Podcasts about Abstinence

Retired Kansas City Police Intelligence Unit detective Gary Jenkins sits down with former criminal and prison minister Bill Corum for one of the most unusual conversations ever featured on Gangland Wire. Bill Corum recounts his journey from car theft and prison escapes in the early 1960s to his deep involvement in Kansas City's criminal underworld in the 1970s and early 1980s. He describes his work around pornography, prostitution, stolen property, cocaine trafficking, and his connections to notorious Kansas City underworld figures. Gary and Bill discuss legendary Kansas City mob fence Sol Landi and his murder by assassins sent by the mob, the River Quay era, Junior Bradley, corrupt influences in local politics and the courts, and the explosive cocaine culture that swept through Kansas City during the 1980s. Bill also shares stories involving Weld Wheels founder Kenny Weld, cocaine trafficking operations, and the dangerous atmosphere surrounding organized crime in Kansas City. The conversation dives into: Bill's prison escape and stolen car career The prostitution business in Independence, Missouri Mob-connected fences and stolen property rings Cocaine trafficking in Kansas City during the early 1980s The murder of Saul Landy River Quay nightlife and mob influence Corrupt officials and criminal networks Kansas City organized crime personalities Prison life and criminal culture Bill Corum's dramatic religious conversion in 1983 His decades-long prison ministry work across America Bill also explains how he transformed his life after addiction, violence, and years in the criminal world, eventually dedicating his life to prison outreach and ministry programs throughout the United States. You can learn more about Bill Corum and his book at either The Ultimate Pardon or Bill Corum Official Website If you're interested in true crime, mafia history, and real law enforcement stories, this is an episode you don't want to miss. Subscribe for more mafia history and true crime stories every week. Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” Subscribe to the website for weekly notifications about updates and other Mob information. To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. [00:00:00] hey, all you wiretappers. Gary Jenkins here, retired Kansas City police detective in the intelligence unit. Turned podcaster and author and documentary filmmaker. If you want to see any of my stuff, go to my website and look in the show notes or look in the I think the donate page. Of course, if you’re in the donate page, you might want to hit the donate button. We always use a little, can use a little support. And I have a guy that I’d heard of and I’d seen on YouTube and I have mu- we have mutual friends, but I had never actually met him. And I, so I g- I… Some people he knows asked me to be on their show. And so I was on their show, and Bill was on that show at the same time. So we started talking. We had lunch and we had all these… We were running in the same circles, but separate circles that then overlapped every once in a while. He was on one side of the law and I was on the other. So Bill Corum. Welcome, Bill. Thank you, Gary. Thank you so much. And we were running in opposite… We were running real close- … but I was careful. When [00:01:00] I got out of prison, it- You were. When I got out of prison in 1964, I had two goals. Yeah. Never go back, and never get caught. And I started breaking the law the day I got out of prison, and I broke the law for almost 19 years and didn’t get caught. I got caught a couple times at little things, and I got… I hired a high-powered criminal attorney that came out of Alex Peebles’ office who’s now a judge. I won’t even mention his name. He’s now a judge. I think I told you who it was. But and Alex got me out of a couple deals way back when. But little things. And I was still, doing everything. And I went for almost 19 years and didn’t get caught. Unlike many of my friends, I’ve been in prison ministry for 40 years now, and I run around with a lot of guys that did a lot of time. 25 years, 40 years. Li- they had double life without parole, now they’re out But I never got caught. Yeah. And I was speaking at a women’s prison just recently, and I was talking to the women, and I was telling that story, and I said, “I got out and I [00:02:00] went for 19 years.” She said, “You must have been awful smart.” I said I wa- I wasn’t too smart or I wouldn’t have been doing that stuff.” But I did know ways and one thing was ’cause I didn’t talk to people. I didn’t have a lot of… Kinda like the trench coat robbers. They robbed banks for 15 years- Yeah … and never got caught because they didn’t email, text, phone calls, none of that. Yeah. They would, they would- And they moved away too. Oh, yeah. Kinda moved away from their home territory, so they- Yeah y- they weren’t having their buddies come up to them say, “Hey, what are you doing? Where you been?” “I haven’t seen you for a while.” And then they turn around and tell some cop that they know, “Hey, I can’t remember the guy’s name now. Billy Kirkpatrick. Billy Kirkpatrick. He’s been out of town. He just got back.” And, you know- Yeah … then they put… Suddenly they get this notice about these bank robbers somewhere else. They… He didn’t do that. He stayed- … out of town. So Bill, let’s- No, that was me. Go ahead. Go, let’s go back and start you from the beginning. Introduce to who you are to my guys, ’cause they don’t know you. I didn’t know you, ’cause you were such a low profile in this world. You said you got out of prison. Why don’t we [00:03:00] start with that? Where, what were you in the joint for originally? I was originally in there for Dyer Act, which is, in the feds, that’s interstate transportation- Yeah of stolen motor vehicles. I was in the Marine Corps. I went AWOL. I got caught. I went back. I got back AWOL again. I went back. They put me on restrictions, said I couldn’t leave the base. I was at that point in my life where nobody could tell me what to do. And so I’s “I’m leaving the base,” and I left and I think I stole 10, 12 cars while I was out. And then I got put in the… When I got back the next time, they put me in the brig, and I escaped from the brig. And and I stole a car off the base back in tho- in the ’60s, early ’60s, ’62, 3. People left their keys in their car. Yeah. And I went out. I was in the parachute locker painting. When the guard came in to check on me, I hit him in the back of the head with a full bucket of paint, a full gallon of paint, and I went out the window and I got a car, and I actually had a guy with me. He said, “I’m going with you.” And so we got in the car, and when we got to [00:04:00] the gate, I said, “Now, if that guard steps out at the gate, I’m running over him.” And he’s “No, don’t do…” I said “Just shut up. I’m running over him.” And I got to the gate, and the guard stepped out and saluted me. And I’m like, “What in the world?” I drove into town, run out of gas, Gary. Got out and stole… I don’t know how I remember this. I stole a ’62 maroon Bonneville. And when I was walking away from the car, my buddy looked back and started laughing. I said, “What are you laughing about?” He said, “I see why they saluted us. That car had a colonel sticker on the bumper.” So then I stole that car, that Bonneville, drove into Mississippi. Because I always ask guys in prisons, “How many of you know when you escape from prison you need some different clothes?” Yeah. So I drove into a little town called Leland, Mississippi, and I was breaking in a clothing store to get me some clothes. It was 11:00 at night, and I looked down, I was climbing up on some boxes to get to the roof to go in the skylight, ’cause they had analog alarms, they were easy to beat. [00:05:00] And I looked down and I saw a flashlight coming down the alley. So I dropped down, ran the other way, and I turned the corner and ran into the biggest, fattest Mississippi sheriff you ever seen. And he had a gun, he had a gun about this long. And he stuck it right here, and he goes, “Where are you going, boy?” And I said, “With you, sir.” That’s what I said. And that was the end of the Marine Corps. So now I’ve taken a car across the state line, and the feds step in. And I went to… I got a six-year sentence. I got what they call a zip six. And back then, before ’86, now in ’86 they passed it to 85%. Yeah. But prior to 80- prior to ’86, you could get out of the feds at one-third of your sentence. And so I got this six-year sentence. I got out in two years, and when I got out, I said, “I’m never getting caught again. I’m never going back to prison.” And I went for ni- and I just started right then. And everything from then on was like, I got involved with pornography. I was promoting [00:06:00] pornography and prostitution. There’s a story in my book about me being a… I was a bodyguard and a chauffeur for a lady that had a cat house over in Independence. You know where Inglewood was in Independence? And guys- You know where- … In- Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, but it’s like whole, decently large city for a suburb- Yeah … but it’s connected to it. Yeah. That’s where Harry Truman was from- That’s right … and retired back to. Yeah. So y- you were over there probably on the east side of Independence. Inglewood’s kinda closer to Kansas City, over there- Yes … by Dogpatch, in what we call Dogpatch. That’s- The- … kinda totally lawless area. And so there was a guy there that I was friends with that had a record store. He was the first guy in Kan- his name was Tony Marino. He’s in my book. He’s dead now. He was the first guy ever in Kansas City to sell paraphernalia in a record store. And he was making 25,000 a month- Wow … back in the… Yeah, when it started. That was a lot of money. And he, right next to him was a [00:07:00] store, it’s still there. I go by it all the time, ’cause we eat at the Englewood Cafe all the time. It’s the only one on that little s- first strip there that’s got steps going up. And a lady up there had a cathouse for 12 years, prostitutes. And her main customers were executives from Ford Motor Company- … from General Motors, and from Hallmark Cards. And the reason, Gary, was because she knew if she had executives, they weren’t gonna talk. Yeah. And she had beautiful women. She didn’t have ladies like up on Main and Troost and Prospect. Yeah. The- these women had all their teeth, and they were- … and they were good-looking. Yeah. And so the first guy, a- actually, who got me the job was Sal Rello, that o- that owned he owned that deluxe deli down on 430, where the Erotic City is now. Oh, yeah. He owned that- Yeah … he owned that bar. Heard about him, yeah. And I told him for years, I said, “You need to open an adult bookstore here,” because Gary, he was the only bar in Kansas City, the only bar [00:08:00] in Kansas City that was open on Election Day. You know why? ‘Cause he was in the county. He was in the county. He wasn’t in- Wasn’t in the city, yeah … he wasn’t in the city. And he was open on Election Day. And I told him, I said, “Man, if you’d open an adult bookstore, you could make a lot of money.” He never did, of course. Yeah. And then they put Erotic City in there, and it went good for a few years and stuff, yeah. But so he’s the one that told me about her. I went to interview with her, and she said, “I just have one question. Do you carry a gun?” I said, “No, ma’am, I carry two guns.” And she said, “You’re hired.” And so G- Gary, I picked her up every day on the Plaza. She lived in a $2,000 a month apartment on the Plaza in 1976. Yeah. That was a lot of money. That’s five today. And, yeah, and I took her to get her facial every Tuesday. I took her to the beauty shop every Thursday, and read about her in my book. She was 80 years old. The name of that chapter in my book is 80-Year-Old Hooker. She was 80, 80 years old, and she [00:09:00] ran it like a business. I had, I, she opened at 9:00 in the morning and closed at 5:00 at night, and ran it just five days a week, just like a business. And I wouldn’t be surprised she didn’t pay taxes. She was legit, man. Yeah. And I knew you can’t operate something like that for 12 years in Independence, Missouri, and not have the police know about it. No, they knew about it. Oh, yeah. It’s that upper echelon, they were, they just steered people away from each other. Oh, yeah. Don’t worry about that. Oh, yeah. That’s right. So that was- So Bill, y- you, you moved from that- Into the drug business now, how did you, how’d you even get started in that? Where like 1960s, ’60, by the late ’60s, drugs are starting to, become more popular and there becomes a real market for it that’s among- Yeah a much larger constituency than ever before. So now, how did you- I re- … move into that? I, oh, I really, for years and years, Gary, years, I didn’t have a partner [00:10:00] because I knew if I had to run, I didn’t want somebody… I didn’t know if my partner would tell on me, so I did everything by myself. I did one thing one time and I had to have a partner, and I stole a computer out of a crane at General Motors down in Leeds. And I, and my fence, the chapter in my book, They Killed My Fence, that was Saul Andy. Yeah. And when Saul got killed, like they killed my fence, because anything I took to Saul, he’d buy it. Didn’t matter if it was guns or it didn’t matter what it was. And I didn’t never keep anything except cash. If I had money, I’d keep it, but I’d never keep anything. I didn’t keep diamond rings or… I got rid of all that stuff, ’cause I never wanted anything to be able to identify me and tie me to a crime. And Saul, when he got killed, of course, then I started dealing with another guy. But Saul was taking all that and selling it to Junior Bradley, most of it, the stuff that Junior- And, and- … would be interested in. And guys- But, J- Junior Bradley, I gotta explain who Junior Bradley was. Junior Bradley was the mob fence in Kansas City. He was probably the biggest fence in Kansas City I got a [00:11:00] feeling. He, and what he started doing was trading Dilaudid especially for stolen property, and he had a little deli right across from police headquarters and City Hall, and everybody knew Junior. Everybody loved Junior. Everybody liked Junior. He’s always doing favors for people. If you went in the penitentiary, you’d go talk to Junior and say, “Okay, what, what’s gonna happen when I get here? Can you help me out?” And he’ll say, “I’ll make some calls.” Or I, we had, we overheard him on a wiretap once saying- a, a father called him and said, my son’s got to report up here to Leavenworth to the camp.” He said, “Okay, I’ll take care of it. I’ll be somebody there to meet him there.” And I’ve had many other reports but Junior was the main mob fence. So go ahead- Yeah … and we’ll talk what you were dealing with- Yeah Junior Bradley. Yeah be- let’s back up. So you asked me about how I got into drugs. So all those years when I was married, I didn’t drink and I didn’t do drugs. I thought if you did dope, you were a d- I thought that’s why they call it dope, ’cause you were a dope if you did it. Yeah. So I didn’t do it, and I didn’t drink because I knew I had to always be able to think and make [00:12:00] decisions and… ‘Cause I cheated on my wife every day for 10 years, and I did crime every day for 10 years, and she never knew it till I wrote this book. And I gave her the first book actually. And so- When I got divorced and started smoking pot and doing stuff, hanging out with those people, and I started smoking weed, then the first time I bought an ounce of weed it was 40 bucks. And I’m like, “Okay, how much is how much is more if you buy more? You can buy a half pound for this or you can buy…” So I said then I’ll… Give me a half a pound and I’m gonna sell,” yeah. So I started buying pounds and selling ounces, and man, all of a sudden I’m, now I’m smoking free and I’m making some money. Yeah. And then I started sell- And by the time I ended, even when I was selling cocaine, I was selling 100 pounds of pot a week. I had one guy that would buy 100 pounds of pot from me every week. Yeah. And I’d just take him 100 pounds and he’d just bring my… Every day he’d stop by my house [00:13:00] with sacks of money, and that was, the way I got started in the drug world then. And everything. It was from pot, it was, meth. We called it crank back then, not meth. And then I never did get real addicted to crank, but I got real addicted to cocaine. And of course, I was doing a drug class the other day. I teach a drug class, my wife and I, addictions class at our church. And I said, when I started, I was only gonna sell it and not do it.” And because one guy said I was only gonna do it and never sell it.” And I said, “No, not me. I was gonna sell it and never do it.” But that didn’t last very long. And once you start doing it you’re in there, and, Yeah, really … and then, when I got arrested September 5th of ’82 the guy that I beat up I put 100 stitches in the back of his head with a ball bat, and it was in an active enforcement really. But he turned states. He’s the one, when Kenny… You remember Kenny Weld? I remember the name. Was you still on the force when Kenny got busted in ’83? [00:14:00] Yeah. ’80- Yeah, I would’ve been. Okay. So- I have some vague memory, I don’t remember the, all the details. At the time it was the biggest drug bust, it was the biggest just drug bust in, I know in Kansas City, maybe. They caught him out there in Blue Springs with 29 pounds of cocaine, and we were selling- Yeah … cocaine to the people that were selling cocaine to Kenny. And so the guy that I beat up gave a 20-page, which is like reading a book, 20 typewritten pages. Yeah. 20 typewritten pages, and he named every name involved in the circle that he knew, and that implicated us as being some of the leading cocaine dealers in Kansas City. Yeah. Now, when I go speak in churches and a pastor gets up and says, “Folks, today we’ve got the biggest cocaine dealer that ever lived.” I get up and say, “You know what? I don’t mean to correct your pastor.” But I was implicated as being one of the leading cocaine- I was not the leading cocaine dealer. There was a lot of people bigger than me. But that’s that’s how it all started and [00:15:00] of course my case, I never did… the drugs never came in. The lawyers that I had, because when I got busted it was on a Sunday, and that’s part of my story. I always ask inmates, “How many of you have been arrested on a weekend?” And every hand goes up. Yeah. And I say, and then I say, “What happens when you get arrested on a weekend?” They all yell, “Nothing.” ‘Cause you’re not going anywhere till Monday morning, at the very least. I got arrested 2:00 Sunday afternoon. By that time, Gary, I had three goals. When I was about 30, I got nicknamed by one of the key mafia figures Crazy Bill, ’cause I did some crazy things. Like I ran through a bar. You know where the old Club Royal was on Main? Oh yeah. There was a bar right ac- I’ve drunk there many times. Okay. There was a bar across the street that I had a girlfriend working in, and we got in a fight, and I was gonna cut the bar in half with a chainsaw. And I had my buddy drop me at the back parking lot. I fired the chainsaw up, I opened the door, and when the door… When I stepped inside, the door [00:16:00] closed with the closer, and the dar- the bar was totally dark. It was not a bar where you could even buy a bag of potato chips. It was strictly alcohol. And when you get- Yeah … in a bar like that, they’re dark. And that door shut, and I thought, “I’m gonna bend over and start cutting this bar, and somebody just shoot me in the back.” So I just wa- I just walked through the bar with the chainsaw running and went out the front door, and Kenny picked me up in the front, and off we went. And so because of that, I got nicknamed Crazy Bill. Yeah. By 30 years old, I had three goals: money, power, and influence. Now, I told you as we were selling a lot of cocaine. So I stayed in $500 a night hotels. I ride in limousines. I bought $20,000 worth of cocaine for a one-night party. So I had money, and I had enough power to make a phone call and have somebody killed, so I had power. And I had enough influence that when I got arrested Sunday afternoon, now I love telling this to a police officer. I was on a show in Texas with a cop, and we called it the Con and the Cop. [00:17:00] But I love telling this story. I got arrested September 5th. 2:00, 2:00 PM is when they booked us into the jail, and I made a phone call back to Kansas City to somebody who was in politics, and I said, “You know who to call.” And that person called the judge we were selling cocaine to. And I ask this question in prisons, “How many of you know when you’re selling cocaine to a judge, he don’t want you in jail?” And I walked out of that jail, Gary, at 1:30 Monday morning. Wow. I got arrest- less than 12 hours after I got arrested on a weekend. And when I walked out of that jail, I said, “Bill Corum, you’ve arrived. You got money.” “You got power, and you got influence.” But the one thing I didn’t have was peace. Yeah. I didn’t have any peace, man. No peace. Yeah. If I was in a restaurant eating and a cop walked in, I’d put money on the table and go out the door. If I saw a UPS driver, I got nervous ’cause he had a uniform on. I didn’t have any peace. And then after I became a Christian, I was reading in the Bible [00:18:00] one day, and it said, “A wicked man runs when no one’s chasing him.” And I went, “Oh my gosh, I left a lot of steak dinners sitting on the table.” And wasn’t anybody chasing you. Nobody. That cop didn’t even know I was in there. He probably didn’t even know who I was. Really? He just come in… He just came in there to eat, and I thought he was after me. So Bill, I always like to go into the, the nuts and bolts of some of these things. And we kinda left one thing hanging, is the Saul Landy story. Now guys, Saul Landy was a big sports bettor. And Saul Landy had a, wasn’t it a metal- Square Deal Junk- Square Deal Junkyard. Square… He had a junkyard. Square Deal. He bought a lot of scrap metal and dealt in scrap metal, but he also would buy most anything from, from- Yeah … thieves, from boosters- Yeah … and burglars and people like that. That’s where Bill met him. But he’s a huge sports gambler, and they thought he might testify against our boss, Nick Civella, because he had been allowed to bet down at The Trap, down with Frankie Tusa, who was the underling [00:19:00] that handled all the sports gambling for Nick Civella. Isn’t that right? Isn’t that the way that went down? Oh, yeah, and Bobby Maroon was running The Trap at the time. And- yeah … so do you remember the guy that, that paid for his murder? Remember that guy, Johnny Franks, Johnny Frank Avella? That’s what they said, yep. Yeah. Yep. He had, he had- That’s what they said. He had some connections. But he got… But Johnny Franks got the order from somebody else. Yeah. Yeah … the bug, the buck stopped with Johnny Franks now, didn’t it? Yes. ‘Cause he hired another guy, who then he hired a Black guy, which was- That’s right … truly unusual. Who then- That’s right … hired a couple of young Black street kids and that was even more unusual, and they killed this Saul Landy and his wife. So they keep a f- And then they sang and then they sang like The Temptations. Exactly, yeah. That, and that’s that w- some claim that Johnny Franks did that just on his own, trying to impress Nick Civella. Some people say that somebody else told him to do it. I don’t… It never, he never talked, so it never came about. Yeah. [00:20:00] Did you ever hear anything about that? I never heard anything except what you just said, that he- Okay … he never talked, and Nick, Nick never got convicted. He never- Yeah … but here’s the thing that, what you said. The guys that they hired to do it, because back in those days as y- you’d go to… i’d go to the electric chair before somebody, before I’d tell on somebody. Yeah. I’m not gonna tell on anybody. Go ahead and put me in the gas chamber, I’m not telling on nobody. But those guys would, they’d sing like The Temptations. They weren’t gonna, they- Yeah … they wouldn’t- Those street kids If they offered them a day in jail, they wouldn’t take it. If you’ll tell us, we won’t, we’re only gonna put you in jail for a week if you’ll tell. Yeah. They wouldn’t tell. So how did that work with you and Saul Landy? You weren’t a sports bettor you didn’t have anything to do with that. You were a thief. Yeah, and I don’t know- And- I honestly, you know what? Gary, I don’t remember who even told me to go to Saul with stolen merchandise, ’cause I was hitting a lot of construction jobs back then. [00:21:00] Ah. I worked construction, and I was in the union, and I was stealing off these jobs all the time. Big- Ah, yeah … big amounts of stuff. Like they’d start a brand-new job, and they’d have all brand-new tools, and I’d go over there and take everything they had. And then I’d take it all to Saul. And matter of fact, one time I did a job over in, it was a eight-story high-rise over in Kansas City, Kansas, down around Argentine, in the Argentine area. And I was on the job, I was working on the job, and we just started. And we had all this trailer, a whole trailer load of tools. And I went over and got all the tools, and the last thing I took out was the cutting torch. I cut the lock off the door, ’cause I had a key to get in. And so when I got to work the next morning, I had everything in my truck. I had a tonneau cover over my truck and had all these tools in the back of my truck, and parked in the parking lot. I got there and I called Johnny Myers, who was running the job, and Johnny’s been dead for years. I said, “Hey, Johnny, somebody hit our job last night.” He’s “What?” I said, “Yeah, they cut the lock off. They got everything.” [00:22:00] And he said call the police and I’ll be out there in just a few minutes.” And so the cops come, couple detectives and he was telling what they, what was going on. I’m standing there listening to the whole thing. And there was a generator, a big generator, and I was real strong back then, Gary. I was 6’3″ and weighed 275 and I carried this generator down the steps and this… and Johnny said, or the cop said that, how much that generator weigh?” And he told him, and he said it had to be at least two guys, if not three. But no, no one guy could carry that down them steps.” And Johnny turned around and he said, “Except Superman,” ’cause that’s what they called me on the job. And they laughed, and he laughed, and I laughed. Yeah. And then that night after I got off work, I took it all down to Square Deal and sold it all to Saul. Yeah. Interesting. So- All right. Thanks so much … and I did that stuff all, yeah, I did that stuff all the time. But I honestly do not remember who introduced me to Saul Landy. Yeah. But I know that for years and years we were buddies. And when I first met him, I used a, I had an alias that I always went by. I had two a- two aliases. One of them was a guy I [00:23:00] was in prison with that was from East St. Louis, and I knew everything about him, ’cause we were real good friends. I knew his middle name, I knew his mom and dad’s name. I knew everything about him, so I’d use his name. So if anybody ever asked me a question, I knew. The other guy was a cousin of mine that I hadn’t seen for y- I used his name, ’cause I knew everything about him. So what, the, when I first met my wife, we went to a dance one night. We weren’t married yet, and we were walking up the steps, and this guy walking down said, “Hey, Jim. How you doing, Jim?” And I said, “Good.” We got in, sat down. My wife looked at me and she said, “I thought your name was Bill.” I s- said, “It is. It is Bill.” I said, “He probably just had me mixed up with somebody else.” ‘Cause there was a lot of people in the inner circles, yeah. So when I met Saul Andy, something inside of me told me to… Because I met Saul, and I told him my name was Jim Gardner. Yeah. And he’s we did a couple deals, and then something inside of me told me to b- be honest with Saul. And so I sat him down one day, I said, “I wanna tell you something. I use that name as an alias. My [00:24:00] real name is Bill Corum,” and da. And I was so glad I did, because later I would be in the River Key in a restaurant or a bar with Saul, and some of the guys were in there, and I thought if I’d have used the… If he’d introduced me as Jim Gardner- Yeah … and then later they find out who I am, I might not be here. Yeah. You know what I mean? You might- So I- They might think you’re undercover cop or a- Exactly. Exactly. So I just- Informant or something, yeah … it, a- and that, I think that’s in my book. I told that story because I just, I felt like being upfront with him, and I, because I trusted him, yeah. I actually, in, in the book I think I said if Nick Civella trusted him, I thought I could trust him. Yeah. But a- apparently, apparently- Bet he didn’t trust him all that much … no. Yeah. Because right there, out there on Pennsylvania, or let’s see, where’d they… They lived right off 75th, right behind the what was that restaurant on 75th? The Italian place? Yeah … I starts with a G, I think. Yeah, I know. Just north of Ward Parkway Shopping Center. Yeah. Yeah. I know the neighborhood, yeah. Oh, Cat- was it Cat? [00:25:00] No. C- it doesn’t matter. But he lived right down that str- he lived on Washington. Yeah. Right there. Yeah. About 77th or 8th and Washington, in Washington, yeah. I remember that. Yeah. But that’s how I met Saul. And what, and guys, what those guys did that night, they tried to make it look like a home invasion robbery, but ended up killing him and his w- and I think they raped his wife too. But, They didn’t