Insanity & Gratitude

The discussion this week in a meeting and with my sponsor has been insanity. Definition of insanity by Albert Einstien: doing the same over and over and expecting different results. I suppose that because we are in the 2nd month of the year and that coincides with step 2, the topic probably comes up quite often. My sponsor and I talked about how the insanity of step 2 is different than the insanity of bipolar disorder. The insanity is the result of the powerlessness and the unmanageability of step 1. We continue to drink in spite of all the consequences it causes. In step 2 though, we find the power that can restore us to sanity. Step 1 we identify the problem and in step 2 we find the solution. How simple she laid it out for me. I had done theses steps before and this was an eye opener. Wow! I love it!

Now on to the news at hand. A different kind of insanity. Gas prices. Yesterday it was $3.45. What is up with that? Are we going to continue to take it up the ass from the Middle East? I don't know if it is due to the unrest there but they have been at war for thousands of years now. So what's new? Now Ghadafi is going to destroy oil fields. I'm sure the next thing is we'll be in Libya poring all kinds of money into their defense. I am not a political reporter so this is a short bitch. I just know that on my limited income, I'll have to cut back on my driving somewhere. I don't drive that much now. I only have 67,000 miles on an 11 year old car.

Enough bitching. I am grateful I live in a free country with no war. I have a car to drive and the ability to purchase gas. I am free to worship whomever I want. I can write freely.
Thank God for my life.

I've Learned

I've learned...that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned...that when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned...that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.

I've learned...that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned...that being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned...that you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned...that I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned...that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned...that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned...that simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned...that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned...that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned...that money doesn't buy class.

I've learned...that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned...that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned...that the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I've learned...that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned...that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned...that love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned...that the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned...that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned...that there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I've learned...that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned...that life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned...that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned...that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned...that I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I've learned...that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned...that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned...that I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I've learned...that when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned...that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned...that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.

I've learned...that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

By Andy Rooney

Something I learned recently...that anger opens the mouth but closes the mind and heart.

Change is Going To Do You Good?

What I learned the other night at a meeting. My friend has her family just blasting her. "F_ck you Mom" and "You're out of control!" Her daughter is 21 and I was quick to tell her "put her out!" Another AA member says you need to be patient with your family. A lightbulb comes on. Of course, you are changing so they are used to the old family dynamics and the old you. They are going to bristle at the change.
I told her that my sponsor told me you don't have to be a door mat either. So where you you find that happy median? People new in sobriety are difficult to watch as I don't always have the answers they need. I too stuggle within my own life as to what some of the "answers" should be. My husband and I have had several discussions about my grown son, who lives with us, and some of his behaviors.
It just seems so easy around AA to discuss our problems with each other and come up with solutions. The hard part is going out in the world and practicing it. People don't respond in the way we expect them to. The wonderful thing I have found is that the only person I can control is myself and in doing so I surrender to win. If that makes any sense?


“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” Arnold Bennett

Who Would Have Known?

Handy Hints for Coffee Filters (Buy em cheap at the dollar store)

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome... Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11.. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds.. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book..

25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

United We Stand, Not!

"I'm ticked! Who the heck is Trevor Bayne and I can't believe he just won the Daytona 500 and this is only his second race. Grrrr. He doesn't even know how to do a doughnut and his favorite show is Rug-rats. Are you serious?!?! " MS

Quote from Facebook this morning. And one person's response was "He just got his driver's license two years ago..." PK. Is this for real? Do we not live in America where you can compete to win in your sport? Is there a time requirement? I was glad somebody shook up the normal status quo. I go for the underdog anyway. Must be the liberal do gooder in me.
So his favorite show is Rugrats. One of my favorite cartoons is Bobby's World. I know we all have one. I guess there is an elitism among cartoon aficionados.
One person commented with a story about Tony Stewart and that he had hit another driver on the head with his helmet during the off season. The driver had to get reconstructive surgery. She states that Tony is an ass and needs to be banned. Now what does this have to do with the topic at hand? We do not know as she did not tie it in with what was being said. I'm going to guess that we are suppose to hate Tony Stewart now.
I don't sit and watch Nascar races but they are in the background at my house when they are on. My husband likes to watch them. I should say he watches it and flips to other channels during the commercials. I can find many other things to get into while they are on. Good books, a good magazine, the computer, a Sunday movie, a phone call with a friend, and a great meeting. A meeting is always good. I have a hard time sitting for any length of time anyways.
We live in America though. Like I say, we can always agree to disagree.

Happy President's Day! No mail today, banks are closed. Sales at the mall though! You didn't hear me say that....

Welcome Home

Welcome Home Mom and Grandma! I was so fortunate to have all my family waiting on me at home when I got back from the airport yesterday. It was organized chaos though-a situation in which there seems to be a lot of confusion and no organization, which makes you surprised that the results are good. We held out for 2 hours with 2 toddlers, a 10 year old, and 5 adults until a 7:45 dinner at Chilis where our waitress got us in and out in an hour on a Saturday night of all things. Amazing!
Sunday, a storm came in and brought about 7 or so inches of snow and then ice that night. Then cold. I finally made it out Monday night to my first meeting in 2 weeks. I was not very diligent while I was away. Needless to say I was feeling somewhat squirrelly. It was good to be back and in my routine. It is a slow process but I am getting there.
It was good seeing my grandkids over the weekend and having my granddaughter and her mom in from Detroit. My grandson spent the night Saturday night also. Only in sobriety could I do this. For this I am truly grateful.
As far as the weather goes..as they say in Michigan, if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes.