SCRAM = Secure, Continuous Alcohol-Monitoring Technology
Suffolk gets high-tech leg up on DWI
“Drunken drivers in Suffolk County will be fitted for alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelets, the latest tool of Suffolk County parole officers, county lawmakers announced yesterday.
These high-tech gadgets enable authorities to track blood alcohol levels through the wearer’s perspiration.
The mechanism is enough to have previous DWI offenders sweating their next court date.
“These bracelets have been proven effective in deterring repeat drunk driving in over 30 states,” Suffolk County Legislator Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham) said, kicking off the pilot program.
The plan would strap bracelets on 20 of the county’s high risk or repeat …read more

One of my favorite tapes (and I’d love to find another copy) is that of Sean A. from California. I was able to identify with Sean’s childhood and the ability to ignore things long enough so they “disappeared.” I had the same “ability,” probably because I grew up in a similar family…
Sean spoke of rehabs and detoxes having a purpose. Before I say what that purpose was, please don’t mis-perceive. I feel much the same as Sean expressed – rehabs are at the front line of the battle against these types of diseases and I won’t diminish them. But – …read more

Reading through Mary Christine’s attempt to avoid becoming a plumbing Blog , I recalled one particular story that made a deep and lasting impression on me years ago.
Mary said in the last paragraph of today’s post “I have done everything wrong in sobriety that you can do. The only thing I think I have done right is I never stopped going to meetings.”
Around the mid 90’s I went to a group anniversary meeting in Suffolk Cty., L.I. The word had gotten around through announcements and the grapevine that a wonderful lady with 38 yrs sober would be speaking. I’m …read more

Co-Dependents Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women whose common purpose is to develop healthy relationships. The only requirement for membership is a desire for healthy and loving relationships. We rely on the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions for knowledge and wisdom. These are the principles of our program and guides to developing honest and fulfilling relationships. Through applying the Twelve Steps and principles in CoDA to our daily life and relationships, both present and past, we can experience a new freedom from our self-defeating lifestyles and realize a new joy, acceptance and serenity in our lives.
Co-Dependents Anonymous Home …read more

And, unfortunately, so is the reality of the consequences of alcoholism, drug addiction, et al.
It only took about fifteen minutes today to go through two news sources to find that drugs “won” again. A young, valuable life shattered, destroyed. The lives of those surrounding him changed forever. A future lost.
The oldtimers taught me that you can’t scare an alcoholic (drug addict) sober (straight). I don’t doubt that lesson because it has proven itself over and over. That doesn’t mean I can’t keep trying.
A Sober, Clean Day To All,
Mark

A lot of things
Thankfully.
The first one I always remember is;
I don’t care what keeps you sober, as long as you know what it is and you DO IT!
Yes, recovery is an action program.
I’ve also heard along the way that;
“You don’t think yourself into sober living
You live yourself into sober thinking.”
A Sober, Clean Day To All,
Mark

I swore I wouldn’t do it again! The wife complained. The kids complained. My boss complained. Okay, enough already. I swear!
Inside my head I’d think – now just how the he** am I going to stop – I have to have one! Just one. One won’t kill me (or them).

Yeah – right…..
As a part of being the new writer for A Dozen Steps, I thought it would be my responsibility to search out other alcoholic recovery resources that I might reference and with which I could develop new relationships.
I’ve found a few that I’ll no doubt refer to in the very near future. Today, I’d like to mention AAwakenings because AAwoken seems to do some research also and I found this entry interesting;
Pandora’s Box?

If Someone Were To Ask
“What is Alcoholics Anonymous?”
You might use this to answer them – The Preamble
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay …read more

In the “Big Book,” on page 133, it says “We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us.”
The AA Grapevine has it’s own web site with valuable and useful resources including humor. Check it out here.
Follow it through to the Digital Archive and then the Grab Bag. The Grab Bag has a rotating recovery joke (yeah, so some are old and lame, but ya’ never know when a good laugh could just get …read more