round and round

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I love being sober

that it's good to be in recovery

that I really enjoy listening

that I really like being in the middle of things

Revenge... is like a rolling stone,
which, when a man hath forced up a hill, will return upon him with a greater violence, and break those bones whose sinews gave it motion.

- Albert Schweitzer

Conscious Contact

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for Step 11.  "Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out."

"Those of us who have come to make regular use of prayer would no more do without it than we would refuse air, food, or sunshine.  And for the same reason.  When we refuse air, light, or food, the body suffers."

Before I came into the rooms of recovery, I never prayed.  I had no Higher Power to pray to.  It took some conscious effort at first to get into a habit of daily, scheduled contact with my HP. Today, I can't imagine doing without it.  At least, as long as I stay sober.  If I begin drinking again, there will be no room for a HP other than alcohol.  For me, it's one or the other.

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.

– Joseph Campbell

Going my way?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to hear one of my favorite recovery speakers on Saturday.  He has a way of relating his story of alcoholism in a funny, entertaining and very, very real way.  It was the 3rd or 4th time I've had this opportunity and it is still fresh.

that I can find ways to carry the message just by being present

that I own fewer resentments than ever

for the incredible, life-long efforts of Jane Goodall (seen on 60 Minutes last night)

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;
courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

- Winston Churchill

BFF

Since more and more Seniors are texting and tweeting there appears to be a need for a STC (Senior Texting Code). If you qualify for Senior Discounts this is the code for you.
Please pass this on to your children and grandchildren so they can understand your texts.
ATD:	At The Doctor's
BFF:	Best Friend Fainted
BTW:	Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT:	Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM:	Covered By Medicare
CGU:	Can't get up
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... And Can't Get Up
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)

The Dog Who Came toDinner

The Dog Who Came to Dinner

A very devout man had the practice of praying each day, and having long conversations with God. Longing to meet God in person, one day he invited God to join him for a meal. To the man's great surprise, God accepted, and an appointment time was set.

The man shopped for the very finest foods and prepared them with a skilled and patient hand. Then he washed himself, put on his finest clothes, and sat in his comfortable chair waiting for God.

At exactly the appointed time, there was a thump at the door. When the man opened the door, a black dog raced past him, leapt onto the table, and began devouring the food the man had so carefully prepared for God. Enraged that the dog was spoiling his dinner with God, the man grabbed a stick and began beating the dog. The dog howled at the blows, then ran out the door whimpering.

The man did his best to repair the table and the fine food. He waited for the rest of the day, but there was no knock on the door. Finally the man gave up waiting. He was certain that God had not come because the dinner had been spoiled by the dog.

The man prayed to God, "I am so sorry the dinner was ruined by that wretched dog. Please, please come to dine with me tomorrow. I will prepare all new and wonderful food." The image of God appeared before the man. Cuts and bruises were on God's head and side. "I came to your house today at the appointed time. I was very hungry, so I came in the form of a dog in order to best enjoy your fine food, but you beat me and chased me away."

Moral: God lives in the least of us.

Finite Friday

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to be sober (always)
to be serene (usually)
to be at peace (most of the time)
to have a partner (almost 10 years)
to belong to a recovery center (8 years)
to have many friends in recovery (too many to count)
to have a new home (3 years old)
to have 3 cats (1 mother + 2 kids)
to know that there's not enough space to complete this list ('nuff said)

A person without a sense of humor
is like a wagon without springs.
It's jolted by every pebble on the road.- Henry Ward Beecher

remember when ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the freshness of another day

that I can understand and empathize the pain that friends are experiencing without letting it get me down

that we all get to live in this ever-changing world

Pammie - I'm still not able to post comments on your blog.  The screen just goes blank.

Happiness lies in accepting everyone
in our lives EXACTLY as they are.
We cause ourselves untold misery whenever we believe others to be imperfect and try to change them.
This is the number one rule for a happy relationship.

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

moving right along ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am what I am.  If I were any different, I wouldn't be me. (huh?)

for the help that comes my way when I'm able to lower my defenses

for the story from the Big Book, titled "Acceptance Was the Answer."  I know some of you have met and listened to the author of this story.  Maybe I will have that privilege someday too.  His story is chocked full of wisdom. 
Here's a favorite quote ...

