Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

[Kid Shelleen]

:welcome: Here we go!!

[Kid Shelleen]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Where's that rooster??

My Modder friends,
Welcome to a brand new week! It's Monday again; my favorite day. I got up early as the women-folk, Cat and Honey-haired-girl, are taking up their new President's "call to volunteerism" here in the states, on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. They volunteered to help clean and paint at a children's home. (I volunteered to make them breakfast!):H
Eve: Catch up, Girlie! Zed told us last month to see "Slumdog Millionaire"! He always gets everything first,doesn't he? Wasn't it a GREAT movie, though? I bet it gets some awards!
Lena and Sunbeam: Yup! "Cat Ballou"...See my avatar??That's where the name came from. A drunken gunslinger who cleans up his act (at least temporarily) to help the girl he is secretly in love with. It WAS a hokey movie, but as a kid it made an impression (Lee Marvin did a GREAT job) so when I cleaned up MY act and needed a new handle for MWO, I remembered Kid Shelleen...And I get to spin a gun around on my finger.
Booklvr: Welcome!!! Does your name mean that you love to read, or that you "love by the book"..and just WHAT book might that be??
((Tawny)) Hi!!! See you next week!!
Ask: I agree; let's do a little better this week. I found myself indulging a little more than I intended also. Maybe we'll PACT or something; we'll see.
Hi Lila, Sara,Zed,DeeBee, Vera and EVERYONE ELSE!!
I love Mondays!!!
Have a great one everybody!
~The (formerly) Drunken Gunslinger...Kid Shelleen ~

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Hello fellow Modders,

Back to work today (snif) and tomorrow is back to school for my daughter so we have been dashing around doing some last minute stationery shopping and trying to find the "perfect" bag.
Shame, she is so nervous about starting High School and not knowing anyone there -- I just know she is going to love it tho.

Ask, 14 year's is such a tough age, isin't it! One minute my daughter will tell me how much she loves me and that I'm the bestest Mum in the world and the next minute she is sulking and telling me I'm the worst -- hang in there, you are a GREAT Mom!!

Zed, WOW!! I just loved your story about Goa -- you are so clever with words that I feel like you are taking me on an exotic trip whenever I read one of your posts.

Eve, how are you doing?

Book, welcome!! When you are ready, feel free to share a bit about yourself. We are here to support and help you so please put your hand up:-)

Tawny, it's always great to *see* you. And to have a long time MWO-er support our wonderful thread is just the cherry on top.

Lena, I just loved your post about this thread being a soft place to land!! You put it so well and yes I get what you mean about it "being a jungle out there" which is why I have found most of my time and energy is focused here on this thread, where I respect everyone and it is recipocated.

Delta Moon, what an awesome name!! Great job on achieving your goal of 14 days AF!! Onwards and upwards to even greater things, huh!

Sara, you posted an interesting question for me when you spoke about St J being thought of a man. When I first joined MWO, I was very green as far as joining groups, chatting and what-not goes so I was rather hesitant to let those that I did *meet* who I really was. But with time I realised that it would not help me by trying to fool others into thinking I was something I was not. That is where AL comes into it for me -- I often used it to hide or pretend that I was something that I'm not (chatty, outgoing blah, blah, blah). I think what I'm trying to say is that if I did pretend I would not have had the ups and downs and with it the growth that I have experienced here at MWO.

Kid, I think I did the 60 days AF to break the cycle. And to get a wonderful sense of achievement - damn was I proud of myself! I never thought I could do it -- in fact it was never part of my plan, but for me personally it worked wonders.

Vera, you busy bee you! I can just imagine you flying around the place getting everything accomplished in half the time. I am looking forward to watching the innaugaration this evening -- they are making quite a big deal out of it here in my little world, so it will be fun for me to watch what is happening in the world of my MWO friends.

Welcome Back Peri, I missed you! Sorry to hear about your friend passing away. I feel for you with your internet connection - we have been hit by lightening no less than 4 times recently.

