Skip to content

The Journey's the Thing…

  • #399 (no title)
  • About

Month: August 2011

More acceptance and a search for happiness…

09/08/2011 Johnnyboy

An AA friend of mine named Farmer Bill is fond of saying, “alcoholics would rather be right than happy!” and how true this is.  Today is one of those days when I can practice that particular path, i.e. working at being happy rather than right.  Through happiness comes serenity, or perhaps the other way around, but in any case you get the drift.  Here’s what I am tackling today…

1. My local ISP is upgrading the modems on all their DSL lines today. There will be an internet blackout sometime between 8AM and 4PM.  Now, I know this is a matter of a few switches.  There is no one out in the field connecting wires, building things, etc…Why do they still have to give this 8-hour window?  Why can’t they say they are upgrading at 10AM, or 3:30PM, and the lines will be down for about half and hour?

2. My car has been in the shop for a week.  I am fortunate to have another car to use, and I am grateful, but I want my Mini back.  The mechanic is waiting on a part.

3. The local power company is coming by today to look at a pole that needs replacing.  They gave me a time of arrival between 10AM and 12PM.  This has been the most sensible bunch so far.  I can wait this two hours but I bet they show up at noon.*

It would do no good to call any of these people, companies whatever…because no one will be able to tell me anything.  I certainly don’t want to call my mechanic and ask him anything because he may be in the middle of fixing my vehicle and I wouldn’t want to disturb him.  So the choice is mine:  Do I get self-righteous and grind my teeth or detach and find acceptance and happiness?  What choice do I really have?  I am powerless over these situations…HappinessI shall seek.

Johnnyboy

*It’s just after 10AM and the power company rep has just arrived!  Bravo!

Down to the nitty-gritty…

02/08/2011 Johnnyboy

I am off to Europe (Italy and Greece) in less than 4 weeks and I am getting my sober shit together.  I have been downloading lots of speakers onto my iPod and my new MacBookPro, which is funny, because I cannot load the new stuff of the MacBook onto the iPod because it will erase all the stuff from the iMac–bad system and probably has to do with copyright and sharing.  So I will have different speakers on each unit with little overlap.

Anyway…I have also sent out an email blast to my worldwide AA friends about having some Skype get-togethers while I am away and on the island. So far two responses–one from Australia and the other from Serbia.  This will be a good start.  It really is up to me to stay sober and sane and if I want it bad enough, I’ll go to any lengths.  To that aim I have made a decision to go to the Tuesday night meeting in Marpissa and skip the art history lecture.  I have been through that lecture already so I won’t miss anything.

I am wary about what the Italian experience will be.  I am certainly not going to be stand-offish, but I have to remember my place as an adult in a group of much younger adults than I, some of whom have never experienced the world outside America.  I must be the quiet guide to their questions and wondering eyes. I must also not be their teacher.  As a sober man I must be the upstanding example of sobriety and not some nut-job.

So I begin the packing…More long pants for this trip, lighter sweaters, neater wear as opposed to the island fashion that Paros demands.  August 29th approaches…

More to come…Johnnyboy

Archives

  • September 2017
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • December 2005
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • July 2005
  • June 2005

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Theme: Pena Lite