Recovery aa - WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME

Author

WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME

Tim and Lisa

2004-12-23, 11:06 am

As I was growing up, Christmas was all about family. It meant spending the
night before at Gramma and Grampa's house, eating all the traditional grub:
ham, mashed potatoes, salad, corn, and Gramma's famous dinner rolls
smothered in butter (not margarine, not oleo, good old fashioned fat-laden
butter). It meant scarfing down the food as fast as we could swallow so we
could hurry up and get to the presents (Gramma's gifts always beat anything
Santa brought hands down). It meant joining in the production line of women
washing, drying and putting away dish after dish until there was not even
one piece of evidence that guests had been over. It meant driving home in
the cold, dark, snowy night barely able to keep eyes open to view all the
decorative homes. It meant waking up Christmas morning earlier than any
other morning of the year just to investigate the new pile of gifts left by
our late night visitor, waiting with unnerving anticipation for Mom and Dad
to awaken. It meant the entire family hanging out in the living room in our
warm fuzzy pj's relishing in the mess left by the cyclone that had ripped
through earlier, sipping on hot cocoa and laughing at the dog and cat play
with the remnants of wrapping paper. Laughter, I remember lots of laughter.

Then I grew up, moved away and Christmas got different, real different. For
the next 20 years Christmas was just another day. No snow, no presents, no
family, no special dinners, not a single warm memory. What it became was a
day to celebrate, commiserate, inebriate, obliterate and then be done with.
The only gift I wanted, or needed was something to help me forget. Forget
the happy days long past and the miserable loneliness of the present. I
remember crying, lots of tears.

Today it still doesn't snow in Southern California, I won't be receiving
many gifts, nor will my family be present, but still I feel the excitement
building up. This Christmas I have so much to be grateful for! I have a
family of my own that includes two little girls who are by far the sweetest,
most beautiful creatures I have ever known. I have a home with all the
necessary requirements working and paid for. I have a cupboard and
refrigerator filled with food handpicked, purchased and to be prepared by
Tim, my soul mate and father of my children. I have good friends whom I can
count on in times of trouble and cheer. I have a close relationship with my
parents via telephone and web cam. I have everything I need, nearly
everything I could want and one thing I never even dreamed of: I have my
sobriety, the most important thing of all; the one single thing that allows
me all of the above pleasures and more.

So this Christmas after delighting in the joy our three-year-old has opening
her gifts, after woofing down the Prime Rib at the sister-in-law's house and
before heading home to relax in the aftermath of the day, our family will
attend a meeting, our home-meeting to be exact. I will pay homage to the
12-step program that saved our lives, we will visit with our friends in the
fellowship and I will share my gratitude with others as I have shared with
you today.

Mark Warner

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Lisa wrote:
>
> So this Christmas after delighting in the joy our three-year-old has
> opening her gifts, after woofing down the Prime Rib at the
> sister-in-law's house and before heading home to relax in the
> aftermath of the day, our family will attend a meeting, our
> home-meeting to be exact.

Enjoy your holidays, Lisa.

Now, something for you to think about... please consider reconfiguring
your newsreader with separate accounts or identities so we can determine
up front whether it's you or Tim posting. I see you use Outlook Express,
as do I. I know the ins and outs of that program pretty well, and would
be happy to walk you through the process if that would be helpful.

--
Mark Warner
lose .inhibitions when replying

Ted L.

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

In article <cCByd.32382$nP1.23702@twister.socal.rr.com>, Tim and Lisa
<tworkman1@socal.rr.com> wrote:

> This Christmas I have ... I have
>
> I have ...
> I have ...
> I have ...
> I have ...
> I have ...
> I have...

T'ain't what Christmas means to me at all.
Methinks this "attitude of gratitude" deal can be overdone.

--
Ted L.

Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini.

F.H.

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Ted L. wrote:
> In article Tim and Lisa wrote:

[vbcol=seagreen]
[vbcol=seagreen]
> T'ain't what Christmas means to me at all.
> Methinks this "attitude of gratitude" deal can be overdone.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/artic...RTICLE_ID=42027

Craig S.

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

"Mark Warner" <mhwarner.inhibitions@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:330gvoF3r6a8fU1@individual.net...
> Lisa wrote:
>
> Enjoy your holidays, Lisa.
>
> Now, something for you to think about... please consider reconfiguring
> your newsreader with separate accounts or identities so we can determine
> up front whether it's you or Tim posting. I see you use Outlook Express,
> as do I. I know the ins and outs of that program pretty well, and would
> be happy to walk you through the process if that would be helpful.

Control freak.

Mark Warner

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Craig S. wrote:
> "Mark Warner" wrote:
>
> Control freak.

