A few words on the entry immediately following this one, the one called “Days: Fifteen Years Sober”:

First, I should disclose that my sobriety anniversary isn’t until April 3^rd.  Many in the recovery community feel it’s bad juju to commemorate it early.  I am not of that camp.  I finished writing this now, so here it is, now.

Secondly, this is a really long entry.  Printed out, it would be ten pages.  So—thank you very much if you read it!  If you don’t: I totally get it.  It’s an awful lot to read about somebody else’s life.

I used to write a blog entry on my anniversary every year to keep exploring the issue of just what the heck had happened to me, but I stopped doing it every year awhile back.  This being Year 15, I thought I’d do one last hurrah—I doubt I’ll write another one, or if I do, it will be for Year 20.

If you’ve read my blog much—especially in the earlier years—you’ll know I have written quite extensively about my addiction and recovery.  One could find dozens and dozens of entries (mostly memoir) on the topic on my blog.  As such, I didn’t want to just re-tread old ground.  This entry consists of snippets from my life from the moment of drinking up until today, but the thrust of everything is the “journey to now”.  I’ll never be afraid to look back and ponder my past, but the focus now is on the amazing life I have.  But it’s worth asking: how did I get from there to here?

Third, the vast majority of the material in the entry was posted to my blog very recently, in three separate posts (“Days of Nothing”, “Days of Something” and “Days of Everything”).  It was my design all along to use these as my 15^th Sobriety Anniversary entry.  For those that already read those entries: I have written a brand-new Prologue, as well as a new piece of material for each section.

Thanks for reading and caring.  My journey—like everyone’s—has been truly extraordinary, and especially because of those I’ve shared it with.  It gives me deep pleasure to explore it in writing with you from time to time.  Thanks for being there.