The Changing Sober Times In April 2015

Every day is a new day, we have to accept things we do not want to accept at times. Changes in and around us, affect us and we have to let go. If not , we get caught up in the hoop of poor me syndrome!! I , personally have been having the blues a bit lately, maybe because my birthday just past and i am now 52 and the world is moving strangely in a direction not familiar with most people.

 I live in Midland, Texas and you know about the Walmarts that have been closing in and sround the Midland, Texas area and other areas of the country. It is none of my business what the reason is and it does seem a little bit unreal, with all the conspiracy theories surrounding this and the military exercises that are taking place just around the corner from this city and possibly in the city.

We live one day at a time, and if we stay close to God miracles will happen just like staying sober. There is nothing to fear but fear itself!!! If you have a reason to be fearful it is normal, in a since. However to stress out and wonder about the future is not a correct assessment of what sober humans do. We are just a drink away from knocking ourselves into oblivion and possible death. The disease of Alcoholism is a punishment we all have lived with and yet if you are like me, it has been a wonderful enlightening way of life.

Yes, it is different to stay sober during times where we have no control. I have to speak for myself, I want control even being sober at times and yet I have to re- learn that I have no control over people, places and events. I believe in a loving God and no one can take that from me. No one will take this from me!!I pray for good health and for my family and friends and I have done this for over seven years of sobriety. May 2015 will be my seventh year without any substance to alter my mind. Therfor this is a milestone I have not ever past before.

I have grown up as a man and learned new ways of living without close codependency upon my family and learned to pay my bills on time and keep healthy by visiting a Dr. when needed. What else can a person do but hit AA meetings when you feel the need or at least for me it is about twice a week if not more at times when I am a little bit out of whack with the universe. I get a little bit paranoid some days , and then I have to remember that God is with me and he understands why I am who I am..I pray every single hour at times even while I drive during work and this helps me in a way that only a true recovered Alcoholic can understand or some religious person that believes in a spirit that is bigger then him or her. That is one point I have to remember is God is Huge!!!He is spirit , He is in me, He is my father.He either is everything or nothing , it says in the Big book. He is everything to me. 

My baby Lab watching me eat in the kitchen!!!

I have to know that I am OK with me!!In writing about these things I am OK with whom I am and have become. I am only a man living in a society that is messed up and I let God carry me at times to point A to connect with point B , because I do not have the will at times. It's easy to forget God is in our lives, with so much crap in this world. However I have learned to take a meditation break and just lay down on the couch and talk with God and ask questions to him for 30 minutes, and I sem to be good to move on day by day!!God Bless The USA....Christopher...

New Year 2015 And Sober Ice Storms

It is about to be the new year 2015, Wow, how could it be!! I never really partied with anyone on New Years, I was always at home drinking and smoking. I didn't want to get a DWI or anything.I was a smart drinker in some ways, and that was one of them. If I knew I was going to drink more than one beer, I stayed at home..There was a DWI I got when I was a kid at 17 and that reflected back to what not to do. Driving and drinking do not mix with me. I could drive better is what  I thought, and to this day I still think that I drove better when I had a few beers, but those days are long gone.

In Midland, we are having a Ice storm of sorts. The roads are closed and no traffic is in sight. It is in the teens in temperature, and I am stuck at home with my dog. I am still working though. I have training on different machines always, so I get paid for being at home training. Not too bad of a deal. It is lunch time and I felt like writing a bit so here it is.

When you are cabin bound like I am now, it brings back some old memories of what I use to do. I am glad I do not drink anymore, but if not sober I sure would go and buy a 12 pack and sit here andd play my guitar with a Cig hanging out my mouth and slopping the beer down..My neighbors would probably call the police cause I like to play loud rock, and that would be no good, I might get a PI. SO I think since I have almost 6 years of sobriety that writing is the best bet and doing my work online is even better, I can keep my job..

There is always two sides to a coin and which side you chose will make your day..I chose today to keep on living sober and I have..Being homebound because of Ice on the roads is ok..I just have to be creative in what I do so I don't get bored.In this town I live in each day I must be creative even after work or I might go gambling , online or at the casino, and this is not good either. One habit to another..It seems like I get addicted to most anything I touch or do that gives me a rush..Do you feel this way? It could be almost anything that gets my adrenaline going...I call it idle hands syndrome, and I have it bad sometimes.

