If you are looking for a fun way to celebrate your Soberthday or any other special occasion, Jones Soda Co. has got your back! Made with pure cane sugar and featuring one of the most unique packaging design concepts in the beverage industry, Jones Soda is a one-of-a-kind premium soda. It’s known for its bold, unique flavors, colors, and ever-changing labels submitted by its consumers. That’s right! You can submit ANY photo to be considered on one of their labels! How cool is that?
Sober Curator Pro Tip: Submit your funky photos HERE
Was it a little on the pricey side? Sure. But I figured after not spending any money on booze for 15 years, I could afford it. The taste? Delicious! The Birthday Cake Soda Flavor is very sweet, which made it easy for me to sip instead of my usual gulp. (Even without alcohol, I still gulp everything. It’s awkward sometimes.) The upside? It’s too sweet for Jakob, my 24-year-old gamer son, so this case will probably last me until my “Sweet Sixteen” in 2022. Which will be a fun day if it happens, but I’m a one-day at a time kind of gal. If I think too far out, I quickly get extended beyond my skies. Fun Fact: You don’t want to take me skiing. I am way too awkward for that.
Sober Curator Pro Tip:
If you don’t want to hear me go down memory lane and you just want to skip to the part where I talk more about Jones Soda Co., scroll a few paragraphs past the Soberthday photos with the balloons I had taken and get right back to the soda goods. I’m not offended. At all. Honestly, if you’ve read this far already, you’ve made my day.
How do I feel about celebrating three 1/5s without a 1/5?
(as my dear friend Rita likes to say)
Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve been basically home 24/7 for over a year with my son and two Boston Terriers. These dogs are basically my little shadows. Even when I close the bathroom door, they stick a paw or sometimes a tongue under the bathroom door to get my attention. They are both adorable and wildly obnoxious.
I’m recovering from Covid-19, which I was exposed to on April 11th. I’d had my first vaccine on March 31st, so I could time my 2nd shot perfectly. Perfectly for what? So I could visit my friend Rita in the Assisted Living Facility she has been in for several months. I wanted to be able to see her on May, 1st, 2021. Because every year, I see Rita and we go to a meeting and we take a selfie together. Except for last year and this year. And to be frank, there really may not be the next year. The last time I saw her in person was in April 2020.
Early Recovery
You see, Rita is a huge part of my early recovery. She got me through a weekend that I didn’t think I could get through without alcohol. I was about three weeks sober and I made the mistake (or so I thought at the time), of telling her I didn’t think I could stay sober that weekend. She promptly told me that I was to pick her up at 5:45 am the following morning to take her to a meeting. Therefore, I could not drink that night because she was depending on me for a ride. Now, I barely knew Rita. She didn’t even have my phone number yet. But she got it that night. She’s used my number a lot ever since. I knew then I would make sure she got that ride the next morning. And I would still be sober and hangover free. Come hell or high water.
(I grew up in a small town that frequently had floods, so I knew how messy and expensive to repair highwater is. As for hell, I’ve been there. One Star. Do not recommend.)
Crack of dawn, Saturday 5:45am May 20th, 2006
And the next morning, in an old dingy Juicy Couture velour sweat-suit outfit that was missing a few sparkles, I picked up Rita, and off we went in my white Chrysler Pacific, which was basically a fancy minivan. She took me to meet, after meeting, after meeting, after meeting. I literally did not think my life could possibly get any worse. There was one good part. She made us stop at the shopping center and so I would take her inside to buy some See’s Candies. Rita has a sweet tooth. And by sweet-tooth, I mean that all she basically eats is sweets. I can still remember how she bossed people out of her way loudly, as she parted the sea of people at the old Northgate Mall. That part was actually pretty fun. Rita and I are both loud people. I quickly learned that wasn’t the only thing we had in common.
Enough
Finally, after, I’m not sure five maybe seven meetings? I said, “Rita, for the love of all that is good, if you will please let me go home I swear to you I will never have another drink.” And she turned her tightly puckered painted lips towards me and peered out behind her signature sunglasses and said, “Well. We’ll have to see about that now won’t we?” And then she said the following quote to me. I have no idea who the original author of it might be. Somebody famous I should know but I don’t? Or is it Rita herself?
“Seize the moment. Seize the day. Do no harm and stay out of harm’s way.”
Rita B.
All I know is that she got me through that weekend I really didn’t think I could get through without alcohol. And for whatever reasons, I haven’t had to pick up a drink since that moment in time. To me, that sounds like a whole lotta God and just the tiniest bit of willingness and action out of me. I am grateful for each day and I am grateful for each person that has played a role in my recovery. The list is long.
The “Secret Sauce”
And so every day, for 15 years, I’ve woken up and thanked God. Then I make the decision to be willing to not drink for that entire day and then I take action. I work on moving my life in a forward, positive direction and being helpful to others. End the day looking at my part and making sure to thank God at night. That’s it.
