Author: Contributor to The Sober Curator

S.C. Jensen is a Canadian fiction writer, sci-fi and horror enthusiast, and literary advocate. She lives with her husband, children, and various fuzzy friends on an acreage in The-Middle-of-Nowhere (a.k.a. Northern Saskatchewan). She spends most of her days crafting stories about ordinary people forced to act in extraordinary situations and is perpetually rooting for the underdog. That’s because she used to be the underdog in her own story. Since quitting drinking on August 31, 2018, she’s come into her own as a sober creative and hopes to share her experiences with fiction lovers from all walks of life. Jensen dabbles…

For sober people, as if trying not to drink isn’t hard enough, we also have to live in a world that is filled with alcohol. It’s everywhere we turn; we can’t get away from it even if we want to. Unless you choose to live off the grid, I suppose. But, if you’re like me and live very much on the grid, you know that having confidence in your choice to live without alcohol doesn’t come easy. Drinking is normal. Not drinking isn’t.As they say in some circles, it works if you work it. The same goes for being secure…

Meredith earned her Bachelor’s Degree from ULL in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in English. Her work has been featured in Poets Choice, Anti-Heroin Chic, and the anthology “Storealities.” She is the subject of an Artist’s Feature in Hatchlings Publishings. She headlined and produced the event, A Night of Poetry, created and produced the Flood Relief Fundraiser with Paige Daye to raise over $5K for victims of the 100 Year Flood in Acadiana, has shared her work in readings at The Warehouse, Feed N Seed, Glide Dance Studio, The Warehouse Project, (Lafayette, LA) Readings on the Pike (VA), Poetry in…

Jessica Jeboult is a Sober Girl. After trying to get sober for nearly 10 years, Jessica is here to share her experiences along the way to complete and utter sobriety. From health and fitness to relationships, dating and even having sex sober, this hilariously witty and casual approach to an otherwise daunting subject is sure to give you some solid tips to getting and staying sober. Mei McIntosh: The Creative Sober Mei walks us through her sobriety journey that includes relapsing after 5 years sober. She explains how this time around is different and how her podcast, The Creative Sober,…

Friendships. What are they? Why do we need them? And why do we get so darn upset when they change? We’re humans, that’s why. And change is hard. Change is uncomfortable. But change is also inevitable, and at times, it’s something we can’t control. Sometimes, change can even be good. The Big Bang Theory – The Friendship Algorithm Let’s Define Friendship What is friendship, anyways? The dictionary has a definition for it, but who cares. We all get to decide for ourselves what it means to be a good friend. We’re all different, which means we have different wants and…

Wow. Four whole years without alcohol. I never imagined I’d have the life I have now. I didn’t know much about myself before I quit drinking. I wasn’t aware that people like me existed. What I’ve learned in the last four years is that although there is only one Blair, my story is not unique. This fact keeps me telling my story. It keeps me creating. It keeps me writing about things that matter. It keeps me growing. Four years ago I needed to hear that living a life without alcohol was OK. I needed someone to tell me the…

The Creative Sober Podcast is a collection of interviews with sober creatives from all walks of life who inspire and continue to create in sobriety and is hosted by Sober Curator, DJ Missing Mei. *Trigger Warning: With consent to release, the following is a recorded interview with Martin Lapid before his passing in Dec 2021. Topics include substance use disorder, self-harm, and alcoholism. Las Vegas resident Martin Lapid was a graphic designer, business owner, and co-founder of the recovery brand Serenitees Collection. He shares about his design career during the past 20+ years, how he found life in recovery and…

Self-trust is one of the most important parts of healing and growth. For us to move forward, we first have to trust that we are safe outside of our comfort zones. As trauma survivors, as people in recovery, as human beings, we all need to feel safe. Safety is important for our survival; it’s innate in all of us. When we go through a traumatic experience, it can cause us to feel like we can’t trust the world around us, and sometimes, not even ourselves. We live our lives in our small bubble, in survival mode. But for us to…

Author, professional speaker, substance abuse counselor, and podcast host Mike Gliem shares his in-depth story about his 20+ years battling addiction and the depths it took him. This is a raw and real read. If you’re in recovery or know anyone who is, or who may be struggling this is a MUST read! Mike writes about his struggles, trials, and tribulations, the lessons he learned from them, and how to overcome them. “The MEANING of my life was to find my purpose, my PURPOSE of life is to give it away.” Break yourself free from the bondage of addiction. We…