That is why I write this blog is for no other reason thatn to communicate with you and myself. It is more of a diary than anything else. I look over the years and see where I progressed and where I did not.I have come a long way since I was 45 and drinking, and nothing can stop me now..I hope this has helped someone out there, but I am selfish and if this does not help anyone, so be it..I have to grab some lunch and do some work so I will leave you with this. Do not drive and drink..Period...Christopher

Living Sober through The Holidays 2014

It's holiday season again as it is every year. Living sober through the holiday season is no different then the rest of the year!! Is there a litttle bit more stress? Yes , of course there is..Some of us use to egt around out old school buddies and drink the night away and smoke . However if you have made the leap into a new faith of sober living you may not of gotten together with your old budies and if you did you might of not got drunk this year.

I kknow I had to change the people places and things in my life to stay sober. Did you?
Quite possibly you do not have the same friends as you did in your drinking days as you do now..I do not have many friends that are still living , so it's not too unusual to spend time alone reading books and collecting my comics as I do this for a hobby.

Christopher and Son 2014

We all have our demons but if you believe in Christ our Lord he will rid these demons out and let you have a spiritually based holiday with no interruptions. Mine has been peaceful, with my family and the few friends I have in AA..Today is 12/30.2014 and I am off Thursday till Monday of this week, and that makes it nice to be able to sleep in , so to speak. Have you found it hard to sleep in? I have, really sleep in means about an hour more than 7 am for me. I have a schedule even on my off days to get things done at the house. God has made it possible for me to have chores to do to occupy my time, and then I have started reading more often than not books.

Living sober in 2014 was not bad, it had it's up and downs but mostly ups. I made several mistakes in life and what I did and said. I make no resolution when the new year starts, I just break them anyway..Have you really kept your New Years resolutions, or are they just conversation things to talk to friends about and laugh about?

Remeber , this is just a diary of my life and not to be taken too seriously because I do not take life to seriously or I would go nuts. I bought a new 2015 vehicle for work and home, and still do not know if it was stupid or not. It is not a Corvette , but it is what I needed for work and home life, so It is just the car I needed. God bless you all whom read this and take it One Day at a Time..Christopher...

Tis The Season of Alcoholics and Drug Abuse!!

Welcome all to my blog on sobriety and living life in our daily lives. This is a personal journal more than anything else. I have almost 6 years of sobriety this time around and I feel damn good. There are days that do not come offf like I think they should but there are always answers to my questions. I find myself struyggling with finaces on this holiday season as most of you might have problems with also. Do not worry there is always a solution to everything beside a drink and a drug.

My Puppy!!

Life is work!!If you don't have faith in what you do as far as living your daily life then there is struggles. I have not lost my faith , it continues to grow each and every day but not without some sacrifice on my part. Prayer helps 100 percent in times like now. I pray constantly , while I am at work and off. I pray for the answer to many questions I have and for help in doing my work when I need this. I always get a positive answer back. I might do everything just right when I work, but I try. That is all God wants us to do and our employer is to try..Not complain about having to go some place or do another task. You must have positive faith that leads you in a positive direction. Do not get negative on your self. This is easy to say but a little predictable to do.

Staying focused on this Christmas year is difficult for me, however through prayer each day keeeps coming and each answer also. I know I have to be positive in my work flow and to move forward in my program of alcoholics anonymous. I go only twice a week , but I have my schedule, if I think I need to go more often then I do. We have a Christmas party at the 12 step group in Midland, Texas that I will be attending at 530 pm on Thursday of this week. I usually do not go to these things but hey why not? My spondor will be there and so will my friends and others I have not met.

I am not a wholly roller with AA, I use AA as a support group and that is it. It does not keep me sober but implants into my head what sobriety is all about . To me sobriety is about God and not doing any drinking or drugging. If I hand over my bad habits to God he will tkae them away. I have to be honest in this though as I have other habits that need to be taken away but I have not gotten honest about them..So do yourslef a favor and be positive this Christmas season and honest with yourself, and you will have a jolly Christmas..God Bless Chris

Treatment Centers (Are They Needed?)

