SoberNotMature - Episode 239 (Fingering Our Switches)

00:00:02.03
Bill
All right, everyone. Welcome once again to another episode of Sober, Not Mature. And I've been trying to think about how to ease this into this new opening, and it's uncomfortable for me to say it.

00:00:12.45
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

00:00:13.94
Bill
So let's let's do it this way, Mike, especially for the new listeners or anyone who's been off for the fucking summer or something like that and not paying attention.

00:00:15.44
Mike
Mhm. Yes.

00:00:20.87
Mike
Mmm.

00:00:20.72
Bill
um A couple weeks ago, end of August, August 29th to be exact, you and I and our sister Kathy were in Austin, Texas receiving something.

00:00:29.41
Mike
We were.

00:00:30.03
Bill
so mike why don't what So Mike, why don't you tell them what we were receiving?

00:00:34.43
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

00:00:35.24
Bill
And it's not piggish either.

00:00:37.79
Mike
Mmm, well, that's no fun. No, it was beef.

00:00:41.69
Bill
Yeah, yeah

00:00:41.67
Mike
It was. big it was yes anyway we were receiving the best podcast of 19, not 19, Jesus Christ, I'm old.

00:00:43.49
Bill
Yeah.

00:00:49.56
Bill
but

00:00:51.13
Mike
See, my mind just automatically goes to 19. 20, the best. hitler lucky you Take two. Okay, this is the good one.

00:00:58.88
Bill
Heh heh. i

00:01:01.69
Mike
We received...

00:01:02.32
Bill
her

00:01:03.67
Mike
the best podcast of 2026 from the Sands Bar.

00:01:10.50
Bill
her 1941.

00:01:13.47
Mike
That's right.

00:01:14.78
Bill
Ladies and gentlemen, the 1941 Sober Not Mature wins best podcast.

00:01:17.39
Mike
Yeah.

00:01:19.97
Mike
Hee hee hee

00:01:21.02
Bill
Fucking...

00:01:22.01
Mike
I wish.

00:01:23.63
Bill
oh god it's so fucking funny so so here's the i just thought you know i because i'm trying to figure out how to how to ease this in it it's just it's it's uncomfortable i can't figure out i'll figure out a way to I'm just so goddamn used to it.

00:01:34.51
Bill
I've been doing the same stupid... oh We talked about that. It's just so goddamn stupid, but I can't change it now. But I can i can add to it.

00:01:40.24
Mike
Right.

00:01:41.68
Bill
We've already decided that.

00:01:43.56
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:01:43.91
Bill
you know, just in a general sense, we can add to things. So I'll figure out ah a comfortable way to to ease that in. Or if you know what, it just kind of is what it is.

00:01:50.54
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:01:51.00
Bill
i'm i'm

00:01:51.45
Mike
see, what you do is you take your hand and you spit in it.

00:01:57.26
Bill
Oh. Okay, i'll I'll get that done.

00:01:59.61
Mike
to try to get a comfortable way to ease it in.

00:02:01.93
Bill
Right. Yeah, exactly. There you go. Okay. here Or just ah make make sure she's really happy beforehand.

00:02:08.30
Mike
okay

00:02:09.65
Bill
Man.

00:02:09.59
Mike
That's right

00:02:10.100
Bill
Or just get some.

00:02:11.37
Mike
Build that foundation.

00:02:13.55
Bill
They'll do. Hey, do the work.

00:02:15.44
Mike
who Do the work.

00:02:16.64
Bill
Get the results.

00:02:17.48
Mike
That's right.

00:02:18.75
Bill
as As the 24-hour book says one time, you know hey, when you're walking in and you know you've been licked, well, you know hey, we're just throwing some recovery into there too. When she knows she's been licked, then you know just...

00:02:28.12
Mike
um Right. now that i'm now that i'm sober i know right yeah there's a few times i wasn't quite sure What was happening?

00:02:35.52
Bill
say Exactly. But anyhow, so, but yeah.

00:02:39.27
Mike
So if you're a new listener, this is what your're we should expect.

00:02:44.74
Bill
Yeah, we're two and almost three minutes into this and we've had, uh, had sexual innuendos and full of whatever, blah, blah, blah. But yeah, so I'll, I'll figure out a way if, if not, I don't know, whatever we've been, we've been nominated.

00:02:50.92
Mike
That's right.

00:02:54.89
Bill
We're a best podcast and out of curiosity, uh, just, uh, yesterday or the day before. And I'll, I'll tell you that one of the reasons I was looking at it, but, um, I was curious at how many sober or sobriety or whatever podcasts there are out there.

00:03:06.94
Bill
I mean, there's there's millions of regular podcasts, you know.

00:03:07.31
Mike
oh Right right

00:03:10.51
Bill
But what what would you think? And I did it through, i I tried to include, first I did sober and then sobriety and recovery and alcohol for it.

00:03:16.33
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:03:16.73
Bill
Just all the all the different things combined. What do you think the number came back from? This is obviously AI generated, but um I think.

00:03:22.28
Mike
Right.

00:03:23.51
Bill
you know, probably relatively good number.

00:03:25.24
Mike
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Shit, 10 ,000?

00:03:29.77
Bill
you know You know what?

00:03:30.60
Mike
Heh heh heh heh heh heh.

00:03:31.66
Bill
give Give yourself another fucking award, okay?

00:03:33.93
Mike
All right.

00:03:34.35
Bill
Because they came back between eight to 12 ,000.

00:03:37.22
Mike
Mmm.

00:03:38.16
Bill
And. our Our AI, the the one that, you know, is our buddy that deals with ah us all the time, said, you know, a good number for us to figure.

00:03:42.67
Mike
Yes.

00:03:45.41
Bill
There's probably ah a solid 10 ,000 out there. So, yeah, you just you you hit it right on the head.

00:03:48.35
Mike
Yeah. See?

00:03:50.48
Bill
but

00:03:51.47
Mike
You don't need that fucking AI bullshit.

00:03:51.77
Bill
But... yeah I've got a guy that's still stuck in the fucking 1900s to rely on.

00:03:57.40
Mike
That's right. that's right 1930s

00:04:01.05
Bill
yeah but But anyhow, so I mean, worst case scenario, I mean, yeah out of millions of podcasts, yes. But I mean, out of even out of you know taking that number, 10 ,000, 12 ,000, 8 ,000, whatever that number is, you know out of...

00:04:09.92
Mike
mm-hmm

00:04:12.47
Bill
ah There's nobody else. Nobody else has won this award this year. We are the one.

00:04:17.41
Mike
Yup.

00:04:17.14
Bill
and I just thought about it. I'm like, that's pretty goddamn cool.

00:04:20.39
Mike
Hmm.

00:04:20.47
Bill
you know and I don't know. i mean We never talk about the term you know deserved or anything like that, but you're the one that said it when we did our acceptance speech, and I'm glad you brought it up.

00:04:25.03
Mike
Mmm. Yeah.

00:04:29.25
Mike
Yeah. What the hell did I say?

00:04:31.09
Bill
Well, the the the thing that you said was the reason that that means the most or the reason it means so much to us is because it was a peer generated, a peer voted, a peer nominated thing.

00:04:35.46
Mike
Mmm. Right.

00:04:40.09
Mike
Yep.

00:04:40.98
Bill
And, you know, that's who voted for us.

00:04:41.31
Mike
Yep.

00:04:43.14
Bill
It wasn't just some, you know, fucking group of whoever's, you know.

00:04:47.19
Mike
Right.

00:04:47.74
Bill
is people who generally, you know, there there are people, um there are extensions of everything that we do.

00:04:52.43
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:04:52.65
Bill
um You know, we talked about it when we did the wrap up, you know what I mean?

00:04:54.35
Mike
Right.

00:04:54.98
Bill
ah Not everyone does exactly what we do, but they're still, they're in our realm, you know?

00:04:55.41
Mike
Mm hmm. Right. Yeah, exactly.

00:05:00.49
Bill
And those are the people who nominated for us and ended up voting for us. So that's why that's why it means so goddamn much.

00:05:03.54
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:05:05.44
Bill
you know so

00:05:05.84
Mike
Exactly.

00:05:06.85
Bill
You know, just it's it's cool. So.

00:05:08.42
Mike
It is.

00:05:09.64
Bill
But um anyhow, speaking of somebody else who's kind of cool.

00:05:11.97
Mike
Yeah.

00:05:13.43
Bill
So i got and I got an email from, you know, so our buddy Jim O 'Connor from the the Second Story Foundation that we had on.

00:05:19.88
Mike
Oh yeah.

00:05:20.49
Bill
Yeah, and we've had him on um twice, and it was episode 204, just for everyone.

00:05:22.62
Mike
Yes.

00:05:25.83
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:05:26.31
Bill
in episode 227. So I got an email from ah Ryan, who's their media guy. And um speaking of awards, Jim just was was honored with an award.

00:05:31.80
Mike
Right?

00:05:36.30
Bill
So I told Ryan, I said, i said just send i said send me along a just a little press release.

00:05:36.47
Mike
Cool.

00:05:40.75
Mike
Yeah.

00:05:42.01
Bill
I said, we'll read it.

00:05:42.36
Mike
Uh huh.

00:05:42.80
Bill
And then I said, if Jim ever wants to come on, he's more than happy to.

00:05:46.08
Mike
Yeah, yeah.

00:05:46.63
Bill
And.

00:05:46.49
Mike
yeah

00:05:47.28
Bill
And Ryan's like, he he loved coming on. He'll he'll come back on. That's the one that probably probably not until November.

00:05:52.89
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:05:53.00
Bill
They're busy in october and or i'm sorry September, October with the horses and blah, blah, blahs.

00:05:53.85
Mike
Okay. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Right.

00:05:58.80
Bill
But I...

00:05:58.56
Mike
Preparing for winter.

00:05:58.94
Bill
so Yeah, number one, exactly. That's exactly what he said.

00:06:02.10
Mike
Yeah. Mm hmm.

00:06:03.46
Bill
But I told i told Ryan, I said, I think we told Jim that he's basically got walk-on status.

00:06:07.27
Mike
Yeah, yeah, right.

00:06:07.24
Bill
So I said, the the only thing he needs to let us know, or we just need to make sure we don't have a guest. But yeah he can come on any fucking time he wants.

00:06:13.36
Mike
Yeah, right. what Even if we have a guest.

00:06:15.46
Bill
Yeah, it's just

00:06:16.13
Mike
We'll move him that we'll move him down the couch.

00:06:18.13
Bill
ah

00:06:18.68
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

00:06:19.77
Bill
wouldn Wouldn't that be fucking great? we got so We got some person on that's a little bit of a drip and just mute them and then Jim comes on.

00:06:21.96
Mike
Hehehehe.

00:06:25.17
Mike
Yeah. Yeah. It works for me.

00:06:28.19
Bill
Yeah.

00:06:28.24
Mike
so

00:06:28.95
Bill
Sorry, you just got moved down the couch.

00:06:30.76
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:06:30.36
Bill
But yeah i want to I want to talk about that in a minute. Well, I'll talk about it after with the reading. but okay so Everything else aside, this is the the press release from Jim O 'Connor from the Second Story Foundation, the award he just won. so Jim O 'Connor, founder and executive director of the Second Story Foundation, has received the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health's Dr. C. Vincent Baikman Memorial Award.

00:06:53.56
Bill
Woo, I have to take a breath there for a minute.

00:06:54.31
Mike
Oof.

00:06:55.86
Bill
for his work advancing long-term recovery in Illinois. Okay.

00:06:59.88
Mike
Cool.

00:07:00.44
Bill
So let's pause on that for a minute, even though it was like 1, 2, 3, 7, 12, whatever. Lots of words in there. He won an award for obviously what they're doing, you know, for long-term recovery.

00:07:06.72
Mike
Yes, he did. Yeah. and statewide.

00:07:10.05
Bill
Exactly. The award recognizes behavioral health. lee Sorry.

00:07:14.53
Mike
Yes.

00:07:15.27
Bill
second paragraph starting over again this is the good one as my as my friend mike says The award recognizes behavioral health leaders who bring a clear vision to the field and consistently work to move that vision forward.

00:07:16.32
Mike
you Take two. Hehehehehehehehe.

00:07:26.91
Bill
For O 'Connor, which is Jim, that work has focused on what happens after addiction treatment ends. And that's his big thing. That's what he's talked to us about.

00:07:35.36
Mike
Yeah.

00:07:35.68
Bill
So, okay, get people through, you know, what what then, you know?

00:07:35.48
Mike
Right. Yeah, right. What's next?

00:07:39.49
Bill
Exactly. So through the Second Story Foundation, he has advocated for recovery housing, meaningful employment, peer support, and the stability people need to build independent lives.

00:07:49.06
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:07:49.23
Bill
the vision Is behind or the. That vision is behind the Second Story Ranch, a 68-acre recovery home and jobs program being developed in Will County. Illinois committed $2 million toward the ranch in its fiscal year 2027 budget, and the foundation is now raising private funds to help complete the project.

00:08:07.94
Bill
O 'Connor says the goal is straightforward. Give people leaving treatment the opportunity to build a life worth protecting. To learn more about the Second Story Ranch or support the project, visit secondstoryfoundation .org, which you can donate on there.

00:08:14.63
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:08:22.12
Bill
But the easy one. that Jim gave us is. um Boots on. Let's go. dot org

00:08:30.09
Mike
Yup.

00:08:30.40
Bill
Okay, or go to our... Any place you get our podcast. Once again, it's episode 204 and episode 227.

00:08:35.11
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:08:39.06
Bill
Both of those, if you go to Spotify, that both of those are going to have click-through links to their website.

00:08:44.01
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:08:43.74
Bill
and We talk about this all the time. Don't donate fucking money to us. We don't need goddamn coffee money and all this fucking bullshit.

00:08:48.59
Mike
Right. Right.

00:08:51.74
Bill
what What we need and what we'd like is for things like this, if you want to throw your money someplace, you know, throw it to a to a guy over there that's that's doing some stuff and building some things.

00:08:54.96
Mike
Mm-hmm Yep.

00:09:00.58
Mike
Yeah doing it

00:09:01.90
Bill
Yeah. And, you know, doing it for the recovery community. And it is a, I think it's it's all men at that particular one, if I'm not mistaken.

00:09:04.18
Mike
Yep.

00:09:07.94
Mike
Mhm. Mm hmm.

00:09:09.44
Bill
um You know, but but here's the thing. You know, I mean, it's it's somebody that that's doing the right things and and all those sort of things. And what he's doing, and I'm guessing that the work that people like that do, take the Heating Center, for instance, where Mike and I went through, the first one started off, I mean, the Freedom House was just men, right?

00:09:22.16
Mike
um

00:09:27.21
Mike
Yeah.

00:09:28.16
Bill
And then when when do the women's houses come along?

00:09:28.36
Mike
Yeah.

00:09:30.09
Bill
Do you remember?

00:09:30.91
Mike
Um... I mean... um right i mean well yeah there was uh i think there was one for a minute and then that went away and then the g marie i mean the g marie i think opened up when we were there right because didn't you go over there and like do some something or other.

00:09:34.59
Bill
It's...

00:09:50.76
Mike
okay

00:09:50.74
Bill
Well, I mean, they were the Jean Marie house.

00:09:52.47
Mike
They move facility.

00:09:54.13
Bill
Yeah, they were over that's the one that was over on Brook Park. um

00:09:56.23
Mike
Yeah.

00:09:57.43
Bill
In that particular one, that's when they they had the bedbugs and all that shit. Then they had the vacated me and...

00:10:01.28
Mike
Right. Mm hmm.

00:10:04.43
Bill
Oh, yeah, I mean, in what's this face? We're just hot Pete me and pete had to spend the night over there one time and blah blah blah yeah because we're protecting a guardian place

00:10:07.28
Mike
Yeah. Mm hmm.

00:10:11.90
Mike
Yeah, right.

00:10:13.02
Bill
And I fell through a storm window and whatever I did.

00:10:12.42
Mike
Yeah. you he Of course you did.

00:10:16.04
Bill
Yeah, this whole thing. i I told that story out here, but...

00:10:17.97
Mike
Yes. Mm-hmm

00:10:20.53
Bill
I don't, I don't remember if they just opened, but I mean, they were, yeah, that was that, that was the newer facility that they got because we were just, I think.

00:10:25.20
Mike
Great.

00:10:27.52
Bill
Some of us guys were like, why the fuck are they getting this nice facility?

00:10:30.09
Mike
Yeah, exactly. yeah Still working on resentments.

00:10:31.69
Bill
We'll get it. We get a goddamn warehouse.

00:10:34.09
Mike
Yeah.

00:10:34.25
Bill
yeah Yeah, we were.

00:10:34.84
Mike
Yeah. mm-hmm

00:10:35.72
Bill
But um so I guess my point, regardless, is that, you know, the Keating Center opened, you figure back in the early Freedom House was got back in the 70s, I would think.

00:10:43.19
Mike
Hmm.

00:10:43.06
Bill
Right. Or early 80s. No, no, no, no, no, no.

00:10:44.69
Mike
Yeah, 80. Well, yeah.

00:10:46.00
Bill
Yeah because my dad was sober. um

00:10:47.97
Mike
Right.

00:10:48.29
Bill
Late 80s, early 90s, maybe.

00:10:49.90
Mike
Yeah. Yeah. Right.

00:10:51.65
Bill
Whenever Jack and Phyllis went out and...

00:10:52.65
Mike
Yeah, cause right, because they worked at Stella's before that.

00:10:55.90
Bill
Correct. Yeah. And my my dad's the one that found the first building or helped them find that first building.

00:10:59.56
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:10:59.76
Bill
So he was new-ish in recovery.

00:11:02.95
Mike
Right.

00:11:03.53
Bill
So yeah, probably mid to late 80s, I would think.

00:11:05.57
Mike
Yeah, something like that.

00:11:06.99
Bill
But I mean, the whole point is that the work that they did led to the women's house and and all that sort of thing.

00:11:11.03
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:11:11.55
Bill
So I guess my point with all these is. Jim's out there doing i mean really good fucking things because the problem is out there is that you know there are there are not a lot of places like the Keating Center.

00:11:16.89
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:11:21.40
Bill
Mike and I, I think we got i think we were fortunate because of the the whole setup.

00:11:24.68
Mike
Oh, absolutely

00:11:25.85
Bill
you know and it wasn't It wasn't this. you know and i I want to read that email that we got. From this other guest. Did I tell you we got a follow-up email from them too?

00:11:36.40
Mike
I don't think so.

00:11:37.90
Bill
Okay, well, I'll bring it up. I'll bring it up later.

00:11:39.21
Mike
Yeah, we'll get there.

00:11:39.34
Bill
kind of now i get Yeah, we'll get there.

00:11:40.98
Mike
We got all kinds of stuff.

00:11:41.29
Bill
um

00:11:41.66
Mike
We got some time to fill here.

00:11:43.31
Bill
I know, exactly. but But the whole point is you know Jim's out there doing good work.

00:11:46.23
Mike
Yes.

00:11:46.54
Bill
Listen to his episodes. um He is probably going to come back on in in November. And I just told i told Ryan, i'm like he's he's not he's more than welcome you know orton welcome to come on.

