years, we drew an average of about 8-10 members. For the past 2 months that number has doubled and we've had over 20 a number of times.

for a reminder that I should never give up 5 minutes before the miracle happens. I almost did this in 2003 when I was about to give up on getting sober. My miracle happened. Very unexpectedly. The miracle continues to this day.

for an awesome concept of a power greater than myself. I don't attempt to define it because I would only limit it, but I know it's there.

for a lovely hour-and-a-half drive to my sister's home yesterday with my partner. She's a fabulous cook and we relaxed and chatted over lunch before sharing a few holiday presents. Since our mom died in August 2008, we don't see much of each other but we will always be close. She's an untreated heavy drinker but seems to be pretty much in control of her actions these days.


There is a road from the eye to heart that does not go through the intellect.
- Gilbert K. Chesterton

Cold?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


for an awareness that I don't always know what's best for me. If I feel a need to doubt this, all I have to do is look at my track record for the past 50+ years.

for a good meeting about Step 7 - "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."

that if I am to acheive some progress towards humility, Steps 6 & 7 must be part of my daily life

that the coffee shop at which I'm a regular is frequented by many other recovering alkies where we can sit back and relax and talk about our lives


Forgiving is not a gift to someone else - Forgiving is your gift to yourself.
~~ unknown

back to .........

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I don't have to explain myself to anybody unless I want to. That's not to be confused with defending myself.

that my domestic problems with my partner are largely behind me/us

for altered perceptions, largely because of fewer expectations

that Christmas season is drawing to an end; it's a shame that I feel this way, but it's the truth

for the small-ish parties I attended this season and that I didn't stay at any of them for more than about an hour


I get by with a little help from my friends.
- John Lennon

Boxing Day explained (sorta)

The exact etymology of the term "boxing" is unclear and there are several competing theories, none definitive. The tradition has long included giving money and other gifts to the needy and those in service positions. The European tradition dates to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. Some claim it dates to the late Roman/early Christian era when metal boxes placed outside churches collected special offerings tied to the Feast of Saint Stephen.

A clue to Boxing Day's origins appears in the Christmas Carol, "Good King Wenceslas." Wenceslas, who was Duke of Bohemia in the early 10th century, was surveying his land on St. Stephen's Day — Dec. 26 — when he saw a poor man gathering wood in the middle of a snowstorm. Moved, the King gathered up surplus food and wine and carried them through the blizzard to the peasant's door. The alms-giving tradition has always been closely associated with the Christmas season, but King Wenceslas' good deed came the day after Christmas, when the English poor received most of their charity.

In the United Kingdom, it became a custom of the nineteenth-century Victorians for tradesmen to collect "Christmas boxes" or gifts on the day after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year.[5] Another possibility is that the name derives from an old English tradition: in exchange for ensuring that wealthy landowners' Christmases ran smoothly, servants were allowed to take the 26th off to visit their families. The employers gave each servant a box containing gifts and bonuses (and sometimes leftover food). In addition, around the 1800s, churches opened their alms boxes (boxes where people place monetary donations) and distributed the contents to the poor.

To protect ships...

During the Age of Exploration, when great sailing ships set off to discover new land, A Christmas box was a good luck device. It was a small container that priests placed on each ship while still in port. Crewmen, to ensure a safe return, dropped money in the box. It was then sealed and kept on board for the entire voyage. If the ship came home safely, the crew gave the box to the priest in exchange for the saying of a Mass of thanks. The Priest kept the box sealed until Christmas, and then opened it to share the contents with the poor.

To help the poor...

An 'Alms Box' was placed in every church on Christmas Day, into which worshipers placed a gift for the poor of the parish. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, which may be why that day became known as Boxing Day.

A present for the workers...

During the late 18th century, Lords and Ladies of the manor "boxed up" leftover food, or sometimes gifts, and distributed them the day after Christmas to tenants on their lands. Many poorly paid workers had to work on Christmas Day and took the following day off to visit family. As they prepared to leave, employers presented them with these Christmas boxes.

The tradition of giving money to workers continues today. It is customary for householders to give small gifts or monetary tips to regular visiting trade people (the milkman, dustman, coalman, paper boy etc.) and, in some work places, for employers to give a Christmas bonus to employees.

A Little Christmas Story

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden the liquor..
In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor.

He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Not a lot of people know this.

