Corking the Bottle

I am doing my part to halt the spread of the coronavirus. I wash my hands and use hand sanitizer. I wear a mask in public. I leave my house only when I have a real need. And this morning, I had a covid-19 test. It's no longer necessary to display symptoms to get a test. Kentucky Governor Beshear, during his daily news briefings, encourages all to take a test. I made an appointment online. There was no waiting. I drove up, cracked my window, and received a swab and a vial. Sticking that baby up my nose made me sneeze like crazy, That was the only discomfort. For my effort I received a mask, tissues, and a bottle of hand sanitizer. No charge. The hand sanitizer has the consistency of water -- or whiskey -- not like lotion. According to the label, it consists of 80% alcohol. Eighty percent? Do you know what I would have been tempted to try to do with that if I was still drinking and was out of booze? Yuk! But if I could drink a bottle of mouthwash back in my crazy days, I pr...

Rumination is an unhealthy response to stress. It's an inability to let go of something, which can lead to depression, which can lead to withdrawal from other people. For more, listen to Dr. Ramani Durvasula,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4E2JzmIraw . She goes on to say that normal anxiety is a fear of something that is real. Being afraid of snarling dogs is not anxiety; it's a normal response. Likeways, being anxious during a pandemic is normal. Don't sweat it. Accept it, Ask God to help you control the feelings you can control and give you the serenity to accept those things you have absolutely no control over. Feeling in control can mean avoiding the temptation to self-medicate with alcohol. If you are anxious about getting sick, about your elderly parents getting sick, about the loss of a job, about a dried-up bank account, these feelings are normal. No one, including you, is to blame. A video by Dr. Tracey Marks ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtZaMdOy4K8 )...

I need today to divert today from my usual theme of sobriety and seeking a higher power. Instead, I will share a passage from The Endless Practice , by Mark Nepo ( https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Nepo/e/B001JOVBDG?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000 ). I don't know what he was trying to say, but he hit a bullseye in today's battle against coronavirus. This is dedicated to doctors, nurses, paramedics, firefighters, and others who are on the front line battling covid-19. "That we go numb along the way is to be expected. Even the bravest among us who give their lives to care for others, go numb with fatigue when the heart can take in no more, when we need time to digest all we meet. Overloaded and overwhelmed, we start to pull back from the world, so we can internalize what the world keeps giving us. Perhaps the noblest private act is the unheralded effort to return: to open our hearts once they have closed, to open our souls once they have shied away, to soften our minds once...

Whether you're a fan of Dr. Phil or not (I am, but he annoys me sometimes), he comes up with good stuff and hosts some knowledgeable experts. That's true as he helps viewers deal with coronavirus from his kitchen at home. Yesterday he interviewed psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen. (Never forget that name. Lemme hear you say "Amen!") He claims some anxiety is good for you because it leads you to take proper safety measures. The students on spring break flooded the beaches and ignored the corona threat by not distancing themselves from others. They weren't anxious about the illness. Then they carried covid-19 back north to their grandparents and others. So a little stress can protect us. However, chronic stress damages the hippocampus part of the brain, which controls memory and mood. Sleep -- 7 1/2 to 8 hours a night -- and exercise restore the hippocampal cells. So does proper nutrition. Amen mentioned onions, mushrooms, and garlic in particular. He adds that wri...

Coronavirus doesn't exist. Think positively. If there is a coronavirus, it will go away without affecting me, my family, or my friends. That's what I call "positive thinking." In reality, that's what I call hogwash. Wait. I do believe in positive thinking. But what exists in my "Pleasantville" doesn't exist in Louisville.  People get sick. Divorce happens. Domestic violence exists. The police shot and killed someone's brother, son, and maybe father downtown yesterday because he pulled a weapon on police. Bad stuff like covid-19 exists. So do rainbows and butterflies. God gets us through the bad stuff and enables us to enjoy the good stuff. He tests us in many ways. My alcoholism was a test. It wasn't God's will, but He used my addiction to make me a better person once I emerged from the darkness of the disease. Have faith in a Higher Power, and this too will pass. I opened up a book I read sometime back and came across a passage ...

Woe is me. I'm having a bad day. I was scheduled to have knee replacement surgery this week, but I was diagnosed with a staph infection on my hip. I don't know where that came from, but it means my surgery is postponed. Some days my knee isn't too bad. But on others, like today, it's hard to walk. Furthermore, I decided last week to stop going to A.A. meetings so I won't catch or pass the coronavirus. I texted my sponsor a moment ago to alert him that I don't plan to attend meetings for a while. I promised to call if I get a craving to drink. I don't expect that to happen. I haven't been tempted since my sobriety date last May. A.A. helps with that. Writing this blog helps. God helps me even more. I pray often to do His will through me. I'm fairly certain His will isn't for me to relapse. I am more-or-less homebound for now because it hurts to walk and I don't want to catch the coronavirus. I'm curious, dear readers, if yo...

I hesitated about going to my usual Thursday night A.A. group. I'm glad I did. I was told about online A.A. meetings. This sounded like a good alternative to being exposed to possible coronavirus carriers. Plus, next week, I am having knee replacement surgery and won't be able to dive for a month or two. Online meetings sound like a good option for someone homebound like me. Check it out.  http://aa-intergroup.org/directory.php This could be a valuable tool in your recovery process, especially during these unusual times.

Comments at the A.A. meeting I attended Thursday night got me to thinking about the coronavirus and how it might be particularly hazardous to us alcoholics. For example, I used to be an impulse drinker. Even though I was trying to stop, I could find excuses to buy another bottle. The coronavirus seems like a good excuse to people who may be like I was. "What the heck. I might get sick. I might be quarantined. I might choose on my own to stay home away from people. So I might as well stock up with whiskey and drink my way through the pandemic." My Thursday meeting was poorly attended. It might have been the storms in the area at the same time. Maybe people were staying away from others to avoid illness. What I do know is that a week ago we had more at that meeting than ever before. I hear many alcoholics say they have to go to A.A. to stay well-grounded and sober. What will happen to such people if others stop going? More likely, what if churches where some meetings a...

As I write this, the spread of the coronavirus is the big story around the world. For those with symptoms, here is some chicken soup -- Chicken Soup for the Soul , that is. I bought it for a couple bucks at a Goodwill store and finished reading it this morning. The last item is "100 Gifts to Give All Year Long." I will pull out a few items that I think are valuable for us alcoholics: Smile. Provide a shoulder to lean on. Pat someone on the back. Ignore a rude remark. Pay your bills on time. Give your used clothes to a needy person. Say something nice to someone. Catch someone doing it right and say, Great job!" Tell the truth, but with kindness and tact, Ask, "Does the other person really need to hear this?" (Step 9) Do a kind deed anonymously. Listen. Lighten up. Find the funny side of a situation. Take a quiet walk when you feel like blowing your top. Look for something beautiful in one person every day. Ask a friend for help, even when...