By the grace of God, today is my 10th anniversary of sobriety. And here are 4 great reasons to stay sober:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ps0dfdc16a.jpg
Printable View
By the grace of God, today is my 10th anniversary of sobriety. And here are 4 great reasons to stay sober:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ps0dfdc16a.jpg
Jon, 4 good reasons indeed. :thumbsup:
10 years is a lot of "one day at a time" triumphs strung together......and damn impressive.....:clapping::clapping:
Very proud of ya, brother...:HappyWave:
You have a beautiful family as well.....there is something so American about them all standing in a row, with guns, right to Bear Arms, and Hunting skills taught to them by Dad.........
Keep up the good work....
I know I was pushy when we talked on the phone earlier.....next time ya come back here please tell me you got paid for that job.....:)....and best of luck in your new career....and all the success that hopefully comes with it......
Say hello to your wife and children for me...tell them I really liked that pic.....
Freedom isn't free....
Sobriety is, though.....
One day at a time.......:thumbsup:
:clapping: Nice job John. Congrats
Congratulations Jon. We have had this in our family. 2 of my nephews went to rehab for drinking. Today they are still "clean and sober" as I have heard them say. Keep up the good work.
Today is my Sobriety Anniversary Date again.
I think I got it correct this time, 32 years.
Thought I would quote some meaningful things from the past.
My life has not been that great lately, kind of rocky.
Still, a heck of a lot better than being buried in the ground. :learn:
Let us all give thanks, and gratitude, for the little things....the friends who bust our balls, when they need to be busted....
The small wonders of nature, and the goodness in people, that sometimes we may be too busy to stop, take a moment.....and really take a look at.....:thumbsup:
Congrats on 32 years of Sobriety!!!
That is an amazing accomplishment. :thumbsup:
^^^^^^
What he said.
Congrats big time.
Outstanding Rich. Thank you for all you do and kudos for staying clean and sober all those years.
Hey Rich X2 and wishing you many more. I know we are not the best influence on you with our drinking and strip joint hopping so we understand you not spending all that time with us like you used to. W4 said to tell you hes proud too. and that you suck! :HappyWave:.
The people here might not know you are a lot mellower than you used to be. I remember one time you got into a shouting match with those 2 russian guys keeping short 22" bass. You said when you got back there those fish better be back in the water. Meanwhile they were loudly discussing you in russian. Might have something to do with filleting you but you stood your ground and don't back down to anyone. Even when your life is at stake.
I wish you could of seen all the poachers we seen this spring in raritan bay. It was sickening how they would hide the fish in the weeds and bbq what they did not bring home. We kept saying if you would go down there once a week no one would be poaching anymore. I have that F&G # you gave me but they don't always get back to me in time. Anyway just reminiscing of the old Rich and the way things used to be. Like when Swisstack TNT, etc were out every night in the spring and no one was following them around.
I know you have to be an adult now I get that but we got years of stories from when you were the madman of the bay. Keep up the good work. You know where to find us. Come on out to a strip club, we'll buy you a coke or a water with lemon. Stay in touch brother and congrats on all those years.:clapping: Best wishes to you and Pebbles.
haha that sounds like classic stuff of legend. Don't feel bad about yelling at poachers ds if more poachers and litterers were caught and fined we could have a great budget to better our fishing in NJ. Rich and Jonthepain congrats to both of you. It must be tough but you are doing it and setting the example. Hope you can keep itgoing and good luck!:HappyWave:
Rich- Congrats on 32 years. I like how you picked my birthday to start your sobriety! Keep up the good work buddy.
Congrats DS and wishing you the best in everything!
Thanks for the kind words, and candid recollections, people. :HappyWave:
I really don't see myself as that unusual, just not afraid to speak my mind when someone is being an idiot.
I'm much more diplomatic on the internet than I am in real life.
I recently re-connected with one of my old-time mentors.
Haven't seen him in almost 20 years. The other night he was telling me he's one of the few in the "5 over 50" club...at least 5 bass, 50 or better, from the surf. Most of the guys we know in that club are dead. The way things are now I don't know if the younger generation will get that chance to catch 5 surf bass 50 or above in the near future.....I have related the story of his last 50 caught on a plug at night, in one of the threads here...will have to search for it and bring it to the top....Al Ristori wrote about it.....
