Moderator
Please... speak to the hand.
Posts: 3212
posted December 16, 2001 10:11 PM
I waited till the end of the day... About 20 minutes (and 43 years) ago, somebody up there played a cruel joke on this planet. They gave ya'll... ME!
Just another tricky day. The only differece is that on 12/16, my kids give me stuff instead of ask for money. I probably paid for it, but what the hell!
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
posted December 17, 2001 12:40 AM
Happy Birthday redelk! Hope you had a good birthday Red!
____________
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways- Body thoroughly used up, totally worn out...Screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride !!!"
posted December 17, 2001 05:47 AM
Redelk, I'll buy you a present every year if you remind me that the 16th is also my anniversary. I forgot this year. Not pretty.
____________
If you aren't an AMA member, you're part of the problem.
NESBA #209
Moderator
Please... speak to the hand.
Posts: 3212
posted December 17, 2001 07:27 AM
The "insignificant" birthday That's what my sponsor calls it and he's right, too. 12/16 is just the day I got here. 9/27/96 is the day that's the reason I'm still here (my AA birthday).
Since I bounce from group to group (go figure), I have not had a chance to visit my home group during a "birthday night" meeting and get my 5 year coin. Well, that's no longer a problem. My 23 year old daughter (and the reason why I'm clean) gave me a 5 year coin as one of my presents for that "insignificant" birthday. Kinda over shadowed all the other gifts.
When I'm lucky enough to complete another year, I don't just "retire" my old coin or turn it in. Instead, I find some newbie who just started in the program (less than a month) and I give it to them.
There just one small request I make of them, when I hand them the coin. I ask them to hold on to it until the reach the number of years that is on the coin and then they are to give it to some other newbie. If they don't make it, they are to throw the coin away... because they have already lost it.
When I left BFC, one of my councilors gave me his 8 year NA coin, with the exact same instructions. For some silly reason, he actually thought I'd make it. We'll see. I still carry it with me everyday (along with my own coin) Even when I ride.
I can now do that with my 4 year coin. Sadly, if I'm lucky enough to see 6 years, I don't think anyone will get this 5 year coin. I just can't see me giving this one away. I guess that this birthday wasn't as "insignificant" as I thought.
Thanks for all the well wishes... I think.
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
posted December 17, 2001 09:11 AM
Happy Birthday Buddy!!Wish you the very best!! and congrats on your 5 year!!
mad mike.
____________
200-MPH CLUB MEMBER!
posted December 17, 2001 07:13 PM
Don't worry about keeping the coin redelk, I still have everyone I've ever received! (Yeah, I'm a selfish fuck) Congrats to ya!!!!!
____________
"It takes a big dog to weigh a ton"
Moderator
Please... speak to the hand.
Posts: 3212
posted December 17, 2001 08:06 PM
Oh and this just tears my sponsor down... My sponsor feels that I'm not attending as many meetings as I should (and he's right... as usual). At least when I get a new coin, he knows that I'll at least go to a few meetings and try to "dump" my old coin.
Ah, but the addict always seems to be looking for the "easier and gentler way". That "easier way" walked into my office today. The former employee that provided me some of the "product" in the early days came by for a visit. After I got started in my program, he continued on his downward spiral. After a year of his gutter crawling, he became totally worthless as an employee and I fired him.
I heard all kinds of "tales" about him until about two years ago. The last time I saw him, he had sold just his gold teeth for cash (we won't go into for what). He was needing a ride because they had repo'ed his car. Due to his failure to make payment on a loan that he'd used the car for collateral. Then he just disappeared off the face of the earth. Then about a year ago, I started hearing stories of him going into rehab and getting in to a program (kinda). Well, at least he wasn't dead, I thought. I said a few prayers for him.
Anyway, he popped in my office today and he has never looked better. He's probably gained about 25 pounds and he's got some of his teeth back. No gold ones, this time. He's got 1 1/2 years clean, a good job and a new outlook on life that involves his Higher Power.
I thought to myself, who better to give my 4 year coin then to him... and I did (with the "instructions"). He seemed really grateful. Little does he know that I was more grateful. Oh sure, I got out of going to another meeting, but that's not it. Just having the oppertunity to see him and give it to him, really made my day.
Prior to his arrival, I had just finished talking to my mother (and "boss") concerning my older brother (and former "fellow employee"). You see, his probably not going to make it to the 4th of July. Almost forty years of drinking have caught up with him. He'll be pushin' daisies anytime now. But DO NOT offer me any sympathy or pity. I don't want or need it and he's not worth it. He has been aware of what his drinking was doing for over 7 years and he chose to continue. He ignored all the warnings from both his family and his doctors.
He would always tell us that we didn't know what we were talking about. I often wished he was right. He wasn't. Like many families of addicts and alcoholics, some members will be enablers and others will turn against the addict or alcoholic. Our family broke no new ground here. The strange part is that I'm somewhere in between. I see it from all of their perspectives and really agree with none of them. Now it's too late for anything. It was his choice.
So....... Having the former employee drop by, really perked me up. It was as if my Higher Power was telling me that old AA saying, "It works if you work it.". In a single moring, I was presented with just about the two strongest examples of that saying. One was if you "work it" and the other wasn't.
Ah, just another tricky day of tryin' to stay clean!
Thanks for the wishes and lettin' me vent a tad.
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
posted December 17, 2001 08:26 PM
Red Elk your one strong dude! man my parents pounded it into my brother and I. heads drugs are bad, you will die if you use them! so neither of us have ever Used them,I say that with a capital U, because almost everyone has tried it? but I dont really think that is Using it! Motorcycling has always been my inner drug! nothing in the world makes me feel the way I do when Im going down the road! and you know what is funny about 3 yrs ago. my buddies had to almost Drag me to the dragstrip, and look at me now! If I can race Im doing it! I have truly found my drug of choice!! "Drag Racing".
mad mike
____________
200-MPH CLUB MEMBER!
posted December 18, 2001 03:50 AM
wishes Happy Birthday Sherm you old cunt.... But I say that with sincerity and wish you many happy years to come. Madmike, I'm with you, I don't do drugs except for drag racing. That is now my drug of choice also and boy am I hooked on it
posted December 18, 2001 05:03 AM
Happy birtday Sherm,
I'm glad you made it for purely selfish reasons. If you hadn't, we wouldn't have met and that would have been my loss. Many more to you, friend.
Steve
____________
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences."
PJ O'Rourke
posted December 18, 2001 03:12 PM
Hey MM! The difference between drugs and drag racing is that you can quit drugs if ya want to! ____________
"It takes a big dog to weigh a ton"
HOME
NEW TOPIC
posted December 16, 2001 10:11 PM
posted December 16, 2001 10:23 PM
posted December 17, 2001 12:40 AM
posted December 17, 2001 06:52 AM
posted December 17, 2001 08:06 PM
posted December 18, 2001 03:12 PM
posted December 18, 2001 03:34 PM
