The Boiled Owl

A lot of people wanted Emily to stop drinking. She lost 3 jobs in 1 year. She said, "I need major help" and then thought "Oh God, why did I say that?" She was confident there was a problem and not confident there was a solution. Early on, Emily drank while reading her Big Book. The 10th Step Promises touched her soul.

Emily got sober on 28FEB2016 and her home group is The Way Out in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Nov 15, 2019

For 2 years, Ric was not convinced he was an alcoholic. He was a pro at being apart from. Tacos tricked him into going to his first 3 meetings! There's the rat poison incident. At 2 years, the obsession to drink returned at a meeting. He then worked the steps quickly.

Ric's home group is Young People in Greensboro NC. His sobriety date is 23DEC1995.

Originally aired Nov 1, 2019

As a doctor, Tommie would come in at 12:30PM. Awake at 4AM, she was not OK with drinking then because that would be morning drinking, so she prescribed sleeping pills to herself. Oddly, there were times when many of the pills were missing. Clients would step over her passed out body in the bar. She had LOTS of blackouts. She went to her first meeting in 1985 "to help clients." She didn't think she was an alcoholic for 2-3 years after starting AA. Now at 31 years sober, she goes to meetings daily.

Tommie's home group is the Jamestown...

Drew got sober at 24. He sneaked airplane bottles into a 7th grade dance, equated fun with drinking, and alcohol preceded everything he did. His DUIs led him to treatment to avoid jail. Drew shares about a major health issue where he was facing death at 30 and how even that didn't stop his drinking. The science of alcoholism was the first inroad to him "getting it."

Drew's sobriety date is 25FEB2008 and his home group is 16th Street in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Oct 1, 2019

Paul came into AA in 2003 with the desire to stop drinking but didn't stop. He would go to the bar after a meeting. He got a DUI in his first 2 weeks in AA. Paul talks about motorcycle riding and Daytona... coffees to non-alcoholic beer to free beer with a t-shirt. Back home, he got a sponsor. Sober and out with friends, they were laughing too hard and were asked to leave an establishment.

Paul's sobriety date is 17OCT2005 and his home group is Bethel in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Sep 15, 2019

Leslie was in and out for 18 months. In a family program for her husband's treatment, she was pulled aside and asked how much she drank. Corked wine vs. screw-top... Giving wine and then stealing it back... The Great Baked Chicken Experiment... Recently, a 10th Step led to a 4th.

Leslie got sober on 01APR1991 and her home group is Keeping It Green in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Sep 1, 2019

Jackie got sober in North Carolina. She is working to find a balance between AA and life. She was saved multiple times from drinking, just at the moment of ordering a drink, by events that she attributes to her higher power. She saw a change when she began to share honestly in meetings about what was going on with her. I didn’t edit out any pauses between thoughts in Jackie's recording; she really does talk that fast!

Jackie's home group is New Beginnings for Women in Greensboro, NC. Her last drink was June 13, 2016.

Originally ai...

Greg got sober in Tampa, Florida. Daily Prayer and meditation is a big part of his recovery. He had a relapse after 2 1/2 years. The only furniture in his apartment when he got sober was a bed. His most pivotal moment was realizing the wall he held between himself and his children. That enabled him to surrender and return to AA.

Greg's sobriety date is 06JUL1993 and his home group is Summit Fellowship Men's group in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Aug 1, 2019

Lorna got sober in Phoenix, AZ, on her 32nd birthday... by accident. She spent 8 weeks in rehab. "I didn't want what I had." At 5 years sober, she helped clean someone's house, without wanting to. We discuss meeting styles, service positions, and meditation.

Lorna's home group is the Oasis Group in Raleigh, NC. Her sobriety date is 26JUN1994.

Lorna contacted us via boiledowlaa.org and we were thrilled when she accepted our invitation to be a guest. Join us for a coffee!

Originally aired Jul 15, 2019

Michael's parents knew something was awry early on; he was introduced to AA long before he was interested in it. He was intoxicated at his first meeting. He came to realize he was an alcoholic in the years that followed. His family couldn't trust him and he pushed them away. Even is drinking/using buddies didn't want anything to do with him. On probation when he went to treatment, it was the first time he admitted powerlessness out loud. His early sober living arrangements were much like an "AA bootcamp" with thirty other guys.

Michael's sobriety date...

Sallie had a traumatic event - we talk about pain meds and her use of the program for an ongoing resentment about the effects of the trauma. She was alcoholic for years and knew it; she drank every night. She met a guy in recovery and did controlled drinking or no drinking. Then she went to Al-Anon and realized they were talking about her. Sallie went to lots of speaker meetings and heard her story from many different types of people. Fun story about her 30-day chip.

