I think this may be a helpful essay

An Atheist's Guide to 12-Step Recovery

edit: but there are secular alternatives including

SOS

and

SMART

Strix, I'm late to the conversation. But a few observations.

Good on you for acknowledging that there's a problem. It's only the first step to fixing the problem, but a lot of people don't get that far.

Don't be ashamed of having a cat as a big part of your support system. You aren't the only one. Take your support where you can get it.

As others have suggested, don't give up if the first group isn't right for you. The right fit is out there.

So it's kind of nice that it's been addressed, and apologies for slowing the thread down to a halt. Buffistas may have noticed a distinct lack of posting about the NOLA weekend from most of the attendees, and it's because we really didn't know how to approach communication around the weirdness we were encountering.

So let me be the first to say (ha, I am MOS DEF not the first) that gotdamn NOLA is a wondrous place to visit. I can still taste the Parish Reserve I had at Avenue Pub (and feel the side eye given by Dana as we talked right through her beloved Saints game ;-)

It was so much fun to see everyone and help Smonster celebrate and walk around in the humidity taking in the verdant landscape. I had very much wanted to be able to say I never stepped foot on Bourbon Street but I did have to cross over it twice to get to Cafe du Monde from the Cemetery tour. But the drunk white tourists were nowhere to be found so it wasn't too awful.

I loved seeing Nora and Smonster in their elements - Smonster being the special guest speaker during our St. Louis 1 cemetery tour (she knew way more than the guide), and Nora leveraging rapports she's built with every bartender, server, chef, and barista in all of NOLA.

So, yes, the stuff around Strix caused anxiety but it by no means ruined the trip. And hey, if it led to Strix seeking help, then it was all part of a necessary path.

Nanita, I'm glad you were still able to enjoy your trip.

Gronk, it's been a long day. Mom and I finally got around to looking through all of the clothes ltc got at the baby shower. There was a ridiculous amount of them, and some of them were never going to fit her at their intended time, like summer stuff that will fit her in a couple of months or a 6-9 month Halloween outfit. So, we gathered all of that kind of thing from Carter's and Target and made those returns. Both stores were great about us not having receipts, and I picked up a few cute Halloween onesies and a dragon costume for ltc. I still have a huge credit for Carter's which I'll use when I figure out what ltc actually needs.

Now, I need to be packing for our first weekend at Mom's since March, but I'm taking a break to watch last night's Arrow. It's one of TCG's late meeting nights. So, I have a long evening alone with the baby ahead of me.

IOmemeN, therapy is not going well in that I'm really not getting anything out of it, and I'm frustrated and not sure what to do.

a dragon costume for ltc.

I believe I speak for everyone when I say PICTURES OH GOD PICTURES! Wee ltc dragon!

Here is the dragon costume. I'll take pictures of her in it after I've washed it and found tights and a long sleeve onesie for her to wear under it.

OMG that baby is gonna look so cute!!

And my mother didn't even complain that it wasn't girly.

That is adorbs, and yet ltc is going to make it SO much better!

Aww, baby dragon!

I have been working and working all morning (five hours now) and all I've gotten done on my to-do list is expense reports. Lots of them, plus a few things and a couple meetings that weren't on the to-do list but ugh. I really wish I didn't have to take tomorrow off to show my parents around. I need more time to work at home--I'm gone again Monday!