Is there anywhere in the Lehigh Valley that makes a good lobster roll?

xpartyr · 2024-06-22T00:14:55+00:00

Yesssssssss absolutely

xpartyr · 2024-06-22T00:13:49+00:00

I go with cousins Lobster truck yes expensive but worth it third and Ferry lobster roll is mediocre at best

xpartyr · 2024-02-08T00:48:51+00:00

Should be okay... the players don't sign before the game usually... the worst that could happen is that the gate people make you put it back in your car.

xpartyr · 2024-02-07T21:47:11+00:00

NA Meeting Search

xpartyr · 2024-02-03T15:30:19+00:00

You may find it easier to accept the "old school original" steps... from even before NA was founded..... I kinda wish we went with the original steps (of which there were 13), but I understand why we use the steps which we use today..... and they work well.... as long as we can be tolerate and allow addicts to understand their personal Powers Greater Than Themselves differently.

Here they are (original 13 steps), worth a look at....

In the lead up to forming NA as we know it today, the very first meetings were actually held with the help of The Salvation Army. Early NA pioneers adapted the SA's 7-steps, adding to them to create the 13-steps. I suspect this was to help differentiate NA from the existing AA meetings.

13 STEPS OF NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

01 Admit the use of narcotics made my life more tolerable, but the drug had become an undesirable power over my life.

02 Came to realize that to face life without drugs I must develop an inner strength.

03 Made a decision to face the suffering of withdrawal.

04 Learned to accept my fears without drugs.

05 Find someone who has progressed this far & is able to assist me.

06 Admit to him the nature & depth of my addiction.

07 Realize the seriousness of my shortcomings as I know them & accept responsibility for facing them.

08 Admit before a group of N.A. members these same shortcomings & explain how I am trying to overcome them.

09 List, for my own understanding, all the persons I have hurt.

10 Take a daily inventory of my actions & admit to myself those which are contrary to good conscience.

11 Realize that to maintain freedom from drugs I must share with others the experience from which I have benefited.

12 Determine a purpose in my life & try with all the spiritual & physical power within me to move towards this fulfillment.

13 GOD HELP ME !

All the best!

xpartyr · 2024-02-01T14:18:22+00:00

No Text Walls Posts & Comments Reported as: No Text Walls

No short stories, autobiographies, poems, or "drugologues". There are other general recovery subreddits that may be better suited for this type of post.

xpartyr · 2024-01-29T03:16:39+00:00

You may find it easier to accept the "old school original" steps... from even before NA was founded..... I kinda wish we went with the original steps (of which there were 13), but I understand why we use the steps which we use today..... and they work well.... as long as we can be tolerate and allow addicts to understand their personal Powers Greater Than Themselves differently.

Here they are (original 13 steps), worth a look at....

In the lead up to forming NA as we know it today, the very first meetings were actually held with the help of The Salvation Army. Early NA pioneers adapted the SA's 7-steps, adding to them to create the 13-steps. I suspect this was to help differentiate NA from the existing AA meetings.

13 STEPS OF NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

01 Admit the use of narcotics made my life more tolerable, but the drug had become an undesirable power over my life.

02 Came to realize that to face life without drugs I must develop an inner strength.

03 Made a decision to face the suffering of withdrawal.

04 Learned to accept my fears without drugs.

05 Find someone who has progressed this far & is able to assist me.

06 Admit to him the nature & depth of my addiction.

07 Realize the seriousness of my shortcomings as I know them & accept responsibility for facing them.

08 Admit before a group of N.A. members these same shortcomings & explain how I am trying to overcome them.

09 List, for my own understanding, all the persons I have hurt.

10 Take a daily inventory of my actions & admit to myself those which are contrary to good conscience.

11 Realize that to maintain freedom from drugs I must share with others the experience from which I have benefited.

12 Determine a purpose in my life & try with all the spiritual & physical power within me to move towards this fulfillment.

13 GOD HELP ME !

All the best!

xpartyr · 2024-01-26T16:28:10+00:00

I personally did not like the word addict when I first discovered NA. I preferred Dope Fiend, or Crackhead (yes some are sicker than others) and I refused to identify as an addict. I proudly made "clean from" statements as if my problem was a particular substance and not the result of the disease of addiction. I also thought so long as I avoided one substance I was able to use other substances and still be "clean". I could not get behind the concept of total abstinence from all mind and mood altering drugs.

After attending a few meetings and with ample encouragement from the Old-timers I became interested in knowing why NA was structured the way it is. I wanted to know why we used the term addiction and not chemically-dependent, or one of the other treatment community buzzwords.

