Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The Mayor and Rehab...

Top of the evening everyone...

The mayor's brother reported today that the mayor may be back on the job in four-five weeks.  I have some concerns.

It is possible that a man who said that 'rehab is great' might not be getting the full benefits.

As well, he just loaned his car to someone who got pulled over for a DUI.  It suggests to me that he has not shifted his circle of friends to a more appropriate crowd.  The mayor has been heard to say, correctly, that he is the mayor for all Torontonians.  That does not mean that he has to be friends with all Torontonians.  That does not mean that he must spend his free time with some of the dregs of society.  Failure to shift his circle of friends to people who will discourage his continued addictive behaviour will only lead him back down a dark path.

These two points need attention.

I hope further that the rehab centre is also teaching him the after-plan, in which he learns how to avoid his triggers and in which he attends meetings with addicts (heck, the people who go to AA meetings are also Torontonians).

There are numerous good reasons that addicts are taught to think of themselves as addicts forever.  To see oneself in that light means that the recovering addict will always be careful about threats to the recovery.

I wish him all good health and recovery.

Good night.

R/SCG

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Beer and Wings Redux

Top of the evening all...

A couple of months ago, I wrote an entry called Beer and Wings.  It was about a manly evening of household repairs with Jesse.  Once we had finished fixing the dishwasher, it really seemed as though beer and wings were in order.

So last week, Jennifer and the other two kids were away for Shabbat.  Jesse and I nicknamed it 'Shabbat beer and wings.'  I got some wings and a six-pack of beer.  He had a sip.  It is not his thing.  

We had a great night.  We had Shabbat dinner.  We played some ping pong.  The next morning after services, we came home for lunch, played some more ping pong, and then headed south to where Jennifer was.  That was a two-hour walk.

I like to have the five of us at the Shabbat table.  Jesse is a year shy of finishing high school.  The nest is going to start emptying, as it should.  Still, when any one of us is gone, it changes the dynamic.  I like that change also.

Here's to Shabbat with my son.

Good night all.

R/SCG