Lookin around, I Have A Choice

After reading Clint's latest blog, I thought, I'd better get blogging. I have a choice. I can choice to look at the cup as being "half empty or half full". I, like some others, have some negative stuff in my life ( if I choice to give it power by dwelling on it.) So, today's choice is to dwell on the good stuff.

Let me start by giving a run down on what I've been up to since I attended the workshop on Wednesday June 11, 2008, that next day Thursday, I worked an extra shift,(through an employment agency that I have work with since 1981) they placed me at a job I've worked at a lot and I enjoy. So,I am grateful my profession affords me the ability, to make an extra few bucks, once in a while.

Later, I had my guitar lesson and it went smooth, I am learning so much and having a lot of fun ( my guitar teacher is cool ).Friday the 13,June 2008, I had a nice day, I saw my chiropractor and than went and met with my sponsor ( both of them straighten me out ).

Saturday the 14 th I had my big debut and played guitar and sang at the Riverfront Musical Cultural Society. It was incredibly awesome. I played two songs. One, I had written. So, I told the story and history behind the song. I had Chris (The Crusher) on lead guitar, Joey (Bells) on the bass, and Joey (JC) on the djembe and Yes yours truly on rhythm guitar (My Hummingbird ). The second song was " The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot (1971).It was a truly exhilarating experience. Sunday was Fathers day, I got up and went to church with Christopher in the morning. I had a good day and saw Eric, and David called. I have the best kids.

This last week I worked Monday,Wednesday and Friday and have been trying to use the stuff I've learned in the workshop and connect a little better with my co-workers and even though it was busy the days seemed to go smoother.

Tuesday I had off work, and me and my lovely bride Brenda went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens and spent the day there and I took over 100 photos,than afterwards we went out to a Italian restraunt called " La Gra" ,in Dogtown , which means Love in Gaelic. We had such a nice day, and I am looking forward to the next time we go out. Thursday I had another guitar lesson and was taught "Walk The Line " by Johnny Cash.

Friday there was a convention downtown at the Millennium Hotel and I arrived just in time to hear a wonderful speaker with a good message.

Saturday, I went to a real life Country Party, for a good friend that just graduated with a baccalaureate degree in chemistry and is going to Ohio State University for Graduate studies. His name is Sean Whittemore, and he worked with Clint for awhile before college. His totally "Redneck" ( I mean that in an endearing way) Dad through the party. They roasted a pig, had some of the best food ever ( if you've ever been to a country event than you know what I am talking about), there was like 100 people there from all walks of life( country life ), They shot skeet with shotguns and fished and road 4 wheelers and shot off fireworks ( and Yes, the box did turn over and all hell broke loose), than they had a bon fire that you could easily see from outer space, and than we broke out the guitars and djembe drums and started jamming ,it was so cool. I really enjoyed my self, (did I mention the food was really good).

So today,I got up early 0830 am and went to church at 1000 am, it was nice, the message was something about having the courage to believe in God during the tough times. Than this afternoon some friends had a grand opening for a new Montessori school they are opening. I saw some old friends and saw some younger people's dreams coming true. Than this evening me and Chris weed-eated the yard, and than I went and took a Jacuzzi.

I just got off the phone with a sponcee I have in prison and I also talked with my sponsor. I was going to tell you about all my problems and I have seemed to have misplaced them so, I'll have to get back to ya on that.

Trying to connect......Peace, Love, and Respect....Tim

THE WORKSHOP IS AWESOME !