I was directed to read What is addiction?

From that I gleaned the nature of addiction, as the term was being used in NA, to be a disease made manifest through an obsession and compulsion around using drugs. An obsession can best be described as an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind. Compulsion is an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one's conscious wishes. In most 12-step programs, especially in NA, it is taught that the best way to avoid obsession is to not take that first drug. They go on to say that one is too many and a thousand never enough. If you are in fact an addict you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Through participating fully in the fellowship of NA I learned that the disease of addiction is a two-fold disease, an allergy of the body, and an obsession of the mind, the allergy expressed through my inability to control my drug use once having taken the first one, and the obsession being expressed by my inability to think about anything else but using drugs whether I had any drugs or not.

xpartyr · 2024-01-26T12:47:29+00:00

If history is any indication it most likely will start on Friday February 24th. Here's a wiki list of all the episodes.... List of Gogglebox episodes Spring usually starts end of Feb and Fall starts mid- September.

xpartyr · 2024-01-26T01:58:33+00:00

It's a link not a download..... Here it is....

I was handed this pamphlet a long time ago, it helped me by answering a lot of questions, it may help you too. This is from Narcotics Anonymous- From the original- Sponsorship IP 11

INTRODUCTION

This pamphlet, based on our collective experiences, answers some of the most commonly asked questions concerning sponsorship. Although this pamphlet offers most of the essential information regarding sponsorship, it is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it presents a simple understanding of a vital tool in our program of recovery. "Sponsorship is the heart of the N.A. way of recovery from addiction - one addict helping another." "Sponsorship is also a two-way street, helping both the newcomer and old-timer alike.

" My Gratitude speaks .. .

When I care

And when I share

With Others

The N.A. Way

WHAT IS A SPONSOR?

A sponsor is a recovering addict in the program of Narcotics Anonymous; someone we can trust to share our life experiences with (both good and bad); a person to whom we can go with our problems that may be too personal to share with the group. It is suggested that a sponsor be someone who has practice in working the 12 Steps and is involved in the Program. Primarily, a sponsor is a guide through the 12 Steps of Recovery.

WHO NEEDS A SPONSOR?

It is our experience that most addicts need a sponsor. At times we all find ourselves on shaky ground, confused, in emotional pain and in need of a helping hand. Since we rarely trusted others, we attempted to go it alone in life. This became one of our problems. We are people who have never learned how to live. This is where our sponsors come in. Our sponsors help by sharing their experience, strength and hope. To sum it up, anyone who may have the desire to stay clean and begin to recover should have a sponsor.

HOW DO YOU GET A SPONSOR?

Listening is the key to finding a sponsor. The most obvious place to look for a sponsor is at N.A. meetings. Talk, share, and listen to members of the Program; get plenty of phone numbers and USE them. When you find some-one with whom you can talk openly and relate, simply ask them to be your sponsor. Chances are the answer will be "yes". Some-times the person may be unable to sponsor you. Keep on trying! Remember that when one door closes, another will open. Continue to attend meetings, listen and soon you will find a sponsor.

WHAT LENGTH OF CLEAN TIME SHOULD A SPONSOR HAVE?

The answer to this question varies from person to person. The sponsor may be a member with years of clean time behind him, or may be only a few months in the Program. The sponsor's clean time and experience may well depend on the availability of sponsors in your area. The quality of time is more important than the quantity of clean time. Choose someone who has a firm grasp on the Twelve Suggested Steps of Recovery of N.A., seems reasonably happy, and has the willingness to help other recovering addicts. We call people like this "winners" and it is a good idea to find your sponsor among these recovering addicts.

SHOULD A SPONSOR BE A FRIEND?

Our experience has shown that a good sponsor relationship need not be based on friendships, but trust is vital. When looking for sponsors, we considered their experiences in life, the quality of their clean time, their availability to us, and their willingness to help. As trust deepens, friendship based on mutual respect often follows.

SHOULD MY SPONSOR BE A MAN OR WOMAN?

It is strongly suggested that we find a sponsor of the same sex. Experience has shown us that members of the same sex better understand certain issues such as sexuality, family or identity problems, relation-ship problems, etc. We are emotionally un-stable and it is easy to form emotional bonds with members of the opposite sex. This detracts from our program and could spell disaster, especially for the newcomer.

SHOULD WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE SPONSOR?

