daily quota: Clapton

"With heroin I couldn’t leave the room. I’d take the phone off the hook and it would just be me and the TV... With alcohol, I could be very gregarious. I thought I’d woken up and come back to life. And in a way I had. But it was a weird life and eventually it led back to the same place... I needed a total internal collapse before I could stop... That moment they call 'the grace of despair'. It came and in a flash of clarity I saw I was going to die. I didn’t want to die, so I picked up a phone and asked for help... That’s when I grabbed on to the notion of one day at a time and that’s been my programme ever since. Sixteen years of one day at a time."
- Eric Clapton, 'Scotsman.com'

quipping post: Indecision

 
Two fellows were chatting over coffee after an AA meeting. One of them was sharing about his newest resentment. "Someone told me that indecision is a stumbling block in my recovery. He should look at himself instead of accusing me of being indecisive. I can make up my mind just fine! In fact, I have a good mind to..." The other fellow interrupted him, "Whenever I get upset I talk it over with my sponsor." The fellow replied: "I would if I had one, but I can't decide who I want as a sponsor."

link added today: Substance Abuse Treatment Forum

New Recovery Site
"An Open and Frank Discussion About Substance Abuse, Substance Treatment, Recovery, Rehab and Support":
Substance Abuse Treatment Forum



Other links added this week:

Ponder This

Alcoholic's Diary

StepStudy.org

NA AA Recovery Zone

resources: The Problem; Daily Spiritual Quote; Our Past

The Problem:
Have you ever wondered why it is
that you cannot stop drinking?
There Is A Solution

Recovery: Daily Spiritual Quote
Read a new one every day
Serenity Found

Have A Look Into Our Past:
Two pages of AA facts and questions
AA History & Trivia

daily quota: Colton

 
"Most of the trouble in Barnet flows from my pub... The bottom line is drink. We have been running a promotion known within the company as Project Primate...  a happy hour and I'm not happy to be running it... I said 'you are attracting people who want a cheap and nasty night out'... I've been through serious amounts of trouble with the yobs. I was glassed once. I've had stools and ashtrays thrown at me. It can start if we ask people to leave, they start giving staff abuse. It's fearful for me. I've barred 50 to 100 people since I've been here. I look 20 yards to the left and to the right before I walk out onto the high street now."
- Michael Colton, 'Hendon & Finchley Times, UK'

quipping post: Do You Have A Thinking Problem?

"Are you brave enough to take the test?!
When you complete the test, read the really scary story about a problem thinker":
Recovery Is Good For You

link added today: NA AA Recovery Zone

 
"Website offers information on substance abuse and recovery, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous page, Recovery Tools, Recovery Books, Gifts and more":
NA AA Recovery Zone
 

resources: Spiritual Web Movies

 
Online Flash Presentations:
Journey with Spirit

daily quota: Tolstoy

 
"The chief difference between words and deeds is that words are always intended for men... but deeds can be done only for God."
- Leo Tolstoy

quipping post: He Had An Idea

 
A drunk's wife was still mad at him for his most recent binge. He thought that surprising her with a good meal might help. That's when he had an idea! Knowing that she was fond of both potatoes and rice, he thought he'd be creative and give her the best of both starches. As he watched her sample the new dish at supper he explained, "I carefully cut the potatoes into tiny rice-size pieces before cooking them. The chopping alone took me an hour! I didn't have a chance to try it myself, what do you think?" She replied: "Interesting -- mashed potatoes made the hard way."

link added today: StepStudy.org

"Our mission is to help recovering people make informed decisions about how they will understand and practice their recovery program. To this end, we aim to provide our readers with articles and texts of importance to the development of the Twelve Steps, as well as detailed analysis of particular approaches to Stepwork":
StepStudy.org

resources: In The Beginning; I Don't Care What The Fellowship Says

In The Beginning: The story of the history
of AA begins way before its actual founding:
Silkworth.net


