Just ripped up a t shirt

turninggrey · MIP Old Timer

Just ripped up a t shirt

itsmichael · Veteran Member

AND you got some new dustrags in the process! Congratulations!!!

Michael

Jerry F · MIP Old Timer

According to Michael...HP's will was in the dust rags and your's in the sobriety
for one more evening. How very cool. LOL That's good stuff.

Larry_H · MIP Old Timer

Glad you recognized what was happening.

Larry,
-----------------------
We suffer from alcohol-ISM, not alcohol-WASM

angelov8 · MIP Old Timer

Just this week dumped the empty suveneirs- 5 or 6 bottles kept from our honeymoon of Belgian beer drinking. I knew there were there, and this week realized there is no reason to be holding onto that type of keepsake. I'll be making new memories of good times. Here's to different t-shirts!

I have a fave brewery sweatshirt that is buried at the back of my closet. I almost wore it to a meeting once without thinking. In your honor, I'll put it in the goodwill pile.

turninggrey · MIP Old Timer

It is funny how visual memory joggers can trip a "system test" on you. I had worn that shirt a number of times with a little guilt because I bought it a year ago when I "fell off the wagon" and I specifically bought it for the message! I tossed it out. The shirt itself was not "evil" it was just that it became a trigger for me to doubt my HP/the program so it is not even going to stay around as a dust rag!
Tom

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

Funny story. 3 years ago, the wife (Dianna) and I traveled to Monterey, CA to attend the Moto GP and World superbike motorcycle races. The week that we were there, we rented a convertible and drove up the pacific coast through the redwood nat. forest and into Oregon. Along the way we went through a small beach town (Cannon Beach) that had this 250' tall rock "Haystack Rock", just 100' off the beach in the water. It was a very powerful monolith (3rd largest coastal monlith in the world) and we observed it for an hour or so (and the birds that lived on it) contemplating it's magnitude, longevity, age, and power. After that we went souvenir shopping. I like t-shirts and coffee mugs because they are useful. The only t-shirt related to the monolith had a nice picture of it and explanation but apparently was associated with a local micro brew "Haystack Stout". No mention of the beer or company on the shirt but it does say "Haystack Stout" on it. I couldn't resist and I bought the shirt anyway, and it doesn't make me think of the brew only the Rock and my time spent in it's presence so I'm ok with it.

However, I inadvertantly chose to wear this shirt one day, while getting dressed for a large local AA beach picnic. I was there most of the day and remember some people doing double takes and wondered if they thought that they knew me or maybe just admiring my physical appearance lol. So late I was at home and changing clothes when I realized that I was wearing a beer shirt to an AA picnic. I just had to laugh and was glad that I only knew a few people there. I called my sponsor, who had left the picnic before I arrived and shared the story with him. He's a buddhist and appreciated the Rock and wasn't hung up by the association.
It's still in my collection, but I promise that if it makes me think of drinking it will become a shop rag lol.

Haystack Rock.

http://agaas.com/user/Cannon%20Beach%20-%20Haystack%20Rock%20080.JPG

-- Edited by StPeteDean on Monday 12th of April 2010 08:09:46 AM

pinkchip · MIP Old Timer

They hand out a lot of freebie tee shirts at bars...No wonder many of us have lots of beer t-shirts. I have not thrown all mine out yet, but I have like 4 of them... I don't wear them and have no idea why I haven't done what you just described.

bikerbill · MIP Old Timer

So i understand if anything disturbs your sobriety you get shot of it, but is there some sort of convention or dress code going on in AA? I hope not or where would it stop?

Personally I have no problem with my drinkers pyjamas (1 pint, 2 pints, 3 pints 4, 5 pints, 6 pints 7 pints Floor!) but I threw out the boozers T shirt (I don't have a drink problem, I drink, I get drunk, I fall down, no problem!)

Maybe it's because one is true and one is a lie but they both take the mickey out of drinkers.

Some booze labels and logos are iconic and some are Iconic/Ironic.

Best logo shirt I've ever seen is AA is for Quitters - take that either way.

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

You know this thread is perfect for my Story about a chance meeting at the Blues festival I attended this weekend. It's a local one http://www.tampabaybluesfest.com/ and very well done, I've gone most years since it started 15 years ago or more. So I went on craigslist for discount VIP tickets that have backstage access, reserved front seating and all the food and drink included (too bad I can't drink or I'd I bankrupted them lol). It's the first time I've indulged in the upgraded accomodations and I was meeting some folks and passing some business cards around when I ran into this local icon "Evander" who makes jewelry and micro beer called what else? "Evander beer". So I went up to the hermit of a man and asked him about the T-shirts that he was giving out. The message on them said "Its better to be a well known drunk that to be an anonymous alcoholic". So I said, your message is kinda silly and when he asked why I told him that before an alcoholic becomes anonymous they've already enjoyed being a well known drunk.

He began to tell me that he hasn't gotten any flack about the shirts and that many AA people have bought them to wear to there meetings as a joke. I told him that we're a light hearted group and that of course we'd chuckle. He then looked at me really strange and said "You're an AA member"? and I said yes over 20 years now, and boy was he surprised (I must look too healthy or something compared to his ideal of what an AA looked like). About that time, him and one of his business partners started quizzing me "Why did you quit"? I told them "It's simple, I wanted to continue living, and I wanted to discontinue going to jail". They still looked at me funny like I had too much going on to be "An AA" lol. I just went to the guys website a minute ago, after I began typing this. I was looking for a picture of the T-shirt I mentioned above and Evander has posted a picture of us talking at the blues fest, on his website. Note vvvvv the cool tie-die T-shirt I wore to the Blues festival.

http://www.evanderland.com/news.html

-- Edited by StPeteDean on Tuesday 13th of April 2010 04:40:56 AM

Aquaman · MIP Old Timer

I have a Guiness hoodie that I won't part with. Mostly because when I'm wearing it...I can't read it!

Peace,
Rob

angelov8 · MIP Old Timer

Dean that's a great story to share. Chuckling still.

Seen that "AA is for quitters" on a bumper sticker on a local car. I've taken it for pro "we are not a glum lot" sarcastic humor.

turninggrey · MIP Old Timer

Hey SPD,
Great story. I am always amazed by the different stories and questions you get when you just factually talk about being in AA with no shyness or embarrasment. A stout t shirt at a AA beach function? You are kidding me. Awsome!
Tom