BearSchlong

Thanks for the additional information. I guess for some alcoholics, that's the way it happens. Blaming alcohol rather than taking responsibility to get treated for a known disease. The insanity of that was first evident when you mentioned he was exploring treatments that didn't involve complete abstinence. In other words, he got killed by what I consider to be the addiction industrial complex. The ultimate FAFO. I'll pray for you, his ex-wife, his children, and everyone who loved him, may there be solace found in the realization that nothing could have been done for him, his human resources had failed him. It's not tough love when you're trying to shorten someone's suffering, the paradox is that helping causes harm. When well-intentioned non-alcoholics mention the "fight" or "struggle," it makes me wince. To the recovering or recovered alcoholic, there is simply no fight. It's lay down your sword, surrender to win mentality. You're either done, or you're not. The BBOAA describes the posture on pages 84-85; of course, you have to work through the 9th step, but it's the 10th step promise: "And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition." I sure as hell ain't interested in "not drinking;" and doubly uninterested in "struggling." That dog doesn't hunt. I'm obstinate, so it took me 22 years to reach that point. You spot it, you got it?

Awful story yet typical for many alcoholics. I’m confused on one point. Was it an explicit suicide letter he left? That would be oddly surprising. If you hadn’t mentioned the letter, my first thought was that it wasn’t a deliberate suicide, but rather an unfortunate evening where he simply overshot the mark. Or as my friend Earl H. says, “some nights I was content to just keep checking my own pulse.”

Lol that part where he was talking about going to open houses and raising the homeowners’ medicine cabinets. “No way would Chandler steal my pills.” I identified with that so hard. I had my MIL’s Medicare lunch pail quantity Percocet supply.

Glad she had that reaction. My wife pre-ordered his book for me, and we watched the interview. Our impression is that he is genuinely engaged in working the 12th step. I sent a copy to the wife of a guy who is circling the drain. I think part of his problem is that his endless and expensive rehab cycles don’t even dent her trust fund’s interest payments.

Follow up: when we pushed back, we were 32nd in line, pilot said he was asking for an expedite otherwise we would be in line for 50 minutes and we ended up getting in front of about 20 planes. Then the weirdest thing happened on the threshold; pilot went to takeoff power for about 5 seconds, then to idle, then turned off the runway at the first turnoff, circled back to the threshold, then took off normally. I’m assuming the expedite had to do with needing the equipment at the destination to reduce disruptions to subsequent flights, right? Because we jumped most of the line. What are the conditions that would have caused the aborted takeoff?

How much for laser removal?

My life is changed. Just went through my first full week of large client meetings, happy hours, dinners. . . Heard every single word without difficulty. Had conversations with people on airplanes and didn’t have to read lips. The best $1500 I have ever spent, period. Btw listening to music on flights with hearing aids and Bose over the ear noise cancelling headphones works well. I had no idea how deaf I was until I could finally hear. The kicker though is listening to music at a low level through the hearing aids and still being able to have a conversation with my wife who is in the next room.

Back on track. I’m a hairy dude and this combo keeps my back under control. Nose hair gets this.

DFW has been such a shitshow today. First weather, then no pilot, then need more gas to fly around the weather that just pushed through. Question for you pros who sit up front, is the “more gas” a pilot or dispatch initiated situation, or is it a function of IBM Weather Channel AI Algorithms? All I know is I’ve been sitting on this RJ145 for 2 hours, at E24B. This morning in Baton Rouge there was a ground stop at DFW so they let us off the plane for breakfast.

