Drinking among 12 – 17 year olds has dropped by 65% over the past 23 years.  Over-all underage drinking is down more than ever.  College students, who always attract a lot of attention in the press, have the lowest rate of drinking in the thirty eight year history of keeping these records.  The proportion of  students reporting occasional or frequent beer drinking has dropped to an historic 44.8 %. That’s down from 73% in 1982.

This news comes from Professor David J. Hanson – University of New York.  To see all his findings log on:

www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj

This is great news, but we’ve got a long way to go.  The key is educating our young people of the dangers of alcohol at an early age.  Take that from a guy who started drinking at age 12.

“Hoot” Hooten                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Former Chairman of the Santa Maria, California – Under Age Drinking Task Force

(Reuters) – Olympic silver medalist skier Jeret “Speedy” Peterson has committed suicide near Salt Lake City. Peterson, 29, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Monday night, shortly after he called emergency dispatch to say he was going to kill himself.
He was a silver medalist in the men’s freestyle aerials competition at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.

Peterson’s body was found beside his vehicle on a road just outside Salt Lake City.  Police said he left a suicide note, but they declined to reveal the contents of the message.

Peterson’s death on Monday came three days after the Olympic athlete was arrested in Idaho on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving. He was released from the Blaine County Jail in Idaho after posting $500 bail.

He failed three field sobriety tests, including a walk and turn and a one-leg stand, according to a police report.

Peterson pleaded not guilty in paperwork filed by his attorney to the charge of driving under the influence and the speeding citation.

Peterson gained the nickname “Speedy” because coaches thought he resembled the cartoon character “Speed Racer” when wearing his helmet. He invented his signature jump the “Hurricane,” a five-twist and three-flip maneuver that landed him the silver medal in Vancouver.

Peterson’s behavior at times got him in trouble with the law and sports officials. In 2006, he was sent home from the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, after a fight, according to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

“Speedy’s” death, on the heals of Amy Windehouse’s death reminds me of what some old drunk told me years ago about alcohol being an equal opportunity destroyer.

If you’re like “Speedy,” Amy and me, find yourself in a little trouble, often. It’s time for a self analysis.

Do something about it before you waste away your life like me and millions of others who have our disease.

God rest “Speedy” and Amy’s souls.

“Hoot” Hooten

Mainly because I know the horrors of addiction and alcohol abuse. It’ destroyed much of my life. I was afraid we’d meet on this page one day and talk about how sad it is that Amy didn’t make it. Some would say, “Hey she knew what she was doing, so it’s on her.” No No No!!

Addiction and alcoholism is a disease. A disease that tells you you don’t have a disease. We tell outselves, “ah hell, I can quit any time I want to, but right now I don’t want to. I’ll get right one day, just not today. Then one day, you wake up in an alley, curled up inside a cardboard box glad that someone didn’t run over you in the middle of the night. Hungry and cold, missing most of your teeth, stinking to high heaven, you shuffle off to go find something to eat.

I didn’t go that far but know many who did. No, like Amy I was in show business, radio to be exact. Had the top radio shows in Houston, Texas and Miami, Florida. Everywhere else I worked in radio too. I got so sick and tired of being sick and tired, I finally found sobriety. Not until I ruined my life. Lost all my friends, three wives and experienced one horrific catastrophy after another.

So, I wasn’t surprised Amy died, just sad: Look what Wikipeida said about Amy:

Winehouse’s 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the then record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made Winehouse the first British female to win five Grammys,^[3][4] including three of the “Big Four“: Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 14 February 2007, she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist; she had also been nominated for Best British Album. She won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best Contemporary Song (musically and lyrically) for “Stronger Than Me“, one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for “Rehab“, and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for “Love Is a Losing Game“, among other distinctions. The album was the third biggest seller of the 2000s in the United Kingdom.^[5]

Winehouse was credited as an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music, and also for revitalising British music. Winehouse’s distinctive style made her a muse for fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld. Winehouse’s problems with drug and alcohol abuse, and her self-destructive behaviours were regular tabloid news from 2007 until her death. She and her former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were plagued by legal troubles that left him serving prison time. In 2008, Winehouse faced a series of health complications that threatened both her career and her life.