Anyway, it's a little off-topic, but after not having seen this guy for 20 years, and learning that he almost died....running into him recently, I see he is very blunt. Speaks his mind whether you like it or not. Some don't like that and are easily offended. I find the honesty refereshing. Finchaser and some of the old farts are that way as well - they shoot from the hip, and ain't afraid to offend you if they feel it needs to be said. :clapping:
In today's age of Politically correct sensitivities, and people holding back from saying what they mean.... it's great to meet old timers, who don't put any sugar-coating on their opinions.
Any more bizarre stories, feel free to have some laughs at my funeral, if ya's get the chance to live longer than I do. :fishing:
I also wanted to express my gratitude for the little things....
When I can't find a few fish at night it is frustrating, and sometimes I feel sorry for myself....
Looking at this guy I mention above, and the sacrifices he makes just to be able to spend a few hours out there....makes me realize that we all have our troubles....and challenges.....
So I am very grateful for the life I now have....
And the friends who take pleasure in busting my balls... :moon: :laugh:
True, sometimes raw, slighlly offensive...but always real.....
Thanks for the kind words......all of ya's. :HappyWave:
^ OK...so I slept in a porta-potty once..http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ons/icon11.png...no big deal...
When troopers and police find me sleeping on the side of the road or parking lot because I'm spent from all the places I stopped at to find a few fish...I open the window to give them ID..they step back quickly....and leave me alone...I guess the odor does get a little rank sometimes...:rolleyes:
I am what I am....too late to change now...
Thanks for the kind words.....:moon: :HappyWave:
**Thought for today....
"Serenity is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it."
I'm going to try to get back in here more often with some phrases or paragraphs that have been meaningful to me....
Any feedback or additions are welcome....
We all take things for granted, including our assumption that we will be here tomorrow. Why is that? None of us knows for sure....yet we behave and act "as if" we and everyone in our circle of folks we know, will continue to live trouble free lives. I am guilty of this as well, taking people in my life for granted....
I found this, and thought it could lighten the day for some of us........
"....list of things that we often take for granted (some or all of which may be true for you). When you start thinking about everything you can’t control, it’s helpful to remember and appreciate all the little things that work in your favor most days.The little things that usually go right:
1. You woke up breathing. No matter what happens in the hours ahead, you can come back to your breath for a sense of peace and presence.
2. You have the freedom to choose what you’ll do today, even if you have some limitations. Sometimes we take it for granted, but what we do on a daily basis truly is our choice.
3. You had a bed to sleep in. Even if you didn’t get as much sleep as you’d like to, you had the opportunity to rest somewhere relatively peaceful.
4. There isn’t a hurricane, tornado, typhoon or other natural disaster going on outside your door.
5. You have the means to eat three meals today, even if one of them is Top Ramen (or spam and rice, as my boyfriend made on our first night in our new place).
6. Your roof isn’t leaking copious amounts of water directly on your head.
7. Your significant other is alive and healthy, albeit a loud snorer, an off-key shower singer, or a consistent maker of ridiculously strong coffee.
8. Your shower works—with hot water—meaning you don’t have to go to work with bed-head or skin that smells like night sweat.
9. If you don’t have work to go to, you have endless possibilities for your future. Right now might be a little uncomfortable, but your future is completely open, ready to be seized and enjoyed.
10. The sun is shining, giving you all those feel-good brain chemicals. (The sun actually increases serotonin production—it’s a natural mood lifter!)
11. You don’t have Wicked Witch of the West syndrome, meaning that if it’s raining, you likely won’t melt.
12. Your closet didn’t catch fire overnight, meaning you don’t have to go to work naked or fashion an outfit out of hefty bags.
13. Your iPod works, so you can listen to your favorite tunes during your commute.
14. If you don’t have an iPod, you probably have access to music somehow—radio, streaming music online, your mom’s old 8-tracks. Music is such a powerful mood lifter that we can access any time.
15. If you drive, your favorite morning radio show is on and it’s so funny you almost don’t care about the gridlock traffic.
