"Asterisk?"

Yesterday evening I had a meeting to attend so my wife had to take the children to their respective practices. Fortunately my wife knows one of the other mothers on our daughter's softball team who also happens to live nearby so she was able to take our daughter to the softball practice. My wife took my son to his baseball practice while I attended the meeting with my new company. The meeting went extremely well and this is a very well run company. They are coming off a record breaking month and the early part of this month shows no sign of this stopping. I will learn a great deal from the people at this company and I am very excited at the prospects which is exist. On the flip side it is sad to see so many people needing help with their respective addiction; however; being in treatment is certainly a huge step in the proper direction.

There are two sides to this business and it is clear the folks who run the company understand these two sides very well. Clearly this is a business and all businesses need to make money in order to survive which is one of the sides and the other side is clinical where the treatment happens. I am more exposed to the business side but I doubt if the clinical side wasn't holding up their end of the bargain business wouldn't be doing so well. This was a vast change from the previous six months which tried to emulate this business model but unfortunately failed. I am grateful for that opportunity but that is now in my past and I am continue to learn all I can each and everyday.

The meeting ended and I headed over to my daughter's softball practice. She was scrimmaging another team in preparation for their first game on Saturday. If this scrimmage is any indication of the games we are in for a long season or I should say some long games. I know each league has certain rules to speed up the game and last night the "four run" rule was invoked which means when any team scores four runs in an inning that part of the inning is over and the other team gets a chance. Each team seemed to score four runs and after 2 hours only 2 1/2 innings had transpired so these games have a good indication of lasting a long time.

My daughter played mid-fielder and shortstop and got up to bat twice walking each time. It appears the pitchers on both side need some work because finding the plate was a premium. I know my daughter really wanted to hit the ball but much to her credit she didn't get a pitch to hit seeing 8 consecutive balls. My daughter asked me who won at the end of the game and I said I had no idea and it really didn't matter since it was a scrimmage. She understood and we had a good conversation about the game. I tried my best to impart any softball wisdom I may have and my daughter seemed receptive. I wasn't the best baseball player many years ago and really I was very bad; however; I do understand the game and the nuances associated. For the most part I keep my mouth shut and pick my spots. I don't want to be one of those overbearing parents where the poor child doesn't know which end is up.

The evening ended and I was up this morning ready to make my once a month trip which serves as a "reminder" that I am not exactly a free person. At the end of last month marked my six month since my release and I had heard from other people who have gone through this similar situation that this represents a "change". Also; on my last visit I was told that I am approaching an "asterisk" and if all went well in that month something would change. I didn't know what that something was until today.

I am very happy how everything has worked out and the relationship I have cultivated. I did have to ask the question about the "asterisk" and what it meant. It was a good thing I brought it up because I was instructed that I am no longer required to make this monthly visit and I am allowed to "mail-in" a form each month. This is the same form I have filled out over the past six months and it has all my pertinent information such as name, address, telephone number along with work address and work telephone number. This form is due by the fourth of every month and I grabbed a few copies which will be there prior to the fourth of the month.

This was great news and means I am one step closer to truly being a free person. I certainly don't mind making the drive each month but not having to go is a great sign. This is certainly a reminder of where I have come from but it is also a sign of where things are headed. The key for me is to never forget these reminders but by the same token I cannot dwell there. This is a fine balance and thankfully in recovery I continue to achieve these balances.

The rest of the day went very well and as part of my job I had to attend a "mixer" held by the local Chamber of Commerce. I have been to these mixers in the past but not in this capacity. I was there to network and believe me I wasn't there for the food!! Since I am very picky about my diet I didn't indulge in what others would consider "good food". I must say this was a planned event and I did meet one person who guided me in the right direction. There will be many more of these events in the course of my employment and even though I am not exactly the "social butterfly" I can listen very well. The problem becomes me having to talk more than listen which is something I will work on at these types of events. Yes, today was yet another one of those very good days in every way.