TheoBurke
547 posts
Jan 01, 2014
2:38 PM
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By the grace of God and all sorts of things worth living for, especially the blues harmonica, I have just made through my 27th sober Holiday Season. I want to thank everyone for their help and to wish everyone a happy, productive and fulfilling 2014!
EDIT: For clarity's sake, I need to add that I am 26 years and a half years sober and that my sobriety date is July 16, 1987. This is my 27th sober Holiday Season,and I thank everyone for their support in the ways of the harmonica . Here's wishing everyone a fruitful 2014.--tb
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Ted Burke
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheoBurke?feature=mhee
http://ted-burke.com
tburke4@san.rr.coM
Last Edited by TheoBurke on Jan 02, 2014 7:25 AM
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orphan
307 posts
Jan 01, 2014
4:40 PM
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Ted, I just wanted to thank you for the decision you made all those years ago. I have been a fan of your playing ever since I heard you on this forum. The written thoughts, whether your articles or posts, have always been appreciated by me. I'm sure others benefitted from the fruits of your labors these past years. He who is, was not, and now is...
Congratulations and my Best Regards!
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cliffy
68 posts
Jan 01, 2014
4:45 PM
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Theo, congratulations... Keep taking it one day at time and hopefully there'll be another 27 sober holiday seasons in your future. Best wishes for 2014.
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Frank
3619 posts
Jan 01, 2014
5:19 PM
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Theo - do you ever get the urge to get drunk? I know you mentioned a couple things but how else do you maintain such great success - or is it that simple? Do you Smoke cigerettes? Congratulations:)
Last Edited by Frank on Jan 01, 2014 5:22 PM
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TheoBurke
548 posts
Jan 01, 2014
5:36 PM
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Frank: I attend and participate in AA meetings in my community, and I rely a lot on the fellowship with other members. Without going into detail, I will say that I am extremely fortunate and could not have done it on my own. I used to smoke , but I quit when I was 9 nine years sober; it improved my playing, or at least my stamina. But mainly, I continue to be active in AA. It is what worked for me.
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Ted Burke
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheoBurke?feature=mhee
http://ted-burke.com
tburke4@san.rr.coM
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tmf714
2311 posts
Jan 01, 2014
8:35 PM
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24 years for me on the 7th-what Theo says is true. Attend the meetings and surround yourself with sober friends. I quit smoking the same week I put down the drink and drugs. By the grace of God,I made it through the most difficult year of 2013-and survived.
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TheoBurke
549 posts
Jan 01, 2014
8:40 PM
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Congrats trf714! The fact that we're here on this forum discussing harmonicas and harmonica players, yay or nay, is a miracle for the likes of us. It's a gift to be among the living.
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Ted Burke
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheoBurke?feature=mhee
http://ted-burke.com
tburke4@san.rr.coM
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SuperBee
1606 posts
Jan 01, 2014
8:45 PM
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Congrats to you Ted, and also Tim. I understand that battle.
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hooktool
110 posts
Jan 01, 2014
8:49 PM
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Twenty-eight years for me. Pretty much anything of importance in my life has happened since then.
Good for those of us who have made it this far, and good luck and best wishes to those starting and/or struggling. There's help if you will take it.
HNY
John
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jbone
1455 posts
Jan 02, 2014
4:15 AM
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It was 26 for me last March. I see I am in good company!
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messy ventura
114 posts
Jan 02, 2014
9:49 AM
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Ted - Your written word and excellent musical abilities are " w/o parallel". Congrats ! I blew off 23 yrs sobriety a few yrs ago because I quit going to meetings and quit hanging out with the fellowship. Another hard lesson learned about complacency. Fortunately I survived and celebrated 3 yrs clean/sober Dec. 1st. God's Grace.
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Tnfishdaddy
8 posts
Jan 02, 2014
4:28 PM
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Congrats. I gave it up myself two years ago. I was never much of a drinker. I gave it up because my boys were getting old enough to notice and I figured I couldn't ask them not to drink when they got older if they saw me doing it.
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Rick Davis
2821 posts
Jan 02, 2014
4:43 PM
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Ted! Your sobriety is three times longer than mine. Congrats!
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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Jehosaphat
641 posts
Jan 02, 2014
6:17 PM
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Well i love a cold beer or an occassional red wine.
I can only say though that it has been 20 years or so since i was 'drunk'.
Good on you guys it can be a tough road.
My dad was an alcoholic (but at least a good tempered one).
My personal struggle is with Nicotine..a smoke and a beer go together like ham and cheese.
I'm on those electronic ciggies now but the beer is still the real deal, maybe one day someone will invent a Beer pill and i'll end up sitting on my deck with a battery and a packet of pills.^
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jbone
1457 posts
Jan 03, 2014
4:17 AM
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Tobacco was a whole nother animal for me J. After 35 years I somehow found myself ready to stop 2 1/2 years ago. I got some help from the doc and used the patch system and have been blessed to not have to go back. I gained 20 lbs, so what! Just from an economic standpoint, I am saving $70 a week every single week! I look out back and see a fishing boat, and I see a travel trailer on the horizon, and that's a huge payoff for letting go of that habit.
So letting go of alcohol and stuff was getting most of my life back and letting go of tobacco has given me the rest! It is a wonderful world, truly.
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Stevelegh
902 posts
Jan 03, 2014
5:59 AM
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I'm dooing it the other way. I quit the cigarettes back in November 2012, now I've got to sort out the drinking.
I've been tapering off over the last couple days post Christmas and should be done before the weekend is out.
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Gnarly
855 posts
Jan 03, 2014
6:30 AM
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Congrats Ted!
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Slimharp
82 posts
Jan 04, 2014
4:06 PM
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Keep up the good work, one day at a time. Congrats Ted. I made it through the Holiday Triangle myself. The man takes a drink, the drink takes a drink, and the drink takes the man.
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KC69
354 posts
Jan 06, 2014
3:41 PM
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Yiperee, today is 3 years and 7 months for me. Ain't life just "simply marvelous," darling !!!
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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9000
190 posts
Jan 06, 2014
4:53 PM
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29 Christmases for me. I'm with Theo and tmf714. I was never able to be successful on my own. Meetings and the support of others with a common problem changed everything for me.
All the best in the New Year!
Jay
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Music speaks where words fail.
Last Edited by 9000 on Jan 06, 2014 4:56 PM
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Frank
3656 posts
Jan 07, 2014
3:34 AM
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bloozefish
143 posts
Jan 07, 2014
10:42 AM
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good to see a bunch of old-timers here, you are inspirational. This is my 8th sober Christmas, and life is so much better.
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jbone
1459 posts
Jan 08, 2014
9:55 PM
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My musical journey has been long. About 43 years since my first harp. funny though, it was only AFTER I had sobered up for a few years that I began to be teachable. Even then it took some years for the "it" factor to sink in my hard head. As in, "That's IT!"
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