Happy B-day to Meeeeeeeeeee!
Honest, Open, Willing
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: the real world
Posts: 166
Happy B-day to Meeeeeeeeeee!
I've never done this for my b-day before . . . brag.
BUT
today, I have been sober/clean for TWENTY-FIVE YEARS and I'm gonna let my ego run wide for a few hours.
SO
I want to share my b-day song with y'all!
Along the way, I've learned that [for me] Attitude IS Everything.
When I can NOT LABEL things as "good" or "bad" and just look at them as "this is my reality right now . . . "
things get so much easier.
In fact, this is even mentioned in the Big Book!
[wow! who knew?!] Third edition, page 449, first full paragraph.
[It's even in the fourth edition! "Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict."]
AND, of course: page 132: "We are not a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it."
I picked this version of my song because the clip from the movie might be offensive to some, it's very irreverent.
If you've never seen Monty Python's "Life of Brian," you're missing out, big time!
Cheer up, Brian. You know what they say:
Some things in life are bad,
They can really make you mad.
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle,
Don't grumble, give a whistle!
And this'll help things turn out for the best
And
Always look on the bright side of life!
Always look on the bright side of life!
If life seems jolly rotten,
There's something you've forgotten!
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing,
When you're feeling in the dumps,
Don't be silly chumps,
Just purse your lips and whistle -- that's the thing!
And always look on the bright side of life!
Come on!
Always look on the bright side of life!
For life is quite absurd,
And death's the final word.
You must always face the curtain with a bow!
Forget about your sin -- give the audience a grin,
Enjoy it, it's the last chance anyhow!
So always look on the bright side of death!
Just before you draw your terminal breath.
Life's a piece of ****,
When you look at it.
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true,
You'll see it's all a show,
Keep 'em laughing as you go.
Just remember that the last laugh is on you!
And always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the bright side of life
Come on guys, cheer up
Always look on the bright side of life!
Always look on the bright side of life!
Worse things happen at sea you know
Always look on the bright side of life!
I mean, what have you got to lose?
you know, you come from nothing
you're going back to nothing
what have you lost? Nothing!
Always look on the bright side of life!
Keep Coming Back!
I NEED YOU!
BUT
today, I have been sober/clean for TWENTY-FIVE YEARS and I'm gonna let my ego run wide for a few hours.
SO
I want to share my b-day song with y'all!
Along the way, I've learned that [for me] Attitude IS Everything.
When I can NOT LABEL things as "good" or "bad" and just look at them as "this is my reality right now . . . "
things get so much easier.
In fact, this is even mentioned in the Big Book!
[wow! who knew?!] Third edition, page 449, first full paragraph.
[It's even in the fourth edition! "Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict."]
AND, of course: page 132: "We are not a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it."
I picked this version of my song because the clip from the movie might be offensive to some, it's very irreverent.
If you've never seen Monty Python's "Life of Brian," you're missing out, big time!
Cheer up, Brian. You know what they say:
Some things in life are bad,
They can really make you mad.
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle,
Don't grumble, give a whistle!
And this'll help things turn out for the best
And
Always look on the bright side of life!
Always look on the bright side of life!
If life seems jolly rotten,
There's something you've forgotten!
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing,
When you're feeling in the dumps,
Don't be silly chumps,
Just purse your lips and whistle -- that's the thing!
And always look on the bright side of life!
Come on!
Always look on the bright side of life!
For life is quite absurd,
And death's the final word.
You must always face the curtain with a bow!
Forget about your sin -- give the audience a grin,
Enjoy it, it's the last chance anyhow!
So always look on the bright side of death!
Just before you draw your terminal breath.
Life's a piece of ****,
When you look at it.
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true,
You'll see it's all a show,
Keep 'em laughing as you go.
Just remember that the last laugh is on you!
And always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the bright side of life
Come on guys, cheer up
Always look on the bright side of life!
Always look on the bright side of life!
Worse things happen at sea you know
Always look on the bright side of life!
I mean, what have you got to lose?
you know, you come from nothing
you're going back to nothing
what have you lost? Nothing!
Always look on the bright side of life!
Keep Coming Back!
I NEED YOU!
Congratulations 
Honest, Open, Willing
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: the real world
Posts: 166
This entire month is pretty much an "ego binge."
It started on Feb. 1st when 2 friends in my home group put their heads together and made chili for me! [This is a strange but fantastic little meeting and sporadically we have chili before the meeting. To the best of my knowledge, it's never been for somebody before.] Well, they got the date wrong, but that started my birthday month.
I wasn't planning on getting my chip til my home group next Wednesday, but when I announced today was my b-day at a meeting tonite, a friend had a chip for me. It blew my mind. It means so much to me that he remembered the exact date.
All the notes from my new friends here have me sniffling . . . but just a little and in a very good way!
Tomorrow, a non-AA friend is taking me out for Chinese food to celebrate. YES!
My next regular meeting is Valentine's Day, next Tuesday.