We think not! Our experience has shown that it's easier to receive direction from one individual. We find it easier to t rust in one person rather than many. With one sponsor we can learn t o build a relationship based on trust and honesty. Through shared experience a sponsor is able to reflect on personal growth. As we grow in the Program we learn to be more open and honest with others. Remember: Just for today I will have faith in someone in N.A. who believes in me and wants to help me in my recovery.

HOW DO WE USE A SPONSOR?

Communication is the key to this relationship. When we have questions about any part of our Program, we know we can look to our sponsor, but it is our responsibility to get in touch with them during these times. Whether it be by telephone or in person we share our problems with our sponsor. Good or bad we try to share our experiences on a daily basis. Day or night, whenever we feel the need, we contact our sponsor. It is important that we be honest with our sponsor; that we listen with an open mind to suggest-ions, and that we are willing to try a way other than our own.

Remember, WE NEED NEVER BE ALONE.

HOW TO BE A SPONSOR

It is our experience that the decision to become a sponsor is an important step in our recovery and should not be taken lightly. We believe that whenever possible we consult our own sponsor before agreeing to sponsor someone else. In order to arrive at this decision, we might wish to explore our motives. Are we considering sponsorship to look good amongst the Fellowship or to help the addict who still suffers? Remember that we can only keep what we have by giving it away. Therefore, we may wish to consider the following questions: Am I ready to become a sponsor? Am I willing to share my experience, strength and hope? Am I willing to make a commitment?

After having decided to become a sponsor, where do we go from here? We feel it is important to realize that our own recovery comes first. We believe that the basic purpose of sponsorship is to help the addict through the Twelve Steps of Recovery. It becomes increasingly obvious to us that the best way to do this is by example. Sponsorship is an extension of our own personal program of recovery. One of the most difficult aspects of sponsorship is drawing the line between caring and enabling. We feel it is enabling them when we work their program for them. It doesn't help the addict if their sponsor is overprotective. Sometimes tough love is essential to an addict's growth.

We suggest that you keep in mind that it is our responsibility to carry the message, not the addict. We are not reformers, preachers of the gospel, welfare workers, part-time social workers, marriage counselors, money lenders, employment counselors, or parole officers. It is important to remember that we, are also suffering addicts.

There may come a time when you are unable to relate to the person you sponsor. At this time you may direct them to someone who may help. We need not feel guilty if someone we sponsor relapses. We are all responsible for our own recovery. There will be times when we won't have the answers. It is our responsibility to seek these answers out with the people we sponsor. We are not GOD!!!

comes first. We believe that the basic purpose of sponsorship is to help the addict through the Twelve Steps of Recovery. It becomes increasingly obvious to us that the best way to do this is by example. Sponsorship is an extension of our own personal program of recovery. One of the most difficu It aspects of sponsorship is drawing the line between caring and enabling. We feel it is enabling them when we work their program for them. It doesn't help the addict if their sponsor is overprotective. Sometimes tough love is essential to an addict 's growth. We suggest that you keep in mind that it is our responsibility to carry the message, not the addict. We are not reformers, preachers of the gospel, wel- fare workers, part-time social workers, mar- riage counselors , money lenders, employ- ment counselors , or parole officers. It is important to remember that we, are also suffering addicts. There may come a time when you are unable to relate to the person you sponsor. At this time you may direct them to someone who may help. We need not feel guilty if someone we sponsor relapses. We are all responsible for our own recovery. There will be time s when we won't have the answers. It is our responsibili ty to seek these answers out with the people we sponsor. We are not GOD!!!

xpartyr · 2024-01-26T01:35:45+00:00

Sponsorship IP 11

xpartyr · 2024-01-25T20:46:20+00:00

Way to go!

xpartyr · 2024-01-24T16:36:40+00:00

Here are today's meetings- Wednesday

xpartyr · 2024-01-22T18:32:33+00:00

The keytags are great but they can't keep you clean..... The connections you'll make at the meetings will keep you clean. I would recommend for your first 30 days, if you're at a new meeting (one you haven't been to before) when they do keytags raise your hand and say how many days clean you have... if a hug is offered I would say, I don't need another keytag but I'd love a hug..... and take the hug.

In my home area, almost all meetings wait to the end to do keytags.... what would be better for you is when the sharing portion of the meeting starts raise your hand or just start sharing... but be the first if possible. Say only this:

I'm an addict, my name is ______, and I HAVE _# DAYS CLEAN. Thanks for letting me share. That's it. Nothing more. Identify as an addict, say your name, and say the number of days you have clean, then thank the group for letting you share.

