Dan Forkell Stand up and be clouted 200 barroom bouts shouts of a life unclouded

I appreciate the opportunity to be a guest.  I love sharing my story.  I've attached a couple of things to give you a little context.

I drank alcoholically for twenty years and am now 31 years sober.  I went from a college educated professional to homeless by the time I was 30.  My story includes all of the usual: Three DUI's, multiple arrests, multiple hospitalizations, over 200 barroom fights, unemployment, welfare and homelessness.  But those are only the things that happened.  The more important story is how I felt, how I thought, how I experienced life.  That's where I believe our real commonality lies.

Today I look back on the last 31 years and realize its been far better than anything I could have dreamed of while sitting on a bar stool.  I'm married for 30 years, have a son who is 27 and 10 years sober.  Have had a tremendously satisfying and regarding professional career. Have worked in 25 countries. Have crossed off all the items on my bucket list including being a stand-up comedian (won the 2007 Sarasota Comedy Festival) and writing a book (Don't Drink And Go To Meetings".

The biggest miracle is not that I don't drink but that I finally feel comfortable in my own skin.

Regards,

  Dan Forkell

       (813) 802-9576

            danforkell@earthlink.net