"For years I was sure the worst thing that could happen to a nice guy like me would be that I would turn out to be an alcoholic.  Today I find it's the best thing that has ever happened to me.  This proves I  don't know what's good for me.  And if I don't know what's good for me, then I don't know what's good or bad for you or for anyone. So I'm better off if I don't give advice, don't figure I know what's best, and just accept life on life's terms, as it is today."

that I have jury duty today

Laugh when you can,
apologize when you should,
and let go of what you can't change.
Life's too short to be anything... but happy.

- Anonymous

Hey! You're back!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for Step 10.  Perseverance.  Self examination.  Humility.

that I understand the difference between an apology and an amends.  I heard somone share yesterday (someone with 30+ years recovery) that they make amends daily.  I tell my sponsees that if you're not ready to change your behavior, just apologize; don't claim to make an amends.

for Betty White.  I watched her 90th birthday party last night on the telly.  She's a national treasure.
Change your thoughts, change your life.
- James Allen

Moving on .......

A picture from the 2012 Chevron Houston Marathon.  It was run yesterday under clear skies and 45-50 degree temperatures.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful


to be constantly reminded how powerless I am over just about everything.  Especially when it comes to changing others.

for the hour and a half I got to spend with friends while we watched the Houston Marathon yesterday.  We had a few friends to cheer as they passed by.  Gorgeous weather for a little 26 mile run.

that my NFL team, The Texans, did their best but came up short in the 2nd round of the playoffs.  They can hold their (now more experienced) heads high.


Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
- Winston Churchill

Secret to a GREAT Relationship?

by Jonathon Huie

Behind all the issues that separate an ordinary relationship from a great one, is one common factor. Behind all the truly helpful advice on improving your life together, there lies one key to a great relationship.

Many different kinds of problems can cause a relationship to fall apart. Physical or emotional abuse, addictions, cheating, jealousy, and neediness are just a few of the issues that can destroy a relationship. But once the many potentially disastrous problems have been avoided, what have you got? Perhaps a relationship that qualifies only as "pretty good." But what creates a really great relationship?

At the beginning, we are in relationship because we are attracted to the other person - we think they are sexy, smart, funny, whatever it is that we find appealing. But very quickly, the focus of the relationship turns to whether we feel appreciated. If we don't feel appreciated, we don't feel loved.

It is common for those entering into a relationship to hold an idealized image of how a perfect partner is supposed to act. Perhaps a man is supposed to open car doors. Perhaps a woman is supposed to wear a certain kind of underwear. The internal dialog goes something like this, "Jim (or Sally) is a wonderful person and loves me. After we're together, he will change because he loves me so much. He will stop wanting to hang out with his friends, watch football games, whatever." How can anyone feel appreciated when their loved one is wishing or hoping for them to change.

The greatest roadblock to a great relationship is trying to force a partner to change through bribes or threats. This classic human tendency is lampooned in the long-running off-Broadway musical comedy "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." It's funny to watch other people go through the cycle of searching for the perfect mate, believing they have found that person, and than gradually attempting to remold the supposedly perfect partner. Unfortunately, in real life, this pattern is a cause of immense suffering.

I Love You Just the Way You Are

The number one secret of a great relationship is accepting our partner EXACTLY as they are. We cause ourselves untold misery whenever we believe our loved ones to be imperfect and try to change them.

To create a great relationship, say and mean, "I love you just the way you are." No pretense. No hoping for change. No thought that it used to be better, or might get better. Follow through by living into that sentiment every day.

Falling into the trap of thinking, "I wish you were different" or "Please change." is no way to show your love. Happiness lies in this number one rule of great relationships: Love and accept your partner exactly the way they are.

Wrong!

FALSE PREDICTIONS

These quotes show that it’s risky to say that something can’t or won’t be done, especially when technology is concerned and it’s the right thing to do. I hope it inspires others to do the right thing.