Sallie's sobriety date is 15MAY2011 and her home group is...

Regarding AA, Keven was concerned about the "religious aspect." Keven talks about his first day sober and being stir crazy. His first meeting was on Step 1. A 6-week elimination diet led to his realization that alcohol was a problem for him. He drank only beer the last year due to a family vacation incident involving liquor. Keven got a sponsor and a home group within the first month of his sobriety. An atheist, Keven has a unique name for that power of his own understanding.

Keven's sobriety date is 05OCT2017 and, until a recent move to Ohio...

Dorisa decided to get dry a week before her wedding and got sober after her honeymoon. She tried AA a year earlier (but not really) and smoked pot during that. Her drinking caused lots of destruction in the lives of those around her. We have a great start-over chip discussion. Steps 4 & 5 were big for her, leading to "I'm not the victim anymore."

Dorisa's home group is 16th Street in Greensboro, NC, and her sobriety date is 08AUG2011.

Originally aired May 15, 2019

A guy Thomas was making meth with told him about AA. Thomas used lots of drugs but didn't feel connected in NA. He felt connected in AA but read more NA literature at first. When he moved to Washington, DC, the AA members there called him instead of expecting him to call them. For his first 6 months of sobriety, he lived behind a recovery clubhouse and went to the 8AM AA meeting daily.

Thomas's sobriety date is 18JUL2009 and his home group is the Summit Men's group in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired May 1, 2019

Alex's sobriety date is also his divorce date. He lost the security of living with his wife and had no job. He came to AA familiar with it from DUIs. Alex downloaded and printed his first copy of the Big Book. We have a good chat about emotional sobriety and how to choose a sponsor. He completed his degree in sobriety and is going back for more.

Alex's home group is Young People in Greensboro, NC. His sobriety date is 21JAN2016.

Originally aired Apr 15, 2019

Jody went to AA as a teen because her sister took her. She got rid of her boyfriend and moved, but still drank - though had 1 & 2-week dry spells. She went back to AA in Norfolk, VA, at 21. Jody really hoped alcohol wasn't the problem and she struggled with the "God idea," but worked the steps in her first 6 months. When she got a new sponsor, she did them again. Steps 4 & 5 were powerful for her and 8 & 9 were where she had a spiritual experience, including a powerful 9th Step with her father.

Jody's home group is the Serendipity...

Tyler first got sober at 17. He worked the steps and even started an AA meeting in Wilmington, NC. NCCYPAA was an important part of his recovery. He went back out; it got worse. He was homeless and emotionally, mentally, and physically broken. He went to jail and rehab many times. His father, a drug counselor, asked him to give it one year. He did. He moved to High Point, NC, where he joined NA and worked the steps.

Tyler's home group is the Awakenings Group of NA in Greensboro, NC. He's been clean & sober since 11JUL2017.

Roberta got sober in Brooklyn, NYC. Being fired led her to the rooms of AA, an organization she'd never heard of. Her neighbor had just started and told her about it. She'd tried to quit on her own and was miserable. Alcohol was the glue that held her life together. She was a drinker from 18 to 38, with a career that allowed her to drink at lunch. Roberta was in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. She was 15 years sober then and wanted to get drunk - to not feel. The AA community supported her and she stayed sober.

Alan went to two meetings at 17, but wasn't ready. At age 25, he went to meetings for about 2 weeks before picking up a start chip. His attorney suggested AA. In the second meeting, he got hope. He was 12th-stepped as he was trying to "slide out" at the end of a meeting. The "God thing" was an obstacle. A candlelit meeting was really helpful to him.

Alan's sobriety date is 17NOV1983 and his home group is Summit Fellowship Men's in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Feb 15, 2019

Chris was ordered to go to AA by the courts, but he didn't need it then; he was just unlucky. 6 DUIs later... He started going to AA again in 2000 and also going out to eat with members after the meetings. He went to AA meetings in a clubhouse and would stay there all day. When he moved, he checked out AA and didn't feel it - didn't get a sponsor or go to meetings. He drank shortly thereafter, started over and got a sponsor. He found it harder to get sober the second time.

Chris's sobriety date...

Amber left her husband for an affair with her boss. Her boss said she was too messed up. She got a DUI and woke up in jail. She found herself drinking and calling rehabs - rehab would look good for court. She found more excuses not to go. She had 2 days in detox and then went to rehab. From there, she took suggestions: live in a women's Oxford house, get a sponsor, get a network. She jumped into service in Young People in AA. She has a "super-full life today."

Amber got sober on 15NOV2011 and her...

