A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.     In this heartfelt episode, Linda tells her honest, raw journey from helpless drinking to finding the AA program and the spiritual transformation that saved her life. She walks through the Big Book and the 12 Steps, explaining how the program reshaped her thinking, character, and relationships. Linda shares moments of humbling truth, the hard-earned lessons of sponsoring, the importance of daily maintenance (steps 10–12), and how giving herself away brought her the life she never thought possible. This is a candid, encouraging talk about surrender, the psychic change that AA promises, and why consistent practice — prayer, service, humility, and honesty — matters. If you've ever felt lost or skeptical about recovery, Linda’s warm, real voice offers hope, practical guidance, and the reassurance that the program works if you work it.

A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.     Hunter starts with this poignant thought off the top - When I opened up my eyes this morning, I became a grateful alcoholic. And it wasn't always that way. Gratitude, humbleness, all these words that we learn around here that allow me to get out of self, to get into God and to get into others didn't, you know, come easy. Ouch. I got a cat here just bit me real good. I am a blank page right now. You know, I love to talk. I host a big book study. And I have so much what God has done for me inside me. But I guess it's good that I'm drawing a blank. So God grant me the serenity. Yes. I love words like peace, tranquility. You know what I mean? Especially when I'm having a chaotic day and joy just takes over and just erases everything that's going bad in my day. Just, you know, just simple words that you guys gave me in the beginning. You didn't make it too hard when I got here.   I was born in Los Angeles and I couldn't wait to be born, I guess. And on my birth certificate says born in central Washington. To show you that God was doing for me what I couldn't do for herself or do for my mother, when the car stopped, it stopped right at the corner where back in the day, like doctors that worked at General Hospital, they had a house and they had a clinic in front of the living room, right? And a doctor came out and delivered me in the car. And so we're in a program of miracles, right? And so you could say that was basically my first miracle.   I grew up camping, fishing, Boy Scouts, surfing and all kinds of outdoor fun. My dad and uncles were in the service and we had a boat, so those weekends were special even if I mostly cleaned the boat. But my family life was complicated: my mom struggled with alcoholism, my dad was often absent because of school and work, and I learned sneaky, deceitful behaviors early on. My moms alcoholism got worse and there were scary momentslike her falling asleep with a cigarette and the house catching on fire, driving the wrong way on the freeway, and even taking us away without telling my dad.   I started drinking young with the neighborhood kids on the street corner. Our wine was cheapThunderbird, White Port, Silver Satinand that corner taught me more than drinking: sex, stealing, relationships. Later I worked jobs near Skid Row and thats where I thought alcoholics lived. I kept thinking I wasnt that bad because I could still work. I eventually drifted into heavier drinking and drugs; by my late 20s I tried to stop when I found out I was going to be a father, but I couldnt.   Life spiraled: I lost my job as a longshoreman after using on the job, my marriage fell apart, I couch-surfed, and I went in and out of treatment. My moms prayers and her own recovery were the bridge that got me back into recovery rooms. I tried treatment multiple times; sometimes Id leave feeling good and think I could do it on my own. I learned humility the hard way.   I eventually hit bottom

A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.   — this episode features Ethel from the Parkside Group in Philadelphia, who shares her heartfelt story of addiction, music, service, and recovery. In a warm, conversational tone, Ethel takes us from that first euphoric sip at age nine, through the jazz clubs and choir lofts that shaped her early dreams, into the depths of drinking, the struggle of denial, and the humbling path to Alcoholics Anonymous. She talks honestly about the slow work of changing attitudes, learning to serve, and the power of sponsorship and community — including forming Al-Anon and Alateen support for families. Her reflections on meeting Bill W., doing service, and watching younger members grow into sober, giving people make this a powerful, hopeful listen. If you’re new to recovery or have been on the journey for years, this talk reminds you that serenity often comes slowly, sometimes in small steps like washing coffee cups, and always with honest work and connection. Stay for practical wisdom, gentle encouragement, and a reminder to take it one day at a time.     A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.  

