Series 2, Episode 8: In this episode we finish up “More About Alcoholism,” and I make a lot of suggestions... Maybe too many. We reframe some of the language and unpack some of the well-buried but still useful ideas about alcoholism and recovery—especially early recovery. Hope it helps!

Series 2, Episode 7: In episode 7 we finish “There Is a Solution” and begin “More About Alcoholism.” I rely a lot on my own story and experience and offer a lot of my own suggestions. Probably the most important idea here is the basic principle of step one: Admit we are “powerless” over alcohol: not over everything, but over alcohol. And that powerless doesn’t mean hopeless. Hope it helps!

Series 2, Episode ^: In this episode we begin to look at “There Is a Solution.” Woo hoo! There totally is a solution... More than one solution and even in this solution there’s more than one way. I mean... yay! I think one of the most important take-aways from this episode is the reframe of the first five steps:

1. I am powerless over alcohol. When I take a drink I am unable to stop. Seems like these days it’s rarely if ever fun. Now it only seems to make my life worse. I don’t want to do it anymore.

2. I’m going to an AA meeting. I believe I can stop drinking, but I think it will be easier with help. So, I’ll ask for some help there.

3. AA seems okay. Most people seem nice enough. There’s laughter and warmth. No one asked for money or yelled at me. Some people gave me some tips and tricks to make life easier. I’m choosing to trust them because they seem sober and generally happy. I think I’ll take their suggestions and see how it goes.

Keep listening for the rest! And lemme know what you think by email or in the comments.

Article from Forbes by Alice Walton, here: https://bit.ly/2NKHydo

Series 2, Bonus Episode: I mean... Calling this a bonus episode is overstating it a bit. It’s an additional episode that doesn’t relate entirely to alcoholism. It overlaps with some of the “principles” in the Big Book. And it was inspired by another secular 12-step podcast at aabeyondbelief.org. So, if I were to be generous with myself I’d call it an opinion piece, but in truth it’s more of a rant because I’m fed up with a lot of the noise surrounding rape, assault, and abuse. The Jussie Smollett hoax has done a great disservice to our society. It has created more skepticism around reported hate crimes, which I doubt will actually deter the liars but will instead deter the honest. It’s the same for victims of rape and assault, and I think hoaxes like his have an greater reach. I’ve already listened to men without any first-hand experience of either crime compare Jussie’s hoax to “all the women who lie about being raped.” Good times. And while I think in many cases rape should be likened to a hate crime, at the moment I’m glad it’s not as people latch onto Jussie Smollett’s hoax as an example of a greater truth. After watching “I Am Evidence” last night on HBO it’s very clear that the statistics people like to point to are mostly irrelevant, at least in the cases of reported rape because the cases are never actually handled properly—thousands of never processed rape kits for decades. Wow.

Ok that’s enough out of me. This is short. As I say, just an opinionated rant.

Series, 2 Episode 5: In this episode we finish up “The Doctor’s Opinion” and “Bill’s Story.” In this series, it’s so far my favorite episode, not because of the subject matter—I still find Bill and his writing irksome—but because when his story is pared down and reframed a little there are some nuggets of truth in there, some solid ideas to take with you as we move forward. I think the most important ideas to take away from this episode are: a) bad behavior does not necessarily make you a bad person, the same is true for selfish behavior; b) the problem of ego is not really the problem so much as the lack of real self-confidence; c) reparation of self-confidence is possible.

Series 2, Episode 4: In this episode we make our way through most of “The Doctor’s Opinion.” Includes a brief summary of moral psychology and reframes words like psychic and phenomenon.

Series 2, Episode 3: In this episode we catch up to the first meeting of AA in the gatehouse of the Seiberling Estate in Akron, Ohio. This episode will mark the end of the history “lesson” at least for now. If I’ve made mistakes please don’t hesitate to let me know. Thanks for listening.

AA Beyond Belief: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/aa-beyond-belief/id1039643427?mt=2&i=1000426369801

Series 2, Episode 2: In this episode we start to look much more specifically at the timelines of the characters in the story of AA. A lot of the information used is from the williamwhitepapers.com and silkworth.net.

Series 2, Episode 1: In the first episode of the second series, I talk a little bit about what “a fresh approach to 12-step recovery” means to me, what inspired me to start a second series, and what I hope to delve further into or improve upon from series one. I’ll also begin discussing some of the events that led up to the composition and publication of what we call “The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.”

Series 1 Finale: This is the final episode of this series. I think the most important take-away from it is that by this point you’ve uncovered the good within you, now tap into it. Ask YOURSELF: how can I be my best self? What can I do for myself and others today that will make today better? Then DO it.

ABANDON YOURSELF TO LIFE.

YOU GOT IT BACK SO SEIZE IT!

MAKE IT GREAT!

BE BETTER!

DO BETTER!

LEARN MORE!

OPEN YOUR MIND AND YOUR EYES!

LISTEN!

BE A PART OF LIFE!