Submitted by TheDotMack on December 29, 2009

With the new year coming up, one of the first things I think of are New Year’s resolutions.  After years of failed attempts at living up to my own expectations of myself, I choose not to pronounce “resolutions”.  A lot of times in my life a “resolution” was all talk. Something to do tomorrow, not today. Not right now.

I am a serial procrastinator - MrClean and RT can attest to this, in fact I’ve procrastinated getting this article done until much later than I should have.  If I say I’m going to do something starting the New Year, I can pretty much guarantee that its not going to get done.  I am slowly but surely gaining this awareness of myself.

The only time anything will ever get done for me is right now.  I propose we take a look at New Year’s “resolutions” with a new perspective — to set goals for myself and map out the steps I need to take to achieve those goals. Then all I need to do is take that next step, keeping it so simple even a person in recovery can do it (You know you like that witty Geico caveman reference).

In 2009, I’ve slowly gained the freedom from overeating and smoking, and I mean SLOWLY. It has been a process, and it’s still difficult for me on a daily basis - however I see results now and it feels good to have actual self esteem based on action rather than perceived self esteem based on ego.

In 2010, my goal is to continue my diet, my exercise, and my step work.  I have to continue to grow so I don’t regress.  That’s really the most difficult piece of the disease I have to swallow, that I’ll constantly have to work on myself so I don’t fall back.  If I stay positive, and I stay in “today”, then I know that the next right move is the move that builds character, the move that makes me a good person, the move that makes me stronger for having overcome the seemingly insurmountable.

With Love,
TheDotMack

Submitted by RT on December 29, 2009

2009 was our first full year online and we’ve grown to be a community beyond Mr Clean and my wildest dreams. Our first year, we didn’t expect to grow to be the largest online recovery community in the world, and we reached that goal within our first 6 months!

Being in recovery ourselves, our vision has always been that the recovery community is not just about getting and staying clean and sober, but a lifestyle that we choose to live one day at a time. We are trusted employees, business owners, and productive, respected members of society.

That was the thought behind our latest feature, the InTheRooms A-List. We wanted to provide a place where the recovery community can share their professions, passions, services and all areas of their lives with others across the world. The InTheRooms A-List is going to be a living resource the recovery community needs.

On the A-List, members will be able to post goods, services, employment, housing and basically anything and everything you’d like to advertise to other members in our community and across the internet.

This will also be the most complete internet resource for people to find the help they need to get clean and sober from any addiction with a list of treatment facilities, halfway houses, and treatment professionals across the country.

We expect the A-List to launch sometime in January, so please stay tuned. As always we have a lot more in the pipeline to accomplish and 2010 is going to be an exciting year for InTheRooms. We’d like to know what you, our community, would like to see in the coming months. Please comment and let us know your thoughts.

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!

Thanks and always grateful,
RT

Submitted by MrClean on December 29, 2009

Log in to InTheRooms.com after 1PM EST, January 1, 2010, and if you’re the 1000th person to be logged in at the same time, you’ll win a $50 Starbucks Gift Card!

Click here for a special message from Monkey Levine regarding this matter…

Submitted by BenBen The Fisherman on December 29, 2009

Submitted by RT on December 23, 2009

The InTheRooms family wishes you a happy holiday season, whether it be Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa - we celebrate all of them.

Whether you’re celebrating with your family and/or friends, always know you don’t have to be alone during the holidays. There is support online at InTheRooms.com and in your local community with various Alca-thons and 24 Hour Rooms.

Thank you for your loyal support.

And now…. A video :-) (brought to you by JibJab’s ElfYourself)

Submitted by MrClean on December 23, 2009

InTheRooms would like to invite you to log in and join us for our first annual New Years 24 Hour Room online event.

Starting on New Year’s Eve and ending at midnight on New Year’s Day, InTheRooms will be hosting a special online event to attempt to break our record of the most InTheRooms members logging in during a single day.

We also would like to see how many people we can get online at the same time as well, the most we’ve had online at once was a whopping 632 people, and we’d like to see if we can get at least 1000 on at the same time.

So… as an incentive for being the first 1000th person to log on while 999 people are already logged in will win a $50 Starbucks Gift Card (we hear people in recovery like coffee, is that true?).

Log in to InTheRooms at 1PM EST on January 1, 2010 and if you’re the 1000th person to be online at that time we’ll notify you that you’ve won!

Thank you so much and we look forward to seeing you on the new year!

Submitted by Stuart on December 23, 2009

Pat Taylor, Executive Director of Faces & Voices of Recovery’s started the conversation! Check out:

http://pushingback.com/blogs/pushing_back/archive/2009/11/23/49259.aspx

Like other Americans, people in recovery from addiction along with their loved ones look at the approaching holiday season with a mixture of feelings and expectations. As families and friends gather, we cherish the time spent together. We also know there is more stress during the holiday season, especially if you’re early in your recovery.

So here is a suggestion during this season. Check to see if there are sober holiday parties that are family-friendly in your community. If there isn’t one, get together with friends and neighbors and plan a sober party and invite others to join you. Giving and receiving are what the holidays can be all about – giving back and receiving love from others – it’s also what recovery’s all about. Look for new ways of celebrating that embrace the spirit of holidays and build a supportive community. This holiday season could begin a life-long adventure that creates new traditions and a new life.

As recovery is a solution to addiction, people newly in recovery must sustain their health and wellbeing during the holidays by taking the time to connect with others and express gratitude for all that we have been given.

This holiday season we are also thinking of the 23 million Americans and their families who have yet to find recovery. We want them to know that there is hope for the future, that recovery can be a reality and that our wish for you is to find a path to wellness and recovery.

To share your ideas about making the holidays recovery-friendly, email us at info@facesandvoicesofecovery.org. Happy Holidays!

Pat Taylor
Executive Director
Faces & Voices of Recovery

Submitted by BenBen The Fisherman on December 23, 2009

Central Mass NA
Narcothon…Christmas Eve - 2 p.m. to midnight,
Christmas Day noon to midnight, New Year's
Eve, 2 p.m. to 2 am (dance @ 10 but meetings
continue at same time), New Year's Day noon
-10 p.m./ Community Health Link, 72 Jaques Ave.,
Worcester, Mass…More info www.centralmassna.org
FREE EVENTS

The San Francisco Area Activities Committee invites you to ring in the new year with an evening of
Fellowship, Fun, Music, Food & Fireworks.

NA On The Bay
3rd Annual New Years Eve Cruise
Wednesday December 31, 2009
Boarding Time 7:30pm Departure Time 8:00pm
Pier 431/2 Fisherman’s Wharf
$60.00 per person
Tickets limited to 400 (not refundable)
Click here for the flyer

Buy Online
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Newcomer Donation:
This fund helps us to provide tickets for newer members who may not have the means to buy a ticket.

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