00:11:50.73
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:11:54.29
Mike
Yeah.

00:11:55.41
Bill
and

00:11:55.49
Mike
And actually. Um... We, um if he comes on in November, we should try to get him on maybe earlier and set up a little field trip. Cause you know, I'm going to be there for Thanksgiving.

00:12:07.71
Mike
You know, maybe Saturday after Thanksgiving, we'll go shoot out and see some horses.

00:12:08.20
Bill
Right.

00:12:13.35
Bill
You know, we that would be that'd be a great because that's the one thing I told Ryan. I said the only reason the only week we don't want to schedule him would be that because, you know, we always do our gratitude episode.

00:12:20.23
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:12:21.77
Bill
But I never thought about that.

00:12:22.20
Mike
Right.

00:12:22.64
Bill
The fact that you'll be here.

00:12:22.98
Mike
Meh.

00:12:23.61
Bill
Yeah. So we should do that. So early.

00:12:25.11
Mike
We should.

00:12:26.24
Bill
early november let me uh

00:12:27.49
Mike
Meh. Make a note.

00:12:30.41
Bill
Early.

00:12:30.97
Mike
Get the staff right on that. Hehehehehehe.

00:12:34.61
Bill
I'm going to get the booking department on top of that one.

00:12:36.58
Mike
Yeah, the interns.

00:12:37.94
Bill
God, you know what? I need, I could use a blow job. I need an intern.

00:12:41.97
Mike
Wow.

00:12:44.77
Bill
can we Can we get that in the budget? can we Can we vote on that at the next board meeting?

00:12:46.86
Mike
mm-hmm

00:12:48.77
Bill
Can can Bill get an intern so he can get blown? Hang on one second. I i get it.

00:12:55.46
Mike
Wrong bill.

00:12:57.43
Bill
Right. Yeah, exactly. yeah I don't know.

00:12:58.67
Mike
Yeah, but you but you could actually say, you could truthfully say you did not inhale.

00:12:58.90
Bill
i in

00:13:03.93
Bill
Yeah, that's that I can. That I can. Ladies and gentlemen.

00:13:08.21
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

00:13:09.39
Bill
Maybe you didn't hear me the first time I did not have sexual relations.

00:13:11.08
Mike
That's right. Heh heh heh heh.

00:13:14.94
Bill
With that woman?

00:13:15.99
Mike
Uh-huh.

00:13:16.75
Bill
Yeah, fucking Dave Chappelle does that bit and then he smells his finger. oh Anyhow, God, we are so fucking off off track here.

00:13:23.100
Mike
Yes. We are.

00:13:26.07
Bill
Anyhow, so back back to Jim. so Jim Wonder Award.

00:13:28.36
Mike
Yes.

00:13:29.06
Bill
Go take a look at his episodes. Listen to them again. I've got my note about early November for that.

00:13:32.12
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:13:33.94
Bill
I will get a hold of Ryan. And then.

00:13:35.64
Mike
Cool.

00:13:37.60
Bill
Then we'll go from there.

00:13:37.75
Mike
Yeah.

00:13:38.61
Bill
so

00:13:38.70
Mike
Yeah, but absolutely. Jim's doing great work. So go check out his stuff.

00:13:43.18
Bill
Yeah, exactly. He's a good dude. i mean it's just I mean, when he's come on here, just i mean it's just...

00:13:45.79
Mike
ah Oh yeah.

00:13:48.76
Bill
you know, just random random conversation. And, you know, I mean, it's...

00:13:51.45
Mike
Yeah.

00:13:51.54
Bill
ah

00:13:52.13
Mike
Instead of two drunks it's three drunks.

00:13:52.28
Bill
Yeah.

00:13:54.33
Bill
Yeah, exactly. Just three random random conversations or three people having a random conversation.

00:13:58.62
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:13:58.72
Bill
so All right, speaking of ah getting away from the random conversation, do we have any structure to this goddamn thing at any point? I mean, do we have a reading possibly that's the only thing that kind of brings this thing back down?

00:14:06.83
Mike
Well... yes

00:14:08.67
Bill
and you know, pulls us, pulls it back to earth.

00:14:09.57
Mike
Right.

00:14:11.03
Bill
for Fucking minute.

00:14:11.49
Mike
I suppose. Well... um We're going to get there, but we've got a little. A little back story.

00:14:19.90
Bill
Okay.

00:14:20.86
Mike
Yours truly was featured on our friends. Heather's blog and all that stuff that she does.

00:14:28.28
Bill
I was going to bring that up too.

00:14:29.22
Mike
Um, yes i know well so i'm bringing it up wandering weightlessly i did not look up her episode

00:14:32.29
Bill
Good.

00:14:38.16
Mike
you don't happen to while i'm sitting here blathering maybe you could check that out um But anyway, Heather was on.

00:14:42.77
Bill
If I can.

00:14:46.12
Mike
She's a friend of ours from Cleveland. She's doing some cool stuff too with Sober Travel, and she has a very cool blog, and um she features people and stories.

00:14:57.13
Mike
She had... that other guy over there um first yes i'm sloppy seconds and i'm fine with that

00:14:59.85
Bill
a Heh heh.

00:15:06.33
Mike
um Anyway, so this week she featured it a little article about getting sober. can I believe the title was, Can an Atheist Get Sober in a 12-Step Program?

00:15:17.83
Mike
And the answer is yes. you're listening to one. um Yeah, so anyway.

00:15:21.67
Bill
Right.

00:15:24.51
Mike
um And i actually I actually saw that you posted this reading yesterday.

00:15:29.07
Bill
Yes.

00:15:30.44
Mike
And yeah.

00:15:30.29
Bill
Oh did I?

00:15:31.10
Mike
you did i i don't catch them all but i happened to catch that one i went oh look at that Because when I read it yesterday, it's one of my dog-eared pages in God Grant Me. So it means it was one that I used to do in group.

00:15:45.47
Mike
And um it also means that I've probably done it on here before, but who fucking cares? I'm doing it again.

00:15:51.95
Bill
Well, so in in real quick, and that was from, what what is that from?

00:15:55.43
Mike
When?

00:15:56.28
Bill
Yeah.

00:15:56.87
Mike
ah Yesterday.

00:15:58.29
Bill
Oh, it actually was. The reading was physically yesterday.

00:16:00.64
Mike
Yes.

00:16:01.23
Bill
OK, because, you know, the the funny part, I'm like, this would be completely fucking random because almost all this week and I couldn't remember when I actually grabbed one from one of the one of the new readings or one of the readings from the day.

00:16:10.70
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:16:11.86
Bill
um I've just been flipping back at, you know, grabbing old readings.

00:16:12.22
Mike
Right.

00:16:14.85
Bill
I'm like, wouldn't that have been just weird if I would have grabbed one from, you know, April or whenever it was or just one of my spin ones.

00:16:17.33
Mike
Mm-hmm Right.

00:16:21.06
Bill
But anyhow, so real quick with Heather's episode. And i'm I'm surprised that both of us forgot this because we brought it up.

00:16:26.10
Mike
Hmm.

00:16:27.29
Bill
It was the it was the Cleveland episode, the two one six.

00:16:30.02
Mike
Ah.

00:16:33.03
Bill
I didn't, as soon as I looked at it, I'm like, oh.

00:16:31.90
Mike
Okay. What? I still think it's the 1930s. What the fuck do I know?

00:16:36.40
Bill
But anyhow, yes. So go back and if you want to listen to, and you should listen to our friend, Heather, she's got a great story and she talked and she beat herself up afterwards saying, I should have said this and I should have said that.

00:16:41.28
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:16:45.78
Mike
Mmm. Yeah. Right.

00:16:48.91
Bill
But no, heather was Heather was a good guess.

00:16:49.62
Mike
It's like a new person in their leads, right?

00:16:51.76
Bill
Yeah.

00:16:51.77
Mike
I should have said this. I should. Yeah. know just You said what you were supposed to say, and it was wonderful. Shut up.

00:16:58.59
Bill
Exactly. Yeah, so her Heather's episode was episode 216, but also go on either our Facebook page. You'll see Mike's post on our on or Facebook page, but also um yesterday, I think, whatever day it was, you posted and then I posted on Instagram, so it's on there twice, or it's on our Instagram, and I've got on our Instagram page, if you follow us on Instagram, all you need to do is go up to the profile, drop down.

00:17:06.19
Mike
Mm hmm. Yeah.

00:17:12.59
Mike
Right. Mm hmm.

00:17:21.18
Bill
I have a link in there so you can click over. make It makes it easy on Instagram.

00:17:24.98
Mike
mm-hmm

00:17:25.24
Bill
Facebook, obviously, I... It's just you click through. I included a link there so you can get to her article.

00:17:30.93
Mike
Right.

00:17:31.17
Bill
Very, very easily, without having to search for it, just go to either one of our pages, Facebook or Instagram. so

00:17:36.40
Mike
There you go.

00:17:37.23
Bill
It's a good article too.

00:17:37.48
Mike
Alright.

00:17:37.82
Bill
I liked it. I really did.

00:17:38.70
Mike
Yes. So, anyway, the reading.

00:17:42.84
Bill
Hehehe.

00:17:42.97
Mike
is uh yes this is from god grant me this is september 17th and i like that like i said i cracked it open when i read it yesterday and um i was all well that's the what i'm gonna do and then later today i saw bill posted it and uh it all ah pertains to all of that can you get sober in a 12-step program if you are an atheist or an agnostic and the answer is yes

00:18:02.01
Bill
Right.

00:18:09.74
Mike
So anyway, here's the reading. September 17th. Faith is, above all, Openness. An act of trust in the unknown. Some guy named Alan Watts. I did not bother to look him up.

00:18:23.40
Mike
If you care, you can. All right. Many at addicts struggle with finding a higher power to believe in. They don't believe in any entity they call God or Buddha or the Great Spirit.

00:18:36.79
Mike
People like this can decide to act as if there is something that will help them if they ask for help. Other addicts have strong beliefs about exactly who or what a higher power is for them. They don't have to act as if because they know what they believe in. Good for them.

00:18:55.84
Mike
Ah, so which group does better with recovery? Neither? Or both. It does not seem to matter specifically what these persons believe or don't believe about a higher power.

00:19:09.64
Mike
What seems to matter is how they act. It's kind of like turning on the lights. It doesn't matter whether we understand electricity or even whether we believe in it. If we take the action to flick the light switch, it works. On the other hand, we can believe all we want. But if we don't take the action to flick the switch, there will be... No. light.

00:19:36.20
Mike
Yeah. Prayer for the day. Higher power. I know believing in you is not enough. Please give me the courage and trust I need to take this action.

00:19:47.89
Mike
ah Today's action. i Am I taking actions of faith today? Why or why not?

00:19:58.02
Bill
i I like the, I mean. I knew right away when I read this yesterday that you know we told we talked about it, and I know I probably sat in group before with you when you when you've done done that reading.

00:20:01.35
Mike
Mm hmm. Right. Mm hmm. Mmm.

00:20:07.23
Bill
I love the... out of Out of everything in there, just the, and once again, the biggest thing that I'm so visual and I love great examples and the electricity, flicking the switch is such a perfect example.

00:20:15.01
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:20:17.59
Mike
Mm-hmm. Yep.

00:20:20.07
Bill
It doesn't fucking matter. Nobody, I'm not saying nobody, but anyone outside of electricians and things like that.

00:20:22.82
Mike
Alright. Mm-hmm

00:20:25.27
Bill
I've got a rough idea how electricity works, how my, how the light goes on and what has to happen to to do that.

00:20:27.38
Mike
Meh.

00:20:30.78
Bill
but

00:20:31.00
Mike
Right?

00:20:31.56
Bill
I don't understand what actually creates electricity.

00:20:34.05
Mike
Right?

00:20:34.24
Bill
you know I mean, i don't I don't understand all of that, but it's the same thing I talk about when I get in the car.

00:20:39.84
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:20:40.50
Bill
I know more than just like in my car, I've got a push button start. So more than just pushing the button and pushing that button that says D or R or whatever.

00:20:44.28
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:20:48.30
Bill
And then I know this wheel here is going to, you know.

00:20:48.89
Mike
Right.

00:20:50.88
Bill
kind of steer this thing and these couple of pedals are going to stop and start me.

00:20:54.46
Mike
Uh huh.

00:20:54.72
Bill
i I understand more than that. I understand how I got i got lucky and I worked in a service station.

00:20:59.24
Mike
Right?

00:20:59.41
Bill
I did mechanical shit for years. I understand how things work to a certain extent, not all the computer shit.

00:21:03.39
Mike
Mm hmm. Sure. Right.

00:21:06.38
Bill
You know, but I get it. And part of that is really important to me. But other parts of it, when going back to this, it doesn't fucking matter, right? I mean, it doesn't.

00:21:13.62
Mike
Right.

00:21:14.26
Bill
That's what it's talking about, right?

00:21:15.35
Mike
Mm hmm. I have faith that if I push that button, the car will start. I have faith that if I put it in gear, it's going to go in the direction that I'm hoping it's going to go.

00:21:20.05
Bill
Right.

00:21:27.18
Mike
Right. If I turn the wheel to the left, I have faith that the car is going to go to the left. If I turn the wheel to the right, I have faith that the car is going to go to the right.

00:21:39.43
Mike
um Yeah, but you know there are I'm not sitting there and hoping that and praying, hopes and prayers, that you know that the car is going to go forward, that it's going to turn left, it's going to turn right, it's going to stop when I want it to.

00:21:47.61
Bill
Right. Right.

00:21:55.84
Mike
No, I have to. take certain actions to get it to do that.

00:21:59.53
Bill
Right.

00:21:59.58
Mike
um you know and I suppose you could be in one of those Teslas that does it itself or a Waymo that does it itself. I personally don't trust those motherfuckers.

00:22:10.06
Mike
Oh. Kind of like, I almost said something I shouldn't say. I was going to point out a couple of denominations that, um yeah, ah no.

00:22:22.17
Mike
I'm not going to do that because I don't do that anymore. um ah but yes i i have faith that these things are going to work but i also have to take some action for those things to happen and that's what all of this is about.

00:22:38.82
Bill
Right.

00:22:39.27
Mike
Yeah.

00:22:40.10
Bill
So, and the biggest thing for, and I know we've talked about it before, but since we're on the topic and since that article was written and all those sort of things, both you and I, um I mean, you, I think on, I don't even know if it was, I think we both had the same.

00:22:46.75
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:22:53.18
Bill
I was going to say you on a deeper level because you're. You're atheist, I'm agnostic.

00:22:56.52
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:22:56.88
Bill
But I mean, when it comes down to it, we were both walking into a thing that was a God thing as far as we...

00:22:57.51
Mike
Right.

00:23:00.100
Bill
we

00:23:01.66
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:23:01.79
Bill
knew or understood, or it could have been.

00:23:03.02
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:23:03.92
Bill
you know and we didn't

00:23:04.48
Mike
Right. like It can be. Yes.

00:23:06.57
Bill
It can be. And then we, so we didn't know how we were going to deal with it, but very early on in the first couple of weeks.

00:23:07.52
Mike
Yes.

00:23:10.27
Mike
Right. Mm hmm.

00:23:12.90
Bill
We were told what? Bring that up again.

00:23:14.59
Mike
We were told it doesn't matter what your higher power is. You just need to know it's not you anymore.

00:23:19.30
Bill
Which is so fucking simplistic.

00:23:23.25
Mike
You're

00:23:24.07
Bill
you know And then our our friend Dan, you know our a really, really good friend Dan, you know just said that, he goes, hey, if ah if you can't if that doesn't work for you, if you can't figure out what your higher power is, he goes, you can borrow mine.

00:23:26.40
Mike
Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

00:23:34.36
Mike
Right.

00:23:35.76
Bill
He goes, I have one.

00:23:36.34
Mike
Right. Yeah.

00:23:37.41
Bill
He goes, I have a higher power that I believe in and it's worked for me for...

00:23:39.51
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:23:41.41
Bill
If he was 10 years, so whatever the fuck he was at the time, doesn't matter.

00:23:43.08
Mike
Right. Whatever it was at the point. Yeah.

00:23:45.09
Bill
But he said, that's worked for me. And he goes, you can borrow mine. And I'm just like, like, who is this fucking dude?

00:23:48.35
Mike
Yep. Hehehehehehe.

00:23:50.30
Bill
I'm like, this guy's, you know, I mean, he's giving again. it And I meant that the good way, you know.

00:23:54.32
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:23:55.07
Bill
I'm like, and then this fucking. light bulb comes on. Oh, Jesus. all yeah It doesn't just. That's it.

00:24:00.55
Mike
Yeah.

00:24:00.73
Bill
It doesn't have to be me.

00:24:02.35
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:24:02.25
Bill
What's the catch?

00:24:03.35
Mike
Right. Yeah.

00:24:03.91
Bill
What's the... Yeah. what What's the catch there wasn't one, you know.

00:24:06.32
Mike
Ralph I know

00:24:07.85
Bill
You know, so, um I mean, and that was just, that was the wonderful part. And then realizing that, I mean, still, you know, to this day. And even it was, you know, a few years ago. While we were doing this thing here, you know, on on a Friday night when you brought up the fact that you say when you see, you know, capital G-O-D in the readings, you lower the G and add an O.

00:24:18.45
Mike
Mhm.

00:24:24.25
Mike
Mhm.

00:24:26.46
Bill
And I'm like.

00:24:27.06
Mike
Yeah.

00:24:27.71
Bill
That's fucking genius.

00:24:29.75
Mike
Hehehehehehehehe.

00:24:31.08
Bill
I mean, and it's not really, it's just practical, you know.

00:24:32.52
Mike
Yeah. Mel?

00:24:33.91
Bill
But I started doing that to this fucking day.

00:24:35.50
Mike
Yeah.

00:24:36.25
Bill
I do that now. And I'll get to the point where it's like. My mic. My tolerance cup. let's put it that way

00:24:43.87
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:24:44.59
Bill
for god is filled up with about maybe a half inch before it's going to overflow.

00:24:49.28
Mike
Right?

00:24:49.52
Bill
i um It's really fucking full all the time.

00:24:51.43
Mike
Yeah. Mm-hmm

00:24:52.75
Bill
And after... reading the 24-hour book in the morning.

00:24:56.04
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

00:24:56.25
Bill
um Certain days that just it's it's.

00:24:58.01
Mike
Mmm, it gets right up to the lip, doesn't it?

00:24:59.65
Bill
oh it's gonna fucking overflow and i'm like good good good good good good I just can't, you know, but other times.

00:25:02.88
Mike
Right. This it is

00:25:06.21
Bill
There's one part of my prayers every day I use. Actually, maybe it's two.

00:25:10.71
Mike
Mm.

00:25:10.79
Bill
and there might be like in the like kind of bookend one time in the morning one time at night when i i actually Without any question whatsoever, I use and say the word God when I say something.

00:25:20.46
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:25:21.03
Bill
You know, and I have no issue with that. I do that because I've been doing it.

00:25:23.51
Mike
Yeah. Right.

00:25:24.62
Bill
But for the most part.

00:25:25.13
Mike
Just a word.

