Movin' On Up, By Movin' On Down...

It only seems like it had been a day or two since I last opened up "Big Head" and shared my shenanigans and adventures from FIRSTEP... imagine my shock when I looked on the site this morning and saw "WHAT?! It's been almost a whole MONTH!? Yowzah. You know what, though? I definitely consider that a good thing. My life is full...

So what has happened since we last chatted?!

• As you can tell from the clever headline and somewhat weird picture, I FINALLY MOVED TO A BOTTOM BUNK! Yes, it's right by the back door where everyone goes out to go smoke, but it's not too shabby.
• I'm now the "senior" ROD. I'm not quite sure what that means other than a little more responsibility... but I like it... :-)
• I celebrated THREE months of actual, genuine, legitimate, no-joke SOBRIETY.
• I'm seven days away from reaching my THREE month anniversary of being with FIRSTEP... that's the unofficial "halfway" point. Man, time flies!
• I sat down with Shannon and knocked out my fifth step! I'm working on steps six and seven right now... I'll hopefully have those finished by this weekend.
• After meeting the Executive Director of OKC Metro Alliance last week, I've been invited to speak in front of a group of people at the corporate offices and share my story. I'm excited/honored/nervous/freaked out...

Yessir, my life is definitely full. Don't get me wrong, it's not all sunshine and lollipops. It's not ALL easy. Life on campus definitely comes with the down's as well as the up's. I get to watch my friends and brothers SUCCEED in this program, but I'm also here when they fall. I've seen men who had longterm sobriety go back out. My parents have been REALLY sick with this nasty flu that has been going around and their has been nothing that I could do to help or make things better. Megan unexpectedly lost her grandfather a little over a week ago and all I could do was go to the funeral, nothing else.  I know that I'm exactly where I need to be and I'm helping by staying here and working my program, but it just doesn't feel the same! Ya know?

It seems as if there will be an odd day or two where not a whole lot will happen and I'll think to myself "meh, nope, not really much to write about..." but then I'll get SLAMMED with a week or so of just thing after thing that I want to share it with everyone and let them know, good AND bad, that I'm living life. I'm feeling the feels and doing the things and getting to be present for all of it...

TWO MONTHS!

So, more often than not, my desire to go to LLL on a Thursday night gets outvoted. When it DOESN'T get outvoted, usually something pops up - a "mandatory" community meeting, special guest speaker or something as simple as the driver changed his mind and decided to go to somewhere else (usually an NA meeting). Last week, we wound up not going because Jonas got SUPER sick before it was time to leave for the meeting. I mean, come on, I'm not THAT heartless to where I throw a fit because a man is too sick to drive me across town to the meeting of my choice?!

It has actually helped me understand and accept the fact that I don't always get what I want. It's SO much easier to just go with the flow or "flip over and float," than get all worked up and pissed off that things aren't going my way. Keeping that somewhat positive attitude towards it all helps that when things DO go my way, I'm extra appreciative and grateful.

Jonas started promising me on Wednesday night that we would go to the LLL meeting on Thursday. I smiled, said "awesome!" and nodded my head in agreement. Internally, I was choosing to have that "I'll believe it when I see it" stance. Throughout Thursday, it seemed as if things kept falling into place that were going to make it NOT happen... just as I predicted. He told us to be ready by 6:30, I was ready by 6:15. I went to the office and was given a note from Jonathan saying that it was going to be closer to 6:45-6:50 before he'd be able to leave. A-HA! I KNEW IT! I was going to be right once again. But lo and behold, at around 6:50 Jonas whipped around the corner and picked us up with not a second to spare.

Roger, one of the other guys on the bus called out to me and was telling me how he had never seen Jonas push the limits like that before when it came to legal driving skills and potentially tip-toeing over the speed limit. "He just kept saying that he made a PROMISE to you and that he wasn't going to break it again!" I couldn't help but have the warm fuzzies on the inside, Jonas was working his tail off to make sure that I got a chance to go to my home group, and I hadn't even had the opportunity to tell him the reason as to why I wanted to go so bad (this week especially). Last Sunday was actually my TWO MONTH-iversary of being sober. We remember from LAST month that I didn't get my chip in an actual meeting, so I was REALLY hoping I'd get to for this month.

The meeting was great, I got to see a lot of my people: Phillip, Charlie, Jerry, Shannon and Spencer. It was an awesome FULL house. The meeting was over the eighth step. I was even able to share! Jonas called on me! I talked about how, even though I was on the fourth step, I had worked an eight before. This time around was different because I was starting to see people that were on my fourth step list before, but that they are no longer there. I was hopeful that this meant that I was taking much more responsibility for my actions and NOT holding resentments against people for them... That being said, just because they are no longer on my fourth step list, doesn't mean they disappear from my eighth step list as well. It doesn't change the fact that I have wronged these people and need to make my amends. At "halftime," I even managed to get my chip! A couple of days late, but hey, it's the thought that counts. I said that I was only able to do it with the help of God, my friends and family, my sponsor and the awesome guys at FIRSTEP.

I'd say I was in a pretty good mood on the way back home, I know I definitely expressed my thanks to Jonas. I said THANK YOU to him about a dozen times and bought him a big Dr. Pepper from Oncue. I know it's difficult to be around 70 guys and hear 70 different opinions or suggestions on where to go or what to do. I AM grateful that he picks mine every once and a while. I hopefully can make sure that I'm not one of those little whiney punks that complains when he DOESN'T pick mine...

It's The Best Medicine...

How can this video NOT make you laugh?! Moreso than the actual content of his jokes, Anderson Cooper's laugh and his complete inability to control his laughter is funnier than anything else in the video.

Over the last 55 days, I've changed. The most obvious change, of course, is that I'm completely and 100% sober... physically, mentally and spiritually. Another is my openness and willingness. I accept advice from people I would've previously scoffed at or volunteered to do chores/tasks that would otherwise make my stomach turn. I'm trying my best to make gratitude an essential part of my life and be grateful for everything that I have and everything that I'm experiencing. I'm growing to be able to enjoy life. Life is GOOD. Just because I'm not winning the lottery (maybe someday...) or have all of my wants fulfilled right NOW, things are still really awesome. I'm happy, I'm somewhat healthy, my NEEDS are definitely met, I have a roof over my head and a very full belly. Unlike a lot of people, I have friends and family who love me and want to see me succeed.

