Today I turned fourteen. December 8, 2003 was my first day clean and sober. It may surprise some people to hear that after I got sober my life got worse. I lost all my friends (barfly’s actually.) I wound up homeless, which never happened while I was drinking. My life was in ruins as I […]
This weeks Throwback is from June 2008. I Became a Juvenile Delinquent It began on a warm summer day in a field in Pennsylvania. It was 1974 and I was 10 years old. Dana, who lived across the street, was around 17. (No, there will be no Mrs. Robinson story here. Remember, I am gay). […]
Today’s Throwback is from May 2008 “My name is Bradley, and I’m an alcoholic.” I’ve said it over a thousand times. I’m the best tour guide in Los Angeles. I’ll show which bench on the Santa Monica Pier is best for sleeping. I’ll tell you which church distributes the best free food. I’ll give you […]
Genesis Sunday, May 11 2008 at 10:47 p.m. is the exact date and time that I first logged in to Facebook and created an account. I didn’t have much interest in Facebook and I thought Twitter was ludicrous. I have no idea why I chose to join both of them. Let’s just leave it that […]
I haven’t had a drink or taken an illicit drug since December 8, 2003. I’m grateful for my sobriety. I don’t remember much during the time just before and just after my sobriety date, but I do remember well the night I attended my first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I immediately knew I was in the […]
Sometimes life just doesn’t go the way it’s supposed to you want it to. For instance, I’m supposed to have Bradley Cooper’s looks, and Bill Gates’ money. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but I’m learning to accept that neither are, or will be, true. What can be harder to swallow are the hopes and […]
Damn, I Was a Mess It was the early part of 2003 and one of the most miserable times in my life. Yes, I’ve referred to many times in my life as being the most miserable. I’ve had a lot of them, okay? That era is a blur, so it can take a while before […]
“I don’t want to be thought of as a survivor because you have to continue getting involved in difficult situations to show off that particular gift, and I’m not interested in doing that anymore.” – Carrie Fisher Something I learned over ten years ago is that getting sober is hard. Harder than I imagined. Harder […]
Alcoholic Genes A group of 11 genes can successfully predict whether an individual is at increased risk of alcoholism, a research team from the United States and Germany reported last month. The study also mentions some of the 11 genes have been linked to bipolar and other disorders. It’s been my long held belief that […]
Restless, irritable and discontent. Sound familiar? Do you have bipolar disorder and have those feelings on a regular basis? These feelings are common among those diagnosed with bipolar, however, they are common among alcoholics, as well. In fact, “restless, irritable and discontent” are specifically expressed in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is in […]