#Reverb10 ~ December 11th

11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Author: Sam Davidson)

1. Clutter
2. White Bread
3. Drama and Chaos
4. Procrastination
5. Marijuana
6. Crack or any other type of Cocaine
7. Poverty
8. Loneliness
9. Eating at McDonald's
10. Boredom
11. Envy

One. I will continually pare down my things. Having to give up virtually everything I own and start over has made me acutely aware of clutter and stuff-ism, which I want to avoid in 2011.

Two. Whole wheat or rye bread is really so much better for me that white bread, if I must have any bread at all.

Three. In the wake of living in a recovery house, in the wake of my addiction, I realize how hooked in I was to drama and chaos. Now, I mind my own business, and this means having no opinion on things that don't concern me. This makes for less drama and chaos.

Four. My father always said to me, do it now. I am finding out the wisdom in this simple advice.

Five and Six. As I write this, I have 5 months' clean, that is, drug free. Also, I remain craving free.

Seven. Poverty, for me, came from my addiction, i.e. the fact that I spent all of my money on drugs (leaving not even enough money to buy toilet paper ... don't grimace, this is more common that you might think).

Eight. A pipe and some brillo, a rolling paper and a bic lighter provide little or no true and real comfort or affection. In fact these things simply brought loneliness closer and closer to me.

Nine. McDonald's equals bad, bad, bad. Oh, once in a while might I indulge myself with some of their yummy fries?

Ten. My life has so much potential ... their are so many people, places and things go on around me that boredom seems unlikely. Unless, of course, I choose it.

Eleven. Envy is one of those corrosive emotions that eat away at our insides. Envy means I am too busy taking everyone else's inventory that I ignore myself. What's the point in that?