A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.     Curtis starts with a quote from our literature - This is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is contempt prior to investigation. Good evening, everyone. My name is Curtis, and I'm a recovered alcoholic. it. First of all, I want to thank the Solution Seekers Group for inviting me here. It's really an honor and a Privilege anytime I'm invited to carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous. This is not my message. This is the message of recovery, okay? And I quote a lot of things from the big book, okay? And if you don't like them, don't blame me. Blame the big book, okay? I had to open up a meeting with that quote, come from my spiritual experience, okay? Because that part about that contempt prior to investigation. That seemed to keep that contempt. It seemed to keep people drinking a lot longer around here than what they should be. Okay? Contempt prior to investigation. What was contempt to me? Well, before I came in here, I thought, you got to be crazy. I'm supposed to pattern my life after a New York stockbroker, butt doctor from Ohio? Come on, are you kidding? Fortunately, I was wrong, and I was glad I was wrong on that deal. Because since I've come in here and followed these directions, I haven't had a drink since May 31st, 1983. And that's by the grace of God. Okay? That's 42 years. In fact, I'll show you how I got here. My first drink was a beer. My last drink was a beer. Okay? Now, I know some of you are thinking, this guy has had two beers in life and ended up in AA. No, no. That's what it sounds like. I was 18 years old. I had my first drink. I stopped when I was, well, what, 37? I was sober 42 years. Now, for those of you slow into mathematics, I'll give you the answer. I'll be 82 in November. God willing, okay? And I know I look like I haven't had a drink in a day in my life, right? But anyway, that first drink I had, a beer. I was in the Army, okay? And it did something to me that I thought it did to everyone, okay? But I was wrong on that account. What it did to me, it just lit my world up. Wow! I mean the colors were beautiful. Life was good. I was at peace and comfort. You know, I enjoyed it. I thought it did that to everyone, but it doesn't. It only does To a few. The few that it does to, we seem to have a little trouble with it. Okay? You know i don't think my opinion okay i don't think social drinkers ought to drink you. Know what they know So little about it and they when you're drinking with them they say some of the weirdest things you know you're dating someone and. Say oh have another drink and I said something strange like no no thank you no. More for me These come on have a. Drink you know We're just getting started it. Then they say, no, no, no, I'm serious. No, I'm starting to feel it. You're starting to feel it. That's why you're drink

Hey — I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Natali B, an alcoholic, and this is my real, messy, hopeful story about how I went from wanting to die to waking up grateful. I got sober on August 4, 2021, and the Big Book and AA gave me a map out of a darkness I didn’t think I’d ever leave. I used to live trapped in craving, shame, and a voice that told me the world was better without me in it. I tried to quit on my own so many times — white-knuckling, half-measures, even switching substances — and it only made the emptiness louder. What finally broke the cycle was admitting I was powerless, getting a sponsor, and actually working the steps out of the book that understood my condition. The change wasn’t magic overnight — it was a slow, steady rewiring. I learned I’d been living in the bondage of self: demanding, resentful, always trying to direct the world to my liking. The steps taught me another way: pause, pray, reflect, and choose. That pause button? It’s everything. Now I can stop and ask, “How do I want to respond?” instead of exploding or numbing out. Today my life looks similar on paper — same family, same job, same problems — but what’s different is how I meet them. The fights with my wife that used to end in screams don’t happen anymore. My relationships have depth I didn’t think I deserved. I’m learning to give instead of demanding, to serve instead of score, and to find usefulness in sponsoring others. I’ll be honest: there were years when I didn’t drink and felt worse than ever — suicidal, demoralized — because I had only removed alcohol and not replaced it with a spiritual program that worked. That’s the gift of AA for me: a daily reprieve rooted in practicing spiritual principles, humility, and service. The program gave me a new way to live, not just an absence of drinking. If you’re where I was — lonely, ashamed, convinced nothing can help — know this: there’s something that works for people like us. It won’t fix everything instantly, but it will teach you how to stay present, how to make amends, and how to connect. You don’t have to do it alone. I’m grateful every day that I stuck around long enough to find a life worth living.     A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.  