Yesterday my team and I spent a mind-bending 6 hours with the CIO of a southern state discussing IT systems architecture. Then, happy hour with 25 people at a downtown bar. I was the last one to leave because I was networking, brainstorming, collaborating, and moving the business forward. It did not even register in my mind that I was in a bar, other than the club sodas I drank. All the youngsters prepared to go out to do some partying in earnest (SEC!), and I announced, “I’m going to see some friends” and grabbed my phone, hit google, selected a meeting at random, grabbed my rental car, and headed out, hoping for the best. It was birthday night. After a half-dozen strangers greeted me with hugs, I sat down at a table, and someone set a solo cup of Hawaiian Punch and a plate of fried chicken, potato chips, and birthday cake in front of me. The next hour was magical. Julius celebrated 31 years, and he told us stories of his repeated trips to rehab. A dozen people spoke with gratitude about his patience, wisdom, and willingness to help. His sister and brother-in-law commented on their persistence and faith in his eventual sobriety. The old timers focused their context to the newcomers in the room. They quoted the BBOAA. They did it right. That damned AA miracle happened again, and now I’ve got friends in yet another city. Showed up at the airport at 5am today and my team was talking about their shenanigans. They were tired but sober, and not suffering hangovers. They asked me what I did last night and I told them “not much.” Such is our society.

I put Beto in my junk mail a long time ago and I get crickets from the GOP. I’m a marked man after giving to the dems last cycle. I probably get 5-8 emails a day judging by my quick glance before deleting that folder’s contents. It’s all one big grift. Never giving another dime. Identity politics are all about solidifying beliefs, not changing minds.

They can only target by zip code now for statewide elections on cable/ YouTubeTV. And the ads are designed to piss you off enough to make you get out and vote. Beto is spending all his money on getting young people to the polls. My daughter’s company buys about $600M a year in ads and she says the only time you’ll see a strong mixture of ads is in close races. She spent all last week buying for AOC.

Nope. I’ve had hearing tests at several pretty high end audiology places and was more impressed with Costco than any of them. Had multiple people recommend them as well, software engineers at work. High end places wanted $6K, and consumer reports even said that the Kirkland brand is just an OEM of the exact same model for about $5K less. The test and the fitting session were an hour each. And I have an hour scheduled for 3 weeks out for fine tuning and to address any fit issues that may arise. Plus I figured it was a low risk event, if I eventually need a specialist or better tech then so be it.

I got mine from Costco this week. Philips brand. Went to the Costco on Richmond, Chaz the audiologist did a great job with the hearing test, telling me about the pros and cons of each brand, style, color, etc. The minute I walked out of the soundproof room I felt like Superman. I’ve needed them for about 30 years, but hitting 50 finally eliminated my vanity and ego enough to where I was willing to pull the trigger. Just played golf and could hear the guys in the other cart from across the fairway, in the wind. Integrates with iPhone reallly well, the tech has come a long way. Best $1,500 I ever spent.

My gut says Peyton/Harrison

Except my aggy corps turd son was actually in Poland for 5 months, handing out NATO weapons to Ukraine, so be careful with that broad paintbrush.

My FIL gave Elvis the tour of the FBI crime lab in DC and true to his word Elvis comped him for concert tickets the rest of his life. Hershel walker is a dumb motherfucker.

Catches slab flounder in Louisiana/ realizes that Oct 15 - Dec 1 flounder season in LA is closed. Gorgeous morning though. Literally the very first day in the history of Louisiana that it’s illegal to keep a flounder.

My CSB about NYC and Broadway is that I’m very close friends with Terrence McNally’s brother, and am actually going with him to see a community theatre version of his brother’s play Frankie and Johnny next week. Great documentary for theatre buffs starring my friend, Nathan Lane, Edie Falco, Tyne Daly and others. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/terrence-mcnally-every-act-of-life-documentary/10986/

I do. My late great grand sponsor was sober there for 50 years til he passed. IIRC my friend and fellow conference board member Tim B. may be a good contact. I will pm you his information this morning. Damned good AA there, the west Texas kind where they don't fuck around. My sponsor is from there too.

Crawfish cornbread dressing and an etouffee

You’re only as sick as your secrets. The 5th step is incredibly powerful. Recovery isn’t for people who want it, or need it; it’s for people who do it. Everything else is mere tourism.

Good luck. More will be revealed. All I have is my experience.

Here is my sponsor face. But it only works on guys who ask me to tell them what I see.