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christianatl wrote:I've been sober for 11 years.

A lot of people who get sober do so to hide in AA, which is not the suggested way to go about things. It actually says that sobriety is meant to be an avocation in plain English in the book. Sobriety allows someone who has gone though it to live their life. It's not intended to be a person's life. It's just a tool. If I wanted to isolate myself from the rest of the world, I would still be getting fucked up.

Anyone who has legit sobriety knows that every person has their own deal. Most sober people are not against any sort of imbibing. It's just not for us.

It's like, say you are allergic to strawberries. Do you think no one should eat strawberries? Of course not.

christianatl wrote:I just think of that in a very vague sense. Like, the universe. Spiritual principles. I don't believe in any sort of deity. And yet, I'm still sober.

Ego deflation is really important in sobriety, and I feel like most people would benefit from knowing that they are not the center of the known universe, you know?

It really boils down to service to my fellow man for me. I'm not the best at it, but I'm happiest when I remember to put others needs and wants before my own. And in a funny twist, when I remember to do that, Im as happy as possible in addition to having all of my needs and wants met.

It's pretty remarkable.

louderthangod wrote:I've seen people do that before as well. I've seen people in therapy do this as well...to the point where they almost use it as a weapon. Usually it doesn't seem to last too long but I've only experienced a small sample size. I'm big on completely writing people off which probably isn't much better but it's a coping mechanism for dealing with people I'm too impatient to deal with their shitty shit.

Beasleyboy wrote:I'm a recovered drunk and druggy. The whole higher power thing has nothing to do with religion. If you happen to be Catholic or Hindu or whatever that's cool, but it's admitting that you believe that there's something out there bigger than you running the show. Something of your understanding. I'm not going to get into a debate about that part of it, but I will say that when you walk through the doors of AA/DAA as hopeless as I was, then you would stand on your roof and cluck like a chicken if they told you that would get you sober.

I tried therapists, psychologists, religion, natural "remedies", and I could never put together longer than a week of abstinence. Shit's life or death for me. It was a gun in my mouth or try AA, which was my last chance to get sober, because no matter what I did I couldn't keep myself from taking that first drink, and whenever I drank I could not control the amount of alcohol I would drink...and bad things would happen.

I'll have 3 years in March. I hit 2 meetings a week. Those don't keep me sober. When I bring meetings to the homeless shelter twice a week and get to watch guys, that have absolutely nothing, get sober and start to put pieces of their lives together...that shit keeps me sober. When I get to watch my sponsees', who came to me beaten to shit and losing everything, go through the journey of getting sober, growing into the person they never thought they could be, and gaining a life they never thought they could have...that shit keeps me sober. It goes beyond just quitting the drinking. It's completely letting go of your old thinking and your old ways of thinking, and undergoing a complete psychic change.

I don't need to surround myself with people from AA to stay sober, because I am truly recovered, not cured, but recovered as long as I continue to work the steps. My life in the program is completely separate from my personal life. I know people who only have AA friends, have jobs at sober living, rehabs, etc., only go to sobriety centered events. Those people live in AA because they wouldn't remain sober living in the real world. These are the people who don't practice the principals that they preach and that ignore the behaviors they still exhibit from their addiction...the sick people who never recovered. That's not life I want to live, I'd rather go back out and drink/drug myself to death...at least it would be more enjoyable. I work the steps so I can live a normal life, not live a life in AA.

TLDR

D.o.S. wrote:Lil Jon is still Lil Jon and dude is well into his 40's. I think you're safe.

Also, happy doom revelry to all!

Beasleyboy wrote:Hey Nick, any tips for extending braided cable (on a pickup)? Once I splice and solder the lead to the cable, I'm having hard time pushing the cloth over the solder point and pushing the braided shielding up to each other to solder together

D.o.S. wrote:

dazedbyday wrote:I offered Christian a beer when he played Union pool a few years ago.

I did the same thing at a different venue. That's like my default thing when I see people in real life that I 'know' on the internet.