Hey—welcome back. This episode dives into Step Six of the 12 & 12: "We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character." Lisa opens the meeting, explains how the group records and shares, and guides us through reading pages 63–66 while inviting folks to reflect and share. We talk about what "entirely ready" actually looks like (spoiler: it’s a process, not a one-and-done miracle), why willingness, honesty, and open-mindedness keep showing up in the literature, and how the steps give us a gentle nudge toward patient improvement rather than instant perfection. Guests in the room share powerful perspectives—some hit a low bottom before surrendering, others describe high-bottom experiences, and many speak about the daily, conscious practices that keep them aligned: prayer, gratitude, sponsorship, and the steady work of character inventory. Expect candid sharing about control, self-pity, ego, patience, and how defects can be shifted into strengths over time. There’s real tenderness in the discussion—people describing their breakthroughs, returning to daily prayer, and leaning into humility. The group reminds us that recovery is a lifetime job: aim for progress, not perfection, and keep asking for help. Whether you’re new to the steps or years into them, this episode will meet you where you are—encouraging you to consider if you’re "entirely ready," to practice daily cooperation with your higher power, and to keep moving toward patient, steady change.     A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email. **

Hey friend — welcome to a shot glass of recovery. Today we’re diving into Step Five: "Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs." This isn’t about being a bad person; it’s about naming the character defects and natural instincts that got out of hand so they stop running the show. Step Five is all about ego-deflation and honesty. We’re asked to do something counterintuitive: say out loud the stuff we’ve hidden. Secrets keep us sick — that’s AA wisdom for a reason. When you speak with a sponsor or trusted person, the dark stuff loses its power. Saying it aloud makes it real, and that reality is the first step toward humility and change. There’s a magic moment in the room when you stop carrying the burden alone. You’ll likely discover you’re far from unique — others have skeletons too, and hearing that normalizes you. A good sponsor or trusted listener will help you see what you missed, point out assets as well as defects, and hold you accountable in a kind way so you can actually clean house instead of just thinking about it. This step brings responsibility. Once you admit it aloud, you can’t hide behind excuses anymore. That’s painful — especially when you soberly admit things you once blamed on drinking — and it’s also freeing. Forgiveness often follows: once you learn to forgive others honestly, you make room to be forgiven. You’ll also notice humility and serenity start to grow. Practical tip: choose your person with care — usually a sponsor or someone spiritually fit who has walked through similar stuff. Speak aloud (not just type it), take the hour of reflection afterward, and add anything you missed. It’s okay if you’re scared; most of us are. God, for many, shows up through another human’s wise words — so don’t try to do this alone. It’s hard. It’s necessary. And it works. If you’re thinking about Step Five, know this: you don’t have to be perfect going in, just willing. Shine the light, tell the truth, and let yourself be lighter on the other side.     A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email. **