• PHONOGRAPH – “The phonograph has no commercial value at all.” (Thomas Edison)

• TELEGRAPH – “I watched his countenance closely, to see if he was not deranged … and I was assured by other senators after he left the room that they had no confidence in it.” (U.S. Senator Smith of Indiana, after witnessing a demonstration of Samuel Morse’s telegraph, 1842)

• TELEPHONE – “Well-informed people know it is impossible to transmit the voice over wires and that were it possible to do so, the thing would be of no practical value.” (Boston Post, on the telephone, 1865)

• TELEPHONE – “This telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” (Western Union internal memo, 1876)

• TELEPHONE – “The Americans think we need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys.” (Sir William Preece, chief engineer of Britain’s Post Office, 1876)

• ELECTRICITY – “Fooling around with alternating current is just a waste of time. Nobody will use it, ever.” (Thomas Edison, 1889)

• CARS – “The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a novelty–a fad.” (President of the Michigan Savings Bank, speaking to Henry Ford’s lawyer, Horace Rackham. Rackham ignored the advice, invested $5000 in Ford stock, and sold it later for $12.5 million.)

• PLANES – “Heavier-than-air flying machines are fantasy. Simple laws of physics make them impossible.” (Lord Kelvin, president, British Royal Society, 1895)

• INVENTION – “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” (Charles H. Duell, commissioner of the US Patent Office, recommending that his office should be abolished, 1899)

• PLANES – “Man will not fly for 50 years.” (Wilbur Wright, to brother Orville after a disappointing flying experiment in 1901. Their first successful flight was in 1903.)

• PLANES – “There will never be a bigger plane built.” (A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin-engine plane that holds ten people)

• RADIO – “The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” (David Sarnoff’s associates responding to his urgings for investment in radio, 1912)

• TANKS – “Caterpillar land ships are idiotic and useless. Those officers and men are wasting their time and are not pulling their proper weight in the war” (Fourth Lord of the British Admiralty, regarding the introduction of tanks in war, 1915)

• TANKS – “The idea that cavalry will be replaced by these iron coaches is absurd. It is little short of treasonous.” (ADC to Field Marshal Haig, at tank demonstration, 1916)

• MOVIES – “Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” (H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927)

• NUCLEAR – “There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will.” (Albert Einstein, 1932)

• NUCLEAR – “That is the biggest fool thing we have ever done. The bomb will never go off, and I speak as an expert in explosives.” (Admiral William Leahy, when President Truman asked for his opinion on the project to build an atomic bomb)

• SPACE – “A rocket will never be able to leave the earth’s atmosphere.” (New York Times, 1936)

• COMPUTERS – “I think there is a world market for about five computers.” (Thomas J. Watson Jr., chairman of IBM, 1943)

• TELEVISION – “Television won’t last because people will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.” (Darryl Zanuck, Movie Producer, 20th Century Fox, 1946)

• TELEVISION – “The problem with television is that the people must sit and keep their eyes glued on a screen; The average American family hasn’t time for it.” (New York Times, 1949)

• SPACE – “Space travel is bunk.” (Sir Harold Spencer Jones, Astronomer Royal of the UK, 1957, two weeks before Sputnik orbited the Earth)

• COPIERS – “The world potential market for copying machines is 5000 at most.” (IBM to the founders of Xerox as it turned down their proposal, 1959)

• SPACE – “There is practically no chance communications space satellites will be used to provide better telephone, telegraph, television, or radio service inside the United States.” (T. Craven, FCC Commissioner, 1961)

• MUSIC – “Guitar music is on the way out.” (Decca Records, declining to record a new group called The Beatles, 1962)

• COMPUTERS – “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home.” (Kenneth Olson, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977)

• COMPUTERS – “So we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, ‘No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t gone through college yet.‘” (Steve Jobs, founder of Apple)

• COMPUTERS – “640 K [of computer memory] ought to be enough for anybody.” (Bill Gates, founder and CEO of Microsoft, 1981)

• COMPUTERS – “We see a corporate market of maybe 15,000 PCs a year by 1990.” (DataQuest, 1984)

• COMPUTERS – “By 1990 75-80 percent of IBM compatible computers will be sold with OS/2.” (Bill Gates, founder and CEO of Microsoft, 1988)

