The Boiled Owl

Molly just completed another 4th Step and is meeting one of her sponsors to do a 5th Step right after recording this episode. A DUI in 2002 led her to getting sober 2 months later. Years before getting sober, she had a boyfriend in AA and, by living the AA program, he showed her what a sober life in AA can be like. A musician, Molly regained access to her talent at about 2 years sober and now is "...

Buddy was in and out of AA for 6 years prior to getting sober. His alcoholic drinking started in his late 20s. Religion prevented earlier drinking. Drinking saved his life. A major health issue threatened his life and he quit drinking but with no program, he resumed. Ultimately, a DUI led to his coming to AA. He didn't know anyone who drank like him; in AA, he heard a guy who did. Making amends to...

Viki started drinking at 14 and was a round-the-clock drinker the last year and a half of her drinking. Being unemployed gave her time to drink like that. Her daughter left during her drinking and didn't accept Viki's amends; 8 years later, she did. Viki grew up in church and taught Sunday school. Step 2 seemed to have nothing to offer - she thought she had a relationship with a higher power but d...

Hunter got sober in 1996 in NA but wasn't thorough on his 4th step. He started drinking again in 2003. In 2006, he came to AA and did things differently. In 2016, he backed off of his meetings, would arrive at the start of them and leave before the end. He had surgery and didn't take the pain meds as prescribed. He experienced depression, too. He drank for 2 months and came back in 2017. He says h...

Candy tried going to a psychiatrist to help with her drinking. She was ready to end it all. She stopped for a while and then tried controlled drinking. She hid her drinking evidence from her husband. After going to a treatment center, she followed their suggestions when she left. Step 1 was very powerful for her. She stopped on her 4th Step and was ready to go out. Candy's sobriety date is 14JAN20...

Josh first got drunk in 7th grade and chased that feeling until age 25. At the end of his drinking, he was violently ill a lot. That little voice in his head saying "you know you're an alcoholic" grew louder and louder. Then it was, "You're going to die. Are you ready to die?" He wasn't. He called a treatment center and heard the first of many times, "We can help you." He resisted sponsorship and...

Myra had her last drink in 1988 but continued to smoke pot occasionally over 4 years. A blackout drinker, her life was "pitifully out of control." Going 30 days without drinking was a spiritual moment for her. At 3 months, she realized she trusted her higher power. In therapy, she found she was "not a big fan of Myra." She's going through a tough time; service, meetings, and fellowship are really...

Tom started getting high and/or drunk at 11 and was a daily drinker in his 20s. He was living with his parents and got sober at 24 when his father suggested he go to an AA meeting. He detoxed for 3 days at a hospital and then went to treatment for 2 weeks - he felt safe there. He got 30 days and then the obsession hit and he drank. Tom had problems with "God" - a power greater than himself - and t...

Judy got sober on 01FEB1994. Judy's mother was in recovery, so Judy grew up in AA. Her last drunk was at a Super Bowl party. She worked in the restaurant business - great for drunks! Her first AA meeting for herself was in Charlotte, where she met with one of her mother's old sponsees. She moved to Wilmington 30 days later and got very active in AA there. Judy worked the Steps quickly and sponsors...

Doug needed to take a class to allow him to get his license back. He was arrested between making the appointment for it and going to it. Hearing AA members, he related and wanted to get sober. He wondered who he would be without his character defects. He found it surprising to be at business events an no one cared that he wasn't drinking. Doug's sobriety date is April 30, 2006. Having recently ret...

Blair got sober on November 7, 1994, in Binghamton, NY, after being homeless, living in a car, and losing many jobs. He was in and out of jail for misdemeanors and faced a felony DWI charge. He went to rehab and began his journey into recovery. Court-ordered, he went to AA. Dry for a period, he saw AA members modeling what life could be like and it was attractive. He lived over a bar before and du...

Steve came to AA in 1999, but "the fuck-its" would always send him out; justified anger got in the way of recovery. The part in the Big Book about the actor trying to direct the show really spoke to him. Fourth Step work continues to help him see how he's in conflict with things. Becoming a sponsor was a pivotal moment in his recovery. Steve's sobriety date is 18DEC2007 and his home group is Bethe...

