The Boiled Owl

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 the God stuff in Steps 2 and 3.

Josh's sobriety date is 17OCT2000 and his home group is Radiance in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Jul 15, 2018

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 important.

Myra's sobriety date is 02JUN1994 and her home group is Language of the Heart in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Jul 1, 2018

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 thought AA was going to trick him into it. Afraid to make amends to his mother, he did it anyway because he loves her.

Tom's sobriety date is 30AUG2014 and his home group is Young People in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Jun 15, 2018

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 the same way. She had a wonderful random opportunity to make amends to someone when she ran into them while they were vacationing in Wilmington.

Judy's home group is "It's In The Book" in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Jun 1, 2018

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 returned to Greensboro, he's shopping for a home group.

Originally aired May 16, 2018

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 during his early sobriety - sold drugs in sobriety, too. He felt he was living a double-life and, at about a year sober, he stopped dealing and jumped into living the program.

Blair's homegroup is Nighttime on Greene in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired May 1, 2018

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 Bethel in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Apr 6, 2018

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's home group is Open Channel in Greensboro, NC. She's been sober since December 11, 1992.

Originally aired Mar 15, 2018

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 aired Mar 1, 2018