The other night, I was coming home from a long and frustrating evening in the office. It was one of those rare (they haven't happened often since being at FIRSTEP) where I've found myself cranky and not really wanting to talk or deal with people in general. I could feel that desire seeping back in, to crawl into some dark hole and just enjoy some quiet time. When I opened the door to my dorm, even though it was fairly late, the room was full of life. The guys were all up and around, having a good time. A couple of new guys were getting settled in and chatting with some of the older guys about their experiences here so far. I was pulled into several conversations and, within a minute or so, found myself laughing so hard that I began to cry. I was cracking silly jokes, enjoying some fun horseplay and just being goofy. I wasn't some hopeless, lifeless alcoholic that was confined to some cold and sterile rehab center without a soul. I was with friends, guys who were quickly becoming my family and enjoying LAUGHTER. We weren't worried about court situations, money problems or any of the issues that got us here in the first place.

I was just about to write something along the lines of making it a possible SIXTH suggestion or even a 13th step when I remembered that someone already beat me to the punch... in AA, they will often refer to "rule 62," which is "don't take yourself too seriously." Yeah, there are plenty of things in life that are super serious and we need to face like adults, but there is absolutely NOTHING in the Big Book against enjoying a little bit of silliness now and again...

A Life That Burns...

I'll be completely honest and tell you that, since coming to FIRSTEP back in November, I'm really happy. Things seem to be going really well and the puzzle pieces are (so far) falling into place. Even if I wrack my brain thinking about it, I honestly can't produce any person/place or thing that's bothering me right now. I'd say the closest I get to feeling melancholy or down at this point, happens when I lay down at night. Bedtime is a slow process in our dorm. First, the overhead lights go off, but the TV stays on. Then, after about 30 minutes, the TV gets turned off. Finally, the last few guys finish what they're doing and get into bed. You have a minute or two of cross-dorm chatter, the occasional chuckle of laughter and then everyone succumbs to that feeling of "ah, man! Today was a day! I'm super tired!" After that, it get's super quiet very quickly as people fall asleep. I'll lay there for a bit and miss my family or my girlfriend or my dog. In the beginning, I would occasionally drift into a little bit of self-pity or mentally beat myself up over the stupid decisions I've made in the past. Luckily, even back then, I knew to get out of that mindset super quick. It can get kinda lonely in that bunk, even in a room full of 39 other guys. Eventually, my eyes start getting heavier and the hum of my fan lulls me off to sleep.

I am incredibly blessed to have a pretty big group of people cheering me on... my former boss, plenty of family, friends and my awesome girlfriend who support me and want nothing but the best for me. Then, when I got here to FIRSTEP, I gained about 70 residents and staff members who cheer me on and want me to succeed. As I go about my days, I think of all of them on a very regular basis. It's hard to feel down and alone knowing I have that sort of support system in my corner. So I've been able to chug along for the last 46 days with a fairly consistent smile on my face. My heart is full, my belly is DEFINITELY full and my mind is buzzing with a newfound confidence in the current decisions I'm making.

Yesterday was my day off and I would USUALLY poke around the campus and find a quiet spot to write or whatever. It was CRAZY cold yesterday, so that poking around was limited to mainly indoor locations. I was chatting with Ron and a few of the other guys in the kitchen, when I noticed this big FAT cardinal sitting in the bare tree outside of the chow hall. I pulled out my phone and snapped a quick pic (see above). I'm surprised that it came out so clearly, considering I took it from the other side of a really dirty window! I posted it on Facebook and Instagram and was thinking about what I had heard about what cardinals represent. I remember what Mom told our friend Kelly, after she had tragically lost her mother in an accident. She said that cardinals are said to be a messenger from "the other side." That, when a deceased loved one wants you to know that they are there, they send a cardinal. Their colors and chirps easily grab your attention and say “hey! Look at me!” Since then, I've loved the thought of being able to tell when we might have visitors from the afterlife.

So, maybe the bright fat cardinal sitting in that tree was someone coming to check in on me? One person that I think about frequently is MY Meme (not to be confused with my nieces' and nephews' Meme...aka, my mom). My Meme was my maternal grandmother and quite possibly the best person I ever met. The coincidence is not lost on me that tomorrow, the 13th, will be the 22nd anniversary of when Meme passed away from her long fight with brain cancer. Before she died, Meme was a HUGE important part of so many lives, including mine. She was bright and vibrant, just like that cardinal. I could tell SO many stories, but that is another (at least one) blog entry to itself... It made me smile and definitely warmed up my insides to think of her checking up on me and hoping that she'd be proud of the progress that I was making.

On top of that, I googled cardinals and came across this quote that applied perfectly: "Cardinals represent the warmth, the life and energy. A cardinal may symbolize the fire of life that burns within our souls, even in the darkest and coldest times. It reminds us we need to stay strong and positive throughout difficult periods in our life, just as red bird endures the cold winter days." Considering it was painfully cold outside yesterday, it applied to my life. Like I previously mentioned, I don't really consider this a DIFFICULT period... but that can change at the drop of a hat. Regardless of whether I'm riding the all-natural high of that "pink cloud" or truly struggling and white-knuckling it... it's important for me to stay strong and positive.

With all of these new thoughts and feelings swirling around in this big head of mine, I felt more support than I ever have before. I felt as if Meme (and who knows who else might have visited?!) was with me and cheering me on, telling me to keep up the good work. I left the chow hall with a huge smile on my face, a PB&J sandwich in one hand and a Diet Dr. Pepper in the other. I used my foot to nudge open the back door to the chow hall so I could head back to the dorm. As the door swung open, on the small patch of grass in front of the chow hall, had to have been at LEAST 20 bright red cardinals trying to find some lunch in the brown grass. Their search had been interrupted as they all flew off to the other side of the gravel road. It happened in this beautiful, ethereal slow motion. I stayed outside and watched them for as long as I could, but it was just too dang cold outside. I've kept my eyes open to see if I could find them since then, but they haven't turned up. Somehow, I still know that Meme is watching and giggling her cute giggle, happy to see that her grandson is finally turning his life around...

Playing the Tape Through...

I took my very first drink (outside of the sip from the wine chalice at church) on the evening of my 21st birthday. My brother Matt bought me a six-pack of Boulevard Wheat Beer (or whatever it's called) and while I wanted to enjoy it and appreciate the gesture, it tasted like soggy bread. Blech. Not necessarily my cup o' tea. The following weekend, a big group of coworkers took me out to "Emerson Biggin's" for drinks, bar food and pool. My boss' wife bought me my first mixed drink, a "sex on the beach." It was considerably better, but I still just wasn't head over heels with what booze had to offer. This justified my opinion that alcohol just wasn't very good and that my 21st birthday wasn't going to be that big of a deal.