Merry Christmas, Adam & Eve

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the specialness that is today and tomorrow

that my sobriety has zero tolerance, but my compassion has much (well, it's getting better)

for the little things in life

for Step 10 -- some of my favorite reading is about this step, especially ...
... love and tolerance of others is our code
... continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear
... we have ceased fighting anything or anyone
... alcohol is a subtle foe
... our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness


Every thought we think is creating our future.
- Louise L. Hay

The truth and nothing but the truth

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I go to a bunch of recovery meetings every week

that I don't drink between those meetings

that I have a concept of a Higher Power

that I have set-aside times for conscious contact with my HP

that I read recovery literature, albeit in literature meetings and not at home

that I have a sponsor who knows me better than any other human except my partner


Real excellence and humility are not incompatible one with the other, on the contrary they are twin sisters.
- Jean Baptiste Lacordaire

It's the REAL thing!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I get to see life with a new pair of glasses as often as I choose

for this quote from the Big book story entitled ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER: "When I focus on what's good today, I have a good day, and when I focus on what's bad, I have a bad day. If I focus on a problem, the problem increases; if I focus on the answer, the answer increases."

for an awareness that I have so many things to work on but I can't do it all today. Or tomorrow.

that I didn't stay up to watch the lunar eclipse yesterday - it was mostly cloudy and from the video I saw, I didn't miss much anyway



Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
- Thich Nhat Hanh

Tuesday Grat ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I can pace myself - for the rest of my life

that I now have a design for living that works instead of a design for dying

for fun in recovery -- if you haven't found it (yet), do it asap!

that the holidays don't trigger me to drink (although I eat way too much)

that I've rarely been a conformist



The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling,
but in rising every time we fall.
- Nelson Mandela

Less than 2 weeks remaining in 2010

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for another recovery/birthday night at Lambda Center, followed by our little Christmas gift exchange event

that I still feel the need to stay on top of my gratitude via this list, using this medium

for other ways of expressing my recovery gratitude

for Step 12 and that I try to carry this message to alcoholics (this message being that of the first 164 pages of the Big book of Alcoholics Anonymous)

that I got my computer repaired - $200 but cheaper than getting a new one


Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
It's about learning how to dance in the rain.
- Vivian Greene

Dance of the lights ...

Click HERE for some Christmas cheer.

Tough to watch - but necessary

This is a PSA video from Australia. It's quite powerful but you shouldn't watch it if you have a queasy stomach.



Don't Drink and Drive!



click here

Have a GREAT weekend!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that all is well. I still don't have my computer AND I got up late and gotta go.


Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

see below ......

NO PICTURE TODAY

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that my partner and I had a very positive meeting with a relationship counselor; I'm not going to write much else about that here because it's much too personal to speak of in this medium

that we got to listen to a very passionate speaker yesterday, a man with 33 years of sobriety and some interesting insights

that I rarely needed an excuse to drink

that I am writing this post on my partner's computer because mine bit the dust yesterday; hopefully it can be repaired


When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor.
It's to enjoy each step along the way.
- Wayne Dyer

no h8

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have no hate in my heart. Several years ago, I realized how negative this emotion is and made a commitment to myself to eliminate it from my life. With the aid of the steps, practicing all of them daily and an honest appraisal of myself and others, I have no hate. For this alcoholic, it's a wonderful feeling.

for an awareness of many things I don't like or approve of, but there is no hate!

that we read my favorite story in the 4th edition of the big book yesterday .....
ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER --- I feel that I could talk/write all day about this story and its revelations. I'll share more later in the week.

that honesty and faith can take me a long way


If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.
- Seneca

Say "Cheeeese!"

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for Easy Does It, Live & Let Live, First things First and all the other slogans we use in recovery;
What's your favorite?

for the benefits of doing Step 5, including the practice of telling my sponsor everything I don't want to tell him

for the Game Show Network -- I love it!!

for a few days of gorgeous cold (30's & 40's) weather we're having, although the temperature is supposed to be in the 70's tomorrow LOL

We cannot choose our external circumstances,
but we can always choose how to respond to them.
- Epictetus

Nature, naturally

This week I'll be posting some pictures of nature at work. Enjoy!!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a good attitude

that I never have to hit another alcoholic bottom; one was plenty!

for the honor of working closely, one-on-one, with 4 recovering alkies on a weekly basis

that a former sponsee is getting ready to celebrate 5 years of continuous sobriety; I am so happy for him!

that when I briefly became sick over the weekend, I took care of myself and limited my activities; it worked.


We may not always be aware of it, but we all create and repeat affirmations constantly. The problem is, we typically don't pay attention to exactly what those affirmations are saying. Often we go through the day giving ourselves all sorts of contradictory, or even negative messages. We may project confidence to the world around us, while our inner dialogue says... I hope this works. I am so nervous about this. I hope I don't blow it. Affirmations are self fulfilling prophecies. If we say, This is never going to work... then chances are excellent it never will.
- John Assaraf

Welcome to the Lisbon Airport

Patty Cake Patty Cake ...

Turn on the volume!

Taking my own inventory

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for these excerpts from Step 10 (Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions) ...

... when a drunk has a terrific hangover because he drank heavily yesterday, he cannot live well today. But there is another kind of hangover which we all experience. That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday's and sometimes today's excesses of negative emotion -- anger, fear, jealousy, and the like.

... Our inventory enables us to settle with the past.

... It is a spiritual axiom that every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us.