kill her. They left her alive they, they left her alive. But- Yeah … they really m- tried to make it look like a home invasion robbery, not a hit, which was, at least they were that smart. They just weren’t- Yeah … couldn’t keep their mouth shut, and they couldn’t, weren’t smart enough to not tell their friends, so they got caught. Good, good thing there wasn’t no Facebook back then, Gary. Yeah, it’s crazy. It’s crazy. Crazy world you live in, so- these kids- Bill … yeah. What happened? What happened? You had all this going. You had money, power, influence. Yeah, I- You caught a cocaine case. Now the thing about that cocaine case, that you said, I thought you said Wells. It’s Kenny Weld, isn’t it? The race car driver? W-E-L-D. Kenny Weld. W-E-L-D. Yeah. He was a race [00:26:00] car driver at that time. I, I- Kinda well-known, and he had a whole set of… He had a big company that sold wheels … Weld Wheels … fancy wheels. He was really doing well, and then he got involved with a b- huge, big cocaine thing. I didn’t know, remember you were part of that, but I remember that. A multi-million dollar- Yeah … wheel business. Yeah. I still am a big… I was a dirt track guy. I grew up on dirt. Yeah. I love dirt. I actually took his brother, Greg, who actually owned the company, I took Greg to his first… the first race that Greg ever raced in, I drove him to the races. And then Kenny and I and Greg, and they won the Knoxville Nationals. Greg raced in the Indianapolis 500 four times. Yeah. They were a big name in the country, the Welds. And making millions of dollars, Gary. Even back then, they were making millions of dollars. Yeah. And then Kenny got caught up in the cocaine and started messing with it, and next thing you know… he was making a lot of money in the cocaine too, but- Yeah … he got caught with 29 pounds, which was a large amount. But that statement that guy [00:27:00] made on me, ’cause I always felt guilty because Kenny got busted because the statement that he made, he named Kenny Weld in that statement, and it wasn’t long after that they arrested Kenny. But I’m sure they were already watching him, for sure. But then I, and I don’t know, Kenny got eight year, Kenny got 25 years. He went to Sandstone first up in Minnesota. Yeah. And he only did 52 months, so I’m not sure, because back then a third would’ve been eight, eight and a half years or something, right? Yeah. And he only did 52 months, so I don’t know how that, maybe it was money or whatever. I don’t know. Yeah. But he turned his life around in prison, but then what’s the sad deal, when I turned my life around, I tried to get in touch with Kenny Weld, and he wouldn’t talk to me. He- Yeah … he was avoid- I think he was afraid that I was gonna come after him because the guy I beat up was the guy that was… We were all involved in the cocaine world together. Joker John, I don’t know if you knew who Joker John Agrusa was. I [00:28:00] don’t remember that n- I don’t remember that name now. Was he- They had a bar out on, they had a bar on, out on 23rd Street. No, I don’t, I don’t- Joker John’s. John, his last name was Agrusa. He had a brother- Agrusa, yeah … named Nick Agrus. New- Nick Agrusa’s brother. Yeah, I co- do kinda remember that. He went down- Yeah … with that whole thing. See, I was- That was ’83. I was I was off into something else during those years. Okay. No- That was early in the coke, crack cocaine thing … no, John, w- after I beat up Pink Mike, John Agrusa left town. He moved to Arizona, ’cause he was scared of me. A l- a lot of people- ’cause I was crazy. I did some crazy things, and people were scared. And so when I got arrested on that deal, he left town. He went to Arizona. And then Kenny got busted, Kenny Weld. And the, some of the people in that… My dad read that 20-page statement, and my dad said… And my dad was an old guy. He was born in 1909, but he read that statement, and he said, “This guy’s worth, life ain’t worth a nickel, is it?” And I [00:29:00] said, “No.” ‘Cause the guy that wrote the statement. Then I got arrest- you knew Jim Smart was a judge? Yeah, I remember the name. I didn’t know him. Okay. Jim… back then, Jim was a lawyer, and then later became appellate court judge. Yeah. And he’s retired now, but a real good friend of mine. So when I, that happened, I got… My case ended in May of ’84. Started September 5th of ’82, and ended in May of ’84. And in June of ’85, 13 months later, I got sued by the guy I beat up. Me and the other couple guy. One of the guys that was with me is dead, Charlie Elmer. I don’t know if you ever heard that name, but he was a- No, don’t know that name … cocaine dealer. But anyway I was just gonna forget about it, and I showed that to my dad, that indict- or not indictment, the notice that I need to appear in court. Statement. Yeah. Yeah, and my dad s- no, not the statement, when he sued me. [00:30:00] Oh, the oh, okay. Then they filed charges. Yeah, the counter-suit. And I showed it to my dad one day and I wasn’t even gonna go. I said, “Oh, God will take care of it.” And my dad read it, and he’s “Bill, you gotta get a lawyer.” Yeah. You’re being charged, and so I went and got a lawyer, and I got Jim Smart. And and Jim tried to go and do a deposition on that guy, on Pink Mike. Could never find him. Ah. And I di- I don’t know, I honestly don’t know. I know I didn’t have nothing to do with… But nobody’s ever been able to find him. But I’m suspecting, ’cause my dad said when he read that 20 pa- he said his life isn’t worth a nickel. Because he named judge in there, a judge in there. He named Kenny Weld in there. He named a lot of other big-name guys, and he’s disappeared, so nobody know. I haven’t seen him since the day in court in 1982. So who knows where he’s at. Yeah. If he’s around. I don’t know. But- Interesting. What did you finally cop? Did you have a full trial, or did you go ahead and cop a plea in the end? That’s interesting you’d [00:31:00] ask because when we first, when we got out of jail at 1:30 Monday morning, the 3rd of the 6th of September, he wal- the lawyer came and walked us out with, we… we had left, we were staying in the Embassy Suites downtown. You know where that was at? Oh, yeah. It was 500 bucks a night, and we had left two s- two s- brief- briefcases there with one had cocaine in it uncut, and the other one had about $60,000 in it. And so we went down. We actually called… he’s dead now, so I can tell you who it was. Jerry Schanzer that owned Napoleon Bakery. And Jerry was a big… i’m surprised that you didn’t, you talk about bookmakers. Jerry was a big bookmaker. Yeah. Exactly. And Schanzer- I remember him, yeah … Schanzer owned Mother’s down on 18th and Baltimore. Not Mother’s. Granny’s. Granny’s, yeah. He owned Granny’s at 18th and Baltimore. Yeah, a lot of mob guys used- And then he- … to go down there and eat. Oh, every time I went in there I saw [00:32:00] somebody. Yeah. And then later he opened up one over in Mission shopping center there on Mission Road. And then they then they ended up opening up Napoleon, him and his brother Larry. And then they’re both dead now. But we, this is how much we trusted Jerry. We told Jerry, “Go…” We called Jerry from the jail and said, “Go down to the Embassy and get our, get a briefcase.” And Jerry went down and he drove halfway to Warrensburg and ha- something told him to open it- Oh, wow … and he opened the one, he opened the one that had the cocaine in it. Oh, shit. And he called us and said, “I got the wrong briefcase.” And it… No, he said, “I can’t come and get you with this.” And so he went back to the Embassy and got the right one. Came down, and we made bond that night. Then the next morning was… Okay, that was we got busted on Sunday the 5th. Monday we got out. The lawyer [00:33:00] said, Mike, I don’t know if you ever knew Mike and what was his dad’s name? The Fi- it was Fitzgerald and Fitzgerald was the name of the firm in, down in Warrensburg. Warensburg, yeah. I don’t know them. Yeah. And Mike and Charlie Fitzgerald. So ’cause I called People’s Office and said, “Hey, this happened.” And they said, “Stick with those guys. Those guys are the best in the county. They know the county. They know the prosecutor, the judges and everything. Stick with them.” So we went in. He told us, “Don’t come in tomorrow morning,” ’cause it was 1:30 in the morning Monday morning. He said, “Come and see me Wednesday.” Yeah. And so we went… no, he said, “Come and see me Tuesday,” ’cause that was 1:30 in the morning. And we walked in there that morning and he said, “Come and see me tomorrow morning, Tuesday morning.” And bring me $10,000 apiece. And I wish I had a video of it, because it can be on America’s Funniest Home Videos. I walked into his office with a white bank bag and dumped out $30,000 on his desk in cash, and he opened [00:34:00] his drawer like this and scooped it into the drawer. And I said, “Mike, there’s a lot more where that came from.” He said, “Bill, I can’t. It’s… I gotta do everything legitimately.” Yeah. And I said, “Okay.” So the first meeting, his dad was in there and he was in there, and the three of us, and he said, “Guys, Dad and I have talked, and you guys might wanna think about getting separate attorneys.” And I said, “For what?” He said, “Because if one of you take a plea.” Yeah. I almost jumped over the desk. I said, “There’ll be no plea. There will be no plea. We’re not guilty. We’re not gonna admit we’re guilty. They can send us to the electric chair. We didn’t do it.” Now, Gary, they took us out of the house at 2:00 on Sunday afternoon in broad daylight. First, they s- we sent the guy out the back. He was totally naked when we got there. He was laying in bed. He’d been doing Dilaudids and Quaaludes all night, and he was [00:35:00] blood from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. His whole back was red. We walked him out the door in- totally naked in front of the whole world and told him, “Go out there and tell them there’s nobody else in the house.” We were so jacked up. And here’s the thing, I have to tell you this. All those years that I got away with stuff is because I was smart, and now I’m snow blind. There was a song years ago by Styx called Snow Blind- Yeah … and it’s about cocaine. It’s about… And I’d been up for 86 hours when we went down to Holden. I had not- Okay … closed my eyes for 86 hours, so I was in m- I wasn’t in my right mind. Anyway, that was… So when we we said, “No plea bargain. There’ll be no plea bargains.” And for seven months… No, I’m sorry, for four months. That was October, November, December, January, February, March, April. No, seven months. For seven months. For seven months [00:36:00] we went to court multiple times. The whole police department, I don’t know if we can- I guess we’ll say it, because it’s done. It’s history. But I had a, I had two grocery sacks, the old brown grocery sacks on the couch that I’d inventoried. I had $62,000 in cash. I had… Because it was in envelopes, and I- they were $10,000. I was throwing them in there. 62,000 in cash, about four pounds of pot, three gallon Ziploc bags full of precious jewels. Er emeralds, rubies, and stuff like that. Some hash- a 12-gauge shotgun. I think that was all. Maybe maybe it… Whatever. When they, when… The first time we ever went to court and my partner had, the one that’s dead, Charlie, he had a leather Gucci bag that we always had with us, and it had four or five grams of cocaine in it. He took his diamond rings off, put them in there. His watch, he had a Rolex [00:37:00] watch he put in there, and about 3,000 in cash. That was in the car. That was never mentioned in court. No guns were ever mentioned in court. No guns were ever mentioned in court. I had a brand new, I had a brand new fif- not- model 59 nine millimeter. That was never mentioned in court. That 12-gauge shotgun was never mentioned in court. They said that they found a couple envelopes of cash, and they found a gram. Now, there was about, I think there was about probably a half a, maybe eight, eight grams or no more than that. It was ounces. Four or five ounces of cocaine. Oh, yeah. They said they found one, they said they found one gram of a, approximately one gram of a substance believed to be cocaine. Yeah. And my lawyer said… And they said they’d send it to Jeff City for analysis. And my lawyer said, “And what were the analysis of that?” They said they haven’t come [00:38:00] back yet. This is two months after they arrested us. They did- And they found approximately one gram, and there was ounces of cocaine in there. They found a couple envelopes with approximately $2,000 in cash. There was $62,000. The car I was driving, so when I got arrested, I had the keys in my pocket. So when they booked us into jail, when we walked out at 1:30 Monday morning, they gave us back our property. I had the keys in my pocket. So the car’s… Now, this is a brand new ’80, this was a ’82. This was an ’81 Trans Am. The car’s in Holden. The police chi- And they said they were gonna confiscate the car because it had Kansas tags on it, that they wanted to go through the car da. The police chief changed the ignition and was driving that car for his personal car. It cost my buddy, because it was a friend of mine, T- Ronnie M- Ron McGee, it was his car. It cost him $10,000 and an attorney to get his car back from them. So bottom line, every time we [00:39:00] went to court, several ti- my lawyer would say, “I’d like to call Officer Gary Jenkins up.” Gary Jenkins is not on the force anymore. He moved to Arizona.” “I’d like to call so-and-so up next time we go in.” He’s not here anymore. He moved to wherever.” So all the money and all the guns and all the drugs, they split it up and no, nobody ever… So the thing was so dirty. So what happens is we’d been going to court for that seven months, And then I become a Christian. I walk into his offi- and we’re adamant, we’re not plea bargain. We don’t want separate lawyers. We want you two guys to represent us. We’re gonna beat this thing. And, oh, and I told, because when that guy gave that 20-page statement after he got out of the hospital, this was a month later or something, he called us all in. We went in. He sh- hands each one of us 20-page statement. He said, “Guys, let me tell you something. I’m defending you on an assault with intent to kill charge. I’m gonna get that reduced, but if you get busted [00:40:00] dealing cocaine, you’ve got to stop dealing cocaine, ’cause if you get busted dealing cocaine while I’m on this case, it’s gonna complicate the case.” Yeah. “You gotta stop.” And I said, “Mike, I don’t tell you how to practice law, and you don’t tell me how to make money. You just keep doing what you do, and I’ll keep doing what I do, and I’ll keep bringing you money.” And he never said another word. Three or four months later, I become a Christian. I walk into his office by myself. And when I walked in the door, he said, “What happened to you?” If you look at that book on the picture of my, on the back of my book, that was four months before I became a Christian. And the Bible says the eyes are the windows of the soul. I had a very dark soul. Yeah, I can see. I had a very dark soul. Yeah. And so he goes, “What happened to you?” And I said, “What do you mean?” And he said, “You don’t look the same.” And I said, “I’m not the same.” And I told him what happened. And he said… And I said, “We’ve got a problem.” And he goes, “What’s our [00:41:00] problem, Bill?” I said, “I can’t lie anymore.” He said, “You’re right. We’ve got a problem.” ‘Cause we’d been lying for seven months. We told… He knew the story. He said, “I just need to know this. I’ll defend you guys. I’ll beat this case, but I need to know.” So we told… And at this point now, seven months later, he said, “There’s no way out of this thing. You guys are going to prison.” He said, “I can help you figure out a way to get to the good prison, but you’re going to prison.” So when I go in that day and he goes, “What’s wrong? What what happened?” And I told him, and he said, “You don’t look the same.” I said, “I’m not the same.” I said, “We got a problem.” He goes, “What?” I said, “We can’t lie. I can’t lie anymore.” And he said I’ve got an idea.” And I said, “What?” He said if I enter a plea bargain, I think we can do this.” And he said, “You guys won’t go to prison.” And he said, “Talk to Mike and Charlie and see what they say.” So I called them. We went down, met with him. And this time they looked at me and said, “What do you think we should do, Bill?” [00:42:00] I said, “I think we ought to take the plea bargain.” We got five years’ probation and a $5,000 fine. Now, the crazy thing- that was on the assault. Yeah, they- That was on the assault. But you still got a cocaine case out here pending with the feds. No. No. No. That, if, that, that- 20-page statement that implicated me was never, he never got it out of his office. It never went out of Fitzgerald’s office. So it, he didn’t tell it to… He told it to whoever he told it to, but to the police, and the police were all crooks anyway . Yeah. So I don’t know who he told. I just know that our lawyer said if this cocaine thing comes up, it’s gonna complicate our case. It never came up. Oh. And so maybe it was the mercy of God, I don’t know. Because it was a 20-page typewritten statement naming judges, Kenny Weld, all these guys, and all these people started falling after that. And so anyway, we ended up getting a $5,000 fine and five-year probation. Now, the crazy thing, if you read my book, Charlie and Mike both went, they got called and they [00:43:00] went and reported. I never got a call. 13 months later, I had a nephew getting married up in in Wisconsin, and I wanted to go to that wedding, and I knew I couldn’t leave without permission, but I didn’t have anybody to ask permission from. And when that guy sued me, G- Gary, when that guy sued me and I went and got the lawyer that I told you I went and got, I said, “By the way…” He said, “I wanna take this case.” I said, “Great.” I said, “By the way, I got arrested September 5th of ’82. The case ended in May. I was placed on five-year probation, a $5,000 fine. I’ve never heard from anybody. What do you think I sh- should do?” He said, “Bill, you need to write a letter.” And I put the letter in the book. I wrote a letter and said da. I’d like to be supervised. Please contact me.” 13 months, and they, within two days they were knocking on my front door. And that’s when I started reporting. And Kay King was my first pr- [00:44:00] probation officer, and she asked me all the whole story, and I had sat with her for two hours and told her the whole story. She asked me how many drugs I did, what I did. I said, “I’ve done everything there is, from, marijuana to heroin to… I’ve done it all.” And I did massive amounts of everything. And I was drinking two quarts of whiskey at the end every day. And people are like, “You can’t drink two quarts of whiskey.” I said, “You never did cocaine, did you?” ‘Cause when you’re doing, ’cause when you’re doing cocaine, you can’t get drunk. And so anyway that… And I asked her when I left her office, I said, “So does my probation start now, or does it start back then?” She said, “No, Bill, it starts today.” Oh, really? I said- Wow. I said, “For 13 months I’ve been going to churches and schools and telling people how bad drugs are and how bad alcohol is and how bad this is.” And I said, “I’ve not had a traffic ticket. I haven’t had a traffic ticket.” The only ticket I’ve got in the last 43 years, I had a bad car wreck where I got T-boned at 70 miles an [00:45:00] hour. I pulled out in front of a guy. It was my fault. And that’s the only ticket I’ve had in 43 years. I haven’t been stopped by the police. And she said, “I’m sorry, Bill, it starts today.” Guess what? I did the whole five year. I went from then, I got off in ’89 or something, I th- it was almost five years I did. My partners, they only did a year and a half, and they let them off. And they were still dealing cocaine. They were still dealing. They were still dealing. Matter of fact, one of them’s brother his mama died, and the funeral was at Passantino Brothers over there on the avenue. And I went to the funeral, and I was sorry, and we were hugging. And me and him sat down and were talking, and he had a little leather Gucci bag. And he said, “Hey, I’m go- now listen.” He said, “I’m going to the bathroom. You wanna go with me?” I said, “No, brother.” Yeah. And I got up and left. He wanted to go do some cocaine. Damn. And that was years after, he’d been… Anyway. Yeah. But I’m glad I had to do the whole five years because I got to speak [00:46:00] in some… She called me once and said, “I got a friend that teaches a criminal justice class at a college, and they’ve had detectives and they’ve had police officers, they’ve had lawyers, they’ve had parole officers, but they’ve never had a criminal. Would you come and speak?” And I said, “I’d be glad to.” And I f- and then I called the professor and I said, “I’ve been asked to come.” And he said, “Yeah, we’re looking forward.” And I said I have to tell you one thing. I cannot come in there and speak and not tell your class that my life was radically changed April 15th, 1983, when I came into encounter with God through his son, Jesus Christ.” He said, “That’s okay.” And I went and told them, so I was glad I got to stay on parole for five years. So- So Bill what are you doing now? I know you- I’m just- you’ve got a prison ministry. Do you speak- Yeah … at prisons and, and- That’s all I do, Garrett. 40 years just- How does one get into that? Do you have an agent that booked you into different prisons- No … or how does that work? No. No. I started going in 1986 with [00:47:00] a guy named Bill Glass, who was a NFL player. Played for the Cleveland Browns. He was an All-Pro. Actually started… He got, he retired from football in 1968, so that’s how old he was. Started the ministry in ’72, and was the biggest prison ministry in the nation, had 30,000 volunteers. And I started going in as just a volunteer, and then he asked me to be a platform speaker, and I was a platform speaker for him for 30 years. And went to, I’ve been in over 500 different prisons in my life, and I do prisons almost every day, a prison or a jail almost every day. We’re getting ready to do, this will be our 17th car show up at Crossroads in Cameron, and this will be the biggest car show ever in a US prison, in history. Last year was the biggest. We had 80 cars last year, but this year we’re planning on- by car sh- car show, what do you mean? Like guys bring their classic cars up and…? And drive them in on the prison yard. Oh, wow. And the inmates get to come out, walk around and look at them. And last year we had 80 cars and bikes. [00:48:00] This year we’re gonna have 250 motorcycles and cars. Wow. And we’re gonna feed 2,000 people. We’ve got… W- we’re gonna have 2,000 meals that day for the inmates and the staff, all the staff. So that’s what I’ve been doing for all these years, and will keep doing it as long as I can, wow. But as far as… I was gonna ask you about old Joey Rags. I knew Joe Ragusa. Did you ever deal with that guy? Did you? Not directly. I followed him a lot and almo- we almost caught him too, in a hit one time. And then they saw us and they had boogied on out. But I know one story- That would have been a- … about him. He was, He needed to go… I heard this later. He needed to go to a meeting downtown, down to City Market with the other mob guys, ’cause, he was right next to Charlie Martina, and he went on several hits with these guys during the Spiro-Savella war. So he’s out at the plumbing place where he was working, so he… Guy comes in- Where was he at? Was he at St. John Plumbing? I don’t remember the name of it. It was over there by N- Jackson, Ninth and Jackson, or Truman and Jackson, somewhere over there [00:49:00] on the east side. I can’t remember the name of it now. And so he need… said… told this guy, he said, “Hey,” he said, “I need to go down to the market.” He said, “Can you give me a ride down there?” And the guy said you got your car here.” He said no, you give me a ride.” So he gets in, lays down in the back seat. So the guy takes him down there, then he gets out. No, he was a real deal. Boy, that old market was something, wasn’t it? Yeah. That old City Market. Oh, man. Yeah, heard mob guys out there. Yeah they had a pretty big… Hey, what about, I was gonna ask you about a couple guys that were big heroin kingpins, Sam Haley and Aaron Gant. Was you involved when they were really big in Kansas City? Y- I was a young policeman, ’72, ’73, ’74, and Aaron Gant and Sam Haley were like the big ducks. And they had this war going between the two little heroin organizations. And Gant was, he was in with some guys, and Aaron Gant called him Junebug. He was in with the God, there was a whole family, the Denmans. He was in with [00:50:00] these guys. And so they… And Sam Haley was… I never did understand the difference, but they had two different organizations and they hated each other is my understanding. Oh, they did. Yeah. How about Ramseys? Did you know who the Ramseys were? I don’t see. The Ramsey brothers? I remember that na- Huh? I know that name. I think one of those crime families that, that stole- they were- … money in the neighborhood and- They were the- … everyone else … they were killers, all of them. Yeah. I think there was eight boys, and at one time seven or eight of them were in Missouri for murder. And I was seeing… I was in Potosi. And Rambo, R- Roy Rambo Ramsey they called him, and he’s the one that they got a… Remember when the la- what’d they call them that you put on the roof of your car? Oh, Landau top. Landau top, yeah. Yeah. That wasn’t the word I’m looking for, though. Whatever it was, th- you could have them tops put on. Yeah. They got one put on in a poster shop over on Prospect. Oh. And [00:51:00] when they called and said, “Your car’s ready,” they went up there and killed everybody in the shop and took their car and left. And then they went out to Belton or Grandview, and there was an old couple that had a bunch of old coins and stuff, and they knew one of the people. They knew one of the brothers, and I think it was Roy. And they went out there and knocked on the door, and of course, they let them in. They told their girlfriend to stay in the car, and they went in and they shot them They were 65 and 66 years old. The little old lady was 65 and the old man was… They shot each one of them three times, and just for a few dollars worth of coins, man. They were murderers. They were killers. But I was up in Potosi and Roy asked me, he said, “Would you go see my dad?” And I was… I said… He said, “He’s in a nursing home.” And Gary, his father, was a hardworking man, had never committed a crime in his life, and he was in this nursing home. And I went and saw him and prayed for him and stuff. But here are these… He [00:52:00] had these eight sons that were murderers. They were killers. And the old man was in a nursing home dying. And, Roy asked me if I’d go see him, so I went and saw him, prayed for him. But yeah, they were something else, them guys. Interesting. You you mentioned Sam Haley. There w- we had, here just in your area, was a guy named Michael Cantu, who used to be a fire captain. Had… Was a, a big time cocaine dealer. During those years, he got into- Yeah … cocaine. He and his brother Joe and Joe Maggio, and they had a cocaine deal going, and he got back out. He had a body shop over on Independence Avenue, and two Black guys came in and executed him, basically. Left the employee there. There wasn’t anything to steal, and executed him. And the drawings, one of them we… There was a lot of speculation it looked like Sam Haley. So I think he was- Might’ve been … I think he was supplying Black dealers with cocaine I believe. I saw him meeting with some guys once that that- Yeah, they were- … I didn’t know who they were, but they all looked like Black cocaine dealers they were killers, all them guys. Haley and Gant and those guys. Did you, I asked you about, Yeah, heavy idea. [00:53:00] I- here’s a question. I just got an inquiry from one of Gant’s relatives of… They were wanting to know more about Aaron Gant getting killed. See, he got out of the joint. He went to Missouri State Penitentiary, I think it was for drugs. Yep. And he went to a club that night, and somebody walked in, was walked in, shot him, and walked out right away. Another Black dude. So this relative was asking me if I knew any more about it. I didn’t know any more about it. You remember that deal at all? I don’t remember that. Okay. I di- I actually, I was thinking that Aaron Gant and Sam Haley had been dead for years, but, that was- this was years ago. This was quite a while ago. Okay. This was probably- Yeah, I thought he might have died in prison or something, ’cause I knew they both had a lot of time. They did a lot of- Yeah … time in Missouri. Yeah. Yeah, they did. So did you- But they were kingpins. Their names are really well-known, feared names on the East Side in Kansas City. Oh, yeah. Really feared names. Absolutely. Did you ever go around Vic Fontana’s place when he opened up Fanny’s? Oh, yeah. I went in and out of several. He had several different places. He had Fanny’s. [00:54:00] He had one down on the Southwest Trafficway a little bit after your time, I think oh, God, I forgot the name of it. But yeah, the, all the mob guys went into his joints. He was mob friendly. Yeah. I was really s- I met him when he had when he had the one up on Main next to Butch’s, next to Mother’s. Oh, yeah. Yeah. He had that place yeah what was, Walter Midy. Must have been Walter Midy’s. Walter Midy. Yeah, that’s where I met Vic. And then I actually plumbed that Fanny’s when he opened up Fa