00:25:26.17
Bill
Yeah, it is just a word, but you know, I mean, every once in a while, it's just like it. It's like. Here's my craw. It just starts sticking to there. Like. get out of there there's i don't want to i want you in there anymore you know

00:25:36.06
Mike
Mm hmm. Right. Yeah. Yeah, but exactly. And I'm mucking up and I mean, yeah and i I don't, you know, actually I, the word I use is everybody.

00:25:46.04
Bill
Huh.

00:25:46.18
Mike
Right. You know, God is in everyone.

00:25:46.79
Bill
Right.

00:25:48.28
Mike
Right. So. everybody and it just it just reminds me that you know the collective um yeah you know i that i can't do it alone i need so i need other people i and and you know yeah if i and i don't certainly don't believe that god isn't everybody uh but it just works for me you know that's a way for me

00:25:50.20
Bill
Hmm?

00:26:05.12
Bill
Right.

00:26:10.55
Mike
to wrap my head around You know, when I'm doing, because I've got to fucking say prayers because they told me that's part of the deal, right?

00:26:17.61
Bill
Right.

00:26:18.98
Mike
you know that so yes this atheist takes that action every day you know i say prayers twice a day that's all i do i say in the morning i say please and at night i say thank you um i i'm

00:26:27.01
Bill
Right.

00:26:31.83
Mike
fairly certain nothing's listening to me. Doesn't matter. um I take. the action. Because it's an action that they told me to take. prayer Pray go to meetings, help another drunk.

00:26:40.16
Bill
Right.

00:26:42.34
Mike
Okay, fuck you.

00:26:42.85
Bill
ah

00:26:43.81
Mike
Fine, I'll do that then.

00:26:44.85
Bill
h Right.

00:26:46.44
Mike
And so I do.

00:26:47.06
Bill
Right?

00:26:47.42
Mike
And to this day, I do twice a day. I wake up in the morning and I i do. I say, good morning, everyone. You know, and it's just it it's that.

00:26:55.69
Bill
ah

00:26:59.50
Mike
It's that action of... realizing I'm not alone. There's more to whatever the fuck this is than me. And that's. how I can start things off, um you know, by.

00:27:12.02
Mike
by smashing my ego and and and just reminding myself, I'm not the be all end all. I'm not in this by myself. I'm not alone. There's others. and that's a power greater than myself so fuck you you know yeah and and then give me the strength that i need to do Good.

00:27:25.76
Bill
Right. Right? Right.

00:27:31.54
Mike
Stay sober today. I'll take that first one. and um Yeah, then I move on with my day.

00:27:37.35
Bill
Right.

00:27:37.43
Mike
And then when I lay my head down at night, I say thank you. Say good evening, everyone. as I do. and And then I list off some shit I'm thankful for.

00:27:45.15
Bill
her

00:27:49.40
Mike
Mostly people.

00:27:50.60
Bill
Right

00:27:50.74
Mike
you know yeah and because you know the things are nice but yeah yeah you know, those those aren't the important things. The important things are the other people in my life. And so that's what I focus on.

00:28:00.39
Bill
Right.

00:28:02.10
Mike
And yeah, a couple other little things here and there. You know, the fact that I didn't fucking kill anybody today. And, you know, nobody invaded my space too fucking hard. And yeah, that's enough.

00:28:12.98
Bill
Right.

00:28:12.85
Mike
and i'm thankful and grateful and then i go to sleep

00:28:16.63
Bill
Yeah. And, you know, I do the same thing. I mean, I have, and I've said it before, I've got more of a long drawn out, sentence it's but it's not that long. It's, you know, it's five, it's two, three minutes, you know, it's whatever it is.

00:28:22.88
Mike
Yeah. Right. Yeah.

00:28:25.88
Bill
It's not, it's not long, but it's more than please. And it's more than just thank you.

00:28:29.60
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:28:30.05
Bill
But it doesn't have to be, but it became something that it is now.

00:28:33.81
Mike
Right.

00:28:34.45
Bill
And I can't fucking change it. I know I can't.

00:28:35.88
Mike
Oh yeah.

00:28:36.38
Bill
Well I can.

00:28:36.77
Mike
Right. Hmm.

00:28:37.70
Bill
But no, I can't.

00:28:38.52
Mike
mm-hmm

00:28:38.80
Bill
but

00:28:39.68
Mike
to

00:28:39.79
Bill
And if you and I know what we're talking about here, but I just can't, you know.

00:28:41.90
Mike
Yup. Right.

00:28:44.22
Bill
And for anyone else who doesn't know, it's just something we were told to begin with. you know we we had We heard leads. We heard other people say it. like You can always add stuff, but don't take anything away from your program.

00:28:49.44
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:28:51.83
Bill
You don't know what the fuck it is out there that's that's keeping you sober.

00:28:52.31
Mike
Right. Yeah.

00:28:54.94
Bill
I'm like, i'm like well, fuck, man. ah Because, see, I've got, and here's here's the weird part. This is, it's not even a loophole. It's a, it's an addendum.

00:29:04.60
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:29:04.60
Bill
Okay, let's let's put it that way.

00:29:05.13
Mike
Hmm.

00:29:05.65
Bill
It's the only way I can think of this. I have an addendum spot in my prayers.

00:29:09.69
Mike
Yeah.

00:29:10.37
Bill
where I can add and subtract people that might be in immediate need.

00:29:12.16
Mike
um

00:29:13.42
Bill
Okay.

00:29:13.36
Mike
Okay.

00:29:14.30
Bill
So if

00:29:14.04
Mike
Yeah, but it's a spot.

00:29:15.43
Bill
It's a spot.

00:29:16.22
Mike
Yes.

00:29:16.80
Bill
You know, but if they're...

00:29:17.16
Mike
That spot doesn't move. That spot's not taken away.

00:29:20.53
Bill
Right.

00:29:20.41
Mike
It just, it's great. i No, I get it. Absolutely.

00:29:22.67
Bill
it it it might in The spot may be empty at this point.

00:29:25.09
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:29:25.35
Bill
i mean i've got Right now, i've got i've got I do have three people in the spot.

00:29:25.95
Mike
Right.

00:29:30.04
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:29:29.84
Bill
One's been there for a very, very, very, very, very long time.

00:29:32.91
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:29:33.34
Bill
um One person's been there for ah also a long time. And the other one is probably in the last year. you know

00:29:38.32
Mike
Okay?

00:29:39.23
Bill
and i And I've kept that person there, you know, and you know, and there's there's one other one other piece where I.

00:29:40.95
Mike
Right?

00:29:44.62
Bill
have ah another little not even a spot it's a it's a sliver I get another sliver space where, where mob used to be quite honestly.

00:29:48.49
Mike
Mhm.

00:29:52.03
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:29:52.96
Bill
And Larry used to be, when they were sick,

00:29:54.36
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:29:55.41
Bill
And then they, then they came now they're.

00:29:55.47
Mike
Right.

00:29:57.58
Bill
at the end where my dad is so my dad's been dead for fucking ever and now they're dead

00:29:59.10
Mike
Yeah. Right? Right? Yeah. Right.

00:30:03.77
Bill
So the dead people are

00:30:06.53
Mike
Okay.

00:30:07.13
Bill
It's so fucking stupid, but it just it's

00:30:08.39
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

00:30:09.84
Bill
it's it It works. you know It's worked for...

00:30:11.61
Mike
if that That works? Yeah?

00:30:12.92
Bill
Yeah. I mean, the the one with my the dad, that that's worked since day fucking one because he died before I got sober.

00:30:13.64
Mike
Right.

00:30:17.02
Mike
Right? Mm hmm.

00:30:19.30
Bill
And then Larry died at a year and a couple of months. So he's been there for fucking ever in that spot, you know, and then it's just, again, I just, I moved mom from the sliver, the sliver to the other space.

00:30:21.55
Mike
Right. Sure.

00:30:27.11
Mike
Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah.

00:30:34.00
Bill
to the to the to To the checkout counter.

00:30:33.76
Mike
I get it. Right.

00:30:36.32
Bill
She's in the impulse aisle now. But I don't know. you know it's just it's I only laugh at it because it just i I don't talk about this stuff out loud too much.

00:30:45.47
Mike
Right?

00:30:45.36
Bill
but What I do, it's just i'm not i'm I'm not embarrassed by it. I don't give a fuck what anyone anyone thinks.

00:30:49.11
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:30:50.51
Bill
I don't care what anyone's like. Why do you do that? I don't give a fuck. Don't even ask me that ever.

00:30:53.22
Mike
Oh, yeah, yeah right

00:30:54.74
Bill
though It's...

00:30:54.67
Mike
Right. Well, yeah, anybody that would ask why is a fucking idiot.

00:30:58.62
Bill
Right. though It's none of your fucking business why I do it.

00:31:00.88
Mike
Yes, exactly.

00:31:01.22
Bill
You know? Done.

00:31:02.60
Mike
Yeah. Yeah.

00:31:04.62
Bill
And, you know, i've I've said it before, too, and I know that, and, you know, for instance. um i mean We know people that... that um couples that had prayed together and you know that the two that used to that were really open about both of them talked about it i think on their episodes when they came michael and megan um they used to sit down and they would they would do their prayers together and i'm like i mean i thought that was really cool that's got to be just this this level of intimacy that you can't even compare you know

00:31:15.24
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:31:21.27
Mike
Right?

00:31:24.57
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:31:30.92
Mike
Right?

00:31:31.91
Bill
to anything else but but i'm like i mean maybe it's just well it probably is i mean i've just been i've been single the entire time not completely you know unattached and uninvolved but um it doesn't matter all this shit's mine you know um the prayers are mine everyone knows i do the readings everyone knows i you know i mean but it's it's mine it's fucking mine

00:31:38.16
Mike
Mhm. Right.

00:31:44.02
Mike
Right. Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

00:31:50.20
Mike
yeah exactly yeah i mean and even yeah even you know if i though.

00:31:51.50
Bill
Yeah.

00:31:54.73
Mike
Yeah, that's mine. Exactly.

00:31:56.80
Bill
Right.

00:31:56.76
Mike
My prayers are mine. my but my Readings are my my meditations, whatever you want to fucking call them. Um, yeah, that's my shit and it doesn't matter

00:32:02.24
Bill
Right.

00:32:05.29
Mike
who's around and who much, you know, who's around and no matter how much I love them and, and whatever that that's mine.

00:32:12.95
Bill
Right.

00:32:12.99
Mike
This is for me in my sobriety. And yes, hopefully it benefits them. I think it does, you know, but.

00:32:19.35
Bill
Right.

00:32:20.19
Mike
This is my shit. This is what I have to do with me every day.

00:32:24.46
Bill
Right.

00:32:24.55
Mike
and And I do.

00:32:27.60
Bill
Yeah, and it's so i've said it I've said it before and I've said it recently and I'll say it you know ah a thousand more times. i I look forward to doing those readings every morning. I really do.

00:32:36.89
Mike
Eh?

00:32:36.91
Bill
Even if I'm really tired and even if, you know, I don't, I don't feel like I necessarily, I never walk away from those readings thinking. Yeah, fuck, you know, or

00:32:43.77
Mike
Yeah, that was a waste of goddamn time.

00:32:45.69
Bill
Yeah. And I never walk into the, end into the time that I'm going to do the readings. yeah Fuck man. I got to do these readings.

00:32:50.24
Mike
Right.

00:32:50.20
Bill
I don't, I sit down and I, it's, I mean, that's my first cup of coffee. I sit there, I do my coffee and do this. And I got this again, this whole, this whole rhythm on how I do that.

00:32:55.49
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:32:58.43
Bill
You know?

00:32:58.64
Mike
Right? Yeah.

00:32:59.73
Bill
And I enjoy it. I enjoy it a lot. it's ah It's a great opportunity. And if I'm in certain areas where... like when I've traveled, if I can, if I can sit outside someplace or, you know, be someplace or do something like that, I'm like, that just adds a little bit.

00:33:08.83
Mike
Oh yeah.

00:33:12.61
Bill
I don't know. It's just kind of like, Ooh, Hey.

00:33:15.04
Mike
Oh yeah. Absolutely.

00:33:16.87
Bill
You know, which is, which is great. I mean, I can sit outside, you know, during the summertime and I did it when I first came down here, I'd sit.

00:33:21.87
Mike
We could do it in the winter. It's just not pleasant.

00:33:23.62
Bill
Yeah. Exactly.

00:33:27.75
Mike
Let me put on my parka.

00:33:28.21
Bill
Well, and it's you know

00:33:30.23
Mike
Hehehehe.

00:33:31.19
Bill
Well, and it even even now, I mean, now when I get up, it's dark. you know A month or so ago, it was light out.

00:33:34.30
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:33:36.31
Bill
you know i could I could theoretically have sat out, and I did.

00:33:37.07
Mike
Right. Yeah.

00:33:39.21
Bill
at ah At a time, I sat outside.

00:33:41.42
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:33:41.96
Bill
here and I've done it in other places, but I don't know. The whole the whole point is that the reading itself is just talking about it. just it just doesn't matter you know no matter what it is doesn't matter who you are

00:33:49.74
Mike
Right. Yeah. Mm hmm.

00:33:53.16
Bill
Um, you can find something. And, um, I mean, you know, the, I think that reading said it even in there, just, we, we need to find something, right.

00:33:55.32
Mike
Yeah.

00:33:59.99
Mike
Yeah.

00:33:59.92
Bill
I mean, to.

00:34:00.63
Mike
Yeah.

00:34:00.54
Bill
to to be able to work this thing. It's if you don't, if you walk. God, he couldn't even imagine.

00:34:05.83
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:34:05.98
Bill
i mean Could you imagine trying to walk through this thing? Just with you being. the higher power of the thing.

00:34:12.77
Mike
No. God, I wouldn't want to.

00:34:15.37
Bill
Right.

00:34:15.80
Mike
Yeah.

00:34:16.01
Bill
Well, in I mean, I... I don't see, I don't think you could. I don't see how you could last. you know

00:34:22.03
Mike
Yeah, you you could well, yeah, you couldn't You would...

00:34:24.48
Bill
Right.

00:34:25.53
Mike
Yeah, I mean, it's... The whole point. of all of this is, you know, right. I mean, the big book says, right, the whole point of doing this is find God.

00:34:36.09
Mike
um But, you know, and that is the quote.

00:34:36.79
Bill
Heh heh. Right.

00:34:39.29
Mike
um But it's... To do that is, you know, and I mean, this is real fucking Buddhist, actually. it's It's destroying the self and becoming one with.

00:34:51.38
Mike
others with something bigger than you. um

00:34:53.93
Bill
Right.

00:34:55.38
Mike
And that's really the basic of basis of of all religions and all spirituality and all, you know, it's... it's not being a sole individual, it's being.

00:35:06.37
Mike
part of something bigger than you and um and and that's yeah so i it is kind of the point of a is to find god um which is the way that they Put it, but.

00:35:08.69
Bill
Right.

00:35:17.47
Mike
The meaning behind it is to... lose yourself in something bigger than yourself so that you have a reason. to do something good other than just for yourself.

00:35:31.12
Bill
Right.

00:35:31.20
Mike
Because that's what we did for years. and That didn't turn out too well.

00:35:36.33
Bill
Right.

00:35:36.77
Mike
I mean, that's what getting loaded, you know, is all about, man. It's it's doing everything you possibly can for yourself to make yourself feel good. i mean that's the bottom line you know i mean everybody puts all this whatever i'm medicating myself but yeah we're trying to feel good you're trying not to feel pain you're trying to B. whatever, numb yourself, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

00:36:01.64
Mike
And really, and. in the point of working the program is. to become part of something bigger than yourself so you don't have to numb yourself in realizing that you're not the be-all, end-all of being part of something bigger than you.

00:36:17.31
Bill
Right.

00:36:17.31
Mike
That's that's all it is, man. you know and and what that thing is who knows man but you know Get up off your ass and flick that switch. Otherwise, you're going to be sitting in the dark.

00:36:28.66
Bill
Yeah, and that's, ah i again, I love that.

00:36:31.34
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:36:31.51
Bill
It's visual. It's a visual thing. And it it's just so simple. You know, i I don't have to believe it.

00:36:34.91
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:36:36.20
Bill
I just know that, yeah, the fucking light works. Well, unless the power goes out, then you're like, oh my God.

00:36:38.67
Mike
Yep. Right? All right.

00:36:43.55
Bill
but um, so

00:36:44.21
Mike
And then you got to get up off your ass and light a candle.

00:36:47.02
Bill
Right. Right. Yeah.

00:36:48.33
Mike
Right.

00:36:48.24
Bill
Yeah.

00:36:49.25
Mike
Yeah. Yeah.

00:36:49.97
Bill
Create your own higher power.

00:36:51.19
Mike
have to Have some faith that that candle's lit.

00:36:51.63
Bill
theh hey

00:36:54.44
Mike
gonna burn on that wick and that wax is gonna combust and yes

00:36:54.76
Bill
hey

00:37:00.25
Mike
Yeah, it works. I don't really understand. completely how that works. but

00:37:04.30
Bill
Right.

00:37:05.01
Mike
But I'm pretty sure if I... Put a flame to that wick. It's going to continue to burn and glow and give heat and light and hot damn. to

00:37:14.61
Bill
I said, I said, hot damn.

00:37:16.19
Mike
That's right.

00:37:17.38
Bill
So quick question that I may, I don't remember, I think I probably asked you about this before. Have you ever looked at or done any reading up on Buddhism at all or no?

00:37:26.17
Mike
Not really, no.

00:37:27.08
Bill
Okay. is that it

00:37:27.61
Mike
well just general

00:37:29.12
Bill
Just nothing nothing that would ever... I've never done it either, but I've heard, you know like you just said, you know this part, kind of like this, and I've heard people talk about Buddhism.

00:37:35.29
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:37:37.48
Bill
but i mean There's a lot of things that...

00:37:37.90
Mike
Right?

00:37:39.79
Bill
you know again, from the spirituality and all the sort of things that really line up with it.

00:37:41.63
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:37:43.14
Bill
and um It's something that I'd never...

00:37:43.58
Mike
Oh absolutely.

00:37:45.93
Bill
I've never looked into, but I think I might be interested in reading about it, you know, or just reading a little bit more about it or or learning more about it, because I don't know, it just it.

00:37:50.17
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:37:53.15
Mike
Right.

00:37:55.00
Bill
I don't know that I'm going to probably not going to turn into a. fucking buddhist but i mean just it's interesting you know nothing else so that's why i was just curious

00:37:58.06
Mike
hehehehe Sure. It is. Yeah. I mean, again, you know, taking. little bits and pieces of each thing and applying it to yourself and making it work so that you fucking better person.

00:38:10.82
Mike
Yeah.

00:38:10.86
Bill
Right.

00:38:10.96
Mike
You know, and I mean, yeah, again, you know, I mean, there's... theres I told the story on here, but I'm going to tell it again, right? So um i think it was I think it was the first time I went to Who Do You Know?

00:38:24.20
Mike
I don't even know if you were there. You might have been. It was, you know, again, this was, you know, I was a week and a half or so at the Keating Center.

00:38:31.73
Bill
Right.