• COMPUTERS – “I predict that the last mainframe will be unplugged on March 15, 1996.” (Stewart Alsop, InfoWorld columnist, 1991)

• INTERNET – “I predict the Internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse.” (Robert Metcalfe, founder of 3Com and inventor of Ethernet, 1995)

FRI the 13th

Citroen 2CV and a 1958 Renault

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for A.A.'s Tradition One.  "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity."
I attend a Twelve and Twelve study each week.  Yesterday we read and discussed Tradition One.  I know this much ... if this tradition was not in place and observed, A.A. would never have lasted as long as it has.  If you want to know more about it, read it for yourself.

that I seem to become more passive as I grow older and soberer.  Things that used to bother me don't bother me nearly as much.  Things that I used to jump into the middle of, I can now just sit back and watch.

for advanced sobriety.  I define that as more than a day sober.


Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
- Anonymous

today's report .....

1966 AMC Marlin

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to spend some time with one of my favorite new-in-recovery people yesterday.  I am always amazed at the honesty and frankness of some people.  I guess when we have hit bottom and there's nowhere else to go, honesty and frankness are a bit easier to come by.  Regardless, it's fresh and I'm grateful to be a part of it.


for the camaraderie we experience in recovery; ie: some of the things we laugh at that "normal" people might frown upon.  LOL

that no amount of money can buy "the desire to stop drinking"

that I don't have to be the "boss" any more.  I like just being a follower.

We can always choose to perceive things differently.
You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right.- Marianne Williamson

Taking nothing for granted

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for great weather
for rain
for gravity
for politeness
for friendship
for the shelter over my head
for a fat tummy

But most of all, I'm grateful for my sobriety, without which, I would have been sprinkled over the ground somewhere. 

It is never too late to become what you might have been.
- George Eliot

8 & 9

1956 Cadillac convertible



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the really good AA meeting yesterday about steps 8 & 9.   It occurred to me that before I can make a list of people I've harmed, first I have to define "harmed".  Then, before I can become willing to make amends, first I must define "amends".  I shared these two thoughts and then, of course, stressed the importance of working these steps with a sponsor who can be objective.  Left to my own thinking, I may think I've never harmed anyone or that I have harmed everyone with whom I've ever come into contact.  I need my sponsors' guidance on this.

for the wisdom of folks who have been there and done that

that I watched the movie "Tora, Tora, Tora!" last night.  It's been many years since I've seen it and I really enjoy the film.  This Saturday, I plan on going to see the new movie "The Iron Lady" with some movie-buff recovery friends.


The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
- Samuel Johnson

Back to writin'

1954 Corvette

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to see some of the changes that occur in newly-sober people

for the return-on-investment I receive in recovery

that I am back on the Board of Directors of Lambda Center after a 3 year absence (it will be my fourth stint as Secretary)

for a lovely weekend of 70+ degree temperatures in H-town; came in real handy at the car show I was at on Saturday.  I'm gonna post a few pictures this week.

The full measure of a man is

not to be found in the man himself,

but in the colors and textures that

come alive in others because of him.

- Albert Schweitzer

Me? A Versatile Blogger?

A few days ago, Mary Christine at BEING SOBER (see the link on my sidebar) chose me as someone she'd like to give this in-house blogger award.  I'm supposed to list 7 things about me that I have not yet revealed.  There's a link on my sidebar called "100 things about me" that I wrote many years ago when I began this blog.  I don't know what I can add to that.  I'm also supposed to tag 3 others to do the same.
I'll try to find those 7 things and list them here, but I'm not gonna tag anyone.  If you'd like to make such a list for yourself, go for it.
OK.  Let's see what comes out ...........

1. I'm a car afficionado.  Since I was a small child I've loved cars. Now, at 57, I have 4 cars, 2 of them so-called collector cars.  I occasionally enter them in car shows.

2.  I've always collected things.  Nothing big.  Nothing important.  Just things.

3.  I'm afraid of heights in some cases.  But I've flown in many helicopters and even sky-dived with no fear at all.  That seems kinda weird to me.

