new to site wanted to start a thread

[SecretTiger]

My thoughts are with you and your family. Take care.

[R. Lee]

FYI Cindy & I are headed to southern Michigan to go to the NASCAR races on Sat. & Sunday then on Monday we arrive north of Chicago where the is a mini reunion for the 1st Battalion 9th Marines. On the 16th of June it will be 50 years since we arrived in Vietnam. Meeting 11 guys that I have not seen in 50 years.

There will be plenty of booze & I have a exit plan if the drinking become too much or too inviting.

Stay well my family.

[gmasusie]

RLee, We will be with you in spirit!

[iamtrying]

Hi Rlee,

Have fun at the event...I am sure you are very strong and can resist any temptation...want to pass on which i remember every day...

" one day at a time, I am responsible for my actions and their consequences, think thru the first drink and urge...relax and easy..."

glad you have exit plan in place...also make sure you eat and be full stomach all the time...

have fun and have a great day

[Sam Bailey]

Hey RLee,

You wrote,

"There will be plenty of booze & I have a exit plan if the drinking become too much or too inviting."

Good thing, sir. Good plan!

While this is not the same thing (well I guess it is in principle), the last reunion I attended was a school thing, my High School graduation reunion, June, 1966.

In many ways the reunion was just another large party. Music, dance, all-around festivities. That kind of thing.

Yet it was also, in this one aspect, extremely odd.

See, as I was surrounded by so many old friends, men and women today who were 17 years old back then, I felt, at times, like we'd been transported BACK in time...like we were, again, teenage kids.

Sort of a "Peggy Sue Got Married" deal.

And back then, the one thing that we "boys" did more than anything else was.....drink beer. It felt so natural back then and, as I stood among those same friends, even though 25 years had passed, it felt like a "natural" extension of our friendship to (again!) drink some damn beer!

It was both strangely exciting and, to be honest, really disturbing. Discomforting, maybe that's more accurate. I just felt really odd, as though I was caught between two eras, two worlds.

Anyway. Not to get all goofy here, but the thing I wanted to point out, RLee, was that part of your post where you said, "...if the drinking becomes...too inviting..."

This reunion of yours, RLee, I imagine that it's gonna be emotionally powerful, amazingly so, I'm betting. And while that is almost totally a positive thing, be careful that you don't mix up then versus now.

Truth? I think you'll be just fine. Still, I wanted to toss out that experience of mine.

Have fun!

best,

sam

[Tryntryagain]

Dear R Lee,

Thank them all for me?

Loveness and pride to you R Lee

[Saint]

Have fun at the races Lee. Wow. 50 year reunion. Lots of memories. Good and bad I'm sure. Make the most of it!

Wishing you the best RLee,
Saint

[gmasusie]

Sam,

Thanks for the advice. My 50th ('65) is in September. I have made reservations for Monty and me!

[iamtrying]

Great words Sam...

[R. Lee]

Thank you Sam as Saint said great advice. Last night in Chicago. The ceremony was today. Very solemn at the graveside of a Marine who was killed from our unit 50 years ago the coming Sept. 5th. It was 50 years ago today we arrived in Vietnam.
It was so great to see guys that I have not seen in 49 years. Last time they were young men now we are old guys. (I don't feel old though)
We were around a lot of alcohol but it did not have my name on it. One guy said have a non alcoholic beer with us. I said I cant it is too much like the real thing. I did not want to argue the fact that it does have .05% alcohol. So I drank water & was just fine. There were guys there that were really beat up from the affects of alcohol who were still drinking. I just watched & said there goes me if I did not have the miracle of sobriety. I treasure it.

[gmasusie]

Well said, RLee. Welcome back.

[Millie]

Sounds like a powerful experience in more ways than one. Glad you're back.

[lostdog]

You embraced it well. What a nice positive attitude on sobriety and an inspiration for me. thank you! I'm glad you had a memorable time.

[lostdog]

Happy Father's day R. Lee, hope today is special for you.

[R. Lee]

Thank you L. D.

[R. Lee]

Happy Fathers day to all the fathers here.

[Saint]

I hope you enjoyed your day Lee!

Love ya,
Saint

[gmasusie]

Happy Father's Day, RLee. I hope it was peaceful and not painful.

[R. Lee]

I live on a lake in northern Michigan. The visitors have been arriving for over a week for the 4th of July.

My tool box for another day of sobriety is filled in the event I get the urge to drink. I have phone numbers of sober men & a sponsor along with this site.

Get prepared to have a great & safe 4th of July.

Everyone have a nice day!!