In this revisited episode of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly explores the connection between ADHD and alcohol use. For many people with ADHD, alcohol can seem helpful at first—quieting a busy brain, easing anxiety, or creating a sense of calm—but it can also worsen impulsivity, sleep, emotional regulation, and decision-making over time. Molly explains why ADHD may increase vulnerability to overdrinking, binge drinking, and using alcohol as a coping tool. She also discusses why it's important to be thoughtful about drinking when taking ADHD medications and why support, planning, and self-compassion matter.In This Episode What ADHD is and how symptoms can show up differently  Why alcohol may feel temporarily useful for ADHD symptoms  How alcohol can make ADHD challenges worse  The role of dopamine, impulsivity, and emotional regulation  Why ADHD medication and alcohol can be a concerning combination  Practical supports like a Doable Drink Plan, mindfulness, therapy, coaching, and medical guidance Listener ReflectionAre you using alcohol to quiet your brain, regulate emotions, reduce restlessness, or make life feel more manageable?Noticing the pattern is not a reason for shame. It is a starting point for change.DisclaimerThis episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider if you have questions about ADHD, alcohol use, or medication interactions.Until next time, choose peace.Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly revisits one of the show's most popular topics: buffering.Buffering is what we do when we use alcohol, food, shopping, scrolling, or other distractions to avoid uncomfortable emotions. It is not a character flaw—it is a human coping strategy driven by a brain wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain.Molly explains how alcohol can become a buffer for stress, boredom, insecurity, or discomfort, and why temporary relief often leads to more anxiety, regret, or overconsumption later. The goal is not to feel good all the time. The goal is to build awareness, feel your feelings, and stop using alcohol to escape your life. In This EpisodeYou'll learn: What buffering is  Why alcohol is commonly used to avoid emotions  How the lower brain seeks quick relief  Why buffering creates temporary pleasure but long-term consequences  How awareness helps you change your drinking habits  Why feeling discomfort is part of creating a peaceful relationship with alcohol Key TakeawayBuffering does not solve uncomfortable emotions—it only delays them. When you stop using alcohol to numb, distract, or escape, you can begin to understand what you are actually feeling and create real, lasting change.Reflection QuestionThe next time you want a drink, pause and ask:“What am I feeling right now, and what am I trying not to feel?”Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

