Intro

I'm here because Blogger has made it impossible for me to create posts with any of the ease that made everything so approachable in the beginning. On a grander scale, I'm here because I have a voice, and I fight for people to be successful in a life of sobriety by sharing my long story of my battle with addiction. I'm here because there is a small chance I might actually make $6 every now and then if enough people find my material interesting. We shall see...

I've been writing for a while, but I would still consider myself a novice since I have no formal education, or background in writing. I went to high school for about two years, which is where I gained all of my current knowledge of the English language in creative writing. My posts may have grammatical errors, swearing, and may cross the border by miles in inappropriate content. If you can deal with that, stay tuned.

My first published work was about six years ago now, and I wrote it from inside St. Cloud state prison in Minnesota, where I am from. I was serving just over a four-year sentence, I'll share a shameless plug for the link to the book below. When I started writing on a suggestion from my mother, I didn't know what it would become. Six years later, I frequently look back on my early words and am so grateful for what I have now, and how I have evolved not just as an author, but as a human. My mother wrote alongside me during my time inside. It all started as a blog which turned into a book, and now a movie. The last four words in that last sentence are a lie, I'll admit.

I'm not really here to make money. I simply need a better platform to share my story which has evolved from one of tragedy, failure, and loneliness to one of triumph, and success. In the six years (and some change) since I began my incarceration, I have not used any drug including alcohol, and that has taken a lot of work. I have gone from homeless to homeowner with a wife, two beautiful step children, and a baby on the way. All of this goes away for me with a single use, because I have no control over what I do once I pick up a pipe or a drink. I'm not weak; I'm an idiot, and I need constant reassurance that I can't afford to go back out there and die.

I have a few mantras I try to live by: 1. Be a good person even when nobody is looking. 2. Love and tolerance of others is my code.

That second one is paraphrased from the Big Book, and I think of it often because there is so much negativity in our world today, and so many people seem to live opposite that code. I'm not perfect, but I do believe there are redeeming qualities to everybody, like our President, who has a lovely haircut. I try desperately to be part of the solution--in general--rather than part of the problem, which is all I was to this world for so many years.

So, here is my shameless plug I mentioned above. Above is a brief description of why I'm here, and if you follow along on this platform, eventually, you'll learn everything you can find out about me in this book. So, that's all for now. I hope to write soon.