15 years ago this morning

15 years ago this morning I awoke in a cell at the Warwick RI Police Station.  As I attempted to recall all the events of the prior evening the officer came and told me to get ready to go to court to be arraigned. It was then that I was handcuffed to a guy who started explaining to me about his night out and how if he had just had a little more heroin, he never would be there.  It was also then that I asked myself “Just how the heck can I prevent this from ever happening again?”

The answer seemed pretty clear.  Whereas I was attired in t-shirt material shorts and a Jim Beam shirt, I must have presented quite an image for the judge who convinced me to plead not guilty and scheduled a trial date.  As I was an out of state resident, he ordered $100 for bail.  When I finally found where my car had been towed and got a taxi there and to the ATM, I made my way back to my apartment.  I went straight to the fridge and proceeded to chug a beer.  I immediately opened another and started in on that one.  About half way thru I asked myself just what the heck I thought I was doing.  That my friends, was my last drink.  The rest of that 12 pack stayed in my fridge for 3 weeks until I came home to NH, I then gave it to someone else to finish.

That is my story of my sobriety.  Any one who has been at a point like this in their lives knows that an event such as this is just the tip of the iceberg.  For months before, I had known that I was hitting it too hard.  But that event coupled with a few other tidbits of knowledge that I have amassed keep me sober every day.  It started out hard, but with each day becomes easier.  There are days that there is a certain smell or just a chill in the air that speaks to me as “This is a good day for………”

Thanks for listening, it has helped even today to write this.

Something to think about

A friend of mine posted this on facebook the other day, I thought it was worth thinking about.

Entitlement my ass. I paid for my Social Security Insurance! Our benefits aren't some kind of charity or handout! Congrss spent the money ! ! Congressional benefits - free health care, outrageous retirement packages, 67 paid holidays, three weeks paid vacation, unlimited paid sick days - now THAT'S welfare. And Congress has the nerve to call my retirement an Entitlement? Re-post if you are sick of their crap, and ashamed of our "leaders. GOVERNMENT IS BROKEN. Replace incumbents, PLEASE