Send us Fan MailIt's Therapy Thursday!Sex can be joyful, grounding, spiritual, and deeply connecting and it can also be wrapped in pressure, shame, secrecy, and survival. We go there with honesty, starting from everyday body image and self-talk, then opening up a bigger conversation about sexual wellness, boundaries, and what it means to choose intimacy on purpose.We break down abstinence vs celibacy in plain language, and we talk about why some people step back from sex for mental clarity, healing, or self-respect. From there, we explore sex as a “spiritual dance,” the kind of connection that gets better when you know your power, communicate clearly, and stop treating pleasure like something you have to earn. We also touch on tantric sex and mindful intimacy, including how slowing down can shift the whole experience from performance to presence.Then we get serious about consent and sexual shame. We talk about coercion, manipulation, and why “giving in” is not the same as a free yes. We also name how trauma, molestation, and rape can distort self-blame, especially when people feel pressured to stay quiet or when bystanders ignore what's happening. If you're supporting someone in an abusive situation, we share why judgment often backfires, why leaving can be dangerous or complicated, and why paying attention to early red flags matters.If this conversation helps you feel seen, share it with someone you trust, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more people can find Essential Mental Healing. What's one thing you wish everyone understood about consent and healthy intimacy?Support the showHost Candace PatriceCo-host Janet Halevisit the website at https://www.essentialmotivation.com/Instagram instagram.com/essentialmotivationllcvisit Janet's website https://haleempowermentllc.com/To be a guest on our show email me at candacefleming@essentialmotivation.comIn the subject line put EMH Guest Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukremboProvided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN

