90 Days Clean

Yep, it's been 90 days.
Many thanks.
Mark
Keep at it, my man...Keep at it!

Callie
Thanks, Callie.
I drove up to my regular meeting tonight (the one near my house: NA) and as I pulled in, I saw the usual "click" hanging around out front. This meeting is getting a little stale to me; too much guys hitting on chicks and gossip going on, so I drove the half hour to an inner city rehab facility that has NA meetings. I've been meaning to go there for a while anyway.

I'm glad I did. It was all about recovery. Plenty of old timers and also mixed in were new guys of course, since it's a big rehab facility. I sat in the courtyard after the meeting and a guy in rehab went and got his big book and we went over some stuff in it that I either overlooked or neglected to read. Specifically pages 86 to 88 in the big book of AA. This guy was only two months clean, but he knew his program! He was exposed to it by his father for years, it turns out.

That was refreshing. Here was a young fellow committed to the program and staying clean. He told me some stuff about the steps that I've never heard.
He re-invigorated me. I've just been chillin since my fifth step last weekend. Now I'm going to get busy with the sixth step and the rest of them.

I'll tell you, I think these folks that take a year or two to do the steps, and counsel others to not rush the steps are wrong. I'd counsel people to do the steps as fast as you think you can! The sooner the better.

If you take a cruise ship, they don't wait till two weeks into the cruise to instruct everyone on how to put on their life vest and where the lifeboats are do they?
I see a parallel in the program.

Enough from me for now.
Mark
Thanks for being here Mark.
congrats to you on 90 days


keep it going
rae
So pleased for you Mark, i've followed your story from the day you came to the board and you have helped so many people in that time with your honesty and your courage. It has been amazing to watch how far you have come in that time, you give hope to those of us who have loved ones who are suffering.

Thank you for sharing and keep going, you're doing brilliantly, much love and respect xxx
Congratulations Mark!! I'm so happy for you. Your life will only get better! I will take your advice and try to get cracking on the steps.

It's amazing. You are a different person than you were three months ago. It's amazing what can happen when the spirit is willing.
What a great bday....90 days is such a milestone and I agree with the others, you've come such a long way in such a small amount of time.....You are an example of it works if you work it. Thank you for sharing your journey here.

Specifically pages 86 to 88 in the big book of AA.

Amen.

God has blessed you, Mark and it's good to see you sharing & receiving from others....I learn so much not only from the oldtimers but from the newcomers too....The key is I pray for the willingness to be open to all of God's channels and I haven't been disappointed yet....

xoxo
Stacey
Todd/Mark

Though I haven't read your story yet,its something i plan on doing.

but yup i wanted to congratuate you.90 days can sometimes feel like 90 years,but you seem determined to keep looking forwards...GOOD FOR YOU
I hope to see you keep posting n helpthers know that you can do it,life can be actually lived by not usen.I think when we use.....we arent really living...just going through the motions.

KEEP US THE AWESOME FIGHT.
MJ
"We aren't really living, just going through the motions."
That's so true! It's easy to waste months and years struggling with addiction! I did it! (1975 to 2009) Quite a run, huh?

After three months clean, I'm only now beginning to feel the freedom and fullness of life that has been missing for so long.
It's true that simply Honesty, Openmindedness and Willingness will carry us a long way.
With that, all one has to do is engage the program and let it come to you.

Life these days is certainly not a bed of roses! I made quite a mess of things over the years. But I have faith that if I continue to do the right thing every day, my life will continue to improve. I am indeed blessed and I thank God for the chance to enjoy life in recovery.
I'm having a blast! New doors seem to open every day. It's truly amazing.

Today I'm 56 years old. I was born 9/27/1953. It's a new life these days! I'll be starting my novel in the next few days. This time, from a new perspective. My memoirs, which I've written over the past year or so, will now only be used as a timeline. The main character will not be me.
Imagine that! It's not all about me anymore!

Enough for now.
Thanks again to all who helped me. I hope I can return the favor in kind.
Mark
Happy Birthday Mark! Enjoy it! You sound great.
Happy Birthday Mark....
Happy BOTH birthdays Mark....sorry this is late.

Thanks, everyone. I'm psyching myself up to quit smoking. I'm afraid of those quit smoking pills, so I guess I'll just lay down the cigarettes like I did with the dope.

I've been smoking since I was fifteen. Yikes, it may prove difficult. Two and a half packs a day of Marlboro Red 100's.

Who will I be, if not the boozing addict, heavy smoking Mark? I'll be left with a shell of who I was. People won't know me.
I won't know me.
My dogs will probably bite me.
M
LOL, Mark.

My dogs will probably bite me.


Let them smoke the cigs.
Who are you? A healthy, loving well adjusted man. In a year you can go get a wife.

Now there's something to look forward too.
Yes, Lisa. Something to look forward to indeed... I think. lol
You are one whose been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. :)
BIG congrats to you Mark!

Don't rush the quitting smoking; most folks say you should have a year clean before you add the stress of quittijng cigs.

You have come so far - awesome to see and can't wait to read that novel!
Like all good reformed smoking junkies, I am a vehement anti smoking fiend--nonetheless I agree with Addict Mom. God made time so we would not have to do everything at once.

Best to focus on building a solid foundation for your recovery. From there, you can continue to work on other character defects, of which smoking is one. You can deal with quitting later. If you are like many of us, you can also deal with the fall out of years of hard living. All of this is possible if you are sober; less so if you are not.

Congrats on your 90 days. Keep up the good work and stay vigilant--hard days lay ahead and your program is what will keep you sober and moving in the right direction.