16. As for that gridlock traffic, the fact that you’re in it means you have a working car.
17. Your computer works, meaning you won’t need IT guys to come help you, disrupting your usual flow.
18. You have a cell phone, even if it isn’t an iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry. (Mine is none of the above.) Even a bulky, old-school cell phone that can’t connect to the Internet can make life world’s easier.
19. You have an office or workspace, even if it’s shared, meaning you can get things done relatively efficiently allowing for free time later this evening.
20. If you’re like me and don’t have an office or workspace, you have the freedom to work wherever you want. Go work under a tree for a while—you can!
21. You received some type of email that lets you know someone cares about you, even if it’s one of those chain emails your grandmother sends to the special people in her life.
22. If you didn’t get one of those emails, you have the capacity to send one (mass-emailed or personalized) to make a meaningful difference in someone else’s day.
23. You got a call or voicemail from someone you miss, giving you the opportunity for connection and even a little shared nostalgia.
24. If you didn’t get that call, you have access to a phone, meaning you can make one. Any day you connect meaningfully with someone else has the potential to be a great day.
**25. Someone somewhere loves you, so no matter what happens in the day ahead, you’ll get through it with the support of people who care.
There’s a lot that goes right on a daily basis. I’m choosing to start the day embracing the good in the present instead of trying to predict and control the bad in the future."
Quote for today -
"It's better to command respect, than to beg for acceptance"
Thanks to our friend the Ranger at SH for that.....We all wish him well in his new job with the SP......and the best of luck for a happy and safe future.....
He's a good candidate for the training....and will make a fine addition to the LE field.
May God always have him in his sight, and keep him out of harm's way......:thumbsup: :HappyWave:
A long-time customer passed away this week......causing me, in thoughts of grief, to put things in perspective....
I have been complaining to some of ya's about the depressing life I had lately....
Working 18 hour days.....no real money......all to fix the eff-ups and irresponsibility of others, and try to build for a future, that may or not become rosy in a minimum of 5 years....if I'm not bankrupt by then....the financial stress has been eating away at me.....the only thing that lets me sleep is the sheer exhaustion from the 18 hour days........
Fishing, which has always been as important to me as the air I breathe....has had to take a back seat......
Very few times have I made it out this fall....despite careful planning....and each time out carefully mapping out the tides for each location I plan to stop at....only to fall asleep when I close my eyes for a few secs...and missing the tides entirely........
So many missed fishing opportunities....when it is one of my greatest joys to be out there fishing the night tides.....has begun to wear thin on me......I have barked at some folks....grumped at others....
My sincere apologies to those folks I may have offended...
But through it all, the code to live by, as mentioned above.....has rung true time and time again......
Some people lazily cruise through life.....not looking to do the work......trying to gain advantage through the efforts of others.........
And if you are one of those....I have to confess....I have enough like that in my own family......I don't need or want any more of those relationships.....some folks may feel like I have ignored them when they call or text......it's no accident....it's a conscious decision......maintain the good relationships....don't waste a moment's time on the others......It's amazing how I never hear from some folks....and only hear from them at the moment they want some info or need a helping hand......
As my friend says above.....no time for that anymore.....
My time is valuable.....not to be squandered on time wasters....or selfish folks.....
I will not change who I am for the benefit or sensibilities of other folks......:cool:
If you have people like this in your lives......
Maybe you want to think about cutting them out.....
You may be surprised at the time you have left for yourself.....and opportunities for personal growth.....
Wanted to wish all the folks out there....a Happy and Sober Thanksgiving.....
I hope whatever burdens or challenges you have in your lives....will get better with some help from God......and self-determination on your part........
God Bless.......:HappyWave:
Just wanted to wish Jon a happy 11th Anniversary....
We talked the other day....I thought it was in June and didn't want to jinx it by congratulating him ahead of time....
Apparently I was off by a few days....
Wishing you all the best Jon.....:clapping: :clapping:
Congrats on another year of sobriety....One Day at a Time.........
And let's not forget how close any of us could be to death and chaos, without some structure and belief system in our lives....no matter what or who we believe in.....
And most importantly.....without a core group of people that believe in us......:thumbsup: :HappyWave:
Amen
A prayer for all the alcoholics/suffering addicts...out there....
Have recently seen some I know of....leave this Earth....
Through addiction or suicide...RIP.......:(