December 01, 2005

FUCK 'EM. Whatever works and whatever you are comfortable with is what it is all about. Just one day at a time.

Hmmm. Never heard of the 12 Step as being referred to as a cult. While you're supposed to turn your life over to a higher power, it doesn't specifiy what that higher power is. It could be God or allah or buddha or your neighbor's dog. Wonder what ff's problem is. Perhaps he's a failed member of AA.

Good on ya!!! I could care less if you decided that worshiping a wooden God from Nauru was the path to good health. I enjoy your writing immensely and was saddened when I read Dax's "Leaving Las Vegas" post. Whatever works for you. I have no great love for 12 step programs but if it gets me more of your writing then I may have to rethink my position.

Seconded. Fuck Him. You're writing very well for a guy who's been through the physiological equivalent of a spin cycle in the last month.

My father went to AA after my mother left him. He got his act together and came out dry and dedicated to rebuilding his life. My mom was no BC, but she couldn't handle dealing with his drinking (never abusive, just absent physically and mentally all the time).

He was dry for 13 years until cancer got him, but he never regretted seeking out AA. If anything, cleaning himself up made him harder-working and more creative than ever.

Besides -- as you constantly remind us -- your blog is for your own gratification. We onlookers just drop by to see what you're up to, and it's been entertaining reading up on you these last couple of years. Keep the creative juices flowing!

I pop in every once in a while to read your rants, glad to see your still kickin' and fiesty. I'm sure you'll still post entertaining stuff, if you don't have your health you have nothing.

Good luck with everything,
jpd

You're still the Acidman we all love!

Jokem if they can't take a Fuck.

Some folks are only happy when deriding what YOU or yours are doing to make things better. They are having problems arranging their lives. Fuck'em, as others have said.
Know that your we all are with you.
You rock.

Some folks are only happy when deriding what YOU or yours are doing to make things better. They are having problems arranging their lives. Fuck'em, as others have said.
Know that we all are with you.
You rock.

I guarantee ol' FF is besotted by drink, drugs,and any number of mind numbing substances. Know what else I know about him? He is Scared witless of sobriety. He is truly frightened by the thought of spending a day,(five minutes?) without his crutch. He just can't seem to fit in with any group of people - he is convinced he was born on Mars and brought here by space aliens, and just can't cope with his feelings. He is mired in resentments, and now he is resenting YOU for having the guts to walk on your own two feet - upright, like a Man.

Pathetic bastard..........really pathetic.

Hey Former Fan. Why don't you grow a pair and get off the couch?

It appears your sycophants haven't abandoned you.

AA is for loosers that have nowhere else to turn! Rob, you are not a looser. You come off as a highly respectable person in my eyes.
Say it like you mean it is what keeps bringing me back. And yes, I've been to the meetings. Giant pity parties is all they are. I'm not an alchoholic I'm a pot smoking hippy. Rob,
you do what you got to do...everyone is entitled to their opinion! Remember K.I.S.S., this does not mean that you have to go to those AA meetings to follow this guideline. My dad drank 2 cases of beer a day about 15 years ago, he sobered up with the help of rehabilitation but never once attended a single AA meeting. They are utterly pointless!
So don't spite me for this post, just do what you have to do.

K.I.S.S. - keep it simple stupid

Rob, you are not stupid...! I have nothing but respect for you, so please stay the course. I'd much rather you be clean and safe then alive and dead (drunk). I love you man, but don't be brainwashed by the system. You are an alchoholic, but you don't need other people telling you that you are (AA pity parties).

i dunno. AA turns a lot of people off. Especially with their message that it's the only way to stay sober. AA is great for most people, but some people do better with a different type of counseling.

That was an ass way to make his point, though.

Jeez....
Another one bites his ass.
Pay no attention to those idiots behind the curtain.
If it works, it works.
If it doesn't, it doesn't. Maybe something else will.
But these muckadoos reject the steps out of hand.

Fuckem.
Maybe K.I.S.S. means Keep It Stupid, Simple to some folks.
Sure looks like it.

I said I loved him and the I was behind whatever he needs to do to stay clean and sober. AA is bullshit, like it or leave it! I've been around that crap before because of my own shortfalls in life, I attended soem of them but was least impressed in all the pity others expect of you. So, say what you want because I have my opinion and you all have yours. AA is not for everyone..

