Second Surrender and the Obsession That Was Finally Lifted – Glenn J.

About This Speaker Tape

2nd Trad Groups - 2020

Glenn J. maps out the anatomy of a 'real alcoholic,' breaking down the physical allergy the mental obsession and the spiritual malady that kept him drinking a quart of hard liquor a day. He traces a lifelong pattern of defiance and dishonesty from a nine-year-old drinking a cocktail of spirits in a closet to a high-flying engineering career at Bechtel where he drove across the Bay Bridge with one eye open. After a near-fatal detox that left staff wondering if he had 'wet brain,' Glenn J. found a design for living through a men's group and the guidance of old-timers. He dismantles the myth of controlled drinking arguing that the only path out is total abstinence and rigorous honesty. Today he trades the slow suicide of the bottle for high-adrenaline pursuits: skydiving from 18,000 feet ziplining and pushing a modified Miata to 135 mph on the track.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:45 Laughter: Glenn J. asks the audience about peeing in closets.
• 3:15 Discussion of the physical allergy and the 'abnormal reaction' to alcohol.
• 5:20 Explanation of the spiritual malady and the 'stick man' ego wall.
• 8:10 Story of his first drink at age nine in a bedroom closet.
• 11:30 The 'recipe' for drinking: fun plus no consequences.
• 15:40 The intervention involving his mother, brother, and a lawyer.
• 18:20 The struggle to detox in rehab and the fear of 'wet brain'.
• 21:10 The importance of the home group and the men's answer group.
• 25:30 Experiences with international conventions and the 'sucking' nature of the Alamo.
• 28:15 Details on his modified Miata and racing at Laguna Seca.
• 31:00 Deep dive into the second sentence of 'How It Works' and the necessity of honesty.