Next, one of my coworkers bought me a simple "rum and Coke." Ya know, this was a step in the right direction. It's not too bad! It tastes pretty much just like regular Coke. Still, I hadn't heard the seas part and the angels singing. It wasn't until a week or so later when my friend bought me a "vodka seven." Just simple seven up and vodka. Now, THIS is more like it!!! It was from a bar called "Tramp's" where they serve "big girl drinks," which is just basically another way of saying REALLY heavily poured drinks. More bang (and booze) for your buck. These drinks were a-ok and I soon learned that I liked the effect that these not-so-little concoctions had on my personality and my mind. It seemed like everyone else liked it too, so why not just keep on going?!

It's over 10 years later and, even in my current situation, I can look back at all of that and get the warm fuzzies. I can frequently remember when times were REALLY good and alcohol played an integral role in that part of my life...

 I remember my first trip to Washington D.C. with Steve, Al, Jim and a few others. Right from the start, it involved a lot of drinking... but it was fun! There was plenty of hob-nobbing with important and "shee-shee" people, mixed in with very expensive food and very expensive alcohol that I did not have to pay for. We stayed in a very expensive hotel that I didn't have to pay for. I think there was the expectation that I was going to attend some of these seminars at the conference, but instead, I went out and played tourist and visited the cool sites of D.C. I would ride the subway and feel like a real, civilized, cultured adult rather than the introverted, awkward kid that I usually felt like at home. In the evenings, there would be after-parties or dinners that we would attend. The alcohol flowed freely, which SEEMED fun but led up to some behavior that I can look back at now and shake my head. It's definitely "tsk, tsk" worthy...

Whether it was PRIDE parade weekends, parties over at friends' apartments, dates, the SECOND trip to D.C. or the trips to San Francisco and San Diego, I have plenty of amazing memories about my early-to-mid twenties. Almost all of them contain copious amounts of alcohol. I could easily use those to glorify the act of drinking. But, before too long, the good memories started to get tainted with little "oopsie's" or unfortunate incidences where I'm taking it just a weeeee bit over the line. That moral boundary gets pushed just a skosh further out.

Minor oopsie's like letting flirtatious behavior go a little too far or getting into an argument with someone you shouldn't, but could usually be smoothed out by the next day. Then came the unfortunate incidences like an overnight stay in Payne County jail. It was ONLY for a "public intox." Not a huge deal, but still heavily frowned upon by those in the legal communities. But, even then, where was I that night after I left Stillwater? Back in the bars with my friends, brushing it off as something that was somehow the fault of the police officers on duty...

Those oopsie's and unfortunate incidences quickly disappeared and were replaced with life-changing and horrendous events that will forever change who I am as a person. My legal problems grew even LARGER. I had to hire an attorney, for crying out loud. I lost relationships with friends and family. People didn't want to be around me because my drinking had become an issue. It was destroying my health. I went to the ER numerous times and even spent the night in the hospital for "observation" for severe dehydration. I lost jobs, either directly or indirectly due to this disease. I've lost thousands upon thousands of dollars because of this. I've cost my family thousands and thousands of dollars, not to mention the countless tears that have been shed.

Little did I know, when I was enjoying that "big girl drink" at Tramp's with Kindra, that it was going to explode into this out-of-control situation...

Occasionally, my mind likes to pull up those good memories or occasions when it was "ok" for a drink to try and justify or rationalize my brain into a corner... "Oh, you want to just stay in and watch a few movies by yourself tonight? Remember when you would add some bagel bites and some Svedka to that? Now THAT is how you really need to unwind..." or "Remember when you used to hob-nob with the beautiful people? Maybe if you started some of your old behaviors, those people would return..."

If I'm going to press the play button and restart some of these old behaviors and pick up that bottle again, yeah, I MIGHT experience some good times again. But they won't be long enough. Before too long, I'll be back to where I was before FIRSTEP... or even worse. I have to play this tape all the way to the end. Much like some of my favorite indie movies, that story doesn't have a happy ending. However, I can choose to put in a different tape altogether...

Freedom From Bondage...

Since coming to FIRSTEP and working with my sponsor, I've buzzed through steps one through three pretty easily. Before tackling the ominous step number four, we hit the brakes and Shannon and I agreed that we should approach the task differently this time. I know that I've done this step at LEAST twice before, but I don't want this to be like other times. I really feel like I want to come at it head-on, with both hands and feet as well... I'd even borrow hands and feet from other people if I thought that it would make a difference!

When you read the main literature for Alcoholics Anonymous (the BIG BOOK), "they" always say that you'll start to identify with passages, feel that similarity and even swear that some of these passages had even been written for you. Over the past seven years, and who knows how many umpteen times I've read that book, of course I've felt somewhat like that. I could read a certain portion or story and be like "hmm... yeah! I can definitely identify with that!" But that definitely changed the other day. Part of the reading Shannon wanted me to do before going on to actually WRITING out my fourth step was to read certain areas out of the Big Book and the 12 and 12. When reading the chapter called "Freedom From Bondage," I finally had one of those moments where I was like... "whoa. This is totally spot-on when it comes to describing me." It goes like this:

"Apparently, I'd grown physically at the customary rate of speed and I had acquired an average amount of intellectual training in the intervening years, but there had been no emotional maturity at all. I realize now that this phase of my development had been arrested by my obsession with self, and my egocentricity had reached such proportions that adjustment to anything outside my personal control was impossible for me. I was immersed in self-pity and resentment, and the only people who would support this attitude or who I felt understood me at all were the people I met in bars and the ones who drank as I did. It became more and more necessary to escape from myself, for my remorse and shame and humiliation when I was sober were almost unbearable. The only way existence was possible was through rationalizing every sober moment and drinking myself into complete oblivion as often as I could."

**MIND BLOWN**

I can honestly say that I haven't ever read another passage and be this wholly just... whoa. I know, that's not very eloquently spoken, but I'm not sure how to make it much more clear. It explains the lack of emotional maturity, the self-pity and it explains the fact that it stemmed from this overwhelming shame and self-hatred...

"Apparently, I'd grown physically at the customary rate of speed and I had acquired an average amount of intellectual training in the intervening years, but there had been no emotional maturity at all." - I used to get SO pissed when Mom would make statements like this. She'd say something along the lines of how I haven't really matured much past my early 20's when alcohol took hold of my life. Once again, she was very right. I can look back at it now and see that the way I handled things was so skewed and that I was way too self-involved. I may have hated myself, but I had this ego to be constantly thinking of no one else other than me...