And K.I.S.S. well that should be self explanatory..... Keep it simple stupid is one of AA's mottos!

Now please go FUCK yourself Horrabin!

Rob, I have full faith in your abilities to stay clean. I said it already, no matter what I say here you should do what you need to do to stay clean and sober. I like your blog, I'll stick around for a long time. I just don't want you to fall prey to the GIANT ALCHOLIC ANONYMOUS conglomerate, you don't need them. You know what you have to do to achieve your goal Rob, use your head!

And AA does not say that it's the only way to stay sober.
It is the only way a great many stay sober. Individual members may opine it's the only way, and for them, it probably is.
However, it has the greatest success rate by far.
And I've never met a bunch of people being so completely happy staying sober.
AA does not demand that you do anything, or believe anything.
The program is suggestions only.
You can take the suggestions, or not.
You can go to meetings, or not.
If not, you might wish you had, later, if if nothing else works for you.
I reiterate, if nothing else works for you.
Life or death folks.
This can be serious shit untreated. Ask our host.
If you're not afflicted, good on you.

But don't preach your shit to those who are.

This is not a trifling business.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, I need hippy spell checker.....

My bad, I caint speel nutin 2nite...

BTW, Horrabin pardon my fuck off that was unnecessary of me. MY apologies to you.

Steven

Accepted.

You are your own 12 steps, my brother. I will gladly track this fuck down and stomp him. Give me the word.

12 steps or 1 step, it's whatever steps that work for you.

Glad you made it through the dark Rob.

Shine on.

Read his blog...
Get involved in his life....
Wish him all the best and support his
recovery effort in my own way....
Comment on AA bullshit...

Now you want to burn me at the stake?

Or we're you talking about the former fan?

WTF?

God,
Grant me the serenity
to except the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can

AND

the wisdom to know the difference.

DUH.....

You truly do have to deal with commenters from every fricking spectrum, don't you? You're damned if you do or don't.

Keep on keeping on.

Yeah, no matter the good fortune you encounter, there will always be the haters. Since everyone seems to say it, and I agree, I'll echo the reigning sentiment:

FUCKEM!!!

I've noticed some of your prose and word choices are different, but vanilla is vanilla whether or not it's got the little black flecks in it or not. And I loves me some vanilla.

And quit being such a prick-tease, post us some before and after pics!!

Do whatever you have to do to keep YOUR LIFE yours. And, that includes telling someone to fuck off.

Only someone intent on seeing you fail would deride you for going to AA or following your 12 steps.

I'm proud of you for taking the first really big step - the one that took you to Willingway in the first place.

A.A. does not claim to be the only way, but some people dislike it because it is *A* way out of bondage. And sure some meetings are 'pity parties'; especially with those new to it. But self-pity at most meetings I've been to usually gets the rest of the meeting devoted to how to get out of the pity-pot. I've heard more good solid laughter than self-pity in meetings. (Not to mention more diversity of opinion amiably accepted.)
A.A. ain't for everyone, nor does it try to be, forbidding promotionalism. For many it can be the difference between life and death.
If it's working for Rob, why not be glad instead of quibbling about the color of his life preserver?
I'm not a 'groupie' (wrong sex/orientation) but I am a fan who feels friendship towards Rob and I'll have to do a 10th Step tonight myself for the reaction I feel towards these spiritual arsonists.

my married neighbors took me along to their meeting. --It was fantastic to see how everyone supported everyone else. Not a cult; an open door, and friendly people inside to encourage each other. Very very uplifting, better than a church sermon. Definitely the PLACE TO BE ! (why do some people have to sow the seeds of doubt ? to get attention?Acidman, don't you call that : 'Look at me Daddy' ? I really like the AA internet page also, it's full of practical advice anyone can use.

Here it is, take a look ::

http://www.ma-al-anon-alateen.org/problem.html --this page was an eye-opener. -the generation-to-generation dynamics that affect us WAY PAST a useful defense.

http://www.ma-al-anon-alateen.org/

1.) If you find yourself at a "pity party" meeting? - Find a better meeting where prople have a respectable amount of sobriety.
the "poor me" type never stay sober long.

2.) If your dad drank for years, then stopped but did not go to meetings? - He was a dry drunk, and not any more use to those around him then before he stopped drinking.

