11 Years No Beers 🍻
It's long. Sorry. But. I think it's a decent read.
First off. Getting sober was the BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE.
I quit drinking on November 2nd, 2010 after more than a decade of blackouts, arrests, financial losses, & many failed relationships. It wasn't easy then. It isn't easy now. But I still find time to celebrate the victories. Because this disease has no cure but celebrating another day, week, month, or for me, another year. 
My first year of sobriety welcomed the two greatest gifts in Braedyn (born 6 months before I got sober) & met my best friend, & now wife, Brenda. 
My second year (also celebrated quitting cigarettes) empowered me to purchase my first car by myself. An incredible feat considering the massive hole I'd buried myself in from legal debts.
For year five, Brenda & I visited London for two weeks, allowing me the opportunity to see London for the first time sober, & to relive a bit of college from what I could remember, with many romantic evenings & miles of long walks across the metro London area. 
In year 10, we spent a few days (while on a work trip) in Austin, masked up & socially distancing the nights away.
Here's the truth. It's hard for me to recognize how many days, weeks, months, or years for the most part unless there is a goal in mind outside of simply staying on the wagon. So this year has snuck up on me.
So, as a super eccentric crazy person, I thought "let's throw ourselves a sobriety birthday party!" And then I remembered that COVID still sucks. And reliving my 6-month sobriety party at a karaoke bar tbh isn't too appealing.
So this is what I came up with.
I'm asking you to buy me a drink for my sobriety birthday, virtually over the next year. I'm gonna take my 11 years of missed shared cocktails, shots, bombs, & pitchers & turn them into these dope shoes & wear the crap outta them for the next 11! I know it's silly. But I figured, if we have national "Treat Yourself Day" we can celebrate not getting drunk for 11 years...
It's not AA, but #itworksifyouworkit
My plan is to continue to spread the good word of sobriety, which I've carried on my chest proudly for more than 4,000 days! So, if you'd like, raise a 'glass' to sobriety!
Buy me a shot? A drink? A pitcher? or hell, buy a round for the bar! Let's celebrate over the next 12 months as I celebrate 11 years of SOBRIETY!