"I was immersed in self-pity and resentment, and the only people who would support this attitude or who I felt understood me at all were the people I met in bars and ones who drank as I did." - Oh so very, very true. It's so PAINFULLY true. The sad thing is, it didn't stop there. My behavior, combined with that self-pity and resentment, even pushed this very small group of people who I felt understood me as far away as possible. In my (hopefully) last days of drinking, it was all alone. I was either locked away in my apartment and blinds closed with an uncomfortably large cup full of vodka in front of me or I was around people and emotionally locked away in my lies and deception. Yeah, I may be around people, but please don't ask me what's in my cup or how I'm truly feeling inside.

"It became more and more necessary to escape myself, for my remorse and shame and humiliation when I was sober were almost unbearable. The only way existence was possible was through rationalizing every sober moment and drinking myself into complete oblivion as often as I could." - I liked to rationalize the drinking. It was because I was celebrating (insert seemingly proper good news to celebrate here) or because I had a horrible day (insert appropriate rough news about relationships, jobs, life in general here). It provided enough social lubricant to get me out there amidst the public or it calmed my nerves after rough days so I could relax and unwind at home. In all honestly, I was always just ashamed of who I was becoming and hated thinking about it. "Hey, I hate myself, so you probably hate me too... maybe if I drink, I'll become more likable."

See?! I told you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go pick up the pieces of my mind that's been blown all over the place...

2018: The Year Ahead...

Happy New Year! This should be known as the "Year of the Rehab," considering we'll be halfway through 2018 by the time I graduate from the FIRSTEP Program. How would the first six months of this year have gone, had I decided to take a different path on November 13th of last year? I can run all sorts of scenarios through my head of "what could have been," and none of them are GOOD scenarios. This is the best possible decision I could've made. It, combined with my past experiences, will position me in a place to actually make something of my life and bring some positive potential to 2018. I highly doubt I'll be some sort of multi-gazillionaire. But, even if I don't find myself with a large bank account, this program is teaching me gratitude for what I DO have. I am happy with who I am and where I am. I don't need to compare my life to other people or try and compete with my brothers on who is the "most successful." Who defines what "success" is, anyway?!

How would I define 2018 as a successful year?? I thought it would be fun to do it Letterman-style in a "TOP TEN" format. So, here it is! My "TOP TEN GOALS for 2018!"

Number ten! I am a through-and-through MOVIE buff. Everyone knows that. For crying out loud, I own over 600 DVD's. In the past few years, it seems that the majority of my budget was eaten up by purchasing certain adult beverages on a very regular basis. One luxury in my life that was sacrificed because of this was going out to see movies. I used to LOVE going to the theater and watching a movie in a dark room with a massive screen and an impressive sound system. Nothing can compare to that, I don't care what kind of equipment you have at home! I used to see at LEAST one movie a week or so. I had a massive box that I kept of all of my ticket stubs. But, when liquor nudged its way into my life, it pushed movies out of the "affordable" column. Hey, I might as well drink at home and watch a movie I already own, versus going out to the theater. Well! Not anymore! I want that to change this year!!!

Number nine! I want to go on a road trip!!! This definitely falls under the WANT category and not the NEED category, so this one might be a stretch for 2018. It doesn't need to be anything extravagant or a super-long distance. I would just love to get behind the wheel and go somewhere that's not normal. Maybe another trip to Waco with the girls? I would LOVE to get to take my favorite trip to Denver, but that's pretty dang extravagant. Hell, the road trip might be to Sulphur Springs or Tulsa or to one of those "trunk shows" that Mom and I like to go to. But, in order to take a road trip, I would definitely need...

Number eight! A car. I want a car. I NEED a car. I miss that feeling of freedom of getting behind the wheel, opening the sunroof (will I have another sunroof? who knows...) and turning on some great music and then just going for a drive. I LOVE meaningless driving. Do I want to turn left or right? Maybe I'll just go forward! That freedom of having a car is beyond comparison and I miss it ever so much! I abused that power before by using the freedom to take certain side trips and hide certain items in my vehicle. Once I'm spiritually fit enough and my credit improves enough, I want that set of keys in my hand.

Number seven! Speaking of credit... I'm really hoping that, once I'm on the right path and getting everything put back together, that I'll get on top of my bills and my CREDIT. I need to make sure that I'm working on getting it to go back UP. I know that I've had to take necessary actions that have had negative consequences on my credit. I didn't WANT to, but I had to in order to get the help I needed and start a program of recovery. I'll get back on top of the bills, my student loans and all that jazz.

Number six! After I have that graduation certificate from FIRSTEP in my hand, I need to re-start the process of finishing up my ACTUAL education. I saved all of my e-mails about the re-starting the admission process at OU so I can pick that back up when I leave here and go back out into the "real world." Hopefully, by the end of 2018, I'll finally have that diploma from OU I've been striving towards for so damn long!

Number five! Sometime shortly after my birthday, I need to start the process of looking for an actual job where I make more than $15 every two weeks. Something, hopefully with health insurance. I don't necessarily want to get a job that would be a career right NOW, but something that can help me get back on my feet and on the road to somewhat normalcy. Even though I don't graduate from the FIRSTEP program until the end of May, I think if I start about a month before, I think that should give me plenty of time to nail something down by May 29th.

Number four! I'm going to try my best to be as open and willing as possible. Life is an adventure. I want to be open to trying new foods, new activities, new foods. I want to be open and willing to do things to help other people, even if it means doing stuff that I don't necessarily WANT to do. Now, don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that I'm going to become Jim Carrey's character from the movie "Yes Man," and not ever have the ability to say "no," but I definitely need to learn to say "yeah, sure!" more often...

Number three! I would love to embrace the spirit of GRATITUDE for 2018. Life as a whole seems to be so much easier when you look at it from the optimistic perspective of my glass being half full and that I am truly blessed. That means being grateful, even though I'm not a multi-gazillionaire. Be grateful for the job, for life, for sobriety and/or for family. Does this mean that I'll always be the annoyingly chipper guy that you want to kick in the shin for being so joyful? It's highly doubtful. I know I'll have bad days, I know I'll be irrationally grumpy. I'm only human. But I'm going to truly strive to be as positive as possible. That gratitude is infectious, if I'M happy... it's easier to make YOU happy.

