Post-Thanksgiving...Post!

As is my wont, I am now posting after several days of wonderful living, with the good and the bad. It's all good, though, as the saying goes. Here's the big revelation...

I do not believe that it is a good thing to tell someone, when their day(s) is/are going well, "don't worry that will change" or to even say that to oneself. In my humble opinion that is setting up a chain of negative consequences and thought processes. Essentially one is saying, "Get ready, the good life is going to turn to crap". The definition of "Happy, Joyous, and Free" does not include this kind of nay-saying. 'Free' to me, means free of fear, trepidation, worry, or negative projection.

This is not a new concept that I thought up myself. I learned this from my sponsor, Mike.

Thanksgiving was lovely. My sister and my bil drove from Beantown on Tuesday night, and arrived just as I was coming down with a cold. Thankfully I took it easy, with lots of water, juice and Tylenol Cold Nighttime (so I can rest tablets). the pills didn't really make me drowsy, actually, so I was able to take them during the day. Needless to say I didn't push the envelope by trying to drive anywhere. The ailment seems to have gone away as of last night, taking with it the stuffy nose and scratchy throat. But, I digress...

We had a wonderful time at T'giving 2006. There were six of us, meaning my mother, sister, bil, myself and two friends of the family, Heather and Eliot. The food turned out great and there was very little stress (at least I thought so) during that 30-minutes-until-dinner-crush. My baked oysters were a big hit and the turkey was juicy and tender. The corn pudding was perfect and my bil's mashed potatoes were superb. My Brussels sprouts w/chestnuts, gravy, and homemade cranberry sauce topped off the list of super savory dishes. My sister made two pies, one apple and one pumpkin-pecan, that were, and still are, to die for. The stuffing I made wasn't so hot, but the New York Times doesn't always come through on the recipes... Still, a splendid time was had by all and tonight we dine on that most traditional of post-Thanksgiving treats...Leftovers!

My sister and bil leave tomorrow, and, although it will be sad to see them go, it will be good to get back to our regular schedules around here. Some of us in this house don't react as quickly or adapt as readily to changes in routines, so this will be good.

Well, I made it through one holiday in a calm and composed, sober and sane, happy, joyous, and free manner. Here's hoping you all did as well.


Johnnyboy

Amazing life today...

...And I don't know what to do with it! My sponsor says to enjoy it, and I will, and am. He said that one of the aspects of our lives was that we never allowed ourselves to enjoy the life we lived. Of course, for all of you not in the know, I am speaking about the recovery process from alcoholism. So these are parts of my life that I am thankful for...

My sobriety
the ability to be there for family
doing well in school
being able to travel
helping other alcoholics
learning to live one day at a time

A few years ago I neglected the greatest resource given to me by Life: my family. I was in horrible straits, and in a great deal of legal trouble. Instead of asking for help and going to my family I tried to go it alone. Even those that I did tell vowed to keep it a secret. This was all to my undoing. My emotions suffered, my physical health suffered, and others suffered because of my fears.

Today I have family members going through very trying and difficult times, and they do not want to reach out, except to a chosen few. Many of us are being left out of the loop, but, as always, our hands are outstretched and the help is there if needed. I am using the tools and power of Step 3 to help myself with this situation. I am powerless over this reaction, but HP is not.

I need to allow the good parts of my life to enter my heart before I can know how to let other people in there as well. My sponsor told me that. He's a smart guy and a keeper, I think.

My 5th Step went great the other day but it churned up a fair amount of sludge in the process.

So, for this I am very grateful. To have such a powerful resource as Sobriety and a program that works, as long as I work it fills me with a sense of serenity and connectedness that alcohol never gave me.


Oh, and by the way...I'm buying a new car in February, for my bio-birthday. I have looked around and finally picked one. The VW's didn't interest me, nor did the Toyotas, Hondas, Acuras, Kias, etc...

So I chose this one


Johnnyboy

Time to vote, people...

So let's get up and do it! One vote can and does make a difference! Don't let yourself be dumbed down by the media! You can change the world for the better, if you want to!

Let's elect a democratic government who will take the plunge and begin impeachment processes against Cheney and finally have Rove silenced and removed. It's not the fraudulent "president" we have to remove, it's his handlers. After all, would you want Cheney as our president? These are bad guys who do not care about you, me, or anyone that cannot make them wealthier than they already are!

They have lied consistantly from day one, and thousands of people are dying every day because of it. Did you know that infant mortality rates have gone up for the first time in 45 years under the Bush Junta? These guys are thugs and should be dealt with by the people, for the people, and for the good of the people.

So, tomorrow morning, get out there and cast your vote for change. Don't let these Neo-Cons (as in the New Con-Job) run the roost anymore.

Let's gooooo America!


Johnnyboy

I think I'm going crazy...

...Or maybe not. I was just checking my Queue over at NetFlix and the add to upgrade caught my eye. For only an additional $1.30 per month Netflix will send me 4 movies per week as opposed to three. As a movie junkie and someone who just added all 7 seasons of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' to my rental list, I went down the obvious path. The extra $15.60 per annum will not kill me and might make it possible to watch more Buffy, all the time. Remember folks, I watched all 9 seasons of the X-Files in 6 months.

So I think it's more obsessive than crazy.

I am deep in the middle of school with papers seemingly coming out of my ears. I have finished two of the three due on Monday and am in the process of reading the work that I need to base the third paper upon. This is a tight schedule, true, but I can do it! Then next week I can start writing another paper on the movie 'Black Orpheus' that will be due the following week. On top of that I have two more shorter pieces due again. Aye-yi-yi...

I will be registering for the Spring semester in a couple of weeks also. Beginning in January I will only be taking 2 classes, I think. The first is an American History 101 class and the other will be the class that completes my Natural Sciences requirement: From Genes to Galaxies. Now that sounds like a broad, general, class. Both of these fill necessary requirements, and afterwards I will only have an art class and world history requirement to fulfill before I start concentrating on my major, whatever that is.

My mother is driving to visit my sister in the FarNorth on Sunday. I am worried about her driving, but there is little I can do short of taking away her car keys, and therefore her independence. We are all worried about her, and will be relieved when she arrives at her destinations safely, which she will.

I am so grateful that I can speak honestly and openly to most members of my family. Those that seem close-mouthed or unable to reach out are afraid of many things in life. I can identify. I've been there before, and I know I couldn't get out of the hole without someone else's help. My foolish arrogance and pride kept me from seeking all the advice and help I could from everyone around me. I'm amazed I ended up alive. To think that I squandered such a resource for so many years.

So today I send out a little prayer to all those who don't feel they need to share their lives (ups and downs) with me or others in my family. The light's on...come on inside.

BTW, the picture above is what my new PC setup looks like without the old screen. I think it is tres chic...no tower, no nothing-- just loads of power and a kickin' flat screen. The maintenance for the clam shell removal and the new external monitor still ended up costing me less than a replacement LCD.


Johnnyboy