WOW ... ... ... In my wildest dreams I never saw this coming ... the joke post was intended to bring a smile or at the very least a chuckle to all those who read it ... I like what Christine said about taking things in the spirit they were intended ... I thought I mentioned I was sorry if it offended anyone ... and, by the way, the tag 'old timers' applies to those outside AA as well ... this wasn't meant to be AA exclusive ...
I got your message there Dean ... I thought I'd been more discriminatory with my posts than in the past ... anything I really want others to hear, I usually PM it to them ... well, if it's the least bit controversial ...
Well now, that was exciting ... maybe we ought to do this more often ... JUST KIDDING!!!
-- Edited by Pythonpappy on Friday 4th of January 2013 08:49:51 PM
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Never goodbye,always so long!!, ...batten down the hatches Matey,may the God of your understanding keep the wind in your sails.We are all entitled to our own opinions and what floats our boats.some formats may be better than others in our daily adventures.....More is continually revealed...... I never related this to A.A. by the way ,im 65 and definitely getting grey and able to laugh at myself but am sensitive to others.I managed a facility for People With Disabilities for 34 years before I came South and there was much self humor from some of the most dire cases that I witnessed but again this is only my stuff...Stay Serene. man :).......................
-- Edited by mikef on Friday 4th of January 2013 08:54:26 PM
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Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
Continued to take personal Inventory and when we are wrong promptly admit it.
Yesterday 1/3. I accessed the site to a posted message titled A Funny for the Old-Timers As someone with 39 years of continuous sobriety, thus qualifying as such , I read it; but, in all truth did not find it funny , I found it DEMEANING. Any attempt at STEREOTYPING is demeaning.. Where do you draw the line ETHNICALLY? Some people, the lower areas of their mind will always find things like that funny.. but I do not believe it belongs on an AA message board which is to on one hand to inspire in higher forms of thinking or to help the distressed who are struggling to get and stay sober..
My reaction was to de-bunk this stereotype by grandstanding.. A shortcoming on my own part.. But later, my second comment was completely inappropriate, insincere,.. and what I believe somewhat demeaning to women.. I was angry and lashed out.. This again is a personal shortcoming.
Feeling uneasy, upon prayer and meditation this morning I was confronted by my Higher Power.. What kind of example are you to those fairly new, you have 39 years of sobriety.. I dont have much of a defense I am a sailor, a bit of a rogue, and a work in progress, but its this personality that in part has empowered me to do the things I so passionately to do. I am truly sorry if I have offended anyone.. As R.W. Emerson in his essay on the Soul, Americas foremost Philosopher states
We are forgiven by God when we have a sincere sense of REMORCE for what we have done..
So on a more academic scale, as it applies to AA Ive also employed the 9th step.. Now I need to get back to work..
Oh I have received several messages, apparently my Facebook page could not be accessed.. my fault its Tomas Sailorapparently when I wrote it I forgot the space..
Maybe thats inappropriate too, I dont know.. but In no way was the above intended to pontificate or condemn the messenger of this post.. Others may see thing differently.. Im only responsible for my own respective amends, and my own conscious contact with God
I just wanted to add that I do take my sobriety very seriously ... but if we are all program, all the time and no play, that make everything just so 'hum-drumb' and dull ... I, for one, feel the need to lighten up once in a while ...
It helps me not take life so seriously ... you know? ... to live in the day, one day at a time ... and 'laughter' has a healing quality all of its own ...
If others post that they wish me to refrain from or stop posting jokes now and then, I'll gladly comply ... If I couldn't learn to laugh at myself while being a part of AA, then I might just have to go somewhere else ... and for me that could be fatal ... AA is where I got my life back ... I learned I don't have to be all that 'serious' anymore, ya know, no more worries ...
Anyone else care to chime in?
