Introductions are hard. They are for me, at least. I never quite know just how to present myself. It's not that I'm socially awkward, or lacking in communication skills. It's just that, to me, introductions always seem so forced, manufactured, and disingenuous. Like I'm putting myself on display and can't let people find out I'm a fraud. So, for truth and sanity's sake, I'm going to skip past the fake shit and dive right into deep end.
I used to write, a lot, probably too much. I also used to exercise regularly, eat incredibly healthy, was outside often hiking and such, loved photography, and could usually be found anywhere there was live music playing. Eventually, though, that all took a backseat to the addiction that has defined so much of my life for the last 10 years. I've been able to kick all sorts of unhealthy habits in my life, but this one seems to stick around. A bit like that old friend that's bad news but keeps coming around with "fun" ideas at the worst possible times.
I am a drinker. Not a social drinker. Not a weekend warrior. I'm the kind of drinker that ends up in rehab, goes through 12 step programs, destroys lives, and tears apart families. The kind that, at best, wakes up in their own bed with no memory of how they got there, or, at worst, wakes up in a cell, beaten and bruised, with no memory of where or when the night took a bad turn. I wont disclose whether or not I have accomplished any or all of the above. I will, however, say that I have had my fair share of miscommunications, mishaps, altercations, and embarrassments that have made me take pause and examine myself and my condition. Interesting stories, sure, but anecdotes are best told in contextual flashbacks, so I'll save those for another time. This is an introduction, after all, not an autobiography.
I have decided to write about these things, not as a point of pride, or because I think they make for good writing, but because I must. Over the years I have found that scheduled writing is one of the few things that keeps me sober. As long as I have a schedule to follow, a hard-and-fast, chiseled in stone routine, then I function quite well, thrive even. It's when that routine gets disrupted that things begin to fall apart. So this is mostly an exercise in keeping up a routine for the purpose of staying sober. It is one small step in a routine that includes, along with writing, fitness, diet, and sleep. It sounds mundane, but that simplicity keeps me sane and out of the bottle.
I suppose, as far as topics are concerned, you could say that this will mostly be "one man writing about his attempts to stay sober, and how his environment, perceptions, and assumptions guide or misguide him on that path", but that all sounds a bit pretentious to me. I'm not going to be writing about anything that hasn't already been written about a thousand times before. Don't expect profundity or earth shattering philosophy. I'm just a guy, writing about life, trying to stay sober, from one day to the next.
Why Steemit? Why not? Steemit seems like a fine enough venue to let something like this fly loose and, whether it takes off or falls flat, at least it keeps me writing and away from the sauce. If it gets a conversation going and helps other people along the way, then it's a win-win. Be gentle with me, as I'm just learning Steemit and may not be as savvy as some of the more seasoned users.
As things progress I may begin adding other forms of media to my posts, but my plan for the near future is to keep it simple and focus on writing. Again, the goal is to write, keep my head clear, and encourage discussion. I plan to follow a weekly schedule, posting on Fridays and commenting throughout the week. In the fight for sobriety consistency is key and I'm hoping that by making this public there will be a certain amount of inescapable accountability. If I know people are reading then I'm likely be more vigilant about staying on track and getting it done. So a preemptive "thank you" goes out to those of you who follow and keep me on my toes.
That just about covers it. For those of you looking for a little more detail: I'm 38, married, we have an old dog, I live abroad, and occasionally travel. But, since this is just an introduction, that's all you get for now. The rest will come to the surface as I write more. So follow and stay tuned.
Thanks again to those reading and I look forward to being part of the Steemit community.
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Welcome to Steem @jallenhayslett.
Thank you. Glad to be here.
Welcome to Steemit! You're always welcome to post whatever it is in your mind. I'm sure you'll find the platform beautiful! Looking at this post I can definitely tell how talented and creative you are! This is definitely a place for you. Show the world more of your breathtaking work and believe me, Steemit will reward your talent but it requires hard work! I'm no expert though I'm certain you'll do a great job on this platform!
Also, never forget to add pictures on your posts! It gives a different flare on it if you add pictures and thumbnails for your articles! It also showcases your creativity!
All the best for you and your journey through this website! Visit me if you'd love to read a few stories and such! I'm definitely looking forward to hearing from you!
Kirby loves you! <3
Thank you. I considered adding some pics, but judging by the looks of things now, a good way to get noticed is to NOT have pics. Those definitely stand out more now that everyone is adding pics to their posts. I'm going to try keeping it to text for now, at least until I feel confident posting my own original pics.
Welcome to Steem @jallenhayslett.
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All the Best!!!
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Thank you in advance!
Hey @jallenhayslett. I am glad with your presence in Steemit. I wish you the best! Hope you gonna have fun with our community and see you soon!
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