231: Shining Row, Etc231: Shining Row, Etc
Since Right Now
One Correction: The NA pumpkin ale sold out. The …
38:43•1 Nov 2022
Shining Row & Big Drink Energy: AA Politics, Mocktails and Messy Sobriety
Episode Overview
- AA “group conscience” meetings can become highly charged, especially around rules like how long someone must be sober before sharing.
- Hearing newcomers speak about their pain can help long-term sober people remember why they stay sober.
- Recovery often makes people more sensitive to signs of heavy drinking in colleagues or new hires.
- Non-alcoholic options at venues and restaurants vary widely, from thoughtful Seedlip-based mocktails to nothing beyond soda or branded canned water.
- Media reports about public figures’ relapses can stir difficult feelings for people in recovery, especially when those figures seemed to “have it all”.
“Speaking helps you stay sober.”
Curious about how others manage sobriety while life throws in office politics, dating apps, and dodgy venue drinks? This chaotic, funny, and very honest chat with Jeff, Matt and Chris leans into exactly that mix. You’ll drop straight into their banter as they joke about coffee flavours, “harbingers of autumn”, and an AA meeting happening in the room next door.
From there, things move into more serious territory as they talk about “group conscience” meetings in AA – the kind where people argue over rules like how long someone has to be sober before they’re allowed to speak. Jeff admits he’s wary of those meetings, while also saying hearing newcomers share their pain is a big part of what helps him stay sober. The episode also digs into how recovery can make you hyper-aware of drinking in everyday life.
Chris talks about colleagues ordering two beers at once, wondering if he’s spotting “one of us” or just over-sensitive because of his own history. There’s a darkly funny moment where they joke about “big drink energy” and how creative and alcohol industries can normalise heavy drinking until someone’s job – or health – is on the line.
On a lighter note, you’ll hear about dating apps, quirky profile lines like “I go crazy for antidepressants”, and how those tiny weird details can lead to real connection, even for people in long-term recovery. Chris also shares his recent trip to Chicago, testing out mocktails and Seedlip-based drinks, and the frustration of venues that still only offer soda or water for non-drinkers.
Things take a heavier turn again as they discuss recent writing about Anthony Bourdain’s final days, including reports of heavy drinking and steroids. The conversation sits in that uncomfortable space many in recovery know well: admiration, sadness, and the nagging question of whether someone ever really found peace. If you like recovery chat that’s messy, honest, sweary and oddly warm, this one might leave you nodding along – where do you recognise your own story in theirs?
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