This topic is ridiculous. I fully agree with Mark though. This is not a topic for the forum. Speak to your posek if you want to. The only possible purpose is that if someone wants to know if there's a possibility that it's not being mechalel shabbos, to which the answer is yes. That's it. 

EB, if you don't agree with me, please do it somewhere else. I don't own this forum, but I really don't appreciate that this topic is constantly brought up on my thread. 

My name is Shlomo and I do not approve of these messages.  

In other words 

Shabbat Shalom 

Markz wrote on 12 Sep 2016 21:28:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 

Yesterday was 3 months for me! 

Mazal Tov! GUTGW!

Shlomo24 wrote on 18 Sep 2016 19:44:

Mazel Tov,
but why don't you update your chart?

The reason I don't update my chart is because I need to be reminded that I can only live ODAAT. I can't live any other way. Otherwise I become about racking up days, which isn't my priority at all. So this nips that problem in the bud and it also keeps my ego in check. If people don't listen to me because I only have one day, then so be it. It's not my problem.

I was inspired by serenity to post this: Step one is admission of powerlessness. If someone has to decide then they aren't powerless. Through an honest appraisal of one's self the powerlessness will be evident, if an honest appraisal is done and it's not evident, then there probably isn't an addiction. 

I firmly believe in honesty. It has been one of the biggest parts of my recovery. I tell people all the time that "I'm allergic to dishonesty" and it's really true. I get affected when I'm not honest. The crazy thing is that I used to be a lying SOB. I even once asked my therapist how he manages to say the truth all the time because I struggled so much with it. And even if I wasn't lying, I wasn't being completely honest. 

It has been a real challenge for me to live an honest life, because there are some things that people aren't ready to hear and I have to keep quiet or not be completely honest. And that's really hard for me to do. 

However, I do suggest for all the people on GYE that they try living am honest life. So much of what I read about on GYE revolves around dishonesty. Primarily people who aren't honest with themselves, which is the most important area of honesty. If one can't be honest with one's self then how is it possible to be honest with another? 

I personally am going through some struggles of my own. I'm going through interpersonal, social, and even a sobriety struggle. I might reset my sobriety to last week because of an action of lust that I took. I don't know if I will, I think I need more guidance from God first about it. But I'm grateful that I'm able to be honest about it with myself and others. And I embrace my struggles because I'm getting to know myself on levels that I never knew before. God hasn't done one negative thing in my whole life and I'm happy to have these issues because I'm gaining very much from them. I'm not going to be discussing them here though, it's not the place. 

Coming full circle, I highly suggest honesty for all members of GYE. Especially those who are struggling. I'm not that big into kaballas that last more than 1 day, but if one does want to make a kaballah I would suggest one that revolves around honesty. If not a kaballah then a commitment, which I do.

Does anyone know of a good iPhone filter that can block apps and websites without using a VPN?

There's GYE's own VCF for iOS. See here: venishmartem.com/index.php/devices/mobiles/ios">venishmartem.com/index.php/devices/mobiles/ios

   Hey guys, another random update from me. I'm in a good place, thank God, but it's an interesting place. I have recently hit the threshold in recovery when the addict starts feeling all the feelings that made them use in the first place. I am feeling stressed, angry, nervous, fearful, sad, empathetic, amongst other feelings. When I'm by myself, my emotions can feel very intense. I used to be the guy who could barely cry by a funeral, and now a mildly sad song has me in tears. I'm in a very vulnerable place but I'm very grateful for it. My sponsor said it means that I'm sober, which I'm incredibly grateful to God for keeping me sober. I'm also really connecting to my stepwork, I'm on Step 3, and I'm beginning to become more God - conscious in life. My attitudes are in a good place, thank God, but I'm not feeling so hot all the time. I have felt crippling fears and heart-breaking sadness over the last month. The second incident wasn't even an objectively sad situation. I also felt so stressed that I almost quit a job, but my manager stepped in big time for me. What I am learning is the extent of how deep my emotions were hidden, God has chosen for them to be revealed now. I thought that I was getting more emotional over the last months, and I was, but this is a whole 'nother level. The greatest thing is that I'm not using my drug to soothe myself anymore. I am not perfect, and I have to surrender lust daily, but for the most part I'm not self-medicating anymore. I need a lot of help from God with being hard on myself. I'm very tough with myself and I discovered I'm an overachiever. I'm doing more with my schedule than most people I know and I need to take it slow. I'm happy that I'm busy and doing good for the world, while also making money and taking classes, but my own health comes before all those things. I have a lot to be grateful for in my life, though. My relationship with my parents is great, my sponsor is really helping me, I'm connecting with the God of my understanding, and I'm in a healthy relationship. 

I don't know how to end this.

Shlomo24 wrote on 30 Oct 2016 20:39:


So don't 

Thanks for sharing and KUTGW 

So I'm thinking about changing my profile picture. I don't think it reflects my personality. I would love to be the guy that is walking around super happy all day and is a really sweet and nice guy, but I'm more businesslike than that. I'm pretty straightforward with my opinions and some people don't like that about me. But that's ok. I believe that part of why I'm successful at what I do is because I'm up front for the most part, even it's potentially uncomfortable. While I'm no relationship guru at all, I have found that expressing my needs is key. I've felt at times that we needed improvement and I expressed it, albeit in a polite way and with praying to God beforehand. We've gotten through some bumps in the road. 

Basically, this is a really long way of asking for suggestions about what I should change my avatar to.

End.

Shlomo24 wrote on 06 Nov 2016 06:22:

It's easy when you're trucking

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Shlomo24 wrote on 06 Nov 2016 06:22:

Step 4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory...
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You're doing great Shlomo. Maybe a 24 hour clock, or footprints in the sand would work as avatars.

Shlomo24 wrote on 06 Nov 2016 06:22: