A lot of people don’t know what’s good for them -let alone what’s best. But try telling them that! 🤷‍♂️

These is extraordinarily difficult, and delicate subject-matter on the site. And while I cannot argue against the offense some will take towards certain views, or statements -I can say with absolute certainty that the motivation(s) behind them are benign in nature. Yes, it is true that with regard to certain some of the subjects I am deeply passionate about, protective of -even biased towards -even prejudiced! Now those are two words that will raise “red-flags”, even impregnation.

I can give you a line I have spoken numerous times in meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous that will basically sum up my feelings about these blogs -and therefore, my motivations! “The only real issue I have ever had in a meeting are rude people (a-holes) and people giving out wrong/bad information (it’s a life-and-death ordeal). Prejudice? Bias? Yes -against anything that harms humanity. Physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually… Am I this great person on a crusade? More than likely, I am simply a regular person who has been subjected to many cruelties of the world -a person with something of a flare for the verbos coupled with great zeal for vengeance (against the true causes of those injustices perpetrated against me -and others of “my kind” (that would include everyone).*

You say “things that are harmful” is a purely subjective or personal thing”. While I agree some things effect some people more than others -perhaps even in different ways. There are even people in the world who are diametrically opposed to certain things while others appear to show enormous zest or zeal for them. Let me just say this, it’s often a long road (and in some cases a very short one) in life that helps to shape our attitudes and feelings towards things, possibilities in the world around us (and their effects on us). Just because something feels good doesn’t mean it’s good for us. Just because something doesn’t feel bad doesn’t mean it’s not bad for us. Just because someone tells us it’s OK to do something doesn’t mean it is. And just because somebody we trust or revere does something, doesn’t mean we should trust or revere their choices. One thing about man is that he has always had his own mind -for better or for worse. Many people often choose their own way -as opposed to the best way! I can give you some Philosophical idioms:

“The good (and certainly the worst) is often the enemy of the best”.

“All is permitted, but not all is beneficial”.

“To the insane, sanity seems insane”. (God told me this some 27 years or so ago).*

*Now here’s the kicker: if a person isn’t quite right:

•Prone to self-destructive tendencies (however seemingly harmless; smoking, poor diet, little porn now and again… (if I were the devil I’d be whispering the same thing “a little…”🤷‍♂️).

•And this is a big one, first introduced to me in Psyche 101. “Man’s inclination is to avoid pain and seek pleasure”. Anyone out there guilty of this one (even just “a little”).

One thing I picked up on a very long time ago is this: If a person 🤔 let’s say in this case a child, is missing some of the crucial basic necessities from his or her environment, the child (if relatively functional) will adapt or substitute. Now, if you try and take away from that child that which they have come to rely upon in place of… They will likely put up a fight. And of course:

•As adults come we form even more elaborate and complex ways of defending those things…

•In the United States (and in the world) of course there are many many things which not only are own children but we is adults are lacking. So “Papa” (term used in the documentary “Burzynski: The Cancer Cure Cover-up”)… You see, not only do children look around at what’s available to them to substitute… Is a very skimming or crafty or nor knowledgeable adult can put things in the vicinity of this child and they will reach for them. The rat, and the pellet, and the button and the… in a cage. What we learn about human behavior can be used for the benefit of mankind or to exploit it. So, I find it very interesting that in this country with the decline of the family and interpersonal relationships there was an explosion of “things” to ease our anxieties, our emptiness -how else could a system such as our survive without their 1st being a deep deep void! Same as the plight of the Alcoholic/Addict (see model).

SO MY POINT IS THIS -MANY, MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VIEW THESE BLOGS OBJECTIONABLY, DISDAINFULLY, AND WITH BIAS, EVEN PREJUDICE. The whole idea of telling people that what they’re doing is all wrong-has a tendency to go over very badly. Jesus tried it!! A lot of people don’t want a Savior because they don’t want to be saved. 🤷‍♂️ But that doesn’t make the truth of it all any less true -many, many people throughout history, have sought to thwart the truth for numerous reasons (and not just people). I suspected when I signed on for this that there would be few supporters and many, many adversaries (sound familiar -history repeats itself – and people haven’t changed much in the past 6-8,000 years).

