About

AA stands for Alcoholics Anonymous. The first part of this, Alcoholic, is rather self-explanatory. I am an alcoholic and this has had a significant influence on my life. The Anonymous part means a number of different things. I have no right to tell anyone else that he, she, or you are an AA member. It is fine for me to tell my friends and acquaintances I am in AA, if I choose to do so.

A person should not identify themselves, using their full name, as an AA member in the press, on the radio, or in films. This “tradition,” adopted in 1955, existed long before the world wide web. I believe this should include web sites; posting my full name, and stating that I am a member of AA, is inappropriate. I will therefore call myself AA Blogger.

As an AA member, I do not speak for AA as whole. I am free to present my opinions about AA but they are just that – my opinions based on my experiences as an AA member. Others are free to disagree with what I say.

The reason I belong to AA is because I am an alcoholic. I am also male, a recovering drug addict, a biologist, and many other things. My other addictions and any other details about my life are all ancillary to my alcoholism, at least in regards to my membership in AA. I came to AA because I could not control my drinking. Alcoholics Anonymous offers a solution for alcoholism that has helped millions of drunks, including myself, stay sober.

I started my journey in sobriety in December 1987. Fortunately I have not found it necessary to drink, or take drugs, ever since.

9 thoughts on “About”

  1. What a great blog site. My sobriety date is July 18, 1987. I noticed the photos on the blog and immediately said, “That’s Montana!” I have a house up near West Glacier Park – a little bit of heaven, a reward in my sobriety. Thanks for maintaining this blog!

  2. Jack,
    Glad you like the blog and to hear the enthusiasm about MT too! I was able to spend 1990-1996 there (western, but didn’t get north of Missoula much) and it was where I feel I finally grew up. Since I was just a few years sober when I arrived it was a great time for me in some many ways.

  4. I can kind of relate to what Ann is saying. I have had many sponsors in different towns across the US. I have tried to take their suggestions with an open mind. Their suggestions were often contrary to my spiritual beliefs but because I was an alcoholic I was told “you are spiritually bankrupt” “your best thinking got you here”. I could concede to the fact that I did make a lot of bad, “insane” decisions where alcohol was concerned but I thought I had an otherwise rational mind. However when it came to spiritual matters these wise elder sages were willing to bestow (felt more like indoctrinate) their spiritual, religious and philosophical beliefs.

    Fortunately, because I am sober and rationally minded, I have found people that are also sober and rationally minded. People that are not caught up in emotionalism for their own beliefs and ideology to the extent that they refuse to accept any other path and leave a lot of newcomers feeling disillusioned with AA and sobriety.

  5. At first I needed to try other people’s ideas. I was not about to jump off a bridge because some one told me so but I did a lot of things that I was not necessarily comfortable with. I was told this stuff I was being asked to do was what was needed. All of this was straight out of the steps, not from any other things like someone pushing their religion or particular beliefs on me. Fortunately I was not subjected to any dogma or ideas that were not consistent with what I believe AA’s steps are trying to teach me.

    The steps and the instructions (Big Book and Step Book) do not impose any religious advice. There is a basic philosophy behind it all and of course there is the idea that I need to begin building some form of a spiritual life. I did all these things, despite the fact I had been an atheist before I walked into AA. The funny thing though is I tried all this crazy AA stuff and it worked. Even better than I would have imagined too. This was after years of trying my own ideas and failing more and more in my life.

    I do see a lot of dogma about what people think about how things should be or have to be done. I have a bit of that, in terms of seeing the steps as a path to sobriety. I am opened minded about everything else but not the steps.

    I do know that a lot of people do not like or feel “disillusioned” by AA because of things like the things that the steps ask to be done and/or some particular AA people. That is to bad but it AA is what it is. A bunch of drunks. Some are sober, some are rational, some are happy and some are none of these things or have a bunch of other things going on.

    My part, I believe, is not to bemoan the state of affairs but strive to do what I can to be welcoming and helpful. The unfortunate reality though, regardless of how people “find” AA to be, is that a lot of people that need to stop drinking are simply not going to do so no matter what AA is like.

    Alcoholics Anonymous is there for anyone that wants it and each one of us is free to come, or decide to go, as we please.

  6. Hi! I enjoy your site – I think you’re the only one I’ve visited that has the 12 steps and 12 traditions up 🙂

    I’m taking a poll and would be interested in your feedback: Is internet addiction real?

    http://stark-raving-sober.blogspot.com/2010/04/is-internet-addiction-real.html

    Would you be interested in submitting the poll for feedback from your readers?

    Also, I recently started my anonymous blog and would like to know if I can add you to my blogroll, here:

    http://stark-raving-sober.blogspot.com

    Have a blessed day,

    So-and-so

  7. Your more than welcome to link to the site. Anyone that would like to take your poll can do so but I am not wanting to promote this myself.

  8. I have decided to give up alcohol. I have been drinking for over 30 years. I am sick and tired of it. I sat down a beer 5 hours ago, I am now sober and I will not pick up another. I will post here every evening after work or after the gym instead of cracking a beer. I will change my life style – I don’t know how to do that, but I will.

  9. Hi Jack,

    I found you thru the Thesis forum. I read several of your blog entries and I’m very encouraged by what you’ve accomplished. I don’t mean to take anything away from people who accomplish a lot in life, but do it without much of a burden. Many people get ahead in life with much hard work and perseverance. But you have overcome a major obstacle and have been clean for so long, and that is a great stride.

    Keep fighting!

    Dean

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