In dealing with any crisis or illness, periphery members require as much support and attention as the members being treated. Especially in the case of alcoholism, family members surrounded by the affliction need positive tension toward healing. Al-anon is an organization that works in direct synchronization with Alcoholics Anonymous to help these family members in more aspects of alcoholism. It is often a piece if the healing puzzle that is undermined or mostly just left out entirely. Without direct support from family, an alcoholic cannot find the path to recovery; and in turn, without his or her own support system, fragile individuals dealing with alcoholism shouldn’t support themselves through the trials without a solid foundation. Al-anon is an organization that takes all these factors into consideration and outlines steps toward recovery formulated for the people affected by alcoholism. Louis Wilson founded Al-anon in the mid 1950’s in order to help people like herself, the wife of Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill Wilson. Before its official founding, relatives and friends usually met in support groups regarding support of the alcoholic anyways, however, usually with the alcoholic present. Al-anon formalized the idea of the necessity to separate the support groups of both the alcoholic and their families, because of the psychological diversity and emotional strain of proximity. Usual topics and tools of Al-anon include Steps, Traditions, and Concepts. These are the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions. The membership of Al-anon is very inclusive and doesn’t require any fees or induction, simply the acceptance of an alcoholic problem and an urge to seek help. The services include talk groups, therapist presence for advice and over half a century of comprehensive literature written by and for alcoholics and their families to continue understanding of the disease. Before organizations like AA and Al-anon, there was not a science or method to help families emotionally scarred by the negative effects of alcohol. In many ways, co-dependants, or people who change the way they act because of alcoholism, are largely unaware of their own mentality. Someone who is exposed to an alcoholic doesn’t necessarily condone the excessive drinking, but to accommodate or hide, the family member or friend will alter their own behavior in response to the negative circumstances that surround a drinking problem. This is both circumstantial events that the person is well aware of and also psychological that the person is largely unaware of. From the Al-anon book, one can read just a few of these issues, “If a man marries a woman because he was attracted by her warm maternal quality, as many alcoholics do, he is likely to be the dependent one. And she, attracted to him because of her unconscious desire to mother someone, will be the practical member of the family.” Other examples spread to the idea that children of alcoholics will automatically make calls, cancel appointments, fix mistakes, and other extents to hide a bought of an alcoholic episode. Later in life, that person will continue to cover up mistakes of others, regardless of whether or not they are an alcoholic. Also, alcoholism has been proven to have some roots in genes, so family members must be aware of the danger environmentally and biologically they are exposed to above an average person with alcohol. My aunt Patsy introduced the concept of Al-anon to me. She is the daughter of an alcoholic. I am the daughter of an alcoholic. She is the youngest. I am the youngest. Alcohol has been a presence in my own decisions since age eleven. My mother is the second oldest in a large family of seven with an alcoholic father. I never knew my grandfather was an alcoholic until my aunt brought up he Al-anon meeting ideas just three years ago. I have known that my father was an alcoholic since I was born; however, he has been sober since two years before I was even born. My sister, who’s 26 now, has mentioned stories recalling the stress of my mom driving my father around for several years after a DUI, their eventual separation and proximity to divorce. Though he doesn’t talk about it a lot, my dad attributes AA with saving his life. My mother doesn’t particularly address the topic, as it must have been a very stressful period, two small children, far from home, and an alcoholic husband. After he sobered up and I was born, he poured himself into his independent insurance business. His financial success gave me a comfortable life surpassing the childhoods of both my brother and sister. I have never seen him drink one drop of alcohol or touch any member of my family violently. However, the presence of alcohol, even its absence, is a potent force in my life now. My aunt models an openness and understanding of alcohol that should be modeled by everyone in my Irish Catholic extended families, in a pattern of denial and ignorance stretching several generations. She, as the youngest, saw much more negativity in her family with an alcoholic family. She doesn’t drink much herself. She openly talks about her tendencies as a codependent, like controlling situations that are not her decisions to make, stressing over small factors surrounding her family, and pushing her presence on those around her. She has only been drunk a few times, so she represents a poster child for Al-anon, but her strength comes more in her acceptance of the situation and in that recognition, dealing with her psychological irregularities. An outsider would see her as a model citizen. By going to Al-anon, she has fulfilled dealing with a second hand disease plaguing her her whole life. Though my mother is not only the daughter of an alcoholic, but also the wife of a recovered alcoholic. Despite, she has never ever gone to an Al-anon meeting, and I believe I have dealt with that negativity my whole life. While my mom is an admirable person in many respects, she deals with things extremely dysfunctionally. A codependent’s tendency to push has brought me to the brink with her too many times. After seeing my aunt’s positive reaction to Al-anon, I believe that anyone in contact with alcohol should go, simply to accept that there is a problem if anything else. At college, the excessive drinking is accepted as shenanigans, however, everyone will see how this wild oats sowing will eventually give way to addictions and alcoholism in the future amongst our peers. It’s crucial to deal with things that work. After talking to my dad, I truly believe that AA is the best way for alcoholics to recover from the addiction. After talking to my aunt, I think almost anyone would benefit from one or two Al-anon meetings. Me at 16: In retrospect, Admiral Nelson is sick and wrong.