Scott got sober at 40 in treatment. He moved to Los Angeles and his family stayed behind (divorce). It was 2 years before he returned. He called his dealer and asked her not to sell to him, then called her a month later; she didn't call him back. His early sobriety was in LA, where he went to a meeting at the Screen Actors Guild and saw his old bartender... who became his sponsor. His 9th step to his wife was too soon and without his sponsor's knowledge. The feeling of connection with his higher power before sobriety grew solid in...

Jean started drinking at 15 and stopped at 45. She was home alone often and her body would scream for alcohol. She drank wine from a coffee mug. She was miserable when her husband was home because she had to be sober then. Her last drink wasn't her choice. She went to a 28-day program and then a long-term recovery center for 3 months. She went to a meeting daily for 2 years. Speaker meetings were important in her early recovery - "Identify, don't compare."

Jean's sobriety date is 12MAY1983 and her home group is It's In The Book in Greensboro...

John started with drugs at 13. In middle and high school, his friends could just do weekends but John couldn't stop. At 14, he went to his first meeting (NA), did 90 in 90, got 6 months and did some stepwork. He tried many other times to get sober, but it never stuck. At 16, he was in treatment for 6 months and got drunk and high within 2 weeks of leaving. He considered suicide for a year and gave AA one more try. His 4th Step was a particularly powerful experience.

John's sobriety date is 22JUN2013 and his home group is Young People in...

What?! It's that time of year again?!??! Boiled Owl alumni, Alex and Miranda, join us again to talk about the holidays. Hold on, this one's a hoot!

Originally aired Nov 15, 2018

Reality set in after Karen's husband left, furthering her drinking. Her first chip was a start-over chip. She didn't understand sponsorship at first and then got a sponsor at 6 months. Gratitude was a big part of her early recovery. For Karen, Step 5 was public and painful but allowed self-forgiveness.

Karen's home group is Big Book No Smoke in Greensboro, NC, and her sobriety date is 04MAY1997.

Originally aired Nov 1, 2018

Steve came to AA on crutches, having jumped out of a moving car in a blackout. His first sponsor was assigned to him. He started drinking and using drugs at 11. He yelled at God, cursing him and then got a call from an AA member needing jumper cables. He went all-in after his first meeting and started helping newcomers at 2 weeks. He has a beautiful 12th-Step story about taking the train from work.

Steve's home group is Serendipity in High Point, NC. His sobriety date is 01APR1989.

Originally aired Oct 15, 2018

Molly just completed another 4th Step and is meeting one of her sponsors to do a 5th Step right after recording this episode. A DUI in 2002 led her to getting sober 2 months later. Years before getting sober, she had a boyfriend in AA and, by living the AA program, he showed her what a sober life in AA can be like. A musician, Molly regained access to her talent at about 2 years sober and now is "performing behind enemy lines" frequently. Step 3 and the St. Francis prayer are very present in her life right now, particularly with the current...

Buddy was in and out of AA for 6 years prior to getting sober. His alcoholic drinking started in his late 20s. Religion prevented earlier drinking. Drinking saved his life. A major health issue threatened his life and he quit drinking but with no program, he resumed. Ultimately, a DUI led to his coming to AA. He didn't know anyone who drank like him; in AA, he heard a guy who did. Making amends to his first wife was a big moment in his recovery.

Buddy got sober on 10NOV2008 and his home group is Sunday Morning Sharing...

Viki started drinking at 14 and was a round-the-clock drinker the last year and a half of her drinking. Being unemployed gave her time to drink like that. Her daughter left during her drinking and didn't accept Viki's amends; 8 years later, she did.

Viki grew up in church and taught Sunday school. Step 2 seemed to have nothing to offer - she thought she had a relationship with a higher power but didn't. Step 2 started her looking at her relationship with her higher power and helped her gain a spiritual awakening of the educational variety.

Viki's sobriety...

Hunter got sober in 1996 in NA but wasn't thorough on his 4th step. He started drinking again in 2003. In 2006, he came to AA and did things differently. In 2016, he backed off of his meetings, would arrive at the start of them and leave before the end. He had surgery and didn't take the pain meds as prescribed. He experienced depression, too. He drank for 2 months and came back in 2017. He says he's stubborn but will take suggestions. Hunter listens to 5th steps at a local treatment center. His home group is Summit Fellowship Men's group in Greensboro, NC. His...

Candy tried going to a psychiatrist to help with her drinking. She was ready to end it all. She stopped for a while and then tried controlled drinking. She hid her drinking evidence from her husband. After going to a treatment center, she followed their suggestions when she left. Step 1 was very powerful for her. She stopped on her 4th Step and was ready to go out.

Candy's sobriety date is 14JAN2012 and her home group is Step Lively in Greensboro, NC.

Originally aired Aug 1, 2018

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.

...

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...

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.<...

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...

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