[Saint]

Thank you Lee!

[Tryntryagain]

Good afternoon R Lee. Bright blessings to you.

Thank you for all you are, and have a safe, wonderful and sober 4th July.

Be peaceful, be healthy and be strong. Loveness to you dear R Lee

[R. Lee]

Thanks Tryn. You can do this. Have a great day.

[iamtrying]

Happy 4th of July Rlee...have a great day

[Tryntryagain]

Good afternoon R Lee. Bright blessings to you.

I just wanted to let you know that this afternoon i received a reply from the project i e mailed. It has been incredibly positive, i have the help and support there. I have e mailed them back with my current situation, but they remembered me, and reached back out to me.

In the next 2 weeks i will have options i did not have before.

Sometimes we need a nudge dear R Lee, but we need...to want one.

Thank you, very much.

Be peaceful, be healthy and be strong. Loveness to you R Lee

[lostdog]

R. Lee I hope you are doing well and having a nice day.

[R. Lee]

Great news Tryn. I cant we can!!

[SecretTiger]

RLee, I can't check in without thanking you for all your support. It means a great deal to me. Thank you.

[R. Lee]

SecretTiger, Your thank you means the world to me. Have a great day!!

[iamtrying]

I agree with Secrettiger, thanks for all the support Rlee....have a great day.

[Millie]

I agree too. You have such a strong and meaningful voice here. And I love how direct you can be without being mean.

[R. Lee]

Thank you Millie.

[gmasusie]

Hi, RLee.

Thanks for getting me through the roughest time of my life. Stay with me.

Love, Susie

[iamtrying]

Rlee - I listened to the song...it's very peaceful..

"Isael Kamakawiwo's rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k

Thank you

[R. Lee]

Thank you. Yes it is.

[gmasusie]

I will listen when I feel a little stronger.

[Frankie]

Hi Lee and all. That would have been a downer for me knowing the kids who died in your Co., and just going to the VA and seeing the missing legs etc. and the look in their faces gets me down. Lots of alcoholism. Take care. Frank

[R. Lee]

Frank, You made my day. I really was thinking of you the other day. You are important to several of us here. How are you doing? PLEASE come back & share what is going on buddy.

Hay gang give Frank a shout. He was around many moons ago.

[iamtrying]

Hi Frankie

Glad to see you back...I am newbie on the site compared to you...

have a good day.

[Saint]

FRANKIE!!!!!

[jenm]

Frankie!!! What up!?!? Wow we miss you! Jenm

[Millie]

Hi Frankie. I don't think I know you but welcome back!

[Tryntryagain]

**** me. Hello Frankie.

And so the albatross lands.

Loveness to R Lee, Frankie....big hugz.

[Alexis]

Hey Frankie the gang obviously love you!! Hope you are well!!

R Lee, hope you are having a great day x

[Frankie]

Very nice to hear all the kind words and love to you all. Very glad to see that you all are still here and hopefully doing well, or close anyway.

I've started a new practice...The practice of banging my head against the wall to see when it will fall off. Seriously, I still drink once a week (of course more sometimes) and some times once per month, but it still sucks so i'm still waiting to get in the mood to come back to the family here. I miss and think of you all often.

Looks like the problems I had that I started drinking over are all but over, so I don't really have an excuse any more. Take care all,

Frank

[Saint]

We don't need excuses to drink Frank. It's something weare good at.

Welcome back!

Saint

[R. Lee]

Frank, I am glad that we are in your head.

Sounds like you are trying controlled drinking, but stick around & share.

Have a great day.

We love & miss you.

[Tryntryagain]

Good afternoon my dear R Lee. Bright blessings to you.

Yes, once.

I was new to this site. I still cringe about my first year!

In the years i have now been here you have not only commanded my respect yet utterly won my heart. Stoic for sure and a huge heart. Always there....always.

I have gone from "R Lee...Sir!"...(stand up straight at the back there!) to loving you completely and not being able to help calling you my dear R Lee. You are a "fixture and fitting" in my daily life...(how quaint?!) and on the turn of this new year i want you to embrace what you have done and are doing for others, daily, what that really means. If you do not do that, you will miss out on your own personal achievement.

Look as this nincompoop now! A couple of years ago not many gave me a chance. You taught me to give myself one.

Happy new year my dear R Lee. I love you very much.

[Alexis]

R Lee, hope you are well xx

[R. Lee]

Thank you Alexis. I am happy to be sober today. Happy New Year.

[R. Lee]

Happy New years to everyone. Hope everyone stayed sober.