FROM THE DESK OF THE FOUNDER
Simon Dyson finished Ironmans and threw the medals in a shoebox. He drank to fix what could not be fixed, got sober after a stranger prayed for him at Notre Dame, then rode 852 kilometers across the Karoo and came home with a plan: a farm to build for his son Billy. This week's Sober Spotlight is the kind of story you'll be retelling at dinner.
The rest of the lineup swings wide. Camp Sober Fest is bringing adult sober summer camp to Texas, talent show included, and yes, you're going to want to sign up. Carolyn Bunn returns to Hayden Panettiere's memoir after her death at 36, writing about motherhood, addiction, and the parts of our stories we leave out. And Anne Marie writes about medical trauma and learning that receiving care doesn't mean handing over your voice.
Grab your coffee. This one covers some ground. Now let's get into it.
— Alysse Bryson (*AB That’s Me 💋) / Seattle, WA 🌃 05.01.2006
SOBER SPOTLIGHT
Sober Spotlight: Simon Dyson, The Munga, and the Farm He’s Building for Billy
Simon Dyson threw Ironman medals in a shoebox, drank to fix what could not be fixed, and got sober after a stranger prayed for him at Notre Dame. Then he rode 852 kilometers across the Karoo and came home with a farm to build for his son Billy.
TRAVEL
Camp Sober Fest Is Bringing Adult Sober Summer Camp to Texas, and Yes, There Is a Talent Show
Camp Sober Fest took adult summer camp and made it sober: high ropes, archery, campfire meetings, and a mandatory-in-spirit talent show. After wrapping its August session at Sequoia Lake, the crew heads to Trinity, Texas for sober spring break, March 17 to 21, 2027. All-inclusive for $525.
#QUITLIT
What Hayden Panettiere’s Memoir Taught Me About Recovery, Motherhood and the Stories We Leave Out
After Hayden Panettiere’s death at 36, Contributor Carolyn Bunn returned to This Is Me: A Reckoning with a different perspective. As a woman in long-term sobriety who has also chosen not to have children, she reflects on addiction, postpartum depression, motherhood, identity and the complicated gaps we sometimes leave in our own stories.
SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD!
Medical Trauma and Recovery: Asking for Help Without Leaving Yourself Behind
Recovery taught Senior Contributor Anne Marie to ask for help. Medical trauma taught her that receiving care does not require surrendering her boundaries, her voice or her relationship with herself.
ALSO THIS WEEK ON TSC 📰
👉 What to Drink When You’re Not Drinking: The Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Every Occasion Read more here→
👉 Featured event in Seattle October 2nd: Harness New Heights Go Over The Edge for Recovery Beyond Read more here→
👉 Hey NYC! Drinks with Benefits Alcohol-Free Festival is coming September 17th Read more here→
👉 #ADDTOCART: D’Aydrian Harding’s Stay Sober Apparel Just Landed at Spencer’s Read more here→
👉 Walt Disney Fired His Roommate for Drinking. Sixty Years Later, It's a Song. Read more here→
👉 Your Book Isn't Going to Write Itself, But Tawny Lara's Fall Writing Room Might Help Read more here→
The Sober Sip is brought to you by Aura House
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P.S. Isn’t it pretty cool that a brand like this supports the sober + recovery communities? We think so.
See you Wednesday!
