New Beginnings

Like most modern (and not so modern) women, I am many things. Mother. Wife. Marketer. Writer. Greenie. Liberal. Buddhist. Recovering Alkie. And now I’m a garderner. Yep. That’s right, bitches (it just sounded cool…I don’t really think you’re a bitch. Really). I finally got beyond the talk and threw down. The weekend before last, Jeff and I got out there and worked for a full day and a half. I prepped the beds and he fixed the existing fence and put up the missing length.

We planted two of the beds with: peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, shallots, basil, cilantro, squash, cucumbers, lettuce and kale. I planted a kitchen herb garden in a big garden urn outside my door, too. We also beefed up our already existing compost pile. Now my darling husband is dismantling pallets to use for a 3 bin compost system (3 3×3 bins – 1 for carbon, 1 for nitrogen, 1 for compost).

After a lifetime of killing plants, I feel pretty proud and excited about this new venture. Not only is it good for the environment and good for my family…it’s good for me. I get to participate in that secret club of gardening where peace and stillness is found in the dirt and the green, pretty things that grow from it. I’m pretty stoked.

• The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre!
• Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Green Resource for Every Gardener
• The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener
• Mother Earth News

I watched this on PBS’ Independent Lens last night. An amazing short documentary film on how recycling and garbage is the lifeblood of this community. And how the culture and way of life is being destroyed by foreign companies that DON’T recycle or reuse…landfill, landfill, landfill. This community of recyclers is proud to recycle 80% of the garbage they collect back into raw goods to be sold to manufacturers. I encourage you to watch it.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/

Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations.

-Edward De Bono

A couple of weeks ago, any post I would have written would have come out as either crazy mumbo jumbo or a rant that would scare any newcomer to sobriety. Now that I’m a little more stable <stop laughing>, I have half a chance of writing something coherent. Lucky you. So, my friends, what does five years of sobriety look like? Better yet, how does it look compared to all of my wild expectations? Hmmm, each question lends itself to a very different answer.

Expectations. They are ridiculous. Or, should I say, my expectations for myself and those around me are ridiculous. Where I should be in my recovery – in my life – is right where I am. That’s not to say that I shouldn’t strive for betterment, enlightenment, progress. I do. But to place a certain quantifiable value on the quality of my life based on how many years I’ve been sober is just a little silly, isn’t it. And yet. I still do it. Worse yet, I still do it for other people, too. Obviously, this recovery thing is a process (oh yea, progress, not perfection). So annoying.

As I mentioned, a couple of weeks ago I was pretty batty. Hella crazy. Depressed and miserable. I won’t bore you with the details, but I will tell you that a lot of it came down to one thing: hormones. Melody had warned me years ago that unbalanced hormones can be the root of many medical problems. And that some mental/psychological issues can actually be medical problems caused by effed up hormones. Guess what. I had my hormones done and they are completely out of whack. Fast forward a couple of weeks and some progesterone and exercise later and I am no longer swimming around in the dark, murky poor me pond. Frankly, it’s a huge relief.

“So, where you at?” Well, I’m right here. There is drama, I can’t deny that. There is no getting around the fact that this economy sucks. Sucks. But, truthfully, I cannot even count the ways in which my life is blessed. How amazing that I get to be weird ole’ me in this fabulous world. My husband is awesome. My kids are thriving: despite the hormonal charges of impending puberty, my son is loving and sweet; my daughter loves school, loves basketball and soccer, and loves puppies. My family is loving and supportive of my recovery and my path. We are part of an amazing Sangha, to which I am able to lend my talents in the form of service. My company has launched a new family of connectivity products that has been well received by the industry. I joined the Master Recyclers program and am enjoying the challenge. I am an Eco-Consultant for a very cool and progressive company, Green Irene. Seriously, can it get much better?

