observational comedy on Spiritual Pride

AA Destroying The Social Lives Of Thousands Of Once-Fun Americans

This video does not seem to want to upload properly. Oh well You will just have to click on the link instead. It is from the Onion.
I am not endorsing the end result of this comedy sketch, but I LOVE its very accurate portrayal of taking oneself far !!! too seriously and the trap of Spiritual Pride, where you can end up feeling smug, self satisfied or slightly (!) superior to drinkers or other AA's with less recovery. Or anyone really..
When the first 100 members said 'We absolutely insist on enjoying life' they had a point. :)
Anyway, I could not resist sharing this as I thought was very funny and exposes the trap we can all fall into of thinking that we are more 'worthy' or ? something compared to other people because we have had a spiritual awakening.. Meaning we use the process of recovery as an 'ego-feeding-proposition' in itself. Reinforcing narcissism, self importance, self obsession and self centredness. My experience has taught me that much of what AA brings about is a series of very ego puncturing admissions, one after ! another. When however I feel as though I am moving toward an ego massaging proposition, I instinctively feel I am moving away from recovery. I simply do not trust that movement. I prefer ego puncturing. This allows me the freedom not to be serious all the time, or be 'earnest' like I mentioned in the previous post.
Anyway.. Have a great (sanctimonious-free, smug-free and pious-free) Thursday :)

It feels like time for a laugh :) so here's some Fascinating Aida

It feel like it's time for a laugh :) so here's some Fascinating Aida :) This song is called cheap flights. (They use the word 'fek' just so you know). For US readers, the blonde has a brilliantly accurate rendition of a Southern Irish accent. I rarely find such convincing accents on TV or radio.
They have another funny track called dogging which is ! hilarious. for some reason I only discovered fascinating aida in the last week or so, which is unusual as I used to go to a lot of comedy clubs, so I'm surprised their name never came up.
Also the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britan does a great version of 'Shaft' which I only discovered a ? year or so ago.

So yes, a little light relief is always a good idea. I also really like the Sassy Gay Friend, but NOS gets the credit for pointing that one out to me :) I LOVE the sassy gay friend :) so thank you NOS for that top tip :)
Also Snatch Wars is very funny (but has lots of swearing) based on the character 'Brick Top' in Guy Ritchie's film Snatch. Very UK humor. May not appeal to the US visitors.

But seriously. I think having a laugh is very !! important and is part of the reason I spent a few years going to comedy clubs.
Because I think we all have a tendency to take ourselves far !! too seriously, comedy clubs can be very useful in teaching us how to lighten up. And also just providing us with something to chuckle about later on. I also like being (appropriately) irreverent in conversation as a way of making people laugh, but I'm sure that came from attending comedy clubs. People say they think I'm funny, (when I'm not on life and death AA conversational territory) and I am sure this has a lot to do with having spent years watching live acts. It becomes much easier to use humor in conversation when you have observed comedy acts developing their own styles for a couple of years. I love Harry hills TV Burp, but I don't know who the new talent is on the comedy scene nowadays. Youtube has changed everything, so loads of new material is on there.
Right well. I'd better go off and do some work. (!)
Have a great Thursday :)

Watch Derren Brown Friday win on the horses on 'the system'

Article in the Times about Derren Brown's programme
I dare say they will repeat it ad infinitum, so no hurry to see it on Friday.

This ia a David Blaine spoof and is LIBERALLY sprinkled with the use of the F word, so please do NOT watch it if you are offended by the use of the F word. Personally I loved it. Made me laugh. but you may not. ?

I confess I really like Mr Blaine and Mr D Brown, but I don't know how they do what they do. But suffice to say I have no problem with the idea that mind over matter stuff is very real. That's my view, so I like people that look as though they are doing that stuff SOMETIMES. As opposed to ALL the time. I figure some are legit tricks, and some are not. I have no idea which percentage. 80/20?, 90/10?, 95/5?. No idea. I would say it was a smaller proportion. But anyway, they are great showmen, regardless of how they do what they do. I like em, whether they are simple magicians or not.

My favorite D Blaine quote. "Soft is stronger than hard."
His site is quite interesting. Lots of video stuff, and nice pics. Mr D Brown's is much more unassuming. But I confess I LOVE his understated reserve. Very British. But that's just me.

Comedy is VERY useful in recovery. Harry Hill clip

I just love 'Harry Hills TV Burp' programme.

I've added some British TV comedy links from Utube and what have you of stuff I like watching. Comedy is very subjective, so you may find it not funny at all, but I'm just saying that comedy has an important place in recovery because it teaches me to NOT TAKE MYSELF SO SERIOUSLY.
It teaches me to have a laugh, lighten up. It teaches me to have a sense of humor, helps me be witty. It teaches me how to be funny and say funny things to people that makes them laugh.
One of my 'service' things is that I will make people laugh if I think they are looking a bit fed up, or glum. Comedy had helped me a LOT in this. If you are a bit on the glum side, I recommend comedy of some sort on a regular basis.

Like I said before I have stuck some links on the right hand sidebar under 'funny', as a starting point. But I am sure you will find stuff that is more suited to your own comedy preferences if you look around. The ones I've listed are some of the ones I love. They're great to watch if I'm getting a bit moody. Music works the same way too.

