As usual, earth day snuck up on me.
As PJ O’Rourke once said he did, I celebrated it by snacking high on the food chain and mixing all my recycling into the garbage. I went out to burn some hydrocarbons with the hot rod bike.
I had a far different post planned and mostly written for today, but then figured shit on it, since it’s really not something I ponder much, and haven’t for months. You see, yesterday was the one year anniversary of Herself the Petitioner becoming the Petitioner. Or rather when she told me about it. I had some one year observations, but they really aren’t anything I haven’t said before, and nothing that Vox Day or Adam Piggott hasn’t said better.
The big anniversary today is that it’s been one year since I’ve drunk alcohol of any kind.
Haven’t craved it. Haven’t wanted it. Haven’t even thought “Man, a beer would go good with this”.
Months ago I reached a stage where my fitness regime started paying off huge. So I’m pretty fastidious with my diet. No booze. Very little high glycemic carbs. Almost no sugar.
I do treat myself to chocolate every so often, though.
As a result, I dropped 3 pant sizes (6″ from the waist), dropped a shirt size. Would’ve been two, but for my chest. Since I started lifting again, I’m building muscle mass and definition. For the first time in my life, you can see veins going up my arms. I’m pretty fit for a sixty year old dude.
So I see no benefit in screwing that up with booze.
I don’t need it as a coping mechanism.
By June, I’ll be done with my commitments, and will turn my attention to deciding whether or not I need to stay in Plano. I’m hard pressed right now to justify it. There are few reasons that keep me tethered to North Texas, let alone Texas in general. The biggest being that I like the state and there’s a woman I currently love that lives in it.
I will have a gameplan by fall, no doubt.
Inspected By Pat 
Bravo bravo bravissimo! It’s been 37 plus years since I waded through the morass that was the FIRST YEAR and I remember for ME not only what an accomplishment it was, but what a challenge it was also. Believe me when I say that the “unmanageability” part of the affliction extended well in to and in some cases beyond the “Year ONE” mark.
I was fortunate enough to give a young member of the Men’s Club I attend on Mondays his one year coin last night. I was our official “Chip Monk” and as I oft say preceding the coining of those that have achieved, “We do so not to boast nor be prideful, but to CELEBRATE and show others hoping to attain a modicum of sanity that in fact it DOES WORK.”
Whenever I look around a “room” (or as is our case on Mondays here in SWFL in the “winter”, the campfire) I am reminded that every person there has been granted nothing short of divine intervention. It’s both powerful, awe inspiring and humbling all at the same time. I also know that I am amongst singly THE most like-minded folks I’m ever to meet in life.
Funny, that. When I first started drinking I felt as if I had arrived “HOME”. In fact, I had… why? Because at that juncture it was determined that I would spend my life amongst Alcoholics. It was 7 years later, that it became VERY obvious that it would be a choice. Spend it with those that are practicing Drunkards… or those that are doing their best to “Practice these principles in all our affairs.”
“There is no greater love than that of one Drunk for another….”
People that are not in our number, will read that and find it a tad unfathomable… or at least won’t have NEARLY the depth of understanding that we have. It IS a brotherhood. A fellowship of “Chosen” as many are called but so few of us actually do make it.
I am very well pleased that you are in our number. Once you’ve “been around” for a while, you will begin to see (if you’ve not already) how many attempt it and fail.
You’re well on your way. Something I keep in mind: You don’t get what you want. You don’t necessarily get what you NEED either. You GET what you GET, DEAL with it and be GRATEFUL you don’t get what you DESERVE.
Thanks for making MY morning read the best in quite some time.
Sorry for the “TOME” of a reply but dammit, that first year? THAT is a MILE stone!!!
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