September 2021 3rd Street Beat

In Honor of Our Friend and Brother

In memory of Uniko...

We lost a very important member of our community this month.. These thoughts were recorded at his memorial in the 3rd Street Garden.

U-unique his role was N- nobody played it as good as he did I-inspiring us to play the best K-knowing him was the greatest thing 0-our thoughts are with him since his soul flew away like a butterfly.

- Aida G

The 3rd Street Beat Mission Statement

The Third Street Beat is a newsletter written by and created for people with addiction. Our mission is to validate that experience so people know that they are not alone, and to emphasize the many unique roads that we take to recovery. This is an opportunity to share our experiences to creatively support each other. We are non-political, non-denominational, multi-racial, and gender neutral. Our mission is one of recovery and harm reduction, and all experiences are welcome. All the viewpoints herein are personal in nature and related specifically to our contributors’ recovery.

The 3rd Street Beat Editorial Team

The 3rd Street Beat is produced byThe Recovery Center community with assistance from the occupational therapy team.

3rd Street Beat back issues can be downloaded at: www.projectrenewal.org/rc-newsletters

SUDOKU (solution p. 8)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES

Cover Art by Willie D

Memories of Uniko P. 1-2

Thanks Interns by Moses F. p. 7

PoeTry and Prose

Recovery Is Important to Me by Brian J. p. 5

Time Out by Cleophus J. p. 5

My Enemy by Miles Carrion p. 6

Truth Force by Stephen S. p. 6

My FavoriteThing by Mike W. p. 7

The Rest

Sudoku p. 4

Sudoku solution. 8

TRC Schedule p. 9

The rules of the game are simple: each of the nine blocks has to contain all the numbers 1-9 within its squares. Each number can only appear once in a row, column or box.

Recovery is important to me! By

Brian J.

I’ve struggled over the years doing my best to set myself free from the disease I call addiction. To me the word addiction is an addict or addicted person, which is something that I can relate to because I keep doing the same thing over and over again. My direction today is to take life serious and not for granted because life can be snatched from me with a blink of an eye. I must use all the tools I learned in recovery and not let it go in one ear and out of the other. At times, I see people who are living life while I am just existing, and that’s a terrible feeling because life is more than just existing. It’s called living. I believe in resiliency, which is the ability to bounce back. At times, I asked myself what happen to the guy I was. I hate the guy I became. I love myself today, and I am going to continue making progress. Recovering is not easy in treatment, especially when I am dealing with other personalities or character defects. It can get humiliating dealing with strange personalities at times, and it makes me want to isolate myself or not trust anyone. I’ll take one day at a time, and I’ll pray that I can remove myself from any evilness.

A Recovering soul,

Brian J

I would like to take time out to thank the staff at TRC. You guys are really doing a wonderful job helping those that are underprivileged. I see this as a place for people that are really serious about getting their lives together. Whenever I think of TRC I think it as a way to maintain a mental sense of wellbeing. I believe that people who are serious enough about their goals in life on a daily basis are on their way to new horizons. This takes practice being dedicated, committed, and focused. Believing in yourself is truly not difficult, even though we may have doubts from time to time.

- Cleophus James

MY ENEMY By

Miles Carrion

I SEARCHED ALL AROUND FOR MY ENEMY WHEN ALL ALONG HE WAS INSIDE MY HEAD WHEN I LOOK AT ALLLLL THE DRAMA HE'S CAUSED IN MY LIFE, I CAN SEE THAT HE MUST WANT ME DEAD HE'S NOT THE CRACKMAN OR THE DOPEMAN, HE'S NOT THE C.O. OR THE P.O... HE'S NOT THAT GUY WHO MAKES HEINEKEN BEER.. HE'S VERY MUCH A PART OF ME, AND HE TRIES TO HIDE SO THAT I WONT SEE.. AND HE WHISPERS BAD THINGS IN MY EAR.. FOR ALL THE TIMES THAT I WOULD TRY.. AND REACH FOR THE SKY.. I WOULD GET KNOCKED RIGHT UPSIDE MY HEAD.. BY THAT HATEFUL MAN INSIDE.. AND IN THE CUTT IS WHERE HE LIES.. AND I KNOW THAT HE WANTS ME DEAD.. NOW ILL SAY IT'S YOU.. OR ILL SAY ITS HIM.. AND ILL GO ON BLAMING THE WHOLE WORLD INSTEAD.. OF JUST LOOKING AT ME BECAUSE IT HURTS TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S A PART OF ME THAT WANTS ME DEAD..

Truth Force! The applicable techniquewhen freeze and flight are neither an option.

Fight this way!

-StephenSmart

3 gems - the Summer 2021 Interns

First of I want to say thank you to all 3 of the interns. Although it seems like we have been very lucky with interns we have been getting. I honestly have to say these last 3 interns have been a bit extra special. All of them have been special in their rights. Bringing their own special light and quality. We had the charming, super smart and hilarious selena. Who I truly believe lives musical in her head. Then the quiet confident and brilliant gifted busy bee, Francesca who seems to have a thousand hidden talents last and definitely not least the fabulous timid but super effective approachable and encouraging fabiola who also had a great mind of her own. All 3 of you not only love to help and teach but are also super receptive and willing to not only learn from us, but also willingly take the challenge to help catapult us into our highest peak possible. All 3 of u r terrific and I would wish ur luck but I really believe/know ur don't need it, because I know where ever u guys land. Your will not only rock. Your will make that place feel honored and lucky to have your. In other words your don't need luck because ur have skills. All three of ur are social butterflies. Who we have been fortunate enough to see metamorphosize from shy caterpillars to the beautiful butterflies ur became during a way to short 12 weeks. We not only have been fortunate to have your . We have benefitted from you guys. Thank you guys ur will be surely missed. P.s. all three of you guys have dope ass healthy hair. I wish you Many many blessings in your future endeavors. god bless -

Moses Flores

My Favorite Thing - By

Mike White

My favorite thing is my mother. Just being attached to her which that attach never left. It seems to me that Mama knew a little bit about everything. I, Mike White, never left home. Having being such attach I never did know another way. It became a blessing knowing that relationship was awesome. Coming from a family of 5 girls and 4 boys it was an honor of being around all the time. I never understood how siblings just left on they own and I stayed on my own which was okay with Mama. I am a member of the New Calvary Baptist Church which I was baptised in 1993. It was some experience being a member. However, there was so much more to learn about spirituality.As of right now, I know that I have to become more closer to God as I am now. My addiction had me to think otherwise. However I am looking forward towards recovery from addiction. Staying clean and sober must come first because using will no longer be conducive to my life. I’m more than happy to be atTRC because that will be conducive to my life. I’m pretty convinced that it’s one day at a time. I’m very much open for suggestions and feedback. So in closing, I wants to say may God blessTRC and family members for understanding that help is in progress. May God bless you, may God continue to bless you and may heaven smile upon you.

Nikolay put Francheska to work weeding