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Reagan1k

Certifiably Surly
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Everything posted by Reagan1k

  1. It truly is a miracle. I’ve come to believe inspired by a force of greater good. Like the old guy told me- quit listening for the differences and listen for the similarities. This way of life works in spite of ourselves, if we will only identify and are willing to take action regardless of how we “feel” about them.
  2. I thought I remembered someone would roll in pretty fast with a hard Sako cough …..right after he had me dead in my tracks dreaming one of O’Conner’s sheep rifles was among the ten 70’s. Getting a call like @686 buddy got is my version of winning the lottery. The excitement of peeling back each layer would be amazing!
  3. If the budget allows, look at Lionheart Industries with the bobbed hammer. Serious carry gun.
  4. I’ve still got a full case of Norma 10mm made the first year they started commercially loading for the 10mm in the 80’s. It was lost for a long time, hidden behind some boxes of clay pigeons. One of these days I need to see what it’s worth if I broke it up and sold it by the box. I have to think there is a market out there for it.
  5. That’s hard to put into words but I get where you’re going. In my mind, that turn to sobriety instead of the bar happened when I ceased thinking that “my case is different” and “if you only knew”. Turning the other way- toward others who could talk the same talk, and I finally surrendered to the fact that I’m not different, I’m just an alcoholic, and that a drink isn’t ever going to give me what I need. That moment of accepting grace and surrendering to that simple but hard to swallow truth points to Bear’s post directly above. That narcissistic / independent veil gets pierced- even just pricked, and it lets all of the air out of the ballon. I’m not special- I’m not unique- I’m just a dude with problems like everyone else. But, unlike many (many, not ALL), I’ve got an obsessive mind and a body that won’t let me drink successfully so I have to find a sufficient substitute. Big difference between many and all. Until I can see myself in you and hear my story in yours, I remain terminally unique and doomed to a life of misery- drunk or dry.
  6. You did help your friend!! No doubt about it....and in a significant way. Often all we need to do to help is listening to a fellow drunk verbalize something and get it past their teeth and out of the rattle-box brain. That takes the power out of it and wipes away the fog on the mirror. We don't have to provide any answers or solutions. Being a trusted friend who he knows can talk the same talk and will listen without judgment is being of service. That's the magic of this deal - one drunk talking to another drunk opens both parties to the grace and clarity we need/want.
  7. Motivation born from a sense of love is never a bad thing. As long as the motivation is pure and the intentions are genuine, I see no downside as long as one also wants the change for themselves. I guess my point was to say that kids, spouse, or other family/friends can be a part of the equation and I don't think the adage was meant to contradict that. When I hear that phrase repeated, what I hear is that if I'm quitting solely to stop my spouse from bitching or to keep my boss from docking my pay, I'm probably playing a losing game in the long run, as eventually the disease will turn my give-a-shit knob to ZERO if I'm not fed-up on the inside.
  8. Picked up a Savage 24 (22mag/20ga) at auction this week. I’ve been wanting one for a while- no particular reason other than- gun. Their avg. price has been going up a lot so I had to jump in now. Should be a cool little gun to haul around. Anyone have one?
  9. IMO thoughts of others can play a significant part in the desire to stop drinking. My belief is that the old adage that you can’t quit for someone else is to imply that you can’t stop solely because someone else wants you to stop- that the desire must come from within. If the drunk doesn’t want to stop, no one else’s wish casting will work.
  10. Gar “balls” aren’t an uncommon meal for coon ass country folk. Sweet white meat. Been years since I’ve had them, but I’d be lying if I said they weren’t good. I wouldn’t ever turn them down.
  11. We're born dying. Just do the best with the time you get. And, an alligator gar laughs at your PFAS and ask for another serving. If that article is true, I can't imagine the contaminants locked away in the flesh of a 40 yr old dinosaur of the bayou.
  12. Question I should know but haven't really considered. On a relative basis, I was an early entrant on the NFA stuff. Pre E-file.....places like Silencer Shop didn't exist. Made all my suppressor purchases and one SBR all at one time through a small class III dealer, and had a private attorney do my trust. Old school - sheriffs office did my responsible party prints for me in exchange for donuts. Been years since I really thought about the process and haven't added anything to the trust that needs a stamp. If I want to just say to hell with it on my braced pistols and SBR all of them.....what's the process using my old trust? Can I E-file using my old trust? Do I have to redo the prints or is my shit and the trust info all "on file already".