Listen my friend, if you’re drinking and drugging, do something about it now. Right now!

“Hoot” Hooten – aka Brad Edwards

Every holiday I’m reminded of how often I made a fool out of myself and or embarrassed everyone who knew me.  I didn’t know what made me have to have a drink for many years, all I  knew was when I began drinking, I didn’t stop until I was drunk.  And that is one of the key symptoms of alcoholism.  “The inability to stop.”

I found this description of what the basics of alcohol are and thought you might find it useful, if you’re trying to put an end to your nightmare.

Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented, a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner or antiseptic; however the kind of alcohol that people drink is ethanol, which is a sedative. When alcohol is consumed, it’s absorbed into a person’s bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which controls virtually all body functions. Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person’s perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing.

This holiday, remember how dangerous it is to take that first drink, especially when you know you don’t have the ability to stop.  Of course we all say “I can stop whenever I want to, I just don’t want to.”

Stay safe my friends.

“Hoot”

Robin Wms – Marijuana – click on Airchecks and Production at mynameishoot.com for Robin Williams as he talks marijuna.

Colorado and California lead the nation in marijuana legalization with “weed” clinics in abundance.  As a result of this apparent relaxation of the laws governing marijuana sales and cultivation, the discussion among alcoholics is, “well if it’s not illegal, then it might be okay…” One guy recently said he lost 6 years of sobriety trying “skank” and had a mental meltdown:

“My doctor tells me that my use of cannabis contributed largely to my mental health problems. I thought that because I had been off the booze for six years that I was OK. I was wrong.” — Justin C.

I tried the “weed to succeed” program and even considered Marijuana’s Anonymous.  Those meetings last 3 hours or 30 minutes, whichever comes first — I joke.  I can’t remember much about 1997, but I can tell you I was stoned every day, and was constantly one hit away from tilt.  I saw one movie that year 3 times, and still can’t recall large chunks of it. 

Paranoia, doomsday syndrome and depression became a way of life for me, but I finally gave it up and was blessed with sobriety.  For me, it was just another escape from reality and a dangerous road to go down because it weakened my resolve to not drink.  Not surprisingly, I went back out, which means I went back to drinking.

If you have a drinking problem, you have a drinking problem.  All the easier softer ways, will only delay your recovery and could, of course, lead to even worse consequences.

God bless and good luck my friends,

Hoot

Getting sober isn’t a matter of just quitting drinking. It has to come from, as it says in the 5th chapter off Alcoholics Anonymous, from an HONEST desire to stop drinking. Not because a few days before Christmas you got drunk again and screwed up your family’s enjoyment of the holidays.

Right now, you may be feeling stronger after the drunk of a few days ago. So, now is a good time to get drunk. “No, wait! One more day. By that time most of the wounds I inflicted on me and my family over the holidays won’t be so painfull.” It’s amazing how the next drunk has a way of completely wiping clean the pain of that last drunk!

Don’t B.S. yourself. You either want sobriety or you don’t. I know what it’s like to want to get drunk. There were times when nothing would stop my compulsion to drink, not even an AA meeting. I would hate myself, but I knew that as soon as the meeting was over, so was my sobriety. It’s a continuous nightmare. It only gets worse, never better.

Alcoholism is a disease that tells you don’t have a disease, all the while pushing you further down the ladder. “This time will be different, than my last drunk.” And so, the cycle continues until you have lost everything and even maybe, your life. Alcoholism is a progressive disease AND it only gets worse, never better.

Drinking less, eating before you drink, not drinking until your work is done and so many other attempted escapes from the ferocity of alcohol will only delay the inevitable. Wow! Drunk again, how’d that happen?