00:38:32.13
Mike
And. ah you know the the lead got up there and and um He was doing his thing and and he quoted a Bible verse.

00:38:42.40
Mike
And in my head, I was like, ah, fuck, here we go. You know. And um but whatever it was. the the the point of the verse was actually kind of good.

00:38:55.23
Bill
Right.

00:38:55.25
Mike
and i And I was... so fucking raw that I was open to paying attention, right? Because I was so goddamn desperate for for this thing.

00:39:05.49
Bill
Right.

00:39:07.81
Mike
um i i i didn't shut it down i didn't have contempt prior to investigation in that moment and um Whatever the fuck. Again, I don't know what it was. I don't remember the point of it. I never do. I do remember that whatever it fucking was.

00:39:24.44
Mike
i liked it it pertained to whatever was going on in my twisted little head at the moment And I went, oh. and and And it was my very first lesson, true lesson, in keeping my fucking...

00:39:37.11
Mike
mind open and paying attention now again you know it doesn't mean somebody reads a bible verse so i'm going to automatically go oh what's this going to be great because you know nine times out of ten it's going to be bullshit and i'm going to recognize the bullshit and move on um But.

00:39:44.39
Bill
ah

00:39:50.48
Bill
Right.

00:39:52.02
Mike
you know But it it was the lesson taught me, you know keep your fucking mind open a little bit because there might be something, no matter what the source is, it's going it might be something that you fucking need to hear.

00:40:02.66
Bill
Right.

00:40:03.24
Mike
Yeah.

00:40:04.15
Bill
And I would have been there if that was the... if if That was just so second. You got there on a Wednesday, so it wouldn't have been the first Friday, but the second Friday.

00:40:09.97
Mike
I did. Now. It was the second Friday.

00:40:13.53
Bill
Okay, so yeah, I would have been there. The only reason I know that is because the the first Friday, which would have been two days after you got there, I was taken to some other meeting.

00:40:14.89
Mike
Yeah.

00:40:19.98
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:40:22.48
Mike
So was I.

00:40:23.27
Bill
On a Friday night. I think it was probably, yeah I don't know, one like West Clifton or some stupid fucking.

00:40:26.94
Mike
yeah i was yeah actually dominic i remember this dominic took me someplace out in like avon

00:40:33.40
Bill
Oh.

00:40:33.56
Mike
And and it no, it was it was a fucking bunch of goddamn hot. moms it yeah like a lot and i was all whoa all right yeah like yeah exactly yeah all all these women that were quite attractive in their later 40s early 50s and i was like hot damn all right i'm gonna stick around for this shit

00:40:38.94
Bill
Oh really? Hehehehe.

00:40:44.30
Bill
Hi there!

00:40:55.80
Mike
never went back to that reading again i was I'm very disappointed in myself. Uh...

00:41:02.68
Bill
Wait a second

00:41:02.82
Mike
Don't even know the name of it, but yes, I know it was out in Avon and it was a Friday night.

00:41:07.07
Bill
Note to self, look up AA meetings in Avon.

00:41:07.87
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:41:10.65
Mike
Yup.

00:41:10.79
Bill
So we can't even ask Dominic.

00:41:12.19
Mike
hehehehe

00:41:12.24
Bill
The poor dude died a handful of years ago.

00:41:14.16
Mike
Yes, he did.

00:41:14.33
Bill
so which is you know not that For this thing, he died in a motorcycle accident, correct?

00:41:18.93
Mike
Yes, he did

00:41:19.82
Bill
Okay, yeah.

00:41:19.92
Mike
Yeah.

00:41:20.30
Bill
And this is, I mean, Dominic was the, for anyone who, if you have. Again, if you're new or even if you forgot, Dominic was one of the guys that was there when that first night that I got to the Keating Center.

00:41:26.11
Mike
Mmm.

00:41:30.15
Mike
Yup.

00:41:31.08
Bill
It was Dominic and this guy, Josh, ah both of which are dead now.

00:41:32.97
Mike
Mm hmm. Yeah.

00:41:34.89
Bill
um but um And Dominic and Josh were the ones that convinced me to stay at the Keating Center.

00:41:39.75
Mike
Mmm. Mm hmm.

00:41:41.07
Bill
They were just kind of like, come on, grab your bags. Just just give it give it a shot type of thing and literally put their arms around me and like, come on, let's go.

00:41:43.35
Mike
Yeah. Right. Meh.

00:41:46.62
Bill
Let's go grab your stuff type of thing. But yeah, both Dominic and and Josh, because mom used to bring up Dominic all the time.

00:41:48.27
Mike
Yep. Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

00:41:52.35
Bill
How's he doing? I'm like.

00:41:54.22
Mike
Yeah. and yeah you

00:41:55.46
Bill
Hehehehe. And then I think. Josh? he he was drunk or high and fell off of something, I think, and then...

00:42:03.99
Mike
Yeah, like a scaffolding or something.

00:42:06.51
Bill
Yeah, then ended up ended up dying.

00:42:06.56
Mike
Yeah. Mm hmm.

00:42:08.51
Bill
um And that was – yeah, and then – Who was the other guy? The guy that was a cop. He was um he also died.

00:42:15.43
Mike
Yeah.

00:42:15.58
Bill
the work accident.

00:42:16.05
Mike
Lots of them. Yeah.

00:42:17.54
Bill
Yeah, no, I know. I know.

00:42:19.07
Mike
yeah

00:42:18.55
Bill
I know. But but yeah, so but so anyhow. um i mean with the the who do you know because i can't remember where i was taking the first friday but then somehow i ended up with who do you know that the second friday and at that time i'm like

00:42:29.93
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:42:30.77
Bill
first of all it's an earlier meeting than any other fucking meeting on a friday night

00:42:33.83
Mike
Right.

00:42:34.54
Bill
It goes a half hour.

00:42:35.70
Mike
Mhm.

00:42:35.40
Bill
I'm like. count me in. And then, you know, cause at that time I just, I wanted, it's at the end of the week, man, we've been in and out of these goddamn groups all fucking week.

00:42:36.89
Mike
Right?

00:42:40.64
Mike
Yeah, right.

00:42:43.44
Bill
You know, it's just like, let's get, we gotta get, I want to get the fuck out.

00:42:46.69
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:42:46.70
Bill
you know and just do something other than this, you know?

00:42:49.81
Mike
Right.

00:42:50.72
Bill
But then that turned out to be ah you know one of i mean one of your home groups, you know and it turned out to be a great meeting.

00:42:52.85
Mike
Oh, yeah Yep.

00:42:55.89
Bill
We heard we got more from... Those 20-minute, because that's what it was.

00:43:00.43
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:43:00.73
Bill
I mean, theoretically, it could have been a 30-minute lead, but most people you know would hit 20, 25 minutes, um you know maybe 30 minutes.

00:43:02.06
Mike
Right. Hmm.

00:43:05.90
Mike
Yeah.

00:43:07.76
Bill
But we were out of there within 45 minutes every week.

00:43:09.91
Mike
Oh, yeah. Yeah.

00:43:11.37
Bill
You know, and we we got more from these 20 to 30 minute leads than people that would ramble on for.

00:43:14.91
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:43:17.44
Bill
for four fucking ever, you know?

00:43:17.85
Mike
Oh yeah. Absolutely. well Joe used to say anything over 20 minutes is bullshit.

00:43:22.73
Bill
Yeah. Yeah, which it's, and I try, i I do try to time myself because I remember that to this day and it's been, well, the last time I i led was at Puritas, whatever it was a couple of years ago.

00:43:28.22
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:43:33.50
Mike
Right.

00:43:34.43
Bill
when When I was out there in September, I think it was.

00:43:37.15
Mike
Yeah, right, yeah, yeah, because it was anniversary month and I was cheering.

00:43:37.80
Bill
Yeah.

00:43:40.41
Bill
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:43:41.12
Mike
Yeah.

00:43:41.91
Bill
But, um, and, and again, I don't think I, I don't think I ran that long. You know what I mean? I try not to, I was gonna, I was gonna put my phone up on the podium so I could see the time.

00:43:45.32
Mike
Right? Mm-hmm

00:43:48.100
Bill
And then I left it in my, I left it in my pocket. I didn't want to pull my phone out because it like, Oh, what does it do?

00:43:52.63
Mike
fifty fifty

00:43:53.66
Bill
Is that fucking Instagram or something?

00:43:54.96
Mike
Yeah, of course. I'm live streaming myself because I'm fucking all that.

00:44:01.18
Bill
ha

00:44:00.77
Mike
Hehehehehehehehehehe.

00:44:03.14
Bill
Yeah, wouldn't that have been great? sit there take I'm up there taking a fucking selfie while I'm doing a goddamn lead.

00:44:06.82
Mike
Yeah. hey

00:44:10.41
Bill
That'd be pretty fucking funny.

00:44:11.77
Mike
Mhm.

00:44:11.58
Bill
so anyhow we we've been kind of off the rails off track but that's all right that's that's what we do that is what we do

00:44:15.12
Mike
We have. It is.

00:44:18.12
Bill
If you're a new listener.

00:44:19.34
Mike
frederick Right. Holy shit.

00:44:20.84
Bill
this is This is what we do.

00:44:21.65
Mike
Yeah, I just glanced over at the clock. Oh, God, we have been fucking going, haven't we?

00:44:25.54
Bill
Yeah, I know. But real quick before we do that. So anything else, anything else that, that you want to want to pull out from the reading or anything, anything else at all?

00:44:28.66
Mike
Yes.

00:44:33.86
Bill
or

00:44:33.92
Mike
you yeah Go read my fucking little article that Heather wrote, and yes, it was it was very cool, Wandering Weightlessly, wherever.

00:44:37.10
Bill
Yeah. Yeah.

00:44:40.95
Mike
I'm sure if you Google that, you'll find it. um And yeah, and it's in all our links and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

00:44:43.31
Bill
Yep, exactly.

00:44:47.93
Mike
And yeah, you know what? Let's take a break.

00:44:52.55
Bill
yeah

00:44:52.18
Mike
Let's come back and let's talk about some other shit right after these words from our sponsors.

00:45:08.12
Bill
All right, everyone. Welcome back. Almost got me there time.

00:45:12.03
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:45:12.24
Bill
Again, and again, nobody would know what we're talking about, but it was like 44 minutes and 59 seconds.

00:45:17.69
Mike
he

00:45:17.85
Bill
And I'm like, fuck, that's okay. I'm doing 45 and doing this and that.

00:45:20.61
Mike
Yeah.

00:45:20.38
Bill
Cause I can't seem to, I could ever seem to do again, math when it flips over the timeframe like that. But. so yeah no that was a Here, everyone, want to listen to the dogs for a minute? Kathy just got back.

00:45:32.17
Bill
Hello.

00:45:33.57
Mike
to me

00:45:34.70
Bill
ah Fucking dogs. But anyhow, so, um yeah, I really do. I like that reading, and I completely forgot that I that i had posted that.

00:45:42.66
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:45:42.37
Bill
or Posted that the other day because seriously, I've been having.

00:45:45.12
Mike
Yeah, yesterday, yeah.

00:45:46.62
Bill
Yeah, I've just been having a thing with with some of these readings lately.

00:45:50.12
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:45:49.86
Bill
I just can't. Once again, not that it's a problem. that The readings are fine. There's nothing wrong with the reading. but Like I said before, sometimes it'll be.

00:45:55.52
Mike
Right.

00:45:58.38
Bill
More AA specific or like touchstones will have stuff talking about men and throw a couple of God things in there.

00:45:59.86
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:46:04.06
Bill
I try to be picky with these things and try to make them as.

00:46:03.86
Mike
Right.

00:46:07.95
Bill
is I don't know, is poignant, but...

00:46:09.37
Mike
Open.

00:46:10.36
Bill
yeah but as vanilla as i can as far as the words because you know like i said i i want i

00:46:12.96
Mike
Mhm.

00:46:16.35
Bill
People seem to like the readings. We get a lot of. ah Because, he I mean, Instagram will show the insights. That means it's getting in front of people and whatever.

00:46:21.84
Mike
Sure.

00:46:22.94
Bill
People at least get their eyeballs on it.

00:46:23.26
Mike
huh

00:46:25.14
Bill
And, you know, people like it and do whatever the thing is.

00:46:25.43
Mike
Right?

00:46:28.11
Bill
And they are. that posting every day seems to get, it it always gets decent traction and that's not why I'm doing it necessarily.

00:46:34.04
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:46:35.08
Bill
But I like the fact that, that people are getting something from it.

00:46:38.14
Mike
Yeah. Yeah.

00:46:38.97
Bill
And it it just adds more meaning to me and it makes me feel good.

00:46:41.89
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:46:41.88
Bill
You know, because I'm like, well, good, at least. ah it's not hard but i'm

00:46:44.58
Mike
Yeah. Right.

00:46:45.90
Bill
You know, glad.

00:46:46.28
Mike
Yeah. sharing some good thoughts with other people.

00:46:49.55
Bill
Yeah, the stuff that gets rolled around and in our heads and in all that stuff.

00:46:49.54
Mike
Yeah. Mm-hmm. right. t Share it and have it roll around in their heads.

00:46:56.66
Bill
hit Right.

00:46:57.39
Mike
Yeah. And maybe maybe that person next to you is a little bit better because of it. And then you're standing next to a better person.

00:47:02.42
Bill
Right.

00:47:04.31
Mike
Woo-hoo.

00:47:05.36
Bill
Yeah. you You know, some people share it on their stories and stuff like that.

00:47:07.46
Mike
Yep. And then the person next to them is a little bit better.

00:47:08.06
Bill
So it just.

00:47:10.10
Mike
And before you know it, we're surrounded by better people. Hot damn.

00:47:14.55
Bill
It is.

00:47:15.10
Mike
It's all I fucking want.

00:47:16.56
Bill
it's It's the ripples. It's the the ripples that matter.

00:47:18.25
Mike
It is, man. Well, I'm just i'm just sick of fucking standing around with a bunch of assholes.

00:47:23.25
Bill
ah that's ah That's a really good point.

00:47:27.77
Mike
Mhm.

00:47:28.71
Bill
All right, so we were talking about the the Keating Center before, and then there was a guest thing that we got the other day, and I want to...

00:47:36.64
Mike
Yeah.

00:47:36.85
Bill
I want to read this because so so here's here's the thing, just as ah is a reminder, we get. We get a lot of, it just, it goes in waves. Let's put it that way.

00:47:44.94
Mike
Mm-hmm.

00:47:45.47
Bill
And we're we're kind of in the in a wave of things over the last month or so. You know, a people that are reaching out to us. And we've got a gentleman coming up next week. i I reached out to him today to confirm and haven't heard back yet.

00:47:57.44
Bill
So we'll see.

00:47:58.63
Mike
Yep.

00:47:58.54
Bill
But, you know, there was a gentleman that's an author and indeed seems to have a decent story. We've said no to a few people.

00:48:03.43
Mike
Okay.

00:48:04.20
Bill
Probably we've said no to more people over the last month or so than we have in the last, I don't know, six months.

00:48:04.52
Mike
Mm hmm. Yeah.

00:48:09.86
Mike
Right?

00:48:10.51
Bill
um But... I think that we just end up on these lists and people just send us this shit. They don't realize who the fuck we are and it's all fine, you know, but, um, I don't know.

00:48:15.73
Mike
Uh huh. Right. Yeah.

00:48:20.62
Bill
So the... the most recent one that, that I had set Mike and it was just, it's. the guy started The guy started off, he's like, Sober Not Mature is a show that proves that you do not have to become a...

00:48:31.91
Bill
become a different, more serious person just because you put the drink down. I'm like, that's a good way to lead into it.

00:48:36.79
Mike
Okay.

00:48:37.20
Bill
um Huber keeps people honest and honest people are honest. ah keeps people sober that's a rare combination like okay so at least it's a little bit more specific it's not just dear podcast

00:48:46.35
Mike
Sure. Right.

00:48:48.77
Bill
but But then it's like, this is why this guy should you know land on your show.

00:48:52.06
Mike
Uh huh.

00:48:52.93
Bill
founder ceo this i rely recovery and luxury addiction i'm like here we go

00:48:57.42
Mike
Yep.

00:48:58.71
Bill
So, but I read it. He's got 21 years of sobriety, spent time building the company and all this different stuff.

00:49:01.73
Mike
Uh-huh.

00:49:04.87
Bill
And, you know, most recent, whatever.

00:49:04.97
Mike
Sure.

00:49:07.06
Bill
so I look at the link and and I had this reaction right away. you know So I go into the website and then I send it.

00:49:10.81
Mike
Uh huh. Uh huh.

00:49:12.65
Bill
I always send it to Mike.

00:49:13.97
Mike
Yup.

00:49:13.70
Bill
like It doesn't really look like our thing. I think I pre-qualified this more than I usually do.

00:49:16.76
Mike
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

00:49:18.90
Bill
But I'm like... Take a look. because sometimes I don't see what Mike sees.

00:49:20.74
Mike
Yep. Yeah. Right?

00:49:23.76
Bill
You know, I just see the surface. He sees something deeper in it, you know, and that that happens a lot or vice versa, you know, so.

00:49:26.62
Mike
Yeah. Hmm. Mm hmm.

00:49:31.32
Bill
Hey, your your email back to me.

00:49:32.78
Mike
Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.

00:49:33.88
Bill
um i can't even I can't even find yours.

00:49:37.04
Mike
and well yeah it was the first thing that popped up and i said i've seen that movie twice

00:49:37.17
Bill
Whatever it was.

00:49:41.88
Bill
Oh yeah. Which is the movie shuffle, you know, cause it's, yeah you pull up the website right away.

00:49:45.97
Mike
Yep.

00:49:47.60
Bill
It's like, Hey, let's verify your insurance.

00:49:49.44
Mike
Yup.

00:49:50.41
Bill
And, you know, the same thing. it's It's musicians and it's celebrities and it's out in L .A.

00:49:53.66
Mike
La la la.

00:49:54.14
Bill
and all that sort of stuff. And I'm like, it just. it's It's not us. You know?

00:49:58.73
Mike
Yeah, it's not. I mean, yeah, yeah, it could be fucking wonderful and, and you know, and whatever.

00:50:00.08
Bill
It's just not us at all.

00:50:03.84
Mike
Not us. Yeah.

00:50:05.62
Bill
Yep.

00:50:06.10
Mike
Yeah.

00:50:07.08
Bill
It.

00:50:06.81
Mike
but We're not going to relate. um you know we're go hey He's not going to relate to us. We're not going to relate to him. What the fuck's the point?

00:50:16.26
Bill
Right.

00:50:16.79
Mike
Yeah.

00:50:17.03
Bill
Right.

00:50:17.57
Mike
Yeah, you know, I mean, if... If. And there's it's a big word. uh it's a small word that has big meaning if he's doing what he says and blah, blah, blah, blah. Great. You know, good. More power to you. But...

00:50:33.35
Mike
it's not our path

00:50:35.06
Bill
Right. Well, and and here's the here's the funny part. so um I did the typical thing when when I email people back and it's just, is I'll read exactly what I wrote in this. i i never say these things it's not the same words but it's Almost the same words every single time.