Tuesday Tunes Song of the Week: Daisies Artist: Katy Perry Early recovery for me was a bit of a war zone sometimes. When I drove up the driveway to the treatment center, I had a feeling come over me that I just knew this was my one shot at a new life. I entered treatment with the plan to accept all the opportunities given to me there (not always with a smile on my face or gratitude in my heart, LOL). I wanted a better life, and I was willing to work for it. The naïve me didn’t know that…

I spent the past 12 months experiencing life without alcohol. While addiction isn’t a part of my story, I never truly realized what big role alcohol played in my life and the lives around me until I decided to give it up. The original plan was to do Dry January as solidarity to my friends in recovery and a challenge to myself. Every once in a while, I like to do challenges…I always discover new things about myself. Most of them are mental challenges, and interestingly enough, I learned that I’m much better at not doing something I want to…

Tuesday Tunes Song of the Week: Brighter Days Artist: Blessing Offor It’s here…2022. If you are anything like me, you have a little hope for the new year. I, for one, welcome this energy shift. 2021, I’m so read for you to be over. I felt the weight of the world for most of 2021. It became unbearable some days. Did anything horrible happen to me or my life, no but grief was a heavy backpack I wore most days toward the end. In my quest to be inspired for 2022 I found this song, Brighter Days by Blessing Offor. …

Hey Molly, It’s me… The one who comments on your Instagram posts. I’m the one who shares your harmful mommy-wine posts on my story and DMs you about your alcohol-centered approach to social media. I’m writing you this to try to get you to understand. Imagine for a minute that you’re a mom struggling with alcohol. The days pass by, and you try to do your best. Small (and big) humans depend on you for everything. You don’t have a person to clean your house or cook your meals for you. You don’t have anyone to take care of your…

This week’s song is a no-brainer. In anticipation of the big day, we dance to the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) Past, Present, and Future: Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You. The Queen of Christmas has me jiggling my jolly parts every time I hear this one. I hope you enjoy this holiday season, and my wish for you is peace, serenity, and JOY. TUESDAY TUNES with Lauren McLaughlin: Welcome to Tuesday Tunes With Sober Curator Lauren McLaughlin, AKA @JoyfullySober, Your New Weekly Sober Dance PartyTuesday Tunes With Sober Curator Lauren McLaughlin AKA @Joyfullysober – The Holiday EditionLET IT…

It’s time for TUESDAY TUNES, and I DARE YOU not to bust out some finger-snapping, head-bopping moves to this song. I can’t resist a good boy band holiday tune during this time of year, and N’Sync brings it big with this jam. Not only is it a catchy tune, but if you listen to the words, it hits home in many ways for me. Three Lyrics I love: “It’s a wonderful feeling, feel the love in the room, from the floor to the ceiling.” Sometimes we get so wrapped up in stress during this time of year it reminds me to…

Were you looking for a fun way to jazz up your festive DryBations this Holiday season? How about a Peppermint Bark-inspired rim!?! On this Just A Merry Mocktail Monday, Let’s rim some glasses! What you will need: How to: To operate a double boiler, fill the bottom vessel with about an inch or two of water. Do not fill all the way. Turn on the heat and let the steam from the boiling water melt your chocolate. Enjoy Safely! Remember, if you give this a go, tag @thesobercurator and me in your photos!!! Until Next Week! To Your Health! Xoxo -Nik…

The Holidays are in full swing and for some, this is the first holiday season to be sober. On my first holiday, I was 8 months sober and it was scary and overwhelming and if I am being honest very humbling. I was 28 years old, living in a sober living house, working at Bath and Body Works in the Mall of America. I couldn’t afford Christmas gifts and I didn’t have extra money to buy supplies to do any baking (nor did I have my own kitchen). There was no tree to decorate. I was embarrassed and angry…

Adding different flavor elements to your DryBations is a great way to elevate your garnish game!On this week’s, Just a Merry Mocktail Monday, let’s make some tasty flavored foam! What you will need to make flavored foam: It’s as easy as adding a pinch of Versawhip to a small amount of your liquid and letting the milk frother do its thaaaaang! This lovely way to add dense foam that won’t deflate and adds an additional flavor element. How about a Lemonade with a Lavender Foam?Or a Mint Bevy with a Chocolate Foam!?Let your creativity take flight and tag me and…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…and the beginning of the never-ending debate on when it is ok to put up your tree. Are you Team Before Thanksgiving or Team After Thanksgiving? I am Team After Thanksgiving. So this weekend I rocked out to Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson and got it done! Oh, and of course, I got a new Holiday Themed Housecoat! TUESDAY TUNES with Lauren Mclaughlin: Welcome to Tuesday Tunes With Sober Curator Lauren McLaughlin, AKA @JoyfullySober, Your New Weekly Sober Dance Party PLAY IT AGAIN: Music can instantly transport you to another state…