I am from Colorado Spring, Colorado. Located hereare both Ted Haggert's New Life Church and Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family. Both are Christian organizations that openly condemn homosexuality. I'm straight. However, I have numerous gay friends. I love them all equally or more as my straight friends, without ever feeling the pressure to be gay myself, no rpressuring them to "pitch for the other team." I don't know why I like hanging out with gay people, I just end up doing it. Last summer, a group called Born Different set up in Colorado Springs with a mascot named Sherman, the puppy who moos: http://www.borndifferent.org/ In response to Sherman, focus on the Family asserted their lack of support with another dog who barks. The attempts were weak and made much less of an impact on the Colorado Springs population, even in the realm of Christian Conservatives. Not only was I raised in a Chrisitan Conservative household, I went to elementary school with the now notorious Ted Haggard's kids.
My junior year of high school, I went to Washington DC on a leadership conference. Throughout the week, oneof the most intense topics was the issue of gay marriage. Thanks to the debates I heard along with the friends I met in high school, that week solidified my stance that I can't tell anyone else that they can't have the same rights as me. With heterosexual marriage only having a 50% success rate at this point, why not throw in a few alternative casesto boost the ratings? Bush fired Rumsfeld didn't he? Anyway, when I came back from that trip, Bush proposed the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage all together. In direct opposition as a straight young female with her uber-Republican background, I joined a gay rights group and went with my best friend Lola to her upper class, private school prom.
Mydad called me a "queer" for going to prom with a girl. I was dating a guy at the time.
Finally, being from Colorado gives me the right to end this on a South Park note:
Blurted comments, little smiles, stolen glances, colloquial banter, ignored tones, grazed skin, shifted weight, confirmed sighs, raised eyebrows, tickled hairs, hushed laughter, white sins, racing thoughts, tilted heads, sudden nods: impersonal, warm, discrete, loving, distained, trite, harsh. No Matter hwat the intention or media these are the vehicles of everyday happiness. Humans are social creatures whether good or bad- my happiness is based on each exchange given to me. Alienation is the enemy but sel-evaluation is key. Come out of the shell, but only far enough so the neck stays protected in its vulnerability. Relativity of happiness is only another form of oppression. Where is this final definition of happiness and why is it so damn important to daily life. Is my happiness sociality? Where am I really willing to travel to find interaction? What willI give up? After my life begins to wind down, what do I do with all the wasted memory of the wrong communicators? Will it hurt less to part with people ever? Do I really want all the pain to go away each time I leave the 2 places I constantly straddle? Is that joy a by product of the pain?
1. Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
2. When Chuck Norris plays Oregon Trail his family does not die from cholera or dysentery, but rather roundhouse kicks to the face. He also requires no wagon, since he carries the oxen, axels, and buffalo meat on his back. He always makes it to Oregon before you.
3. Rather than being birthed like a normal child, Chuck Norris instead decided to punch his way out of his mother's womb. Shortly thereafter he grew a beard.