I Don't Care What The Fellowship Says:
'But I do care what the literature says'
Sponsor To Sponsor

daily quota: Eckersley

 
"It took a great deal of acceptance to come to terms with being an alcoholic but acceptance was the key to my sobriety... If I didn't have acceptance at that time in my life I would not be standing here today."
- Dennis Eckersley, 'TimesUnion.com'

quipping post: Nessie

 
Q: When does the Loch Ness Monster show up?
A: It varies, but usually after the fourth pint or so.

link added today: Alcoholic's Diary

 
"This is a collection of weblogs created by people in recovery. The site was created by Martin whose blog features over a year of entries - the highs and the lows! He was recently joined by a new blogger, Namenlosen Trinker." Click on the link or screenshot to visit:
Alcoholic's Diary
 

resources: A Simple Test; Anonymity Part Two

Do you think you might be an alcoholic?
A simple test that only YOU can answer
How To Find AA In UK

Anonymity Part Two: 'views on the breaking
of one's personal anonymity by another'
Recovery Times

daily quota: Dickinson

 
"When people say that alcoholism is a disease, they're not just assigning a word to a lifestyle choice. Alcoholism in its most ravaging form is not a failure of character or of family values -- please understand that. It is a progressive disease that affects the whole family."
- Amy Dickinson, 'Newsday.com'

quipping post: Diehl

"I think we're seeing in working mothers a change from 'Thank God it's Friday' to 'Thank God it's Monday.' If any working mother has not experienced that feeling, her children are not adolescent."
- Ann Diehl

link added today: alcoholism resources: Ponder This

"Ponder One Sentence, One Day at a Time! Signup to receive daily meditations... One sentence per day from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (Third Edition) via email." Click the link or screenshot to visit Ponder This:
Ponder This

resources: A Time to Leave

A Time to Leave: A personal view regarding un-healthy meetings
Recovery Times


reload page to top:

daily quota: Smith

 
"One of the things which intrigues me is that they have found that those who reach abstinence can go for 20 years and still go back to drinking, but those who have reached the joy of sobriety rarely ever go back."
- Fred Smith, 'saWorship.com'

quipping post: He Decided To Prove Him Wrong

 
An alcoholic was new to recovery and was enjoying being free of booze. What he didn't like was the fact that his sponsor believed he could tell whenever the fellow was lying. It bothered him so much he decided to prove him wrong. So he phoned him up and just as always, the first thing his sponsor said was, "What's on your mind?" Here was his chance! Although his resentment was growing, the fellow replied, "Nothing's wrong! Everything's great, couldn't be better!" His sponsor responded: "What's bothering you?"

new book: Just Released

 
One man's personal story about recovery from alcoholism:
Gentleman Drunk

link added today: Alcoholism Resources

 
Recovery resource site: "contains stories, anecdotes, and links collected from many friends during my journey":
Sunlight Of The Spirit 


links added this week:

Big Book Study Guide

Recovery Net

Silkworth.net

Earth Group Of NA

resources: What Happened; Higher Power; Internet Sponsorship; Anorexia & Bulimia; Suicide

What Happened: 'Hi, my name is Jerry and I'm an alcoholic'
Sweet Sobriety

The Higher Power Concept: 'Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous... are not religious programs'
Recovery Times

On-Line Internet Sponsorship: 'AA, NA, OA, CA, AlAnon, ACOA, CoDA and a few assorted'
Recovery Is Good For You

Anorexia & Bulimia: 'I've struggled with bulimia since I was a teen and so relate to the pain'
Geri's Recovery Music

