In my waking up to sobriety, I find myself angrier and angrier

[Taverner]

Not at my loved ones, or even other people.

But I find myself ANGRIER and ANGRIER at the corporations who enslave us, the government who is their lapdog, and the absolute loss of hope we as Americans find ourselves in.

We were promised hope in 2008. Like a good drunk drone, I believed it. Hell, even sober people beleived it so I don't think it was just the alcohol that gave it to me.

Now I look around, with sober and clearer eyes, and see we were given a President who, yes, may embody hope, but he's President of a rotten system by which no change can occur.

It is not clear when he realized this, nor does it really matter. He has given up, and is just counting down the days for him to leave and then join the Carlyle Group like those before him.

The system IS rotten.

I can see this now.

My drinking, drugs and other psychoactive agents obscured this reality from me, or at least made it seem less dire.

But now that I can see - it's like waking up while the Titanic is sinking, and the lifeboats are all taken.

What is to be done?

Certainly not more avoidance and denial.

Fuck that.

I'm here to fight.

[MuseRider]

1. I wish you had been able to wake up to more

tranquil circumstances.

I have been through this several times with several people. You have no idea how much respect I have for those who go through this process. Hang on.

Nothing really to add, just wanted to express my support.

[Taverner]

2. It would have been nice to wake up on V-J day, but alas, you don't get to choose these things

They choose you

[MuseRider]

3. That they do

and this is ours to deal with.

[Taverner]

4. Then we all have an enormous undertaking on our hands

I am not sure what needs to be done

But I know what needs to be stopped: Corporations

[MuseRider]

5. 100% in agreement

and along with them any elected official who thinks this is OK.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Reality really screws with serenity in recovery.

FWIW....The path of addiction could have led you to NOT wake up, in so many ways.

You know the old sobriety joke:" This is the best I'm gonna feel all day...shit"

[Taverner]

8. Kinda the reverse of Dino's quote

"I really feel sorry for teetotalers - they wake up and that's the best they are going to feel all day!"

[Ilsa]

7. I wish I could argue with you, but I

think you nailed it in so many ways.

I've signed on to a number of Internet groups with regular (seems like almost daily) email petitions for various issues, like protecting outer environment, our democracy, etc, but I feel like it's a waste. Time will tell whether we are making any difference in our petitions and how we spend our money. I don't feel very hopeful right now.

Hang in there -- you are not alone.

[NMDemDist2]

9. i can never get positive results from negative action/emotions

i strive to see what i can add to the world. i keep my eye close to my life and actions.

i try to change what's right in front of me, i try to make my immediate surroundings better.

as is the micro, so goes the macro, so i try to make my micro universe the best i can.

when i focus on what's good in my life, the world's big troubles seem easier to take.