After reading the new book out entitled "Relationships For The Intimately Challenged" about connecting with family, friends and co-workers to create a more joyful life authored by Clint Stonebraker available through Meek publishing at http://www.meekpublishing.com/ ,I noticed a website at the end of the book http://www.clintstonebraker.com/ for more info. So, I checked out the site and noticed the author was coming to St Louis to conduct a workshop on Relationships for the intimately challenged. Now, having already read the book (and thoroughly enjoying it) I concluded that I was probably intimately challenged (I think part of being challenged is, you don't necessarily recognize it, yourself) So, I thought "what the hell, I think I'll go".
So, after working 12 hours at my job, I arrived at the Hilton Garden Center in Chesterfield Missouri just outside St Louis Mo at 7:30 pm Wednesday June 11,2008. I have known Clint for 10 years having met him when he was approximately 29 years old, now he is 39 years old. The gentleman I met on Wednesday night was an accumulation of 20 years of experience as a Counselor for families in crisis and the growth one obtains with 39 years of life's lessons. I thought to myself this is going to be intense and real. The business Center at the Hilton Gardens was a wonderful place for a workshop being both professional and yet intimate.With people socializing before the start of the workshop Clint was accessible walking around welcoming people. I went to find a seat in the back row( I didn't want to be made an example of as this is what a challenged person looks like) and besides the back row has always been mine. It's a place I can scan the whole room and not miss a thing.It started with Clint being introduced by Michael Weiland CASAC ."Mike" is known as the best interventionist in the country and also a family counselor for many years and the director of the Crossroads Program. The introduction was very intimate ( I will be using the term intimate alot from now on since my definition of intimacy has expanded).
With the introduction complete, Clint thanked Mike and took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie and got to work. Clint was very easy going and engaged with the participants only a few feet away, answering questions and giving all he had. One of the first things he did was disarm me by recognising how his friend had sat in the back row. The workshop lasted just over 3 hours. Afterwards, Clint stayed around answering questions and signing books.
It's funny you read a book. OK, you think, I read the words. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed but, OK I understand what the author is trying to say or the message that's trying to be conveyed. Well, I had never been to a workshop, conducted by the author, of a book I had just read. I am not capable of expressing all I got from this workshop. I am still absorbing and processing all the information I was given at the workshop. Also, I only have an Associates Degree and I had to take bone head English 3 times just to qualify to take English Composition. Evidently I write like I talk.I knew what I was saying but, without proper English grammar and training my message would not necessarily be expressed or could be interpreted differently than what I was trying to say. So, with that in mind, I am not going to give you a detailed word for word what was delivered at the workshop, you will just have to find out where one is going to be next and attend yourself because a big part of the workshop, is the experience of being there in the moment, experiencing it for yourself. What I got out of the workshop, another person might get something totally different, relating to there own unique situation. But what I will do is throw some words out there that are connected to some of the messages I am processing. Scripting, Fear vs Happiness, Connecting with people on an equal plane, Flexibility, Choice, Inspiration and Courage, Passion and Joy, Deeply connected intimate relationships, Define success?
After the workshop, I went up to the author and asked a couple of questions (I didn't want to ask during the workshop because I sit in the back row). I asked " Whats the drawback of not connecting on a deep intimate level with people and his answer was "being alone". So, I asked OK so lets say I have the inspiration and the courage to walk through my fear and make the choice to connect with people on a deep intimate level,what's the worst thing that could happen to me,"the worst case scenario" he answered " you could be hurt".
If you have the opportunity to read the new book Relationships For The Intimately Challenged about connecting with family, friends and co-workers to create a more joyful life, authored by Clint Stonebraker published by Meek Publishing at http://www.meekpublishing.com/ GET THE BOOK AND READ IT! If you have the opportunity to hear Clint Stonebraker speak BE THERE! It will be worth it. If you have the opportunity to attend one his workshops, it will literally change your life and how you look at things.
It has been 2 days since the workshop and this is the first time I have been able to sit and collect my thoughts. I have made a commitment to reread the book with this new perspective and am now on page one.I will keep you posted on my progress.....Peace,Love and Respect......Ponytail Tim

Along Spiritual Lines

The way I live my life, is by what's called,"Living a 12 Step Spiritual Program". For me, this means growing along spiritual lines, spiritual progress,( not perfection). So right up front let me say I am not a guru or Jesus freak(although I am cool with Jesus), or one of these people that tries to shove religion down your throat. I am a person that got into a situation where the only way out was by following the few other people that had made it out. Nothing else seemed to work except working a 12 step spiritual program, like NA, AA,ACOA, Alanon. I initialy got my teachings from the "Crossroads" program,where I was a member for 6 years and am now an alumni and friend of the program. While in Crossroads I was introduced to the other programs. The bases of my teaching is love, love for myself, love for God, and love for others. I believe every act of kindness gets me closer to paradise. I have seen the face of God in the face of a suffering man that starts to get better and eventually smiles. I don't pretend to understand everything thats going on, on this spiritual journey but I do believe that it's the path I need to be on. I am currently working Step one with my sponsor. I have continually worked the 12 steps for the last 10 years and have now gotten around to step one again. It's so cool because it offers freedom. The Step reads " We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable." Some of the spiritual principles that are gained are honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, acceptance, hope, surrender and freedom, plus many more. I hope this has helped some people to get to know me a little better. Also, I will be attending a workshop next week taught by Clint Stonebraker, the author of the book, I just read, entitled "Relationships for the Intimately challenged" published by Meek publishing. I will try to keep the blog thing going and blog more often.
Peace,Love, and Respect......Ponytail Tim.