Are you a hands-on shopper?Looking for a curated selection of NonAlc beverages? Well, I’m taking you virtual shopping, On This – Just a Merry Mocktail Monday!!! On the Eastside of Los Angeles… in the Indie/Hip part of town, in a city called Silverlake, a beautiful Non-Alcoholic Bottle Shop has opened its doors! Let me introduce you to Soft Spirits! This bottle shop is a great introduction to NonAlc bevies!  Are you looking to try options but don’t want to commit to large quantities from Online Retailers for free shipping?  Or would you like to skip shipping in general? In-person shopping…

We are starting a new weekly segment: drumroll please……Introducing Tuesday Tunes! Let me introduce myself; I’m Lauren, a Sober Curator from the Chicago area (aka the suburbs). I am a person in long-term recovery; I celebrated 15 years in April of 2021. Music has played a massive part in my recovery. I got sober so long ago that iPhone, Spotify, Pandora weren’t even a thing yet! LOL, I had cases of CDs (see picture above). This one is not mine since I left all of my CDs in my drug den apartment that I evacuated when I got sober; maybe I…

Is it getting cold outside? Wanting to heat things up? Grab your crock pot and let’s get to the kitchen! On this, Just A Merry Mocktail Monday, let’s make a Hot Cider!!! What you’ll need: Directions: Cube your fruit and remove all rind and pith from your citrus and combine in your crock pot with spices and 7 cups of water.Cook on low for 8 hoursORCook on high for 4 hoursWith the last 30 minutes to and hour, smoosh your fruit in the crock pot.After carefully straining, add in your maple syrup and ENJOY!! This is a wonderful drink to…

As fall festivities approach, and we attend our Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving feasts, how will we toast with flavorful DryBations? Let’s get inspired with flavors of the season, on this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday! Today, we will focus on one of my favorite fall fruits, pomegranate! The beauty about putting the focus on the pomegranate is there are so many products to incorporate for your non-alcoholic beverages!The Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and vitamins with a tart and sweet flavor which supports so many amazing recipes! You can get already peeled fruit for garnishes, you can use the juice as a tart…

What are bitters?
What do bitters do?
Are they Non-Alcoholic?
Are they Alcohol-Free?

Inspiration is, quite literally, everywhere! We are going to the Candy Shop, @lolliandpops on this JUST A MERRY MOCKTAIL MONDAY! Don’t have a cotton candy maker at home? NBD, look at all these lovely options!! A variety in so many flavors … the possibilities to create something unique is nearly effortless!! If you’re looking for a simpler Garnish… they also carry gummy candy. Such a lovely treat on a Mocktail Pick. Makin’ a NonAlc Penicillin? Add some candied ginger! It’s a lovely treat for any festivity! Bonus, their packaging makes storage clean with a lovely aesthetic! Lolli and Pop have…

Introducing Farout Drinks from Trish Reynolds and Madison McCleary. These two sober babes from the land down under allow you to experience a good mood straight out of the can. With powerful plant ingredients, you can boost your energy and improve your focus or feel calmer and sleep better with their chill vibes. Check out their Crowdfunding video and see how you can show your support and be first in line to sample this new product line. How Does It Work? These Farout bevies are plant-based and science-backed! Here are some terms to help you get familiar with how they…

I’ve got some sweet little TRICKs for you (that are a real TREAT) on this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday! Wanna turn any DryBation into a spooky elixir!?! Just add a bit of activated charcoal!! Not only does it look WICKED but activated charcoal has some benefits as well! It helps detoxify the body and supports kidney function! Wanna level it up a little!? Add a pinch of edible glitter for a swirly, enchanted potion… How about a little over-the-top garnish!?! Let’s add Cotton Candy and Plastic Spiders!!! Now you have a decadent (and somewhat elaborate) Mocktail! Can we take…

Are you looking to add some creepy Halloween and easy to create garnishes to your alcohol-free beverages? We’ve got you covered!

Halloween meets Mocktail Monday with a #boozefreetiki twist!! Let’s have a little DryBation mixing fun, on this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday!! Let’s make a twist on a classic Piña Colada with a little Spooky drizzle…

I’ve always felt like I was an observant person. Since I decided to quit drinking over three years ago, I’m more aware than I’ve ever been. Not only am I more self-aware, but I also notice the things that are happening around me. Sometimes I have fun with it. Sometimes I over-analyze situations. I see my awareness as a positive attribute, but my husband might beg to differ. I can’t not notice. My family and I recently went to an event where the booze was flowing. I noticed every person who was drinking, what they were drinking, and how much.…