If you found this site because you’re struggling with alcohol and trying to figure out what the hell is happening to you: hi and welcome! Please feel free to comment or ask questions. Please understand, though, that my experience and success has come from AA. There are other pieces to my puzzle, such as Buddhism, creativity, and health, but the core piece is the 12 steps. Not acupuncture, yoga, magic pills, SMART, religion, whatever. And, dude, if I can do it, anyone can.

Love, 
Rusty

I know that I’ve mentioned many times that I am a 12 stepper, as well as a Buddhist.  I think I’ve even shared some resources that I found helpful while trying to figure out my spiritual and recovery paths. I haven’t, however, updated this theme in a couple of years. Nor have I really expanded [...]

Local Bloggers Wanted! APPLY HERE: http://www.todaysmama.com/author_entry.php TodaysMama.com is looking for moms in cities across the country to blog about local topics they are passionate about. Sample local categories include: Arts Deals and Steals Education Entertainment Family Activities/Places to Go Food/Dining Green Living Health and Fitness Parenting Politics Recreation Style Have a topic you’d love to [...]

That’s right, folks.  I have started my own practice as a trained Green Irene Eco-Consultant for the Rogue Valley/Southern Oregon area. I can help families and small offices implement proven green solutions and help lead them to a healthier, safer, and more sustainable lifestyle, along with saving them money! Green Irene is not your typical direct [...]

An interesting article, if a little over stereotypical in it’s attempt to be the opposite. Yes, AA was started by middle class, middle aged, white guys. Yes, the language from the Big Book doesn’t speak directly to us. But (big fat but), the program has a solution for us, too. Especially, with the help of [...]

So here’s my question of the day: If we become alcoholics after gastric bypass (or other WLS) surgery and then call it “addiction transfer,” aren’t we shortchanging ourselves from proving that we suffer from a medically-based disease? I think we are…what do you think? For the record, I don’t deny the very obvious psychological components [...]

Uh, no. Just a little Internet research will tell you that Natural Flavors are, in fact, created by scientists in labs. Because something is synthesized or created in a laboratory does not necessarily make it evil or bad for you. However, it does make one wonder how safe our food labeling is if MSG can [...]

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My family has been making a slow, but steady progression away from keeping up with Jones’ and working towards becoming (sometimes kicking and screaming)  a happy and well family that believes in loving the planet, keeping things simple, and getting real.  I’m still a working parent that makes a living trying to get people to [...]

My families’ Earth Day 2009 pledge is to start composting and get our organic veggie garden up and growing. I’d like to keep both projects simple and easy to maintain. I know that all worthwhile endeavors take time and effort, but I would like the kids (and me) to enjoy and look forward to working [...]

In light of all the scary news we’re seeing in the media today, I would like to remind you to search within in yourself to find the beauty waiting there. Life is not without its struggles (does Cobra really have to cost $1000/mo?) and hurdles, but I refuse to be defined by my pain and [...]

So my biggest problem has always been laziness. And low self esteem. Laziness and low self esteem. Those two character traits combined can turn procrastination into an art form. At times, I have been paralyzed by it. At worst, it’s helped to create a myriad of disorder and financial chaos around me. To battle these [...]

Now would be a good time to buckle your seat belt, simplify, and hold tightly to those you love most. It’s time, my friends, to relearn gratitude and appreciation for the things we do have. Fear leads to terror, so let’s practice hope and generosity.  This collective change that we are somehow impacted by can [...]

Can I get an “amen,” my friends? Seriously, I’m sure god has better things to do than listen to our political ads and bartering, but this lead in line from a news article this morning gives me more joy than anything: The turn-out was record high. The voters: a rich palate of American diversity – [...]

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Okay, I know it’s time for me to suck it up, put on the big girl undies, and come out of the closet as an Obama supporter. Let the permanent record show that I will alway be a tried and true card carrying Clinton supporter.  F o r e v e r . But…big butt…I [...]

Some days I’ll be going along, minding my own business and I’ll suddenly be overwhelmed by the saddness that I can’t drink. Normal people don’t think like that. They don’t dress their kids for school, get to work, and suddenly it pops into their head that they’d really love a shot of tequila. Usually, it [...]