Number two! In 2018, I want to continue to improve my relationships with friends, family and people around me. I want to remind my family of that sober John that they know and love. I want to show Megan that the John she dated for six months was kinda crummy and that I have the potential for SO much more. I want the people that I meet from here on out to have nothing but positive thoughts and opinions about my personality and my character. "That John Cloud is a REALLY good guy."

...and my NUMBER ONE goal for 2018 is, of course, continued sobriety! It will start with me making sure that I do what's necessary to "keep the plug in the jug" for today. If all goes according to plan, I'll take the next right step and try this sober thing out again tomorrow, too. Once I'll string along consecutive days of deciding that I do not want to drink, I'll eventually reach the pinnacle of ONE YEAR on November 14, 2018. Then I can continue on to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and celebrate New Year's Eve with the people I love. I'll wrap up 2018 without taking a single drop of alcohol.

In the past, I've never been a fan of new year's resolutions. Considering my half-attempts and laziness tends to lead to failure and falling short pretty early on. For me, failure has a tendency to fuel my self-hatred. The only way that I can stop those feelings of self-loathing is to drown them with alcohol. Thus, starting that awful circle over again. This year, however, is going to be MUCH different. These are just simple suggestions. Half-attempts aren't even going to be an option for me this year. Like I mentioned, I'm usually HOPEFUL for a new year, like "gee, I hope this year doesn't suck..." In 2018, I'm actually EXCITED for what is in store. I don't know, I just have a good feeling...

2017: The Year That Was...

When I finished up with 2016, it didn't exactly end with a "bang." It was more like a loud "THUD." Maybe you could throw in the gaspy, wheezy sounds of someone having an asthma attack or something. The START of 2016 seemed really promising. I was in my first coordinator position for the OU College of Medicine, complete with a handsome salary and my own office. However, my year was marred by a series of unfortunate choices (made by me) and the icky consequences that I faced because of them. I ENDED 2016 with a half-assed attempt to stop my self-destructive decisions and instead turned my attention to trying to put myself back together and give another "go" at a "normal life." In order to do that, the first thing that I had to do was to get back to work. Even though I applied MANY places, I came back empty-handed time and time again. Around Thanksgiving, I was finally offered a job. Although it wasn't somewhere glamorous or prominent. The only job I could manage to find was as a "sales associate" for the Dollar General Corporation of America. Oh well... better than nothing.

I started out as a coordinator for a prestigious university and ended as a cashier at a discount convenience store. If that's not a perfect example of what alcoholism and addiction can do to you, I'm not sure what is.

So, I pretty much started 2017 with a blank slate. A clean piece of paper. I was a big blob of clay ready to be molded. I'd LIKE to say that 2017 was a beacon of light in comparison to 2016 and that I became a "new man" who completely put himself back together. Sadly, the "work in progress" portion of my story wasn't over yet. Now, don't get me wrong, the year had plenty of bright spots that I am eternally grateful for, it just wasn't the year that I was hoping for when the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2017.

I thought I was making positive strides at the beginning of the year when I was given the life-changing (yes, sarcasm) promotion to LEAD sales associate at Dollar General. It was more or less a managerial position, just without a real significant increase in pay or benefits or anything. I got a shiny key to the cash register and didn't have to bug managers to make "important" decisions... like whether or not Darla (or whoever) needed a receipt to make an exchange because she bought the wrong kind of deodorant.

My time in the pseudo-not-so-managerial position with the "General" was short, as I was offered an even BETTER opportunity. This one actually piqued my interest and got me excited (no, not sarcasm) about the potential. A neighbor and friend of Mom's helped get me the inside track with the Dean McGee Eye Institute working in their glaucoma clinic at the front desk. The pay was a little bit better and it offered benefits. The main thing was that it put me back in an office/clerical/administrative position where I feel the most comfortable. It was a position where I could feel like an adult, rather than working with kids at the local "DG."

DMEI was far from perfect, but I did manage to find my own little niche there. I met some amazing people and got to the point where I was pretty damn good at my job. For the most part, I loved working with patients and helping people. I was able to car-pool again with Mom. It had good benefits that helped with my prescriptions and what-not. But my attitude and mindset were in the wrong space and I was set on demonizing that place and would NOT allow myself to be happy. Had things been different, I could've easily stayed there and put myself in a spot to continue to grow there.

There near the end, I was even making strides to where I could begin to make some decisions for my life. Do I want to STAY at DMEI, attempt some sort of growth and promotion within the company? Or stay there while I go back to school? Or should I go ahead and find another career opportunity that pays better with better potential for growth? Oddly enough, life handed me what was behind "door number four" that I didn't even notice. I'm (obviously) no longer at DMEI, not going back to school (yet) and while I'm grateful for my current job, this isn't a position that will be a long-term career. So, it's door number four! It's odd to think about how that fourth door is turning out to be an odd blessing in disguise.

One of the biggest changes in my life in 2017 was the addition of this girl named Megan. We met through a harmless dating app and chatted for a little while. We had our first date in June, I took her to Hollie's (a steak place where we ate cheeseburgers.) Despite minor differences (she's a little more "country," I'm a little more "rock and roll,") we seem to be a perfect fit. We've enjoyed everything from going to the Friday Night Art Walk in the Paseo to binge-watching seasons of "The 100," "Game of Thrones," "The Walking Dead" and "Top Gear" on Netflix. Throw in Pizza Shuttle to any occasion and the two of us are more than happy. It was odd how suddenly, after a few weeks of just hanging out and spending time together, it was just like "whoa... I love this girl."

All of that happiness with Megan was before November 13th. When THAT night happened well over a month ago, she had two options she could've taken. The first option was to check out and say "no thanks, I didn't sign up for this." She would've been TOTALLY justified to make that decision. The other option was "Ok. I'm not a FAN of this situation, but I'm going to stick it through and help out." I'm SO blessed that she made that decision. Not only has she stuck by MY side, she's become so much closer and has helped my parents out as well. She's walked together WITH them through this ordeal. I look forward to graduating from here and joining them in the "real world," because I know that THEY are going to be close, and it's not just an act of "oh I'm just friendly because she's my son's girlfriend" type of situation...

