This is me 11 years ago. I’d just graduated from The University of Texas at Austin—Hook ‘em Horns! 🤘—with a Master’s degree in Advertising. For a graduation present, my parents bought me a plane ticket to Chile to visit my old college roomie who was living in Concepción with her Chilean beau. Because a single was never enough, I ordered a double one night while … Continue reading Make it a double

One day shy of nine months of sobriety and I had a BIG hankering for a glass of red wine. You see, Husband and I played tourist for the day and went up to the city (i.e., San Francisco) to see the Ed Hardy exhibit (excellent!) at the de Young. Afterwards, I suggested we have an Italian lunch in North Beach, my favorite neighborhood and … Continue reading To the rescue

I always imagined what my life would be like when I turned 40. What I would be like. Not surprisingly, it’s nothing like I’d imagined. I’m not either. I didn’t think I’d be separated, or back to apartment living—definitely not in the ghettoest-ass armpit of an otherwise desirable community—and I sure as HELL didn’t think I’d be sober. I thought my 40th would be one … Continue reading F#ck me I’m 40 (and 7 months sober!)

Feeling satisfied and happy-tired on a Sunday night. My weekends are longer since I stopped drinking. At least it feels that way. They used to go by lightening fast. And it’s no wonder, I usually spent one of the two days on the couch, hungover AF, and then BAM—Monday. How I used to despise Sundays; head on sideways because of what I’d done to myself … Continue reading Bring life back to your life

200 days ago I was reborn. It wasn’t pretty, much like an actual birth, and I was awkward and gangly, much like a newborn. My skin didn’t fit. I didn’t know who I was. And the world seemed really big and new and scary as all hell. But it was a chance to live again, to get it right. To get me right. Once a … Continue reading #200days

Go to the party. Have fun with friends and family. Watch the fireworks. Eat the BBQ. Celebrate America’s independence, and remember what that means. And bring something non-alcoholic. You don’t have to feel like you’re missing out because you don’t have to miss out. I acknowledge that we are all at different stages in our sobriety, so if sitting this one out IS what’s best … Continue reading Go to the party

Drinking was fun for me and then it wasn’t. It became greedy, taking more than giving. Even so, I drank like a champion throughout my 20s and 30s. And with increasing frequency and secrecy. Drinking for “fun” usually meant: binging until my body physically said “no more” either by puking or passing out (or both), saying and doing stupid shit, blacking out, battling debilitating hangovers, … Continue reading Kids these days

Making the decision to stop drinking can be super fucking hard. And the uncertainty of what comes after scary as hell. How will your life change? Will you have a life? What will your new normal look like? Will people still like you? Will you have the same friends? Will you still go to bars? Will you still *want* to go to bars? Will you … Continue reading Unstuck