4.  I'm a weather watcher.  I actually understand how weather systems work.

5.  I don't need an alarm clock.  I've always been an early riser, even when I drank to oblivion the night before.

6.  Sometimes I have a need to be in the middle of things.  Other times, I'd prefer to just be in the background.   This seems to work well for me as a recovering alcoholic.

7.  I enjoy working in my yard.  Raking leaves and pulling weeds.  Keeping the grass trimmed and neat.  Pulling weeds?  You gotta be kidding!

Cheers. 

note: I attended the Houston Texans playoff games yesterday and was one of over 71,000 fans on hand.  It was a great experience. (we won)

Feeling Sad?

It is surprisingly common for people to feel sad for long periods of time without knowing the reason for their sadness. If your aunt, or your pet goldfish, died recently, or your boyfriend dumped you, at least you know why you are sad. You may not like the feeling, but at least you know the cause and have a specific issue to deal with.

However, when your sadness is generalized, continuing, and has no obvious cause, you need to look deeper at what is going on. Ask yourself these five questions.

1. Have you ever considered suicide or harming yourself in any way? If you have, you must get professional help at once. This is more than a casual sadness and a skilled professional can help.

2. What activities bring you joy? If you can't write down at least several activities you enjoy, your sadness probably relates to an emptiness - a need to have an enjoyable focus to your life.

3. How often do you engage in activities that bring you joy? If you can identify activities that you enjoy, but seldom spend time in those activities, your sadness again is an emptiness, being unfulfilled.

4. What are you committed to? What do you fervently believe in? The absence of a strong commitment to a cause or a set of ideals can lead to continuing sadness. A fulfilling commitment could be a dedication to your Higher Power, but it could also be a commitment to world peace, ending hunger in your own town, or becoming a concert pianist.

5. Who are you committed to helping? The path to happiness is usually found in helping others. Compassion and generosity of your time and love lead out of sadness into happiness.

by Jonathan Huie

Continued to take personal inventory

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thaAnkful

that I will go to 3 AA meetings today as I do every Friday

for these goodies from Step 10 of the book known as the 12 X 12 ......

... "a continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by this means, are necessities for us."

... "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."

... "nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen."

Have a GREAT weekend!

It is not the man who has too little,
but the man who craves more, that is poor.

- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Some things go without saying (you won't find them here)

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for people who stick to their values

that my recovery is all about me

to be reminded (often) that I can't change anyone but myself

that you have taken some valuable time out of your day to read this stuff

that there are only 353 shopping days until Christmas

 

The time to relax is when you don't have time for it.

- Sydney Harris

Important stuff

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

it passed (see yesterday's post)

for sober experience

that I continue to listen to everyone who shares in an AA meeting.  Sometimes (often) I don't understand or really even care what they have to say.  But if I choose to not listen, I will undoubtedly miss something I need to hear.

When I am able to resist the temptation to judge others, I can see them as teachers.

- Gerald Jampolsky

Feelings. Ugh!

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a new year and the things that I absolutely know I'll learn; I just don't know what those things are (yet)


that I can stay sober through some (hopefully) minor depression that I'm going through.  I am doing my best to stay positive, but my home life really sucks right now.  When I'm away from home and able to be around others in recovery, things get much better.  I know this will pass, but it would be great if it would just hurry up.

I'm not very comfortable putting this out on the internet, so it's about all I'll say about it in this forum.

Success comes from knowing that
you did your best to become the best
that you are capable of becoming.

- John Wooden

Here we go .........

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I made it through another new year's eve without drinking; that makes 9 in-a-row

for solutions to my problems.  Those problems this past week have involved wanting to isolate.  The solution has been to stick to my program closely and to share with a few people what's going on inside this head.  I know I have to remain accountable.

for an even-numbered year -- 2012.  I like them better than odd-numbered ones.


At all times and under all circumstances, we have the power to transform the quality of our lives.
- Werner Erhard

My Wish For You in 2012 ...

This is my wish for you:
Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Hugs when spirits sag,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Faith so that you can believe,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
Love to complete your life.- Anonymous

Gone in 2011

It's always difficult for me to remember famous people who have died over any given year.  So I thought I'd share this link with you today.

note:  When I lived overseas for many years, many people died and I never heard about their passing.  I'm sure there are many who died and I still don't know about it.