Lastly**, I too have my own biases, and prejudices -I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t. But I also appear to be one of those somewhat unique individuals who possess a tad bit more ability to:

•recognize my own bias’ -even admit to some of them

•”You know that Scott Fitzgerald thing about uh, an artist who’s a man, who has two opposing ideas in his head and, you know, he believes in them both simultaneously?” “I heard of it, yeah.” “Well, that’s sort of the beginning of it.” “So, what’s that like, not being anyone in particular?” [From the movie “Edge of Darkness” starring Mel Gibson, Ray Winston, Danny Huston, Bojan Novakovic, Shawn Robert’s. Directed by Martin Campbell (2010)].

My personal answer to the above quote “Very Lonely”. I find that people who believe in something very strongly, even though it may be wrong (or unpopular) tend to have a large or small following -but a following none-the-less! Conversely, people who don’t believe in any particular thing…!

**I don’t think I would be very effective in such a controversial array of subjects without the above-stated facets to my character. I wouldn’t be very good at all at my writing -I would simply be “just another voice in a sea of voices -largest clamoring for their own personal benefit while remaining enslaved to my own personal demons and fears!” – You may or may not agree that people who accept the challenge of stepping forward -share a number of traits in common! That about does it. I hope, with some of you atleast, that I have clarified, if not expelled any preconceived notions! “CONTEMPT(S) PRIOR TO INVESTIGATION”.

Family -Mankind conveniently draws lines on family. He even does so within his own bloodlines in certain instances. Imagine if every time somebody in this world went down we had to go down with them. What a terrifying thought 🤔 “A whole world filled with a people’s who stick to one another’s side thru thick-and-thin!”***

***The more Love’s stock goes up in the world, the more stock in things, money, elitism goes down -and vise versa! (Remember “The Omega Man” ->”Without each other, things matter little”.) The Omega Man (stylized as The Ωmega Man) is a 1971 American post-apocalyptic action film^[3] directed by Boris Sagal and starring Charlton Heston as a survivor of a global pandemic. It was written by John William Corrington and Joyce Corrington, based on the 1954 novel I Am Legend by American writer Richard Matheson. 

When one grows up with an attitude of disdain towards life* -as I apparently did, you can go for a very, very long time missing out on those nuances which make life… which others around you seem to pick up on so effortlessly. It’s those things in an otherwise drab, even cruel world that likely account for “that gleam” in people’s eyes that people like myself could never quite figure out 🤷‍♂️

“If you are sad when life is good (and you are healthy) -what will it be like when life is no longer good, and you no longer possess good health? Enjoy it while it lasts -while you can!”

*It’s all-but-impossible to disdain and appreciate at the same time -and without appreciation, life is simply “drab, even cruel” (and even less). Or, as I heard put in an AA meeting many moons ago “You can’t be sad, and grateful, at the same time”. 🙆‍♂️

When you realize in the moment, “There will never be another moment such as this with those you love…” then you begin to appreciate…

This is our little Miss Daisy, whom we picked out, on a cool Autumn morn in September, 2010 (“September morrrrrn…” ha!), at our local Pic Quik -or rather, she picked us while in her little box with her siblings.

All of about 5 inches long, half a pound (give or take an ounce 🤔), and 2 1/2 – 3 months young “It was love @ first bite”😄. She just turned 11 and looks to be holding up better than us (@ 77 dog years lol). Isn’t she adorable! Brings a tear to my eye when I think “These moments are but fleeting.*

*She’s staying with me for the week while Mama is back east visiting the kids, and grandkids back in Ol’ San Antone -What a treat for both of us! 😁🐕 THANK YOU LORD🙏

•Title taken from “Cherish“, a pop song written by Terry Kirkman and recorded by The Association.^[2] Released in 1966, the song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in September of that year and remained in the top position for three weeks.

What’s with so many Latinos americanising the pronunciation of the names?