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
For me,I stumble and fall often, im sure I do things and have said things that may be viewed in another light by others. I also incorporate rule#62 when I feel myself too deeply"doing my thing". My wife has never suggested it for me,(not sure she is aware)but I could always see the look in her eyes when it was time for personal application.I do believe laughter and tears are two of the God of my understandings greatest gifts to us(keep it on me here) whether its appropriate in a certain setting will surely be monitored by the moderator(WORLD WIDE WEB is a DIFFERENT ballgame,not like FTF,I know what my now deceased 86 year old sponsor would have said :) I know for me I have seen many questionable(in my mind)writings on these boards thru the years and thru prayer,sometimes responses and sometimes personal application of RULE#62 I still keep coming back!Each day WE remain teachable,a true blessing of the grace and mercy of our Higher Powers!
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Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
I liked it. I dunno...I laugh at myself all time. My friends and I take good natured pokes at each other while knowing where to draw the line. You have to take things in the spirit they were intended.
As someone who is a senior citizen I enjoyed it. At one time laughter was not a part of my life as I could not see anything to laugh about. Now after 24 years of sobriety I enjoy a good joke and laughter is very much a part of my life. Keep em coming pappy.
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Tell me and I'll forget. Teach me and I'll remember. Involve me and I'll learn.
Pappy to be specific..when I initially said it was funny..My emotions on that were "mixed up"..and as stated MY inappropriate reaction was grandstanding. and then worse.. on subsequent comment..that's why I found it necessary on the 10th step to write what I did..I knew it to be wrong..and corrected..
Christine to perhaps bring you to a sense of proportion..Why don't you publish a STEREOTYPE on Black Acoholics..Jewish Alcoholics..Gay Alcoholics.. and see how many laughs you generate.. see if you can come up with 20 funny's on that.. to quote"Of course in the spirit it is intended..HAH..HAH...Give it ti Lenny Bruce or the Diceman..humor like that belongs in a low class nightclub.
As stated it appeals to the lower forms of conciousness..and people who think that way... I try to avoid
Pappy to be specific..when I initially said it was funny..My emotions on that were "mixed up"..and as stated MY inappropriate reaction was grandstanding. and then worse.. on subsequent comment..that's why I found it necessary on the 10th step to write what I did..I knew it to be wrong..and corrected..
Christine to perhaps bring you to a sense of proportion..Why don't you publish a STEREOTYPE on Black Acoholics..Jewish Alcoholics..Gay Alcoholics.. and see how many laughs you generate.. see if you can come up with 20 funny's on that.. to quote"Of course in the spirit it is intended..HAH..HAH...Give it ti Lenny Bruce or the Diceman..humor like that belongs in a low class nightclub.
As stated it appeals to the lower forms of conciousness..and people who think that way... I try to avoid
Wow.
I don't think the joke the other day was in anyway the same thing but point taken.
I almost never read them. However, that precious day when I cracked a real smile for the first time in a very very long time (thanks to AA and everyone here), I was so glad to be able to keep on with it and enjoy some jokes. I've gone back and forth about if they should be posted here or not (in my own head... just like everything else has done it's rounds), but soon realized I'm not God. I don't always know what's best for others. I like what someone said the other day: Now I can just sit back and say "boy isn't that interesting" to all that scramble that wants to take place up there in my head.
Anyway - Roger, I think the fact that you want to make others smile is pretty harmless and I'm glad for your sobriety and sharing here. Keeps things flowing nicely : )
My vote: Keep coming back
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
Keep them coming, Pappy. Your contributions here, both serious ones and comical, are truly valued. :)
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I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
A joke is not funny at INFIRMATIES..or perceptual DISABILITIES of others...i'm a sailor and a seaman..learnedsome real good jokes..Mostly at the expense of woman.. they are certainly not appropriate here... or in any polite company, they would be more appropriate on a porn site..
But what Pappy proffered was not an accurate or a funny appraisal or portrait of Old Timers in AA.. constructed from his experience or immagination It was 20 things that were written that we sometimes run across reading magazines, cunningly modified to denegrate the image of an old timer in AA this went over the line..My comments were actually given in shock..completely out of whack with my true feelings..which I thusly admitted and corrected.