Because FIRSTEP only allows people with 30+ days of residency here to leave on a pass, and Christmas Day was day 28, I didn't get to have the "traditional" Christmas at home. I had originally planned to use my FIRST pass on New Year's Day, go home to see the fam and watch the OU game. The director had different plans, apparently saying that it was a safety issue and he wanted to avoid sending the guys out there on a holiday that is predominantly known for drinking and partying. I don't necessarily agree... but part of this program is listening to people in charge and following directions. I work until 1:00PM and then will have some visitors for a bit. Later, we're supposed to run to the store and pick up some stuff for a little get-together in our dorm. It'll just be snacks, games, movies and more snacks. As long as I can get a nap in there somewhere, I'll be a happy camper. Being "open and willing" is allowing me to be somewhat excited or intrigued for another non-traditional holiday.

So, here we are, end of the road for 2017...

There are a handful of things that I wish I could've done differently, but now that I look back, I'm glad that it happened the way that it did. There were some "up's" and some total "down's," but all-in-all, I'm still alive. I feel hopeful about my future. Wait. I take that back. At the end of 2016, I felt hopeful. It was kind of a "come on, man, 2017 can't be THAT bad, right?!" As I'm winding down the last 17-ish hours of the year, I'm not only HOPEFUL... but I'm actually EXCITED. Everything is in place for a great year. I'm hopeful for the good times, I'm learning the tools to take on the not-so-good-times and I'm ready to experience everything in between...

Happy New Year!!! 

- JC -

The Christmas That Wasn't...

I apologize for the dramatic title, but it's true. But, before you get bent out of shape, let me explain what I meant...

We've molded together some simple, yet important holiday traditions throughout my lifetime. December rolls around and there is the annual Christmas light tour. It usually consists of Mom and me, but sometimes Nick decides to join in on the holiday fun, hopping in the car to grab some hot cocoa and see how people (beautifully or totally tacky) decorate the outsides of their homes. Both "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" AND "A Christmas Story" have to be watched at LEAST once by the end of December 25th. This year has worked out a bit differently, and neither of these happened. I did have a chance to go look at Christmas lights in Chickasha with the guys of FIRSTEP, but it just didn't feel right. Also, I had the two ultimate holiday movies, but I just couldn't do it. I didn't think either of these things would feel right without MY people around.

On Christmas Eve, we have THE important gathering of the season. Usually held at my house (aka the parents' house), everyone gets together and partakes in the stuffing of our faces with not-so-traditional Christmas foods. Your family has turkey and dressing. OUR family has stromboli and various snacks and goodies. Once we're miserably full, we sit around and talk and whatever while the kids play. It's not a Cuomo holiday unless a fun pseudo-argument breaks out about some silly issue like when Hannukah begins. After a while, we watch as the kids open up their presents and play around before everyone has to get home before Santa.

This year, I had to work in the office most of Christmas Eve. It was a blessing in disguise, that kept me busy since I didn't get to go home. In the morning, the office was abuzz with people coming in to add their names to the church list and the regular dispensing of medicines. However, it was a little bit busier than usual. On top of the lists and the medicines, we had the staff handing out Christmas presents to the residents who had kids AND the eligible residents checking out on their 24-hour Christmas passes AND people checking in for visitation. Lots and lots of people in a tiny space makes for a hectic morning! I took a little break around 1:00PM when Megan and Turtle BOTH came to visit me. It was awesome. :-) Technically, I should've been "off" at 1:00 but the two other ROD's were out on their passes, so I came back to help in the evening. My Christmas Eve wrapped up at about 9:00PM as I walked back to the dorm and called it a night.

Christmas Day has become so relaxed and downright decadent, I love it. We get to sleep in, which after a crazy Christmas Eve, is usually necessary. As we begin to stir, the parents make their coffee. I start to drink that super-amazing-rich chocolate milk. We dive headfirst into our stockings and then go by the usual ceremony of opening our gifts. We eat a VERY tasty breakfast of eggs, peppered bacon and cinnamon rolls. We lounge around for a bit before eventually getting cleaned up and heading to the Warren Theater for a movie. If we're LUCKY, something is playing in one of the director's suites. After the movie, we return to the super strenuous (not) activity of lounging around before we fall asleep to the happiness of another successful Christmas.

THIS year, I woke up to a nearly empty dorm. Most of the dorm was out on pass, only four or five other guys remained behind for various reasons. In the chow hall, Jonas fixed a variety of tasty things for breakfast...eggs, pancakes, biscuits and sausage gravy (technically it was "shit on a shingle") and was also hard at work to fix us a traditional Christmas dinner. By the time an early Christmas dinner was ready, about 20 or so of the guys had returned from their pass and they ALL jumped on the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, etc. as if they had never seen food before. Mom and Nick weren't there yet and I was honestly concerned that it would be all gone by the time they got there! I had to take pre-emptive action to save the last three dinner rolls. Despite my previous worries, there was still plenty of food. Instead of fancy china, we had our Christmas dinner on metal lunch trays. It was still pretty darn tasty and very filling. Mom and Nick stayed for a nice visit and dropped off plenty of Christmas snacks that was leftover from the Cuomo Christmas Eve celebration the night before.

After the parents left, I went up to the office to help out some more. As soon as Kenneth returned, he let me go back to the dorm for the rest of the day. I relaxed and got settled in before dinner, which was basically "fend for yourself." While most people had sandwiches and stuff, I reheated some leftover stromboli and I received PLENTY of jealous looks from my dorm-mates. After dinner, a gentleman named Steve was nice enough to take time out of his Christmas to bring us a meeting. When that wrapped up, we all made the brisk track (it was cold!) to our dorms... tired after a happy and sober Christmas.

So, this was FAR from the "usual" Christmas season. When I first learned that I wasn't going to be able to make it home for Christmas Eve or Day, I went into full-on pout mode. I could kinda understand the reasoning behind the decision to not let me go home, but I thought that they could've bent the rules a wee little bit. I've had nearly a month to come to grips with the decision and move on from it. Would I RATHER have had the option of having my "traditional" Christmas versus the FIRSTEP version? Of course. But FIRSTEP is helping me achieve something that I couldn't achieve for myself and that is hope that a lifetime of long-term sobriety is an actual possibility. It's helping me ensure that there will be many more happy Christmases in the future. I foresee plenty of Christmas lights, peppered bacon, chocolate milk and lounging around with my FAMILY. So, in essence, this definitely could be considered the "Christmas that wasn't." But, looking back at it now, I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing...

The TRUTH Behind the Coin...