3.) A.A. tradition states that "we stress attraction rather than promotion, hence the AA .name should never be drawn into public controversy." This is why it's called "anonymous"

4.) I am not anyone's syncophant, mr rightisright. But I have damn sure earned the right to a seat at this discussion. Did you have anything meaningful to add?

5.) Not drinking is just the first step. The others are about living a proper life, and being useful to those you care about. A cult requires you to give up your self and/or your possesions to others. AA takes nothing from anyone. But it can give you back your life. If you think that sucks you need a new perspective.

I love it when you girls get to bitch fighting.

AA has been a proven winner for a lot of people for a long time.

I went. It helped. I quit going and am still sober 12 years later.

Former Fan (FF) is more than likely one of the many people out there who just don't want folks to make it. Maybe it's because they can continue kicking 'em while they're down. Maybe it makes them feel better about their personal lives. I dunno. Whenever someone of recognition falls somewhere, there are a whole cadre of FF types who seem to rejoice in it. It's a regular industry anymore.

FF's attack on AA is aimed at undermining Robs confidence in himself and his support systems. If Rob had gotten a case of Old Time Religion and it was helping, FF would be going after that. FF is only trying to knock the props out from under him at this vulnerable time. Shitty thing to do really.

Life is it's own therapy.

PHUCK THEM AND THE HOSS THEY RODE IN ON!

What works for YOU, works for YOU!

Those pussyassedmotherphuckers don't have a clue.

and hell no...i will not go back to step one for those mothas....the earned and deserve my anger.

You doing alright , Sugar..Hang tough and tight.

There are AA meetings and then there are AA Meetings!

When I attended my first court required AA meetings, I chose a place distant from my office. It was held in a bright room with lots of windows. One of the 1st guys to speak was a biker. He looked like a viking with his dirty leathers and long red braids. He spoke like a harvard scholar. My eyes and ears couldn't get in sync. It was like watching an oriental speak perfect Spanish with all the up and down inflections. After the biker, Dion (of Dion and the Belmonts) got up to relate his fall from grace. I knew I'd found the right place. I went away with a positive attitude and I looked forward to attending the meetings.

Then, the State took away my license and I had to find a AA meeting place closer to my office so one of my co-workers could drop me off and pick me up. This group was the complete opposite. Held in a dark hospital auditorium and full of tales of woe. I dreaded attending these meetings.

The moral of the story is don't judge anything based on one experience.

.. damn good to have you back, Rob..

Well, Steven, an angry responses out of proportion to the criticism of AA is par for the course. And, of course, fans will deny this.

It is just such responses that lead critics to say that the promoters of AA believe their way is the only way to deal with being a drunk.

It's success rate is a matter of crontroversy, with AA claiming 70% (not bad!) and its severest critics claiming 5% (almost totally ineffective).

My personal experience: those of my acquaintance who joined of AA remained the same troublesome, demanding, and cruel drama queens they were before, threatening to die on us if we didn't fawn over their chosen path. Somehow, the vaunted restitution was always beyond their means. And those are the ones who didn't relapse.

This abstract criticism is not about Acidman, however. While I find much to criticize about AA, I truly hope it helps him, as he has chosen that way to deal with his trouble. I'm skeptical of its foundations and practices, but hope I'm in error in his case.

heh - SERENITY NOW!!!!!!

Hey Rob.
Brett only sees one side. He speaks of "those of my acquaintance who joined AA remained..." yadda yadda yadda. Apparently he hasn't been around anybody who made it a point to work some Steps. It's true in NA too: you don't work Steps, you don't change. It's also true that 12-Step progs don't work for everybody. But a cult? Who the fuck is this guy? I suppose he expects a hardcore user/drinker to get that pink-cloud glow and become some kinda spiritual superman overnight. Yeah, it'd be nice. It'd also be bullshit. Recovery is kinda like losing weight - ya gotta want it & work it to make it stick, and it takes time. Stick around. 15 1/2 years clean, lovin' life - Kv

the promoters of AA believe their way is the only way to deal with being a drunk.Ummm... nimrods... there are no promoters. AA does not promote, advertise, pull people off barstools, or anything else of the kind.

"Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety."
The Preamble, read at most meetings.
Find a "promoter" in there, if you please.

Well, just as this ass-wit was being turned off by your reformation, I was having sex dreams about you. It was a lovely evening and you were the ultimate gentleman.

P.S. My mom said 20 years ago if she took another drink it would kill her, so I believe it was killing you. Glad you decided to kick it's ass!