Hey friend — if you need a honest, messy, and hopeful reminder that recovery really is possible one day at a time, let me introduce you to Bob. He opens with a wry Jerusalem story that makes you laugh, then takes you through the grit: prison, detox, treatment, and years of bouncing in and out before he finally found AA in a way that stuck. Bob doesn't sugarcoat it. He talks about being a gutter drunk, losing family, and how a two-year sentence and a parole officer’s question nudged him toward help. From 405 Oak Street to Good Shepherd Hall, from sponsors who pushed him to actually do the steps to the life-changing power of working with others — his story shows how practical action and relationship build recovery. What hits hardest is how he describes the Twelve Steps as a program of relationships — with yourself, others, and a Higher Power. That relationship with God became the center of his life and the source of a peace he didn’t believe possible. He shares how daily practices — reading, prayer, meditation, and carrying the message — keep him steady. There are tender family moments too: custody of his little girl, fractured relationships healed enough to reconnect with some children, and the joy of grandkids who cued him into a new kind of love. He’s honest about estrangements and loss, and he carries no bitterness — just gratitude for what recovery has brought. Even now, facing serious health challenges, Bob speaks with calm faith and acceptance. He’s not clinging to certainty about outcomes — he’s holding on to the peace that comes from his spiritual connection and the community that supports him. If you’re new, or feeling stuck, Bob’s message is simple and fierce: do the work, get a sponsor, show up, and let these relationships transform you. And if you like what you hear, subscribe, leave a review, or toss a few dollars to keep this show going — every bit helps the message get to someone who needs it. Thanks for listening — one day at a time.     A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.  

Hey — thanks for dropping in. This episode is Lisa M. getting real: from blackouts as a teen to the joke and the heartbreak of recovery, she walks us through the messy, human truth of staying sober one day at a time. She talks about the people who saved her (shoutout to sponsors like Lisa Penn and the tough love of Roy), the tiny rituals that keep her grounded (yes — rubbing that coin when urges hit), and those gut-punch reminders that "every choice creates a new reality" — and that the life you want is sometimes just one decision away. Lisa doesn’t sugarcoat the hard stuff: thoughts of taking herself out, the fallout of addiction, childhood pain, and how discovery of her sexuality in a less-kind decade fueled isolation and drinking. But she also shares the quieter, surprising wins — finding a faithful sponsor, learning to "put thoughts and feelings on the shelf," and actually letting help in. There’s practical, lived wisdom here about sponsorship (it’s about carrying the message, not owning outcomes), the power of the Big Book, and why both in-person and online meetings deserve a chance — whatever keeps you showing up and sober. If you’re in the thick of it or sober for years, Lisa’s warmth, blunt humor, and gratitude land like a friend who’s been through it and wants you to keep going. She reminds us: don’t throw shade on what saves people, ask for help, and be willing to do the things you don’t want to do. Stick around for candid stories, a few laughs, and that steady reminder that recovery is a weird, beautiful mix of humility, service, and daily choices. If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review, or pop into AA Solution Seekers — they meet every day at 7 a.m.   A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email. ******

Hey — stick around for this one. In this episode Mike D. from Common Solution group in NYC (and AA Solution Seekers) gets painfully honest about growing up feeling out of place, how drinking started as an escape, and the long, messy road that led him to suicidal thoughts and a very real bottom. He doesn’t sugarcoat the relapses, the bad relationships, or the time when life felt completely unmanageable. This is also a story about what happened next: finding meetings that made sense, getting a sponsor who showed up, working the steps, and rediscovering a spiritual life that actually works. Mike shares the moment he realized he’d been given multiple chances and how showing up — even imperfectly — started to change everything. If you’re curious about how recovery really looks (not just the highlight reel), you’ll hear the raw feelings, the humor, the humility, and the gratitude. It’s about struggling, being led to help, learning to carry the message, and choosing to come back whenever “life gets lifey.” So if you’ve ever felt alone with your drinking or your shame, or you just want a real, human story of recovery and hope, this episode is for you. Pop in, take a seat, and listen to someone who’s been there and is still showing up. If it lands for you, subscribe, leave a review, or consider supporting the show — every little bit helps keep these honest conversations going.     A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.  

