The enormously talented Aaron Lee of SobrSoldier.com (and future SRN Pod Guest) shares some personal insight along with an exclusive first-look at some of his stunning artwork. Find out what bartending, Batman and levitation mean to the single father closing in on his first year of sobriety.
The principal motivation for my creativity. Curiosity and exploration, not just of my art or writing but of myself and what all I can do.
The principal motivation for my sobriety. My son. It was after his birth that I began the process, by process I mean the “quit then relapse” game.
My favorite qualities in a person. Genuineness. Humility.
What I appreciate most about my friends. Non-judgement.
My main fault. Addictive personality
My favorite occupation. Bartender. Go figure, right?
My dream of happiness. To be able to quit my full time job and be able to support me and my son off my art/writing.
My idea of misery. To be closed-minded
My greatest regret. Being an asshole.
My proudest moment. Calling my sister and asking for help. (With addiction)
Other than myself, who would I like to be? Batman…I don’t know maybe Guillermo del Toro.
Where I would like to live. Split time between Alaska and California…maybe. I’m equal parts city and country boy.
My favorite color. Black.
My favorite authors. Hemingway, Phillip K Dick, Burroughs, Marquez, Faulkner, McCarthy, Gaiman, Jonathon Carroll
My favorite poets. The Dylans. Dylan Thomas—Bob Dylan
My favorite composers/musicians. Tom Waits. The Beatles, RZA, Einstürzende Neubauten. Social Distortion. Black Sabbath. Elvis. Delta Blues.
My favorite painters/designers. Jackson Pollock, Egon Schiele, Mark Rothko, Phil Hale, Jack Kirby, Bill Watterson, Takato Yamamoto, all the old school tattoo artists.
My hero(es). My family.
My favorite food and drink. A perfectly cooked Pittsburgh style rare steak. I drink way to much diet Mt. Dew.
My drug of choice when I was using. Of choice? It would be opiates of any kind. But by ease of use and most use, it would be alcohol. Twenty-year alcoholic.
What I hate most of all. Ignorance. Pretty much every other answer I could give all boils down to ignorance in the end.
The natural talent I'd like to be gifted with. Levitation.
How I want to die. Old.
My present state of mind. Actively at ease.
Faults for which I have the most indulgence. I have a 20+ year love affair with tobacco.
My favorite motto. Scio me nihil scire.
I know that I know nothing.
ABOUT RECOVERY REVELATIONS™
Our Recovery Revelations Questionnaire is based on the questions of a late 19th century English "confessions album" later mistakenly attributed to French novelist, Marcel Proust. Vanity Fair uses a version for their Proust Questionnaire and James Lipton uses a variation on Inside the Actors' Studio.
You are encouraged to engage the interviewee and explore their answers further in the comments.
If you'd like to be share your Recovery Revelations, please contact Chris for details.