Sun, you hit the nail on the head when you said "We gain emotional strength each month that passes."
I have been going helter skelter in the garden last week but now that I'm back at work I can only stare out the window at all my beautiful seedlings which are popping up -- I find it so satisfying planting a seed only to see and little green stalk pop up a couple of days later.

Vladster, where art tho??? Come on, come and pop in and say hi -- I miss you.

Righteo, I'm off to cover some MORE books in plastic, catch everyone later.
Hugs to all
Dee

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Oops, forgot to include my gratitude for today....

I am grateful for finding My Way Out! I'm not out of the woods yet, but in the 6 months that I have been here the "ups" sure outway the "downs" and through it all I have always recieved support and encouragement from my friends here -- thank you:-)

[Delta Moon]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

G'day all.
Still AF and loving life!
Made it thru the weekend blues club, football games (go Cardinals!) and all with no AL. I really feel the cds have made a major contribution. (Thanks ,Eve) I have used them daily this week as H is out of town.

DeeBee it was so good to see you here today. I love the daily gratitude. I too am SO thankful for MWO and my dear loving friend who cared enough about me to lead me here.

Zed I pray that someday I will experience life with the sensitivity and awareness you have achieved. You are a blessing to us all.

Kid - thanks for starting the thread for the week. You are a great leader.

I look forward to hearing from the squad and any lurkers about.

May your day be filled with love and peace.

[zed]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Ok girls & boys,

I almost didn't but I made it out for some exercise. Time was short, but I got a good 30 mins on the bike and I pedaled away, and I am so glad I went. Here's to us all getting in a bit more exercise this year than we did last year. I hope we all make it a point to 'raise the stakes' just a little on our own terms. We all know what we do normally, so I'm pacting with you all (you have no choice!) that we all do just a wee bit little more movement this year on a regular basis than we did before. C'mon guys... some of you are way ahead of me and way more active, so you are inspiration, but some of you (kid, I'm talking to you) need to renew that gym membership - or take a walk to the gym and back every day at least. Ok enough of the nagging. I know you walk Lazy Dog, so... you're doing your thing. I shouldn't nag. I'm probably the laziest one of us. Ha ha. :H

Deebs it was so nice to see a long post from you after quite a long time, and to hear that Deebers I love, and your warm exciting energy for Life. You are really great sis. Cheers to you. I hope the business picks up this year, and stay well away from the lightening dear. Not that I need to tell you that, you are an expert at living in the country, in nature, and you could teach me a thing or three, without doubt.

Did I ever tell you guys about the time I got struck by lightening? Geez. Well, not me directly, but the telephone pole outside my home... while I was talking on the telephone. Luckily I flew 10 feet and got detached from the phone, thought I did feel in that moment that the side of my face had blown off. BAMMMM! What a noise. Luckily it didn't, and I somehow survived.

Vera, you are too kind. Over the last few years I have worked hard and consciously on myself to make myself a better being, a better person, but needless to say I am a work in progress as are we all. I used to be a real prick, and I still can be I guess. But yes, you are right. It is her loss. That thought though, brings me no joy. Revenge is only pleasurable for a moment, and finally it's ones own heart to deal with, to try and heal... that's the real work... revenge and anger, they end up not being so important, ironically. Finally all one wants to do is get on with it, hopefully survive and move on, picking up the pieces and somehow keep going without becoming the thing one despises most. I have always thought since, that the worst crime there is in breaking someone else's heart is not the breaking of a heart... but what that does or can do to that person... to take away that person's innocence, sense of love and trust... that's the worst part of being irresponsible and selfish.

