I grew up just south of Garfield High School. As a high school student in the mid '80s, the influence of this man was felt throughout the southland. An inspirational movie about a real power-house of an educator.
Rest in peace.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
santa maria, california
There is a reader on my blog from Santa Maria, California.
Every time I see the city show up on Sitemeter, I am hit with a wave of nostalgia.
I lived in that region for a period of time and it wasn't a sober time, by any means. I was to later move to Bakersfield, California and was to live there for another ten years, but continued to make the trek back through Santa Maria to visit my parents.
I will never forget the drive out of Bakersfield and through Cuyama, which is far and away the longest drive in the world if you are hung over.
There is absolutely no point to this post other than it being a noteworthy observation and a shout out to possibly another recovering alcoholic.
Please, drop me a line and say hi.
Every time I see the city show up on Sitemeter, I am hit with a wave of nostalgia.
I lived in that region for a period of time and it wasn't a sober time, by any means. I was to later move to Bakersfield, California and was to live there for another ten years, but continued to make the trek back through Santa Maria to visit my parents.
I will never forget the drive out of Bakersfield and through Cuyama, which is far and away the longest drive in the world if you are hung over.
There is absolutely no point to this post other than it being a noteworthy observation and a shout out to possibly another recovering alcoholic.
Please, drop me a line and say hi.
Monday, March 8, 2010
the power of a doughnut
There's a group that attends the Thursday night Speaker Meeting.
It's a group of dudes that always sit in the back on the opposite side of the room from the Fellowship Home guys. I was mentioning to T that they have the look of out-of-towners yet they are there every week.
They never talk to anyone and nobody ever speaks to them. They keep to themselves and smoke as a group outside.
I made a move a couple weeks ago to approach their table and ask them where they were from. They informed me that they were from an inpatient facility in a neighboring city. I asked if they had an AA meeting at that facility that they would be willing to bring an announcement back to. They said "Sure" and took the flyer announcing the March line-up of speakers.
Last week they were back and outside smoking when I arrived to help set up for the meeting. I passed by and said, "Hey man, I got doughnuts..." at which point they followed me like a pack of stray dogs to the coffee table.
At the coffee/doughnut table they hung out and chatted with other members of the program. Rasta-Dreadlock Boy asked me if the March 11th speaker, Bill S., was the Bill S. (a local restaurateur.) I said "Yes," and Rasta Boy stated that he used to work for him and is interested in another job.
(dude, it's your lucky day....)
I took him over to T, the executive chef of one of Bill S.'s restaurants, and introduced him, stating to T, "He used to work for Bill." The two men spoke. T told Rasta Boy to show up at the restaurant and fill out an application. I saw Rasta Boy smile for the first time in weeks.
The speaker that night was a friend of mine. A gal with 1.5 years clean off of alcohol, meth, and heroin. The crowd that night was younger and hipper than most. The treasurer counted 25 women in the crowd. That's a record breaking number for that meeting. Call me crazy but I think the swing in demographics appealed to our inpatient group in the back.
Just sayin'.
It takes was it takes to keep them coming back.
Never underestimate the power of hot chicks and a doughnut.
It's a group of dudes that always sit in the back on the opposite side of the room from the Fellowship Home guys. I was mentioning to T that they have the look of out-of-towners yet they are there every week.
They never talk to anyone and nobody ever speaks to them. They keep to themselves and smoke as a group outside.
I made a move a couple weeks ago to approach their table and ask them where they were from. They informed me that they were from an inpatient facility in a neighboring city. I asked if they had an AA meeting at that facility that they would be willing to bring an announcement back to. They said "Sure" and took the flyer announcing the March line-up of speakers.
Last week they were back and outside smoking when I arrived to help set up for the meeting. I passed by and said, "Hey man, I got doughnuts..." at which point they followed me like a pack of stray dogs to the coffee table.
At the coffee/doughnut table they hung out and chatted with other members of the program. Rasta-Dreadlock Boy asked me if the March 11th speaker, Bill S., was the Bill S. (a local restaurateur.) I said "Yes," and Rasta Boy stated that he used to work for him and is interested in another job.
(dude, it's your lucky day....)
I took him over to T, the executive chef of one of Bill S.'s restaurants, and introduced him, stating to T, "He used to work for Bill." The two men spoke. T told Rasta Boy to show up at the restaurant and fill out an application. I saw Rasta Boy smile for the first time in weeks.
The speaker that night was a friend of mine. A gal with 1.5 years clean off of alcohol, meth, and heroin. The crowd that night was younger and hipper than most. The treasurer counted 25 women in the crowd. That's a record breaking number for that meeting. Call me crazy but I think the swing in demographics appealed to our inpatient group in the back.
Just sayin'.
It takes was it takes to keep them coming back.
Never underestimate the power of hot chicks and a doughnut.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
work's kicking my ass and service
Another ass kicker at work today.
First night of chairing the downtown Speaker Meeting tonight.
I'm bringing a couple dozen doughnuts.
I'm beginning to believe that our local recovery homes (both men and women) are not stressing enough the "service" component of recovery. Group house cleaning of the recovery homes is not service.
Showing up early to set up the meeting is service.
Staying late to clean up is service.
Helping to chair a meeting with your sponsor is service.
Washing your sponsor's car is service.
I have noticed that the recovery home participants are typically the last to show up at meetings and the first to leave. But they still have time to smoke before and after.
Just sayin'.
This would be a good opportunity for me to up my service work. Pick up the slack.
Graduating from your recovery home program does not mean you graduate from recovery.
Unh uh.
Not by a long shot.
You're just getting started sister (bro'.)
Ok. Enough out of me. Happy Sober Thursday bloggers!
First night of chairing the downtown Speaker Meeting tonight.
I'm bringing a couple dozen doughnuts.
I'm beginning to believe that our local recovery homes (both men and women) are not stressing enough the "service" component of recovery. Group house cleaning of the recovery homes is not service.
Showing up early to set up the meeting is service.
Staying late to clean up is service.
Helping to chair a meeting with your sponsor is service.
I have noticed that the recovery home participants are typically the last to show up at meetings and the first to leave. But they still have time to smoke before and after.
Just sayin'.
This would be a good opportunity for me to up my service work. Pick up the slack.
Graduating from your recovery home program does not mean you graduate from recovery.
Unh uh.
Not by a long shot.
You're just getting started sister (bro'.)
Ok. Enough out of me. Happy Sober Thursday bloggers!
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