That's MR Control Freak to you, asshat.

--
Mark Warner
lose .inhibitions when replying

Tim and Lisa

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

F.H.

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Mark Warner wrote:

> Now, something for you to think about... please consider reconfiguring
> your newsreader with separate accounts or identities so we can determine
> up front whether it's you or Tim posting.

See Gary's post.

Craig S.

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

"Tim and Lisa" <tworkman1@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:sJEyd.39955$gd.39733@twister.socal.rr.com...
>
> "Mark Warner" <mhwarner.inhibitions@insightbb.com> wrote in message
> news:330gvoF3r6a8fU1@individual.net...
>
> Happy Holidays to you too Mark.

That's the most polite 'shove it' I've ever seen.

Mark Warner

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

F.H. wrote:
> Mark Warner wrote:
>
>
> See Gary's post.

Gary who?

F.H.

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Mark Warner wrote:
> F.H. wrote:
>
[vbcol=seagreen]
[vbcol=seagreen]
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Gary who?

Yes.

Frank Who.

nomad

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Mark Warner wrote:
|| Lisa wrote:
|||
||| So this Christmas after delighting in the joy our three-year-old has
||| opening her gifts, after woofing down the Prime Rib at the
||| sister-in-law's house and before heading home to relax in the
||| aftermath of the day, our family will attend a meeting, our
||| home-meeting to be exact.
||
|| Enjoy your holidays, Lisa.
||
|| Now, something for you to think about... please consider
|| reconfiguring your newsreader with separate accounts or identities
|| so we can determine up front whether it's you or Tim posting. I see
|| you use Outlook Express, as do I. I know the ins and outs of that
|| program pretty well, and would be happy to walk you through the
|| process if that would be helpful.
||
|| --
|| Mark Warner
|| lose .inhibitions when replying

There is NO need for all that separate ID b.s.. All they have to do, at the
bottom of their post is to sign it either Tim OR Lisa. Sheesh. Big deal.

nomad

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Mark Warner wrote:
|| Craig S. wrote:
||| "Mark Warner" wrote:
||||
|||| Now, something for you to think about... please consider
|||| reconfiguring your newsreader with separate accounts or identities
|||| so we can determine up front whether it's you or Tim posting. I see
|||| you use Outlook Express, as do I. I know the ins and outs of that
|||| program pretty well, and would be happy to walk you through the
|||| process if that would be helpful.
|||
||| Control freak.
||
|| That's MR Control Freak to you, asshat.

And let's hope the Mrs. puts on her strap on and REALLY gives you a
Christmas Eve reaming.

||
|| --
|| Mark Warner
|| lose .inhibitions when replying

David M

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

Ted L. wrote:
> In article <330tu4F3njd0dU1@individual.net>, Mark Warner
> <mhwarner.inhibitions@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>
> Which post?

And who's on first?

Tim and Lisa

2004-12-23, 7:06 pm

"nomad" <startrek@quadrant.com> wrote in message
news:%OHyd.18436$dv1.12621@edtnps89...
> Mark Warner wrote:
> || Lisa wrote:
> |||
> ||| So this Christmas after delighting in the joy our three-year-old has
> ||| opening her gifts, after woofing down the Prime Rib at the
> ||| sister-in-law's house and before heading home to relax in the
> ||| aftermath of the day, our family will attend a meeting, our
> ||| home-meeting to be exact.
> ||
> || Enjoy your holidays, Lisa.
> ||
> || Now, something for you to think about... please consider
> || reconfiguring your newsreader with separate accounts or identities
> || so we can determine up front whether it's you or Tim posting. I see
> || you use Outlook Express, as do I. I know the ins and outs of that
> || program pretty well, and would be happy to walk you through the
> || process if that would be helpful.
> ||
> || --
> || Mark Warner
> || lose .inhibitions when replying
>
> There is NO need for all that separate ID b.s.. All they have to do, at
> the bottom of their post is to sign it either Tim OR Lisa. Sheesh. Big
> deal.
>
>
>

Me myself it don't matter who signs what, signature never meant anything
much to me.