Podcast Summary: What is Sober? ☕Doctor John rejoins Mike and Glen in the Sober.coffee shop to dissect a foundational question: "What is sober?" Together, the hosts challenge common misconceptions about recovery, emphasizing that true sobriety is a gritty, transformative journey rather than an instant emotional fix.Key TakeawaysThe Roadmap to True SobrietyAbstinence is only the baseline. True recovery requires moving past being "dry" by actively cultivating a willingness to change.The happiness myth. Abstinence does not automatically guarantee happiness, and expecting immediate joy can cause doubt.Insides vs. outsides. Comparing your internal struggles to the external appearances of others is a dangerous trap.A "get-well" program. Alcoholics Anonymous is designed for healing, not for providing a constant emotional high.Suffer better. Sobriety means learning to endure the "ism," understanding that spirituality—not AA alone—fills the inner void.Fluctuations are normal. It is completely acceptable to not feel okay, as enthusiasm for the program naturally ebbs and flows.The Karate Kid MetaphorBroken healers. Members of the program act as wounded healers, passing down survival tools to the next person.The humble guide. Like the janitor in The Karate Kid, a sponsor simply guides the newcomer using lived experience.Trust the process. Newcomers must practice honesty, openness, and willingness ("wax-on, wax-off") even when the steps do not make immediate sense.Principles of RecoveryAction over emotion. Willingness is the greatest principle, defined not by how you feel but by the actions you take.Feelings are not facts. Doing what feels good often leads to pain, while doing what is right eventually brings fulfillment.The second opinion. Check with a sponsor regularly to audit your true motives and align with a higher power.The ultimate definition. Being sober means fulfilling the ultimate human need to give unconditional love through 12th-step service work.Highlight Quotes

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and for many of us, summer brings familiar alcohol cues: barbecues, beach trips, camping weekends, and backyard gatherings.In this episode, Molly shares how to head into holiday weekends and summer events with more clarity, confidence, and peace. You'll learn how the habit loop of cue, behavior, and reward can show up around seasonal drinking, why cravings are not a sign that you're powerless, and how to make a simple plan that supports the version of you who wants to drink less.Whether you plan to drink or not, this episode will help you stay curious, avoid shame, and create more conscious choices around alcohol all summer long.Resources Mentioned: Unwinding Anxiety by Dr. Jud Brewer The Craving Mind by Dr. Jud Brewer Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke Sunnyside Med The Alcohol Minimalists: Change Your Drinking Habits Facebook groupKey takeaway: You don't need rigid rules to change your summer drinking habits. You need awareness, curiosity, and a peaceful plan.Choose peace.Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this video, I'm joined by Dr. Grace Hamman to discuss how Medieval Christians approached spiritual formation. We give special attention to their understanding of virtue and vice, exploring how that might help enrich our modern approaches to the Christian life. We also talk about how to read medieval theologians wisely, and what to do with some of the more extreme examples of piety that might make us uncomfortable today. Pre-order my novel, The Long Road to Holy Island: https://amzn.to/4sISAC9Get access to my book club, show notes, ad-free episodes and more:  https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity Make a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/gospelsimplicityBook a meeting: https://calendly.com/gospelsimplicity/meet-with-austinRead my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.comGet the book: https://amzn.to/3RcUEowFollow Dr. Hamman on Substack: https://gracehamman.substack.com/Dr. Hamman's website: https://gracehamman.com/About the Guest: Grace Hamman, Ph.D. (Duke University) is a writer and independent scholar of late medieval poetry and contemplative writing. She is the author of Ask of Old Paths: Medieval Virtues and Vices for a Whole and Holy Life and Jesus through Medieval Eyes: Beholding Christ with the Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle Ages. Her work has been published by academic and popular outlets, including Plough Quarterly and The Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. She lives near Denver, Colorado with her husband and three young children.Chapters00:00 The Overlooked Medieval Era05:07 Personal Journey into Medieval Studies09:54 Exploring Virtue in Medieval Literature15:47 Understanding Wholeness and Virtue20:49 The Interconnectedness of Virtues and Vices36:22 The Thin Picture of Christian Life38:45 Pairing Virtues and Vices42:30 The Richness of Abstinence and Gluttony47:21 Imagination in Christian Formation53:00 Navigating Historical Literature01:30:08 Gateway Texts to the Medieval PeriodSupport the show

This lecture explores the theme of fear in The Path to Perfection, examining how fear can both hinder and guide personal growth. It will discuss the different forms fear takes—such as fear of failure, judgment, and the unknown—and how these emotions can distance individuals from spiritual and personal fulfillment. The session will also highlight practical ways to confront and transform fear into a tool for self-awareness, resilience, and inner strength on the journey toward perfection. Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman presents a reflective and insightful talk centered on Shaykh Masihullah Khan's The Path to Perfection, focusing on the chapter “Love of the World.” Through a moving reading of the text and thoughtful commentary, he brings its timeless spiritual lessons into conversation with the realities of modern life. The talk offers clear, practical guidance on navigating today's challenges while cultivating sincerity, balance, and a deeper connection to what truly matters. In this series Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman covers the book titled, 'Essentials of Islamic Spirituality' previously known as 'The Path to Perfection'. Link to book: https://www.whitethreadpress.com/publication/essentials-of-islamic-spirituality/

John Carter explores the dangers of alcohol consumption through a biblical lens.

John Carter explores the dangers of alcohol consumption through a biblical lens.

Dr. Kentaro Fujita, PhD, is a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University and an expert in the science of self-control and motivation. We discuss the best tools for developing strong self-control: to do more of what you aspire to and cease doing things you would like to avoid. We discuss why you need more than one form of willpower to achieve sustained motivation and overcome procrastination. Dr. Fujita also clarifies the data on the 2-marshmallow test, delayed gratification and intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation. Read the show notes at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman Lingo: https://hellolingo.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Kentaro Fujita (00:03:08) Marshmallow Tests, Self-Control; Adult Modeling (00:08:24) Criticism of Marshmallow Tests, Learning Self-Control (00:15:08) Sponsors: David & Lingo (00:17:34) Movement & Motivation (00:21:42) Doing Hard Things; Exhaustion & Depletion Effect (00:29:02) Willpower vs Self-Control, Improving Self-Control (00:34:27) Aspiration or Fear for Motivation, Long- vs Short-Term Outcomes (00:40:55) Self-Control Toolkit, Tool: Failure & Exploration (00:46:44) Sponsor: AG1 (00:48:28) Motivation Warm-Up?, Tools: Mindset; Motivation Orientation (00:57:30) Imperfect Conditions, Self-Control Conflicts, Tool: Why vs How (01:05:25) Tool: "Whys" & Motivation Goals (01:11:26) Competition, Tool: Motivation Types (01:17:13) Sponsor: LMNT (01:18:33) Abstinence vs Moderation, Consistency vs Rigidity (01:27:48) Burnout; "Invisible" Goals, Single Goal & Trade-Offs (01:35:17) Intrinsic Motivation for Sustained Goals (01:40:16) Sponsor: Function (01:41:53) Meaning in Simple Tasks, Ikigai (01:49:03) Self-Control Failure, Tools: Distancing, 3rd Person & Heros (01:55:04) Words as Motivation, Visualization, Social Validation (02:03:51) Music, Anchors, Nostalgia (02:06:46) Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation, Job & Salary (02:14:11) Mindfulness & Taking Breaks, Wabi-Sabi & Imperfection, Ikigai (02:20:56) Future Directions (02:25:19) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly revisits the powerful belief so many people carry: “I come from a long line of drinkers.” Whether that story comes from family history, cultural identity, holiday traditions, or growing up with a parent who struggled with alcohol, it can quietly shape the way we think about our own drinking.Molly shares how her mother's alcohol use impacted her life, her relationship with alcohol, and the narrative she carried for years about genetics and inevitability. But while genetics may play a role in alcohol use disorder, Molly reminds listeners that your future relationship with alcohol is not predetermined by your family, your heritage, or your past.This episode is an invitation to look at the stories you learned about alcohol and decide which ones you want to keep, which ones you want to question, and which ones you're ready to leave behind. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why “I come from a long line of drinkers” may be a story worth questioning  How family history and cultural traditions can influence your desire to drink  The difference between genetic predisposition and predetermined outcomes  Why awareness of science, society, family patterns, and the alcohol industry matters  How alcohol-related beliefs can be passed down without ever being intentionally taught  Why discomfort at family gatherings is not the same thing as a true trigger  How to begin creating a new path toward a peaceful relationship with alcohol Key TakeawayYour family history may explain how some of your alcohol beliefs were formed, but it does not have to decide your future. You can honor your family, your heritage, and your traditions while still choosing a different relationship with alcohol.Listener ReflectionBefore your next family dinner, holiday, celebration, or social event, ask yourself:What story am I telling myself about why alcohol needs to be part of this experience?Then get curious. Is that story absolutely true? Is it helping you create the relationship with alcohol you want? Or is it simply a belief you've practiced for a long time?Mentioned in This Episode: Episode 46: Alcohol and Genetics  Previous discussion on the ALDH2 genetic variant  Episodes featuring Dr. David Nutt and Dr. Eddie Jaffe Breaking the Bottle Legacy Sunnyside Med and naltrexone support  The role of media and family culture in normalizing alcohol use Action StepPut on your “scientific observer” hat at your next family or social gathering. Notice the thoughts that come up around drinking, especially thoughts like: “This is just what we do.”  “I need a drink to get through this.”  “It won't be the same without alcohol.”  “Everyone in my family drinks.” You do not need to argue with those thoughts. Just notice them, question them, and practice choosing the next best thought that supports the relationship with alcohol you actually want.Changing your drinking habits and creating a peaceful relationship with alcohol is possible. You can stop worrying, stop feeling guilty about overdrinking, and become someone who desires alcohol less.To learn more about working with Molly, visit the website or reach out directly by email.Until next time, choose peace.Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly revisits episode 100: “5 Things I Had to Change Before I Changed My Drinking.” Originally released in November 2022, this conversation is just as relevant today because lasting change doesn't begin with the perfect drink plan. It begins with mindset.Molly shares the five foundational shifts she had to make before she could create a peaceful relationship with alcohol. From giving up the need to know she would succeed, to no longer using fear, failure, timing, or life circumstances as reasons to stay stuck, this episode is a practical and compassionate reminder that changing your drinking habits starts with learning how to work with your beautiful, brilliant human brain. This episode is especially timely for Mental Health Awareness Month because it focuses on the thinking patterns, beliefs, and emotional habits that often keep people trapped in the cycle of overdrinking, guilt, and self-doubt. Molly reminds listeners that fear and doubt are normal—but they don't have to be in charge. In This Episode, You'll Learn Why you don't need to know you'll succeed before you begin.  How fear and faith both ask you to believe in something you can't yet see.  Why telling yourself “this is going to be so hard” makes change feel even harder.  How to trade all-or-nothing thinking for small, doable steps.  Why waiting for the “right time” keeps you stuck in conditional success.  How to stop letting mistakes, disappointment, and failed attempts derail you.  Why complaining about your genetics, history, job, stress, or life circumstances keeps the focus on the problem instead of the solution. Key Takeaways1. You don't need certainty to get started.Molly shares that when she first began changing her drinking habits, she had plenty of evidence from her past that suggested she might fail. The shift came when she stopped treating fear and doubt as reasons not to act. Instead, she chose to move forward one day at a time.The question becomes: What can I do today that is just a little bit better than yesterday?2. Stop rehearsing how hard change will be.When you repeatedly tell yourself changing your drinking will be miserable, impossible, or too hard, your brain naturally wants to avoid trying. Molly encourages listeners to meet themselves where they are and ask a more useful question:What can I do to make this easier?That question opens the door to education, small wins, and doable plans instead of all-or-nothing pressure. 3. Stop waiting for the perfect time.There will always be holidays, stress, travel, hard days, celebrations, and unexpected challenges. Molly calls out the trap of “conditional success”—believing life has to calm down before you can take care of yourself.Instead, she encourages “deliberate success”: deciding how you will support yourself no matter what is happening around you. 4. Failure cannot be the reason you stop.Mistakes are not proof that you can't change. They are information. Molly reminds listeners that they get to try as many times as they want, and that disappointment is already present when you aren't trying.The goal is not to avoid every mistake. The goal is to have a plan for how you will respond when things don't go as planned.5. Quit using your life as the reason you overdrink.Molly shares that she had to stop complaining about her genetics, her mom, her history, her job, and her life. Not because those things didn't matter, but because focusing only on the obstacles kept her from finding solutions.Changing your habits is not just about counting drinks. It is about what is happening in your mind.Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