Which takes me to Lena. Trust... you know what? For me, I had no option... I just had to keep on trusting. If I had stopped trusting the idea of Love, I would have lost the most precious thing inside me. That would have been my death (before death), and the forces that challenged me and tried to break me, they would have won. So, I somehow, even after that horrific time, somehow didn't give up on the idea of Love... I didn't lose my trust in that. And I am glad I didn't. Because just as I was withering away, I reached back out to the Universe... I gave myself to It.... and It gave back to me just at that final moment after which I probably would have begun to give up on myself... and the idea of Love. It was kind of a miracle what happened after I lost myself, and my heart. I found my heart, and myself, just at that very moment... when I hit rock-bottom it's a strange wonderful story what happened. That's not to say of course that it wasn't painful and the memories of that time still don't pain me... it's still a crushing feeling... but I was unvanquished... my heart was unvanquished... because I was given a life-line just at the end by the Universe. I asked for Grace, and I was given it. I am very lucky, I must say. And I do thank the Universe every day, many times a day, for my blessings, and for saving my heart.

Ok... let's see... what else..? Well, it's late, so I'll push off to bed soon.

HEY. Slumdog. Yeah a good movie hah? It's funny, I did read some reviews, and while everyone is in unanimous acclaim of the storytelling and the filmmaking (Danny Boyle is brilliant... I'll never forget the first time I saw Trainspotting...wow!), I did read some comments and reviews by viewers (particularly Western viewers who have not been to Mumbai) who were, frankly, aghast. And I put myself in their shoes and I can understand that. It's a GREAT story, but like my city, it's not for the faint-hearted. It's a place for the brave-hearted. A place where all stories converge, of hate, and love, and hope and joy, and horror, and wonder, and everything in between. It truly is that sort of place. Quite unique. And one thing's for sure... it's a place where you know you're alive. Until you're not. And then you know you're not!

I found a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6Jpuqz98wc[/video]]great interview with Slumdog director, Danny Boyle. Here it is for those of you who are interested. Doesn't matter if you haven't seen the film as yet, there are no spoilers in it. He's quite amazing to watch himself, such a fascinating personality with such a powerful energy.

Re: my modding. I have been doing well. The weekend... I had a pub crawl arranged by some friends on Saturday night, starting with the bar near my home... I went to that bar, had 2 drinks, and went home. Felt bad, told them I'd catch up with them later, but I bailed out. I wasn't in the mood, and I knew that if I had done so, it would have been an evening of debauchery - and the truth is I wasn't even in the mood for it. Sunday for Karaoke was another event that promised lots of beer at 11 in the morning, and once again (sorry Eve) I skipped out. Just wasn't in the mood. Enjoying my time alone, and reading and watching a film at home.

I saw this great documentary about the French high-wire walker who walked between the World Trade Centers, at the very top of them, in 1974. It's called Man On Wire. Look out for it. Amazing, truly inspiring stuff.

I am enjoying my occasional evening drink or two of a smooth 12 year old Single Malt whiskey, and for now that's all I need.

Cheers guys.

Z

[zed]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Thank you Delta Moon... I am humbled by your much-too-generous words. Take good care until soon. Z

[lenaleed]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Zed, how precious. You are such a strong and gentle soul that trust would be hard to crush out of you. It's perhaps like forgiveness: Ghandi said that only the strong can forgive; the weak cannot.

Kid -- I cannot believe I saw but didn't see the "other" Cat & Kid in your Avatar. That movie is now stuck in my head. Those weird little Greek chorus musical interludes, with banjo. As a dramatic little girl I used to sing to myself in my head, "They'll never make me cry . . . ." , whoever "they" happened to be at the moment (rude boy or mean sister, for example). I may have to find it on netflix. Or not.