  13. That’s pretty cool! I need to remember that.
  14. They’ve got Barrett’s sending .50’s at airliners. Trying to create panic and upheaval. Just a matter of time before they cause some deaths that truly resonate with folks on this side of the border. The cartels may pose the largest threat to US security… people worried about Russia or China may need to refocus. They can and will do terrifying shit and a lot of it.
  15. If you live 100 miles, or even 50 shitty/slow miles from an airport and have to leave home 3 or more hours before a flight to be reasonably assured of parking and getting through security on time, - It's not hard for a 2-3 hour flight to become an 8 hour travel day (all in)........Especially if the travelers aren't airport savvy (pre-check/clear/priority) and/or grandma doesn't live in close proximity to the destination airport Draw a 60 mile circle around ATL or IAH and look at how many people would consider that their "closest airport", but are still over 90 minutes away from home when entering a parking garage there.
  16. Is the Steyr Aug A3 a hint as to what’s coming for you? I’m a heathen so that’s all I saw in that picture. I want one too Santa!
  17. 100% - As someone who has seen / is living both sides - I wreaked havoc (and sometimes can continue to, albeit sober) as an active alcoholic. I am also living through dealing with loved ones who have terminal and debilitating diseases. Watching that play out for myself, the afflicted, and other family members is like watching a wreck in slow motion. There are differences - some explicit and some nuanced - but the fact of the matter is as you said, Al-Anon and Alzheimers/dementia support groups (for example) weren't created in a vacuum without demand!
  18. I don't know much, but I do know that actively being of service to another person or people is the only thing that brings relief to me when I am in self. The "me, me, me" swirling in my head only quiets when I focus my actions on "you, you, you". Action is the key. How I "feel" is directly impacted by what I "do", even if it against every fiber of my self will. That lessens the grip in my fist that causes the white knuckles. I personally can't think my way into peace of mind, I have to take action in the program to get re-centered.
  19. Yeah - I'm not sure I agree with the "little or no guilt" part of the state in reference. Unlike cancer or dementia, alcoholism spreads from the infected host to all those it touches. It is a family disease and affects even those who do not take a the drink. I won't argue with the differences in how they are treated by society (in reference to separating from the afflicted) but in most cases, there is plenty of guilt and heartache as a direct result. And to your point, separating is many times the most compassionate thing that the family can do.
  20. I was on a plane in the process of being de-iced when Continental #795 couldn't get airborne and stuck its nose in the drink. Needless to say, 795 was the last flight out that evening.
  21. Yeah - My sponsor is a big football guy, and uses a lot of analogies from the game. "Just block and tackle" is his favorite when I'm getting a bit squirrely.
  22. Slowly raises hand- sheepishly admitting that this is I. It's only 1st down and I'm worrying about the 3rd down play call and whether the punt will be blocked on 4th down. Holy hell - how many times does it have to be demonstrated that if I focus on the next play only, things will work out a lot more smoothly than if I "complicate the shit out of everything" It's my alcoholic nature. I wish I had a dollar for every time I'd been bankrupt / living in a ditch in my mind. That's why I need to always be living in the steps and the participating in the fellowship....like a bowler who needs bumpers to keep me out of the mental gutter.
  23. Gnashing my teeth at times, but working through this same mindset and trying to embrace it. I've also got a work situation where biting my tongue is killing me - but pausing and doing nothing is being revealed as the right thing to do. I've got a former partner who is still active "around" the business. From my perspective, he's a distraction, past his prime, and needs to turn loose of everything. I can justify (in my mind) that he needs to be told to fully retire, quit trying to help, and completely disengage. I can rationalize this by telling myself that I'm protecting our team, that he's wasting people's time, etc. and that it would be a service to everyone if I took action. My sponsor has suggested (over and over) that I consider if I'm wrapping my "concern" for others around the real issue which is that he's not doing exactly what I want, when I want, and how I want. He asked whether I'd considered if this could be exactly the way my higher power wants this transition to play out and if I might learn some things by just sitting in it and not taking any action....am I being given a gift of growing in my capacity for patience, kindness, tolerance, etc. Am I treating what I consider to be his "mistakes" with the same attitude that I would extend to a sick friend? Will I be better off when my time comes to step back, if I've watched and learned from this situation? All of that makes me want to puke, because damn it, I'm right. However, for now - just for today, I'm praying for the willingness to do nothing and learn/grow through this. Not "fixing" shit my way is hard.
  24. Some of us may remember Metro Airlines.
  25. Damn- I love that interior point on his left side. Very cool! Unique. That’s what makes a great buck IMO regardless of score. Congrats to all involved.
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