Today marks 45 years of being cocaine and heroin free.

[arwalden]

It's been tough... but I managed somehow.

[Liberal_Andy]

1. Congratulations, ar!

:thumbsup:

[arwalden]

57. Thanks! I Appreciate That Very Much!!

:hug:

[SharonAnn]

2. Wow! Congratulations! That's really an awesome accomplishment.

No doubt you know that your life is much better than it would have been otherwise. Actually, having a life at all is a good result from being cocaine and heroin free.

I'm so happy for you, and grateful that you're here to share it with us.

[RPM]

21. psst

its arwalden's 45th birthday...

[arwalden]

59. A Coincidence... Purely A Coincidence!

:hi:

[arwalden]

58. Thank You...

... I'm glad I'm here too. You're very sweet.

It's just a simple matter of having a plan and sticking to it!

:hug:

[11 Bravo]

3. Happy Birthday!

(I'm just guessing.)

[arwalden]

7. Thanks!

[havocmom]

8. that was my guess too! LOL

Happy birthday Allen! Live long, prosper and continue the good fight!
:toast:

[arwalden]

15. The Support Of My Friends & Family Really Helped...

... I can't take credit for it all myself.

Thanks! :hug:

[Bossy Monkey]

4. You don't have a female hero? That doesn't sound like you!

:P

[arwalden]

6. Okay okay... ya big typo-finder you!

I'll fix it.

[Bossy Monkey]

65. Ha! Forgot to say "Happy Birthday!"

Mazel tov! (Hey, I saw your picture. You probably still get carded.:)Or do Marylanders say proofed?)

[arwalden]

68. Oh Dear... I Can't Recall The Last Time I Was Carded...

... other than to make a large purchase or to board an airplane. I'm afraid that the gray hair, receeding hairline, and crowsfeet give too much away. Sigh. Oh well.

I think the photo you saw was about 5 years old. After a certain point I started showing my age a LOT faster than I had before. Maybe I'll be "visually on hold" until I reach 50... then the looks will start to slide again.

Better than the alternative, eh? And thank you for the kind thoughts!

xo, Allen

[Bouncy Ball]

5. OMG, I've been cocaine and heroin free for 35 years!

Yay us!!!!

:toast:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :hug:

[arwalden]

9. Congrats To You Too!!

That FIRST year was really tough, wasn't it?

[Bouncy Ball]

10. OMG yes,

But fortunately I had a special "formula" to get me through.

[havocmom]

14. been cocaine, heroine, pot, and tobacco free myself for well over....

well, a really, really LOOOOOOONG time ;) Hmmm, over half a century at least. But as arthritis takes its chronic toll on my sleep, that pot thing is looking more interesting all the time. :smoke:

[arwalden]

20. Isn't It A Bitch??!!

It runs in my family... and I'm starting to feel it in my hands and knees. Just like my mother, and just like her mother.

Ugh!

[havocmom]

36. Knees got bad when I was 25! They are actually good now.

Hands are a bitch as I use them. What really hurts is I have it in hips and spine. That is more than a wee bit inconvient.

Hey, I saw a jogger with a grizzled, gray old German Shepherd years ago. Commented to her that it was amazing how the old dog trotted along with her. She said that 6 months previously, he could barely walk due to arthritis. She started mixing alfalfa sprouts with his chow and he got much better.

Had an old dog myself at the time and made her food. Started adding the sprouts and she improved a LOT pretty fast. So me 'n my sister started eating them regularly and we both had some serious imporvement in our knees.

Might wanna consider it. Can't be bad at the salad bar and might be a real help ;) I sprout my own all these years later. It doesn't touch the spine problems though. Different cause there.

So, have some sprouts with your birthday supper! :party: Sometimes some of the joints really do get better.

[bicentennial_baby]

11. Happiest Birthday Allen!!

Yay! :toast: :party: :toast:

[arwalden]

17. Thanks!

:hi:

[Zuni]

12. Happy birthday

[arwalden]

33. Thank you.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. w00t!!!

You go, boyee! I toast you with an iced coffee, to 45 more years of impeccible internal and spiritual cleanliness!

Now, since we now know that about you and can rule out drugs as a cause for your lunacy, this question arises:

Just why, then, are you so damned nutZ? :D

Oh, and Happy Natal Day. ;-)

[arwalden]

16. I Don't Know Why... I'm The Only Person In My Family Like This...

... maybe I was adopted.

Thanks!

[Rick Myers]

18. Corgrats Allen!!!

We love ya'!!!

[arwalden]

22. I Love Ya Too, Rick!

And you know... there's something about an AF uniform that I've always admired. :-)

Thanks!

[Lord_StarFyre]

19. Congrats to you ar

I image the last few years weren't as tough as the first few.

:)

[arwalden]

25. The First Few Years Were So Bad... I Couldn't Even WALK Right.

I just LAYED there and CRIED!!

