I received a phone call on Friday; right after I returned from Palm Springs, California.
“Hi Charlie, my name is Barbara Weiner and I am the Manager of the Hazelden Library. I would like to get a subscription to JOURNEY magazine, starting from the first issue.”

“Well..” I replied, “I only have about 150 of the first issue left out of the original 10,000 and they are very special to me. I can send you back copies starting with issue 2, if that’s allright? And you can download and print out the Premiere Issue from our website; www.itsallinthejourney.com.”

“I have been printing out, and reading, each issue, since I became aware of your colorful journal through it being mentioned in the Faces and Voices of Recovery site. But I really need the actual magazine because we would like to make It’s all in the JOURNEY a permanent part of the addictions library. The print versions are kept here forever, and its title and our holding of it are mentioned in our online catalog.”

It’s all in the JOURNEY is going to be a permanent part of Hazelden’s addictions library!

I agreed to give her one of the first issues. I also told her I would not be cashing their check, but rather I would be putting it up on the wall of my office next to the check I received from our very first subscriber – the AA Grapevine.

In only 6 issues, It’s all in the JOURNEY has gone from a 28 page, 10,000 copy magazine that was printed every two months and distributed to every AA/NA clubhouse, detox & treatment facility in Florida,
To a 36 page, 14,000 copy magazine that is printed every month, and distributed to every AA/NA clubhouse, detox& treatment facility in Florida and California.
And this issue we are increasing our print run to 17,000 copies to double the amount going to California’s AA/NA clubhouses!

I have interviewed Grammy winning artist Jim Warren (who won his award for the cover he did on Bob Segar’s ‘Against the Wind’ albumn and loved JOURNEY magazine so much he has agreed to do our covers for free!) in issue 3,

The Deputy Director of the White House’s National Drug Control Policy in issue 5,

And Victor Capoccia, Director of the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap Inititive, in issue 6.

My interview with Congressman Jim Ramstad, who has over 26 years of sobriety and along with Rep. Edward Kennedy, got the Parity Bill passed that made addiction on par with physical dieases for insurance purposes is in our upcoming issue that is going to pre press tomorrow,
And in issue 8 I am interviewing Pat Taylor, Director of Faces & Voices of Recovery.

Today I got an e-mail from comedian Mark Lundholm, who saw the magazine at the NAATP conference and wanted to tell me how much he enjoyed it. I called him to thank him.

I will be interviewing Mark Lundholm in issue 9!

After my daughter died, I didn't believe in God, and hated Him if He was real.
Since doing the steps, I've met God.
Nice guy.
He's helping me keep my promise to Joy to live a life she would have been proud of, instead of the life I'd been living,
I sometimes think all this is happening so that someone who has absolutely no belief in God will think to themselves after hearing my story,
'My God! There must be a God!'
Yet,
After all this, I still flinch sometimes waiting for soeone to shout, "I know who you really are!"

If you haven’t read my last blog titled; Thomas Edison, The Wright Bros., Cable TV & The Space Shuttle, please take a minute or two and do. Part of it says:
I told you that I was asked to be on the board of the South Florida Coalition for a Drug Free Community and the other groups I am a member of, because some of you reading this;
CEO’s, counselors, CAP’s, PhD’s, etc..
Will think being a member of these groups is not a big deal,
Rather a pre requisite.
But for me,
For us;
Alcoholic or addicts still ‘In the pink cloud’
Still in wonder of the 4th dimension of recovery,
Of our growing conscious contact with a ‘Higher Power’;
With God.
Or those who are still on the outside,
Looking through the glass at people in recovery.
Wanting in, but not believing it is possible.
It is a big deal.
Incomprehensible.
If you told me two years ago that I would be asked to be on the board of a drug free community coalition,
And the editor of a recovery magazine,
If you told me I would interview the Deputy Director of the White House’s National Drug Control Policy 2 months ago for issue 4,
And a Congressman today for issue 6,
I would not have comprehended what you were talking about.
Would not believe something like that was possible.
Could not even imagine it as a fantasy.
After 10 ½ years in prison,
Then 10 ½ years running a strip club in active addiction.
Overactive addiction;
Hospitalized 3 times for complications from alcohol;
Starting my ‘career’ with Tequila, ending it with light beer;
(Easier on the stomach, but takes more to get the job done),
Being Baker Acted & locked up for observation in a mental ward for 72 hours;
After being arrested for standing in the rain with a knife,
Screaming at a God I didn’t believe in.
Running around the ghettos of Miami in the middle of the night trying to score,
Staring at myself in the mirror with lips blistered from not letting the crack pipe cool off.
Blood trickling down my arm where I didn’t bother wiping it after shooting up,
And vomit sprinkling the toilet from my last meal:
A six pack or two (depending on how many I could hold down)
Losing my wife, job, and eventually my house,
Selling it to go into treatment.
To tell me where I would be today –
Is why I tell you where I am today:
So that the new comer (Yeah, that’s you bro, & me too.) reading this who cannot comprehend the idea, may believe a bit.
I can’t understand how you get 100’s of channels on a TV by pushing a button,
I just see that it works if you do it.
Dude, it is so possible,
If you just do it.
I have a quote on my magazine’s website,
And I also put it in every magazine;

Until one is committed there is always hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation there is one elementary Truth, the ignorance of which, kills countless ideas and splendid plans. That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would otherwise not have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Jimmy G also talked about the Space Shuttle, and how it takes 90% of it’s fuel to get 10% on it’s way.
Until it breaks the chains of gravity.
Then it takes just little spurts of fuel to rocket it along to the farthest reaches of space,
Because there is nothing holding it back.
Do the steps;
Thoroughly and honestly.
It’s 90% of the fuel you need,
To break the chains of addiction and be rocketed into a whole new dimension;
Of belief.
In life.
In the future.
In yourself.
There will be nothing to hold you back.
Believe it.
It happened to me.
Peace

As for our website?

We are becoming an on line social networking site: The JOURNEY Community!
With an estimated 35,000 readers, I believe our community will become a popular place to visit, make friends and support each other.
Below is the promo that was sent out to our readers and friends:

We are striving to become a World Wide Recovery Community – right here!
It's all in the JOURNEY (www.itsallinthejourney.com) is about to become an interactive online community! In 2 to 3 weeks you will see a whole new look at our home page!

Look for the door on the right side of the page & just click on it, or one of the mailboxes that will also be there (To join, for directories, contact info, submitting stories/articles, etc..), enter and sign up to become a member of the JOURNEY Community!
You will be able to have your own page to personalize – post stories, blogs, pictures, videos, etc…
Add friends, make friends, leave comments on their pages,
Start your own group or forum.
Our Detox & Treatment, Recovery Residence, Professional and Help & Support Directories will still be here,
You will still be able to download and read each issue of JOURNEY, (You will be able to pick from a rotating carousel of current & past issues on the main page – That is very cool!).
And we will still pick one submitted story or article to publish in each issue.
Plus! We are also going to highlight one member's page in each issue of JOURNEY!
With an estimated 35,000 readers of our magazine, we can be one of the largest online communities in the world and show others that,
It works, if you work it!
It’s all in the JOURNEY; Get on the road with us!
Please join, tell your friends, and help us make this community a reality!

God shots.
Bartender, I’ll take a double!
peace
Charlie G