Once upon a time I was a scared shitless Newcomer in search of Recovery and The Treacherous Hive of Scum and Villany of Star Wars fame is what the online rooms of AA looked like to me. I'd log into the den of thieves and the hyenas would circle around. There are bits of me scattered all around the rooms of the World. I was (A)bused, (B)ruised and (M)ocked but I did not give up. I found a way to overcome my fear and gain some respect... I went out and bought myself thirteen rifles of various calibers and three handguns one of which is a Dirty Harry Special and a ray gun.. Now I had some real firepower and this worked wonders for my self confidence. I would be able to defend myself if I ever got into a real scrap with the biggest baddest looking alpha male of the bunch. I was gonna' give him an awakening he wouldn't believe and kick his ass in front of his friends. But in the end there is a far easier and less violent way to stomp on a high school flunkie schoolyard bully. Simply ask him what one divided by zero is and you'll get the clueless does not compute look and you win. You'll get a laugh and some respect. Mind over Matter. As easy as one, two, three. Never underestimate a fertile imagination and the power of prayer. I kid you not!!
Love;
Marc Lacroix South Florida. U.S.A.
I'm not crazy, AA made me this way... I swear to God
Gee Thank You Brian... A Kindred Spirit. I've posted that at other places and caught all sorts of flack.
Marc
the day is not over yet . I'm sure that your post is open for some interpretation, but to me it was about overcoming my fears, not overcoming the bully. I too bought a gun in early sobriety. I remember driving my first sponsor to a meeting and he saw it laying on the floor of my car. He asked me why I had it and I actually couldn't answer and said "I don't know". He replied, "while you're trying to figure that out, why don't you get rid of it or give it to someone your trust to hold onto for awhile". I wound up selling it a month or so later, after sitting up one night in bed, loading and unloading it fanticizing about shooting my x-wife and her boyfriend. I don't think that I was really close to doing anything like that but you just don't want to play around in early sobriety given the opportunity. It's a crazy time best spent in meetings sorting it out with a sponsor.
-- Edited by StPeteDean on Wednesday 11th of August 2010 02:57:35 AM
My gun collection is in a safe place behind lock and key. When I was a kid I loved westerns(still do) and promised myself that someday I would have some nice guns like Cowboys do. Well, today I have some... Thank you Lord.
And yes it was about overcoming fear. I detest violence and can feel ok about who and/or what I am when walking into any AA room. It was an extreme measure, perhaps, but I am happy to say that it worked for me and no-one got shot.
Marc
-- Edited by MarcLacroix on Wednesday 11th of August 2010 03:08:09 AM
I don't own any guns, but (ok, here's the type of geek I am) I do have a nice collection of replica light saber hilts that I've been making over the last year. I know...I'm a dork!
(snarky jive ahead) WTF is Obiewan Kanobe? Is that the capitol of Manitoba? A lost clan of the Ojibwe tribe? Speak you of Obi-Wan Kenobi, thinks I.
I've hung around with thieves and we were more of a loosely organized co-operative than a "den" and hyenas did not bother us. If we were a pride of lions or a herd of gazelle or even a clutch of quail we might have worried about hyenas but we were not...so we didn't. Logging into a den you might run afoul of foxes or snakes.
If hyenas truly frighten you then you should consider joining a school of fish; hyenas don't like water.
(snarky jive done)
That's a lot of guns. I used to appreciate firearms as the complex machines that they are but I sold my 9mm when I started going off the deep end. When I have some more sober time in I will get a bow for turkey & deer. You'll find we're a fairly polite lot. Most of us use good forum etiquette.
(snarky jive ahead) WTF is Obiewan Kanobe? Is that the capitol of Manitoba? A lost clan of the Ojibwe tribe? Speak you of Obi-Wan Kenobi, thinks I.
I've hung around with thieves and we were more of a loosely organized co-operative than a "den" and hyenas did not bother us. If we were a pride of lions or a herd of gazelle or even a clutch of quail we might have worried about hyenas but we were not...so we didn't. Logging into a den you might run afoul of foxes or snakes.
If hyenas truly frighten you then you should consider joining a school of fish; hyenas don't like water.
(snarky jive done)
That's a lot of guns. I used to appreciate firearms as the complex machines that they are but I sold my 9mm when I started going off the deep end. When I have some more sober time in I will get a bow for turkey & deer. You'll find we're a fairly polite lot. Most of us use good forum etiquette.
Peace, Rob
Hi Rob;
Are you the only person on earth or under water who has not seen Star Wars? My original post was a metaphor of what goes on in a newcomers mind when going into an AA room for the first time, that's all. Perhaps you missed that. At any rate, no worries mate.
26 times in the theatres before 1982 MAHHHNNN! WoooHooo!
I know, Marc and maybe I was TOO snarky. No excuses. Clearly arrogance was in play.
I apologize for my gaffe and if there is anything I can do to make it up to you, please let me know.
That was a poor example to set.
Peace, Rob
It really is no big deal Rob. Don't worry about it man. Rule 62... If I can't take a joke that would not be good. I was actually expecting some flack since it is kinda' out there...
In early recovery, I had several drinkers trying to get me back onto the booze. They would tease and pick on me. Then one day i remember what my drill sergeant once came up to my face and said.
"Peter! It's simply mind over matter. I don't mind and you don't *@#!! matter!"
I used that quite a few times to get them off my back, and it worked.
__________________
"... unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of recovery." Dr. Silkworth. (Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Ed. p.xxix)
My original post was a metaphor of what goes on in a newcomers mind when going into an AA room for the first time, that's all. Perhaps you missed that.
Marc
Thanks for the heads-up, Marc. But there is no real need to explain the form of writing you used. We're all educated and experienced adults here.I mean, WHO ON EARTH WOULD BE SO MENTALLY LIMITED TO THINK YOUR ORIGINAL POST ABOVE SHOULD BE TAKEN LITERALLY!!
LOL.
It's not like somebody here will contact George Lucas' lawyers and turn you in for unlicensed use of one of his copyright protected character. NOBODY is that dense....
. I'm sure that your post is open for some interpretation, but to me it was about overcoming my fears, not overcoming the bully. I too bought a gun in early sobriety. I remember driving my first sponsor to a meeting and he saw it laying on the floor of my car. He asked me why I had it and I actually couldn't answer and said "I don't know". He replied, "while you're trying to figure that out, why don't you get rid of it or give it to someone your trust to hold onto for awhile". I wound up selling it a month or so later, after sitting up one night in bed, loading and unloading it fanticizing about shooting my x-wife and her boyfriend. I don't think that I was really close to doing anything like that but you just don't want to play around in early sobriety given the opportunity. It's a crazy time best spent in meetings sorting it out with a sponsor. 