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm one of those weirdly sentimental people. The type of person that hates trading in my car, because of the "history" we've had... like I might hurt its feelings or something. After my old dog Larry ate my Easter candy one year, I BAWLED and cried in anger and frustration. It wasn't because I was a fat kid and my dog ate my candy, it was because of the fact that Mom didn't have a whole lot of money but still spent that money on candy and treats so that I would have a happy Easter. Certain things and events have meaning to them.

As far as sentiments go, I have an interesting history with the coins that I've gotten from Alcoholics Anonymous. Everything from that "desire" chip that doesn't have to be earned to those monthly chips. I think the biggest chip I've ever gotten was 11 months. It was just short of a year. If I want to look back at the biggest chip I've ever gotten while working an HONEST program... I'm honestly not sure. Whatever coin it was that I had in my pocket, it made a different "jingle" than just a regular coin you'd get out of a cash register. I'd hear that specific noise and it would refocus me on to AA. It would cause me to remember that, whether it was a 24-hour chip or a monthly chip, that if I can stay sober today I will have ANOTHER one of those chips to add to the collection.

There were times in the program that I liked the attention that came from standing up in front of the crowd and receiving a coin as they clapped for your achievement. Other times, I preferred to be a little more discreet. I'd either prefer to get my coin in a smaller meeting, sometimes I didn't get one at all. Usually, those were the times that I was kinda scraping the bottom, barely making it. I didn't feel worthy of standing in front of a crowd and receiving praise for a "job well done." Sometimes it was a legitimate feeling because I knew I wasn't working an honest program. There were other times that it was just another example of how I wasn't reaching out for help.

One time, when I had one of those "I really don't feel like getting my chip in front of people" moments, my sponsor Shannon shared an interesting perspective that I still remember today. I was thinking that the receiving of a sobriety chip was a way to congratulate me and give me praise for a job well done. Shannon suggested that, while there is definitely some positive affirmation to getting a chip in public, it is not the SOLE purpose of that ceremony. He talked about the fact that there can always be a brand new (or at least more new than I am) person to the program sitting in one of the seats. When that person sees someone stand up and get a monthly token, it is a sign of hope to that person that says "wow! There is an example of a person who is working the program and has made it that far! I think I can do it too!" It definitely made me feel a little selfish, but it made complete sense and is something I will try and remember from here on out.

My one month of sobriety came and went and I still haven't gotten a chance to go to a meeting to get my chip. By the time I have the next opportunity, it'll be nearly a month and a half. It was kind of frustrating at first, but then it just felt silly to get upset by it. We have a case here in the office for all of the chips. I grabbed a 24-hour coin as well as my one month. They're both jingling around in my pocket. These particular coins will be for me and will serve as a reminder. I definitely plan on earning many more of these bad boys, so maybe the NEXT one can serve as that sign of hope for a person who is new to the rooms of AA...

Frothy, Emotional Appeal...

The "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous states that when it comes to reaching out to the alcoholic and imploring them to seek out help, "Frothy emotional appeal seldom suffices." If it is going to have any effect on us whatsoever, it needs to have some "depth and weight" to it. Before I faced mounting legal issues, dangerous health scares, mounting debt and a declining reputation at both work and school, THIS should've been a huge red flag to me that something was horribly wrong. Those of you who know me, know that I like to consider myself a compassionate and empathetic person. I'm a big softy and I'm DEFINITELY a big momma's boy. But as soon as alcohol came into play, I became cold and careless. I didn't care about myself, why would I care about you?

Dictionary.com defines frothy as "unsubstantial, trifling, shallow, empty." TOTALLY not what I thought it meant. I thought of something that's bubbling and boiling. So I thought of an emotional appeal that was a little more hot, intense. It caused me to have flashbacks of tearful pseudo-interventions, angry conversations and the downright fights that caused me (or someone else) to storm out of the house. All of those methods worked... at least, for a little while. I remember, on numerous occasions, feeling those deep and awful feelings of remorse and self-hatred. What I WASN'T feeling was that "digging in and standing my ground" feeling of "yes, I WILL quit drinking right now!" It was a more mediocre feeling of "yeah, I know I NEED to quit, but..."

Being raised solely by my Mom and being the youngest of three, I became super duper close to her at a young age. I was your somewhat stereotypical momma's boy. When I learned that the term "momma's boy" was actually considered a BAD thing, I kinda shrugged my shoulders and said "meh." For the most part, I took what she said SUPER seriously. She never lied to me (for the most part... I'll choose to look past the whole "telling me everything tastes like macaroni and cheese issue") and so I took everything she said as gospel. Her opinion totally mattered. I wasn't one of those kids who had to be spanked or punished severely into submission. All she had to do was look at me with those big eyes and say softly "John, I'm so disappointed in you right now..." and I would crumble like a house of cards.

Alcohol replaced all of that compassion and empathy. As much as it pains me to say this, it even replaced the respect and care I had for my Mom. Over the last seven years, I've had plenty of conversations with "angry Mom" after I've relapsed. Angry Mom never lasts for long, I know that she just needs to get it out of her system and, before long, she's just fine. I know that she's going to love me no matter what. What REALLY bothered me was those conversations with Mom as tears would well up in her eyes. She'd softly ask me "why?" I've had more of those conversations than I care to count. Here recently, I would talk with her about how we're feeling and what-not. She'd be having a rough day and say something along the lines of how one of the only things keeping her together was knowing I was sober. I'd hear this, knowing that I had a bottle stashed away somewhere or knowing that I had nowhere near the amount of sobriety that she thought I had. It crushed me to know that I was just one simple truth away from her bring her world down crumbling. I felt horrible. Those feelings of self-hatred would swell up inside me. The only way I could keep them from taking over was to dive back into that bottle and wipe away every single feeling I had.

I long to return to a place where I am compassionate and feel empathy for people. I will care deeply about emotional appeals. I can only get back there if I continue to work on this program of recovery. It will start by getting to a place where I'm no longer consumed by the feelings of self-loathing. In order to do that, I'll have to dive into the steps head-first. Hopefully, before long, I'll be working steps 4 and 5 with my sponsor, followed by identifying character defects in step 6. I'll pray to have those defects removed. Then I can go on to the important act of going and making amends with people. I know far too many people who I ignored their tearful emotional appeals, whether they were frothy or otherwise...

Home...

As a fat and angsty teenager, I identified with this one particular scene in the movie "Garden State." Natalie Portman and Zach Braff talk about how "even though you have someplace where you can put your shit, the idea of home is gone. It's like you feel homesick for a place that doesn't exist." Looking back at that time, I'm not exactly sure WHY I felt like that... maybe it was "cool" to feel like you have that disconnect. It's difficult to maintain legitimate angsty-ness if you turn around and admit to people that you still feel at home... who even says they actually "like their family?!?!"