I went to a few treatment centers when I hit bottom twice in my lifetime. I have to say that for a short while alcohol and drug treatment facilities are a way to stay sober for the lenghth of time you are to stay there. You have no choice and the community in which you are in seems so unreal. The fact is that it is not real. In every day life there are bars and liquor stores all around us and the temptation to take a drink is overwhelming at times in sobriety. Treatment centers have stores, but no liquor is to be found in these places. Everyone at the treatment facility is sober or at least appear this way.

I think they are a necessity for some people who have not been sober for long in their lifetime. The success rates in staying sober just out from a treatment center is staggering at about 3-7 percent will stay sober from leaving this treatment center. Why is this? Do they not teach how to live without drinking and drugging at these centers. Not really, you are in the now when you are locked up in a center, and the only contacts are with dried up drunks and counselors who have years of sobriety.

I have been to so many treatment centers and psychiatric places that I dould not sit down and tell you how many. Thats pretty damn bad, I know. I have almost 6 years of sober time now and the last 30 years of drinking really screwed me up with my past. The cool thing is , I have a life now that I would not trade for any drink or drug. That is the goal of one whom has been in and out of the treatment centers, or at least for me. I got sick and tired of seeeing sick and tired people, at these places. Yeas , I was one of them and had been homeless at least two times in my lifetime.

I guess I bring this up to remind myself of what I do not want to repeat in my life. The obsession to drink and smoke weeed has been taken away. What does that mean , you might ask? It means I know where it will take me if I decide to go back and start drinking again. I know the drill, so to speak and I don't want to fall back like so many people do. Until the goverment realizes that addiction is killing us off, and that alcohol is a disease that threatens their sons, and daughters. The viscous cycle will continue too endeavor and engulf people from now on. God Bless Happy Turkey Day..

Chair Person For an AA Meeting

It's Saturday and I am the chairperson for my group . The 12 Step group of Midland, Texas/ Come out if you are from here or visiting the area. It is at 207 N. Midkiff Dr. and it is a small group. Usually have about 4 to 10 people show up. It is good to be a chair person for the Saturday morning group . It brings a beginning to the day of staying on track with what life is all about. I really like the first three steps and I practice them daily in my life, but we work on these on Saturday morning. I always learn more each Saturday than the last.

It is good to do service work at an AA group , it makes you seem worthwhile , while maybe helping out one or two new people also. I highly recommend that you do this type of service work if invoved in AA. It will bring out the shyness in you and concentrate on why you really are there. To help yourself and others that wake up early on Saturday morning to get thier dose of words.The Saturday meeting is at 10 am to 11 am so try to come if able..God Bless..Chris

Re-building Credit after Hitting Bottom Due to Drugs and Alcohol

Most of us have hit a bottom in our life leaving behind unpaid bills and bad credit. It is not unusual to be in such a situation after drinking and drugging. So I decided to tell you how I got my credit back after being below a 500 score on FICO. It is very easy to do, and it does take time. Here are a few tips that worked for me, and I actually have driven my credit rating up to 710 and have new credit cards.

The first thing is all those letters you get for being behind, forget them. Do not pay them. Find a credit company online that will work with you in deleting these negative remarks. Even if you owe on these they can be destroyed. It cost money but only about 45 a month, I don't want to endorse anyone, but hunt around for anyone that charges about that much. They usually dispute up to 5 items on your credit report and it actually works.

After that is done, your credit score will start to rise after a month or two, and you will be eligible for credit cards at the following companies. The score you will need to have is about a 600, Wallmart, Target, and Barclay Visa, JC Penny, Exxon, and others. These are the cards I was able to obtain. However be careful and do not max them out ..They all give pretty good credit to you even at a poor score of 600. They help you build credit if you let them sit and don't spend on them. Conns is a easy credit card store to get credit from. Besst Buy is another one that I found to be easy to get...

Too many cards can drive you stir crazy also if you start using them, pay them on time..Pay the full balance or more than the minimum payment..I made the mistake of maxing out my Visa cards and it has hurt my score again, so be careful.

If you need to take out a loan and have a credit score of 600 chose Springleaf Financial, they are reasonable, and they will loan on about 4k in money at 30 percent interest..Sometimes that is better on your higher interest  cards.

I just thought I would mention this because I have been working on my credit for only 10 months now and I am fine as long as I can pay my bills..Good luck and God Bless..Chris Hyer10.30.2014