Didn't mean to post anoymously, I must have forgotten my password. My name is Thom McNulty, I am Ginger's Brother. One of the vipers.
This is my 4th attempt to post here. The system seems to find ways to block me. I have learned to save my work every once in a while, and the following is my latest attempt. Maybe this one will get through.
Hi Ginger and all,
Viper4 here. From Ginger's posting, one could conclude that the viper gene ran out right before she was born (the youngest of six)
A slight correction:
The expression Dad often used was actually "pack of God-damned savages". One of the many colorful expressions he shared with us. One of my favorite tyrades went something like:
JUMPING JESUS GOD DAMNED CHRIST ALL...
(some siblings, aka vipers, insert 'MOTHER FUCKING' here...I don't recall that personally. Besides, I don't use language like that:) ...MIGHTY"
I miss him too. He was my hero. Sure, he had his faults, but I'm convinced that he and (may I mention the name Mom here) did the best they could raising us with the the limited training they had in parenting. Both came from alcoholic homes where emotionaland spiritual growth and maturity were not modeled. You can't give away what you don't have.
My experience as a 'Seedling' was a bit different from most of those I've seen shared here. I attended meetings off and on from about '72-'76, and was there voluntarily.
I kind of drifted away after deciding that they were wrong about alcohol being a drug. Maybe it was a drug for most of them, but I was 'different'. I remember stopping at the 7-11 on US-1 just south of the New River Tunnel and celebrating my uniqueness with a 16 ounce Bud. This occasion marked the beginning of my drift away from my friends at The Seed. After all, I was 'different' from them.
Another way of looking at my gradual withdrawl from Seedling status was that I now had a secret. Something I would not have felt comfortable sharing with anyone there.
Over the next 15 or so years, I got REAL 'different'. I pissed away lots of money and 2 marriages and contemplated suicide largely, but not entirely, as a result of my drinking, drugging, and gambling (another drug for me, at least).
When I came up for air in '91, it was in a 12 step program. Those steps were still alive and well when I was on my last legs. The valuable tools which were generously shared with (pounded into) me during my years at The Seed would finally begin to be put to use to start building a life based on personal accountability, that is, taking responsibility for my own actions, aka, growing up.
I figured out where I got confused. I mis-interpreted step 11 (look it up) to say:
"SOUGHT THROUGH BEER AND MEDICATION TO REMOVE A CONSCIOUS CONTACT WITH GOD..."
I worked this step thoroughly.
Anyway, to make a long story short, life is good today. Finally got a handle on the real step 11, and by God's grace, I have enjoyed over 10 years of freedom from all that crap. He has relieved me of the obsessions to self destruct with drinking, drugging, gambling, smoking, and equally as important, my former tendancy to blame others for my lack of living skills and for my spiritual and emotional condition.
I'm glad this forum is available! It's good to have a place to express this stuff.
I remember when Ginger told me about her site, Anonymity Anonymous, (then called Anonymous Anonymous, I think) and asked for feedback I told her I thought it was a good idea, and that it might be therapeutic for her to have a place to vent her anger. That pissed her off. She angrily denied having an anger problem. Hey, she asked! Anyway, I'm glad she has found some friends to validate her stuff. Sorry your experiences with 'treatment' were not positive ones.
Peace to all, Thom McNulty, Viper4