The older that I got, the clearer my goal became: to move far, far away from Oklahoma City. I was going to live the big city life, I was going to have culture, I was going to be COOL and I was going to be accepted. That was just the thing, I wasn't sure of who I was and I was afraid that once I found out for sure, that people were going to reject me. It was a pretty safe bet because, where I felt like I belonged and what I felt was an integral part of my identity was not something that was very widely accepted in my part of the country. So, even though they were about as accepting as possible, my family and my home were lumped into that category with everyone else and I just had to get away.

In February of 2012, I finally made the big jump. Well... not BIG...but just across the river to Dallas. It was big enough and distant enough to make me feel like I was being independent. BUT it was also close enough where I could still come home on a fairly regular basis to see my family. I got established with a job that paid fairly decently as well as a place of my own. I made some new friends as well as a new serious-ish relationship. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that this wasn't for me. I liked... no, loved Oklahoma far more than I realized. Not only did I love my family, but I even liked and enjoyed them. The move to Dallas was short. My life pretty much imploded in on itself and I moved back to Oklahoma City in November of the same year. I never looked back. I don't regret the time there because it gave me a true appreciation for my home. 

Fast forward FIVE years later... this will be the first year that I'm away from my home for Christmas. I'm actually going to miss being in a house crammed full of family and kiddos, enjoying the loud and crazy times. I'll miss that tradition of enjoying a quiet(er) Christmas morning with the parents and my paranoid bulldog. Our roles were usually reversed, usually, it's the kid that wakes the parents up. Mom and Nick would make Emma mark until it woke me up. We'd do stockings, presents and a gluttonous breakfast. Eventually, we'd get cleaned up and make the trek over to the Warren and see our annual movie. I'm DEFINITELY going to miss that.

This year will be an interesting break in the tradition. Since I can't come home for Christmas day, Mom and Nick are actually going to come out to see me at FIRSTEP. Apparently, they fix a pretty dang good holiday meal and families are welcome to join. Sadly, Emma will have to stay at home LOL. I'm hopeful and set on the idea that this, however, will NOT become a tradition. This will be the last time that I will have to miss Christmas under these circumstances. I understand their reasoning for keeping me here since I will be just short of the 30-day minimum required for a pass when the 25th rolls around. This is part of the process that is going to ensure that, even though I'm missing just ONE Christmas for this purpose, that it is going to help me succeed in having MANY happy and sober Christmases to come.

I hope THEY are ready. I've made a promise to Mom, Megan and Nick that I'm going to be so annoyingly cheerful and Christmas-y next year that they'll probably get tired of me. I'm going to take advantage of ALL that the season has to offer. I hope that I'll be in the position financially to provide Christmas gifts for people, but even if I can't... I definitely know now and appreciate the fact that Christmas is more than just the gifts (corny, I know) and that I know EXACTLY where my home is...

30 Days and Counting...

The best I can recollect, the day before seems like it was something straight out of one of those indie drama movies that I'm so fond of where EVERYTHING goes wrong and the good guys don't necessarily win in the end. But on November 14th, I was blessed to get to wake up to another day. I got to wake up from my own bed. I had already made the decision myself, but I had a serious (yet compassionate) conversation with my parents about what I was going to do next. Mom handed me the little scrap of paper with two numbers written on it. One was to "The Recovery Center," a facility that helps with medically supervised detoxification for people who suffer from alcohol and drug abuse issues.The other was a number for a place called "FIRSTEP Men's Recovery Program," a facility located in southeast Oklahoma City that provides a 6-24 month rehabilitation program for men who want/need to overcome their addiction. I made the calls and started the ball in motion to hopefully never have to experience a day like November 13th ever again.

I had heard horror stories about going through detox, especially while at TRC. The experience for me was actually pleasant. I definitely know that was because of the fact that my health insurance hadn't been discontinued yet. One of MANY blessings that I've experienced in the last month. I only had to stay with them for 5 days before I was released on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The next day (Monday), I went with my parents to take a tour of the FIRSTEP facilities. They were nice and reminded me of a Summer church camp. After taking the tour, Alex (who was a resident and fellow alcoholic) let me know that they would have an opening for me the following Monday. That gave me a week to get all my ducks in a row and to enjoy some time with family and friends. I had plenty of credit cards, student loans, car loans and other miscellaneous crap to handle before going into the program. I made sure to check them all of my list as I completed them, I wanted to make sure that I didn't have any "outside" worries or stressors hanging over my head when I came to FIRSTEP. I wanted to make sure that my mind would be clear and ready to take on this whole "sobriety" thing head on and full steam.

If you would've asked me on November 27th how I felt, I would've spewed out all sorts of negative adjectives and claimed that this was probably one of the worst things to ever happen to me. Looking back at it, it was pretty much just nerves. The "intake" process is kind of jarring - from filling out a stack of paperwork that is like an inch thick (or it seems like it!) to wearing over-sized scrubs while your clothing gets checked for bed bugs - and it's not a whole lot easier, going from the comfy life that I was living to willingly spend six months in a dorm full of 40 other guys. But every single guy that I met was MORE than nice. Guys of all different ages, shapes, sizes and backgrounds... they were all incredibly compassionate and ready to help me anyway I might've needed. So I stuck around. One day turned into two days, which turned into a week and so on...

Time has managed to fly by. They have me working in their office as a "Resident On Duty." I've made a lot of friends and met a lot of great guys. I have an actual "regular" journal that I have written in SO much since I've been here. I'm so aware of my thoughts and feelings and they just manage to pour out on to those pages. Now that I'm in front of a computer on a fairly regular basis, I can update on here as well. It'll give me something to look back at years from now and remember what it was like. I'll remember all of those awesome memories as well as some of those not-so-awesome ones and how I handled them.

I've only been a "client" (I prefer the term resident) of FIRSTEP for 18 days, but yesterday marked ONE MONTH of sobriety for me. I've managed to not drink for periods of 30 days or more in the past, but considering it actual "sobriety" is a stretch. I feel as if I'm actually WORKING a program. I'm physically, mentally and spiritually aware of AA from the moment they wake us up at 5:00AM (which takes some getting used to) to the moment they call for "lights out" at 10:30PM. I'm not doing it for Mom (although, her happiness IS a positive side effect) and I'm not doing it for Megan or anyone else. I'm doing this for ME...