Don’t live in fear

All I’m concerned about is job satisfaction. I hear this at least once a week from a co-worker, who like me, is coming to grips with the thought of retirement. The more he talks about it, the easier it is for me to see how he is going through the stages of grief.

Since the very first day that I worked with him, over six years ago, all I heard about was how horrible of a job it was and the only reason he was there was because he was made redundant. That job, naturally, was the best job he ever had. He finds comfort in the mundane, he finds peace in routine, and he feels at home when he can talk to anyone and everyone and get away with it under the guise of work.

A Slippery Slope

It wasn’t long after I moved to England that heard the feel good story of James Bowen and Bob. If you don’t know there story, I highly recommend the movie, A Streetcat Named Bob. It is about a heroin addict (Bowen) who finds and becomes attached to a stray cat, that he names Bob.

Just one name

I find the similarities between President Zelenskyy and Winston Churchill quite enlightening. They were given the opportunity to leave their country before the fighting intensified, yet both remained and were constantly seen and heard by their countrymen. Through the destruction of buildings and the war crimes committed against everyday citizens, they told the world that they would not surrender. They walked among patriots doing all they could to protect their homeland.

The Power of 10

I slept with a six pack of beer on the nightstand next to my bed. I had a a can of beer and a cup of coffee for breakfast and had a six pack of beer on my ride to work, which was only six miles from my home. At lunch time, I’d drive those six miles back home, consume some more beer, then have a couple more beers for lunch, then drive back to work drinking some more.

A Beautiful Gift… An Apology

As the end of another year, in this realm of existence approaches, it is getting easier to separate the delusional from reality. Through my whole life all I ever wanted was an acknowledgement that I lived through an abusive, destructive, and terror filled childhood.

Dreams of a Haunted House

Early in my sobriety I did a lot of self-analysing of my life. I spent loads of time looking at my dreams. They always seemed to have messages for me if I spent the time to try and listen to them. I’d go to sleep with a pad and pencil on my nightstand and when I awoke from a dream, I’d write down the highlights of what I had just experienced in my sleep.

No Car? No Problem!

When I moved to England, I was in for a shock I had never experienced. Besides the cultural differences between our two countries, I was surprised that a car wasn’t considered a necessity. Next to London, Manchester is the largest city in England and has every method of transportation available.

10 Minutes Has Led To 27 Years

On September 4, 1994, I had placed myself on a crossroad between life and death. I don’t mean to sound overly dramatic but it was the truth at that time and remains the truth today. Though I had full-time employment, I owned a house, a couple of cars, and all the luxuries afforded to me

Hidden Blessing: End of the Big 12

Living in Nebraska and not being a fan of the Cornhuskers was a challenge. This was in the mid 90’s till 2010. During the end of the 90’s Nebraska was THE team. Three national championships, which some would argue could have been four. While they were on top of the mountain, my beloved Cyclones were one of, if not, THE worst program in college football. Yet, I still loved them and still followed them enjoying their occasional upset.

A Story About Humility

As an alcoholic, I have spent my time in recovery learning. I never want to get to a point where I believe I know it all. How arrogant that would be. Former Czech President Vaclav Havel once said, “Seek those that search for the truth and run from those that have found it.” We all need to be teachable. We all need a sense of humility.