Itchy

I don't know if many of you are fans of the movie "Matrix." But I have always drawn some analogies with it and alcoholism.
Here is that scene from Matrix. Cypher, who agent Smith (Alcoholic voice) calls Mr. Reagan has been out of the cocoon (sober) for nine years. He decides the real world will never give him the power and greatness he wants. So he meets with Smith to get back into the matrix and give his body back to the cocoon/casket (bottle) and relinquish control in return for the illusion of self worth. (drunk) He meets with Smith (relapse) for a try of the old illusion of eating when he is not, remembering how much he missed the matrix telling his brain that he was experiencing something that was just illusion. (Alcohol brain telling us we are suave and witty and oh so attractive, when in that condition to one who is sober, we are the opposite.) So he tries the old illusion again (Relapses) and decides he is tired of fighting it and prefers letting the Matrix (alcohol) control him and betrays Neo, and all the real world. His reason? Ignorance is bliss.




__________________

Rusty Zipper

doggonecarl

Just back from Mass at my church. Just wanted to wish the group a wonderful Christmas. Hope your holidays, and the coming new year bring you many blessings.
--Carl

Rusty Zipper

wishing a very merry christmas to all the OYOC

newby1961

Very Very cool song thanks Itchy.

Itchy

YW Newby.
Merry Christmas everybody!!!

My sincere wish that these are the days for all my friends here too.

And for the New Year?

There were probably many, many times this year when

I may have...
Disturbed You,
Troubled You,
Pestered You,
Irritated You,
Bugged You,
Or got on your Nerves!!
So today, I just wanted to tell you:




Suck it up, Cupcake!!
Cause there
AIN'T NO CHANGES
Planned for 2012!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Murray4x5

! ! Happy Solstice Season Everybody !

May the sun shine longer for you every day, and more warmth come into your lives.

Oh ya, and Merry Chris-ma-what-chya-ma-call-it to you folks celebrating that holiday

Murray

Itchy

OMG! Happy solstice season Murray. And since I may have missed others too, Happy Hanukkah, Alban Arthuan, Inti Raymi, Shab-e Yaldaa, Soyal, Feast of Frau Holle, Hogmanay, Litha, Saturnalia, and the Yule which is the day of the solstice which was the 22nd at 5:30 AM.



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I couldn't resist.

Dee74

Hope everyone had a good day

D

Rusty Zipper

had a wonderful day

and It's a Wonderful Life

Itchy

Wonderful day and meal here too. I hope everyone here had one too. Our first Cajun Christmas with no turkey/ham or dressing. We have already decided that every year we will do thanksgiving traditional, and Christmas will be Cajun.

It was thanks in part to you guys here that it was another good one.

Murray4x5

Second sober Chris-mas in a row for me. Last year I was at 6 months sober so it was a bit dodgy, but by no means sketchy.

This year was so much less about my internal conflicts regarding drinking, and more about sharing love with my family.

I'm feeling comfortable in my own skin...finally

Hope everybody is having a wonderful holiday!

Rusty Zipper

it's Zydeco time itch!

Kablume

Wouldn't want it any other way Itchy!

Hope all had a good holiday. I had a great Christmas. All went well considering my step-daughter drank Mimosas all day. She never appeared drunk though.

Welcome back Dee!

I got a crisis call last night from another alcoholic who was experiencing her first Christmas sober. What a blessing that was.

Have a great day today!

newby1961

Its great to come on here 1st thing in the morning and read all these posts
You all surely make my day

Hope everyone had a rather sane holiday? Whichever holiday you celebrated as I now know there are tons of them from the post from Itchy hell of a disclaimer to btw..

Have a peaceful day unless of course you have made other plans

FT

Every Christmas my husband and I love to watch the Jimmy Stewart movie with Donna Reed, "It's a Wonderful Life". What a fantastic movie.

Last Christmas I was totally dope sick coming off opiates (quite date 12/15/10), and I could not enjoy the holiday at all. The previous two Christmases, I was taking opiates for orthopedic surgeries (pre, and postop) which led to the two year "problem".

Thanks for welcoming me to the one year and over group, after reaching my one year off opiates almost 2 weeks ago.

I don't remember what month, or year even, that I quit alcohol now, but I stopped counting after 20 years and have since forgotten those things. What a shock, after that, to have opiates suck me in. No longer. Gone. Finished. Done. End of story. Period.

Watching "It's a Wonder Life" reminded me of most of the other films of that era, how alcohol was such an accepted "fall back" tool for stress. The cop trying to catch the angel, who promptly disappeared in the chase scene in the old, derelict, house, was so shocked by the "ghost" disappearing, his response was: "I need a drink!"

I grew up thinking that was a normal response to any stressful situation, as "needing" a drink was the knee-jerk response for many ills. My mother-in-law's "Hot Toddy" for all menstrual cramps, respiratory illnesses, or pretty much anything at all, was not shocking or surprising to me at all.

Funny how generations change.

Well, everyone, I had a wonderful and clear headed Christmas, and I did not "need a drink" at all. Neither did my husband, who also quit drinking over 20 years ago, and whom I scared the hell out of with the opiate gig.

Wow. A lot to be grateful for this year.

Much love to all,

FT

Itchy

FT,
Thanks for the post. It has changed a lot. The same thought crossed my mind watching the movie this weekend too. But I didn't think it through. I also remember smoke filled offices, being one who contributed to them. It occurred to me reading yours that it was in your face then as well.

Itchy

Same for me Murray, Glad to hear it. I was three months behind you. My biggest problem last year was grief. You probably remember I lost my younger brother a few weeks after I quit, who just keeled over one night going to bed, and didn't drink or smoke and was an exercise and fitness type. And then a few weeks after that in November, my first cousin, who was my age within two weeks, keeled over from a massive heart attack. I kept sober but last Christmas was spent essentially stunned in neutral. I shut down. This year, like your's was much better. I ran with your XMas PC kind of statement. I do Merry Christmas because I like what it stands for in family values. That is about it.

Another thing that changes over the years is my perspective. My brother was 56 when he died, and I remember when I was 20 saying about people who dies at age 50-60 that they at least lived a long life. Now at 59 I feel only middle age! But there is an older guy that has co-opted my mirror image!

Itchy

RZ! You bet! Click here for a Cajun Christmas song!

Itchy

Thanks Kablume! It is great to come here and be among friends with no pretense. I was getting a bit worried that my warped sense of humor was being taken wrong. Same to you kiddo!