Eventually I learned to crawl around a bit... then finally I got up on my own TWO FEET!!

Thanks!!

[progmom]

23. happy birthday, babycakes!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

i would have said it on the air if i had realized!!!

[arwalden]

31. Thanks...

... I'll listen for it next year. Even if it's not on the day you're actually working, we can pretend.

:hug:

[terrya]

24. Happy Birthday!

What a good day this is! :-)

Do you and Mike have any special plans for tonight (I know you're leaving tomorrow)

:loveya:

xo,

T

[arwalden]

29. No Special Plans... We'll Just Wing-It And See What Comes Up.

:evilgrin:

[matcom]

26. 18 years for me

not to the day but close. congrats my brother :loveya:

[arwalden]

30. Thanks, Buddy...

:loveya:

[rbnyc]

27. You absolutely fucking rule!

I'm so proud of you! You deserve to feel great about yourself!

:D

[arwalden]

34. Thanks... It's Been A Long Struggle.

:-D

[mitchtv]

28. Happy Birthday

Time flies when you're having fun

[arwalden]

35. But Not TOO Much Fun...

... it might attract attention.

Thanks!!

[Misunderestimator]

32. Very cool! 43 for me!

We've gotta stick together! :toast:

Oh, and Happy Birthday!! :party:

[arwalden]

44. You Don't Look A Day Over 35!

:hi:

[In_The_Wind]

37. that's totally awesome !

:thumbsup:


one day at a time ! :hug:

[arwalden]

45. Seems Like I've Been Doing It MY ENTIRE LIFE!!

Thanks!

[ghostsofgiants]

38. 20 years, 3 months and 20 days for me

Haha, happy birthday!

[arwalden]

46. When You Stop Counting Days And Months...

... and concentrate on the years, then you KNOW you've got it kicked!

Good luck to you! I know you can do it!

Keep on keeping on!

-- Allen :hi:

[Obamarama]

39. Very COOL....Big, huge CONGRATULATIONS....

I'm fortunate in that I've never had to struggle with addiction in my life. I've seen close friends go through it...some were valiant in fighting it, others were less fortunate. Even knowing people who have struggled and won, I can only imagine what it must take to overcome something as powerful as addiction. You, and every other recovering drug abuser or alcoholic, have my deepest respect. I'm glad you made it through!

[arwalden]

47. It's Been A LIFELONG Fight... From Day One.

Thanks for your kind wishes.

[norml]

40. Those powders aren't very good for you, upsetting and unhealthy

in the long run.

[arwalden]

48. Clubman Talcum Powder Is The Only Powder I Use Now.

:hi:

[xultar]

41. Yeah!!

:woohoo:

[arwalden]

49. Thanks!

[u4ic]

42. Congratulations!

:yourock:

and Happy Birthday!

[arwalden]

50. Thanks...

... very much!

:hug:

[Joanne98]

43. How long were you hooked? Two days?

Just kidding! Congrats!!!!!!

[arwalden]

52. It Was SO Long Ago... I Can't Even Remember.

I have ABSOLUTELY NO independent recollection of the time in my life before 45 years ago. I can't remember a damn thing. Zero!

Thanks for your kind wishes!

-- Allen

[blondeatlast]

51. Congratulations; that's an accomplishment indeed!

Bravo, Allen, bravo.

[arwalden]

54. Thank you!

:hug:

[sundog]

53. happy b-day you herpes!

i'm quite compatible with herpes!

:rofl:

:toast:

:hug:

[arwalden]

55. Hey Ya Big Homo! :-)

Our symbol is "69".... isn't that GREAT!?

Thanks for the bd wishes!

-- Allen

[sundog]

56. hahaha

a cancer ridden sexual position!

:yourock:

[arwalden]

60. With Crabs!

[mitchum]

61. Happy Birthday, my friend!

as for the abstinence from coke and heroin, in the words of the immortal Redd Foxx "Good! More for me!" :)

[arwalden]

62. Those First Few Years Were Hell...

... I was so out of it that I had no bladder control at all. I'd just pee whenever and wherever! It was really embarrassing now that I think about it.

Thanks for checking in, buddy...

-- Allen

[CatWoman]

63. Happy Birthday, Allen

:hi:

:loveya:

[arwalden]

64. Thanks, Hon!!

:loveya: right back!

[DuckFan4ever]

66. Fantastic. Congratulations.

I hope you have many more years free of those drugs. Keep it up.

[arwalden]

69. I'm Hoping For At Least 55 More Drug Free Years...

... thank you for your kind words!

[RetroLounge]

67. Happy Birthday

You will always be one year older than me!

:hi:

RL

[arwalden]

70. Where's That HOLD Button?... I'm Putting My Age On HOLD...

... until you catch up!

:hi:

[lumberingbear]

71. Happy B-day!!!

[arwalden]

72. Grrrrwoof! Thanks Very Much...

And thanks for the custom smilies and calorie-free cake!