A big part of my problem in early recovery was that life wasn’t going the way I expected it to. You think you’re the only one as an Alcoholic in recovery who’s mentally ill? The world’s full of non-spiritual-principle-practicing-people (👅-twister of the day 😉).

You may have paid in full for your seat in Alcoholics Anonymous -but you haven’t paid in full for your recovery.

MIX n’ MATCH

It’s amazing how you can put together a remote control and pair it with a TV and turn it on and off from a distance. It’s amazing how you can design a blue ray player, and then a disk and pair them together and they play something magical. 2 examples of 2 completely different things that work together like a lock-and-key.

How can you ask God for a million dollars to help the poor when you don’t even give to them of what you have now?

A lot of people are willing to sign million dollar checks for charity (and get a tax-break), but they won’t go serve soup at the soup kitchen -I guess there are time is too valuable.

GO DEEPER than the person who spoke previously.

I remember thinking to myself some decades back that 14 year old girl’s got more power than you -a 30 year old man. She has something certain people want and you have nothing.

Right around this time I remember walking across campus to class and seeing these two men working on the street – Right around that time a twelve-year-old and an 8 year old little girl came walking by and those 2 guys stopped and stared at those 2 little girls, or the older one 🤷‍♂️ 35-40 year old men?

You know why homeless people are so lonely -because to the majority of human beings passing by, they have nothing of interest to offer, nothing of value to offer. BUT YOU’RE WRONG -THEY HAVE A LIFE GOD GAVE THEM -WHICH IS OF INFINITE VALUE (TO THEM, TO US, GOD).

Some people tend to rely more on feelings than on reason.and when they develop a grievance against “someone” (Leah 7 am’r Chair), THAT IS ALL THEY CAN SEE. I know a couple people in AA like this, my uncle is such a person.

Sidenote: I noticed while volunteering at the local recovery unit – some people are not satisfied with a resentment over something pertaining to themselves; they have to cop one regarding offences done to others.

Alot of us don’t picture our selves as life-savers. Some of us see our selves as the drowning. But if we allow ourselves, we can be a lifesaver because God is always looking for people He can use to rescue others in need.

I went to counseling for 10 years. In AA I had to:

•Grow up

•Live life

•Deal with me and you

•Class at state, and

•Practice a spiritual program of action on a daily basis

•Some people have children to contend with

God told me when I turned to meds in my recovery -“If you’re working a piss-poor program and turning to mess, you’re just using legally.*

“Sometimes you”re “batshit-crazy”, Sometimes I am -but as long as we’re not… all at the same time…

*I believe to be drug and alcohol free is the best way to grow (go); nut what if some people have a legitimate reason for being on mind-altering, mood-altering substances? GOD KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “USING” AND A LEGITIMATE NEED FOR MEDS -and thus, the Grace of God is not affected adversely! That’s the difference between using and taking prescription meds with a legitimate reason. TRUE-SHTORY!!!

You steal a candy bar, resist any type of repercussion, and it could turn out to be a shoot-out and someone dead. The law doesn’t know the meaning of let it go-it’s not worth it.

I once was told the IRS will spend $10000 to find find outward nickel went – our tax dollars well spent.

OOPS!

I remember going into a little store in El Monte and stickina sticking a lollipop in my pocket right in front of the cashier I think you should have seen the look on his face 😄

My Uncle accused me many years ago, he said “Rick you take advantage” Many years later, I observed him doing the same thing. Which gave credence to the theory that I had turned out the way I had turned out by observing other people around me earlier in my life. I also observed something else in my Uncle and my aunt. The formula goes like this:

The more giving someone is, the harder it is to take advantage of them.The less giving someone is, the easier it is to take advantage of them.

Sometimes we rude against people who stand for the same things we do! 🤷‍♂️😏🤷‍♀️

Don’t root for anyone/anything -just root for whatever’s meant to be. 🤷‍♀️😉🤷‍♂️

Depending on what a society deems as valuable, will in turn determine the gifts of the individual of that society also valuable.

Falling behind is one thing -you can still win even though you’ve fallen behind. You can’t win if you continue falling behind.

The greater the comeback the more you must first fall behind.