Ask -- Oh goodness have I ever been there and then some. My precious angel was spinning her head 360 and spewing pea soup at fourteen. I heard I hate you far more that I love you. The sneaking made me feel more like cop than mom. Marriage was falling apart (which was of course a lot of her issue) and dad seized it as an opportunity to launch a like-dad-best campaign. There was a time when I honestly did not know if she would live to eighteen. I'm serious. Now she is eighteen. She delayed college a year to go to the South and work on the campaign of a guy whose name rhymes with gobama. She's paid campus visits to wonderful colleges and is deciding. Today, she is in D.C. w/ her best friend. They are on their way to do their MLK Day service project. I seem to be getting a text of some thrilling episode every few minutes. We now are closer than I ever dared hope, even before the storm clouds began to gather. Ew, I'm bragging. I've been weepy with gratitude the past couple of days. Those rough years are kind of like going through labor: A time of unspeakable pain, now a memory dimmed by the love. I am praying now for you that the going will not be nearly as rough but the closeness will be just as abundant on the other side.

And so I too will be watching the inauguration.

Take care all -- Lena

[Sunbeam]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Hi Everybody,
Kid, OMG there they are in your avatar! Right from the movie! I had thought that Kid Sheleen was some character like Butch Sundance. But wasn't Kid Sheleen drunk again in the end of the movie? Not that I'm predicting that for you. I was also reading my book (which I just finished) while watching the movie, so maybe I'm mistaken.
Kid, I also love Mondays, especially if I have had a satisfying but not exhausting weekend. For awhile there I drank way too much on Sunday afternoons, then Mondays weren't so good. Now, I'm back in charge.

Zed, I read and love every word you post. It could take me all day to respond, so then I don't even start.

Right now I want to get back to putting the bead fringe on my kitchen window valance. It is a pretty labor-intensive project, I hope I love it when I'm done. The valance is solid red, to match my small kitchen appliances and other accents in the kitchen.

Lena, does your daughter have tickets to the inauguration? How thrilling to be connected to something so momentous.

Delta Moon, good for you continuing your AF time. I agree that one needs lots of AF days to escape the clutches of alcohol.

Deebs, It is SO great to have you back. No one is able to acknowledge and include everyone the way you do.

The whole issue of pacts is related to the issue of choosing not to drink. I will join in a pact with anyone here if it helps them to not drink. But my personal preference is to not drink most days because I have better things to do. If I'm tired and don't want to do anything, I just drink herb tea and go to bed early. My husband and I did share a bottle of wine over the weekend. Mostly the idea came into my head because I knew I could drink again following the 2 week pact I joined. The wine was good, but my life really isn't any better or worse for having shared the wine.

[Kid Shelleen]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

I think you're right, Sunbeam...

Sometimes people just are what they are...

Sunbeam;524420 wrote: Hi Everybody,
Kid, OMG there they are in your avatar! Right from the movie! I had thought that Kid Sheleen was some character like Butch Sundance. But wasn't Kid Sheleen drunk again in the end of the movie?...maybe I'm mistaken.

[zed]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Good morning guys. Big day in the US today, ha? Good for you folks! Here's to change we ALL can believe in.

So, last night I went a bit nuts and tore into my bottle of Single Malt at home. Ouch. Had about 6 drinks. The stuff was just tasting so damn good...! I feel a lot stupid about it today but last night it's just what happened. As Kid said, sometimes people are just the way they are...

Anyway the good news is that it was at least the Quality stuff, so the toxic level in my body this morning was minimized. I am hydrating and moving on. Needless to say that bottle goes into the kitchen cabinet for the next couple of days. Enough.

Ok, that's all I wanted to report... let's all stay on our guard. Never know when the drinking monster is lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce.

Sun & Lena, lovely posts from you. Thank you both!

Lee Marvin... now I see him in there. I remember him from the war flick, The Dirty Dozen. He was already a veteran actor by then in 1955. What a great film.

On this historic day, here's to us all reserving the right to Change. And to keep changing. Again and again. As much as we need to... For the better.

