Milestones and new stuff..

Wow, it's been a while and we have been a busy bee this week... (still love referring to myself in the third person--so Hollywood). Steve, aka the frequent driver, was down for another interview in the Phoenix area by way of Billings, Montana... (his brother lives there). He checked in at the "Holiday Jim" on Tuesday night and stayed until Saturday evening. Unfortunately, the company he interviewed with did not call him back and he is off now to Los Angeles and points north. So now I must prepare the guest room for my next visitor arriving next week, dear friend Sue from Pennsylvania. I have known Sue for ever... (was best man at her wedding and godfather to her son). We lost touch after her ex-husband and I had an altercation (non-physical) and ended our friendship much like she ended their marriage for reasons I will not go into in this public forum out of respect for her. She called and needed to get away for a while and I invited her to come out here and she agreed. Can't wait to see her and show her around my little piece of paradise. I warned her that she might not want to return to Pennsylvania, but she is coming anyway. Good thing she's coming next week. The "cold" snap is passed (temps in the 70's during the day and cold at night) and the weather will return to the 90's by Tuesday or Wednesday. Brrrrrrrr! (Sorry, East Coast).

Also, I am pleased to announce that sister Sheryl will be in Phoenix for 4 days in May on a work assignment... (hopefully she will have time to see big brother for dinner or lunch or both). So my social calendar is filling in nicely for May. Toss in the move at the end of the month (turned in my letter of "Intent to Vacate" at the office in Chandler) and ASU graduation ceremonies and several golf tournaments coming up and your intrepid author should have plenty to blog about to keep my readers entertained. Speaking of entertaining, I got a call from the security company on Wednesday to do a three night gig at ASU. I was to work at the Sigma Chi fraternity house on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm until 3am. I was given the contact person's name and number and no further information. I called him and we met outside the house on Thursday night. He gave me a list of the people allowed in the house and was told that anyone not on the list was not allowed in... (all I needed was a velvet rope. "Sorry, son, you're not on the list"). Apparently, they are on "double secret probation" (Animal House reference--classic! "Eric Stratford, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you!"). ASU is looking for a reason to close down fraternity row. They gave me a chair and I sat there until 3am checking names and trying to stay warm... (unsuccessfully. I was freezing). The frat brothers provided the entertainment on Thursday night with "Parking Garage Frisbee". Across the street from the house was a six floor parking garage. One guy armed with 3 frisbees went to the sixth floor and sent the discs flying to the others below. Much running and jumping came as they chased down the frisbees. After the 3 were sent down, they put them on the elevator and sent them back up to the sixth floor for another round. I had a great seat to watch the action. Then a round of frisbee golf around the grounds and finally in for the night around 2:30am. I signed off at 3am and got to sleep around 4 Friday morning.

Needless to say my sleep patterns were severely disturbed by these three days, but 5 hours of sitting and shivering (even with additional layers I was still cold--where the heck did all my blood go?) was a cakewalk compared to 18 hours in the blistering sun in a parking lot on my feet the whole time. The frat boys knew the deal and were very cooperative on Friday and Saturday until around 2:30am when a shooting match ensued in the house over someone urinating in the hallway (kids!). After many f bombs and threats of potential ass kickings, the house calmed down and the security guy was not needed as a referee (like I would have been able to break up a melee). The offending urine was cleaned up (I hope) and order was restored amongst the inebriated brethren... (reminded me of many bygone days...some remembered, most not). I left at 3 with green fee money in the bank and no altercations to report.

Speaking of bygone days, last Wednesday marked a very special day in the life of the Arizona Kid. Wednesday, April 28 marked 15 years clean and sober for yours truly. I wish to thank those who were kind enough to call and deeply appreciate their congratulations. I wish also to thank all family and friends who know my situation... (even though I may not have reached out to you personally, I knew you were rooting and praying for me to succeed and knowing that you were in my corner provided me with the confidence to look myself in the eye and say "I'm not going to drink today"). No matter what anyone thinks, no alcoholic or addict can do it on their own. I am deeply proud of this milestone but remain humble enough to realize that it could all be gone in an instant should I let my guard down. No matter how cliche "One day at a time" sounds, it works, and not just in recovery. It is the way I live my life in all things. No one is promised more than today and we should all live it to the fullest. My readers know that this is what I do and my blogs are a testament to that philosophy. Fifteen years clean is not just my accomplishment, it is all of yours and I love and appreciate you all. God Bless You...