*Spotify Ad Information: Following disturbance from "mid content" and "post content" adverts, I have now changed the settings so you will only be served ads PRE content. Apologies if there are now more of these - but you are able to skip through and be assured that there are no ads during or after the episode.Welcome (or welcome back) to your nightly reset. This session is designed to gently reduce stress and calm your system, helping your body step out of alert mode and into a deep, natural sleep.Hypnotherapy is an incredible tool that enables us to speak to the subconscious part of the mind – the part that is in control of our emotions and habits, therefore enabling a much higher success rate than just desperately relying on willpower in the everyday conscious part of our brains.Please like and share my recordings - and of course, subscribe to my channel, as I'll be putting out more Hypnosis & Meditation videos as often as I can :).About Me: I'm a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Coach based in Seville in Spain but I see clients online from all around the world, specialising in Alcohol Moderation and Abstinence.Please feel free to contact me for any enquiries via Instagram www.instagram.com/steveroetherapy.#hypnotherapy #forsleep #sleephypnosis #MaleVoiceHypnosis #deepsleep #sleepmeditationMusic – Grounded - Hanna Lindgren - c/o Epidemic Sound⚠DISCLAIMER⚠ All media content created by Steve Roe Therapy is intended for education and entertainment purposes only. Like all self-directed hypnosis, the recordings are not intended to substitute or replace one-to-one therapy, medical care or prescriptions from your health care practitioner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Alcohol Awareness Month comes to a close, Molly reflects on what alcohol awareness really means and why it is about more than fear, labels, or all-or-nothing thinking. Drawing on this month's episodes about alcohol facts, moderation support, and alcohol-free alternatives, she reframes awareness as something empowering: a way to make more honest, informed choices about your relationship with alcohol. In this episode, Molly explores why awareness begins with informed truth, why the “middle ground” of drinking deserves more attention, and how support does not have to be one-size-fits-all. She also shares how alcohol-free alternatives can help preserve ritual while supporting change. The result is a hopeful conversation about clarity, choice, and taking the next right step. In this episode, Molly discusses: What Alcohol Awareness Month really means  Why awareness is about honesty, clarity, and choice rather than labels  Why the drinking “middle ground” deserves more attention  What Molly took away from her conversations with Moderation Management and Curious Elixirs How alcohol-free alternatives can support change  Why learning what a standard drink actually is can be a powerful first step  How awareness helps us move beyond cultural myths and into a more honest conversation about alcohol's role in our lives Key takeaways Awareness is not punishment. It is power.  You do not need a label to begin paying attention.  You do not need a dramatic story to deserve support.  The next right step does not have to be dramatic.  Information creates choice, and choice is what allows change to begin. Resources mentionedModeration ManagementNIAAA Alcohol Treatment NavigatorCurious ElixirsSunnyside Med Molly's coaching and support options Questions to consider after listening What is alcohol costing me?  What do I believe alcohol gives me?  What am I defending?  What would change if I stopped waiting until it got worse?  What kind of relationship with alcohol actually fits the life I want to live?Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly talks with J.W. Wiseman, founder of Curious Elixirs, about the rise of craft non-alcoholic cocktails and why they matter so much for people who want a more peaceful relationship with alcohol. J.W. shares how his own desire to drink less led him to create one of the earliest brands in the non-alcoholic beverage space, long before “sober curious” became a mainstream term. Together, Molly and J.W. explore the idea that drinking less does not have to mean settling for something boring, basic, or deprived—it can still feel elevated, flavorful, social, and deeply satisfying. From the origins of Curious Elixirs in 2015 to the role of functional herbs, adaptogens, and intentional drink design, this conversation offers a fresh look at how non-alcoholic beverages can support people across the sobriety spectrum. Molly also challenges the common belief that a drink needs alcohol to be worth enjoying, reminding listeners that taste, ritual, and experience matter too. In This Episode, You'll Hear: Why J.W. started Curious Elixirs before the term “sober curious” even existed  How non-alcoholic beverages can support a more intentional relationship with alcohol  Why flavor, ritual, and connection matter more than alcohol itself  How Curious Elixirs helped pioneer the craft, functional non-alcoholic cocktail category  The role of herbs and adaptogens in creating drinks that feel sophisticated and supportive  Why “less alcohol” does not have to mean “less fun”  How J.W.'s own drinking habits pushed him to rethink what he wanted alcohol to do in his life Key TakeawaysJ.W. explains that people do not need alcohol to have fun—they need connection, intention, and something that genuinely feels good in their body. That idea aligns beautifully with the Alcohol Minimalist philosophy: creating a relationship with alcohol that is conscious, peaceful, and free from all-or-nothing thinking. This episode also highlights an important mindset shift: non-alcoholic drinks are not “less than.” They can be crafted, complex, beautiful, and worthy of the same appreciation people often reserve for alcoholic beverages. Molly and J.W. discuss how that reframe opens up more options for people who want to drink less without feeling like they are missing out. And finally, J.W.'s story is a reminder that change often starts with curiosity. What began as a personal effort to cut back and reset his tolerance eventually became a company built to help others find more freedom and flexibility in how they drink. About the GuestJ.W. Wiseman is the founder of Curious Elixirs, one of the early leaders in the non-alcoholic cocktail movement. Before launching the company in 2015, he worked across media, marketing, and hospitality, including roles with NBC, Broadway, Thrillist, and Skillshare, before founding his own agency, Good Business. Mentioned in This EpisodeCurious Elixirs The “sober curious” movement  Functional herbs and adaptogens Curious Red The Curious Elixirs flavor quiz  Molly's idea of living “mostly alcohol-free” Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

You're not crazy… you're carrying their energy....here's the truth. Listen along.MAGNETIC AFFIRMATIONS (1HR+): https://21-day-break-up-glow-up-challenge.teachable.com/p/making-mind-magnetic-affirmations-all-eyes-will-be-on-you-793498

Join the live watch party on YouTube today, episode release day, at 5p PT / 8p ET: https://www.youtube.com/@birdsandbeesdontfck Maurice James is a comedian, host, actor, and co-creator of Kinky Comedy from Jackson, Mississippi where his formal sex education came from an Episcopalian school science class taught by a teacher who carried a petrified bull testicle cane… and where sex ed mostly felt like mitosis and meiosis rather than anything connected to his own body. Want to her Maurice and I unfiltered reading Reddit stories? Join the afterparty over on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck Where to find Maurice: Instagram: @mauricejamescomedy & @kinkycomedy Kinky Comedy: https://www.kinkycomedy.com   Where to find Arielle: Instagram: @birdsandbeesdontfck TikTok: @birdsandbeesdontfck Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck   Bonus stories found exclusively on Patreon STORY 1: My life has imploded. Husband 29M slept with my mom 55F right before we got married two years ago. STORY 2: I told my girlfriend I sometimes think about other girls during sex and she lost it Like your jewlery a bit kinky? Me too. Get $15 Off Crave Pleasure Jewelry Here: https://lovecrave.com/arielle   Episode Cheat Sheet 02:32 The origin of Kinky Comedy and bringing kink and comedy together 04:11 Why being a good Dom requires communication, trust and emotional intelligence 08:14 Yes / No / Maybe lists and negotiating kink scenes 10:33 Why sex is like producing a film or planning a journey 12:57 Rope bondage, body awareness and communicating boundaries 15:08 Practicing "no" and learning to hold boundaries 19:11 Maurice's unexpected introduction to kink at a Tinder dinner party 21:21 Why kink communities value clarity and communication 23:41 Shame, sexuality and the fear of being rejected by community 25:59 Coming out as kinky and the real career risks involved 30:39 Authenticity, privilege and living a fully expressed life 37:37 Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi 39:53 Sex education in religious private school 42:11 Why sex education needs to be ongoing and age appropriate 44:31 Abstinence education and the harm of ignoring sexuality 48:23 High school sex culture, late bloomers and learning from friends 50:23 Munches, kink community and finding people on the same journey 52:06 Losing a job, breakup and starting stand-up comedy 54:05 Building Kinky Comedy from a backyard show to a touring production 57:55 Community support and watching creative projects grow 59:58 Producing a show vs developing as a comedian 01:01:37 Comedy etiquette and why audiences shouldn't film comedians

*Spotify Ad Information: Following disturbance from "mid content" and "post content" adverts, I have now changed the settings so you will only be served ads PRE content. Apologies if there are now more of these - but you are able to skip through and be assured that there are no ads during or after the episode.I've created this short sleep talk down to help you gently switch off at the end of the day, letting go of everything that no longer needs your attention. Through simple relaxation and a calming guided visualisation, you'll be supported into a deep and uninterrupted sleep.Hypnotherapy is an incredible tool that enables us to speak to the subconscious part of the mind – the part that is in control of our emotions and habits, therefore enabling a much higher success rate than just desperately relying on willpower in the everyday conscious part of our brains.Please like and share my recordings - and of course, subscribe to my channel, as I'll be putting out more Hypnosis & Meditation videos as often as I can :).About Me: I'm a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Coach based in Seville in Spain but I see clients online from all around the world, specialising in Alcohol Moderation and Abstinence.Please feel free to contact me for any enquiries via Instagram www.instagram.com/steveroetherapy.#hypnotherapy #forsleep #sleephypnosis #MaleVoiceHypnosis #deepsleep #sleepmeditationMusic – Inner Balance - Elm Lake - c/o Epidemic Sound⚠DISCLAIMER⚠ All media content created by Steve Roe Therapy is intended for education and entertainment purposes only. Like all self-directed hypnosis, the recordings are not intended to substitute or replace one-to-one therapy, medical care or prescriptions from your health care practitioner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly shares 8 evidence-based facts everyone should know about alcohol. From cancer risk and “safe” drinking limits to binge drinking, sleep, tolerance, and decision-making, this conversation is designed to cut through myths and mixed messages and help you think more clearly about your relationship with alcohol.This episode is not about fear, shame, or labels. It is about awareness. Because when we understand alcohol more clearly, we can make more honest, informed choices.In this episode, Molly discusses: Why alcohol is a known carcinogen and how alcohol use increases cancer risk  Why there is no guaranteed safe amount of alcohol for anyone  What a standard drink actually is  Why many people unintentionally underestimate how much they drink  How binge drinking is defined by amount, not by whether you black out or pass out  Why most people who drink excessively are not alcohol dependent  How alcohol may make you sleepy but still disrupt sleep quality  The way alcohol affects judgment, reaction time, and decision-making  Why being able to “hold your liquor” is not a sign that alcohol is safer for you Also mentioned in this episode:Sunnyside, Molly's top recommendation for a mindful drinking app  How positive reinforcement and honest tracking can support behavior change  Molly's reflection questions for Alcohol Awareness MonthQuestions to consider after listening: What is alcohol costing me?  What am I defending?  What do I want for my health?  What do I want for my peace?  What kind of relationship with alcohol actually fits the life I want to live? Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Adam and Eric interview Tamara Bick. Tamara played Louise in the classic season 8 episode “The Abstinence.” If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email us at theplacetobeseinfeld@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Facebook at The Place to Be: A Seinfeld Podcast, Twitter @tptbseinfeld, and Instagram @theplacetobe.podcast.

In this episode of The Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly talks with Andrea Pain, Executive Director of Moderation Management, about alcohol support options for people who want to drink less, explore moderation, or change their relationship with alcohol without shame or rigid labels. Released during Alcohol Awareness Month, this conversation highlights how Moderation Management offers free meetings, online community, and practical programs that help people take the next step toward a healthier, more peaceful relationship with alcohol. In This Episode, You'll Hear: What Alcohol Awareness Month can mean beyond traditional recovery narratives  How Andrea Payne found Moderation Management while looking for support to reduce drinking, not necessarily quit forever  Why community and connection are often the missing piece for people trying to change their drinking habits  How Moderation Management helps people explore moderation, abstinence, or drinking less without judgment  What makes Moderation Management different, including free meetings, online support, and Kickstart programs  Why meeting yourself where you are is one of the most important parts of lasting change Key Takeaways There is no one-size-fits-all path for changing your relationship with alcohol  You do not need to identify with a specific label to get support  Free, accessible alcohol support exists  Community can make it easier to build momentum and stay engaged  Small steps matter when you are trying to drink less or create long-term change About Andrea Pain and Moderation Management Andrea Pain is the Executive Director of Moderation Management Her journey began when she wanted support for changing her drinking habits without committing to an abstinence-only path  After discovering the organization's Facebook group and resources, she became involved as a meeting leader, volunteer, program manager, and eventually Executive Director  Today, Moderation Management offers free meetings, a large online community, and self-guided or seasonal Kickstart programs designed to help people reduce drinking and build healthier habits Resources MentionedModeration ManagementFree online meetings Kickstart programs Facebook support community Andrea Pain: andrea@moderation.orgWhy This Episode MattersIf you have been searching for ways to drink less, change your drinking habits, or find alcohol support without an all-or-nothing approach, this episode offers a practical and encouraging starting point. Molly and Andrea both reinforce the same core message: start where you are, take one step, and keep going.Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Good Friday of the Lord's Passion by Dr. John Bergsma. Good Friday. Day of Fast (ages 18-59) and Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Isaiah 52: 13 – 53: 12 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 31: 2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 Second Reading: Hebrews 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9 Verse Before the Gospel: Philippians 2: 8-9 Gospel: John 18: 1 – 19: 42   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Good Friday of the Lord's Passion by Dr. John Bergsma. Good Friday. Day of Fast (ages 18-59) and Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Isaiah 52: 13 – 53: 12 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 31: 2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 Second Reading: Hebrews 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9 Verse Before the Gospel: Philippians 2: 8-9 Gospel: John 18: 1 – 19: 42   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