I'm very mentally preoccupied with study and what have you lately, My mind is not really on recovery subjects at the moment! so that's why not so many post and visits, but hope you are all well! I'm not very good at thinking of two things at the same time. My mind is either in study gear or 'recovery' gear. At the moment I am pretty preoccupied my new doctrines, so they are constantly turning over in my mind. I still find myself thinking about seemingly complex recovery things from time to time, but by and large, my mind is 'booked' rumbling over this new stuff I'm learning. That's why there's fewer posts. It is like discovering a whole new country or something. Very exciting!
Anyway, thanks again for all your comments and everything, and sorry for not paying so many visits and all that, but I have a feeling I will be pretty busy till June or so. Who knows? If my mind changes gear slightly back into recovery during this busy period I'll post as and when.
In the meantime, hope you are being little recovery ninjas out there! Working a DAMM fine programme!

ISOLATION creates 'Car Crash TV Mind': Default leaning towards Morbid preoccupation, Despair, Bleakness, Pessimism and general Negativity

The Fast Show. 'Black' sketch. or those of you that didnt see the fast show series, this poor guy 'goes off on one' EVERY week, after the work 'black' comes into the conversation..

Heres another one. They all end up pretty much the same way!

I LOVE this comedy, but I also find it a useful tool for describing the way the alcoholic mind CAN operate WHEN LEFT TO IT'S OWN DEVICES. When I meet AA's who are being TERRIBLY morbid and GRIM, in my mind's eye, they remind me of the character in this sketch. We ALL have this to some degree, it's HOW WE HANDLE THIS TENDENCY THAT COUNTS. If you KNOW about it, and can see it from a mile off, you can nip it in the bud before it 'takes over'. This sketch show character helps me see the tendency more clearly, giving me more awareness, and therefore strengthening my position, in the battle with all these weird parts of the mind!
Some poor sods in AA are really LIVING this character though. There is quite a lot ! of negativity in AA! Thankfully I try to stick with positive people when I am not doing service.

LEFT TO OUR OWN DEVICES... We end up like the list below!
We do this mainly by ISOLATION in some form. Either lack of social contact, or not HUMBLING ONESELF on a REGULAR basis by CONFIDING in one's fellow man for life's INEVITABLE problems of one sort or another. (In a CONSIDERATE fashion of course! The aim is NOT to bore them to death!)
Or you can 'isolate in a crowd', meaning you have contact with people but you are not being HONEST with other human beings who could help you. Problems build up, or just SEEM to become overwhelming and BIG DEAL.
I'm always AMAZED at how even SMALL 'trivial' social contact (if approached from the point of view of service) COMPLETEY alters my mindset if I am becoming negatively preoccupied. Such a SMALL price (of time and effort) for such a BIG return!
You do NOT need to practice these things in an AA context. I have learned how to do ALL of the above, OUTSIDE AA. This means I can practice my programme wherever I go. Which is useful, if I am busy.

Unless we 'artificially' prompt our minds into POSITIVITY, using either meetings, newcomers, service, 'constant thought of others', contact with step 11 people, ON A REGULAR BASIS
Our minds default to..

Doom and gloom
Pessimism
Bleakness

Tortured
Wagnerian angst
Three act tosca
Morbid preoccupation

Morbidity
Morbid preoccupation

Big GAY Drama Queen. (Get out the big feather Boa and strike a 'tortured' pose!)
BIG Deal

Overwhelmed
Despair
Out of balance. Tipping toward INDULGENCE
Staring into space
Paralyzed by 'overwhelm'. Grind to halt.
Dwelling on 'the problem'

I call this 'Car crash TV mind'.

There is a sort of 'gravitational pull' towards NEGATIVITY, if the mind does not get actively 'trained' towards solution-based problem solving (by using meetings, service, reading or listening to programme stuff outside meetings etc)
Basically we are social animals. We were not designed to be on our own for very long. And certainly not designed to be preoccupied with self or 'conceal ourselves' in a crowd of fellow men.
The only way life 'works' is if my motive is to make a contribution in my activities (including the mundane ones) and seeking out other human beings to be kind to and reach out to help or be helped, (risking rejection in the process.) Trying to help others is actually very vulnerable, because you risk rejection. Well that's what I find. Vulnerability makes me more 'porous' and 'connects' me to other human beings even when I don't disclose a ton of personal details. As long as I am trying to help others along the way, (in ALL my affairs, not just in aa affairs), I am never alone.

An Instant cure for self pity and taking yourself FAR TOO SERIOUSLY

They Call Me Naughty Lola: The "London Review of Books" Personal Ads.

See I told you it was funny! They've just made it into a book! Cool.

Stare at the back of your hand for 30 seconds

Stare at the back of your hand for 30 seconds. Now stare at this advert for 15 seconds while squinting your eyes. Now fully open your eyes and stare at the back of your hand for another 30 seconds. And again at your hand. Now stare at your mother. Back of your hand. Advert. Hand. Advert. Mother. Mother. Hand. Mother. Wall. Feet. Now wipe the tears away. Back at the hand. Advert. Hand. Mother. Man, 43. Hand. Advert. Mother. Hand. Hand. Hand. Box no. 18/07. Mother.

This is why I LOVE the Personals section of the London Review of Books: Deep JOY!!
I've got it in the links menu, but you HAVE to read it because its just so fabulous!
then again you may really hate this type of humour. but its right up my street. and after all
WE ABSOLUTELY INSIST ON ENJOYING LIFE
So anything that conjures up a little chuckle can only be a GOOD thing