[more ego stroking]
Wednesday the 15th, is my home group. I think the same 2 friends might be plotting something . . . but IDK. Someone is making cookies for me and I'll "re-get" my chip. I also have my original white chip and 35 cents to be presented with my XXV chip. [For you youngsters, back before cell phones, newcomers were given a white chip and 35 cents to call someone - so there was never an excuse as to why you picked up a drink instead of a phone.]
I'm trying to get my son to come. [That's a long story.]
Friday the 17th, a friend and I will both celebrate 25 years at her home group. There will be CAKE!
FINALLY, I got sober at a meeting house in a bigger city nearby. There's a board where people write their birthday date and length of sobriety. Then on the last Friday of the month [Feb. 24], they have a b-day meeting and we celebrate that month's b-days. I don't get to go back there very often, but I had someone put my name on the board for me. I love this place! It's my home.
But, this is also the place where way too many people told me, for way too many years, that I would never stay sober if I didn't ________. It felt like I was being watched by vultures. Well, I never did _________ and I'm still sober. And yes, there were times that the only reason I didn't drink was cuz I was not going to let them be right. I absolutely LOVE that my name will be on that board all month AND that I'll be there for the b-day meeting.
Yep. Ego and entitlement all rolled into one.
Wow. So this is what it looks like when an alcoholic lets her ego run wild. Who knew?!
Good thing it's got an expiration date!!
Now, if my husband
had remembered today was my b-day, it'd have been perfect.
[Hey, I'm entitled to throw a little pity-party in there too. . .]
Thank you for helping me celebrate!
It started on Feb. 1st when 2 friends in my home group put their heads together and made chili for me! [This is a strange but fantastic little meeting and sporadically we have chili before the meeting. To the best of my knowledge, it's never been for somebody before.] Well, they got the date wrong, but that started my birthday month.
I wasn't planning on getting my chip til my home group next Wednesday, but when I announced today was my b-day at a meeting tonite, a friend had a chip for me. It blew my mind. It means so much to me that he remembered the exact date.
All the notes from my new friends here have me sniffling . . . but just a little and in a very good way!
Tomorrow, a non-AA friend is taking me out for Chinese food to celebrate. YES!
My next regular meeting is Valentine's Day, next Tuesday.
[more ego stroking]Wednesday the 15th, is my home group. I think the same 2 friends might be plotting something . . . but IDK. Someone is making cookies for me and I'll "re-get" my chip. I also have my original white chip and 35 cents to be presented with my XXV chip. [For you youngsters, back before cell phones, newcomers were given a white chip and 35 cents to call someone - so there was never an excuse as to why you picked up a drink instead of a phone.]
I'm trying to get my son to come. [That's a long story.]
Friday the 17th, a friend and I will both celebrate 25 years at her home group. There will be CAKE!
FINALLY, I got sober at a meeting house in a bigger city nearby. There's a board where people write their birthday date and length of sobriety. Then on the last Friday of the month [Feb. 24], they have a b-day meeting and we celebrate that month's b-days. I don't get to go back there very often, but I had someone put my name on the board for me. I love this place! It's my home.
But, this is also the place where way too many people told me, for way too many years, that I would never stay sober if I didn't ________. It felt like I was being watched by vultures. Well, I never did _________ and I'm still sober. And yes, there were times that the only reason I didn't drink was cuz I was not going to let them be right. I absolutely LOVE that my name will be on that board all month AND that I'll be there for the b-day meeting.
Yep. Ego and entitlement all rolled into one.
Wow. So this is what it looks like when an alcoholic lets her ego run wild. Who knew?!
Good thing it's got an expiration date!!
Now, if my husband
had remembered today was my b-day, it'd have been perfect. [Hey, I'm entitled to throw a little pity-party in there too. . .]
Thank you for helping me celebrate!
Honest, Open, Willing
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: the real world
Posts: 166
ps. The Promises really do come true.
"If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them. " [SOBER.]
Big Book, pages 83 - 84
"If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them. " [SOBER.]
Big Book, pages 83 - 84
Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 1,060
Congratulations Darkling!!! That's an amazing feat for a true alcoholic. And reading your posts, it is so clear that you're an alcoholic.
"And yes, there were times that the only reason I didn't drink was cuz I was not going to let them be right."
I loved reading that. whatever it took to stay sober, your HP motivated you.
Happy Birthday and look forward to reading your month of Bday meetings.
"And yes, there were times that the only reason I didn't drink was cuz I was not going to let them be right."
I loved reading that. whatever it took to stay sober, your HP motivated you.
Happy Birthday and look forward to reading your month of Bday meetings.
Honest, Open, Willing
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: the real world
Posts: 166
Originally Posted by Done4today 
. . . And reading your posts, it is so clear that you're an alcoholic. . . .
OMFG, if that's not The Perfect Thing to write on my b-day post, I don't know what would be! That's just part of what's so great about hanging out with others in recovery. You KNOW me. I'm just another sober-today-alcoholic. Ok, except I'm on an ego-binge for another two weeks . . . is it a character defect if I can rationalize and justify the snot out of it?? Damn. That's an alcoholic question isn't it? LMAO
Guess I'll just keep coming back . . .
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