Shandale started going to AA at age 24 in 2009. She hid her drinking from her husband and suffered the misery of a secret/double life. She didn't care if she died. During a hospitalization in 2009, she had a moment of clarity but continued drinking. Shandale's sobriety date is 04DEC2012. Her home group is The Way Out in Greensboro, NC. Originally aired Apr 1, 2018

Don and Carol knew each other before recovery. She used to steal Don's beer stash at parties! Her job had free alcohol at national events and a member of management who was in Al-Anon asked her if she had a drinking problem - if she'd like to find out. After a DUI and an adventure getting out of jail, her husband showed her how much she'd hurt him. That was when she had a moment of clarity. Carol'...

Pierce has a drawer of start/surrender chips. A blackout drinker since high school, he was surrounded by alcoholics and that made his drinking seem normal. His wife got sober - he still drank, but not at home. He had a spiritual experience where "God just snuck in and said hi!" Pierce's sobriety date is 02SEP1992 and his home groups are Starmount and Magnolia Street in Greensboro, NC. Originally a...

Rita got sober in Chicago on April 18, 2000. She was a secret drinker who had alcohol hidden around the house. Steps 3 and 5 were pivotal for her. Rita's home group is Open Channel in Greensboro, NC. Originally aired Feb 15, 2018

Hank got sober in Hilton Head, SC, after 42 geographical cure attempts. He saw change/opportunity as it was happening and, when the US Marshals showed up, he was ready. He surrendered and began his recovery in jail with only a photocopy of chapter 5 from our Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. Hank's home group is the No Name Group that meets daily at 12:15PM at the YANA Club in Hilton Head, SC. Origi...

In this episode, we discuss our recent experiences with surgeries and major medical treatment. Blair joins us for his first time at the Boiled Owl and Doug (from episode 17) returns. Our conversation includes using and quitting pain meds, reminders of what it was like when we were drinking, support of friends in AA, and our experiences of moving through the challenges of these significant events....

Michelle first came to AA with her drug-dealing boyfriend when she was 18. At age 23, she came to AA for herself. Drugs were easier to get while under 21. By 22, she'd quit them and was only drinking alcohol. She was on the verge of losing her dream job. One weekend of drinking checked off all the rest of the lines she couldn't let herself cross. Michelle's sobriety date is 16FEB2001 and her home...

As Tom's alcoholism progressed, his emotional darkness grew. A blackout drinker, he would lose count after 2 drinks. Living in spiritual misery, he heard that still, small voice: "You don't have to live like this anymore." He needed it to end one way or another. Fortunately, he knew about AA by way of his father. Tom started his AA journey via online meetings and then went to local meetings. Tom's...

Nicole is 10 years sober, having gotten sober at 26. Her first meeting was at age 16. At the end of her drinking, when alcohol stopped working, she might consume two fifths of liquor or get trashed off two beers. She came to a point where she'd rather die than drink. Her son was removed from her during her drinking. She has a daughter who was born in her sobriety. This episode was recorded in July...

Charles got sober at 26 and is 2.5 years sober. He sought therapy first, thinking it was depression and that 8 or 9 drinks a night was normal. Fear drove him to AA - "How will tonight end up?" Laughter was a big attraction of AAs for him. Charles' home group is The Way Out in Greensboro, NC. Originally aired Nov 15, 2017

Doug got sober in 1980 via treatment in the Navy. He was a blackout drinker from his first drink and he started drinking at 15. Being career military, he still suffered from what so many of we alcoholics do: "Don't tell me what to do!" Doug's spiritual awakening was of the educational variety. Doug's home group is Summit Fellowship Men's group in Greensboro, NC. Originally aired Nov 1, 2017

Wayne got sober in Panama City, FL, on August 23, 1977. He picked up his first desire chip in December 1969 and then got drunk. In those early days, Wayne was stuck on Step 1 for a long time. Today, he still practices the 10th Step every day. Wayne has helped many people find sobriety through the program of AA. Wayne is currently without a home group. He resides in Greensboro, NC. Originally aired...

Alex started at 18 and got sober at 21. She tried every way to get sober. During detox, she hallucinated, seeing shadow people. She smashed furniture and mirrors. She had a major moment of serendipity at 1.5 years sober. Alex's home group is The Way Out in Greensboro, NC. Originally aired Oct 1, 2017