All posts by myrattledcage

I am a very proud gay man that has been living with HIV/AIDS for over 25 years. During this time my life has changed in so many ways some for the worst but mostly for the better. During those 25 years I managed to get both my Bachelor of Arts in Communication with concentrations in Public Relations and Technical Communication and my Master of Arts in Communication from The University of Texas at San Antonio. I also gained and have kept a loving partner for 21 1/2 years and we now live with our 6 dogs in the order they arrived at our home – Crissy, Little Bitty, Zailey, Stitchy, Marcy and Lucy! I am so blessed with a most loving family to include my two sisters and their husbands; my three nieces and their respective husbands or boyfriends, and six of the most adorable great nieces and two great nephews that a great-uncle could ever have. My interests include cooking, reading, playing with my dogs, and of course making sure that I am as healthy as possible after many years of being an alcoholic and addict. Yes, I am very open and honest about myself, and you never know what you will read on “My Rattled Cage”!!!!
#LoIsInDaBl21, #Loveisindablog, life, Music

Love is in da blog prompt 5: Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo

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Prompt 5 of #LoveIsInDaBlog2021 is Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo – Find a Jazz love song and/or write a Contrapuntal poem about Rivera and Kahlo. I have found Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera – The Heart Of Frida (Music by Starr Parodi). This video includes Rare footage from home movies and photos.

That’s what’s in My Rattled Cage, thanks for stopping by!

#LoIsInDaBl21, life, Music

Love Is in da blog Prompt 4: Bollywood

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For the 4th Prompt of #LoveIsInDaBlog Bee gave us Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal (Taj Mahal) – Finda a Bollywood Song and/or write an Epitaph for lovers.

I have chosen to look back into the 1990’s and I have found a Bollywood song Saathiya Bin Tere Dil Maane Na” by Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu . I have included the original Bollywood video as well as an English translation lyric video for your pleasure.

That’s what’s in My Rattled Cage, thanks for stopping by.

#LoIsInDaBl21, life, Music

Love Is In da blog Prompt 4: Casablanca

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For Prompt 3 for #LoveIsInDaBlog Bee has given us Casablanca. I have chosen the version of As Time Goes By sung by Billie Holiday. This is also a lyric video. I have always loved her voice and she had such a parallel life with mine considering all of her issues with addiction which in the took her life.

That’s what’s in My Rattled Cage, thanks for stopping by!

#Love Is In Da Blog

Love is in da blog prompt 2: Romeo and Juliet

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With me returning to The University of Texas at San Antonio on February 1st along with me still doing deliveries for Favor, I am way behind on my #LovIsInDaBlog posts for 2021. For bee’s 2nd prompt she gave us Romeo and Juliet and I have chosen the version by Mark Knoepfler and Emmy Lou Harris from their Roadrunning Tour. I am not going to lie, there is not a poetic bone in my body so I doubt you will se any poems from me. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

That’s what’s in My Rattled Cage, thanks for stopping by!

#LoIsInDaBl21, life, Music

Love Is in da blog – February 1, 2021

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Bee has definitely given us a different twist for #LoIsInDaBl21. While this may sound CHEESY, I am going to choose my own love story.

No poetry but I must give props where props are due. My husband and I will celebrate our being together 20 years on February 14th. This man has loved me through the best of times when I am in recovery and working the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, but better yet he has loved me when I am deep in my depression, alcoholism and addiction. because of this I am actually going to attach two songs.

The first is “Amazed” by Lonestar and the second is Lauren Daigle’s “Love Like This”.

That’s what’s in “My Rattled Cage”, thanks for stopping by!!

#SoCS

#SoCS January 30, 2021 – Beginning and End

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This year I did not participate in Just Jot January and I have missed it. I also have not posted in a while for Stream of Consciousness Saturday. This weeks prompt is exciting to me because of the exciting changes coming my way.

