A few years ago (before I'd warmed to the idea of AA participation on the internet), someone (still not sure who) registered my email address with one of the several services where members send greetings to you on your AA anniversary. While it seems self-serving and corny and every year I think I must track it down and unregister myself, I am jarred each year when, this year starting in early November, I get dozens of greetings from AA's I never have and never will meet from all over the globe. Some just starting out. Some with 4 decades or more of sobriety (seems to be protocol to include your own sobriety date with each greeting you send).
OK - so it really is little more than just automated spam and lord knows I get enough of that. But, when I was discouraged last month and opened the email from the clown (literally) in NZ or the good folks all over the world who wanted nothing more for me than to acknowledge of the gift God has given me, well, I was touched.
But, by none more than this lovely blogosphere - from South Africa to Texas - I mean - really!!!
Thank you...
I've been amused by the blogging of those of us going through winter and summer. It always seems amazing to me that we (humans - way beyond the AA community here...) are so surprised every year that, due to the axis of the tilt of the earth and the rotation around the sun on that axis that we have these seasons where the temperatures and weather related stuff dominates our experience. I believe (I'm sure somewhere these statistics are tracked) that more than 20% of the "news" on any given day is consumed with weather and weather related stories.
So, it was ~5 degrees when I got up this morning and into the 30's in Texas. I've been in Houston when it's below freezing and, trust me, I'll take my 5 degrees any day for comfort. A few years ago, I was pursuing an interest in outdoor photography. Some of that pursuit must be accomplished outdoors. Outdoors when it can be cold. I was in a seminar with a famous professional photographer about 15 years ago and he said: "...with the technology that is available today, there is no such thing as being too cold outside. It is only and always a function of being dressed inappropriately."
That's been my experience.
I've got to tell you that part of the reason that I live in Colorado today is that, this time of year (and it does come every year about this time), I need to learn to dress differently. I've also been in Houston when it is over 105 degrees with greater than 85 percent humidity. I know from personal experience that you can't remove enough clothing to get comfortable in that heat. So, the only choice for comfort there is to NOT be outside and, for me, I can only do that option for short periods of time.
So, for now, Colorado and I are better suited for each other. In fact, I've grown to dislike the cold more since I can't play out in it as much as I once did. But, for now, I think it's where I belong.
And it's nice to feel like you belong somewhere...
5 comments:
I didn't know about your photographic interests. That is great. I don't like the heat and humidity here in SC. But I'll take the winters as it isn't comfortable to be out on the water when it is below freezing. I've been there off New England and the Gulf of Maine and not enjoyed it.
I get those emails, too. They are always a wonderful surprise addition to the celebration of one more year of a new life.
I would much rather be in the artificial climate of air conditioning on a hot day than artificial heat on a cold day. That heat makes my skin fall off and kills my sinuses. I guess San Diego would be the ideal for me, but I need rain, too. Not to mention it's too far from my loved ones.
Sorry I missed your actual b-day but wanted to congratulate you and God on a great example of strength and hope for me, a newbie. Front range living is the greatest. Jeanne aka Banana girl
I do love Colorado, but I do gripe about it some this time of the year.
it snowed in Houston in Feb 1994, right before I moved back to Ohio. That was pretty wierd!
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