Suicide: There Is Always Hope: Someone You Know Is Suicidal: Know the warning sisns and what to do
SAVE Suicide Awareness

daily quota: Horton

 
"Seba's mother had finally had enough and she left me. I went on a drinking and drugging spree... And there I was, asking myself the same question I had been asking myself my whole life: 'Why do I keep doing this?' My alcoholism took me to the bottom. It wasn't social. It wasn't moderate. I was a real alcoholic."
- Dan Horton, 'Louisville Courier Journal'

quipping bost: Repulsive Need

 
"I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human."
- David Bowie

link added today: Other Addictions

 
Meetings by email: 'an internet-based group of recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other to stay clean':
Earth Group Of NA

resources: A Day In The Life; Shut Up; Risk Factor

A Day In The Life Of A Sponsor
Recovery Times

Shut Up: 'I was spreading the disease not recovery'
Sponsor To Sponsor

Alcoholism -- Risk Factor for Suicide
About Alcoholism

daily quota: John Paul

 
"It is not enough, in fact, to have been purified: One must then walk on the right path... leaving behind vice and its dark power of attraction... it leads to the enjoyment of that peace that flows from being delivered and forgiven."
- Pope John Paul II, 'Zenit News Agency'

quipping post: Pretty Much

 
A lady was entertaining some Al-Anon friends with tea at her house after a meeting. One of the members was getting acquainted with the household pooch, "What a cute dog, what's his name?" The lady replied, "Oh, that's Butch, but I call him my little tornado warning." Everyone was intrigued. "Are you saying your dog can actually tell when there's a storm coming?" The hostess replied: "Pretty much -- he barks whenever my husband's waking up after drinking the night before."

link added today: Recovery Net

 
"This site is to help you find methods of recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol which are best suited to your needs. It contains links to 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and to 'alternative' programs like Rational Recovery. Recovery Net is also helpful in finding discussion groups, therapists, and treatment facilities":
Recovery Net

resources: Twelve Steps Revised Edition; Spiritual Pardon

The Twelve Steps Revised Edition
NICD

Spiritual Pardon: Taking Forgiveness Deeper
Journey with Spirit

daily quota: Hagman

 
"Drink is a social thing... When I was in my dressing room in Dallas, people used to come by for a glass of champagne and tell me their problems. I'd begin drinking with a champagne and orange juice for breakfast, then continue throughout the day, drinking five bottles... When I got home at night I'd have a couple of vodkas, then wine with dinner... I think I drank because I was bored... A lot of acting can get very boring. It can take two hours to shoot a one-minute piece of film and each time you shoot it, you have to keep up the same level of energy... You get to a point where you think that if you don't have a drink you can't do it... I'd still be drinking today if the doctors hadn't highlighted a problem."
- Larry Hagman, 'Daily Mail'
 

quipping post: You Tell Me

Is Beer Good For You? See here:
Sweet Sobriety

link added today: Silkworth

"For those interested in Alcoholics Anonymous history":
Silkworth.net

resources: I'm Finished For Today; Old Timers

Recovery Story: I'm Finished For Today
Serenity Found

Do Old Timers Influence Newcomers?
Recovery Times

daily quota: Lindsay

 
"I had drugs and alcohol, I had a TV, and anything outside was too much for me to handle... I called my parents, crying, 'I’m going to kill myself!' My parents sent me a huge bouquet of tulips and said, 'Stop being neurotic. You’re going to Hawaii soon with us and you’ll have a nice vacation...' They’re loving, wonderful people... They just didn’t get it."
- Lindsay, 'Jewish.com'

quipping post: What's The Difference?

 
Q: What's the difference between honest drunks and dishonest drunks?
A: Dishonest drunks are easy to find.

