Love to all. Even you.

New employee started today. It seems that she might completely rock in a totally new way. I think that one of my people was a tad nervous about the new hire, even though they are doing completely different things. And when this person gets nervous, she gets a little needy. Normally, that’s not a problem. Today, though, I was really focused on getting the new hire up to speed. I was really explicit about this, too.

Gotta work on those management skills, I guess.

Came home early to go the dermatologist to see if there was anything to treat my AssFace. Hee. I realize that makes no sense, but I just felt like writing that. Anyway. I came home early to see the dermatologist about getting a Narrowband UV Lamp for my house. Since UV is the only thing that really truly works for this crap, I tend towards tanning salons (which have a lot of the wrong kind of light). But I’m definitely getting too old to bake myself that way, so I’m going the medical route. Turns out, I have to do their onsite UV treatment for like two months before my insurance will cover an at-home thing. Bummer, bummer drag. Especially because the doc is near my house, and I work in Manhattan.

Anyway. Left the Doc’s, went to my car, and the car alarm went off. Couldn’t figure it out. I thought maybe the battery had died, and reset the alarm state. (There’s precedent for this.) Called Maggie, who came with jumpers. (Bless her heart, because she had a friend over.) But they didn’t help. The alarm just kept blaring, resetting, blaring, resetting etc. The kill switch was useless.

THEN, just before we left the car to call a tow truck, I noticed that the wires to the alarm’s killswitch had been disconnected. I didn’t have strippers, nor did I think the length of wire remaining would allow me to reconnect ‘em, so I left. We’ll get the car tomorrow.

Got home, the ceiling is leaking. The feed from one of the loos is faulty.

Then the diswasher detergent dispenser broke.

Then Maggie went to bed sick.

Then my daughter gave me attitude for like, three hours.

Then I wrote this.

Love to all. Even you, the vigorously smoking nurse standing just outside the doctor’s office.

In AA, we talk about serenity a lot. There’s the serenity prayer, which is said after most meetings… there’s lots of discussion about meditation (which is part of the 11th step)… and you’ll often hear comments form folks about getting serenity, having their serenity blown, etc.

Well. I’m not ready for serenity just yet.

My sponsor fired me. Nicely. He thinks that our lives had become a bit too intertwined for him to be able to give me good advice. I agree. He’s a good guy and I love him, but I was starting to find his behavior and advice a bit hypocritical and not in my best interest.

This had been coming for about six months, I think.

My ex-sponsor recommended a replacement. It was a terrible recommendation. He suggested this guy (who I know and like) because the guy has been sober for a while, and was looking for a sponsee. That’s fine, but the guy also has terrible marital troubles, and the one thing I’m looking for in a sponsor is someone who has found a way to make marriage work.

And work well.

I have a new sponsor already. Someone I’d been thinking about asking for while. A guy I thought of as my backup sponsor anyway. So that’s good. He’s a different kind of AA person. Less of a fundamentalist and more of a balance-is-everything kind of guy.

Which is where I need to be, I think. I’m not going to hit a meeting day, seven days a week. I think if I hit four or so, I’m in fine shape. I think that AA needs to be an important part of my life.. a CRITICAL part of my life, but it the operative word here is, of course, “part.”

I started back at my old home group this morning. I hadn’t been there in about three months. It was scary and nervewracking and utterly delightful. The other meetings I’ve gone to have been fine, mostly, but home is where the heart is… and for me, that’s The Breakfast Club. 7:30am. Manhattan.

Serenity can wait. I’ll take stability.

Love to all. Even you, the angry young man worried about his “stalker.”

This is pretty much my whole life, right here.

Love to all.

My five-year-old ran into kitchen and said: “Dad! Dad! Come look what I made!”

I went and looked.

He smiled: “I made an ENVELOPE!”

Love to all. Even you, the sad-eyed woman resignedly chatting up her Mom.

I just qualified for the 2007 NYC marathon with my 9th race of the year: the “Race to Deliver” in NYC’s Central Park.

Pace: 6:55
Gender Place: 286 out of 2424
Total Place: 312 out of 5093
Age Place: 127 out of 932

My shin splints were killing me the whole time, but fortunately it was only a 4 mile race. I’m pretty psyched to have done under 7 minutes under those conditions.

Anyway. I’m going to make chocolate chip cookies with my two youngest, then start cooking dinner: daddy’s special tacos for everyone!

Love to all. Even you, the dude who accidentally spit on the nice and speedy lady behind me.