Writing the Big Book: The Creation of A.A. by William H. Schaberg Central Recovery Press (November 5, 2019)

Central Recovery Press (November 5, 2019) 800pp

Happy 81st Anniversary!

Thankful

Farrell J. Carney (1954-2011)

Farrell J. Carney (24 May 1954 - 11 May 2011) born in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland; died in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland.

I'm assuming this is the same guy. He was from Elphin, Ireland. A friend, co-worker, fellow drinker. In fact, I tell people he taught me how to really drink. He once jumped from a perfectly good airplane with a parachute on, tried to kill himself in the fall, and broke a leg — much complicating his job as construction supervisor (with me being one of the supervised, and his driver).

We managed a sort of boarding house together my junior year in college. He owed me money much of the time. A fellow boarder, Sean, was drinking himself blind drunk, falling down stairs and not remembering it. I would go in and find his bottle of vodka and toss it out.

When I encountered Sean a few years later, in the same city but sober, he told me the last time he'd run into Farrell he'd asked how Sean got sober (as if recognizing the need for it himself).

County Roscommon, Ireland

"Very Tricky"

“Frequently these cases involve two individuals, both of whom maybe were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and it can be very tricky to ascertain whether consent was obtained."

Ada Meloy, general counsel of the American Council on Education

'Where He Wants to Go'

There goes Mr. Drunk
Headed for another
This one should do it
This one should take him there
This one should take him where he wants to go.
July 4, 2014

'Whatever's Comfortable'

That's Odetta singing 'Hit or Miss'.

"Hangover Cure"

I've finally made the big time. My song lyrics "Hangover Cure" have just been published in the West Sound Brewers August 2005 newsletter. They're a "homebrewing and beer appreciation club in Kitsap County, Washington". 

Apparently the editor entered such terms as "lyrics", "country", "beer", and "blues" into Yahoo! and Google and came up with mine, along with some pretty good company such as Hank Williams, Jr., C. W. McCall, and Jimmy Witherspoon. 

With such titles as "Sell A Lot Of Beer", "Beer Man", "Beer and Bones", "Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On", and "Beer Drinkin' Woman" I feel right at home. I always knew if I couldn't find a market for my stuff anywhere else, the beer lovers would take me in. 

I wonder if their songs are based on a true story like mine is (from college years ago).

Or, for a real hangover cure. .

RUSSIAN JOKE: The Line to Shoot Gorbachev

Just after Mikhail Gorbachev placed restrictions on the sale of vodka in the former Soviet Union, Ivan and Serge were standing in line to buy a bottle or two.


After waiting several hours, Ivan finally says to his friend:  "This is ridiculous.  We've been waiting forever to buy vodka and we haven't moved a single step.  I'm going to go shoot Gorbachev."


His friend replies:  "Good.  You go shoot Gorbachev.  I'll save your place in line.  By the time you get back things should be moving a little faster."

Ivan goes off to shoot Gorbachev, but he returns in 45 minutes.  Serge says:  "Back so soon?  Surely it takes longer than that to shoot Gorbachev."

Ivan shrugs and says:  "It turns out the line to shoot Gorbachev was longer than the line for buying vodka, so I decided to come right back."