link added today: Alcoholism Resources

 
A Study Guide to the Big Book, 'Alcoholics Anonymous'. You are invited to download and print a copy in either Adobe PDF or MS Word .doc format. Or, to preview it or just read in in your browser, click on 'Read The Guide Online':
Big Book Study Guide
 

resources: Anonymity Part One

Anonymity Part One
'I suppose the best way to clear up an issue is to go right to the source'
Recovery Times


reload to top of main page:

daily quota: Muhammad

 
"Me performing with Matisyahu, he's Jewish, I'm Muslim, by us coming together, we're showing that there is one God. There are many religions, but there is only one God."
- Kenny Muhammad, hip-hop rapper 'WNBC, NY'
 

quipping post: Just In Case

 
A drunk who was never a believin' man, decided to confess his guilt to a priest just in case. "Father, when I was desperate for booze money, I went to one of your church services and stole from the collection plate." The priest wasn't too surprised, "Don't worry about that, we all receive forgiveness when we find God..." The drunk interrupted him: "Wait a minute, Padre, I swear I only stole some money -- I hope you find God soon but I didn't take him."
 

link added today: Resources

 
From their main page: "Find 12-Step meetings, sober living, sober clubs, conferences, events, roundups, treatment centers, central offices, stories & articles of recovery, books & gifts for sobriety, daily meditations and much more." Lots to explore here:
Anonymous One

also added this week:

Community: Christian Recovery

Online: e-AA Group

Serenity: Peace of SongDov

NA-related: I Want Recovery

Rule #62: Recovery Man Humor 

resources: Am I An Alcoholic; Serenity Prayer Movie; You Are Not Alone

'Am I An Alcoholic?'
If you or a loved one is asking that question,
this will help you keep it simple:
There Is A Solution

Serenity Prayer Movie:
Cybriety

Finding Faith
'faith means knowing that You Are Not Alone on your journey':
Journey with Spirit

daily quota: Garrison

"Skid row is loud, colorful, pungent -- an explosion of humanity. Tents, cardboard boxes, makeshift beds and sprawled bodies crowd the sidewalks. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and drug dealers share space with preachers and pickpockets. Free meals abound, but dignity and a private place to go to the bathroom are hard to find. It is a world few understand if they have not lived there."
- Jessica Garrison, 'KTLA TV'

quipping post: Burroughs

"I'm running out of everything now. Out of veins, out of money..."
-William S Burroughs

new link added: Other Addictions

An NA-related site with lots of stuff to keep anyone interested in recovery from any addiction clicking:
I Want Recovery

resources: Newcomer Lessons; Hope and Recovery

Newcomer Lessons learned after 30 days sober
Alcohol 411

A Story Of Hope And Recovery:
'Persons living with mental illness can and do recover!':
Sponsor to Sponsor

daily quota: Piper

"Looking back, it seems as though we were at a party for half a decade, behaving as badly as the Rolling Stones in the '70s but without the earnings, profile or exposure to justify it... We had a marvellous time, all our relationships were destroyed, we were alcoholics maintaining the Nepalese economy in hash consumption... I think it might be something about people choosing these roles for me –- I don't know what, it makes you think doesn't it?"
- Richard Piper of the 70's band Bouncing Czecks, 'The Australian'

quipping post: Self-Pitying

Q: Why did the self-pitying drunk quit drinking?
A: He found that without booze, he could feel even more sorry for himself.

new link added: Recovery Site

This is a beautifully put together site! The overall feeling is so serene. It's the little things -- for example, click on 'The 12 Steps' or 'The Promises' to see them displayed with some tasteful graphic work:
Peace of SongDov

resources: Cured

Book Review
'Cured! Proven Help for Alcoholics and Addicts' by Dick B
Recovery Times

daily quota: McCartney

"I didn't realise I'd taken heroin. I was just handed something, smoked it, then found out what it was. It didn't do anything for me, which was lucky because I wouldn’t have fancied heading down that road. I suppose I learnt from an early age to do things in moderation. My dad always used to say 'Don’t overdo things ... don’t be an alcoholic.' That always stuck with me."
- Paul McCartney, 'Uncut Magazine'

quipping post: James

"If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system."
- William James

new link added: AA Group Online

The e-AA Group of Alcoholics Anonymous: 'we are not a glum lot'. There's a 'Get Help Now' page, or clicking on one of the tabs at the top (I like 'Stories and More') brings up a menu of buttons that helps you get to know a little more about these folks:
e-AA Group Online

