Being 40 & Sober

Oh gosh, I was just thinking the other day about how me and my ma have been sober for the past 16 years.

How time flys.

Sobering up was one of the best decisions we ever made in our lives.

I can still remember my last drink, it was SF Pride 98 and I got a big gallon of gin to celebrate!

So when enough was enough, I decided that SF Pride 98 was going to be the weekend to start my new journey and took that gallon of gin and poured it entirely out into the kitchen sink.  My mom was standing there and she let out a big smile.  Thats how I knew I was doing the right thing.  My mom eventually sobered up 6 months after I did, her sobriety bday is on New Years.

Thinking back on it, the way I sobered up did a seem a little cliche, like it was a scene right out of the 1986 docu-movie, "The Alkali Lake Story: Victory" . (great movie by the way)

I had another friend who was sober for a while and everyone said she was a complete bitch while she was off the sauce.

Sometimes I think I turned into a bigger bitch when I sobered up.

I remember hanging out at Louises Bar in Lawrence, Kansas., having a Shirley Temple and I was talking to this old flaming Navajo queen named Joey.

We were sitting there chilling and she said, "stop being a bitch"  .

I had to laugh because that really caught me off guard.

Thats what I love about Navajo queens, those bitches will read you when you least expect it and be spot on.

I really remember her talk because she was very sincere about it.

Flash forward 16 years later, I obviously didn't take that road.

In fact, my bitchy skills came in very handy being an entertainer, whether it was being on stage, dealing with hecklers, dealing with other jerky comedians, or just a way of venting for that day.

For the next 20 years of my life I don't want to be that bitchy person anymore.

So from here on out I'm going to try to approach everyday like Marlo Thomas in the opening sequence of her tv show, "That Girl" ! #next #chapter

xoxo