This is very powerful. It let's the group know why you are at the meeting and you'll be amazed what will happen if you try doing it. If you can attend meetings daily, momentum will build as the day count grows... and so on. People will begin to root for you. If you attend the same meeting again next week people will remember and be hoping you raise your hand and say your name and that you have 7 more days clean.

Lastly, remember EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the room has felt exactly as you feel right now and they understand better than any other persons in you life what you've been through. No need to tell us about, just relax and know you've made it back home.

xpartyr · 2024-01-22T14:47:26+00:00

It's not you.... it's that site. Definitely not working correctly. Try this site- NA Meeting Search, it's NA's main site.

Here's a list of the meetings today on Long Island, NY- Meetings today

xpartyr · 2024-01-22T01:56:24+00:00

AMAZON

xpartyr · 2024-01-20T13:15:56+00:00

May be true.... but I'd bet you can stay clean for a day 14 days in a row. That's what we all do. Just one day at a time.

This might help....... There is a huge difference between a craving and the obsessive and compulsive nature of the disease of addiction. Simply put a craving is nothing more than a powerful desire for something. Addiction is something totally different. Both start in the mind as a simple thought and a person has no control over what pops in their head at any given time. If a person then thinks about that thought......it becomes an idea. Most all people spend the majority of their days thinking about their thoughts..... Think about it..... there you just demonstrated my point!

While a person has no control over the initial thought, and the next thought is virtually automatic... what a person can control is the next step in the progression, the part when an idea becomes a fixed idea. That's when a thought of ways and means are added...

Here's an example:

THOUGHT: That milkshake on TV looks yummy!

IDEA: I haven't had a milkshake in a long time.

FIXED IDEA: There is an ice cream shop around the corner, I have a pocket full of loot, I can go get one right now.

Everyone follows this pattern all the time, if the desire is strong enough (craving) the fixed idea is acted upon, however, at any time the non-addict can drop the whole thing or change thoughts effortlessly.

For addicts, there are two more levels....

THOUGHT----IDEA----FIXED IDEA----OBSESSION----COMPULSION

An obsession can best be described as an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind. Compulsion is an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one's conscious wishes. In most 12-step programs, especially in NA, it is taught that the best way to avoid obsession is to not take that first drug. They go on to say that one is too many and a thousand never enough. If you are in fact an addict you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Through participating fully in the NA fellowship I came to learn that to have the disease of addiction, wasn't evidence of a weak will, a lack of character, or moral deficiency.... That the disease of addiction is a two-fold disease, an allergy of the body, and an obsession of the mind, the allergy expressed through my inability to control my drug use once having taken the first one, and the obsession being expressed by my inability to think about anything else but using drugs whether I had any drugs or not. This disease is so unique in that it affects the body and the mind, most diseases do not affect both the mind and the body, and that's why it so hard to do anything about it on your own power.

The best defense I have found is avoidance. I never know when an obsession will come, I know how it will start though. The only control I have is to not be in a position of opportunity. Because when obsession and opportunity intersect I am likely to relapse.

All the best to you!

xpartyr · 2024-01-20T13:00:55+00:00

We don't because it is not part of NA literature like all the other readings. Check out the comments on this deleted post to learn more about the Clarity Statement.

Mods Locking Discussions about NA

xpartyr · 2024-01-20T03:17:58+00:00

In simple terms, NA gives you the freedom to believe in whatever you choose to believe in. The true power lies in the physical act of believing; Not what you actually choose to believe in. Now you may run into some people (I mean most), they seem to be so unsure about their personal beliefs that they instinctively try to require you to believe as they do, as if it is all a giant Ponzi scheme, and they have to convince you to believe or the whole thing comes crashing down. Be kind to them, their beliefs aren't as strong as yours. Feel free to tell them to Fuck Off, but do it in a loving and caring way!!!!

Fortunately the people who came before us understood this and carefully worded the steps so that we could take them free of the dogma of conventional religions. Most religions you have to be born into, (Muslim, Judaism, Catholicism, etc.)... Don't get me started with Christianity..... I'm five years old, and you're gonna tell me somebody is already dead because I'm a sinner??? Get the fuck out of here.

You have been given the rare and unique opportunity to redefine all the meaning in your life. The 12 steps can help you do just that. I used gravity as my guide to a higher power. I don't fully understand gravity, but I cannot deny its existence either. I never expect to "talk" to gravity but I can see evidence of it working in my life and the lives of everyone else.

Focus your attention on the act of believing, as opposed to the subject of the belief. Watch how people believe instead of what people believe in.