What happens when you want to drink less—but your partner doesn't?In this episode, Molly talks with midlife sobriety coach Matt Wing about how to change your relationship with alcohol, even when your partner is still drinking. This is one of the most common challenges people face when they start working on drinking less.Matt shares his journey from years of binge drinking to becoming alcohol-free at 52, along with the mindset shifts and simple strategies that helped him stop.Together, they explore why some people can moderate and others can't—and how to move forward without needing your partner to change first.What You'll Learn How to drink less when your partner still drinks  The difference between binge drinking and daily habit drinking  Why moderation works for some people—and not for others  How to stay consistent with your goals around alcohol  The mindset shifts that make change feel easier Key Takeaways1. Your relationship with alcohol is yours to change You don't need your partner to change in order to move forward.2. The first drink matters most For many people, control is lost after the first drink—not the third or fourth.3. Moderation isn't for everyone If one drink rarely stays one, your most peaceful relationship with alcohol may be less—or none.4. Drinking to feel different is a signal Using alcohol to relax, escape, or feel “normal” is important information—not something to ignore.5. You can still live your life without drinking Social situations don't have to derail your goals.Practical Tools Discussed Play the tape forward  Identify your trigger window  Change the ingredients, not the ritual  Build structure into your evenings  Have an honest conversation with your partner About Matt WingMatt Wing is a midlife sobriety coach who helps people stop drinking and build a life they don't need to escape from. After years of binge drinking, he became alcohol-free at 52 and now works with others through coaching, courses, and content.Connect with Matt on Instagram and Facebook at Midlife Mentor.Resources Mentioned Sunnyside mindful drinking app  Matt Wing's “4PM Reset” course Final ThoughtYou don't need your partner to change first.You just need to decide what's right for you—and start there.Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma. Lenten Weekday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Jeremiah 20: 10-13 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 18: 2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7 Verse Before the Gospel: John 6: 63c, 68c Gospel: John 10: 31-42   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Lee H *Sunday Commitment to Abstinence @ 6pm* 03_22-26 by Overeaters Anonymous East Bay Unity Intergroup

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma. Lenten Weekday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Jeremiah 20: 10-13 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 18: 2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7 Verse Before the Gospel: John 6: 63c, 68c Gospel: John 10: 31-42   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

In this final installment of the March Madness series, Molly brings the conversation full circle by focusing on the long game.After exploring your playbook, your scoreboard, and how to rebound when you drift, this episode answers the most important question: how do you keep going?Using the powerful metaphor of the game clock, Molly reminds listeners that change is always possible as long as there is time left. In the context of your life, that means right now.This episode weaves together neuroscience and lived experience, explaining how real change happens through repetition, not intensity. Molly breaks down neuroplasticity, extinction bursts, and dopamine recalibration to show why change can feel harder before it gets easier—and why that's not failure, but progress.Most importantly, she reinforces the identity at the core of this work: Mostly Alcohol-Free means consistently returning, not being perfect.You haven't missed your chance.You're still in the game.In This EpisodeWhy change is always possible while there is still timeThe difference between intensity and consistency in behavior changeThe neuroscience principle: “neurons that fire together wire together”What an extinction burst is and why urges can feel stronger at firstHow dopamine adapts to repeated alcohol useWhy alcohol-free life can feel “flat” before it feels betterThe importance of staying in the process long enough for recalibrationWhat it means to live a Mostly Alcohol-Free lifestyleWhy drifting doesn't mean you're out of the gameKey TakeawaysThe game isn't over until the clock hits 0:00.Change happens through repetition, not short bursts of effort.Increased urges can be a sign of progress, not failure.Your brain is always adapting—direction matters.Mostly Alcohol-Free means returning, not perfection.You are not behind, late, or disqualified.ReflectionWhere have you been telling yourself it's “too late”?What would it look like to stay in the game right now?Are you measuring progress by perfection or by consistency?Work With MollyTo learn more about working with Molly, visit: www.mollywatts.comOr email directly: molly@mollywatts.comLow risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

A team of the world's top athletes has weighed the pros and cons and concluded: sex really ain't worth it. On IT AIN'T WORTH IT: ATHLETES FOR ABSTINENCE, a whimsical 80s VHS tape with obligatory hip hop aesthetic influence meant to appeal to the youth, former pro basketball player AC Green tells teens that sex is an unnecessary temptation best handled by just saying no. Green's career spanned 16 years in the NBA, during which he set the record for perfect attendance with 1,192 consecutive games played. This earned him the nickname Iron Man, which fans mockingly shifted to Iron Virgin in response to Green's proud claims that he remained a virgin bachelor throughout his entire NBA career as a devout Christian waiting for marriage. Green was surely aware of jokes at his expense, but he held firm to his convictions and spent his career running youth ministries, using his celebrity to connect with Christian teens. While that is a nice sentiment, materials like his tape IT AIN'T WORTH IT provide glaringly inaccurate statistics about sexual health topics like contraceptives and also refuse to acknowledge the real reason teens have sex: because they are horny. Green's thesis seems to be that teen sex culture is purely a result of media influence and social pressure, ignoring that biological processes begin in adolescence that make people actively want sex. There are good reasons for teens to manage these impulses until they are more mature, but the clumsy testimonies of Green and his teen cohorts instead rely on fallacies such as claiming everyone who has sex will get AIDS and that condoms fail 50 percent of the time. Unfortunately for Christians, the message remains laughable and feels as if they themselves are asexual (as opposed to abstinent.) If Christians can't relate to sexual desire, they will never reach teens on an authentic level with an abstinence message. Also, although an original rap song seemed to be a requirement for youth media in the late 80s and early 90s, here it does little to help the abstinence cause. It simply ain't worth it. View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for livestreams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

Welcome (or welcome back!) to my channel - I really appreciate you being here. This specific recording is very personal to me as it's inspired by a trip I went on at the back end of last year to the Lofoten Islands and Bodø in the north of Norway. It had been a dream of mine to visit for many years and it really did not disappoint. The visualisation will take you hrough that experience step by step, from arriving by ferry into the Lofoten Islands to settling into stillness and quiet in the surrounding landscape moving on to a beautiful hotel on the outskirts of Bodø, before gently guiding you into a deep and uninterrupted sleep.The accommodation I stayed at, both described / mentioned within the recordings (both incredible options):Rostad Retro Rorbuer (cabin), Reine, Lofoten IslandsThe Wood Hotel, BodøHypnotherapy is an incredible tool that enables us to speak to the subconscious part of the mind – the part that is in control of our emotions and habits, therefore enabling a much higher success rate than just desperately relying on willpower in the everyday conscious part of our brains.Please like and share my recordings - and of course, subscribe to my channel, as I'll be putting out more Hypnosis & Meditation videos as often as I can :).About Me: I'm a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Coach based in Seville in Spain but I see clients online from all around the world, specialising in Alcohol Moderation and Abstinence.Please feel free to contact me for any enquiries via Instagram www.instagram.com/steveroetherapy.#hypnotherapy #forsleep #sleephypnosis #MaleVoiceHypnosis #deepsleep #sleepmeditationMusic – Interstice of Sound - DEX 1200 - c/o Epidemic Sound⚠DISCLAIMER⚠ All media content created by Steve Roe Therapy is intended for education and entertainment purposes only. Like all self-directed hypnosis, the recordings are not intended to substitute or replace one-to-one therapy, medical care or prescriptions from your health care practitioner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma. Lenten Weekday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Wisdom 2: 1a, 12-22 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23 Verse Before the Gospel: Matthew 4: 4b Gospel: John 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Dave Pivonka, Dr. John Bergsma, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman for our Lent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/lent

Send us Fan MailAre you fasting the right way?In this conversation with Fr. Cristino, we unpack the difference between fasting and abstinence—and why many Catholics misunderstand it, especially during Lent.Fasting isn't just about giving something up—it has a specific meaning in the life of the Church.In this episode, we explore what Catholic fasting really is, how it differs from abstinence, and why it plays such an important role in spiritual growth. We also discuss who is required to fast, the Church's expectations during Lent, and how fasting helps reorder our desires and draw us closer to God.If you've ever wondered whether you're fasting the right way, this conversation will help clarify it.New episodes released each weekday during Lent.Support the showSupport this show and get all future episodes by email atwww.kenandjanelle.com

Our fav Buzzkill babes Lizz and Moji are coming at ya this week with incredible topics and incredible guests! First off- We truly owe them a debt of gratitude — they took one for the feminist team, and watched the Netflix Inside the Manosphere documentary so we don't have to. Warning: after listening, be prepared for the overwhelming urge to jump in the shower and scrub the misogyny off for the next 12 hours. We've Got THE Guests To Balance Out The Misogynistic Malarkey! The perfect antidote to the Manosphere? The MENOSPHERE! Joining the Buzzkills this week are Alicia J. Rose, host and creator of the Menopunks Podcast, and menopause specialist, Dr. Aoife O'Sullivan to talk all things menopause. From entirely-too-moist night sweats to your entirely-too-dry ‘gina, Moji and Lizz have the perfect guests to talk about all the downs and dirties of the ‘pause trifecta: peri, meno, and post-meno. PLUS: Sometimes you just have to choose to laugh about it (when you're done raging your way through a hot flash), and our fav pre-perimenopausal comedian and star of the hysterical comedy special, I Don't Wanna Work Anymore, Phoebe Robinson, is going to crack you tf up! If you can't laugh about it, what the hell else are you gonna do?  Tune in for the menopause minutiae, stay for the comedy!  Times are heavy, but knowledge is power, y'all. We gotchu.    OPERATION SAVE ABORTION: You can still join the 10,000+ womb warriors fighting the patriarchy by clicking HERE for past Operation Save Abortion trainings, your toolkit, marching orders, and more.   HOSTS: Lizz Winstead IG: @LizzWinstead Bluesky: @LizzWinstead.bsky.social Moji Alawode-El IG: @Mojilocks Bluesky: @Mojilocks.bsky.social SPECIAL GUESTS: Phoebe Robinson IG: @dopequeenpheebs Alicia J. Rose IG: @menopunks / @ajrhq Dr. Aoife O'Sullivan IG: @portlandmenopausedoc / @thedustymuffins / @m.powercollective   GUEST LINKS: TICKETS: Phoebe's Tour Dates Phoebe's Linktree Tiny Reparations Books WATCH: Phoebe's Special “I Don't Wanna Work Anymore” SUBSCRIBE: Phoebe's Substack Alicia's Website MENOPUNKS Website MENOPUNKS Youtube Alicia's Vimeo Dr. Aofie's Linktree The Dusty Muffins Youtube M Power Collective Website   NEWS DUMP: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley Introduces Bill To Ban Abortion Pill Police Charge Woman With Murder for Allegedly Taking Abortion Pill, Even Though State Law Says They Can't Could a Registry of Doctors Who Refuse Abortions Improve Access in Spain?   EPISODE LINKS: Call Your Reps to Stop the Comstock Act! ADOPT-A-CLINIC: Blue Mountain Clinic in Missoula, MT Operation Save Abortion Expose Fake Clinics BUY AAF MERCH! EMAIL your abobo questions to The Feminist Buzzkills AAF's Abortion-Themed Rage Playlist   FOLLOW US: Listen to us ~ FBK Podcast  Instagram ~ @AbortionFront Bluesky ~ @AbortionFront TikTok ~ @AbortionFront Facebook ~ @AbortionFront YouTube ~ @AbortionAccessFront TALK TO THE CHARLEY BOT FOR ABOBO OPTIONS & RESOURCES HERE! PATREON HERE! Support our work, get exclusive merch and more!  DONATE TO AAF HERE! ACTIVIST CALENDAR HERE! VOLUNTEER WITH US HERE! ADOPT-A-CLINIC HERE! GET ABOBO PILLS FROM PLAN C PILLS HERE! When BS is poppin', we pop off! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma. Lenten Weekday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Wisdom 2: 1a, 12-22 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23 Verse Before the Gospel: Matthew 4: 4b Gospel: John 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Dave Pivonka, Dr. John Bergsma, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman for our Lent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/lent

Episode SummaryIn this third episode of the March basketball series, Molly shares transparently about a recent three-week stretch of travel that disrupted her Mostly Alcohol-Free rhythm.With retreats, vacation, conferences, disrupted sleep, and limited access to her usual alternatives, she drifted from her typical low-risk limits and had fewer alcohol-free days than usual.Instead of spiraling, she chose to rebound.This episode explores the neuroscience of short-term pattern shifts, why regulation comes before restriction, and how to interrupt a streak without shame. Molly shares her real-time rebound plan — including five alcohol-free days this week — and what she'll do differently next time.Drifting happens.Rebounding builds self-trust.In This EpisodeWhy travel and novelty increase dopamineThe impact of sleep disruption on regulationHow environment shapes drinking behaviorWhy streaks strengthen neural pathwaysThe difference between drifting and spiralingWhy curiosity regulates and shame dysregulatesMolly's five-day rebound planKey TakeawaysDrift is human.Regulation comes first.Interrupting a streak restores flexibility.Pre-decision reduces in-the-moment choices.You are defined by your response, not your slip.ReflectionIf you've drifted recently, ask yourself:What contributed to it?What would your rebound look like this week?What can you pre-decide next time?Work With MollyLearn more at:www.mollywatts.comOr email: molly@mollywatts.comLow risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

