Congratulations Jason! I’m always happy to see your posts and interact w you here. Your honesty, integrity and creative drive never fail to lift my spirits. Many many happy sober returns to you my friend! 
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@JVKE Im not isolating, I have an army of support.
@Smitty97 I know exactly what you mean about listening to the same four people over and over and feeling like somethings missing.
Being able to look into the eyes of a newcomer is something that online recovery cannot do. Its good for us to see the pain and suffering in their yellow eyes, see them trembling as detox is setting in.
Even though there aren’t any reliable meetings in my town anymore, 12 step opportunities find me. One of my drinking buddies has been contacting me. He is three weeks sober. I ran into another previous co-worker. I used to vent about him here frequently. I called him Tweaky when I complained about him here. He was asking me if I’m still sober. we talked recovery for a couple of hours.
Thank you @erntedank @SoberWalker @Jesile @Blondie1x @Faugxh
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Well done my fisherman friend theres a candy over here called fishermans friend lol ill get it changed to Jasons friends lol
Doing great buddy like you AA saved this old guys ass well young guy at that time 34 now 73 been a great journey wish you well
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I thought of Fisherman’s friend many times when Jason posted. Now I have to share the commercial from the 90s. The song is about a son that asks his mum when dad is coming home. The catch phrase (still) is “strong stuff, that Fishermen’s Friend!”
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Congratulations on your 5 years my friend. I love reading your posts. And it’s always great to get a share from someone who’s been sober for a long time (or at least longer yhan me). Gone through the ups and downs of recovery, relapse, recovery again and found the joys of sobriety. Reading those reflections from someone with first hand experience is a vital part for the TS community. I wish everyone would take those accounts to heart and learn from it.
Thanks for your share 
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I love all this for you! Congrats on your soberversary Jason! Way to go with your achievements and all your amazing efforts 
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@Ray_M_C_Laren Thank-you It has been an epic journey!
@HolySquid Thank-you!
@Dirk Thank-you! No lobster in Oregon. I have caught a couple rare albino dungeness crab and a trident claw dungeness crab.
Thank-you @JazzyS!
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Last night I decided to look up what a trident claw crab was. Ironically it brought me right to one of your videos lol
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Thats awesome!
That video was so lucky. Tridents are extremely rare. The times I put a camera in a crab trap are few and far between. Conditions rarely line up. So to have an extremely rare crab and a rare event line up was epic!
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Congrats! I’m so glad you found your way back. 
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Good old Tweaky! It’s been well said that you may be the only copy of the Big Book an alcoholic will see. And your demonstration of how to stay sober and work hard in close quarters with the active addict was more effective than any pretty speeches that Tweaky could have heard.
Thanks.
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When i read the first couple of lines I yelled, No! 
I’ve loved being here and having you as a friend; you’ve always been there to talk to.
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What a journey! Thanks for sharing.
Congratulations 
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You’re just so amazing 
Love your stories, love your photos, love your journey!! 
Keep up inspiring us, Jason
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Congratulations! So well deserved! Always love your contribution here. It has always been part of my journey as well!
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So much respect and appreciation for you Jason. You and your sharing your journey help so many see in real time what strength and fortitude can do. Heartfelt congratulations!
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Hi Jason,
Thank you for your post. It really resonated with me as I’m in pretty much the same position, just different lengths of sobriety.
I didn’t touch a drop of booze for 6 years by going to AA meetings every moment I could. It took over my life totally. I also got a sponsor who, like yours, turned out to be sicker than me. His constant absolute terror of ever drinking again wasn’t healthy and I just paid lip service.
I was ‘13th stepped’ by an older woman who made a bee line for me almost as soon as I joined and I ended up living with her. I see now I was desperate for someone to love me as I hated myself. I saw this type of behaviour happen to other newcomers too and it tinged my view of AA.
After 6 sober years I was running my own business and decided to leave this woman after meeting someone else my age.
I got my own place and after a few months stopped going to AA as in my head I wanted to drink again.
It got bad really quickly for a while but, with the help of my new partner, I got it under control (or so I thought) and just binged a couple of times a week.
I did this for 20 years with many times going overboard and making an idiot of myself until 2 years ago I had finally had enough and actually wanted to stop. I didn’t want what AA had to offer again so found an online organisation called Smart Recovery who really helped get me through the first few months.
I’m over 2 years sober now and feel very relaxed with not boozing, I love waking up clear headed and not worrying when I can pour the next drink down my neck.
I have a successful business now but I also don’t feel I am really worthy of success. I can work with that and live with it.
Good luck with your sober journey and thanks again for sharing.
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Thanks for sharing @puterzray ! I’m glad you found your way back to recovery.
I have had terrible luck with sponsors. Its a suggestion that never goes away. If you don’t have one, it feels like your missing out. Like you have less of a chance at making it.
When I came back, I was content not having a sponsor. The suggestion kept coming. I met someone who I felt was qualified. I committed to working the steps with this guy. At first it was good. It felt like I found the missing link in my recovery. That did not last very long.
Dude started trying to tell me how to do everything in my life. He suggested I quit fishing. It wasn’t good for my sobriety. At the time we had one dependable meeting a week, and he felt like I should make that more important than anything. Even work. I had been sober already without his advise for 2.5 years. When I did go to the meeting, I left feeling like it was an hour of my life I couldn’t get back.
I tried to reconnect with AA a few years before that. That meeting felt like it consisted of sponsors pushing their sponsees towards new people trying to get their sponsees some sponsees. None of these people were qualified. It was awkward.
I relate. it did not take long for me to lose my illusion of control. I spent ten years trying to make drinking work for me again. It was working me the whole time.
Congrats on 2 years and finding comfort in your own skin!
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Thankyou @DLS , @LittleMissL , @Jana1988, @Hotic, @Laraellelarissa ! You all help me! This community is AWESOME!!
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