Celebrity deaths in 2011 -- click here

Going, going ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I still benefit from these short little gratitude lists.  They used to be longer but they have evolved into what you see here, today.  This is my last one for this year, but I'll continue on Monday.  I hope you have a great weekend, but above all, stay sober and safe.

for my new, daily mantra ...

Let no one steal your peace, David.

I use it often, lately.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.

- Joseph Campbell

As a sober man ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that, as a sober man in recovery, I get to meet so many varied individuals

for a very insightful Al Anon meeting last night.  We discussed the concept of not accepting unacceptable behavior.  As a sober man, I know that I have choices to form personal boudaries.  I'm not very good at this.  I really hope I will improve.  I have a tendency to be quite passive which gives others the potential to take advantage of me.  So much to learn but at least I have the rest of my life to learn these things and put them into practice.

that, as a sober man in recovery, I attend different types of 12-step meetings and learn how to act in public.

Success is to be measured not so much
by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.

- Booker T. Washington

OK, everybody wait your turn...

hundreds protest global warming.

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm sober - yesterday (all day) and today (so far)

that I was able to find a Higher Power and allow it to evolve.  That evolution continues and I want it to keep on evolving.  This seems to occur through working the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and doing my best to live the best life I can.

that power = choices

that it's already the middle of the week.  That didn't take any effort.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.

If we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

- Anne Bradstreet

Got caption?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for first step meetings.  It's a tradition where I attend meetings to concentrate on Step One when we have a first-time newcomer present in a meeting.  The rawness of a newly-sober person is intriguing to me.  It sometimes sends chills as I remember my first days as I began the process of detoxification.

that a good friend gave me a copy of "Drop the Rock", a Hazelden book about Steps 6 & 7.  The first line I highlighted reads, "denial: we are totally unaware of our own contribution to our problems."

that I am considering what type of organized service work to involve myself with for 2012.  I can tell you this; before I got sober, I never thought about doing any type of volunteer work.  That would thave taken entirely too much time away from my necessary bar-hours.

for my friend Pammie, who is experiencing a living nightmare these past few weeks.  She's doing it sober and giving us all a great example of recovery-in-action.   Prayers to you, dear.

It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.

- Epictetus

just another day ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a peaceful weekend of holiday celebrations

for one of the coolest A.A. meetings I've been to.  Spontaneously, a group of Veterans came into Lambda (recovery center where I attend meetings) because their VFW post across the street had not yet opened their doors.  They were all in recovery (about 15 of them) and wanted a meeting.  We were please as punch to host them and they were glad we were there (even though we were all gay - LOL).  We made some new friends.

for too much damn food

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Merry F**ing Christmas

Residents of the Austrian town of F***ing have given up trying to live down their name and are cashing in with a range of Christmas cards.

Locals have given up on trying to discourage visitors from making fun of the name and have instead decided to turn it into an asset.
As well as the sell-out 'F***ing Chrstmas cards', local businesses are also doing a roaring trade with 'F***ing beer' and a range of 'F***ing' souvenirs.
The village's name is understood to come from a sixth century noble called Lord Focko, with 'ing' being old-fashioned German for 'family of'.
Local mayor Franz Meindl had previously complained about tourists flocking to the village to be photographed in front of the 'F***ing' road signs.
He said: "They have been a nuisance for years, some even strip off naked, and the worst steal the 'F***ing' signs. They think its funny but a new 'F***ing' sign is expensive.
"Until the Americans were stationed nearby after the war we didn't even know it had an alternative meaning. It is just the usual spelling of the word for us. I'm sure I could find many town names in Britain or somewhere else which sound funny when pronounced in German.
"There is nothing funny in the name to us. If other people laugh about it, there is nothing we can do. But we pronounce it differently in our dialect and it was never funny in any way."
In the end the village concreted the poles in place and welded the signs in tight to stop them being pinched.
The villagers even had a debate about whether to change the name but decided in the end to keep their name after learning that the nearby German village of W**k had developed a flourishing tourism business.