00:50:50.71
Bill
So I said, you know, good afternoon. Thank you for your email. We had an opportunity to look through the email and the information, and we don't feel that this would fit with our audience. Thank you again. We wish you the best. That's it.

00:50:59.02
Mike
Yeah. Yeah.

00:50:59.63
Bill
That's all that I do. I don't put... you know We're not, this is not us. We didn't go through this.

00:51:03.98
Mike
Yeah. Mm hmm.

00:51:04.72
Bill
We went through a, basically a fucking homeless shelter and you're looking.

00:51:06.74
Mike
Yeah. Hehehehehehe.

00:51:07.78
Bill
I i don't do any of that because it's it's unimportant.

00:51:11.69
Mike
Right.

00:51:12.20
Bill
so then this because i to begin with i got an email from the guy so the from vincent and also from their media people to say they sent me the same fucking email and i'm like

00:51:17.43
Mike
Wow

00:51:21.17
Mike
So I'm sure they did.

00:51:22.49
Bill
I'm like, okay.

00:51:23.46
Mike
Yep.

00:51:23.47
Bill
you know because they got now they're doing double work so now it's like whatever And it was within like 20 minutes of each other that i that I got.

00:51:25.92
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:51:28.92
Bill
By the time I sent it to you, I had already gotten both emails.

00:51:31.88
Mike
Uh huh.

00:51:32.89
Bill
So this person, the media person, after I did that, because I sent the same, I did copy and paste and sent it back to guy and media guy, right?

00:51:38.24
Mike
Yeah.

00:51:40.72
Mike
Yeah.

00:51:41.93
Bill
So... um Let me see here. I just want to look at timing. ah Well, okay. So it was the day before. Or no, I'm sorry. It was like, it was like five or six hours later. He emails me back.

00:51:52.17
Bill
Well, he goes, Mike and Bill, I wanted to reach back out with a different angle on and this. And I'm thinking.

00:51:56.84
Mike
uh-huh

00:51:58.06
Bill
What's gonna be the different fucking angle?

00:51:59.76
Mike
ahha

00:52:00.86
Bill
And he's like, he isn't just someone who works at Addiction Treatment. He's been sober for 21 years in his experience.

00:52:04.80
Mike
Yeah. huh

00:52:05.43
Bill
And I'm like. This way.

00:52:07.26
Mike
Yeah. we we We got it. We're not fucking stupid. Thank you.

00:52:11.75
Bill
no um we object no we strenuously object no no we we want him to be on no we really want him to be on

00:52:13.89
Mike
Yes. Yeah.

00:52:20.22
Bill
And I just wrote back and I said, good morning, guys. I mentioned in my previous email. I don't think this would be a good fit in our audience.

00:52:25.84
Mike
Right.

00:52:26.48
Bill
Thank you, and we wish you the best. And I was about to say, you fucking dumbass.

00:52:30.06
Mike
Yes.

00:52:33.50
Bill
And I'm just, I couldn't believe how fucking stupid. I mean, I get.

00:52:37.00
Mike
Well, I've got a feeling that you know people don't say no to this person very often.

00:52:41.52
Bill
Right.

00:52:42.06
Mike
Yeah.

00:52:42.08
Bill
right and i and that's exactly its exactly what i thought and i and i that makes me really happy when people when we get those type of responses because you know like well you then

00:52:42.90
Mike
Mhm. a Uh huh. uh-huh

00:52:51.53
Mike
Yep.

00:52:52.62
Bill
You know? i don't I don't give a fuck if you're not used to hearing no. You just did twice.

00:52:55.80
Mike
Yeah, right, right.

00:52:57.47
Bill
Oh, oh.

00:52:57.77
Mike
I'll so i'll say it a third time if you need me to.

00:53:00.69
Bill
oh Oh, wait a second. You just flipped around two sentences in your email. Now I understand.

00:53:04.19
Mike
Yeah, right. Oh, yeah.

00:53:05.84
Bill
Yeah.

00:53:05.97
Mike
Okay.

00:53:07.58
Bill
Pardon me.

00:53:08.67
Mike
Yes, all right.

00:53:08.88
Bill
Come on. when When can we have him on?

00:53:11.66
Mike
Right.

00:53:12.91
Bill
Let me rub his penis Jesus Christ, you fucking idiots. I mean, goddamn. But the thing of it is, that that and that's part of the part of the problem, people don't... i I don't think anyone does. And and that's what we had the, we had one like a month ago that we. that we didn't. Didn't say no to begin with, but...

00:53:31.43
Bill
um But i said i'm gonna I said, I don't think this person really took a look at. you know it well i think you and i just talked about it i said i didn't send it to you yet but i'm gonna i'm gonna send this thing back because i'm like i don't think they really looked at us because it's just what they're

00:53:37.42
Mike
Yeah.

00:53:43.78
Bill
What they're... presenting doesn't even close to fit with us you know

00:53:47.31
Mike
Right.

00:53:48.24
Bill
So I emailed him back. I'm like, are you sure?

00:53:50.10
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:53:50.55
Bill
I mean really? Did did you really look at this? you know And then they came the person came back and she's like, I am so sorry.

00:53:53.04
Mike
Right.

00:53:56.24
Bill
She said, well, sometimes we get caught up. And she was honest and she said, no, we didn't.

00:53:59.37
Mike
Mmm. Yeah.

00:54:01.55
Bill
She goes, we did not take a look. We're in the, in you know, in the... the I... I don't know, the setup right now.

00:54:05.88
Mike
Whatever. Yeah, right.

00:54:06.45
Bill
You know, we're trying to get all this stuff out. we goes ah She's like, I completely apologize. She said, I will talk to whoever it is, you know, because they were promoting for the guy.

00:54:12.68
Mike
yeah Right.

00:54:14.41
Bill
And, um you know, if we're still interested or if he is, we'll get back in touch. We never heard from him again, you know.

00:54:17.41
Mike
Yeah, yeah. Of course. Yeah.

00:54:19.03
Bill
And I'm fine with that, you know.

00:54:19.91
Mike
But oh, yeah, that's that's what you're fucking supposed to do yeah all right slicky boy salesman no you cannot have my insurance card

00:54:24.75
Bill
Yeah.

00:54:30.52
Mike
I have a insurance now. When I got sober, I didn't.

00:54:34.27
Bill
Right

00:54:34.65
Mike
Take that motherfucker.

00:54:36.20
Bill
Right. Yeah, it was just, I don't know. It was just, it was just funny. Just absolutely fucking funny. But I don't know, you know, we're, we're open to guests, but you know, every once in a while, but to, Oh, you know what?

00:54:42.28
Mike
Hmm. Oh absolutely.

00:54:46.37
Bill
And speaking of that, for so we, the guests that we were going to have on last weekend, you know, this.

00:54:50.25
Mike
Yeah.

00:54:50.97
Bill
This is the only time I'm going to say this. Feel free to, if anyone listens, if you want to look back. and and take a look at who we're talking about. We're not going to repeat their names right now, but we we promoted them for you know a week.

00:54:58.45
Mike
Nope.

00:55:01.29
Mike
Mm-hmm

00:55:01.20
Bill
and um and what what happened was is is i confirmed every time we have a guest even friends of ours

00:55:07.78
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:55:08.73
Bill
<unk> I'll confirm either the Friday, Saturday, or Sunday prior, depending on how my schedule is that week, and just say, hey.

00:55:11.64
Mike
Night.

00:55:15.10
Bill
Just following up. Are we still good?

00:55:16.06
Mike
Yeah.

00:55:16.50
Bill
Well, because I don't want to start promoting.

00:55:17.13
Mike
Huh? oh jesus man i mean dude i i fucking text you every friday you know yeah just california you know usually around noonish or whatever you know i look at my day and i go yeah i'm gonna be okay for sunday

00:55:22.83
Bill
Right.

00:55:31.13
Mike
verse 7, and let...

00:55:32.14
Bill
Right.

00:55:33.95
Mike
I'd let you know. Right. I'm just letting the listeners know. Yes. I, you know, I confirm with Bill every fucking week, you know, I mean, just because that's what you do.

00:55:44.41
Bill
Right?

00:55:44.72
Mike
It's what we were taught to do. High five!

00:55:46.25
Bill
Yeah.

00:55:46.63
Mike
Yeah.

00:55:47.16
Bill
Yep. Because I mean, i yeah, I mean that. you know just common courtesy but on top of it i don't want to go through the hassle of trying to put together this shit it doesn't take me that long but i got to put together some things to do their promoting and i don't want to have to waste my time to stop with us i i basically have the same write-up and i use the same upcoming guests pictures for us

00:55:51.48
Mike
Yes.

00:55:54.53
Mike
Right. Yeah.

00:55:59.88
Mike
Yep.

00:56:04.80
Mike
Mm hmm. Right.

00:56:06.06
Bill
Um, you know, with few exceptions on a weekly basis. It it takes nothing to promote you and I.

00:56:10.81
Mike
Right.

00:56:11.40
Bill
I mean... You and I are able to get over the goddamn place. Every, every idiot, you know, it's us.

00:56:14.99
Mike
Yeah, right. Right.

00:56:17.50
Bill
You know, but send I even followed up with them on Thursday, and the reason for that is they're... And it was coming back, and it was it' a male and a female. And I wasn't sure if it was coming back, fit the basically a female's email address.

00:56:25.41
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:56:29.67
Bill
But I said, I just emailed on Thursday.

00:56:30.56
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:56:31.50
Bill
I said, are both of you guys going to be on? And so do I need to send a separate email link? Where are you guys going to be? Blah, blah, blah.

00:56:36.34
Mike
Right. yeah

00:56:37.19
Bill
And it ended up being the guy he come back. He came back and he said, it's just going to be me. my My wife's not much of a talker. And I joked, I'm like, oh, she's got something to say, you know, because he's like, oh, she'll be here, but not on on a microphone.

00:56:46.19
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:56:46.74
Bill
But I said, if she's got something to say, she's just screaming from the background, you know, kind of making it a joke.

00:56:47.09
Mike
Hmm.

00:56:49.81
Mike
Yeah, right yes

00:56:51.61
Bill
So I confirm on Thursday and the fucker doesn't show up and we heard nothing from them.

00:56:55.11
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:56:55.22
Bill
you know Nothing, because I'm thinking worst case scenario, maybe something happened.

00:56:56.76
Mike
Yeah.

00:56:59.97
Bill
They had an emergency, whatever the case is, and I get it.

00:57:00.33
Mike
Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. right which has happened before people yeah exactly hell it's happened to me right you know shit i can't do the fucking podcast because something life came up

00:57:04.43
Bill
Right.

00:57:07.08
Bill
Right.

00:57:11.00
Bill
Right.

00:57:12.96
Mike
Yeah, it's happening. You're right. It's understandable. But so nothing, huh?

00:57:17.18
Bill
No, no, I didn't didn't hear a word.

00:57:17.78
Mike
Yeah. Meh.

00:57:19.07
Bill
And then then I started to think about it. And I was just going to joke about it. that It was bothering me, but it wasn't bothering me.

00:57:23.33
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:57:23.23
Bill
It just maybe it was that one of those things that kind of made me go, hmm, because.

00:57:26.46
Mike
Mm hmm.

00:57:27.45
Bill
You know, they're like you just said, you know, it's what we do. You confirm with me and all those sort of things.

00:57:30.23
Mike
Yeah. Yeah.

00:57:32.14
Bill
and it's that's those are life things but it's also what we were taught in in sobriety. you know.

00:57:37.04
Mike
Practice these principles in all our affairs.

00:57:40.93
Bill
Correct. And you know, here, here's the thing. If, and we have no problem whatsoever. Sometimes we are surprised. Number one, that people approach us that sometimes we're like, are you sure?

00:57:48.82
Mike
Yeah. Right?

00:57:50.75
Bill
Did you take a look at us? Do you want to be on here?

00:57:51.93
Mike
Right. Hehehehehehe.

00:57:53.40
Bill
you know and and i used to do that at the beginning but finally i'm like fuck it if people unless it's really blatant kind of like it was you know just kind of just right out in the open clear that I don't think that people looked at us.

00:58:02.42
Mike
ah Right.

00:58:04.75
Bill
I'll bring it up rarely, but.

00:58:05.63
Mike
Yes, right

00:58:06.99
Bill
But if if something came up and you're like, I don't want to be on that podcast.

00:58:10.84
Mike
Yeah, yeah

00:58:12.39
Bill
Um. I guess if nothing else, just. Lie to us. I mean.

00:58:15.39
Mike
Something.

00:58:16.66
Bill
I'd rather have you tell me the truth and be like, you know what?

00:58:18.16
Mike
Yeah.

00:58:18.62
Bill
We we looked at this and we just really don't think this is.

00:58:20.06
Mike
Yeah, we we decided against it. Okay.

00:58:23.10
Bill
it's It's just really not going to.

00:58:24.33
Mike
you know take yeah right so i gotta fucking crush us and so yeah we'll have a fucking podcast anyway

00:58:26.41
Bill
Yeah. Right?

00:58:30.56
Bill
Right.

00:58:30.74
Mike
Which we did. yeah it's it's good lord i know yeah in all our affairs kids

00:58:36.65
Bill
Right.

00:58:37.28
Mike
Yeah.

00:58:37.54
Bill
Yeah. And it just, I thought, you know, I mean, how do you, how are you? And I'm, I am, I'm going to judge them right now. How are you running your your daily life?

00:58:42.35
Mike
Oh, yeah. I'm judging the fuck out of him right now. Yes.

00:58:45.77
Bill
Yeah, how are you running your daily life right now when you can't you can't even tell a stranger that you know even to lie and be like, you know, it's...

00:58:47.83
Mike
uh-huh Yes.

00:58:52.92
Bill
Something came up. We're not going to be able to come on.

00:58:54.52
Mike
na I stubbed my toe.

00:58:55.11
Bill
Well. Yeah, we'll reschedule. And then we've had that happen before where people have had, you know, we'll reschedule and then we never hear from them again.

00:58:58.46
Mike
Yeah. Okay, but yeah, something. Yeah.

00:59:03.95
Bill
Right, right.

00:59:04.38
Mike
Right. yeah just yeah that that's that's some fucking straight up alcoholic behavior there

00:59:09.17
Bill
Yeah.

00:59:09.64
Mike
Yeah, just ghosting, man.

00:59:09.36
Bill
Yeah, that.

00:59:10.60
Mike
I just do that shit all the time.

00:59:14.35
Bill
i mean yeah says it's ah it's I don't know. These days with dating apps and all that sort of thing, getting ghosted is is what it is.

00:59:18.51
Mike
Mmm.

00:59:20.20
Bill
but

00:59:20.35
Mike
Yeah.

00:59:20.98
Bill
To get ghosted for a fucking podcast episode.

00:59:23.09
Mike
Man, I'm a sober podcast.

00:59:25.17
Bill
Yeah, exactly. A fucking recovery sober podcast episode. We got fucking ghosted. it just It's laughable. It's fucking laughable.

00:59:31.86
Mike
It is.

00:59:32.82
Bill
But the the one that, I mean, really irritated me at the time, and I'm not going to say his fucking name, but that, that dude from the, the big week do that.

00:59:36.65
Mike
Mmm. Oh, yeah. yeah

00:59:38.90
Bill
reached out to us, the author, and then kept...

00:59:40.61
Mike
Yep.

00:59:41.18
Bill
kept rescheduling and finally were like, you know what? but i'm I'm done.

00:59:43.27
Mike
Yeah.

00:59:44.10
Bill
We're not following up with this fucker anymore.

00:59:44.48
Mike
Yeah, right.

00:59:46.09
Bill
And then we never heard from him. So same thing.

00:59:48.01
Mike
Yeah.

00:59:48.17
Bill
I'm sure. I know for a fact. I don't know for a fact, but I'm i i'm pretty goddamn confident that he was just like, yeah, we're if we can I can't do this.

00:59:55.43
Mike
Yeah, right

00:59:56.33
Bill
But... Yeah.

00:59:56.90
Mike
That's fine. but Fucking say it.

00:59:58.06
Bill
Yeah.

00:59:59.40
Mike
you Be honest, ah forthright, accountable.

01:00:02.16
Bill
Yeah.

01:00:04.73
Mike
yeah Say, you know what? if If nothing else, I changed my mind.

01:00:09.69
Bill
Right.

01:00:09.93
Mike
Okay, cool. I can respect that.

01:00:12.69
Bill
Well, and I could have just said something, and I'm going to. that Maybe that's why that fucker relapsed after 20 years.

01:00:18.87
Mike
Yup.

01:00:20.93
Bill
Ah, that was fucking cruel, but you know what?

01:00:22.28
Mike
It was. Mmm.

01:00:23.75
Bill
Huh?

01:00:23.82
Mike
But maybe it is.

01:00:25.18
Bill
maybe Maybe it is.

01:00:26.53
Mike
Mm-hmm.

01:00:27.100
Bill
But anyhow, so yeah, they I don't know. it Just what whatever, man. you know it be it Didn't hurt our feelings. I had a lot. I have a lot of fun doing this anyhow, you know, and is, is shitty as, as life can be sometimes.

01:00:36.75
Mike
Yeah. Right.

01:00:39.40
Bill
And I don't mean that a bad way.

01:00:40.80
Mike
Mm-hmm.

01:00:40.51
Bill
I mean, just sometimes life just gets really lifey and, and I'm like, man, I just, I, I got all this fucking stuff piling on top of me, but we get on here and it just, all that fucking shit melts away, you know?

01:00:42.20
Mike
Mm-hmm.

01:00:49.90
Mike
Yeah.

01:00:50.56
Bill
And I just, I have fun and I i had a lot of fun on last week's podcast. I really did.

01:00:53.38
Mike
Yeah me too.

01:00:53.58
Bill
you know and everything and when i when i listen back to it because i do it uh it it came everything it was just it was it felt like a really good fun episode and so Thank you for ghosting us, you fuckers.

01:00:57.17
Mike
Mhm.

01:01:01.48
Mike
Yeah. Yeah, right, yeah. Yeah, right. Hope you're okay.

01:01:07.07
Bill
Yeah. Yeah hi

01:01:08.04
Mike
And I do mean that. I hope you're fucking okay, because it doesn't seem like it.

01:01:12.45
Bill
Right. All right. So um this, this one I listened to, this is a podcast. i I'm going to bring this up and, and, you know, kind of, kind of promote this podcast again, because then I'm going to, I'm going to get down on another podcast here in a minute.

01:01:24.50
Mike
Cool.

01:01:25.70
Bill
But um a year ago, and I remember where I was, I was up in. um Northern Wisconsin, and I was driving up to, I was in Michigan and when I was listening to it, so I know where I was.

01:01:32.33
Mike
huh

01:01:33.90
Bill
It was last summer at some point.

01:01:35.65
Mike
Yep.

01:01:35.30
Bill
And if you remember me talking about it, it's a podcast that's called fucking sober the first 90 days.

01:01:41.18
Mike
Okay.

01:01:41.58
Bill
And it's an, it's an, what they call a, yeah it's a series based kind of like an episodic type of podcast.

01:01:46.68
Mike
Okay.

01:01:47.31
Bill
in the way that it's almost like listening to a TV show, okay?

01:01:50.71
Mike
Right.