resources: City Of Regret; Burdens

Leaving The City Of Regret
'I live on I Can Do It street':
Sweet Sobriety

Burdens
'the difference between burdens':
Recovery Times

go to top of main page http://dryblog.blogspot.com

daily quota: Drape

"(They) are recovering alcoholics who have been sober for more than 28 years. They understood, better than most, that a show of faith one day can get an alcoholic to the next day."
- Joe Drape, 'New York Times'

quipping post: Big

 
A woman ran into an old friend she hadn't seen for years. Her friend asked, "How's that husband of yours? Is he still just a big drunk?" The woman was offended: "That's really not fair! He's working on his weight problem so you shouldn't call him big."
 

new links added: Recovery; Humor

"A coalition of ministries dedicated to helping the Christian community become a safe and helpful place for people recovering from addiction, abuse or trauma":
Christian Recovery

"We hope you find the Recovery Man Humor Asylum to be a safe and supportive place to take in small doses of satire, humor and other things that will help you not take yourself so seriously":
Recovery Man Humor

resources: Recovered Not Cured; Webcast; Sacred Versus Secular

Recovered Not Cured
'We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others':
There Is A Solution

Recorded Webcast
Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Other Infectious Diseases -- View 1-minute trailer (bottom of page) or see the 1-hour webcast:
Recovery Month

Christian Spirituality
Sacred Versus Secular
Journey with Spirit

daily quota: Larkin

"There's the issue of alcohol.. and the issue of not being able to climb out of a hole. That's a story that touches a lot of people and the lives of a lot of families.. I would say that in North America probably millions of families deal with alcohol. It's not the uniqueness of the story that I was trying to tell. It's more the commonality of the story that makes it valuable."
- Ryan Larkin, 'The Globe and Mail'

quipping post: At Least She's In A Good Mood

A drunk was visiting his girlfiend in the hospital who was recuperrating from minor surgery. "How do you feel today?" She smiled back, "It only hurts when I laugh!" The drunk liked that, "At least you're in a good mood! You know, I've had time to think about you wanting me to go to AA and get some help. But I can stop anytime, I'm not that addicted to it! And I can change my lying and cheating ways..." His girlfriend interrupted him: "Show some mercy, I told you it hurts when I laugh."

new link added: 12 Step Site

'A site dedicated to the 12 Steps as outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.' That says it all:
Jaywalker 12 Step Site

resources: Marta's Story; Gratitude Speaks; AA Factoids; Chair Person Doesn't Call On You

Hello, my name is Marta and I am an alcoholic
Sweet Sobriety

My Gratitude Speaks
Recovery Times

AA & Alcoholism Factoids
Cybriety

When The Chair Person Doesn’t Call On You
Sponsor to Sponsor

daily quota: Kramer

"I was so bitter and jaded and cynical at the end of the MC5 (60's rock band) that I lost my way. And it was a long walk into the woods and out of the woods.. It's only through some greater power than Wayne Kramer that I managed to survive. Why Rob Tyner and Fred Smith are six feet under and I'm not, I don't know, because I'd done more drugs and booze than both of them. But I got help. Today, I have a full and good life."
- Wayne Kramer, 'The Globe and Mail'

quipping post: Slapstick

Did you hear about the alcoholic slapstick-comedian who relapsed?
He's alright now, but he slipped on a banana daquiri.