Hey friend — if you stick around for one hour with Frank you get a raw, honest snapshot of what recovery really looks like: not a straight line, but a slow, steady reworking of who you thought you were. He talks about the brutal parts of his childhood, how that shaped his drinking, and how the 12 steps slowly rewired his default values so he could actually live in the world without terror and control. Frank shares the little things that show progress — a shattered van window that used to mean rage but now means, "we’re okay, let’s fix it" — and the big things, like reconciling with his kids after years of silence. He credits real sponsors, real meetings, and a spiritual practice (he mentions The Course in Miracles) for helping him trade scarcity, shame, and control for humility, connection, and love. This episode is warm, frank, and sometimes painful — the kind of honest conversation you’d have over coffee with someone who’s been through the fire and isn’t afraid to talk about it. If you’re curious about what the steps actually change, what happens after you stop drinking, or how to rebuild relationships, this episode feels like a close, hopeful map forward.   A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.  

Welcome to the Speaker Series on "A Shot Glass of Recovery" — a raw, honest, and heartfelt talk from Joe, who walks you through the darkest moments of addiction and the unexpected path to lasting sobriety. This episode feels like sitting in a living room with a friend: we hear about dime-in-the-phone loneliness, freezing nights on bridges, hospital bed sheets, and the slow, sometimes messy awakening that follows repeated attempts to quit. Joe doesn’t sugarcoat it — he admits to trying marijuana, relapsing, and thinking AA was nonsense. But he also shares the life-changing power of taking action even when you don’t believe in it, the gift of a sponsor who simply shows up, and the surprising freedom that comes from working the steps. Over decades, Joe learns to stop comparing himself to others and to love the life he was given — climbing Kilimanjaro, becoming a pilot, raising a family, and finding joy. This episode is for anyone who feels unworthy, stuck, or skeptical; Joe’s message is simple and intimate: don’t wait to understand — take action, trust the process, and you’ll discover the life you were meant to live.   A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.  

Hey friend — welcome back to Shot Glass of Recovery. In this episode we dug into Step Four from the 12&12 (pages 51–52), and yeah, it gets real: resentments, the sex inventory, harms, fears, money worries, and those sneaky character defects (ego, insecurity, lying, cheating, stealing) that kept us stuck. We shared honest personal stories about playing the victim, staying in bad relationships, overspending, and catching ourselves in automatic lies — and we talked about how the inventory isn’t just a list, it’s a chance to see motives and take responsibility. Sponsors, meetings, and the little daily checks (“where’s God in this?”) are part of how the work changes us. If you’ve ever wondered why financial insecurity or emotional insecurity shows up in sobriety, this episode breaks it down: the questions to ask, the excuses to face, and the truth that sets you free. We also hear members’ shares — the awkward, the humbling, and the hopeful — and celebrate how doing the work opens new doors. Listen in wherever you are, and if you’d like to invite our speaker seekers to your meeting, drop an email to ashockglassofrecovery@gmail.com. Grab a shot glass of recovery with us — honest, messy, and real. Stay tuned for the next episode.   A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email. ******

Hey — thanks for joining this Speaker Series episode of A Shot Glass of Recovery. Lisa M. takes us through her raw, honest, and often funny story of addiction, identity, and healing. From early blackouts and painful family secrets to the life-saving simplicity of a sponsor, the Big Book, and finding a higher power of her own understanding, Lisa shares how she went from bitter and broken to grateful and at peace. She talks about the real work of recovery — showing up to meetings, asking for help, doing the steps, and building human connections (yes, in-person matters). Lisa mixes vulnerability with humor and offers practical, lived advice: go early, make coffee, get numbers, and keep coming back. She also reflects on motherhood, trauma, being a lesbian in the ‘80s, and how therapy, prayer, and fellowship helped reshape her life. If you want an intimate, relatable talk that balances tough truths with warmth and hope, this episode delivers. Come for the gripping stories, stay for the laughter, and leave with the message that, one day at a time, recovery is possible. A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email. ******  

Welcome to the Speaker Series on a shot glass of recovery. In this heartfelt episode, Michael Donnelly shares his 34-year journey in Alcoholics Anonymous — not just about quitting drinking, but about uncovering the deeper, three-part problem: a physical allergy to alcohol, a mind that lies, and a broken soul. With honesty, warmth, and a touch of humor, Michael describes the moment he realized sobriety alone wouldn’t fix his life, how a compassionate sponsor helped translate truth into simple language, and why the 12 steps — and a relationship with a power greater than himself — gave him real, lasting change. He explains how sobriety is just the start: the steps recharge your inner batteries, restore power, and lead to a spiritual awakening that brings purpose, better relationships, and peace. If you or someone you love struggles with alcohol, this episode offers raw insight, practical wisdom, and a genuine invitation to find hope in community and the program’s spiritual path.   A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.  