01:01:51.34
Bill
And, I mean, this big production, and Elise, actually, is ah is she's a voice on it in one of the one of the episodes.

01:01:58.00
Mike
Yeah.

01:01:58.21
Bill
The lady's name is Katie Mack. I think she's in, she might be in New York, but it's this it's done really, really fucking well, you know? And it popped into my head, and they had two seasons, and Elise had said at one point that they were coming up with another season, but I think it's been...

01:02:13.35
Bill
God, it might even be a year and a half now since that second season came out.

01:02:16.85
Mike
hey

01:02:17.04
Bill
But I listened to it again. in there i don't know however they're they're like seven or eight episodes per season so you figure a half hour, 40 minutes, maybe 20 to 40 minute, whatever it was. It's, you know, three hours worth of the nightlo driving, dicking around, doing whatever.

01:02:30.11
Mike
right

01:02:30.36
Bill
So I listened to it again. I'm like. It was really fucking good again, you know?

01:02:33.76
Mike
Hmm.

01:02:34.55
Bill
So, um and I, at one point I was going to reach out to to Katie Mack because I think she's an interesting person. She's one of us. But I mean, one of us also from an AA standpoint also.

01:02:43.91
Mike
Right, right.

01:02:44.70
Bill
And um just I don't remember how long she's been sober, but um I'm just I'm really impressed with what they did with this. And that was the one that I had talked about that they like halfway through the first season.

01:02:50.68
Mike
huh

01:02:56.15
Bill
They're like, we just got the X number of downloads. We were just nominated for something after like into the second season. And she's like, we did all of this without any no sponsorship, no this, no ads, no whatever.

01:03:01.50
Mike
Right.

01:03:05.74
Bill
But if you want to donate to help us with these things, that's one of those ones where I'm like. fucking a right ass for money because the the production value of what they're doing

01:03:12.50
Mike
Yeah. huh

01:03:14.90
Bill
It's un-fucking-believable. It's not like just a couple of people talking. Again, they got they got background and stories.

01:03:19.05
Mike
Right.

01:03:20.79
Bill
It's literally like listening to a sitcom or to this. this Show. is what it's like.

01:03:25.54
Mike
Right.

01:03:26.24
Bill
Very, very good. So anyhow, just first of all, anyone who would want to listen to it, I highly recommend it. It's called Fucking Sober, The First 90 Days. um

01:03:35.13
Bill
and it's uh it's on spotify and probably pretty much fucking everywhere but the reason that i wrote this down i was going to bring it up anyhow but i i wrote this down because um you know she's going through literally there's two different characters in each season up to the first 90 days so it builds up in the episodes um and the the one um she says hang on one second here says when she gets a sponsor the sponsor tells her

01:03:39.57
Mike
right

01:03:58.63
Bill
um to call her every day to check in read a couple of pages in the big book and then write down 10 things that you're grateful for every night okay so I'll tell you why I'm laughing here in a minute.

01:04:11.96
Mike
Yes.

01:04:12.26
Bill
Because the first thing I'm like, that's a fucking lot, you know?

01:04:15.10
Mike
Yeah.

01:04:15.47
Bill
um But my my question, so outside of the podcast being really fucking good, when I heard that line again, I'm like. This would be an interesting question because I don't remember if I ever asked you this.

01:04:26.91
Bill
Were you ever asked to do anything of any substance like that from any one of your sponsors that you had?

01:04:31.15
Mike
No.

01:04:34.44
Bill
Okay.

01:04:34.51
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

01:04:34.64
Bill
Okay.

01:04:36.99
Mike
Yeah. I mean, yeah ah right.

01:04:37.21
Bill
And I wasn't i wasn't either.

01:04:38.42
Mike
I mean, you know, the lineage of, of my sponsorship and, and right, exactly.

01:04:41.70
Bill
I do. I do.

01:04:43.21
Mike
Right. I mean, it all stems from Bob and and right. Every sponsor I've had, Bob was their sponsor and, and we know how Bob runs shit. You know, Bob is, it's an inside job guy.

01:04:52.04
Bill
Right.

01:04:55.20
Mike
Bob is you do the fucking work. Yes.

01:04:57.44
Bill
Right.

01:04:57.34
Mike
I'm here to guide you and and give you a little, but. You know, it's all right here. It's all in the book. It's all right here. If you've got a question here and there, that's fine. I'm here to help you. but Do the fucking work.

01:05:09.40
Bill
Right.

01:05:09.76
Mike
Yeah. And so that's, you know, and so I did. Heh heh heh heh.

01:05:15.26
Bill
Yeah, and that's and that's a thing that, I mean, Bill bill didn't come from that.

01:05:19.59
Mike
Mhm.

01:05:19.90
Bill
that lineage my first sponsor his name was Bill but I mean he was 16 17 years sober at the time and

01:05:20.49
Mike
Right. Right. Right.

01:05:25.46
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:05:26.42
Bill
um Even though he didn't come from the Bob lineage, had the same mindset, and he was very, very hands-off.

01:05:29.86
Mike
Sure.

01:05:31.51
Bill
and i mean didn't He took me to one meeting a week.

01:05:32.19
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:05:34.18
Bill
He took me to ah West Park Benz, picked me up and took me to that every week.

01:05:35.15
Mike
Yep.

01:05:37.84
Mike
Yep.

01:05:38.10
Bill
um Other than that, he never called me. I would call him um you know every once in a while if I had a question.

01:05:39.98
Mike
Mm, mm, mm-hmm.

01:05:43.15
Bill
He didn't make me do... any weird things he'd always be gracious and answer questions for me and talk me through things you know But I mean, he was there for me, but he wasn't.

01:05:44.62
Mike
Right. Right.

01:05:48.08
Mike
Yep. Yo.

01:05:51.70
Bill
on me you know

01:05:52.07
Mike
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, great, yeah.

01:05:53.71
Bill
It was fucking perfect, you know.

01:05:54.92
Mike
Yes. Yeah. I mean, again, you know, I mean, and it could be, you know, why I've never successfully sponsored anybody um other than, I mean, not really, um you know, kind of, there's one guy and I've talked about him, you know, he, and he's doing well.

01:06:03.77
Bill
Hehehehe. Right, right.

01:06:10.70
Mike
he's smokes pot now um and and um but i'm still in touch with him occasionally and i still see him on facebook and stuff guy's doing great you know but he

01:06:12.50
Bill
Right.

01:06:20.57
Mike
Dead. did the thing, you know, again, same way I did, you know, he, he fucking went and did the work and built a support system and and got his fucking shit together. And, and, and. practice these principles. and all of his affairs and does the thing, he just... he smokes a pot now, and he's respectful of the program.

01:06:40.53
Mike
and he he's like yeah you know i smoke now still again and um you know so i can't i can't claim any of that and i i respect him for that because he's fucking honest again he's doing He's doing what he's supposed to do, and apparently he can handle smoking pot.

01:06:50.48
Bill
Right.

01:06:56.84
Bill
Right.

01:06:57.04
Mike
you know, so cool. Right on. But yeah, I mean, every other one I've ever had, it's, you know, I... you know, real loose, you know, I'll say, call me on Thursday after you get out of this meeting, you know, cause most of the guys I've sponsored.

01:07:11.58
Mike
We're through the Keating Center, you know, so it'd be like, you know, the Thursday meeting at the house.

01:07:13.17
Bill
Right.

01:07:17.20
Mike
When you're done with it. Give me a call.

01:07:19.75
Bill
Right.

01:07:19.73
Mike
That's like... the only direct thing I fucking, you know, and, and whatever it go read something. And then we'll talk about it when you call me. you know And I'll see you maybe you know and show up at my fucking home group.

01:07:30.37
Mike
I'm not going to take you there. Get your ass there. Do the fucking work.

01:07:34.17
Bill
Right.

01:07:34.26
Mike
that's how i sponsored you know yeah well then you know and most of them Didn't do that. And they got the results that they fucking got.

01:07:44.17
Bill
Right.

01:07:44.61
Mike
Not my fucking problem. I'm still sober. Hi, Lois.

01:07:48.76
Bill
Heh heh. Yeah. And I mean, I, I did the same thing, you know, every, every person that I had when I, when I tried to walk people, you know, and I only got through, um, I think one, one person I got through the first three steps and all I would have that do, I said, just read, I said, read step one.

01:07:51.74
Mike
Yo.

01:07:59.69
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:08:03.05
Bill
Write down what you think it means to you, and then we'll talk about it.

01:08:03.28
Mike
Yeah.

01:08:06.25
Mike
Yeah.

01:08:06.86
Bill
And there wasn't any. I don't care what they would have written.

01:08:08.39
Mike
Yeah.

01:08:09.36
Bill
or written ah Roten, wow.

01:08:10.10
Mike
No, yeah, yeah, right

01:08:11.40
Bill
i don't I really don't care what they would have written down.

01:08:11.81
Mike
Yeah. Yeah, if there's no wrong answer, right?

01:08:13.63
Bill
It didn't fucking matter. I just said, write down what it means to you. And I remember the the one guy that Bob that I had had sponsored.

01:08:17.64
Mike
Yes.

01:08:20.72
Bill
I mean, I think it was might have been step two or three.

01:08:21.02
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:08:23.44
Bill
She's like, he goes, I thought for so long of this. He goes, I can't. This is probably so wrong that I read it through. And I'm like, that's really good. And he's like, really?

01:08:30.29
Mike
Yeah. Hmm.

01:08:31.16
Bill
And then at the end is after the three, I'm like, it wouldn't it didn't matter what you wrote down. He said, what are you talking about?

01:08:35.56
Mike
Yeah.

01:08:36.48
Bill
I said, it's it's the action. It's the it's the going through the routine.

01:08:38.66
Mike
Yeah.

01:08:39.98
Bill
I said, you you know when you you just made these steps a part of you.

01:08:40.47
Mike
Right.

01:08:43.58
Bill
you know just by It doesn't matter what what it means to you versus what it means to me.

01:08:43.92
Mike
Yeah. Right. Yeah.

01:08:47.79
Bill
You put this shit and made it part of you. That's the whole point.

01:08:50.23
Mike
Exactly.

01:08:50.26
Bill
you know

01:08:50.84
Mike
Hand me a stack of papers that say all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy. Hehehehehehe.

01:08:56.97
Bill
Step three

01:08:58.26
Mike
yeah Right.

01:09:00.32
Bill
Yeah, you know what? it If somebody would have wrote that, I'm like...

01:09:03.01
Mike
What? Oh yeah.

01:09:04.05
Bill
That's fucking funny.

01:09:04.55
Mike
Oh yeah.

01:09:05.28
Bill
That's...

01:09:05.14
Mike
Yeah, exactly.

01:09:06.50
Bill
I would have just been like, that's that's fucking...

01:09:06.37
Mike
I'd fucking love that. I gave him a hug.

01:09:09.06
Bill
Yeah, that's that's that's fucking hilarious. That's that is that's good. That's good stuff

01:09:13.17
Mike
Yeah. Exactly.

01:09:15.41
Bill
you Pass.

01:09:16.76
Mike
You're right.

01:09:17.98
Bill
you got you You passed that grade.

01:09:19.63
Mike
yeah Yeah, go work on step four.

01:09:19.67
Bill
That's for goddamn sure. yeah Go do some writing now.

01:09:21.79
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

01:09:24.44
Bill
Come on.

01:09:25.26
Mike
Yeah, you are.

01:09:24.96
Bill
You're fine. You're in good shape. You're in good shape. But, no, I mean, ah just the – I couldn't – I mean, not that I couldn't. and you know She was the character, and there was you know kind of writing down because she was lying on her bed and going through, and she had bought this. It's so fucking funny. In this podcast, she went and she bought – I can't remember the character notebook.

01:09:44.65
Bill
She goes, I just went, she goes, I, you know, just opened up my, my brand new, whatever it was, some cartoon character, sparkly notebook that she's going to write all this shit down.

01:09:50.86
Mike
Right. Yeah. Uh-huh.

01:09:55.19
Bill
you I mean, she's she's like in her late 20s.

01:09:57.26
Mike
Right.

01:09:57.07
Bill
She's got a little like this little girl's notebook. It's fucking hilarious. but You know, she's grateful for her notebook. She's grateful for, um again, having a roof over her head, whatever the case was.

01:10:06.40
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:10:06.52
Bill
But I'm like, even today. 10 a night and we we had people on this podcast that have talked about that that are part of these these text chains you know every morning this is what i do and every morning you know we do this this gratitude thing and i'm still involved this day in my head i'm like fucking really

01:10:10.06
Mike
Uh, yeah.

01:10:15.64
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:10:18.17
Mike
Right.

01:10:22.09
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:10:22.93
Bill
ah which What am I willing to do? God, I don't know. I've been sober for 16 and a half years.

01:10:27.53
Mike
Right.

01:10:27.39
Bill
i think what am i ah I've done a lot of things. I'm going to keep doing everything that I'm doing.

01:10:31.66
Mike
yeah exactly well I mean and that's Right.

01:10:31.58
Bill
hey Don't want to mess it up.

01:10:34.51
Mike
And that and that's it, man. that That's one of their fucking Jenga pieces, man. You know, they started off doing that texting.

01:10:39.82
Bill
Right.

01:10:41.55
Mike
thing every morning. And yeah, so they're still doing it. Cool.

01:10:45.42
Bill
Right

01:10:45.94
Mike
Thank God we didn't fucking have to do that.

01:10:47.29
Bill
Well, well, and that's the thing. I mean, I i don't need to. I don't. ah Who knows?

01:10:51.66
Mike
But but yeah, right.

01:10:52.00
Bill
Maybe I can.

01:10:52.79
Mike
But if we did, if that would have been something we did in the beginning and we were still doing it, it would just be fucking a part of it. You know, I'm just um I'm just grateful that i' I'm not.

01:11:00.20
Bill
Yeah. True.

01:11:03.66
Bill
Right?

01:11:03.75
Mike
but again it wouldn't be again it wouldn't be a big fucking deal if it was if it was something we started doing the first month we got sober and we were still doing it it would be You know, whatever, that fucking 90 seconds or 120 seconds every morning where we go tick, tick, tu tick, tick, tick into our phones, send, and and that'd be that.

01:11:24.84
Bill
Right.

01:11:25.40
Mike
part of fucking life again. You know?

01:11:27.93
Bill
Yeah, you're right. It wouldn't be a big deal. And same thing, I mean, I hear i listen to podcasts and people talk about, you know not not you know, they get out of the...

01:11:29.82
Mike
Yeah.

01:11:35.05
Bill
um They don't do a 10-step every night, and I'm like, ooh, that makes me nervous, you know.

01:11:37.33
Mike
Right. Mm hmm.

01:11:38.38
Bill
ah Or people don't do, they don't do prayers, you know, get out and get out of that habit.

01:11:41.30
Mike
Right.

01:11:41.94
Bill
I'm like, ooh, that makes me nervous. Well, and these are people with the same amount of sobriety as us, give or take, on on either side, you know.

01:11:43.26
Mike
Yeah.

01:11:47.10
Mike
Right. Yeah. Right?

01:11:49.16
Bill
And I'm like, well. They're doing some shit. you know I'm listening to them. They got their shit together. They're living a decent life.

01:11:53.100
Mike
mm-hmm

01:11:55.22
Bill
Okay, so they don't.

01:11:55.12
Mike
Right.

01:11:56.25
Bill
they don't do a 10 step. Who fucking cares?

01:11:57.73
Mike
Yeah. Right.

01:11:58.55
Bill
I do. I can't take it away.

01:11:59.33
Mike
Yeah. Right.

01:12:01.04
Bill
And I don't want to.

01:12:01.53
Mike
Yeah. it and again right i mean you know and I'm sure if somebody, you know, whatever who

01:12:02.51
Bill
Yeah.

01:12:09.04
Mike
someone else, someone that's not me. um got inside my head and looked at the way I do my little 10th step every night, they would go, oh, shit, man, that's not enough.

01:12:22.39
Bill
Right.

01:12:22.19
Mike
you know a right you know and i'm sure like lots of people if they got in my head and saw what the little bit that i do and i i admit it's not It's not totally thorough. I don't go through every fucking second of my day or whatever. I just you know take them take the time to look back and, you know, did I fuck anything up real bad? Was I a complete dick anywhere in my day? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Did I hurt anybody? Whatever.

01:12:48.67
Mike
um yeah And again, it's it's probably not even that. complex most nights.

01:12:52.93
Bill
Right.

01:12:54.21
Mike
um But it's... but it's something I do. I do take that couple of seconds and look back and go. did i do no i'm okay cool bye you know yeah right I mean, that's that's probably the extent of it.

01:13:05.52
Bill
Right.

01:13:09.15
Mike
I mean, I know people that fucking write them. I've known people. Thank God I don't really know them anymore. But I mean, i know I knew people that took pen to paper and...

01:13:19.18
Mike
did like a mini four-step every fucking night.

01:13:22.84
Bill
Oh, sure. I know of that, too. Yeah, I've heard that.

01:13:24.04
Mike
Yeah, right. Yeah okay i mean if if that's part of their deal and that's what they do cool No fucking way I'm doing that. Thank God I never started doing that. Because then I'd have to fucking do it every night.

01:13:34.08
Bill
Right. Right.

01:13:37.02
Mike
Mmm.

01:13:37.08
Bill
And that's, I mean, what what you just said for your 10-step, that's I lay down at night, I say this little opening, and then I literally say two words.

01:13:40.75
Mike
Yeah.

01:13:43.91
Bill
Okay. Or all three words. Okay.

01:13:45.66
Mike
Yeah.

01:13:45.76
Bill
My day. I don't say, how was my day?

01:13:47.20
Mike
Right.

01:13:47.76
Bill
where I just say, okay, my day. And I think, and I'm the first thing I think I'm like, ah I think about the things that fucked with me.

01:13:49.08
Mike
Yeah.

01:13:54.42
Mike
Hmm.

01:13:54.44
Bill
throughout the day and it's usually not people it's things you know it's it okay Work is tough, this and that.

01:13:55.19
Mike
Mmm. Hmm.

01:13:59.70
Mike
Hmm.

01:14:00.01
Bill
Maybe it's the people i don't I'm not happy with. So I think about the things that are that fucked with my head throughout the day. Because I don't. I don't want to carry those.

01:14:09.17
Mike
mm-hmm

01:14:09.31
Bill
in in into my sleep because I won't be able to sleep.

01:14:11.14
Mike
Right. Right.

01:14:12.15
Bill
So I need to think about that just to push it aside for the moment.

01:14:15.29
Mike
Hmm.

01:14:14.74
Bill
you know so There's nothing I can do about it.

01:14:17.11
Mike
All right

01:14:17.20
Bill
at the moment you know i've done i've done all the all the wallowing and in welling or or whatever doing you know

01:14:20.78
Mike
Okay. Whoa. Some W word.

01:14:23.93
Bill
Yeah, something I've, you know. stressed about this shit enough all day.

01:14:28.28
Mike
Mm-hmm.

01:14:27.86
Bill
I don't need to do that again. But then you know I think about you know things that I've been been working on, goals I've been thinking about, whatever. This is all so brief. And then...

