#QUITLIT

“Awake” by Jen Hatmaker: A No-BS Spiritual Wake-Up Call for Gen X Readers in Recovery

Jen Hatmaker’s "Awake" lands like a spiritual defibrillator, jolting readers out of the autopilot haze we Gen Xers perfected somewhere between cassette tapes and carpool spreadsheets. Most of us in recovery have a very low tolerance for BS, and we cannot stand a prim and proper story of politely curated etiquette, and sober brothers and sisters: this one is for us. Hatmaker invites the reader to lay down the polished performance and pick up something truer, messier, and infinitely more human, kicking the door open on spiritual sleepwalking, nudging readers toward something braver and more awake—without once pretending the journey is linear, tidy, or Instagram-ready. Just the way we like it, sober friends.

SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD!

What Most People Get Wrong About “Moderate Drinking”

For most of my adult life, I believed I was a “moderate drinker.”

I worked hard, rarely missed a day in my dermatology practice, taught at the UC Irvine School of Medicine for decades, and maintained the outward appearance of someone in control. I didn’t drink in the morning. I never got a DUI. My lab work always looked “normal.”

In other words, I looked fine.

#QUITLIT

"Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction"

Maia Szalavitz's "Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction" lives up to its title. It doesn't simply reframe addiction; it helps readers understand why a new frame is necessary — and why changing the lens changes almost everything about how we help people recover. And its core message is powerful: When we stop seeing addiction as a moral failing or a "broken brain" and start seeing it as a learning and developmental disorder, the entire recovery landscape opens up.

SOBER CURATOR PODCAST

Choose Life, Choose Truth: Why “Trainspotting” Still Stings— and Saves— 30 YEARS LATER 

Thirty years after “Trainspotting” splashed onto screens with all its chaotic brilliance, the film still feels like a cinematic punch to the throat—one part humor, one part horror, and one part honesty so sharp it refuses to dull with time. Watching it again, especially through the lens of sobriety, is like revisiting an old wound you’ve learned how to live with, but never fully forget. 

#WEDORECOVER

Sober Celeb of the Week: Tim Allen

Tim Allen has been quietly sober for decades, which feels worth mentioning in a culture that still loves a comeback more than consistency. Before Home Improvement, Pixar voice booths, and sitcom reinventions, Allen hit a bottom that forced a hard reset. His sobriety didn’t turn him into a saint or erase controversy, but it did give him longevity, stability, and the kind of career arc that only happens when someone sticks around long enough to grow up in public. Not flashy. Not performative. Just proof that recovery doesn’t always look dramatic, but it does tend to last.

For anyone struggling, know that help is available: 📞 1-800-662-HELP (SAMHSA Helpline).

SOBER IN SEATTLE - EVENTS

🌊 Good Day Sauna × The Sober Curator — New Year Cold Plunge

Start the new year with heat, ice, community, and intention. The Sober Curator is teaming up with Good Day Sauna for a guided sauna + cold plunge experience designed to reset your nervous system, boost your mood, and kick off 2026 with clarity — no alcohol required.

Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 3:40 PM – 5:30 PM
Price: $45 per person
Capacity: 15 guests

THE MINDFUL BINGE

Top 10 TV Characters Who Deserve a Sober Storyline

Television loves addiction. It loves the chaos, the spirals, the late-night benders framed as genius fuel or tragic poetry. What it loves far less is what comes after. Rock bottom makes for compelling TV. Recovery, apparently, does not. We get the typical relapse. The tortured genius monologue delivered at 2 a.m. over a drink that’s doing a lot of narrative heavy lifting. What we almost never get is what happens after the chaos stops being cinematic and starts being exhausting.

Recovery, apparently, is where writers fear ratings go to die.

WHAT A TRIP!

Sober Cruising: How to Enjoy an Alcohol-Free Cruise

Cruising is one of my favorite ways to travel, but being sober on a ship surrounded by bars and drinks takes a bit of planning and the right mindset. Over the years, I have learned how to make it not just doable, but genuinely enjoyable. Here is my story and some tips for anyone thinking about a sober cruise.

SOBRIETY IN THE CITY

Second Cycle of the Terrence McNally Recovery Commissions Is Here (and It’s Big News for Artists in Recovery)

The Terrence McNally Foundation (TMF) and The Recovery Arts Project have announced the second cycle of the Terrence McNally Recovery Commissions: two annual $10,000 commissions created to support playwrights in recovery from a substance use condition while honoring the legacy of the late, legendary playwright Terrence McNally.

CLASSY PROBLEMS

Classy Problems: It’s Not About You

Classy Problems is a daily post of thinking in motion by Dan T Rogers. Each post stands alone as a thought-provoking piece, yet together, they create a puzzle of ideas. They invite you to see things from a different angle, rethink what you thought you knew, and explore what’s beyond your current understanding.

HAPPY EVERY HOUR - CIDER

Shilling Excelsior Ground Control 0.0% Review: NA Cherry Cider

If you’ve ever wanted a drink that feels like a joyride through outer space but keeps your feet firmly planted on planet Earth, Schilling’s Exelsior Ground Control 0.0% Cherry is your co-pilot. This non-alcoholic cherry cider is scientifically crafted for those of us who want the full flavor experience without even a whisper of a buzz.

It’s made with fresh-pressed cider apples + tart cherry juice, with no artificial flavoring and no added sugar, which is basically the NA beverage equivalent of “no drama, just vibes.”