Humor is fine but not at the expense of others. There is Alcoholic humor..generally a quick one liner that's generic in nature..that wasn't humor...it was satire..funny to those whom I want little to do with....After probably 15,000 AA meetings and attendance..highly educated..with a library of AA humor..generic in nature..That was not humor for this site....the reverse steps or the AA sponsor..now that's humor..harmless.
I just saw a picture of Brigit Bardot in the news today..not the sex kitten I remember in the late 50's or 60's..I assume someone like Pappy could have a field day making fun of her at an advanced age..This is where stereotype humor leads to..insensitivity to boundries
Complaint about Pappy's jokes is noted. Sorry I didn't get to see it Tomas. In the future you can send a private message to any of the moderators (links to whom are located bottom left corner of main page) and it will be taken care of. Folks please consider all of our members before posting a joke that might offend someone. We're all family here.
Lighten up Tomas...the post made me proud of my gray hair with the dead brain cell beneath. As I now watch (with glasses) my hair falling out, I'm wondering where the dead brain cells go. And I quit trying to hold my stomach in, etc, etc
Tomas is a long time resident in the town that I live in and we have attended the same meetings, share friends ect... It's been very enjoyable corresponding with him here on his sailing journey around the world. Let's put this behind us all.
I rarely read Pappy's jokes (they just don't interest me), that's the great thing about free will. If it doesn't suit your taste, don't look at it, problem solved. Such drama over something posted to put a smile on some faces.
As far as the jokes are concerned, as long as you stay away from religion and politics, I enjoy them.
As an AA oldtimer, and just starting to get old, I love the jokes and find nothing offensive.
This thread offends me. It's clearly nothing more than someone trying to get some twisted satisfaction by sucking in everyone's attention while diverting the conversation from friendly fellowship, like Pappy's humorous and entertaining jokes, or from useful legitimate recovery based sharing and discussion. I should know, I've done it myself enough times to know it when I see a ham fisted attempt like this.
And quit deleting my posts...if this guy can ruin everyone's day with his attitude then he can deal with the consequences of people disagreeing with him and his motives.
You know sometimes I just have to turn my back and walk away because it all reminds me of what it was like back then and since I haven't closed the door on the back then there are times when others, in and out of this program sneak in and without asking first where my values lay...drops one on me for effect and then they learn where my values lay. The psycological make up of the alcoholic states that we are "risk takers"...we leap before we look and often it doesn't matter how many hours or days of meetings we have we continue to live that way. Oh well!! last time I looked this planet wasn't twirling at the tip of my index finger. Assume in the direction of moral safety and things usually come out pretty good.
As my elder (now decease) sponsor taught me..."When in doubt...Don't"...I'm not able to forget that one because Don T was his name.
Dean, when I was being a jerk many board members gleefully ripped me a new a-hole on occasion. I shouldn't of used profanity but I should have the right to call someone on their misuse of the board just as others did to me. There is no way that any rational person could take sincere offence to Pappy's innocent joke so considering the thread starters other motives for joining in and saying it was funny one day and then attacking it as being something evil the next is justified.
Humour is an integral part of the fellowship and since the program cannot exist without the fellowship I feel very compelled to defend it against those who try to force their vision of how it should be on us. I have no patience for people who bitch and moan about jokes from the podium or how meeting aren't serious or somber enough for their liking. To them I say go somewhere else, this is the way it's supposed to be (as written in the big book) and your kind isn't helpful to recovery.
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-- Edited by Sober McHappy on Sunday 6th of January 2013 11:36:20 AM
The primary purpose (far and away) of this board is to help newcomers. If we're posting "jokes" that are stereotypical and make fun of some group (age, sex, ethnic origin, politics...) of people, we're going to offend someone. It's not what this board is about. If I see jokes of the above mentioned typed posted, I'm going to take them down, fair warning. McHappy, your post was deleted because it was derogatory toward an individual (just like you above post is) and contained profanity. I usually edit profanity but there was nothing worth keeping in that post. All of our members deserve and will get respect, even those that need to leave the board because they don't respect others. This board, like AA, has no written rules, and for the most part works well because we regulate ourselves. Please think twice when posting and if not, use the edit function.
