Ever tip like Santa, wake up like Scrooge, and wonder where the night—and your rent—went? I’ve been that guy, tossing hundreds across the bar, buying temporary friendships, and calling it “fun.” This time, we pull the curtain back on cravings, the real cost of drinking, and how to keep the laughter and connection while dropping the chaos.

We start with the hard part: admitting that the first instinct after a rough day is still “I need a drink.” I talk through the triggers that used to send me spiraling, the way alcohol torched my financial guardrails, and why being generous turned into being reckless. Then we draw a clear map out: how I rebuilt travel without booze, from packing non-alcoholic rum and cola to structuring resort days around the ocean, movement, and actual rest. The twist that surprised me most? Staff and old party friends quietly shared their own sober streaks. When the performance ended, the support showed up.

From a $15,000 Christmas blowout in Mexico to a sober return trip where I came home with money and memories, the contrast is stark. I share the moments that hurt—watching “friends” disappear when the free drinks stopped—and the ones that healed, like celebrating a 50th birthday and a one‑year sober milestone with my wife and real friends who wanted me present, not plastered. You’ll hear practical tools for handling cravings, saving serious cash, and still being the loud, funny, center‑of‑the‑room version of yourself without waking up to damage control.

If you’ve ever wondered whether the party can be better when you remember it, this is your sign. Hit follow on Spotify and YouTube (Pure Chaos, spelled K‑A‑O‑S), share this with someone who needs a nudge, and drop a comment with your best sober travel tip or the milestone you’re aiming for. Your story might be the one that keeps someone else on track.

We can choose to give in to the Chaos, or we can forge a new path forward!

We ask what truly leads to addiction and map how early sips, bullying, and bored small-town habits can turn relief into reliance. We share ten months of sobriety, why one drink flips a switch, and practical ways to stay out of the spiral.

• framing the core question of what fuels addiction
• first exposures from Baby Duck to a blackout at fourteen
• bullying, shame, and using intoxication to numb feelings
• small-town access, weak supervision, and bored routines
• adult denial, hidden drinking at work, and job loss
• genetics versus environment and how risks stack
• the “first drink switch” and strict boundaries
• coping tactics with non-alcoholic options and routines
• choosing curiosity over shame to break patterns

Please uh if you if you enjoy this, like and subscribe

We can choose to give in to the Chaos, or we can forge a new path forward!

A clear head on January 1 after three decades of hangovers changes everything. We open the door on Pure Kaos with zero polish and total honesty: what it’s like to wake up sober, remember the night, and decide to tell the whole story of addiction, relapse, and real recovery. The conversation moves from raw confession to practical tools, tracing the “just one drink” lie that became week-long benders and the hard-won acceptance that being an alcoholic means never negotiating with that first sip.

We get personal about triggers, especially travel. Mexico used to be an all-inclusive blur; now it’s a test of intention and planning. You’ll hear how non-alcoholic rum recreated an old ritual without the fallout, why substitutions matter for cravings, and how to build routines that make sober choices easier in the moments that count. We also talk about turning 50, celebrating ten months on the way to a one-year milestone, and the relief of starting a new year without shame or guesswork.

Pure Kaos aims to be a weekly home for people who are sober, sober-curious, or simply tired of pretending that drinking is harmless. Expect straight talk about the relapse loop, the thoughts that lead to “I’m fine now,” and the everyday structures that keep recovery intact. We’ll bring on guests with lived experience, share tools that actually help, and keep the tone compassionate for anyone who slipped last night and still wants tomorrow. If you’ve ever asked yourself whether clarity could feel better than a buzz, this is your place to find out.

If the story resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so others can find the show. Your feedback will shape future episodes—what do you want us to tackle next?

We can choose to give in to the Chaos, or we can forge a new path forward!