resources: Put Them To Work

Miracle Panacea for Wholesale Slippage:
'The 12th Step is not optional'
Recovery Times

daily quota: Riedmann

People can be charitable when it's their choice.. If anybody understands what it's like to be homeless, I think I can speak on that.. I'd find a nice-looking house and look in its windows and watch families having fun together.. It used to kill me, looking in those windows.. I felt very isolated and ostracized and horrible.. You realize you're not part of a community, and it hurts. It humiliates you on a spiritual level.. You're so disconnected, so far removed, the farther you go, the more disconnected you get because the more homeless you look..."
- LeSan Riedmann, 'The Seattle Times'

quipping post: She Often Accused Him

A recovering alcoholic's wife often accused him of becoming a real penny pincher ever since he sobered up. When one of his sponsees was approaching a year of sobriety, he took his wife with him to the local AA central office to find a recovery-related gift for the fellow. The wife showed him a subscription card to 'The Grapevine' monthly magazine. "That's a little too much," he said. "How about this CD with audio recovery stories? It's just over $10," his wife suggested. The alcoholic still squirmed, so his wife found a copy of 'The Best of Bill' priced at $8. The fellow piped up, "Can't you ever choose something cheap?" His wife shot back: "I married you, didn't I?"

new links added: Two UK Recovery Sites

This 'group of alcoholics from South Essex / East London' have a site with lots of recovery resources for you. Categories include The problem, The solution, Recovered from alcoholism, Not cured, and even a Forum:
There Is A Solution

John D's site features AA Words of Wisdom, Clean Time Calculator and free Serenity Prayer wall-paper for your computer. His Gallery is a real treat -- click on the graphic images to enlarge them:
UK John D's

daily quota: Minnelli

"People disqualify alcoholics sometimes and that's not fair. It's not something you ask for. It's not something you get a kick out of. It's something that can kill you. It can steal the life right out from under you... You don't know it's a disease. You don't know you have it. So you just suddenly feel better than you ever felt, and you just go along until it's running you, you're not running it."
- Liza Minnelli, 'The New York Post'

quipping post: Wholey

"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian."
- Dennis Wholey

well-wishing: Independence Day Weekend

Wishing all Americans a sober and festive
Independence Day Long Weekend!

new daily posts return Tuesday, July 6th

If you are still suffering because of your own or a loved one's alcoholism or other addiction, you are not alone... the links section on the right is full of sites that can help put you in touch with people who have been where you are, and would love to help!

daily quota: Eustachy

"I really didn't think I had a drinking problem because I never drank during the day, I just drank when the day was over... the only difference being that where most people have three beers, I would want three hundred... But once I was educated about it, I realized I was an alcoholic. So I got help... It only becomes a struggle when you don't treat it like it's serious... If you have a kidney problem and need dialysis four times a week, you're going to go. Well, alcoholism is just as deadly as that, but it's patient and it can sneak up on you. So I take this very seriously, and I know I'm always vulnerable... There's no question what happened has become a positive for me... I'm human. I made mistakes. But I've moved on from that. I'm a different guy now, somebody who looks at things really, really differently. And I'll be a better coach, a better father, and just better in every aspect of life because I'm better now than I ever was before."
- Larry Eustachy, 'Vero Beach Press-Journal'

quipping post: Sid and Nancy

Nancy: "They're not gonna send us any money! They said we'd spend it all on drugs."
Sid: "We would!"
Nancy: "... I hate my life."
Sid: "This is just a rough patch. Things will be much better when we get to America."
Nancy: "We're in America, we've been here a week! New York is in America..."
- From the film, 'Sid and Nancy'

new link and new site: Online Resources and Recovery

new link: Miracles in Progress offers online meetings, bulletin boards, and online resources for AA and Al-Anon recovery, as well as lots of services for a wide range of addiction recovery and other issues:
Miracles In Progress

new site: Sweet Sobriety was added to dryblog links a few weeks back while still under construction. It's obvious April has put some real TLC into the site because it really shows! They have lots to offer -- several recovery stories (one even in video format), as well as discussion forums, chat and links. You might want to stop by and welcome this new member of the online recovery community:
Sweet Sobriety

holiday today: Canada Day

Wishing all Canadians a sober and happy Canada Day
as we celebrate Canada's 137th birthday July 1st!

dryblog comes to you from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
and new daily posts will return on Friday, July 2nd