CASA 12-Steps Program Blog!: Thursday Night: Perspectives on CONNECTED REALITY and PROGRESSIVE RECOVERY

Thursday, July 12, 2007 @10:05 PM

Perspectives on CONNECTED REALITY and PROGRESSIVE RECOVERY

Hola All ~ Gracias for your response G.I. Joe! For us for starters right now we should all of us at least joining the CASA 12-Steps Yahoo Group, which I distantly moderate. We can keep a kind of joint journal for sharing ideas, brainstorming and retrospective purposes.

Group Email Addresses

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps/

Related Link: http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

Post message: CASA-12-Steps@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe: CASA-12-Steps-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

I believe this is the Email rascal you know as Tata's ~my Baby Brother: tatasarahlopez@yahoo.com

I guess this one is Jennifer's Email: brjenniff@yahoo.com

My nickname is Peta ~ which means 'a rope hard to cut'. I am a Junior to my Dad ~Pete M. Lopez, Senior. My Dad's old Pachuco name was 'Peta' from when he was in the Cherry Gang in Logan Heights, San Diego, Califas as a young Pachuco. So it's PETA! Not PITA… I think that is a middle-eastern bread. I like the way PETA can also stand for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals!

I could blog post direct from this Email onto a blog where it would appear in draft form before I went to it and published it online. It do not like to spend time, energy and focus on writing stuff that just gets lost out in cyber-space.

I usually to spend my 'free time' reading, writing or posting online, when I am not at my employment at the Salvation Army, at a 12-Steps Meeting, conversing with someone face-to-face or star gazing. I am the Moderator for several groups and have several blogs for different purposes.

In my continued recovery I have learned to be HONEST, OPEN and WILLING to change. That is HOW it works. I have no fear of self-exposure and have learned that we can be as sick as our secrets, unless divulging secrets can cause real harm to people for no good purpose.

I talked to Roberto on the phone and he says that he is finally online now with Comcast at the house with Special Forces! He told me about the planned Bar-b-cue and that seems like a healthy way for us to get together. If it is an Open Invitation I would like to check it out.

These days my life generally revolves around the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter. It is a pretty limited life but I generally work it to my advantage. I usually do what I want to do and need to do, but I do need to work on getting more of a varied life. Maybe get into growing some house plants and doing macramé again. Indeed, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.

I basically fancy myself as a street educator. I use the word 'educator' in the sense of one who leads forth, not just a teacher who imparts knowledge. Action makes the frontline.

I believe there is already a lot of information out there about SLE or a Sober Living Environment and we could Google more information. However, we want to get fresh original stuff, not simply parrot or regurgitate what someone else has already come out with online or offline. Regrettably, a lot of people in recovery do not take the time in their lives to actually sit still long enough and write their thoughts down on paper or in a Word Document that they are willing to share with others.

We should know that time is of the quintessence of all in the cosmos.

A lot of all this recovery stuff really comes down to us taking care of our health and offering healthy living guidelines for others. It ain't brain surgery.

Remember that imagination is more important than intelligence.

Beyond that, my basic agenda is a Humane Rights Agenda and all that flows from that huge area of concern for many educators worldwide.

I oppose any manifestation of OCD and any form of fanaticism. I have seen the ill effects of such ways. Remember that the word addiction basically means 'devoted' in a lexical sense.

1 Corinthians 16:15

I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

So we should refrain from switching to any other addictive behavior/mentality without clear foresight and forethought yet remain open to growth and stay teachable.

That is why we must be bold and not be content only with physical sobriety nor smug in our continued recovery, but humbly strive to be more and more tolerant, humane and understanding towards others in our on-going spiritual growth and maturity. It's all spirit!

I am watching Channel 13 News right now and there is a story about there still being American POW's still alive in northern Laos. So much is going on these days that it is hard to keep up on the news.

As for myself, I would like to get involved in basic voter education/registration here in Sacramento. I believe that a true democracy must be a participatory democracy.

What do we do? What is to be done?
Love God, Stay Straight and Help Others.
~Prayers and Blessings, Brother Peta

P.S. My next days off from work at TSA {Sally's} is this Sunday and Monday.

P.S.S. I am also interested in doing a Dual Recovery Anonymous Group @ The Salvation Army and will look into that. I already know a sister who works with The Effort who is willing to help out, though, what people say is not always in concert with what they finally end up doing.

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From previous posts…

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 08:15:14 -0700 (PDT)

From: "John Engbeck" <jengbeck@yahoo.com>

Subject: Brother Eric

To: eengbeck@comcast.net

CC: brjenniff@yahoo.com, "Peter S. Lopez de Aztlan" sacranative@yahoo.com>, loveseth@comcast.net

John Engbeck <jengbeck@yahoo.com; wrote:

Eric:

Those are excellent questions, and fascinating objectives. I would like it if you would contribute to development of the business plan, and moreover, a new model for recovery based homes.

I suggest that we meet and form a collegial group for the formation of an iron clad model. There are great minds aboard, with tons of experience. When might you be available for such an adventure?

Meanwhile, there is also great news: I have dual qualified for support! Since God looks out for fools and idiots, I can get both!

Seriously though, Steve and Peita and Jenniffer have tons of insights on money-funds, and strcuture, and more!! Join us!

Steve? Pita? Hon?

eengbeck@comcast.net wrote:

John,

I haven't seen much on SLE's other than the blog page. I am interested to learn as much detail as anyone is willing to provide.

On the business side of things I would like to understand potential markets, Perhaps a some detail on the various poltential client groups that might be served. Pros and cons of serving one versus another. Also I'd love to learn about availability of government money and associated processes for tapping them. I guess what I really am asking for is for you to help me get up to speed here. I 'd realy like to see a business plan or possibly help put one together.

It sounds as if there might be good potential here but the devil is in the details. For instance you mentioned a 2k surplus over your note for one house. Great, but does the note include tax and insurance? Do you need a higher level of insurance? Who is paying for utilities? What are the ongoing maintenance costs, i.e. new beds, new paint, etc. how frequently? How much time/ money is required for management (in house, and business wise? Legal fees? Bookkeeeping? Accountant? Are there periodic county or state inspections required. Are there code upgrades that may be required as a result of inspection. What is the actual breakeven point? What are the income tax issues? Are they affectred by LLC versus corporation versus sole proprietor etc.

More later

From the desk of:

John Randolph Engbeck

PO Box 536
Garden Valley, California 95633

Anytime cell: 510-703-5856