#214 Good Morning Sunday, May 17, 2015

Hello World,

So this morning I’m posting from my desktop computer.  My laptop is “in the shop”.  Apparently I have a “virus”.  That doesn’t really surprise me because I get things innocently without really knowing it and then I’m stuck with a virus.  I did notice that something would load on my laptop when I first open up Google Chrome but I was just ignoring it.  So the other day I decided to buy an updated version of “Publisher”.  I’m going to need it when I start closing in on the work for Sisters By The Sea and I didn’t want to struggle with this desktop that has Microsoft XP on it and is now obsolete.  This computer is now a great source of frustration for me, but there is so much “stuff” on it, that I suffer through the waiting.  Anyway, this is how you get new “programs” now.  No longer the CD – just a card that has a 25 digit/alpha code on it that needs to be entered to download the program from Office.com:  The “old” days and today:

Ten years difference

Again

Now putting those pictures in on my “desktop” versus my “laptop” was a good 5 minutes difference.  My desktop “froze” as I was trying to do that!  So frustrating.  But until I take the time to save some of the stuff from my desktop, I’ll keep using it and when things like viruses cause my laptop to be “in the shop”.

Last night I had a little breakdown (although this morning I’m saying it was a “breakthrough”).  I was at my “home group” and we are reading in the big book the part about “the family after”.  A lot of it I can not relate to since I did not grow up with alcoholic parents.  But last night it was only about 26 people and I knew all but 4 of them because this group always comes on Saturday night.  There are a few others that come regularly, like Polly and Bob and Tom – wonder where they were last night…….but I digress.  Anyway, it all started with Clare (Claire??? – how does he spell his name anyway?)  He spoke about how much he appreciated the group and how much it means to him to be “part of” the group and how it has saved him from drinking.  Since I’ve only been “part of” the group from about November of last year I’m fairly “new”.  But I joined the group because I quit the Women’s Group on Friday nights when I was threatened with a libel suit due to my “blog”.  That scared me enough (although it was probably an idle threat) to look for another group.  I knew Polly was a member of the group and I love Polly and then Heather and Ralph are members and I’ve always loved them too, so it seemed like a good fit for me.  It has turned out to be the best thing I’ve done in AA.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Naples Group.  I’m the vice chair which means I’m “in charge” of the Saturday night Big Book study.  Polly “roped” me in to that!  Anyway, it means I go early, make the coffee, set up the tables and chairs and then lock up afterward.  Thank goodness Steve (you were waiting for this weren’t you) comes and sets up the tables.  They are big, heavy and bulky and I could do it “in a pinch”, but really it’s something men should do.  I know that is “sexist” – but true.  So I started out getting to the Saturday night meeting because it started at 6:45 which is early enough for me to get back home at a decent hour.  I would go to the “Cookie” meeting on Thursdays “periodically” but that meeting is a “speaker meeting” and doesn’t start until 8PM which means I’m back home around 9:30 which is “kinda late” for me.  But now I’m going on Thursdays too so I can “hang out with my peeps”.  Last week I sat with Linda from the Brown Bag.  We caught up and she said she wasn’t with “Larry” any longer.  I kind of knew that, but wanted to hear it from her.  My “prince” Robert comes to the Thursday meeting with his “boys” (young guys he’s sponsoring).  Here is “my prince” Robert:

The Prince & Snow White

Robert played “The Prince” and I was “Snow White” in the Variety Show 2 years ago.  I found out about 5 years ago that he was “in the program”.  We don’t talk about it at work – just every once in a while – but now he is coming to the Cookie Meeting on Thursdays so we sit together sometimes.  Robert started out at Moorings Park as a “tram driver”.  He quickly rose to “Refurb Manager” and now coordinates all of the projects at Moorings Park when refurbishment needs to be done in the apartments after someone moves out.  It’s a big, big job!  We now have a company named “Sodexo” that is coordinating the facilities department and the housekeeping divisions.   So they are no longer Moorings Park employees (Partners) but still do the same jobs.   I guess that is going “ok”.  I’m not impacted by it, so I don’t really know.  I just know that when I need work done, they are there to do it.  Anyway, I love Robert.  We have a lot of laughs and he is well liked by the residents.  EVERYBODY knows Robert Crowe!

So to get back to my breakthrough – I started to cry last night when I was sharing.  I was talking about my Adult ADD.  I started to think about all of the people around the tables and I could say something personal about each one……like Rick – he’s chairing this month – we sat together at the reception table back in February when we had our Anniversary Dinner and he gave me the idea of asking people to chair each month and soon after I had the whole year covered.  I started with Steve – my “go to guy” for everything.  He was the “easiest” to ask so he started off in March.  Then next I asked Patty and she chaired in April.  We are now in May and Rick is in charge – he was funny last night!  Next month is Roy and now I have someone for every month of my year (or is it 2 years I serve? – can’t remember).  But anyway, I guess it’s because I really feel gratitude toward this group and I am so GRATEFUL for having this “home group”.  I’m finally “at home”!

Well. time to get rolling.  Need to drive to The Current (FCC) and I still need to dry my hair and get dressed.  After church it’s off to Office Max to pick up my “FASTER” reprogrammed laptop.  Have a great day today and thanks for visiting.