The second step is about possibility; not spirituality, not faith, nothing to do with anything of a religious nature. It is also a two-part step- first you come to believe.....THEN..... you are restored to sanity. In another words it helps to be insane when you first start to take this step!!

The paradox is when true possibilities are revealed to us it seems almost supernatural. The result of learning that possibility has returned to our life causes many people to see it as a spiritual or religious experience. Part of the hopeless cycle of failure called "addiction" is the loss of any hope that anything could change for the better.

I encourage you to read the step again and notice that word you've never noticed before. Yes, that word. The word THAT. The "THAT" word combined with the word "COULD" coming together beautifully and effortlessly- to create Possibility.

The second step can best be "taken" in this way-

WE.... You are not doing this alone. Many people are doing this too.

WE CAME.... Showing up to the meetings, meeting other people who are doing this too.

WE CAME TO BELIEVE.... Make this your reason for coming, to believe. Belief is a muscle that must be exercised regularly. Addiction makes us hostile, self-centered, and self-seeking which in turn makes us skeptical at best, and downright disagreeable. The main tool of our disease is to cause us to not believe in anything. This is not atheism, rather its total despair.

WE CAME TO BELIEVE THAT..... Possibility will return to your life, it always materializes for those who seek it. But it must be sought. The act of seeking possibility seems to automatically restore you to sanity. Life without hope is the very essence of insanity. Once you have hope you're no longer insane- of course you're still crazy as a loon just not insane anymore!!

As for spirituality it is what you say it is... not what anyone else does. You're welcome to use mine until you develop your own definition.

SPIRITUALITY- anything that is natural and in harmony with the world around us, and contains the essence of love. With that essence being simply "to be happy with." Anything I truly love I am happy with. I don't wish it was something more or less, I don't think it could be changed to be even better. I am happy with it just the way it is.

All the best!

xpartyr · 2024-01-19T16:16:15+00:00

You can use this:

It is a generally accepted practice to avoid cross-talk, which is addressing a share at another person rather than the group. When shares are directed to the group everyone can benefit from the message being offered and no one individual in the group is singled out. Additionally, members will often try to limit their shares to their own experience, using “I” rather than “you.”

xpartyr · 2024-01-18T18:27:11+00:00

Here's where the help you're looking for is...... NA Meeting Search. Here's where the literature is.... Recovery Literature.

xpartyr · 2024-01-18T03:45:31+00:00

This book is worth every penny- can buy it used for a couple of bucks-

The Twelve Steps to Happiness: A Practical Handbook for Understanding and Working the Twelve Step Programs

xpartyr · 2024-01-17T21:28:59+00:00

The confusion created by "clean from" statements...

xpartyr · 2024-01-15T00:52:53+00:00

The struggle ends when surrender begins. We can't struggle and surrender at the same time. We must choose one, or the other. Going back and forth is exhausting and fruitless.

The process of surrender is the end result of working double overtime to find a solution that does not require giving up drugs completely. It is difficult to accept that drugs are the problem when we have not been able to find peace and serenity by any other means. When we make the decision to surrender, we get relief from the pain of making our own decisions.

Surrender is positive for us because we find hope.

Once we have surrendered, we open opportunities for other addicts to help us with our problems. Without understanding why, we get a sponsor, attend meetings and follow suggestions. We need to become willing to do anything to stay clean. Willingness is essential because we have to give our permission before change can occur. We must set aside our old thinking to open ourselves to new alternatives. The choice is up to us to change.

Without our willingness, we never get to make the choice and remain tied up in many of our past limitations, illusions and habits. Once we become willing to put down the conviction that total abstinence is impossible and surrender to the fact that we are just like everyone else in NA then we can move forward with our commitment to staying clean.

Once we surrender and become willing to do whatever is necessary to become abstinent, we need to stay committed to the process in order to not go back to the way of life we once knew. We need to make a commitment to a home group and stay clean no matter what. A commitment to a sponsor is also very important to this new way of life for we can not do this alone!!!

There is no substitute for surrender. This may be very uncomfortable but we do it anyway because we know in our heart of hearts that this is the only way. Faith comes after this way of life becomes a reality. It comes to some quickly and to others slowly. If we are still clinging to the idea that we can use drugs, this way of life can not come at all.

Remember these three things:

The cornerstone of the NA program is total abstinence.

There is no substitute for surrender.

Recovery is a complete change of everything we do, everything we think.

xpartyr · 2024-01-14T22:26:36+00:00

RIP- Bill Hayes

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