Venecia

Happy Birthday, Jeff!

Ya know, there is something to the old adage about "laughter being the best medicine." When I was in my early days of sobriety, I really turned to it as much as I could. Watched reruns of "Frasier" whenever possible. Old "SNL" skits that still leave me in stitches. Laugh, laugh, laugh.

"Talladega Nights"? Now that's just a good old laugh-fest.

Shake and bake!

biminiblue

Happy Birthday!

I think Mera makes a good point. Getting exercise changes my mood right away. There are upper body things that will get the heart pumping.

Just know that the moods pass. Hang on, friend.

2ndhandrose

Happy Birthday, Jeff!!!! Onward!

TroyW

Sorry, and happy birthday Jeff!

thomas11

I agree completely Venecia. We all have different senses of humor but sometimes just clearing my head and watching some stuff makes me laugh and changes my whole day. For me stupid things like Dumb and Dumber, or the SNL skits of "Sally O'malley and I'm 50!" or Mary Katherine Gallagher just leave me in stitches. So stupid its funny. the blue collar comedy guys can usually get a laugh out of me as well. I'm kind of a knucklehead so that stuff humors me. thanks for you post.

tursiops999

happy birthday Jeff. I appreciate your honesty and posting here for support.

thomas11

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. Some comments that have been made are really valid and make me think. In the end who am I (or any of us) "competing" with? No-one, its our life, we should enjoy it as we see fit. So I don't have the most expensive car in the garage, who cares? I have my sanity. When we are on our death-bed, what's important? The pile of money or material things we've gathered? Nope. Its the journey, the experiences. Just thinking out loud here, but for me, things like going to my first prom, scoring my first touchdown, becoming a godfather to my nephew, getting married (which I NEVER thought would happen), moving into my modest house, going to the ball game (Minnesota Twins) the other night with my father. I'm 48 and he's 72 and that's the first (and sadly) probably the last "ball game" we will go to together. A father-son moment at our age, it was priceless. Training my first golden retriever, wow, was that precious. Taught him both verbally and with hand signals. People were impressed. It was cool. Other parts of the journey so far have been starting this business, wow, going and buying 3 brand new trucks, a bobcat, trailers, mowers, the whole 9 yards it was thrilling. Then of course there was the actual work, another eye opener. Some pretty damn long hard days. In the heat, in freezing cold weather, missing Christmas dinners, new years eve's, birthdays, you name it. Gotta do what you gotta do. All the years I spent in gyms, met pro football players, pro wrestlers, hells angels, cops, federal marshals, career criminals....what a cast of characters I've had the pleasure of knowing at the old Iron hangouts. For those old enough to remember, in the old days weightlifting gyms were dingy crapholes with lots of iron and primitive machines laying around. There was usually the owner smoking a cigarette behind the counter with their dog running around peeing on the carpet. yet there was the same cast of characters there every single day. None of this fancy schmancy stuff they have now. that's how I trained...old school. Great memories. Anyway, my point is that you are all correct. He who dies with the most toys doesn't necessarily "win". Its taking time to reflect on the journey, and smell the roses along the way. Memories are something that can't be taken from us. And we should relish the good ones, and learn from the bad ones. I don't want to speak for everyone, but I believe most of us here are trying to start a new chapter in our lives. A sober one primarily, but also a new one, a better one. And we all have previous chapters in our lives that probably are good, but obviously a few bad chapters along the way, that is what has brought us here. So collectively we are group moving forward and motivated to do better for ourselves, our family and our friends. And I like that. I hope you do too.

Soberwolf