Introducing First Aid Kit

by Screedler on May 21, 2013

Music is a very big component of my recovery.  You could say that listening to music is my DOC now days.  It definitely brings about a psychic change in me.  I found this band after hearing a snippet of one of their songs (In the Hearts of Men) on an episode of Bones.  It’s one of the best discoveries I’ve made this year.  Alas, their songs would probably not be seen as recovery related to anyone but me. I build up little scenes in my head, an internal Lifetime Mini Movie of the Week if you will, starring screedler. Each line of the song pulling out memories of the past and becoming the soundtrack.  Certain lyrics connect the dots. In this one its a line about studying a book – and you can guess which big book comes to my mind.

In this, their cover of Fleet Foxes ‘Tiger Mountain Peasant Song’ – the protagonist wonders what kind of demon he is turning himself into – oh yeah I can relate to that too. Keep in mind, my internal movies are not strictly based on reality, I’m usually wielding a middle earthish sword and fighting a Balrog or something; but know this, that Balrog represents a pint of vodka.

Check out more First Aid Kit on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/firstaidkit

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Lowering the BAC limit for drunk driving was making the news a lot this last week. Here some great commentary on the subject if you happened to miss it over the week.

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Friday Funny – Lost Dragnet Episode

by Screedler on May 17, 2013

You may think you have seen this one before, but you haven’t. Very NSFW. Why here – it pokes fun at the medical marijuana scene.

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May 15 is “Prevention of Alcohol Abuse” Day

May 14, 2013

Special thanks to guest blogger Lee Weber, who runs the fantastic recovery site addictionblog.org.  Check it out. Can you prevent alcohol abuse? The short answer is, “Yes, you can prevent alcohol abuse.” But do you want to break your anonymity and join the cause?  Or leave it to the experts?  And what is alcohol abuse [...]

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Beer in the Ear

May 12, 2013

We’ve done stories on the dangers of Butt-chugging, vodka eyeballing, and vodka  tampons.  Now comes the newest orifice to be abused with alcohol. Well it’s just  one beer, and it is probably fake, but I guarantee you this – frat boys around the world are trying this today.  Behold the wonder of the woman who drinks beer [...]

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I Am Not Joe’s Liver

May 10, 2013

Found on facebook today.  Everyone knows someone who is suffering.  Based on my past, and the friends I kept; my news-feed should be full of things like this, but honestly it’s rare.

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“Steel And Blood”

May 7, 2013

I’ve had a  soft spot for the music 0f the band ‘Minus the Bear’ for several years.  They were actually one of the first new acts I became acquainted with after going without music ( among other things ) for a while as I paid my penance and finally sobered up in a county run facility.   They had a song briefly on the radio back then [...]

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Russell Brand on An Almost Relapse

May 5, 2013

Found a post about recovery in my facebook friend feed today.  Believe it or not, not many of my friends talk about recovery on facebook.  So it must be a sign to share it with the rest of you.  It’s a really good piece by Russell Brand that appeared in The Spectator ( is that the British Version of the Daily Beast?).  [...]

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Dropped Out, Laid Off, and Split Up… Why Won’t We Mention the Drinking?

May 1, 2013

This post was written for and first appeared on the Mental Health Blog Military Pathways, a worthy site and cause so please give them a visit. High school dropouts are twice as likely to use alcohol and marijuana compared to those who remain in school according to SAMHSA. What we usually hear from people who [...]

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On the road again

April 28, 2013

It’s been a long time since I went on a business trip. Mainly because I didn’t have any business being on the road for a long while, and then additionally because the ‘recovery job’ I took and stayed with for the last 5 years required none. But I took a new job about a month [...]

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Tony Stark Stays Sober…For Now

April 24, 2013

Many years ago, before Iron Man became a staple of  the summer box office blitz, TDA and I were hoping that one day they would incorporate the “Demon in the Bottle” story arc made famous in the original comic book.  Alcohol has been the biggest villain in our lives, and we wanted to see how [...]

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Attack of the Killer Potheads

April 21, 2013

Recent news would suggest that the characteristic laid back attitude that stoners are supposed to have may be nothing more than a myth.  You know what I am talking about.  “No one high on reefer ever hurt anybody” is always an argument brought to the table when discussing the fact that marijuana is illegal in [...]

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R.I.P. Jonathan Winters

April 18, 2013

It seems horrible to say better late than never, when eulogizing the recently deceased.  But TDA should honor the late great Jonathan Winters, the unpredictable jokester who died last Thursday at age 87.  People under 30 probably have no ideal who he is, so I want to do them a favor in turning them on to his comedic genius.  He was the Robin Williams of his [...]

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Lohan/Letterman Interview

April 14, 2013

Besides not drinking, what would be a good thing not to do before going to rehab. How about not appearing on Letterman. It seemed like he was blindsiding her with many of these questions; but who knows what’s real anymore when it comes to celebrities or television in general these days. If there was an [...]

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TDA on Talk Radio

April 10, 2013

Gavin got an invite to talk on Birmingham’s premier talk radio show during its prime-time hour (the drive home slot).  His mission; to argue his stance on marijuana legalization with host Richard Dixon. Clocking in at just under an hour on the air, it was an informative and funny drive home for those who tuned in yesterday.  [...]

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