David Odyssey is a writer, editor, performer, diviner, and cosmic being, who also happens to be sober. And he’s an incredible new friend of the podcast! Tawny and Lisa are taking a Tarot class with him and he has read their birth and sober birth (yes, “sober birth!”) charts. Coming from a non-prescriptive place, David explains how astrology and Tarot can be used as more information or another tool to consider and potentially guide us. Tawny and Lisa love how these practices are also reminders that we are not the center of the universe or always in control. 

Music Minute features Annie Lennox (a major Capricorn- Bowie, Sade, FKA Twigs)!

Book a Reading with David Odyssey

This episode is sponsored by the amazing folks at Soberlink! soberlink.com/partners/recovery-rocks

Tawny hosted her first in-person event since the pandemic started in collaboration with the folks at Minus Moonshine, Her Highness, Crisp & Crude! Both she and Lisa have missed being in rooms with people and the energy and good feeling that comes with them. Tawny’s event was an honest, interactive discussion about sober sex, including how to go on a date without drinking, ask for what you want sexually, and find confidence by acknowledging your own bravery in not drinking. 

Music Minute features Talking Heads, Paul Simon, and Crisp and Crude’s Spotify playlist

Check out Minus Moonshine, the zero-proof bottle shop in Brooklyn

Check out Crisp&Crude beverages and save 20% with the discount code SOBERSEX

Check out Her Highness NYC

Check out therapist Mike Rosen

Tawny and Lisa both deal with anxiety disorder and, like so many of us, sometimes experience panic attacks. In this episode, they talk about how they handle them in the moment, including through mindfulness, breathwork, and, where appropriate, medication. To proactively lessen their day-to-day anxiety they incorporate yoga, intentionality, and scaling back on news and social media. Especially in those 3 a.m. wide-awake moments, tools are critical to changing the channel in their heads. 

Music Minute features Bo Burnham and Eminem.

Check out “In Praise of Slowness” by Carl Honore

The “Sex and the City” reboot, “And Just Like That…,” examines Miranda’s struggle with drinking. Tawny and Lisa have thoughts on a portrayal that hits home in many ways. They were both excited to see their friend Holly Whitaker’s empowering book, “Quit Like a Woman,” featured for those considering putting down the booze. In a show about women’s friendships, depicting what they do to support Miranda is so important. Tawny and Lisa also discuss last season’s Christmas Eve episode of “Euphoria” as one of the most powerful portrayals of addiction and sobriety they’ve seen.

Music Minute features 1998 classics, including Madonna, Lauryn Hill, and Hole.

Tawny and Lisa discuss Tawny’s article in Tempest, “Do I Need to Hit ‘Rock Bottom’ Before Quitting Alcohol?” The answer is no! You don’t have lose everything – or anything – to decide that alcohol isn’t working. For Tawny, it was getting in the way of being the version of herself she wanted to be. It was more like an “AHA” moment. For Lisa, it took actually thinking she was going die in the moment if she didn’t do something. For either of them, though, alcohol use could have led to an accidental or early death. It’s important not to compare ourselves with others when considering “how bad” it has to be to quit. The question is whether life could be better without it.

Music Minute features the Rolling Stones, the B-52s; and Jackson Browne. 

https://jointempest.com/resources/rock-bottom-quitting-alcohol/

What happens when you take a sip of your club soda with lime and realize it’s got vodka in it? Or you bite into a chocolate and realize your mouth is full of the liquor it’s filled with? Tawny and Lisa talk about these accidents, which are distinctly different from a slip or a relapse. It’s all about intent. An accidental sip or bite isn’t a relapse but they pay attention to whether it triggers them or takes them back to the bad old days. Which is why it’s always good to be vigilant and acknowledge how it feels. As the article below points out, even everyday foods, herbs, and juices can have some trace alcohol.

Music Minute features The Banana Splits and No Doubt.

Article on ethanol exposure in food:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5421578/

The Banana Splits:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMl6HnhFFIA

Tawny and Lisa talk about #skincare, the giant online conversation about skincare routines. Tawny’s article for Mic, “The Best Skincare Routine is Sobriety,” lays out the truth about the damage alcohol does to our skin (not to mention the rest of our bodies). Having better skin is just one of the unanticipated benefits of sobriety. And having a skincare routine that doesn’t include waking up in last night’s makeup is one more way Tawny and Lisa take care of themselves in ways that never happened in their drinking days. They also talk about keeping their routines affordable.

Tawny’s choice is WLDKAT skincare, a vegan line incorporating CBD - https://wldkat.com/

Read Tawny’s article here: https://www.mic.com/life/what-does-alcohol-do-to-your-skin-77026937

Swan Huntley is the author of the new book GETTING CLEAN WITH STEVIE GREEN, a novel about one woman’s messy (and very funny) journey from self-delusion to self-acceptance. Lisa couldn’t put the book down and talked to Swan, who’s been sober for 11 years, all about it. They covered the humor we find in our stories, letting go of trying to control all we encounter, and learning to be kind to ourselves, as well as how there is no right or wrong way to recover. 

Music Minute features classic Counting Crows. 

You can find Swan’s writing and more here:  https://www.swanhuntley.com/

New Year, same pandemic. Tawny and Lisa talk about the keeping sane in a continuing crazy time. One key is not putting pressure on themselves with New Year’s resolutions or other vows to “fix” things. Even something like meditating can become a stressor if the pressure to do it is amped up.  It’s all about progress, not perfection, and staying in the day. They also talk about the fun they’re having taking an online Tarot class together. There’s joy to be found in sharing hobbies that don’t feel like “work.”

Music Minute features Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, and Season of the Witch.

Sponsor: soberlink.com  

Shahjehan Khan is the creator and host of KING OF THE WORLD, a riveting, bingeable podcast about his experience as a Pakistani American Muslim teenager who comes of age post 9/11. He also happens to be 11 years sober and a member of an internationally renowned punk rock band! Shahjehan talks with Lisa about all of this and more, including stigma, relationships with family and friends, and all the possibilities a sober life can offer. 

You can find Shahjehan here:  https://www.shahjehankhan.com/

KING OF THE WORLD podcast:  https://www.rifelion.com/shows/kingoftheworld