Jump!

The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I want to be … because of all I may become I will close my eyes and leap.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

the jump is so frightening
- Mary Anne Radmacher

When I was a little girl I would save my money and go to our corner drug store which had, what I thought, was the world’s largest collection of greeting cards. And they were for sale!Bliss.I loved all the images and would take an hour to select one card.Even at eight years old I thought the inside greetings were just plain silly.I would purchase my card, march home and use my dad’s white-strike-out-correcting sheet to set those insides right (had “white out” not yet been invented?). Then it was ready for a personal note and was sent off to some interested family friend or a relative that required a thank you.I was not sure what “precocious” meant but folks always said it in a kind way when they told my mother that’s what I was.

In my early twenties I dreamt of starting my own greeting card company.I would write on the pages of my journal, ”I want to be an artist.”I longed to create a livelihood that had meaning and use my talents and skills in the service of a compelling and inspiring idea.I was certain that I would have to WAIT until I was (eh-hem) really old.Maybe some time in my forties.I thought perhaps by the time I reached the wise age of 45I would have gotten all the education needed and managed to save up enough money to fund my own company.

The rumblings wouldn’t leave.I felt unwilling to wait almost twenty years before I could manifest my dreamI wrote to a man who used to own the kite shop in the small community in which I lived.He knew a lot about how to make things fly…including one’s dreams.I poured my heart out to him in that letter.I told him I realized I didn’t know the first thing about operating a business and I didn’t have a dime to my name.But I KNEW what I wanted to do. And then I wrote, “The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I want to be…because of all I may become I will close my eyes and leap.”

I brought the letter to a close and posted it.Soon a photocopy of that letter came back to me.The jump phrase was circled in RED…with his note on the side.“THIS sentence, these words, are the reason you are ready to start your business now.You know everything you need to know…and these words should go on one of your first products.”

They did.

I have heard stories over the years how that particular sentence has been the motivation to move people along and give them the courage to put wings to their dreams.

Ha!Just today I could fold those words into a letter whispered just after these words, “I am on the cusp of a remarkable journey.All the longings of my life have led me to this amazing transition in my experience.”
Ah, yes.Jump.

experience

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for boredom serenity

for people with more sober time and experience than this 8+ year alkie.  I have so much to learn from their experience; it just boggles my mind sometime.

that I live in a region where we don't have to worry about snow.  Or earthquakes.  But we do get our share of floods, fires and tornadoes.  And heat.

that my next gratitude list will be the day after Christmas.  I hope that your experience over the next couple of days is better than you might imagine.


that I'm going to make a concentrated effort to NOT take myself too seriously this weekend

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

- Oscar Wilde

Something to say .......

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I own some sober history

that nobody can take away my sobriety or my recovery

for dinner last night with a returner to the rooms of recovery; I hope he never has to be a returner again

that today, I am going to be as happy as I choose to be.  I wish the same for you.

by the way -- I was wrong yesterday about being the shortest day of the year.  That would be today!

Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up  and hurry off as if nothing had happened.

- Winston Churchill

FYI

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for my sense of humor -- many don't care for it and that's OK

for the approaching end to another year on this little blue planet, all of it spent above the grass (again)

for wonderful memories of my childhood at Christmas; decorating the house inside and out and playing Santa Claus every year on Christmas morning (I traditionally handed out the packages to be opened)

for the willingness to put in hard work toward my recovery

that today is the shortest day of the year


With courage you will dare to take risks,
have the strength to be compassionate,
and the wisdom to be humble.
Courage is the foundation of integrity.
- Keshavan Nair

No Hate Zone

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a really good meeting on Step 6.  It's all about letting go of many past behaviors and thought-patterns so that I can be my best.  Every day.  I hope that I'll always remember to use this concept for the reminder of my life.  If I don't, I stand a relatively good chance of a relapse.

for the design for living offered to me in 12-step recovery

for my spiritual tool box

that many years ago, I removed the word "hate" from my everyday vocabulary.  It's so negative and ... and ... hateful.  Occassionally I accidentally use it, but often correct myself.

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them:
that's the essence of inhumanity.