On Monday February 1st I start a new BEGINNING at a very familiar place to me. I am returning to The University of Texas at San Antonio as a Business Service Center Specialist I for the College of Sciences. Four years ago when I left the university due to personal health issues and other things going on, I never would have imagined that I would ever be able to return, let alone return and report directly to one of my former colleagues with the Institute for P-20 Initiatives from July 1, 2015-February 16, 2017 almost four years to the day I left.

This would not be happening if it had not been the END of the craziness of my alcoholism and addiction that started on January 4th, 2020. In the little over a year of sobriety I have worked 5 different jobs including what I am doing now and that is delivering for Favor a Texas Company through H-E-B. I have been doing that since December 2020. That would not have happened had I not had a new BEGINNING with purchasing my 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage from Mission Mitsubishi on April 4, 2020 on my 90th day of SOBRIETY.

2020 marked a new BEGINNING of ADULTING and the END of being selfish and immature. I can testify that if you work the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and not your program, the 9th Step Promises will start coming true before we are halfway through. Fear of people and economic security has been leaving me in record time.

I am so truly blessed and my goal is simply to work the program and work my job ONE DAY AT A TIME and that is all I need to do.

That’s what’s in My Rattled Cage, thanks for stopping by!

life

Mission Accomplished

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So, I can make the OFFICIAL announcement. On February 1st I am returning HOME to my beloved The University of Texas at San Antonio as a Business Service Center Specialist I with the College of Sciences!!!

I cannot even stop expressing how EXCITED and ECSTATIC I am to be returning home.

Everyone knows I bleed ORANGE and BLUE!!!!

That’s what’s in “My Rattled Cage”, thanks for stopping by!!!

life, recovery

A DIFFERENT KIND OF BIRTHDAY!!!

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Today I celebrate 1 Year of SOBRIETY!!!

I have done it by working THE PROGRAM of ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS and remembering that I cannot keep what I do not give away freely!!

I thank my family and friends for their undying support, and my family at my home group the Goliad and Global Steps AAthat happens to meet in the hall of In The Rooms.

That’s what’s in My Rattled Cage, thanks for stopping by!!

#SoCS, Uncategorized

#SoCS 12/5/20 – List for Sobriety

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Linda has given us the prompt of “list” for today’s #SoCS.

Enjoy this lyric video of For King and Country’s “Never Give Up”.

Yesterday I celebrated 11 months of SOBRIETY because I have never given up. My last drink was on January 3rd, 2020. I have not done it on my own, it has taken a lot of work with my sponsor, attending/chairing/sharing in face to face meetings at my home group the Goliad Group along with service work as the Group Secretary; attending/chairing/sharing in meetings at my online home group Global Steps Alcoholics Anonymous that just happens to meet in the hall of In The Rooms.

But there is also an important list of 12 everyday things that must happen if I am to remain SOBER!

  1. When I wake up in the morning, I thank my Higher Power whom I choose to call God for waking me up and not bringing me to.
  2. I ask my Higher Power to assist me throughout the day with keeping my character defects in check – yes, I do have a lot of character defects and I turn my will over everything in my life for the day to Him. His will be done and not mine!
  3. I keep in contact with my sponsor and other alcoholics that help keep me sober.
  4. I go throughout my day doing the next right, best thing to keep me sober.
  5. I share in my online meetings.
  6. I chair online meetings twice a week.
  7. I attend and share in my face to face meetings.
  8. I chair one face to face meeting on Monday evenings at the Goliad Group.
  9. I do spot-check self inventories throughout the day.
  10. I recite the Serenity Prayer sometimes many, many, many times throughout the day.
  11. The most important thing that I do is “I DO NOT PICK UP THAT FIRST FRINK OR ANY OTHER SUBSTANCE I USED TO USE” just for today.
  12. When I go to bed, I thank my Higher Power for ASSISTING me throughout the day to help keep me SOBER just for today!

Enjoy this video of For King and Country’s “Control”.

That’s what’s in My Rattled Cage, thanks for stopping by!