Inquiry and Highlights.
Given that I’m starting another year here, I thought I’d copy (well, adapt) a trend and ask a few questions of my readers.
1) Tell me about yourself. Who are you? Are you in recovery, or do you know someone who is? And if not, what brought you here and why have you stayed?
2) Have you told anyone else about this blog? Why? Was it someone who you thought needed to hear about sobriety? Ever sent anything to family members or groups of friends who don’t understand your situation?
3) How did you find us and how do you regularly follow us? through Twitter, Facebook and/or other beyond-RSS mechanisms?
I was asked in the comments of my last post, what has been a highlight of this past year, the year I was 40? There have been so many it’s hard to keep track. I have deepened my relationship with the woman I expect to spend the rest of my life with. I have improved my fitness and health in ways I never thought would be possible for me. I have advanced my career dramatically. I’ve published in new areas and I’ve been promoted. It’s been a good year. Thank you all for being a part of it.
Infactorium 
Scientist who studies the adverse health consequences of addictive drugs, including alcohol. I stay in touch with content via Twitter. The draw is the real world perspective on addiction and recovery. Lab work can…drift away.
1) Tell me about yourself. Who are you? Are you in recovery, or do you know someone who is? And if not, what brought you here and why have you stayed?
Neuroscientist who studies addiction and alcoholism.
2) Have you told anyone else about this blog? Why? Was it someone who you thought needed to hear about sobriety? Ever sent anything to family members or groups of friends who don’t understand your situation?
I have shared a few with colleagues and family.
3) How did you find us and how do you regularly follow us? through Twitter, Facebook and/or other beyond-RSS mechanisms?
Twitter.
I like this because I fear that neurobiologists who study addiction in animal models sometimes forget that a mouse drinking 30% less is not the goal.
Grad student who found your blog through twitter. Keep up with you through twitter and Feedly. Both my and my husband’s families have long histories of addiction and your perspective is helpful when confronting those realities.
Scientist, bailed after postdoc’ing, recently gone “alt-ac”. Recovering from eating disorder, which has some similarities to addiction. also a runner.
I like hearing about how you’ve changed course/rebuilt a life… provides some inspiration and encouragement on my own path. progress is slow, hard, awkward… and yet… today feels better than yesterday.
Happy Birthday–I just celebrated my own a couple of weeks ago. When I turned 29 I was convinced I would not live to 30. that was a couple of years ago. how things have changed.
Keep going.
Long time lurker. Scientist who found you through other blogs or Twitter – can’t remember now. I enjoy your elegant prose and the insight I get into alcoholism, which runs in my family.
Thanks for the highlights, 24. It’s a family tradition to get them (and lowpoints, among loved ones) each year.
1. I’m an academic with family members who are/were alcoholics. Came to learn about that, stay for that and more.
2. Yes, have tried to get inlaws and tehgroom to read you. I think one has. They want the solution to be simple and immediate, and I want them to understand it’s a process, and that they cannot do it for the alcoholics they love, those people must act for themselves.
3. First aware of you through twitter, subscribe so get an email notification of posts.
My husband has been sober for 20 years now. I send some of your posts to him every now and then. Also, I’ve run a couple of half-marathons in the past three years, so love to read about your training. Didn’t get to sign up for any races this year, so I live vicariously through your experience. Love your posts. Keep them coming.
1. Academic (public health) with a long family history of addiction. I’ve studied issues around prevention and treatment on and off across my career. I like the insights on recovery and I’ve recently started to a daily running practice.
2. I limit my correspondence with people who could most benefit from what you write here and most of the academics I know don’t read blogs anymore.
3. I believe I first found you through a link on Psycgirl’s blog. Now you’re in my Feedly feed.
Got to know you via Neuroscience meeting twitter feeds
1. I’m a scientist who used to study the reward system/addiction in rodent models but now I work in industry.
2. I don’t think I’ve shared your blog with IRL people but I do share things that I like on twitter. I really like your writing style (and I’m still waiting to know what happened to the Mexican boy and his mom).
3. I’m the only person in the world who uses bloglovin and follow you there.
1. I’m a recovering alcoholic, who also labors in healthcare. We go way back to old blogging days.
2. I referred a post of yours to several of my non-alcoholic friends who wanted to know what to do with a friend who was drinking himself to death. It was a couple of years ago, and it was brilliant!
3. Somehow I managed to subscribe to your blog, and get e-mails when you post anything. I didn’t intend to do that, but I am glad every time I see you have posted something. I think of you as a much younger brother, and I am always interested in what you are doing.
I have been reading you for a long time. I retired from my career as a research scientist. I believe that I initially found your blog through Mary Christine. I believe that I have referred to your posts in the past. You write well. You are well. I’m happy that your life of recovery is a good one. I started blogging about 9 years ago. My wife is a recovering alcoholic who regularly attends AA. I have found my recovery in the Al-Anon program. I also follow you on Twitter.