Balloon guy 158 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 March 27th, 1981 I was given the option of going to jail for a felony vandalism, or go to a recovery house for drug addiction.The recovery house, Mile High Recovery, was in Idyllwild California, a mountain community. The house was a 2 bedroom cottage with 18 people living in it. 2 Directors, 3 girls, and 15 guys. I was the youngest ( 3 days before my 15th birthday )I slept on the floor.I met 2 guys I am friends with still, all of us sober. Another good friend died last year, he was my best friend for most of my life, died of complications from pneumonia, miss him.I spent 16 months in that recovery house, man the stories I could tell you.Been free from any alcohol, or drugs since.Found Christ 6 years later.Forgot about the date until a couple of sober guys at my weekly poker game asked me tonight. Happy Birthday to me. Link to post Share on other sites
king_tanner 84 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 congratsA lot of people I know who have gone through that stuff end up going back to whatever they were doing before, being sober that long is definitely a great accomplishment.Hearing some of your stories would be cool if you were comfortable telling them. Link to post Share on other sites
kobe2odom8 14 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 thats awesome bg. been hard for you? do you attend aa/na meetings? im a recovering drug addict 2 years and 55 days clean for me . 28 years is a long time, hope i can make it that long Link to post Share on other sites
Oziumrules 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats Rob ! One day at a time...... Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 thats awesome bg. been hard for you? do you attend aa/na meetings? im a recovering drug addict 2 years and 55 days for me . 28 years is a long time, hope i can make it that longOne day at a time is simplistic, and powerful.I attended AA for 6 years, then got religion and traded in going to meetings for going to church.I would say being in AA first made me a much better Christian, as I am fully aware of how weak and sinful I am capable of bieng, I don't get very prideful, and I don't lie to myself about who I am....usually.Of my two sober friends, one still goes to meetings, the other one goes to church.I remind them often that they are still newcomers in my book. Link to post Share on other sites
Chet Chetterson 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats BG, keep up on the good work. Link to post Share on other sites
TheCinciKid 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Powerful stuff BG. Congrats and keep up the good work. Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 congratsA lot of people I know who have gone through that stuff end up going back to whatever they were doing before, being sober that long is definitely a great accomplishment.Hearing some of your stories would be cool if you were comfortable telling them. My favorite story is when we were all watching the Exorcist on TV, first time ever on TV. A bunch of people afterwards went up to the loft and held a seance. Me and my budy Eddie took turns climbing on the roof, and banging on the windows then running back inside. Tripped everyone out badly. A couple guys got really scared, so we all started making fun of them as only 15 drug addicts can.Then there's the circle jerks, where everyone says they are going to, but only the new guy does. When the lights come on, theres one guy going to town, and 12 guys laughing their butts off.Add in snowball fights with newly sober drug addicts, and you always draw blood.Think fraternities with seriously screwed up people and lots of time on our hands.It was the best time of my life, that I would never want to live again. Link to post Share on other sites
tbrick412 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 gl sir, keep it up.. many people could learn from u Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 gl sir, keep it up.. many people could learn from u Mostly what not to do. Link to post Share on other sites
Potomophobia 17 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Happy Birthday BG.Take Care Sir. Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Happy Birthday BG.Take Care Sir.Thanks man Link to post Share on other sites
Gallo 1 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats BG you SCAMMER!!! Link to post Share on other sites
AAsnake88 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats Rob, that's an amazing accomplishment!I find it incredibly impressive that you can hang out with people who are drinking and smoking your cigars and gambling, and you enjoy the fun along with us .Best wishes on your next 28 years! Link to post Share on other sites
vbnautilus 48 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats Rob. So glad you got past the addiction -- we all benefit from that choice you made and the subsequent efforts it must have taken. Did you consider doing the jail time or was it a no-brainer? When you went to recovery was it just to avoid jail or did you really want to get clean from the start? Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats Rob. So glad you got past the addiction -- we all benefit from that choice you made and the subsequent efforts it must have taken. Did you consider doing the jail time or was it a no-brainer? When you went to recovery was it just to avoid jail or did you really want to get clean from the start?No desire to get clean at all, just avoiding jail.But I had suicidal thoughts for most of my life, acted on it once, and one of the guys there was telling me about his same thoughts, it kind of reached me. Helped me see where I was going.One thing about addiction is the self focus is creates, finding out that others felt many of the same feelings of self loathing and loneliness helped me see that I wasn't alone. Group dynamics helped me desire a life where I wasn't a slave to needing to be stoned to fit in.I think what most people need to figure out is that everyone isn't thinking about them. They are thinking about themselves. Frees you up from feeling you are always on display and that your mistakes are usually only seen by you.If I could have figured that out when I was 12, I would have done a little better in life Link to post Share on other sites
BigDMcGee 3,355 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats, BG, and I mean that. To celebrate it, I will now enjoy this new beverage I created this evening, 2 parts cheap Cabernet, 3 parts coffee, and 2 scoops of sugar. Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats, BG, and I mean that. To celebrate it, I will now enjoy this new beverage I created this evening, 2 parts cheap Cabernet, 3 parts coffee, and 2 scoops of sugar. Cheers!I have not been glad I am not drinking as much as I am now...thanks man Link to post Share on other sites
mase_gotsem 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I think what most people need to figure out is that everyone isn't thinking about them. They are thinking about themselves. Frees you up from feeling you are always on display and that your mistakes are usually only seen by you.this hits home i used to be really self consious and it def effected my youth. if i new then what i no now ...congratz on soberiety and age'ing well Link to post Share on other sites
BigDMcGee 3,355 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I have not been glad I am not drinking as much as I am now...thanks manNot as gross as it sounds. In fact, it's surprisingly delicious. But nothing to fall off the wagon for. Link to post Share on other sites
Teck_72 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congrats BG, Great accomplishment.I do not know personally how addiction goes, but my mother side of the family has many problems with alcoholism, and I wish that some of my family members would go through with rehab and learn and overcome their addiction, although I know it is hard. From what I know about you, you seem like an amazing man and with the best to you. Here's to the rest of your great life. Link to post Share on other sites
mrpaddyx 13 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Congratulations Balloon GuyAlcoholism is a really powerful addiction that I often find hard to comprehend. I went through a heavy drinking phase in my late teens/early twenties but never crossed the line into dependecy. Its sad to say that I've got friends from the same era who couldn't stop themselves. One of my closest friends liver is so ****ed up now that he can't drink anymore due the the damage he did to it when he was younger. Link to post Share on other sites
nutzbuster 7 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 No idea how I missed this. Congrats Rob.You are good peeps buddy. Link to post Share on other sites
IQCrash 1 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Nobody likes a quitter.Lightweight.Happy Birthday. Link to post Share on other sites
Acekob 0 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 From a miserable adict, to a satisfied staker, to an ecstatic scammer.Congrats on making it through the hard times BG, I have close family who's not been as fortunate.Inspiring thread. Link to post Share on other sites
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