Wellstone-Domenici law victory!

A legal victory in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia moves us one step further in implementing the Wellstone-Domenici law. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has dismissed the lawsuit brought by some managed behavioral health care organizations who unsuccessfully argued that the regulations issued in February violated the original intent of the law. The regulations are scheduled to go into effect for plan years beginning July 1, 2010.

California Proposes Raising Alcohol Taxes

In a move long overdue, California's Senate Democrats have proposed legislation to increase the state's alcohol taxes to help close the budget deficit, estimated to be $19 billion. The budget proposal would raise $4.9 billion in taxes and other revenues, including $210 million from alcohol taxes. While this increase would add less than 2 cents to the cost of a beer, it would go a long way toward preserving critical services and programs. The last time the state increased its tax on alcohol was in 1991.

Action needs to be taken by June 15, 2010

California Proposes Raising Alcohol Taxes

Recovery Walk Planning Meeting

Please join us at the next Recovery Walk planning meeting on Friday, July 9th from 6pm to 7:30pm. This meeting will be held at the Martinez Waterfront Park in, you guessed it, Martinez.

The planning meeting for June 25th has been canceled so everyone can go and enjoy the FSAA sponsored Comedy Show.

Laughing in Recovery Works

Please join FSAA for dinner and a comedy show on Friday night. Tickets are $25 and can be bought from one of the Event Coordinators. Julie and Ken are at (707) 746-8793 or Helen at (925) 497-8690.

Check out Bob Perkell

Cakes will be provided by Laurel. Yum.

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road?

SARAH PALIN: Because it could see Russia from there.

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a
change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he
recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the
chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn’t about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where’s my gun?

JOE BIDEN: I’m tired of walking on egg shells because of this chicken.

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your
definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken’s intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won’t realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he is acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I’m going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he’s guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer’s Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any
insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Did he cross it with a hare? Did he cross it with a bear? Did he check if the road was hot? I kinda doubt it, I think not! Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed, I’ve not been told. Just one more thing I have to say, it’s been bugging me to this very day. If the Chicken is a she, why do we keep saying HE?

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn’t that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

How Do You Find Balance?

The Five Freedoms
By Virginia Satir

1. TO SEE AND HEAR
What is here, instead of what should be, was, or will be

2. TO SAY
What one feels and thinks, instead of what one should

3. TO FEEL
What one feels, instead of what one ought

4. TO ASK
For what one wants, instead of always waiting for permission

5. TO TAKE RISKS
In one’s own behalf, instead of choosing to be only “secure” and not rocking the boat

Meditating with Five Dogs

This isn’t about meditating with five dogs. It’s about meditating in spite of having five dogs. Yes, I’m batty enough to have five dogs. Why do you think I try to meditate?

I’m doing all the right things…comfortable clothing, focus on my breath, everything is quiet, I’m sitting crossed legged on my meditation stool and just starting to relax and focus. Then, this cold wet nose nudged my hand. I open my eyes and there’s my Fox Terrier who looks like a Beagle sitting in front of me wanting attention. I can’t help but smile and rub her face, something she loves. She leaves. She got what she wanted and now I’m left with getting back to trying to focus on my breath.

Ten minutes later, something gets my Jack Russell’s attention and I hear this muffled, “Boof, boof.” Before long, all hell breaks loose and…well, have you ever had five dogs in your house barking all at the same time before they race out into the yard at some imaginary something?

I try to remember what my Yoga teacher taught me. Meditation can be done in spite of distractions, like having an itch, or a wandering thought. He never mentioned five dogs barking at the same time.

I can’t help but smile. Even ten minutes of quieting my mind has helped me be calm before I go and round up all five mutts so my neighbors, and I, don’t go crazy. Normally, I would scream at them from the front door to shut up. I'm not really sure what drives my neighbors nuts. Me screaming or the dogs barking. Maybe I should tell my neighbors about meditation?...