wordsworth

D: Last night I chaired the College Park Al-Anon meeting…it was Tradition night…Tradition 8: Al-Anon Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

I shared a little first…about how I was glad that when I called Al-Anon the first time, there was a voice on the other end of the line…thankful for the volunteers. The meeting changed topic pretty early when one of the long-timers read one of the questions at the back of the tradition: Do I ever have a tendency to be a know-it-all? Being right was the topic for the rest of the night…from “correcting my husband’s joke when he gets it wrong” to “I was never a know-it-all” to “letting go of being right” to “enjoying being right” and everything inbetween. I had an aha moment as one of the people were sharing…I realized that being right…for me…makes me feel secure…that if I’m right, or at least think I am, then my perceptions are on target…I’m processing my world correctly…my judgements are sound…to not be right means all this is off…and that’s when things get scary, insecure, unsure, off balance…I added that with learning to let go of being right I’ve found a new sense of freedom…a different security…not so scary afterall. It was a neat moment to realize why being right has been so important to me and why letting go of being right is becoming just as important. Oh doesn’t it just feel good to be right? (Don’t answer that…it’s a rhetorical question…a kind of punctuated joke just for you as I hear you – or maybe it’s myself – telling me…’Jen, watch out…here you go again!’).

The close was a perfect time to share my story of being in 7th grade print shop class…the only girl in 7th grade print shop class…and printing that oh-so-clever-card with the saying from Charles Schwartz’ Lucy: If everybody agreed with me they’d all be right. I still love it – with a knowing smile – how perfect! I called it my “ticket to Al-Anon” and everybody laughed…it was a light-hearted way to end the meeting and a good reminder that I still have much to learn in recovery from myself.

Well, I’ve got about an hour to clean up things around here before I pick up Ellen from Band Practice. She has band practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 5;30-8:30 pm. Her first week of high school is going really well…she’ll have lots to share with you. I’ll work on getting an ical posted over the weekend.

I imagine you watching the sunset over the lake. Have a good night.

Jen

Jen: There are several follow-ups I’d like to ask you to address.

1. Access to the house – If you’re to give me access to the house during next week, please email Morris’ office.
2. Archery – This really could be a mixer. So, I’m eager to encourage it by exploring local clubs, and finding books and DVDs. Is there enough interest? Will you ask Ellen how much she wants to do? Are you able to arrange for the arrows? Pine needle bales?
3. Clarinet – Ellen has twice mentionned she wants a plastic reed. She has also said at least one valve is not seated properly. Though the reed is available at  the SamAsh store, logistically it may be easy to purchase online – Fibracell, Legere are the two I found. If you would like me to order one, please have Ellen choose it and tell me to place the order. Repair materials must be purchased online at JL Smith. However, Ellen should be told that the valve may be easily re-seated by blowing the valve with a hair dryer until it’s warm and then pressing it into the hole firmly and holding for sixty seconds or so.
4. Math Grades – Ellen has said a few things about her final math grade that suggest to me the instructor might reconsider the grade if Ellen were to dig up her math assignments and demonstrate she did them all and their cummulative score meritted reconsideration. Even if that is not the case, I would like to see her math assignments for last year.
5. Air conditioner – Please let me know what is going on there. If you think it would help to do a coil cleaning, like was done for Danny, let me do that next week.
6. Snapper – Finally got that fixed. Cost $75. It was the carburetor. Said it was Ethanol’s fault. Quien sabe?
7. Killer wood – What about piling the killer wood around the oak by the back wall? Kill the tree. Save the wall. Plant the flowers.
8. Heaven’s Gate – Ordered a half pound of Gulf Coast & Southern Florida Wildflower Seed Mix. Salesman said you throw it now and see it in spring … if the birds didn’t get it first … or it was hit by RoundUp.
9. BIP Homework – This week is Trust and Support on the Equality Wheel.
10. Ellen’s thyroid – Can I get more on this?
11. Handy wipes – Don’t you think it would be a good idea for L& to have a cache of handywipes in her school and band locker?
12. 7 Habits – I’ll get that tomorrow.
13. Triskaidekaphobia – Fear of the number thirteen requires that this list not end on that number.
14. Walk – I am going now to stimulate the flow of seratonin in my brain cells.

Later,

David

Hi David: I dropped the new credit card – along with a few other pieces of mail – at Mike Morris’ office yesterday. Did you get the envelope? Also, I sent him the email – just now – regarding the access we discussed starting next Monday…8 am – 1 pm. Just home at lunch for a few minutes. Jen

Neko: No friend of vampires am I. But history is a true love. So, when I read in an article reviewing the life of author Ann Radcliffe, a contemporary of  Jane Austin, that there was a weaver of vamp tales bewitching the public thirty years before Bram Stoker introduced the world to Dracula, well, I thought, ‘Ellen should know of this!’ Dad