If you have listened to a lot of my podcasts, you know I like to talk about sleep. It's one of the biggest topics for parents today. And part of why we have to talk about it is because those of us is WEIRD countries - Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic countries - get a very specific sleep message when we have our kids and that message is: Do NOT sleep with your children or you risk killing them. I think every new parent has heard the fear-based messaging that tells us there is nothing we can do except avoid it. And if we don't? Well, then there's something wrong with us as parents, right? What if the problem isn't us, but instead lies with the messaging we're getting? Joining me today is one of my favourite people - Carly Grubb. Carly is a PhD student at the University of the Sunshine Coast and is the lead author of the research we'll be discussing, which looks at the safe sleep messages parents receive, how helpful these messages are, and what parents are actually looking for. She also comes to this research table from a place of advocacy. As the founder of the Beyond Sleep Training Project and Little Sparklers, Carly has heard from thousands of families around the world how hard navigating new parenting and sleep can be. Welcome back to the podcast as we dive into the touchy topic of abstinence-only sleep education. Here are the following links for anyone who is interested: Research Article - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1629678/pdf The Beyond Sleep Training Project - https://thebeyondsleeptrainingproject.com/ Little Sparklers - https://littlesparklers.org/ Carly Grubb's Research Page - https://research.usc.edu.au/esploro/profile/carly_grubb Carly's Previous Episode with Me - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-3-what-are-the-sleep-struggles-facing-families-today/id1177835448?i=1000501408655

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Third Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma. Lenten Weekday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Hosea 14: 2-10 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 81: 6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17 Verse Before the Gospel: Matthew 4: 17 Gospel: Mark 12: 28-34   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Dave Pivonka, Dr. John Bergsma, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman for our Lent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/lent

Happy Friday Inbetweeners

In this second installment of the March basketball series, Molly takes the analogy one step further. Last week was about knowing your playbook — recognizing the patterns behind your drinking. This week is about knowing the scoreboard.Because it's not just about how many drinks you had.It's about what the game is costing you.Molly explores the difference between evaluating a single night of drinking and looking at your overall “season record.” One off night may not define you. But trends over time tell a deeper story. Are you moving toward more peace, more energy, and more self-trust? Or are you stuck in negotiation, anxiety, and subtle disappointment?The episode weaves together personal reflection and neuroscience, breaking down how alcohol impacts GABA, glutamate, cortisol, and dopamine. Molly explains the neurological rebound effect behind 3 a.m. wake-ups, how dopamine drives anticipation and craving, and why repeated drinking can increase baseline stress sensitivity over time.This episode isn't about shame or dramatic declarations. It's about clarity. And clarity gives you the power to adjust your strategy mid-season.In This EpisodeWhy the scoreboard matters more than effortThe difference between a single “game” and your season recordThe hidden costs of drinking beyond obvious consequencesHow alcohol increases GABA — and why that calm feeling doesn't lastThe glutamate and cortisol rebound that fuels 3 a.m. wake-upsHow dopamine drives anticipation and cravingWhy repeated dopamine spikes can make normal life feel “flat”The cumulative impact of stress reactivity over timeThe mental and emotional cost of daily negotiationWhy adjusting your strategy mid-season is a sign of maturity, not failureKey TakeawaysThe scoreboard reflects outcome, not intention.Automatic does not mean inevitable.Alcohol may relieve stress temporarily but increase baseline stress over time.Dopamine fuels anticipation more than pleasure.One bad night is a single game. Trends over time are your season record.You are allowed to adjust your strategy mid-season.This Week's PracticeInstead of only tracking drinks, expand what you observe:How did you sleep?Did you wake up at 3 a.m.?How did your anxiety feel the next day?How much mental space did alcohol take up?Did you follow through on your plan?You are not trying to force change. You are gathering data. And clarity reduces ambivalence.Mentioned in This EpisodeThe neurological rebound effect (GABA and glutamate balance)Dopamine and anticipation conditioningSunnyside mindful drinking app (15-day free trial)Work With MollyIf you're ready to go beyond listening and begin applying these tools with support, you can learn more about working with Molly at:www.mollywatts.comYou can also reach out directly at molly@mollywatts.com to explore what level of support is right for you.Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Second Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma. Lenten Weekday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105: 16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Verse Before the Gospel: John 3: 16 Gospel: Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Dave Pivonka, Dr. John Bergsma, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman for our Lent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/lent

Keywords relationships, dating, emotional support, independence, communication, intimacy, wants vs needs, self-sufficiency, trauma, expectations Summary In this engaging conversation, Mil Ivory and Tory Everhart explore the complexities of dating, modern relationships, focusing on the distinction between wanting and needing a partner. They discuss the importance of emotional support, communication, and the impact of past traumas on current dating experiences. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of understanding and humility in relationships, as well as the necessity of being self-sufficient while still desiring companionship. Through personal anecdotes and insights, they navigate the challenges of dating in today's world, highlighting the need for transparency and intentionality in building connections. Takeaways The difference between wanting and needing a partner is crucial in relationships. Women often struggle to distinguish between their wants and needs in dating. Dating should be about getting to know each other without pressure. Intimacy and emotional support are key components of a successful relationship. Independence does not negate the desire for companionship. Clear communication is essential for understanding each other's expectations. Humility and growth are important in navigating relationships. Emotional trauma can impact dating experiences and expectations. The three-date rule can help establish boundaries and expectations in dating. Time and transparency are vital for building strong connections. Titles Navigating Wants vs. Needs in Relationships The Modern Dating Dilemma  sound bites "I feel like that's okay." "I don't want to be dignitized." "I want my person now." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Wants vs. Needs in Relationships 03:00 Defining Dating and Its Misconceptions 05:58 The Role of Intimacy and Abstinence in Dating 08:59 Understanding Independence and Companionship 11:55 The Importance of Self-Sufficiency 15:04 Expectations in Relationships and Humility 18:00 The Role of a Man in a Woman's Life 20:51 Recognizing a Trying Man 24:08 Communication and Transparency in Dating 25:36 Navigating Time and Relationships 27:07 The Three Date Rule: Expectations and Realities 30:52 Communication: The Key to Connection 35:17 Expectations of Chivalry in Modern Dating 39:10 Understanding Emotional Needs and Communication 45:20 The Importance of Specificity in Invitations 49:28 Navigating Dating Dynamics 52:51 Understanding Interest and Initiation 56:18 The Importance of Emotional Support 01:01:30 Healing from Past Relationships 01:06:08 The Balance of Independence and Partnership

Dopey wood Tickets: https://www.showclix.com/event/dopeywood-2026 Ad free dopey: www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast On this Dopey Wednesday, I read some Dopey Nation emails + Spotify comments, play a killer voicemail from Mick Popham (dope-sick train ride, shitting in a stairwell, 20 years later: gratitude), and then I'm joined by returning guest Hannah Sward (Strip / “Summer of Men”). Hannah gets super real about trauma, dissociation, and how old stuff gets triggered—plus how meth took over in LA (dealers, chaos, dark nights, “Speed in the Bushes,” all of it). We also get into her steamy Substack and the whole question of casual sex in recovery—what feels free, what feels risky, and what it costs. PLUS MORE! All that and much much  more on today's Wednesday Dose of Dopey!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

*Spotify Ad Information: Following disturbance from "mid content" and "post content" adverts, I have now changed the settings so you will only be served ads PRE content. Apologies if there are now more of these - but you are able to skip through and be assured that there are no ads during or after the episode.I've created this sleep hypnosis session to gently support the resetting of your nervous system as you rest. Through calm guidance and subtle suggestion, this recording is designed to help your body move out of alertness and into deeper restoration, allowing you to drift into steady, uninterrupted sleep while encouraging greater balance and ease in the days ahead.Hypnotherapy is an incredible tool that enables us to speak to the subconscious part of the mind – the part that is in control of our emotions and habits, therefore enabling a much higher success rate than just desperately relying on willpower in the everyday conscious part of our brains.Please like and share my recordings - and of course, subscribe to my channel, as I'll be putting out more Hypnosis & Meditation videos as often as I can :).About Me: I'm a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Coach based in Seville in Spain but I see clients online from all around the world, specialising in Alcohol Moderation and Abstinence.Please feel free to contact me for any enquiries via Instagram www.instagram.com/steveroetherapy.#hypnotherapy #forsleep #sleephypnosis #MaleVoiceHypnosis #deepsleep #sleepmeditationMusic – Inner Balance - Elm Lake - c/o Epidemic Sound⚠DISCLAIMER⚠ All media content created by Steve Roe Therapy is intended for education and entertainment purposes only. Like all self-directed hypnosis, the recordings are not intended to substitute or replace one-to-one therapy, medical care or prescriptions from your health care practitioner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this March kickoff episode, Molly introduces a month-long basketball theme inspired by her childhood love of the game and the five life lessons she previously shared with her community. Drawing from her experience playing basketball she explores how the structure and strategy of the game mirror the patterned nature of drinking habits.The central message: before you can change your drinking, you have to understand your playbook.Molly explains how drinking often feels spontaneous and emotional, but when slowed down, reveals predictable thought patterns. Using personal examples from her own decades-long 6 p.m. “unwind play,” along with a client story about belonging and connection, she illustrates how automatic behaviors are not inevitable—they are practiced.The episode also dives into the neuroscience behind habit formation through the Behavior Map–Results Cycle (Thought → Feeling → Action → Result) and how Alcohol Core Beliefs reinforce repeated patterns. For listeners who grew up with alcohol in the home, Molly discusses how early modeling can shape unconscious associations without conscious awareness.The episode concludes with a guided “game film” exercise to help listeners identify the thoughts that precede their drinking urges and begin building awareness—the first and most essential skill for change.This is where agency begins.Why basketball isn't random—and neither is your drinkingHow “automatic” behaviors differ from “inevitable” onesMolly's personal 6 p.m. unwind pattern and how she rewired itThe Behavior Map–Results Cycle and the neuroscience of habit loopsA client example illustrating how belonging—not wine—was driving behaviorThe unique impact of growing up with an alcoholic parent on your internal playbookA guided reflection exercise to identify the thought that begins your drinking patternWhy awareness—not willpower—is the first step toward lasting changeKey ConceptsDrinking follows a predictable playbookAutomatic means practicedThought creates feeling, feeling drives actionYou cannot change what you do not examineShame is not a useful tool for changeAwareness is the first skillLow risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the First Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma. Lenten Weekday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Ezekiel 18: 21-28 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 Verse Before the Gospel: Ezekiel 18: 31 Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Dave Pivonka, Dr. John Bergsma, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman for our Lent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/lent

Alcohol consumption in the United States is declining. Gallup reports that only 54% of Americans now drink — the lowest level recorded in decades — and nearly half of Americans say they are actively trying to drink less.On the surface, this sounds like clear progress.But in this episode, Molly explores an important question raised by Dr. Adi Jaffe in a recent article: Are we truly becoming more emotionally resilient… or are we simply swapping one escape route for another?As cannabis use rises alongside declining alcohol consumption, it's worth examining whether substitution equals transformation — or whether real change requires something deeper.This episode unpacks the cultural shift away from alcohol, the rise in cannabis use, and the critical distinction between behavioral change and emotional growth.In This Episode, You'll Learn:The latest statistics on declining alcohol consumption in the U.S.Why cannabis use is increasing as alcohol use declinesWhat research says about cannabis use and alcohol reductionThe difference between substitution and emotional resilienceWhy simply replacing alcohol doesn't necessarily change your relationship with discomfortHow psychological dependence operates beneath surface-level behavior changeThe core beliefs that often drive alcohol useA simple self-reflection exercise to assess your own coping patternsKey Statistics Discussed54% of Americans report drinking alcohol (Gallup 2025)Nearly half of Americans are trying to drink less65% of Gen Z plans to cut down or abstain from alcoholApproximately 178,000 alcohol-related deaths occur annually in the U.S.41% of young adults report cannabis use in the past year29% report past-month cannabis use10.8% report daily cannabis useAbout 3 in 10 cannabis users are at risk of Cannabis Use DisorderThe Core QuestionReducing alcohol is meaningful.But emotional resilience is something deeper.This episode challenges you to consider:If alcohol disappeared tomorrow, what would you reach for?Are you choosing relaxation — or needing escape?Have your behaviors changed… or have your beliefs changed?True transformation happens when you dismantle the belief that you need something outside of yourself to manage your internal state.Resources MentionedDr. Adi JaffeThe Abstinence Myth by Dr. Adi JaffeUnhooked by Dr. Adi JaffeSunnyside mindful drinking app (15-day free trial available)Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan)CDC Cannabis Use DataHarvard Health on cannabis vs. alcohol risksBrown University study on cannabis and alcohol consumptionLow risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:Healthy men under 65:No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.Abstinence from alcoholAbstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.Benefits of “low-risk” drinkingFollowing these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work. ★ Support this podcast ★

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Friday After Ash Wednesday by Dr. John Bergsma. Friday After Ash Wednesday. Day of Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Isaiah 58: 1-9a Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 51: 3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19 Verse Before the Gospel: Amos 5: 14 Gospel: Matthew 9: 14-15   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Dave Pivonka, Dr. John Bergsma, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman for our Lent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/lent

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Ash Wednesday by Dr. John Bergsma. Ash Wednesday. Begin Lenten Preparation for the Easter Triduum. Not a Holy Day of Obligation. Day of Fast (ages 18-59) and Abstinence from Meat (age 14 and up) First Reading: Joel 2: 12-18 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 51: 3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17 Second Reading: Second Corinthians 5: 20 – 6:2 Verse Before the Gospel: Psalms 95: 8 Gospel: Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com Join Dr. Shane Owens—Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University—together with Fr. Dave Pivonka, Dr. John Bergsma, Megan Hjelmstad, and Emily Stimpson Chapman for our Lent Bible Across America study. Sign up to join the movement today at www.stpaulcenter.com/lent