- George Bernard Shaw

Week 50

With Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and Musical Director Paul Mirkovich at the helm, T-Mobile surprises shoppers at the Chicagoland area's Woodfield Mall with a surprise performance and updated spin on the holiday classic, "(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays."


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a cool weekend.  No particular plans out of the ordinary.  No stress.  Just a nice, slow peaceful couple of days. 

for the recovery fellowship that I enjoy being involved with

that I got to see a friend walk through a huge fear and come out without a scratch


Example is not the main thing in influencing others.
It is the only thing.- Albert Schweitzer

An Inspired Life

The Eight Points of An Inspired Life work together to enable us to take charge of our life and make intentional choices for joyful living.

Consider making these Affirmations of an Inspired Life a part of your daily expression of intent:

• HONOR - I Honor My True Self
• FORGIVENESS - I Forgive Myself and All Others with Compassion
• GRATITUDE - I Receive ALL of Life with Thanksgiving
• CHOICE - I CHOOSE with Open Mind and Open Heart
• VISION - I Dream with Powerful Intention
• ACTION - I Act with Bold Courage
• CELEBRATION - I Dance with a Light Heart
• UNITY - I Am One With Spirit and All Creation

Here are extended versions of these affirmations.

HONOR:
I Honor My True Self - I grant myself the Honor of being ME. I am unique in all time and space. I am beyond perceived scarcity, obligation, and the need for approval. I am Honored that Spirit has chosen to create ME.

FORGIVENESS:
I Forgive Myself and All Others with Compassion - I forgive everyone, especially myself, for all actions and all inactions throughout my entire life. I accept that no one else has ever been to blame for either my joy or my suffering. The entire cause of all my joys and all my sufferings is my own emotional response to the events of my life, and I am committed to consistently distinguishing between my feelings about events and the physical occurrence of those events. I declare that everyone who has ever played any role in any of the events of my life is entirely without fault.

GRATITUDE:
I Receive ALL of Life with Thanksgiving - I have gratitude for EVERYTHING that has ever occurred to bring me to this moment. I give thanks for the joys and the sufferings, the moments of peace and the flashes of anger, the compassion and the indifference, the roar of my courage and the cold sweat of my fear. I accept gratefully the entirety of my past and my present life.

CHOICE:
I CHOOSE with Open Mind and Open Heart - I renounce all assumptions and expectations, and I declare that I will thoughtfully consider all possibilities. I will CHOOSE with courage, awareness, consciousness, and compassion toward all.

VISON:
I Dream with Powerful Intention - Opening my mind to Spirit, I trust my intuition to deliver powerful visions of my inspired future, and I empower my intent to transform those visions into reality.

ACTION:
I Act with Bold Courage - Taking inspiration from the powerful vision of my future, I boldly set sail with courage and intent. I hold my course with focused attention and relentless commitment, as I weather the storms of life.

CELEBRATION:
I Dance with a Light Heart - I play with life, laugh with life, dance lightly with life, and smile at the riddles of life, knowing that life’s only true lessons are writ small in the margin.

UNITY:
I Am One With Spirit and All Creation - I give thanks for the unity of all creation and for EVERYTHING that has brought me to this moment. I release my entire being to the gentle nurture of Spirit.

by Jonathan Huie

Copper wire

After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, New York scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the New Yorkers, in the weeks that followed, a California archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet, and shortly after, a story in the LA Times read: " California archaeologists, finding of 200-year old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers."

One week later, a local newspaper in Texas reported the following:

"After digging as deep as 30 feet in his pasture near Fort Worth, Fred, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. He has therefore concluded that 300 years ago, Texas had already gone wireless."

Just makes a person proud to live in or have lived in Texas doesn't it?

cough, sniffle, cough

I am NOT a musician and know nothing about music composition.
But this is amazing.



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

to be alive.  I am rather ill with this cold.  It's got me drained.  I even had to leave a meeting before it was over yesterday.  It's a little better today.

for my remaining brain cell.  And it ain't workin' yet today.
Anyway, that's all I'm gonna write this morning.  I hope you enjoy that video above here.  I did.


Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like.- Will Rogers