4. Chuck Norris recently had the idea to sell his urine as a canned beverage. We know this beverage as Red Bull.
5. Chuck Norris built a time machine and went back in time to stop the JFK assassination. As Oswald shot, Chuck met all three bullets with his beard, deflecting them. JFK's head exploded out of sheer amazement.
6. Chuck Norris's girlfriend once asked him how much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. He then shouted, "HOW DARE YOU RHYME IN THE PRESENCE OF CHUCK NORRIS!" and ripped out her throat. Holding his girlfriend's bloody throat in his hand he bellowed, "Don't fuck with Chuck!" Two years and five months later he realized the irony of this statement and laughed so hard that anyone within a hundred mile radius of the blast went deaf.
7. Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.
8. To prove it isn't that big of a deal to beat cancer. Chuck Norris smoked 15 cartons of cigarettes a day for 2 years and aquired 7 different kinds of cancer only to rid them from his body by flexing for 30 minutes. Beat that, Lance Armstrong.
9. The original theme song to the Transformers was actually "Chuck Norris--more than meets the eye, Chuck Norris--robot in disguise," and starred Chuck Norris as a Texas Ranger who defended the earth from drug-dealing Decepticons and could turn into a pick-up. This was far too much awesome for a single show, however, so it was divided.
10. Chuck Norris was the fourth Wiseman. He brought baby Jesus the gift of "beard". Jesus wore it proudly to his dying day. The other Wisemen, jealous of Jesus' obvious gift favoritism, used their combined influence to have Chuck omitted from the Bible. Shortly after all three died of roundhouse kick related deaths.
11. Chuck Norris lives by only one rule: No fat Chicks.
12. When Chuck Norris's wife burned the turkey one Thanksgiving, Chuck said, "Don't worry about it honey," and went into his backyard. He came back five minutes later with a live turkey, ate it whole, and when he threw it up a few seconds later it was fully cooked and came with cranberry sauce. When his wife asked him how he had done it, he gave her a roundhouse kick to the face and said, "Never question Chuck Norris."
13. Chuck Norris once shot a German plane down with his finger, by yelling, "Bang!"
14. A man once asked Chuck Norris if his real name is "Charles". Chuck Norris did not respond, he simply stared at him until he exploded.
15. Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
16. Chuck Norris can make a woman climax by simply pointing at her and saying "booya".
17. Chuck Norris once went to a frat party, and proceeded to roundhouse every popped collar in sight. He then drank three kegs and shit on their floor, just because he's Chuck Norris.
18. Before each filming of Walker: Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris is injected with five times the lethal dose of elephant tranquilzer. This is, of course, to limit his strength and mobility, in an attempt to lower the fatality rate of the actors he fights.
19. Chuck Norris took my virginity, and he will sure as hell take yours. If you're thinking to yourself, "That's impossible, I already lost my virginity.", then you are dead wrong.
20. Chuck Norris found out about Conan O'Brien's lever that shows clips from "Walker: Texas Ranger" and is working on a way to make it show clips of Norris having sex with Conan's wife.
21. The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.
22. Chuck Norris doesn't have normal white blood cells like you and I. His have a small black ring around them. This signifies that they are black belts in every form of martial arts and they roundhouse kick the shit out of viruses. That's why Chuck Norris never gets ill.
23. Chuck Norris frequently signs up for beginner karate classes, just so he can "accidentally" beat the shit out of little kids.
24. Chuck Norris once tried to sue Burger King after they refused to put razor wire in his Whopper Jr., insisting that that actually is "his" way.
25. One of the greatest cover-ups of the last century was the fact that Hitler did not commit suicide in his bunker, but was in fact tea-bagged to death by Chuck Norris.
26. Chuck Norris punched a woman in the vagina when she didn't give him exact change.
27. Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
28. After much debate, President Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima rather than the alternative of sending Chuck Norris. His reasoning? It was more "humane".
29. If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death.
30. Chuck Norris ruins the endings of Harry Potter books for children who just bought one for the hell of it. When they start crying Chuck Norris calmly says, "I'll give you something to cry about," and roundhouse kicks them in the face.
stupid title there are no ashes, but i hated my old LJ so here's my new on, i am working on a new layout and what not , meh but here it is a clean start i know you wanna know what it means it means hot passion in gaelic
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