nomad

2004-12-24, 2:06 am

Tim and Lisa wrote:
|| "nomad" <startrek@quadrant.com> wrote in message
|| news:%OHyd.18436$dv1.12621@edtnps89...
||| Mark Warner wrote:
||||| Lisa wrote:
||||||
|||||| So this Christmas after delighting in the joy our three-year-old
|||||| has opening her gifts, after woofing down the Prime Rib at the
|||||| sister-in-law's house and before heading home to relax in the
|||||| aftermath of the day, our family will attend a meeting, our
|||||| home-meeting to be exact.
|||||
||||| Enjoy your holidays, Lisa.
|||||
||||| Now, something for you to think about... please consider
||||| reconfiguring your newsreader with separate accounts or identities
||||| so we can determine up front whether it's you or Tim posting. I
||||| see you use Outlook Express, as do I. I know the ins and outs of
||||| that program pretty well, and would be happy to walk you through
||||| the process if that would be helpful.
|||||
||||| --
||||| Mark Warner
||||| lose .inhibitions when replying
|||
||| There is NO need for all that separate ID b.s.. All they have to
||| do, at the bottom of their post is to sign it either Tim OR Lisa.
||| Sheesh. Big deal.
|||
|||
|||
||
|| Me myself it don't matter who signs what, signature never meant
|| anything much to me.

Doesn't matter to me, either. However, the control freaks here seem to
differ.

Ted L.

2004-12-24, 2:06 am

In article <IiEyd.7252$L7.6412@trnddc05>, F.H. <connectu2@verizon.net>
wrote:

> http://worldnetdaily.com/news/artic...RTICLE_ID=42027

Now that sure sends an inconsistent message!
Or does it...

--
Ted L.

Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini.

F.H.

2004-12-24, 2:06 am

nomad wrote:
> Tim and Lisa wrote:
> || perv wrote in message:

> ||| Mark Warner wrote:

> ||| There is NO need for all that separate ID b.s.. All they have to
> ||| do, at the bottom of their post is to sign it either Tim OR Lisa.
> ||| Sheesh. Big deal.

> || Me myself it don't matter who signs what, signature never meant
> || anything much to me.

> Doesn't matter to me, either. However, the control freaks here seem to
> differ.

Yet you continue to change yours.

F.H.

2004-12-24, 2:06 am

Ted L. wrote:
> In article <IiEyd.7252$L7.6412@trnddc05>, F.H. <connectu2@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Now that sure sends an inconsistent message!
> Or does it...

Maybe it's a subtle message to Pat and Jerry to f__k off for a while.

Everett D.

2004-12-24, 11:06 am

in article e5Pyd.2490$Y57.1262@trnddc08, F.H. at connectu2@verizon.net wrote
on 12/24/04 12:57 AM:

> nomad wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yet you continue to change yours.

Well, nothing from Tim&Lisa shows up in my newsreader anymore, so I won't
see Lisa's posts unless she reconfigures. After that "Jews are evil" crap I
tossed Tim in the bit bucket...I don't think there's any way I can be of any
help to him, and reading his garbage sure isn't helping ME, so why raise my
blood pressure?

I'd certainly be willing to hear wht Lisa has to say (even though she has
married a complete asshat), but not at the cost of reading her husband.

Ev

Tim and Lisa

2004-12-24, 11:06 am

"Everett D." <everetthdyson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:BDF17B71.24B4%everetthdyson@yahoo.com...
> in article e5Pyd.2490$Y57.1262@trnddc08, F.H. at connectu2@verizon.net
> wrote
> on 12/24/04 12:57 AM:
>
>
>
> Well, nothing from Tim&Lisa shows up in my newsreader anymore, so I won't
> see Lisa's posts unless she reconfigures. After that "Jews are evil" crap
> I
> tossed Tim in the bit bucket...I don't think there's any way I can be of
> any
> help to him, and reading his garbage sure isn't helping ME, so why raise
> my
> blood pressure?
>
> I'd certainly be willing to hear wht Lisa has to say (even though she has
> married a complete asshat), but not at the cost of reading her husband.
>
> Ev
>

The way I see is maybe you got some more work to do, If you read it and
don't like it or disagree with it , and it raise our blood pressure ect. If
it don't apply, let it fly, if it hits, let it stick. go figure?

nomad

2004-12-24, 7:06 pm

F.H. wrote:
|| nomad wrote:
||| Tim and Lisa wrote:
||||| perv wrote in message:
||
|||||| Mark Warner wrote:
||
||
|||||| There is NO need for all that separate ID b.s.. All they have to
|||||| do, at the bottom of their post is to sign it either Tim OR
|||||| Lisa. Sheesh. Big deal.
||
||||| Me myself it don't matter who signs what, signature never meant
||||| anything much to me.
||
||| Doesn't matter to me, either. However, the control freaks here seem
||| to differ.
||
|| Yet you continue to change yours.