01:14:35.96
Mike
Yeah.

01:14:36.15
Bill
I know for a fact if I if I fucked with anyone during the day and do I need to apologize to anyone?

01:14:39.90
Mike
Right.

01:14:42.58
Bill
And that's I don't even really.

01:14:42.80
Mike
h

01:14:44.61
Bill
vocalize that because I know. you know

01:14:46.49
Mike
Right. Yeah, yeah.

01:14:47.76
Bill
I know for a fucking fact, you know, or something is like, I should have, I need to make this phone call or need to do something.

01:14:52.99
Mike
Right.

01:14:53.19
Bill
I've literally sat up in bed before, you know, when I'm doing my 10 step like that, made myself a note for the next day to do something, not even to apologize, but like, ah, fuck, I meant to reach out to whoever.

01:14:59.46
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:15:02.39
Mike
Right. Right?

01:15:04.75
Bill
You know, so I've done that and then that's it.

01:15:07.01
Mike
Yeah.

01:15:07.60
Bill
you know i mean i don't it's not a lot of detail but here's here's the fucking cool part i i think Hopefully.

01:15:09.47
Mike
Mm-mm.

01:15:13.65
Bill
for myself and and hopefully for you too.

01:15:15.99
Mike
Yeah.

01:15:16.39
Bill
is the reason. That this 10 step can be that simple. Could it be that simple?

01:15:20.78
Mike
mother

01:15:22.00
Bill
It's because Two things. We're not fucking with people throughout the day.

01:15:25.50
Mike
Right?

01:15:26.83
Bill
And it doesn't mean that we're not being fucked with, but we still got to deal with that.

01:15:28.97
Mike
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

01:15:29.86
Bill
That's fine. But we're not fucking with people. And if if something comes up, we've dealt with it throughout the day.

01:15:35.30
Mike
Yeah, right.

01:15:36.46
Bill
And if if I...

01:15:36.54
Mike
It's already taken care of.

01:15:37.91
Bill
Yeah, and and if it is, if I fucked with somebody and dealt with it, I'll still be like, okay, I did that, but that's okay, man. I dealt with it. It's good.

01:15:43.85
Mike
Right, yeah, yeah.

01:15:45.10
Bill
You know, i' ah so i'll so I'll settle it again in my head.

01:15:45.17
Mike
Yeah.

01:15:48.07
Mike
Right. Yep.

01:15:49.80
Bill
But there's there's nothing, there's really nothing for us to...

01:15:53.27
Mike
Mmm.

01:15:54.07
Bill
i I mean, on a regular basis, there's nothing for me to to work out.

01:15:55.02
Mike
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

01:15:58.35
Bill
You know, and I'm i'm glad.

01:15:58.40
Mike
Right. Yeah, me too. Hehehehe.

01:16:02.35
Bill
You know.

01:16:02.81
Mike
Let's put that over in that other column of gratitude.

01:16:05.08
Bill
Yeah.

01:16:05.68
Mike
Yes.

01:16:06.29
Bill
Yeah, really. Yeah, exactly.

01:16:07.10
Mike
I don't have to do an in-depth fucking 10-step because I didn't fuck up too bad today.

01:16:11.73
Bill
Right? Yeah.

01:16:12.57
Mike
Yeah.

01:16:12.85
Bill
i'm I'm not fucking with people today.

01:16:14.53
Mike
Yeah.

01:16:14.40
Bill
And in the things that are fucking with me.

01:16:16.04
Mike
Now which now? chicken or the egg. Am I not fucking with people so I don't have to do a 10 step at the end of the day?

01:16:22.94
Bill
Well, and we've already talked about that.

01:16:24.45
Mike
Yeah, I know exactly.

01:16:24.51
Bill
Yes. Yeah, exactly. you know? And like that was brought up in it was a reading and I brought it up on here.

01:16:30.79
Mike
Mm hmm. Hmm.

01:16:31.24
Bill
I'm like, you know, it's a reading said something about um for every every one thing that you do bad, you got to, you know, counteract it with five.

01:16:38.19
Mike
Right.

01:16:38.34
Bill
and You're like, you're like, I'm not fucking doing that.

01:16:38.81
Mike
Yeah.

01:16:40.46
Bill
I'm just not going to do the first.

01:16:40.66
Mike
huge

01:16:41.46
Bill
bad I'm not going to do the bad thing because I don't want to do the five good things.

01:16:41.82
Mike
Right. Yup. Yup.

01:16:44.40
Bill
I'm like, I couldn't stop laughing because I'm like, I couldn't argue with the logic.

01:16:46.08
Mike
He he he he he. Right.

01:16:48.22
Bill
you know i'm just It's not that I don't want to do. I'll do the good things.

01:16:52.15
Mike
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah, exactly. Not that I don't want to do the bad thing. I just don't want to do the fucking five good things.

01:16:59.42
Bill
yeah i don't want to have to I don't want to have to say I'm sorry. I don't want to make amends.

01:17:02.30
Mike
Yep.

01:17:03.40
Bill
I don't want to have to.

01:17:03.95
Mike
balance those goddamn scales.

01:17:07.79
Bill
I'm just um

01:17:08.14
Mike
And just keep them balanced through the day and then you're balanced.

01:17:11.83
Bill
Yeah, I'm just like I'm not gonna I'm not gonna fuck it up to begin with so I don't to fix it

01:17:14.67
Mike
Yup. Hehehehe.

01:17:17.60
Bill
I mean, but again, i couldn't I couldn't argue with the logic, but it was it was fucking funny. It was it was funny.

01:17:22.32
Mike
Yep.

01:17:25.39
Bill
All right, so... um What is the one thing? Oh, I know what I was going to bring up. Okay.

01:17:29.94
Mike
Yes.

01:17:30.34
Bill
So. um And I know where I was. i was This was only ah like a month ago. I was in, well, Clarksville, whatever it was, that Nashville area.

01:17:37.79
Mike
Uh huh.

01:17:37.77
Bill
When I was talking about that that podcast, to those that the four guys and the conversation, the kind of judgy guys, and you're like, oh, they're basement dwellers. um And the ones that were you know kind of like, ah it's...

01:17:45.83
Mike
Yeah. he

01:17:49.08
Bill
really leaning on that it's... it's a a or it's that or you're wrong type of thing you remember remember talking about that

01:17:52.94
Mike
Right. Uh-huh, yeah.

01:17:54.96
Bill
OK, so there was a um and i I didn't bring up the name of the podcast, but I'm going to now because now I can is this came up and this was a. This was an article that ended up on Yahoo News or something like that.

01:18:07.02
Mike
Really?

01:18:08.18
Bill
Yeah, and i don't know if I don't know if it came across. my uh, Google feed. Because I had listened to the podcast or if it just, if it would have any hugs, I get a lot of sobriety things.

01:18:19.37
Mike
h

01:18:20.06
Bill
I'll get hiking things and blah, blah, blah.

01:18:20.44
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:18:22.33
Bill
So the title of the article, it says, Sober Dad's Controversial Question Leaves TikTok Divided.

01:18:28.41
Mike
Aha.

01:18:28.69
Bill
And I'm like like, this ought to be interesting.

01:18:30.63
Mike
Uh huh.

01:18:30.48
Bill
And it turns out to be it's these fucking Yahoos that from this podcast.

01:18:33.53
Mike
Hehehehehehe.

01:18:35.88
Bill
And I'm not going to read the name of the podcast yet because I want to make fun of it. So give me one second here.

01:18:39.06
Mike
Okay. Yes, absolutely.

01:18:40.11
Bill
So it says. It says, while while mommy wine wine culture and jokes about parents needing a drink remain pervasive in our society, there are some who choose to parent sober because of their kids rather than drinking because of them.

01:18:41.88
Mike
Dude.

01:18:53.57
Mike
are

01:18:53.78
Bill
Among them is... and this ah It's in an article, so I'm going to say the guy's name. Corey Warren. He's a sober dad and the host of, and I'll say the podcast name in a minute, Warren posts about sobriety on TikTok and recently uploaded a clip that contains a controversial question for parents who drink.

01:19:10.28
Bill
Now, here's the question. Okay.

01:19:11.92
Mike
ah

01:19:13.06
Bill
If you drink alcohol, this is him saying this in his clip.

01:19:15.90
Mike
Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

01:19:17.40
Bill
If you drink alcohol and you're a parent I have a simple question for you. Yeah. If your kid calls calls you at midnight and needs you, no warning, no planning, could you jump in the car and go? Could you think clearly? Could you be fully there?

01:19:31.59
Bill
Okay.

01:19:32.13
Mike
Uh huh.

01:19:32.75
Bill
So that's his supposed controversial question. And I know what he's asking.

01:19:36.05
Mike
Okay.

01:19:36.16
Bill
he Obviously, he's going to people are drunk or blah, blah, blah.

01:19:37.48
Mike
Yeah, yeah

01:19:39.08
Bill
And apparently one of the one of the comments, which I thought was kind of funny was, and this is just in an article.

01:19:38.87
Mike
Yeah.

01:19:43.52
Bill
I didn't read the comments. says im i We have a TikTok thing, but I haven't logged in in so long. I've never gone on TikTok anymore. But it says the first one joked, a two-year-old has no business calling me at midnight.

01:19:53.50
Mike
yeah You're right.

01:19:54.78
Bill
Yeah. And then the one said another comment said, my kids come before anyone on this planet, but if you think I'm skipping a glass of wine to be ah on alert 24-7, you can think again.

01:20:06.24
Bill
So somebody who could you know probably clearly have a glass of wine and not have a problem.

01:20:07.84
Mike
Yeah. Yeah. Right?

01:20:10.29
Bill
Um, So it said he hasn't drank since 2023. You have a baby. one Oh, no, no. A person said have drinks and doesn't matter all the comments. But so first of all, I mean, again, this is this is their their M .O.

01:20:23.14
Bill
this type of thing you know kind of

01:20:23.28
Mike
Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

01:20:24.77
Bill
you know basically going after people who um it's either Basically, that's that's their mindset.

01:20:27.15
Mike
Right.

01:20:29.55
Bill
It's either either you're sober or you're a bad parent. It's kind of what his...

01:20:32.02
Mike
Right?

01:20:33.27
Bill
You know, or either you you drink, you know, and you're bad or you're you're like us and and you're sober.

01:20:37.70
Mike
Uh-huh.

01:20:38.66
Bill
And I don't mean like us, not Mike and I, us, but I'm talking about them.

01:20:38.65
Mike
Uh-huh Yeah, yeah, yeah. Them, right.

01:20:41.14
Bill
i I want to make that very very fucking clear

01:20:43.41
Mike
Very.

01:20:44.65
Bill
So what do you think about that to begin with?

01:20:47.43
Mike
Uh, yeah, well...

01:20:49.00
Bill
Yeah.

01:20:49.94
Mike
Right. oh Yeah, that's that's fucking bullshit. Um, yeah God, right. You know, yes, us.

01:20:59.97
Mike
Us, we as alcoholics. um It all comes back down to your fucking personal shit, man.

01:21:06.64
Bill
Right.

01:21:06.16
Mike
You know, yes. um ah There's plenty of really bad parents out there that don't fucking drink. um There's plenty of really wonderful parents out there that have a fucking couple pops once in a while.

01:21:19.12
Bill
Right.

01:21:19.60
Mike
Yeah. that So? Yes, we're raging alcoholics. We're different.

01:21:26.88
Bill
Right.

01:21:26.69
Mike
I can... And the question doesn't apply to us because. We're bad people. Because we have this addiction. and And when we're in our addiction, we do bad things.

01:21:38.83
Mike
So, yeah, we're going to be bad, but you know, and. hey Just because we were drunk didn't mean we were bad parents.

01:21:45.98
Bill
Right.

01:21:46.33
Mike
you know i mean they're quite often i was kind of all right. um Yeah, you know, was I as... present as i could have been of course not and was i you know yes lots of shit got in the way But if I'd have been.

01:22:00.41
Mike
If I'd have been stone cold sober with the mindset that I had when I was drinking, I would have still been a fucked up person. and yeah jesus man they they missed the whole point of the whole thing

01:22:14.67
Bill
Right.

01:22:14.86
Mike
So what's the name of this goddamn podcast?

01:22:17.09
Bill
I'll tell you that in a minute. just because i will I just want to make a comment on what you were talking about.

01:22:18.19
Mike
Yes.

01:22:21.04
Mike
Yes.

01:22:21.91
Bill
um Two things that i that I thought about. First of all, is that i mean that's it's very judgy and we're not supposed to be that way.

01:22:27.38
Mike
Mm-hmm.

01:22:27.44
Bill
you know That's one of the things we were talking about when... what we were talking about a month ago.

01:22:31.15
Mike
Right.

01:22:31.56
Bill
But on top of that, too, now for for me personally, um I fall into that category that, yeah, I mean, I i was not not necessarily was I a bad parent, but at the time when Kimmy or Derek were little and that sort of thing, and if something would have happened to them because I'm a fucking alcoholic.

01:22:34.40
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:22:40.55
Mike
Right.

01:22:43.19
Mike
h

01:22:47.79
Mike
Right.

01:22:48.04
Bill
and And when I was in my active alcoholism and I was drinking all the time, um I was in no shape to take care of either one of them at at midnight.

01:22:52.34
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:22:55.47
Mike
right

01:22:56.01
Bill
or And they they could have been there with me or not been there with me, whatever the case was.

01:22:59.35
Mike
Mm hmm. Right?

01:23:00.60
Bill
But I know what I would have done if something would have happened. I still, I would have gotten in the car and wouldn't have thought twice about it.

01:23:03.47
Mike
Oh, yeah, right. I thought that too when you read that quote. I was like, yeah I don't got in a car anyway.

01:23:07.49
Bill
Right.

01:23:08.98
Mike
but hey

01:23:09.26
Bill
Well... but i mean that's because that's what we do because we're fucking alcoholics now

01:23:11.93
Mike
Yeah. Right.

01:23:13.56
Bill
I know, and I know this for a fucking fact. And I don't, I can't think of, I'm not going to name names. I can't think of anyone in particular, but I remember. people as I was growing up.

01:23:23.88
Bill
you know, whether it be parents, maybe it was whether it was parents or friends or whatever the case was, or just people that I knew.

01:23:23.85
Mike
hu

01:23:27.05
Mike
Sure.

01:23:28.93
Bill
that you know during the time when their kids were out doing their thing,

01:23:32.41
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:23:32.77
Bill
And I didn't notice it at the time, but thinking back at it now, I remember people making these choices and not really getting all you know getting all lit up if their kids were out. you know and that was the reason because you know

01:23:40.92
Mike
Right. Right.

01:23:43.88
Bill
There's people out there that are actually responsible.

01:23:45.86
Mike
Mm-hmm.

01:23:45.88
Bill
Unlike you and I were at that time. We're like, fuck it.

01:23:48.04
Mike
Right.

01:23:48.54
Bill
We'll be, it'll be fine.

01:23:49.96
Mike
That'll be fine.

01:23:51.19
Bill
You know everything will be fine But, you know, so so to judge people.

01:23:52.43
Mike
Yeah.

01:23:56.49
Bill
that it's It's apples and in it's in it's candy canes, you know, between trying to compare this fucking douchebag making a comment.

01:24:00.06
Mike
Yes.

01:24:05.10
Bill
like that to the general public.

01:24:07.03
Mike
Right.

01:24:07.51
Bill
when basically from from the eyes and in the... in the supposedly sober eyes of of ah you know of a sober alcoholic.

01:24:14.27
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:24:14.79
Bill
It's a non-question.

01:24:16.13
Mike
Right.

01:24:16.85
Bill
Because I said before how lovely it was. It was wonderful when you know when Derek was growing up and I was back in Germantown getting a phone call from him.

01:24:21.67
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:24:24.50
Bill
at 10 o 'clock 11 o 'clock one in the morning at one point to go pick him up and i mean it was so great i mean because i i was proud to say to him you can call me at any time anywhere

01:24:24.40
Mike
Yes. ah Yep. Yeah.

01:24:33.69
Mike
Yeah.

01:24:33.88
Bill
And I can always come get you. And the reason I said that was not to say that this person can't and this person I can.

01:24:35.59
Mike
Yeah.

01:24:39.54
Bill
It was just that you don't understand how how much i how much this means to me now.

01:24:39.86
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:24:43.87
Mike
Yeah.

01:24:44.73
Bill
Because I couldn't do that. I couldn't say that before. Now I can't.

01:24:47.15
Mike
Right.

01:24:48.05
Bill
You know, so that was a pride thing for me, not.

01:24:50.12
Mike
Yeah.

01:24:50.61
Bill
Not. on anyone else i never thought about anyone else thinking ah i'm sober

01:24:52.20
Mike
Yeah.

01:24:55.29
Mike
Yeah, right. Yeah, exactly Yeah. Right. Yeah. you know Jesus. Yeah. yeah Right. yeah Because, yeah, we we know his mom, right, goes out and has a good time occasionally, you know, because she can.

01:25:06.93
Bill
Right. Right.

01:25:08.35
Mike
and right yeah yeah of course your thought wasn't well she's probably so i'll be of course not no no it's just i'm such a i was such a fuck up and now i'm not a Yes, I'm here.

01:25:24.10
Mike
I'm here for you. And and it makes it again, that makes us feel good.

01:25:25.50
Bill
Yeah.

01:25:27.12
Mike
And that's all we want is to fucking feel good.

01:25:30.67
Bill
Yep. And in the one time that the one time that he that he hit um when when he hit the the deer the last time because he hit two of them.

01:25:35.77
Mike
Mm hmm. Hmm. Yeah, right.

01:25:38.09
Bill
It was it was Don that called me.

01:25:39.62
Mike
Yeah.

01:25:40.21
Bill
You know, cause and they were Don and Corey were at the campground. um I was in Germantown and it was an hour and 20 minutes and air.

01:25:43.20
Mike
Yep. Mm hmm.

01:25:48.08
Bill
Eric. Derek was in between. is where roughly where he hit it.

01:25:49.96
Mike
Yeah. Right.

01:25:51.52
Bill
and And Dawn's like, you know, she's like, i can we can go get him. But, you know, she said, we've been drinking.

01:25:54.79
Mike
Mhm.

01:25:55.96
Bill
You know, and she got I'd rather not.

01:25:56.38
Mike
Yeah.

01:25:57.51
Bill
And I said, don't worry about it, man.

01:25:58.04
Mike
Yeah.

01:25:58.91
Bill
I'll go get him.

01:25:59.49
Mike
Yeah, right

01:25:59.72
Bill
She's like, are you sure?

01:26:00.77
Mike
Yeah.

01:26:01.06
Bill
But I mean, she called me and said, you know They're out camping, though.

01:26:02.99
Mike
Yeah.

01:26:04.27
Bill
They're out there having fucking fun.

01:26:04.74
Mike
Yep, right. Yeah, because they can.

01:26:07.36
Bill
Right.

01:26:08.20
Mike
Yes.

01:26:08.80
Bill
And she's like, do you mind? I'm like, no, fuck no, I don't mind.

01:26:10.56
Mike
All right, yeah.

01:26:11.17
Bill
Bye.

01:26:11.39
Mike
Yeah.

