Acceptance is the answer

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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

'nuff said

Laughter is inner jogging.
-Norman Cousins

It's Monday (again)

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


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TV Facts

Things you would never know without TV...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Medieval peasants had perfect teeth.

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

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

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

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

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

Hooked on phonics?

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

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

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

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

" A f r i c a n Elephant "

Hooked on phonics! Ain't it wonderful?

getting along

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a trouble-free day just passed

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

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

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

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


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

Still insane after all these years

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

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am accountable to those around me AND myself

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

that those challenges offer growth

for a continuing awareness of my character defects

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

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

It's about time ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for continuous, uninterupted sobriety

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

for outside help

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


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

Back home

view from a Starbucks in downtown, Palm Springs, CA

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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

for an acronym of gay -- God Adores You

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


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

goin' home

(left) the 2008 Hot n Dry Roundup logo

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


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful



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

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

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

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

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

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

Hot n Dry 2008

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

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



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

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


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

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

Twelve Rewards

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

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


We can all have Hope, instead of desperation;

Faith, instead of despair;

Courage, instead of fear;

Peace of Mind, instead of confusion;

Self-respect, instead of self-contempt;

Self-confidence, instead of helplessness;

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

A clean conscience, instead of a sense of guilt;

Real friendships, instead of loneliness;

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

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

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

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


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

It's very hot here

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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

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


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

a different journey

todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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

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

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

go west, post-middle-age man

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

that I am taking my computer with me

HUMILITY

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

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

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

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

I'm still powerless

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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

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

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


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

Grateful

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

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


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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


The wishbone will never replace the backbone.
-Will Henry

Click click-- Ike Update

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

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

Ike & the DNA Test

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

I don't like Ike

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

I think this is from Ralph Marston. Not sure.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

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

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

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

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

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

HABITS

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

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

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

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

Remembering

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

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

My 1967 Thunderbird is now for sale. Any takers?


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I'm willing to be responsible for my mistakes

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

that I'm thankful and grateful

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

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

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