Well said - and the more we focus on that, the more we can enjoy living, and be happy about the time we spend in real life, as opposed to resenting the fact that it takes us away from our escapes.

Did someone scare the mouse away?

no one scared the mouse away, the mouse has just been a little sick and not gone online much since the weekend. Being sick has always been synonamous with acting out for me, no good... need a strategy for next time...

Last night, i was able to use my new glasses and used the step 5 call tools that reb steve lovingly gave me. I was getting all bent out of shape coz my wife was gonna get more sleep than me, while she's on holiday and im working - i should get more sleep. then i thought of things from her perspective - shes gonna be with the kids all day, one has an ear infection and is very grumpy, while i can space out at work - she deserves more sleep than me!

for a moment i thought that you ran up the clock or that Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter or something...

great to have you back!

welcome good to hear the honesty of the mouse again.

I like to delve into mitsvos im given, coz i feel there's a message in why i was asked for that particular thing. Im doing haftoroh tomorrow, so im gonna put up a little thought in the bais hamedrash on it. Have a great shabbos!

Is the mouse feeling better? Or should GYE pay for a staff vet?

bH the mouse is much better but i would never turn down a free visit to the vet - whens my appointment?

Today from where i was sitting i could see my neighbour's car pull up (bH i havent seen her for about a month), my daughter was really bugging me at the time so i had RID and an opportunity = oh oh.

By the grace of G-d, i moved away from the window and sent my partner the following text (i couldnt call as my daughter was right there).

"I surrender the need to look at my neighbour, its a road i cant go down coz it leads to destruction. Hashem - please help me appreciate the wonderful family that i have!"

I calmly walked away from the fight and spoke with Hashem instead. Practice makes progress!

Nice!

It's a huge step forward when we start to realize that the things that seem good, are really destructive.

Not just as an intellectual concept, but a deep awareness.

The vet just called us back, and said he has a special running on spaying and neutering. Thankfully, it doesn't include rodents.

;D

My wife sometimes makes a certain noise when she's asleep. A few years ago, hearing that noise would've triggered me to run to the internet (coz it means shes fallen asleep) and surf, many times almost the whole night (I mamash cringe when I remember those nights  :-[ )

Last night, I heard that noise and I felt a rush of warm, real love for her and I suddenly realised, wow - look how far I've come! Thanks to Hashem, GYE, the 12 step phonecall and my partner!

beautiful! we should all dance a jig! thanks for sharing something so heartening

That's fantastic - botth the good feeling, and the cringe, as well.

When we're able to look back and cringe at what we were, I think that means a certain progress. A certain real-level "ugh!" which is important.

Which also helps us smile at ourselves and be proud, and bask in the good feeling of being clean, instead of suffering through the "depravation" of being clean (I have the feeling that some people will smile when they read that, and others may say, "huh? Of course it's deprivation!" Don't worry, guys - you'll get to the point when you'll understand it).

Who ever thought I would feel love towards a mouse??  :-* :-* :-*