Pico de Loro trek

Last Saturday, a bunch of us guys and gals from the MOA NA group, and some of our children, went to trek to the summit of Pico de Loro. Although only roughly 800 meters in altitude, the walk towards the base of the summit until the summit itself took 3 hours and another 3 hours coming back. Darkness overtook us at the last 30 minutes of the trek to our jump off point which consisted of a rocky uphill then a downhill to the highway. Fortunately some brought flashlights while the others used their cellphones to illuminate the way. For the newbies at trekking, this was an ardous 6 hour trek, but everyone felt a sense of accomplishment specially after making the dramatic uphill to the summit and being on the windy 50 square meter summit.
Pico de Loro is a 2 hour drive from Manila to Ternate, Cavite. You can see the itinerary and its legend by visiting the website of the metropolitan mountaineering society at www.metropolitanms.org. Click on itineraries then click on pico de loro.

My birthday

Yesterday was my natal day. I celebrated it by carrying the message of NA to the founder of one of the pioneering therapeutic community facilities in Southern Tagalog. I was glad because he agreed for us to start an NA meeting at his facility every Tuesday until such a time that his clients can conduct ot on their own. Afterwards, I spent the whole day in a trainor's training for a forthcoming workshop and symposium on family health and wellness. I wanted to go and attend a christmas party with my trekking buddies from high school but I felt tired and didn't relish the thought of going back to Makati through all the traffic and decided to stay home instead.
Today I attended our sunday NA meeting at the Coffee World at the Mall of Asia. This meeting is slowly but surely growing in number of attendees. We took possession of books sent by our Area Service Rep and planned our weekly service schedule for this coming week as well as our group's first Christmas party. There was a newcomer in today's meeting and he came from a facility in Masbate and found out about our meeting from MADAC. I was glad about that and glad at the progress in our group. That's all for now.

Baguio Alcoholics Anonymous Round-up

We had just concluded our 2nd Baguio AA round-up at the Pine breeze cottages in Baguio City yesterday Nov.30. A total of 61 AA and NA fellows from the Green minds Makati group, the New Manila group, MOA group, Lipa, Batangas group, Baguio group, and a strong Angeles contingent, as well as a few expats signed up. The theme was " of myself I am nothing". The highlight of the event was last Saturday's count down which was preceded by a string of speaker's meetings with an Alanon and Coda meeting on the side. The person with the Longest Sobriety was Woody E. from the Subic/ Castillejos/ Wahlawahla, Washington AA group with 29 years sober time. The newcomer with the least sobriety with 3 days was a newcomer from the Angeles group. All in all we had a great time of sharing our experience, strength and hope and how we worked our steps.

Working my 12 steps

Its been 11 years and 5 months now since I had my last drug and my last drink. During this past 2 years I have decided to work as a volunteer for a drug and alcohol rehab as a junior counselor. Lately I volunteered in my local NA community (Narcotics Anonymous Philippines) in its PR committee to spread the word of recovery in my region here in Southern Luzon. I have also undergone training in a solution focused brief therapy training to enhance my counseling skills. All this volunteer work I am doing is to help me stay clean and enables me to keep what blessings I have received in my recovery. I think at this point it is the single biggest thing aside from going to the meetings that has given me contentment, meaning and purpose to my life.
FRom my day 1 in recovery til now, I practiced my steps in stages, although not by my own design, although it would have done me better if I did work the 12 steps continuosly.
From day 1 to 3 months I worked the first 5 steps and the 12th step which was a requirement in the facility I came from. And I was glad because the first 3 steps are the backbone of my daily life which now includes the 9th and 10th step. The 9th step I only started to really practice consciously and with deliberate effort only 2 years after being clean. I sat down and wrote letters to people I had harmed and whom I thought would not be hurt further by my apologies. The 6th and 7th step, sadly I was only able to do 2 and a half years ago, something which I should have done right after my step 5. The eleventh step, religiously, only 2 years ago. I now feel and would like to think that I am a better person for being able to do regularly all of the 12 steps and not just step 1, 2 or 3.
At the end of this month I will be attending an AA round-up in Baguio City where I have been asked to speak on how I worked my steps 1 to 9. I am looking forward to going there and seeing my buddies in the fellowship, rest and share my recovery and have a nice time.

What's up?

Hi Everyone, I have started on my training for the Crisis Line Counseling at the In Touch Foundation in Makati City. After the classes, I will be required to do 96 hours of supervised volunteer work on their telephone crisis hotline and a final exam before I will be able to get my certificate as a phone counselor.
I also want to mention that I have also lost 4kgs from 74kgs to 70kgs since I started on my new program of snacking on fruits 2 months ago. I think that my weight has stabilized at 70kgs. I have also been more regular in doing my physical resistance training by doing complete mini workouts in my room, focusing on the upper body, back, stomach and leg muscles.
On the low side, my patience is constantly being tested by my 18 year old son by his behaviour of making a mess of our music room. With cigarette butts, alcoholic bottles, clothes, glasses and other stuff strewn all over the floor. Dirty dishes and utensils in the sink, food bags and wrappers not properly disposed and a dirty, stinking toilet. Sad to say, I acted out and broke the bottles and glasses on the floor. Afterwards, I sent him a text message and informed him in a calm manner what I had done and what made me angry. He responded by aplogizing and promised to clean it up. I also apologized to him for acting out. But that was not the last the incidents, which finally prompted me to get the key from him and revoke his and his friends' priveleges of using the music room as a hang-out. Anyway, I have been trying to be as calm and tolerant to him as possible and expressing my uncomfortablities to him in a healthy manner. Anyway I'll see what will be the results of his grades, he seems to be doing everything except read and study, although he tries never to be late or absent and looks interested in always going to school which is at least one positive sign. That's all for now. Eat healthy and stay fit everyone. God bless

Whats up with me

Hello Everyone, our family fun run was a financial and marketing success. Although with some technical race day problems, everyone had fun. From an initial target of 5000 participants, we had 5400 paid participants and an estimated 5800 runners on race day which included those that were unregistered because we ran out of race bibs.
A few months ago, I joined an H & I and PR (hospitals and institutions and public relations) workshop of NA (Narcotics Anonymous) to train interested volunteers who want to help carry the NA message of recovery. I later joined the PR group and for the past few weeks have been attending NA meetings at a facility in Tagaytay City where we introduced the step meeting.
I have also been attending NA meetings lately at Bagtikan street in Makati and the Sunday Mall of Asia meetings.
I am looking forward to joining the training for Crisis Line Counseling to be held September to November at the Trinity Church in Makati organized by the In Touch Foundation.
Lately my partner has gone abroad to work in one of the Gulf states and I have been left to look after the household chores by myself. Something that I am still adjusting to but so far coping with.
Thats all for now. Stay Fit and eat healthy everyone. God bless.

Sobriety Birthday

Yesterday I celebrated my 11th year of clean and sober time with an AA meeting in Mendez, Cavite chaired by Jim K. Also present in the large group was Ken an AA old-timer from the UK residing in the Cavite area. The group presented me with a birthday cake compliments of Jim which we promptly shared after the meeting.
During the meeting I shared that I continued to work all the steps in my program and attend meetings whenever possible as well as do 12 step work.
I had a nice and serene day which started with a great workout playing badminton at the nearby Matchplay court in Bacoor, Cavite. Presently I am training for a 16k foot race to be held on July 13 at the Fort Global City but the weather has not been so cooperative lately. Anyway, that's all for now. Stay clean and eat healthy everyone.