Tom says the alcoholics anonymous took him from that place of panic and desperation, and I'm here to tell you exactly how I stayed sober: one minute at a time, five minutes at a time, one day at a time. Today's speaker Tom from Florida says "Alcohol changed my brain the first time I drank — it took away inhibitions, it dulled the fear, and it felt like an answer to everything that hurt. It wrecked my life, left me shaking, sweating out detox at home, and with an enlarged liver at thirty. But what saved me was the rooms going back out was a group of people who cared enough to meet me where I was."  It wasn't bout lectures or magic formulas; it was about showing up. I sat in the same front-row seat twice a week because someone told me it would help me hear the message. I learned to wash ashtrays, fold tables, mop up spilled coffee, and let people be kind to me without judging me. Those small acts and the routine of meetings anchored me. People in AA shared how they did it — their experience, strength, and hope — not opinions or one-size-fits-all fixes. I had a sponsor after two years who taught me boundaries around the program: we go to meetings, then we do life. That structure, and the kindness I received, taught me how to find answers through the steps and through honest conversation. If you re new, it doesn't feel easy at first. You do this in tiny pieces. Look around—if someone in the room did it, you can, too. Remember your last drunk not to shame you but to keep you honest and grateful it so it does end up being the last one. This isn't about being perfect; it's about showing up, asking for help, and letting people love you into recovery. Stay curious, try different meetings, find a home group and a sponsor, and give yourself the grace of small steps. You can do five minutes more, and then five minutes more. believe in you.   A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email. ******

Hey friend — pull up a chair. In this episode Leslie (aka Hummingbird) takes us on a wildly honest, often hilarious, and deeply moving tour of her life with alcoholism and the surprising ways recovery showed up for her. Leslie talks about the messy and human parts: growing up with addiction in the family, the low points that no one should have to carry, and the tiny, ridiculous moments (like hiding a bottle in the bathroom) that become the turning points. Leslie’s storytelling is full of warmth and wit — she’s the kind of person who’ll make you laugh and then hand you a tissue. We hear how rehab and AA weren’t magic fixes but a lifeline — daily meetings, a sponsor who pulled her through, service work that lit up her life, and the patience to do the work step by step. She shares powerful moments of connection: strangers who became angels, jail meetings that mattered, and the people who kept showing up even when she didn’t want them to. Most of all, this episode is about family and second chances. Leslie’s daughters found their own paths to sobriety, her relationships slowly healed, and she learned to be kind to herself while staying vigilant — because she knows how easily the old ways can creep back in. There’s humor here, too: nicknames, hats, and the joyful absurdity of AA meeting names like “Old Farts.” If you’re new, nearly new, or just curious, you’ll feel invited and welcome — Leslie’s message is simple and true: come all the way in, look for similarities, find someone to help, and remember there are angels everywhere. Stick around to the end for a warm reminder to subscribe and support the show if this story touched you.     A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email. ******