... We have found that justified anger ought to be left to those better qualified to handle it.

... Few people have been more victimized by resentments than have we alcoholics. It mattered little whether our resentments were justified or not.

... Nor were we ever skillful in separating justified from unjustified anger. As we saw it, our wrath was always justified.

Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

This above all ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to be aware of different levels of honesty. In recovery, I have learned that there's more than just "cash register" honesty.
Denial, exxageration, little white lies, manipulation of the facts are just a few of the means by which I can get my way.

for a clearer understanding of an unmanageable life

for those who step up to the plate when asked

for the life of John Lennon


This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
- William Shakespeare

mid-week potpourri

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I like to laugh at myself and my mistakes; this wasn't always the case

that I seem to find more similarities than differences in every AA meeting that I attend

that one of my recovery mentors shares that every AA meeting is God's meeting and this relieves me of the burden of needing to control it; this really comes in handy at times

for the good old days and the good new ones too


Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.
- John D. Rockefeller

Big things, Small things

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for some awareness of patterns of my thinking and my behavior that comes to me because of Step 4 inventories

for day long calmness (serenity)

for knowledge that things will be OK as long as I closely follow the design for living that comes to me as a result of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

that answers will come but I must be more open-minded if I am going to appreciate them

for those who gave their lives 69 years ago at Pearl Harbor


We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
- George Bernard Shaw

6 years of blogging

Today marks the 6th anniversary of this blog. I have posted consistently since then and this is the 2,764th post. . I have also stayed sober consistently since September 2003.

Below is my first post from December 6, 2004.

Still trying to get this blog stuff down. Scott did his and he ain't no more computer literate than me so I know I have a chance. LOL Maybe I will even figger out how to get some pictures on here.

I am waiting for word about a potential job in Nigeria. May come today or this week. I just don't know, but am trying to let it go.

Feeling quite spiritual today after 3 str8 AA meetings of spirituality. This is all so new to me and is an interesting thing to go through. I never liked the term "reborn" but now understand it completely. The only spirit I knew before September 5, 2003 came in a bottle of rum.


todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

that Robin C. got to share her experience with us on Saturday

that I saw my goodest friend Rodney star in a play last night; he was superb, of course

that I sometimes have a stiff, upper lip

that I'm so lucky


Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life. And when you feel better about life, your life is better. With an optimistic, positive attitude toward life, the possibilities for your second prime are tremendous.
- Art Linkletter, who died May 26, 2010 at the age of 97, expressed these thoughts on smiling, positive attitude and a second prime when he was 94.

Sister Strikes Again

Click HERE for some Sunday funnies.

Willie

I hope you're not offended by this. If you are, talk to your sponsor, please.

Whether or not you are a country music fan, these are truly the words of a deep thinker, and a highly intelligent person. So simple, yet so profound! Read the words of wisdom from that famous philosopher Willie Nelson, iconic country and western singer, on his 75th birthday below his esteemed portrait. Only a man with such wisdom and maturity could be so concise and succinct in phrasing his feelings at this turning point in his life.

"I have outlived my pecker."
The Penis Poem

My nookie days are over,
My pilot light is out.
What used to be my sex appeal,
Is now my water spout.
Time was when, on its own accord,
From my trousers it would spring.
But now I've got a full time job,
To find the f***in' thing.
It used to be embarrassing,
The way it would behave.
For every single morning,
It would stand and watch me shave.
Now as old age approaches,
It sure gives me the blues.
To see it hang its little head,
And watch me tie my shoes!!

A happy Friday to you!

todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I have been so busy lately; it's been a huge help in keeping me from swimming around inside of my head and maybe drowning!

that I had an appointment with my psychiatrist yesterday and she confirmed a lot of things for me; she stopped a bit short of telling me I'm not crazy as a loon, but she did say my thinking was pretty damn right-on. Whew!

for faith that my life will unfold in front of me in ways I probably can't imagine; that has been true for these first 56 years

that I'm still passionate about service work


My Mama always said you've got to put the past behind you before you can move on.
- the movie Forrest Gump

charmin'

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for everyone

for everyone in recovery

for everyone I know

for everyone that has participated in my life

for everyone that will participate in my life

for a good breakfast


Live boldly. Laugh Loudly. Love Truly.
Play as often as you can
Work as smart as you are able.
Share your heart as deeply as you can reach.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe the event, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar announcements.

AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007, and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007, of which about 270,000 were children.





todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


that I'm still HIV negative after all these years and intend to remain that way

that I'm not responsible for my first thought, but I am responsible for my second thought and the action after that thought

that my home life/relationship still sucks but I still think I'm just about the luckiest person I know

that my experience tells me that life goes on (so far, that's been the case)

for a really good noon meeting yesterday about self-care


Most of us love, to be sure. Yet far too often our love is passive.
We must be proactive in our love in order for it to change our lives.
- Marianne Williamson