Ciao folks. Z

[Delta Moon]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Good morning, my friends. Can't sleep so I decided to stop by here and say hi. H is still away for another week so last night I took two of our daughters out to dinner. We were deciding where to go and the old me was thinking "yeah, if we go THERE I can get a chard - I'll just have one". Well, I pushed that thought away and suggested a place where they do not serve AL- a place they like very much too. They were happy and I was not tempted to break the flow I've go going -I'm on day 17 and going for 21 now. And all for what? A glass of wine on a week night in front of my kids? That was the old me that is hard to kill off but I am doing it bit by bit.

zed, what is a single malt? Scotch or whiskey? I went through a scotch phase when I was single. Do you feel bad today physically or just mentally from the guilt?

Kid-I am going to have to see Cat Ballou. I love the old films and I enjoy watching them more than what is out there now.

lena- very exciting about your daughter in D.C. during this historic time. Teen age angst is a hard thing to deal with and it is so gratifying to see them grow out of it and become stable functioning adults.

I am attending a special luncheon for a french speaking group here in our city. I've been conjugating verbs in my dreams tonight. No wonder I can't sleep! :H

Many blessings to you all- I'll check in later.

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Afternoon Squad!!

What is up with the weather, I am freezing my be-hind off and it's the middle of summer!!

Well the daughter's first day of High School went off well (I told you so) and other than a mad dash to the shops to get the perfect compass my day hasn't been too construstive. It is pouring with rain again so I am cooped up inside and just itching to get back into the garden.

Kid, I feel like a plonker as I don't watch much TV nor do I do movies so it all went straight over my head, i'm afraid. Now books we can definetly talk about. I love reading!!

Exercise, yes that is definetly something I must work on. Good on you Zed for kicking our rear ends into action...lol.

Well that's all I have for now, so I'll catch up with you lovely peeps tomorrow:-)

[Kid Shelleen]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

Meet the New Boss...

:sun:Come back Sun!

Delta Moon: I knew that you were not of the male persuasion before, but I have to agree, your new screen name is much more fitting!
Yeah, See Cat Ballou if you get a chance. I ordered it from Amazon, it should be here tomorrow.And teach us more verbs, you conjugator you!(Nice going on so many days. Just watch out for the binge monkey...It was last seen at Zed's apartment.)
Zed:Ah,yes..change. I don't know your age...Do you remember this "Who" song? (I'm not cynical,really. I've just been here awhile..

Went and saw "Gran Torino", Clint Eastwood's new movie. It wasn't the BEST movie in the world, but if you like Clint Eastwood...see him while you can. The movie touches on a subject or two that many modern PC people would be too afraid to touch. I may have come away a better person, I and I also feel strangely comfortable in my skin today. I don't know whether that's from an AF night or the movie or the super coffee I make...
Best of days to my Modder friends,
The Mod Life is the Good Life!
~Kid~
((Hi,DeeBee)) Where's KeepWalking,now?? (we're always losing people...is there a hole in my pocket??)



Lyrics to "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the WHO..

And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
No, no!

I'll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie

Do ya?

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

There's nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

[lenaleed]

Mod Squad's Weekly Thread for the Week of January 19th

We are the change we have been waiting for

Yeah Kid, that song was my anthem, in college in the 70's, secretly still heartbroken over Bobby Kennedy and all cynical, a poli sci major with a bumper sticker that said, "Don't vote. It only encourages them." I got back to my activist ways and my precious progeny is following in my footsteps and then some. The latest report from the field (Thank you, God, for Blackberry) is she's freezing her ass off in the Silver cattle pen, near the first jumbo screen. Look for her if you're watching. She's the pretty one who might look a bit chilly. So maybe it's time for a new song


When we all finally washed ashore
It was clear there was no one else around
We declared a national holiday
A chance to build it from the ground
So far away from everyone
and everything starts today
Keep it together
Can we keep it together
We're singing a new song now
and everything starts today
Can we rise? Can we get along all right?
Can we miss the storm that sucked the whole world in?
And the boats went out at night
and the choppers in the sky
They searched but they could find no trace of us
So far away from everyone
and everything starts today
Keep it together
Can we keep it together
We're singing a new song now
and everything starts today
. . .
-- Guster