Questioning Things: Your Time To Ask (21 of 90)

by Brad Posted on February 16, 2010

Yesterday was interesting beyond description. Although truth be told, it may only be interesting to me. And the description may matter less to you. Still.

I started a little Twitter meme #BeatWinter in an attempt to get people to stop focusing on cabin fever and instead share what makes them happy.

The blog post I wrote on January 26 about Vanity Fair’s take on Appalachia ended up on the 11 pm news (this is the online story) in Cincinnati along with Kate Crossen’s excellent post on the subject.

It ended with a nasty case of the manic shakes. I’m a recovering alcoholic. Mostly the really bad days are gone. But it’s the start of Mardi Gras and I’m 2 weeks into not smoking. The perfect storm. These are the sacrifices in The Year of Health.

All that is to say this: it was such a great day of interaction through all of that, I thought I’d continue. The 90-in-90 blog post challenge with my students Tiffany, Megan and Alivia is about writing every day, but also being fiercely honest. What better way to do that than to open my blog to questions.

If you ask, I’ll answer.

About Brad

I'm a little bit country, I'm a little bit rock-n-roll.
This entry was posted in Life and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • http://www.thebradking.com Brad_King

    How much shit are you taking from doctrinaire AA-holes for your openness about recovery?
    Posted by Anonymous

    Thanks for the question.

    I believe your question is in regards to the Eleventh Tradition, which states: “Our relations with the general public should be characterized by personal anonymity. We think A.A. ought to avoid sensational advertising. Our names and pictures as A.A. members ought not be broadcast, filmed, or publicly printed. Our public relations should be guided by the principle of attraction rather than promotion. There is never need to praise ourselves. We feel it better to let our friends recommend us”

    The point of that tradition is that we don't hold ourselves up as beacons of AA, as a means for self-promotion or to “recruit” alcoholics.

    And I work very hard to 1) keep my full name out of any discussion about the program and 2) I would never presume to tell someone that they are an alcoholic.

    However, I am very open about MY personal addiction and story. The Program is amazing and without it, I wouldn't be sober. Of that I am absolutely sure. I have met some of the most wonderful, caring people there.

    But like any organization, it is made up of people. Which brings with it an inherent beauty an an inherent ugliness.