Five Years From Now Launches at Midnight

It’s official! The Five Years From Now (FYFN) website is launched tonight, New Years Eve of 2009/2010, also the 11th sober birthday of yours truly, FYFN founder Alexandra D. Datig. FYFN will be here to raise awareness about addiction issues through the FYFN website as well as right here on the FYFN Common Sense Recovery Blog.

Today, December 31, 2009 Alexandra also initiated the independent campaign to oppose the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2010). Alexandra will be at the center of the debate on how to help cancer patients and keep the problems that come along with dispensaries out of the communities.

FYFN wishes you a healthy and a happy New Year!

Vic Chesnutt - Flirting with Suicide all his Life - Really?

The L.A. Times reports that Vic Chesnutt stated in an interview that he has been a suicidal person all his life. For me this begs the question: And he's writing songs that our kids listen to and no one seems to care? - I know being a writer myself that writers either write out of pain, need for justice or out of joy for life. But let's no take it this far. How can we ignore a man who is in this much emotional pain?

Chesnutt had some tough cards dealt to him when he broke his neck and became wheel chair bound. His medical bills mounted to a point where he could not afford to make payments any longer. It just makes me wonder. How can we assess what a person can pay? Or do we?

Chesnutt did not see the point to his life any longer and committed suicide by taking prescription pills which put him in a coma, following with his passing.

Are we really in that much pain? I'm not. Life will always throw us curve balls, but we don't have to give up because we can't catch the ball sometimes. There's no reason to give up. There are a thousand reasons to find the good in life. I feel for Vic's family.

Vic Chesnutt - Dead at 45 from Suicide Overdose

It is a sad day when a great talent gets reduced to suicide on any day and also on Christmas Eve. Vic Chesnutt, wheel chair bound singer, songwriter who has written songs for such greats as Modonna, R.E.M., Garbage and the Smashing Pumpkins has taken his own life. According to various news sources Chesnutt was in a coma for several days after he ingested pills.

Brittany Murphy - Dead at 32

Brittany Murphy has died of cardiac arrest at the age of 32, pronounced dead on arrival at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Five Years From Now will be following this story.

Too Sick To Pray

The lyrics to this song, "Too Sick To Pray" sends a profound message to every human being who is lost in his or her faith because of addiction. My freind from Facebook posted this today. Thank you J.D.

Could Tiger Woods be a Sex Addict?

Recent stories in the news about the shocking and mysterious circumstances in Tiger Woods life, leads me to believe that Tiger may want to seriously consider checking himself in to a recovery center which specializes in sex addiction. Most of the ladies Tiger has allegedly romanced he found in a bar setting where there was alcohol and other temptations. No one has to tell me that Tiger did not succumb to bad choices while under the influence. It happens to the best of us.

I am concerned for Tiger's emotional state as well as that of his wife. Tiger has to take the first step and break his cycle. He is capable of showing us all how determined he can be. Let's hope he can be as determined with making some changes in his personal life as he is on the golf course.

Relapse During the Holidays Common as Eggnog

The Holidays present the best of times for those who do not have to follow the guidelines of recovery. However, this can be a real predicament for sober people. We hold on to our faith and interact less with others, so we do not become influenced and tempted to pick up a drink or God forbid anything else.

Relapse is most frequent during these celebrated holy days. Happy Hour, house and club parties are all dangerous places. Too much fun and laughter can get me thinking that the world is okay again and I can have "just one" drink, a smoke; or God knows what else? In my double-digit sober years I don't worry about this as much as I did when I was in my first few years. It was much more tempting for me then. Still I am always on alert.

These days a club party with good music will be as much fun for me as it would be for anyone. But if I can have it my way, a hot chocolate by a fireplace after a walk in the snow in a cozy mountain town is without a doubt my idea of a good time.

If you know someone who is sober, help them out by not bringing them around excessive use of alcohol and other party favors. You are likely to be saving someone's life by doing so.