Listen, I love you all because I know how bleak things can get. Just stay sober today, go to an AA meeting and don’t worry about tomorrow. One day at a time.

Oh, and revisit the video in the blog before this one. It may change your life. Oh, by the way. Smoking a joint then getting behind the wheel increases your chance of havin an accident by as much as 50%. It’s true.!!

God Bless you my brothers and sisters.
Hoot

After living through forty years of ugly, awful, violent, sickenly embarassing alcoholism, I can tell you I have seen the most significant video on DUI I have ever seen. If you or someone you know has a drinkiing problem, SIT DOWN or MAKE THEM SIT DOWN to view this video.

Anyone who views this video will almost certainly, know they have just seen a LIFE CHANGING event.
I don’t mean to harp on you about alcoholism, but I do mean to find the evidence someone needs to make a decision about whether or not they should do something about their drinking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Z2mf8DtWWd8

There couldn’t be a better gift for you and your family, than sobriety.  Easily said, but not so easily done.  So, now is the time to take advantage of my 100% off sale on sobriety.  Give me 90 days of AA meetings and if you’re still not satisfied and think you have to drink, I’ll personally refund all your misery.

At www.mynameishoot.com/ resources and links page, you’ll find a variety of ideas to help you get through the holidays. If you’re anxious about Thanksgiving, Christmas or the biggest night of drinking OF ALL, New Years, now is the time to either quit drinking or put a few well known tips to work, that may help keep this time of year, safe for you and others.

Personally, I tried everything I could to keep drinking, and never considered not driving, or not drinking over the holiday period.  So think about being honest with yourself.  If you have decided to drink anyway, make your intentions known and try to find a designated driver.  Being more responsible during this time of year will at least show your friends and family that you’re doing something about your drinking.

Holiday Tips from Others on www.about.com/alcoholism

Visitors to the Alcoholism site at About.com over the years have shared their personal tips on dealing with the pressures of the Holiday Season. Click on their names to read their suggestions. More holiday ideas are listed in Part II.

Have Fun!

The holidays are supposed to be a happy time, there many ways to have fun without drinking and have a safe and sober holiday.

For those you know who are in recovery – to encourage them through the holidays – there are many online recovery gift shops available where you can find that special gift for that special person.

Once you’ve had the requisite “talk” and he/she says he/she will do something about it, that’s when you (2) must demand to know exactly what he/she intends to do to stop drinking.  Of course, unbeknownst to you, he/she may, at first, go underground wi th his/her drinking.  So there will likely be more out-of-town business trips, for secret drinking.  No one will know.  No harm no foul, right? When you find out, you break-up, (3) or threaten to.  Year in and year out, that will be the scenario you’ll exist under.  (refer to number one recommendation)

The alcoholic is very crafty and will give you a variety of reasons causing him/her to drink.  Job pressure usually tops the list.  “It’s just a passing phase; I’ll cut back, maybe if I find a job in some other town, I’ll be okay.”  Greener pastures.  The alcoholic is constantly tries to outrun his self, but when he/she gets to the greener pasture, the old drunk shows up.

You need to know what to do if your loved one is a problem drinker.  If you think he/she is a problem drinker, he/she probably is.  You MUST KNOW WHAT TO DO..!  Find Alanon on my resourses page at mynameishoot.com.  This is a take-no-prisoners illness and you need to take it as seriously as you can.  I don’t mean to be so dark, but I have to.  Alanon is for the non-drinker in an alcoholic family.  You’ll quickly learn what others have done and are doing to survive in an alcoholic environment.

God bless you my beautiful  friends.  If you’re suffering, I have some solutions.  Send me a note; it’ll be just between you and me. Info@mynameishoot.com

Hoot

Steve’s no stranger down at the station house.  All he wanted is to get some oysters down on the corner.  He was “Fixen” to do so when the long arm of the law, interceded.