01:26:11.74
Bill
I don't mind at all. But um okay, so that so the...

01:26:13.13
Mike
Right.

01:26:15.24
Bill
So the name of the podcast, okay?

01:26:16.48
Mike
Yes.

01:26:17.99
Bill
The sober boys podcast. Okay.

01:26:20.65
Mike
Mmm. Mm-hmm.

01:26:21.91
Bill
Boys with a Z.

01:26:23.19
Mike
Oh god. And that's all you need to know.

01:26:27.91
Bill
Ha ha. know, that's that's why i that's why I buried it to the end.

01:26:30.91
Mike
That very good.

01:26:31.89
Bill
in this And that was, boys, they're just sober boys.

01:26:38.02
Mike
Good God.

01:26:39.94
Bill
And you know what's funny is that there's the other thing that, um and here's the thing, because I was kind of curious after reading this article. So first of all, there that apparently that TikTok thing got like a million views or something like that.

01:26:50.55
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:26:50.72
Bill
But I mean, it's his fucking TikTok. Things like that fucking blow up and whatever.

01:26:53.88
Mike
Right.

01:26:53.92
Bill
Because I'm like like, I was kind of curious how long they've been around. Apparently they've only they've only been around because I just did a, I actually asked, I did a Google so search and it came back and said they've been around only since.

01:27:02.86
Mike
Yeah.

01:27:05.97
Bill
January of this year, so January 26th.

01:27:08.07
Mike
Okay.

01:27:08.30
Bill
um but i mean they're youtube they're they got and they're actually they're they're the the way they got their thing set up there.

01:27:10.69
Mike
Man.

01:27:14.44
Bill
The one thing I will say for them, they're doing their YouTube thing right.

01:27:17.28
Mike
Uh-huh.

01:27:17.48
Bill
So they're doing their video, right? They're not doing like the the Zoom video thing.

01:27:20.86
Mike
Right.

01:27:20.93
Bill
They've got the camera set up. so

01:27:22.22
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:27:23.08
Bill
They're in kind of this circle. They got a studio look to them, almost like they're on stage type of thing.

01:27:25.74
Mike
Right. Yeah.

01:27:28.08
Bill
So they do have it set up well.

01:27:29.71
Mike
Meh.

01:27:29.70
Bill
They're doing that part well.

01:27:31.17
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:27:30.90
Bill
But, I mean, they're probably in their, I don't know, they're probably in their mid-30s. Maybe one guy early 40s, I think, if I remember correctly.

01:27:35.13
Mike
Right? mm-hmm Right?

01:27:37.72
Bill
I think he brought up his age at one point.

01:27:38.42
Mike
Mm hmm. Yeah.

01:27:39.72
Bill
But, yeah, they're the boys.

01:27:40.50
Mike
Hmm. Yeah. Douchebag 30s.

01:27:43.38
Bill
Yeah, and there's some someplace in fucking Michigan. So that's.

01:27:46.11
Mike
No, I didn't.

01:27:47.39
Bill
Okay. i was gonna say something about all douchebags come from michigan but no that's That's a joke.

01:27:50.82
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:27:51.85
Bill
That was throwing one back on my friend Mike here, but I wouldn't do that.

01:27:53.44
Mike
That's right.

01:27:55.06
Bill
But, um yeah, it's just, I don't know. It's just I wanted so bad to bring that up because how stupid the the name of their podcast was.

01:27:58.82
Mike
fur furfo

01:28:00.66
Bill
but

01:28:01.13
Mike
Yup!

01:28:02.37
Bill
And like I said, they're just there. They're like this. I don't know. yeah They got to be in their 30s. And, you know, they're just like who if they were 13, then boys with a Z might be, you know, the way to go.

01:28:06.37
Mike
Yeah.

01:28:09.63
Mike
Mm hmm. Hmm.

01:28:11.72
Bill
But.

01:28:11.51
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:28:12.89
Bill
here. You're fucking 30s.

01:28:15.17
Mike
Yeah.

01:28:15.84
Bill
i'm like jesus fucking christ but yeah so anyhow i just i i i saw it in just out of the blue and i'm like okay well now now at least i can i could bring up the i can actually bring up the name of the

01:28:21.10
Mike
Right.

01:28:24.50
Mike
Yeah.

01:28:25.49
Bill
I forget the name of the podcast, so I don't know.

01:28:27.07
Mike
Yeah. sureff

01:28:28.90
Bill
But yeah, I mean, quite honestly, like I said, it just it it was so stupid. And um I it'd be one of those things where I mean, if I was still on TikTok, I probably would have wanted to jump in and read some of the comments or whatever it is. But it doesn't matter.

01:28:38.98
Bill
I mean, it's just it is it's a it's a horrible. It's a ridiculous comparison for you know we And, you know, we sober alcoholics are drug addicts.

01:28:47.50
Mike
h

01:28:48.62
Bill
we're not like everyone else and that's not a that's not a fair question for the

01:28:48.66
Mike
Yep.

01:28:51.56
Mike
Exactly.

01:28:52.56
Bill
You know, for society, it's just fucking not.

01:28:54.44
Mike
Exactly. Yeah. like Apples and candy canes. I prefer apples and Buicks.

01:29:03.01
Bill
Bye. i like that too apples and buicks i i don't know why that why why is that so goddamn funny

01:29:06.07
Mike
Yup. ah I don't know, but it is.

01:29:10.49
Bill
Oh, a quick quick side note, too, and I forgot I wrote this down. So the the whole – and I thought about it the other day because then – Who is it that... um Oh, yeah, it was Jim Nance and J .J.

01:29:20.87
Bill
Watt. is ah he took Tony Romo's position for the the CBS games.

01:29:24.22
Mike
uh-huh

01:29:25.53
Bill
And I mean, I like JJ.

01:29:25.36
Mike
Yeah.

01:29:26.83
Bill
I mean, he's, he's ah a Wisconsin guy. He's, you know, always been a decent, seems like a decent human being and decent, a broadcaster too.

01:29:32.04
Mike
All right.

01:29:33.54
Bill
But um I was just thinking about the whole Tony Romo thing.

01:29:35.96
Mike
and

01:29:36.27
Bill
And um I had written this down a while ago. So he had. um whatever it was his his contract and this is just for the for the stupidity that we you and i had talked about for him having i mean he's worth fucking millions you know and all he would have to do he could have you know like we said Fuck it.

01:29:47.93
Mike
Right.

01:29:51.96
Bill
Paying somebody to just sit in the goddamn parking lot in an SUV all day while he played and got drunk and he could have driven him anywhere he wanted to.

01:29:56.34
Mike
Yeah.

01:29:59.11
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:29:59.78
Bill
with no issue. But so his contract was, um It was four years and $72 million. That was his contract.

01:30:06.88
Mike
oh

01:30:07.53
Bill
And. um He would have been. Oh, no, I'm sorry. He had four years. He had four years left on his contract. Shit, that's wrong.

01:30:17.08
Mike
Okay.

01:30:17.25
Bill
Yeah, because he was at he had a 10-year contract to begin with. At $18 million a year. so yeah, he Basically, his his little night out cost him. um roughly 72 million dollars

01:30:29.38
Mike
All right.

01:30:30.57
Bill
And um he ended up pleading no contest. I saw this that popped up, lost his license for six months.

01:30:32.79
Mike
u Yeah, I saw that somewhere.

01:30:36.56
Bill
and then um Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. This was the part that I thought was kind of funny because we've we've heard this before. So after after all said and done after this announcement was that he gave some story about, you know, over the years had a ton of back surgeries, over the years had developed ah a reliance on alcohol.

01:30:50.73
Mike
aha

01:30:52.68
Bill
Did you hear that?

01:30:53.75
Mike
You know, but yeah.

01:30:55.37
Bill
Then he said he was.

01:30:55.87
Mike
i but Like you said, I've heard it before.

01:30:58.07
Bill
yeah Then he said he's working with his doctors with doctors to get straightened out.

01:31:00.80
Mike
um ah

01:31:01.90
Bill
Thanked everyone for their support. Thanked the NFL and his family.

01:31:03.54
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:31:06.07
Mike
Right.

01:31:06.03
Bill
fans And I'm like. And somebody, that the fucking attorney said, you got to start you know doing some damage control here. If you ever want to end up anywhere, he goes, you got to make some sort of an admit that you got a fucking problem and you got to work here.

01:31:12.56
Mike
Well, yeah. what No.

01:31:17.24
Mike
Right.

01:31:18.09
Bill
That's the only way you're going to end up working your way out of this.

01:31:18.59
Mike
Wow. No, they they wrote him something and he read it.

01:31:22.97
Bill
Right, right, rare right, right. Right. Right. Well, I mean, but you know what I mean.

01:31:27.24
Mike
He did not take pen to paper.

01:31:27.46
Bill
Somebody... somebody No, no, no, no. And they, they never do.

01:31:30.13
Mike
Yeah. Right.

01:31:31.45
Bill
But somebody finally said, cause he was quiet about that. Never brought up through that whole thing. Never said, Oh yeah, I've had an issue with substances or anything like that.

01:31:36.83
Mike
Oh, yeah, right, right.

01:31:37.92
Bill
But finally, somebody is like this, this has to get out that you've got, you've, you've got an issue, you know?

01:31:41.31
Mike
yeah Yeah, right. Yeah, they handed him a piece of paper.

01:31:44.79
Bill
Yeah.

01:31:44.28
Mike
Read this.

01:31:45.63
Bill
Yeah, read this if you ever want to get get any of that money back.

01:31:48.49
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:31:48.71
Bill
But yeah. 70. they could Think about that. That, you know, just just a night out.

01:31:52.09
Mike
Yeah.

01:31:53.30
Bill
You know, I mean, my my DUI was expensive.

01:31:53.85
Mike
Uh-huh.

01:31:55.88
Bill
Don't fucking go fucking get me wrong.

01:31:56.39
Mike
Sure.

01:31:57.66
Bill
I didn't hire an attorney and it was just back in 94 when I got it.

01:32:00.61
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:32:01.59
Bill
you know But still, I mean, it was, I don't know, probably. actual cash out of my pocket at that time, even a couple of grand, $2 ,500, you know, between fines to get my license back.

01:32:09.45
Mike
Sure.

01:32:11.72
Bill
And I had to pay for the, for the drunk cat classes and all this sort of things.

01:32:14.07
Mike
Mm-hmm

01:32:15.40
Bill
And then the difference in, you know, the insurance cost me for a certain number of years and whatever the case was.

01:32:18.80
Mike
Right.

01:32:19.82
Bill
you know So thousands, but I mean not...

01:32:21.80
Mike
Yeah.

01:32:22.69
Bill
If 72 billion.

01:32:24.81
Mike
Uh huh.

01:32:26.73
Bill
It's just... That's just crazy talk.

01:32:29.01
Mike
Yeah.

01:32:31.34
Bill
All right, so I don't know. I guess, ah hey everyone, these boys here did some good work.

01:32:35.93
Mike
Damn it.

01:32:38.26
Bill
I'm going to change that on our website where it says. Things about, cause I have a boys on there. I think I have something about there. The boys, I'm going to change it to a Z. that's like what do you what do you think maybe we can start getting a million a million looks on our shit if we see if we change everything to boys huh

01:32:45.91
Mike
Damn.

01:32:51.97
Mike
Sure. Right. Yeah.

01:32:55.08
Bill
Just fucking...

01:32:55.13
Mike
Maybe we'll call ourselves proud.

01:32:57.39
Bill
Douchebags.

01:32:58.67
Mike
Yeah.

01:32:58.81
Bill
Fucking. Fucking douchebag. So anyhow.

01:33:01.00
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:33:02.34
Bill
Speaking of a couple of guys that are not douchebags, I don't think we are, but...

01:33:04.63
Mike
No. no

01:33:06.36
Bill
i think I think what we are is probably done. What do you think?

01:33:09.28
Mike
Slightly vinegary.

01:33:12.99
Mike
Yes, we are.

01:33:15.88
Bill
Alright.

01:33:15.24
Mike
All right, everyone. Well, thank you for listening to yet another episode of sober, not mature. As always, be kind to each other. Be good to each other. Go out and do something nice for somebody else this week. And don't tell anybody you did it. Don't blow $72 million. dollars Jesus. All right, now, from the bottom of my heart to the depths of my soul. from the beginning of time until the ends of the earth.

01:33:43.30
Mike
Always. and eternally. Fuck you. Now it's time, kids. It's time for you to fuck off. Then keep fucking off. Keep fucking off till you get to a gate with a sign on it saying.

01:33:56.44
Mike
Yeah. You cannot fuck off past here. climb over that gate. dream the impossible dream and keep fucking off forever.

01:34:08.44
Bill
One real quick piece of trivia. I'll give you $1 if you can even get within within two months. of this, okay?

01:34:15.37
Mike
Alright.

01:34:16.03
Bill
The year. That it happened. And within. two months of the actual month that it happened, okay?

01:34:21.17
Mike
all Alright.

01:34:21.74
Bill
When did the don't say, or don't say.

01:34:25.18
Mike
Hmm?

01:34:25.59
Bill
ah

01:34:25.22
Mike
What? Yes.

01:34:26.97
Bill
apologize let me start over when did the just say no to drugs campaign start

01:34:32.21
Mike
Mmm. Um...

01:34:37.74
Bill
Remember, you got $1 on the line here.

01:34:39.30
Mike
Yeah, I know. That's why I'm taking my time. Cash money. Um... Let's see.

01:34:49.47
Mike
Just say no to drugs. Well, clearly Reagan administration, because that was Nancy's thing.

01:34:54.04
Bill
Hehehe. Yeah.

01:34:56.52
Mike
So let's go. Eh, she certainly didn't jump in right away. He was elected in 1980, so...

01:35:04.29
Bill
ah

01:35:08.51
Mike
Let's...

01:35:11.35
Bill
you do some good You're doing some good deduction here.

01:35:12.68
Mike
I'm working. I'm working. Hang on.

01:35:14.16
Bill
You are.

01:35:14.98
Mike
getting there. Um... Let me think.

01:35:17.96
Bill
computer The computer's making a little bit of noise here, but...

01:35:17.86
Mike
and i Well, yeah, the the gears are whirring. Um... ah And within two months. ah Let's go. Where? uh,

01:35:33.47
Mike
February 1982.

01:35:35.100
Bill
Oh wow, way, way, way off.

01:35:37.60
Mike
Wow.

01:35:38.38
Bill
September 14th. Okay, so it just happened. It it just came up this week.

01:35:42.53
Mike
Okay.

01:35:43.58
Bill
1986.

01:35:44.98
Mike
and Wow, really? Second administration?

01:35:46.19
Bill
Yeah. exactly yeah I mean yeah because he was out in 88 so um but yeah that's I...

01:35:50.61
Mike
Yeah, yeah yeah He was reelected in 84.

01:35:53.87
Bill
And I don't know that I would have, I probably would have tried to think back.

01:35:56.23
Mike
So, okay. So, so, okay. But by. Two years into, see, I was going two years after he got elected, but it was two years after he got reelected.

01:36:03.47
Bill
Right. Correct.

01:36:06.47
Mike
Okay. All right. Well, fuck me hard.

01:36:08.89
Bill
Yep.

01:36:09.80
Mike
Really?

01:36:11.13
Bill
Mm hmm.

01:36:11.13
Mike
God, man, because I could have swore like that was a thing when I was still in high school, but I guess not.

01:36:18.37
Bill
Well, and I mean, again, I mean, that was that would have been um so that was the beginning of. my senior year.

01:36:24.98
Mike
Yeah, right.

01:36:25.62
Bill
You know, and when I... when i thought back and i'm like really because i i remember that whole thing and everyone just i I agree, but I looked it up.

01:36:30.15
Mike
That seems late.

01:36:32.82
Bill
It came across. I can't remember if. um It either came up on the... like the this day in history type of thing on the radio show, or it came up on a Google feed or whatever.

01:36:41.20
Mike
Yeah.

01:36:43.18
Bill
And I did, I looked it up and it was, yeah, because it. it came up on that day when whatever day that monday monday was september 14th you know and it was the that's what it was it was the the radio show i listened to they said yeah this is the anniversary of the just say no to drugs and i looked i'm like real because i thought the same thing i'm like really i thought it was i thought it was earlier than that and i looked it up and yeah sure as fuck it was september 14th 86.

01:36:48.04
Mike
Hmm.

01:36:53.30
Mike
Yeah, right.

01:36:59.16
Mike
Yeah.

01:37:02.41
Mike
Hmm. all Alright.

01:37:05.08
Bill
So, but I, yeah, it just, I don't know.

01:37:05.31
Mike
Hello.

01:37:06.87
Bill
Well, first of all, if if anyone, i there's a lot of people that are our age that listen to this thing.

01:37:10.69
Mike
Mhm. Sure.

01:37:11.65
Bill
So I'm sure people know it, but if you're a young listener and you don't know what it is. It's as ridiculous as itself.

01:37:17.79
Mike
Yes, exactly.

01:37:19.46
Bill
Wait, all I had to do was just say... No.

01:37:22.33
Mike
Right.

01:37:23.66
Bill
I mean, yeah i didn't I didn't do drugs, but I didn't do drugs probably just because I wasn't around a lot of people that did a lot of drugs. That's all that it was.

01:37:30.03
Mike
Right.

01:37:30.48
Bill
You know, I had a few people here and there.

01:37:31.04
Mike
Yep.

01:37:32.68
Bill
Got talked out of it by a couple of friends when I was younger from smoking and weed.

01:37:36.29
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:37:36.62
Bill
And then beyond that, I knew some people that had dabbled in Coke and whatever, but I didn't know a lot of people that were doing drugs, you know?

01:37:41.51
Mike
Right.

01:37:42.31
Bill
um But I mean, I, I would have, had I not got sober, what I did, there would have been, there would have, I think I would have, I think I would have somehow some way slid into pills.

01:37:45.19
Mike
Right.

01:37:51.08
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:37:50.79
Bill
Cause I think that I was drinking so much that I just.

01:37:53.93
Mike
Right.

01:37:54.12
Bill
oh yeah i just smelled like booze all the time i'm like if there could have been a way

01:37:57.37
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:37:57.82
Bill
you know for me to just you know be

01:37:58.79
Mike
Well, there was.

01:37:59.95
Bill
I know, but that's...

01:38:00.51
Mike
laughter

01:38:01.26
Bill
But I mean, in in my head, I'm like, I would would have thought about that.

01:38:03.49
Mike
Uh huh.

01:38:04.33
Bill
I just I want a pill.

01:38:04.64
Mike
Sure.

01:38:05.20
Bill
You know, I think I would have looked for a pill, you know.

01:38:05.84
Mike
Yeah. Yeah, well, to quote the Beastie Boys, I can't say no, I'm too busy saying yeah.

01:38:14.87
Bill
All right, so on that note... on that note

01:38:16.55
Mike
Mm hmm.

01:38:17.87
Bill
I love you brother.

01:38:18.95
Mike
I love you too.

01:38:20.20
Bill
And I know for a fact we will talk soon.

01:38:22.36
Mike
We shall.

01:38:23.98
Bill
Bye.

01:38:24.82
Mike
Bye.