Now I’ve tried a ton of different methods, but it always just comes down to this one daily decision that I have to get right. I can get everything else wrong as long as I get that part right. And so far, I’ve made that decision, and then I’ve done whatever it took to live into that decision (which sometimes was a F*%cking LOT!) 5,475 days in a row.
I’m coming out…digitally?
Also, this is my first year, really coming out “publicly” on social media about my Soberthday. In-person, I don’t shy away from mentioning my recovery if a moment presents itself that feels appropriate. I try to use judgment and discernment. It hasn’t always been a good thing to share due to the stigma surrounding addiction. I hope to see that change in my lifetime.
Anytime I’ve posted on Facebook or Instagram on my day of celebration, it’s always been in a cryptic way that only a few people in my inner circles would understand. For example, for my 5th Soberthday, I was in Chicago for a magazine conference and I treated myself to a pair of Chanel earrings. Then I posted “Today I am celebrating my Chanel No. 5”. I had a great time in Chicago, but the earrings weren’t worth the money. I do still have them. Every time I wear them, a gemstone falls out and I have to take it in to get repaired. Kind of like the missing sparkles on that Juicy Couture velour sweatsuit I wore that weekend with Rita. A constant reminder that I’m never going to do this recovery thing perfectly, but I’ve always got to keep trying. One day at a time.
May 1st, 2021
Sleep in. Pray and meditate. Drink H2O. Take a long walk with my dogs in the fresh air. Be where my feet are. I’m going to spend my day talking to the people I care about. I hope to talk to Rita. Sip slowly on my Birthday Cake Flavored Soda with my face on the side of the bottle and spend the day in gratitude. I’m especially grateful to my parents, my sister, and my son. Come to think of it, I probably should have put their faces on the side of the Jones Soda bottles. They’ve earned this day just as much as I have.
Sober Curator Pro Tip:
All Soberthday photos are from the fabulous Barbie Hull Photography in Seattle, WA. This is not even close to the first time I’ve worked with her and I’m confident we have many more projects ahead. If you are looking for someone that will make you feel comfortable in front of the lens while also capturing your personality and you want to have a blast the entire time, then work with Barbie.
Also – why not treat yo’self for any milestone in whatever way makes you happy? (Assuming it’s good for you, obvie) You deserve it! F-Word what other people might think, they’re either jealous or too busy thinking about themselves.
The History of Jones Soda Co.
Created in Vancouver, BC in 1995 from the vision of Jones Soda founder, Peter van Stolk, and photographer/designer Victor John Penner, Jones was launched with the idea of incorporating random photographs onto their bottles using shots taken by Penner. But when consumers began submitting their own photos, they quickly realized that user-sourced participation made the brand even more special. Very clever indeed!
Jones Soda Co. – The Flavors!
Their flavor lineup includes traditional favorites like Cola, Root Beer, Cream Soda & Orange & Cream, but they also offer tasty, unique options such as Blue Bubblegum, Green Apple, Strawberry Lime, and Fufu Berry. Limited Edition offerings make appearances in the Jones lineup but don’t hold your breath for anything gross or weird. They are committed to only creating flavors we think are downright tasty AF! (Jones Soda is a treat after all!)
The Jones portfolio includes Jones Pure Cane Soda, Jones Sugar-Free, Jones Cane Sugar fountain products and our sister brand Lemoncocco – a non-carbonated beverage inspired by the iconic beverage stands in Rome, Italy. Oh-La-La!
Jones Soda Co. – The Caps!
Their Fans love the quotes they find under Jones Soda caps, which offer pearls of wisdom, advice, or simple daily pick-me-ups. Collected and shared through social media, their caps have become nearly as synonymous with their brand as their photos. You can also collect their caps and send them back to Jones to redeem some pretty cool prizes. Free stuff? That’s hot!
How to DIY Your Own Jones Soda Co. Custom Label
First of all, it’s super easy. Go to this section of the Jones Soda Co. website and simply follow the instructions.
- Pick your flavor – there are SO many options including Pride Packs, Wedding Packs, Graduations Packs, and more!
- Pick your quantity – discounts kick in the more you buy
- Upload your artwork – I use PicMonkey for everything I design on this site. I know lots of Bloggers and Instagramers use Canva, but I prefer PicMonkey. The easiest way for me to explain why is this…Are you iOS or Android? PicMonkey is the Apple of online design sites. (in my opinion) It’s streamlined to exactly what I need to use it for and very user-friendly. Bonus, they are HQ’d in Seattle where I live. And, I have been in their office space (Pre-Covid Pandemic) and it’s a creative person’s dream space!!! As for the design, I wish I would have done the @alysseinthecity in a white font instead of black, but I wouldn’t change anything else. I’m not a designer, I just play one on this website.
- Party in the Front! Business in the Back! – You can also customize the text on the backside of the bottle too!
Once you finalize your order, they will send you a proof that looks like this:
Ta-Da! You’re very own customized case of soda! You so fancy!
A Disco Ball is Hundreds of Pieces of Broken Glass, Put Together to Make a Magical Ball of Light. You are NOT Broken, Friend. You are a DISCO BALL!
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