All the better to thwart, even temporarily, those enemies of freedom of
speech.

nomad

2004-12-24, 7:06 pm

Tim and Lisa wrote:
|| "Everett D." <everetthdyson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
|| news:BDF17B71.24B4%everetthdyson@yahoo.com...
||| in article e5Pyd.2490$Y57.1262@trnddc08, F.H. at
||| connectu2@verizon.net wrote
||| on 12/24/04 12:57 AM:
|||
|||| nomad wrote:
||||| Tim and Lisa wrote:
||||||| perv wrote in message:
||||
|||||||| Mark Warner wrote:
||||
||||
|||||||| There is NO need for all that separate ID b.s.. All they have
|||||||| to do, at the bottom of their post is to sign it either Tim
|||||||| OR Lisa. Sheesh. Big deal.
||||
||||||| Me myself it don't matter who signs what, signature never meant
||||||| anything much to me.
||||
||||| Doesn't matter to me, either. However, the control freaks here
||||| seem to differ.
||||
|||| Yet you continue to change yours.
|||
|||
||| Well, nothing from Tim&Lisa shows up in my newsreader anymore, so I
||| won't see Lisa's posts unless she reconfigures. After that "Jews
||| are evil" crap I
||| tossed Tim in the bit bucket...I don't think there's any way I can
||| be of any
||| help to him, and reading his garbage sure isn't helping ME, so why
||| raise my
||| blood pressure?
|||
||| I'd certainly be willing to hear wht Lisa has to say (even though
||| she has married a complete asshat), but not at the cost of reading
||| her husband.
|||
||| Ev
|||
||
|| The way I see is maybe you got some more work to do, If you read it
|| and don't like it or disagree with it , and it raise our blood
|| pressure ect. If it don't apply, let it fly, if it hits, let it
|| stick. go figure?

Ev is just a died in the wool DEMONrat/DUMBocrat looking for ANY excuse to
dis you.

2004-12-24, 7:06 pm

"Tim and Lisa" <tworkman1@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:GEVyd.35062$nP1.5590@twister.socal.rr.com...
>
> "Everett D." <everetthdyson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:BDF17B71.24B4%everetthdyson@yahoo.com...
I won't[vbcol=seagreen]
evil" crap[vbcol=seagreen]
be of[vbcol=seagreen]
raise[vbcol=seagreen]
she has[vbcol=seagreen]
husband.[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> The way I see is maybe you got some more work to do,

Tim

Why ? In real life (ie not this cyberworld), it's usually possible
to walk away from someone who's become a bore. Is it wrong for
someone to here exercise that same choice ?

JB

2004-12-24, 7:06 pm

"nomad" <startrek@quadrant.com> wrote in message
news:la_yd.13749$nN6.3246@edtnps84...
> F.H. wrote:
> || nomad wrote:
> ||| Tim and Lisa wrote:
> ||||| perv wrote in message:
> ||
> |||||| Mark Warner wrote:
> ||
> ||
> |||||| There is NO need for all that separate ID b.s.. All they have
to
> |||||| do, at the bottom of their post is to sign it either Tim OR
> |||||| Lisa. Sheesh. Big deal.
> ||
> ||||| Me myself it don't matter who signs what, signature never
meant
> ||||| anything much to me.
> ||
> ||| Doesn't matter to me, either. However, the control freaks here
seem
> ||| to differ.
> ||
> || Yet you continue to change yours.
>
> All the better to thwart, even temporarily, those enemies of freedom
of
> speech.

I've seen no evidence of anyone here being denied the right to say
exactly what they want to. You want folk to be denied their right to
choose whose utterances to "listen" to ?

JB

Tim and Lisa

2004-12-24, 7:06 pm

"JB" <JBCatRB@coldman.com> wrote in message
news:cqhrei$s1h$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Tim and Lisa" <tworkman1@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:GEVyd.35062$nP1.5590@twister.socal.rr.com...
> I won't
> evil" crap
> be of
> raise
> she has
> husband.
>
> Tim
>
> Why ? In real life (ie not this cyberworld), it's usually possible
> to walk away from someone who's become a bore. Is it wrong for
> someone to here exercise that same choice ?
>
> JB
>
>
>
>
>

Ok I see your point. Who am I to define someone else's limatations or
boundaries? Allthough Everett can't read this, I apologize to him for
passing judgment.

Mark Warner

2004-12-25, 7:06 pm

F.H. wrote:
> Mark Warner wrote:
>
>
> See Gary's post.

Gary who?

2004-12-27, 4:06 am

Mark Warner

2004-12-28, 7:07 pm

Tim and Lisa

2004-12-28, 7:07 pm

F.H.

2004-12-28, 7:07 pm

Craig S.

2004-12-28, 7:07 pm

F.H.

2004-12-28, 7:07 pm

Ted L.

2004-12-28, 7:07 pm

F.H.

2004-12-28, 7:07 pm