Usually $10 dollars, now on sale for $5…..fun fun fun

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., graduated from Morehouse College (B.A., 1948), Crozer Theological Seminary (B.D., 1951), and Boston University (Ph.D., 1955). The son of the pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, King was ordained in 1947 and became (1954) minister of a Baptist church in Montgomery, Ala. He led the black boycott (1955-56) of segregated city bus lines and in 1956 gained a major victory and prestige as a civil-rights leader when Montgomery buses began to operate on a desegregated basis.

King organized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which gave him a base to pursue further civil-rights activities, first in the South and later nationwide. His philosophy of nonviolent resistance led to his arrest on numerous occasions in the 1950s and 60s. His campaigns had mixed success, but the protest he led in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963 brought him worldwide attention. He spearheaded the Aug., 1963, March on Washington, which brought together more than 200,000 people. In 1964 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

King’s leadership in the civil-rights movement was challenged in the mid-1960s as others grew more militant. His interests, however, widened from civil rights to include criticism of the Vietnam War and a deeper concern over poverty. His plans for a Poor People’s March to Washington were interrupted (1968) for a trip to Memphis, Tenn., in support of striking sanitation workers. On Apr. 4, 1968, he was shot and killed as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel (since 1991 a civil-rights museum).

James Earl Ray, a career criminal, pleaded guilty to the murder and was convicted, but he soon recanted, claiming he was duped into his plea. Ray’s conviction was subsequently upheld, but he eventually received support from members of King’s family, who believed King to have been the victim of a conspiracy. Ray died in prison in 1998. In a jury trial in Memphis in 1999 the King family won a wrongful-death judgment against Loyd Jowers, who claimed (1993) that he had arranged the killing for a Mafia figure. Many experts, however, were unconvinced by the verdict, and in 2000, after an 18-month investigation, the Justice Dept. discredited Jowers and concluded that there was no evidence of an assassination plot.

King wrote Stride toward Freedom (1958), Why We Can’t Wait (1964), and Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? (1967). His birthday is a national holiday, celebrated on the third Monday in January. King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, has carried on various aspects of his work. She also wrote My Life with Martin Luther King (1989).

Happy New Year! Let’s all make the most of it.  The years fly by so fast these days.  Let’s all spend our time making the days, nights, months and year count and be meaningful.  I hope you all do wonderful things and have many great memories.

Merry Christmas Everyone!  I hope you have a fabulous time with all of your loved ones and remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Happy Holidays

We had so much fun in the Northwest! Even with the dreary weather we managed to have a terrific time.  In this picture it was bright and sunny 5 minutes before we took it.  Then the clouds rolled in. We should have been faster with the camera. We enjoyed tons of seafood, partied at the Casinos, and spent time with family.  Can’t wait to do it again!

When in the Northwest try out these…..

Some of the best restaurants:  Anthony’s, C.I.Shenanigans (the most amazing brunch in the world), Cheesecake Factory, El Gaucho’s, Melting Pot, CHANDLER’S CRAB HOUSE

Best Casino: Emerald Queen Casino

Company Holiday Parties: If you decide to go, you could try it for an hour or so.  If you are bringing your spouse or partner, let them know that you will probably only be there for an hour or so.  Some companies want employees to attend solo and if this is the case, take your cell phone and have a list of sober friends who you can call if you get antsy.  Have an exit time planned and stick to it-no matter what.

Family Get –Together: Same thing applies here, if you are single, take a sober friend with you if you can.

Have your own transportation: or bus schedule so that you are not at the mercy of someone else for a ride home-that way you can leave whenever you want and not when your friends decide they’ve had enough.  Also, don’t volunteer to be a designated driver.

Meetings, meetings, meetings: Recovery groups and Twelve Step clubs are a safe place to be so try to go to as many as you can.  Some AA and NA clubs even have marathon meetings held over the holiday period and some are even open 24 hours.  One recovery meeting per day (or more if needed) during the holidays is a really good idea.  You will be around people who understand what you are going through and you can share how you are feeling.

Just Say No: If you feel like being around your family or going to a holiday dinner or party is going to be too much, then commit to being somewhere else.  Its ok to say no-this is about your sobriety and protecting it and believe it or not, the party will go on without us!  There are plenty of things you could be doing, such as doing some service work.  You could work the front desk at your local AA or NA club, or volunteer to make coffee for the meetings.  You could also help out at a shelter for the homeless or offer to help out at a senior citizens home.

Avoid near beer or non-alcoholic wine: While this may seem obvious to some of us, there are people who think that drinking these beverages is a good idea.  Just know that its not and you should be aware that there are trace amounts of alcohol in these drinks and your body will react to the alcohol and ultimately crave it.  In addition, if you do go to a holiday party, keep your drink with you at all times, don’t  put it down on a table and leave it.  You’ll run the risk of picking up someone else’s or worse still there could be someone who thinks it’s funny to spike drinks that are left unattended.

Plan sober activities: Obviously, if you have kids-the list is endless, you can take them to see Santa, you can make holiday cookies together, and there are always Christmas plays and movies to see.  Most cities have a holiday parade or Christmas ceremony.  But all this fun stuff isn’t just for kids, there’s no reason why you can’t go along with friends to ice skate, go sledding and skiing, hiking and biking or just throwing the football around in the park after everyone is stuffed from too much turkey.  After a day full of this kind of thing, all you’ll want to do is curl up with a good DVD, some popcorn and cup of hot chocolate.

New Years Eve: There are a few things you can do-think about spending it at home with your kids and family, play board games and make a nice dinner. You could also have a nice meal with friends out and go home after the meal is over. How about, going to the movies and coming out just in time to see all the fireworks go off.  Most AA and NA clubs have dances or parties on New Years or candlelight meetings; you could try either or both. The most important thing is to be comfortable and remember that you’ll wake up in the morning with a clear head and clear conscience.

It’s true that the holiday season is a tough time for sobriety, but if you surround yourself with people who are also in recovery and take steps to safeguard your sobriety, you are protecting yourself, and that is the most important.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Johnny Carson
Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.

Ha Ha…I just thought this was really funny and oh so true.  I thought i would share. Happy Holidays

 Photo Shoot at the Cinciripini Ranch for the canine elite. 

The puppies were really cooperative, especially the one in my lap. He was my buddy all day. These guys sure are cute. These photos are a little blurry and were just taken with my phone. I will update a little later with the real pic and show you which one will be used for the advertisement, poster, christmas card etc. 

Don’t forget to tell me what you think.