Hey friend — welcome to Episode 8 of A Shot Glass of Recovery. We pick up in the 12&12 (page 48) and dive into Step Four: the fearless moral inventory. Lisa and the group keep it real — this is where we stop blaming everyone else, shine a flashlight on our own defects, and start doing the work that actually changes our lives. We talk about the “self-imposed crisis” that got many of us here, and how Step Four teaches accountability: acceptance, setting boundaries, and taking responsibility for our side of the street. The reading walks through the old language (sin, immorality) and then translates it into what matters today — ego and fear, the seven human failings (the Paggles: pride, anger, greed, gluttony, lust, envy, sloth), and how those instincts gone astray fed our drinking. If the idea of this inventory makes you freeze, you’re not alone. The group shares remind us that fear is just the boogeyman — once you bring willingness, shine the light, and put pen to paper (or set a short deadline like two weeks), relief shows up fast. Sponsors are there to guide, edit and hold your hand through the messy parts — you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to show up and be honest. Listeners hear real examples: from parking-lot rants to the long list of petty resentments, and how the fourth step opened the door to emotional sobriety. The payoff is concrete — less anxiety, fewer resentments, new confidence, contentment, and practical tools (prayer/meditation, pausing before you react, daily spot checks with the four columns, and working Steps 10–12). If you’re curious or terrified about Step Four, know this: it’s a beginning, not a punishment. It’s the gateway to a rebuilt life on bedrock, not quicksand. Tune in, bring willingness, grab your sponsor, and try it — the first fruits (peace, relief, a clearer sense of self) are worth it. See you next week as we keep finishing Step Four.

Hey friend — grab your 12 & 12 and settle in. This episode of A Shot Glass of Recovery is a warm, honest dive into Step Four: the scary, messy, and ultimately freeing inventory that helps us stop hiding our dirt under the rug. Lisa leads a live literature study that blends real-life stories, sponsor wisdom, and the kind of compassionate, no-nonsense humor that makes hard truths a little easier to sit with. We talk about depressive self-pity, pride and grandiosity, the danger of blaming others, and how sponsors help crack the ego’s walls so the light can in. Guests share raw, courageous moments — from reliving hard offenses to discovering tiny glimmers of hope — and we hear how taking the inventory paved the way for real change, humility, and the promise of continued healing in daily practice. If you’re in the thick of Step Four, curious about sponsorship, or just need a reminder that you’re not alone (and that recovery can be surprisingly joyful), this episode is for you. Listen in wherever you may be, and know we’re passing you a shot glass full of fellowship, honesty, and tough love.   A Shot Glass of Recovery paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show and are able to contribute, I hope you consider dropping a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help  to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.

Hey friend — this episode feels like sitting across from someone who’s telling you the truth over coffee. Yvonne shares her raw, honest journey from a childhood of feeling out of place to a drinking career that snuck up on her, across continents from Uganda to Sweden, and finally into the rooms and pages of AA that changed everything. She talks about the big moments — losing her sister, hitting that long slow jumping-off point, going to rehab, and the many near-misses — but also the gentle, surprising turns: the kindness of sponsors, the power of a community that calls you out with love, and the steady comfort found in a spiritual practice that isn’t about perfection but about showing up. Yvonne is refreshingly real about how she resisted the program for years, tried doing it her own way, and finally found help in the simplest things: a phone call, a line in the book (hello, page 68), and people who practiced what they preached. She mixes moments of painful honesty with hopeful insight — like discovering that nothing outside you (money, fame, relationships) fills the hole, and that recovery is a daily, imperfect practice. If you’re new, or you’ve been trying to fix things alone, listen for the practical heart of her message: find a sponsor who’s actually working the steps, find a group that will hold you accountable, and get into the Big Book with someone who can explain it. Her advice is simple, fierce, and kind — progress, not perfection. This share is full of small miracles and real tools: how service deepens recovery, why community matters, and how a relationship with a higher power can become the steadying force when everything else fails. It’s a story of grief transformed into a life that vibrates with purpose — imperfect, beautiful, and ongoing. Stay for the warmth, the humor, and the hard-won wisdom. And if you like what you hear, consider subscribing, leaving a review, or popping into a meeting — sometimes the next right thing is as simple as showing up.   A Shot Glass of Recovery Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟 paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety. You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.