You take for example in sports, if the overall game is closer than the number of key opportunities is probably going to be close too. And the one who flinches, throws away one of those few key chances… we’ll probably lose. Unless of course they both flinch. Then we’re kind of sort of back to square 1. But the 1 who flinches and the 1 who doesn’t flinch in most cases determines the outcome. A lot of times a game is someone’s to lose rather than someone’s to win. This is a sports example. Life is very much the same way.

If one could only maintain the mindset of losing -while winning 🤷‍♀️😉🤷‍♂️

Play like you’re serving when you’re receiving 🤷‍♀️😉🤷‍♂️ I mean 🤔 after the first couple of points… 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

Sometimes it’s better to have the momentum in the end than in the beginning.

STUCK IN THE PAST

Unfortunately, with some people the present is (still) the past! They’re simply too preoccupied with their own sense of self (ego), their own well-being.*

*Still, some people have no concept of change because they themselves know very little of it concerning their own lives.

Was the change in America 🇺🇸 the result of 911 or -was 911 the result of the change in America 🇺🇸?

KINDNESS IS… THE BEST POLICY

Not everyone who rejects us -rejects us for not being good enough 😔🤔

It is always best to be good always. It is 2nd best to be bad in the beginning and good in the end. And it is 3rd best to be good in the beginning and bad in the end. It is least best to never have been good at all.

It is always best to believe and have faith in God always. It is 2nd best to not believe and have faith in God in the beginning, and to believe and have faith in God in the end. It is 3rd best to believe and have faith in God in the beginning, and and not have belief and faith in God in the end. It is least best to never have had belief and faith in God at all.

●Man limits because he is limited

●Man limits because he is selfish

●Man limits because he is ignorant

●Man limits because he is senseless

●God limits because He knows precisely what we need -and how much*

People who see themselves as the best don’t need to be the best.

A friend of mine once told me “Dude, honesty isn’t always the best policy”.

My cousin’s husband once told me “You’re too honest Rick”.

*Never confuse God with man -there’s no comparison

…a throat operation so we can all be professional singers? Surgery -to become a world-class athlete! World-claas lover (oh, they already have that one).

Which is more important-ethics or gain? Which is more powerful -ethics or game?*

*I couldn’t remember this one for several minutes, then I said a prayer and it came immediately! THANK YOU LORD 🙏

A lot of people, due to:

•bias tend to make up their mind one way or the other.

•habit/memory-muscle

•a need to complete!

Me; I say if the facts are this, then it’s this! If they are that, then it’s that! 🤷‍♂️

You know, there’s one situation in life where a person should really know how they feel! Relationships! According to marriage statistics, 60 plus percent of people in this country didn’t know what they felt -Or they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into -Or they didn’t take the commitment “for better or for worse” seriously (which kind of trumps the not knowing what you’re getting yourself into part -excuse).

But we know most people in this country who get into relationships really don’t know how they feel because:

1. Teaching people about relationships is not a priority in this country.

2. Rearing mature individuals is not a priority in this country.

And without those 2 things… 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

People often times get frustrated with things they do not have which they are better off without 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

I always figured from whatever spot you are occupying in the moment, there is always an Award-winning camera shot somewhere within eye shod of your lens. You may have to make a minor adjustment here or there 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

You’d be surprised how many people who drive a nice car, or a nice car, or have a pretty partner, or have a partner with some status -like having a city job for just above mminimu-wage, who think there’s shit doesn’t stink. People with little or no merit, no virtue, no spiritual/moral fiber.

You can make some good money off of the stuff you sell if you can match it with the right person. I always believed people who tried to talk me down (and didn’t make squat)… people who were the wrong people. Sometimes you can mix and match what you have here with someone elsewhere -if you’re willing to go to the trouble. The place where I live calm you can buy things cheap -but you have to sell them cheap.

We have to deal with the world, ourselves, and our alcoholism while taking action on our recovery.

…told me many years ago -with regard to photography:

1. Get your work done before noon;

2. KEEP TAKING PICTURES…. (SOOT, SHOOT, SHOOT)

I never took his advice regarding photography -but instinctively, It seems to have rubbed off with regards to my ✍.

Some people -can seemingly figure things out in a vacuum. I don’t think 🤔 I’m 😕 one of them.