Just because you like someone -doesn’t mean you can trust them.

In my mind anyways, I’ve come so far -unless of course you bend the fabric of time 🤷‍♂️

Sometimes, coming so far doesn’t always mean ending up where you were hoping to be. I think all I really wanted was a normal life -somewhere in the process of crawling out from the bottom… to where I’m at now (wherever the hell that is), I seemed to have missed something.*

Some people care more about how far you’ve come while some people care more about how far you gone! Most people don’t seem to give a shit about me period!

Incorruptible

RALPH NADER

FRED MCFEELY RODGERS

BUFORD HAYSE PUSSER

these people… (I have not read the stories below as of yet, I only know that men DO NOT hold a monopoly on virtue)*.

https://www.glamour.com/story/16-inspiring-women

*Any qualms you, or I may have with this post, I refer you to this: “You must be their light Peter, not their judge”.*

*Taken from a scene in the movie “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (1965). Directed by George Stephens and starring Max Von Sydow, Charleton Heston, John Wayne.

Good things rarely come from poor decision-making.

Alcoholics rarely sober up under ideal conditions

Two reasons Alcoholics get drunk:

•Powerless

•Chose to

Two reasons Alcoholics fail (if God never gives us more than we can handle…:

•We take on too much too soon (we want our lives back in the first 6 months

•We don’t take full advantage of the program and its’ resources*

*AA, recovery is like a flat tire -every day in recovery we have to get up and change that tire. Now it’s up to us if we put one lug nut on or 2 lug nuts on or 3 lug nuts on or all 8 lug nuts 🤷‍♂️ And so it is with taking advantage of the resources of the program.

There was a young lady that used to greet me at the hospital and take me back to do the groups -she was the nicest young lady out of everyone working there -and ironically enough, the prettiest. I was so flustered in my relationship at that time, along with some of the personalities I was dealing with while out and about in town as well as some of the hospital staff… I never really made a vested interest in getting to know this young lady better as a human being. One day I noticed she was no longer there too or 2 take me back to the unit -I found out she had committed suicide. 6 years sober and maybe 30 tops. We just never know what’s going on in people’s worlds, in their hearts, in their minds. For some time I found myself telling myself.. if only……..

Acceptance doesn’t mean approval!

In rare instances where its’ not our fault, then what’s our part? We’re still hanging on to it!

Alcoholics Anonymous doesn’t take away our choice to drink it restores our choice not to drink.

If you couldn’t stay sober/keep from taking the 1st drink:

•When you were sober how are you gonna do so after taking the 1st drink?

•When life was good how are you going to do so now that life is bad -due to your progressive Alcoholism?

•Now that you are suffering from the DT’s

•Now that your family is drifting away and afraid of you

•Now that your career is in shambles

•Now that your spiritually sick and your connection with God is impeded

If you can succeed while going against nature, and God, and the universe… then imagine what you can accomplish working with them?

GRATITUDE is a necessity not a luxury

They say happiness is a choice -but first it must be an ability

The good thing about being the one with the problem is… I can do something about it. If you’re the problem, chances are I can’t!

There’s a difference between having problems and being the problem and… (this is a new wrinkle I’ll throw in just for free) not having any problems -only opportunities 

Early on sobriety I looked up the word “pity”, it said “self-care”.

Early on in sobriety I looked up the word humility (I too had it confused with humiliation) -as in the reference in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous; it basically means to have an awareness of one’s own limitations, defects of character… to remain “right-sized”.

Another word I had to look up was “integrity. The two words that stood out were “honesty” & “sincerity”.

“The rooms of AA are like a gym; if you can’t handle what goes on in the rooms of AA (where some folks actually understand and care) -where there is no alcohol, how are you going to handle the things out there in the world where there are a bunch of jerks (peoplewho don’t care, let alone understand you), and there is alcohol?”

A few weeks back I watched a movie on Tubi of the same title as this post. I liked it so much I watched it again a couple of weeks ago. Then come a few days ago there was at our local bookstore store on the shelf of dvd is. God again! Thank You Lord 🙏