This it's the two seventeen Recovery podcast with Corey Winfield. Well, fat people,
we really hate it. I'm speaking for all fat people we hate being
hot. Show me one fat person that likes being hot. I'm have some
words of them like why are you playing? You like being hot? Bro
and co Holt, Marnie Winfield, the little things that I appreciate now in
life. And this gas station is the gas station of all gas stations.
And what makes it so special It's got like a coffee bar in there,
kind of It is the twenty ninth of June twenty twenty three. My name's
Corey Winfield. My name is Martie Winfield. And this is the two seventeen
Recovery podcasts. Not live but recorded, but live that makes sense. We're
from DeWitt, Michigan, at a secret location, and I'm here with very
special guests. I'm here with Caitlyn. Thank you well, Caitlyn, How
are you good? How are you doing well? And our other special guest
is our good old buddy, our our friend none others Justin, Yes,
Justin, how are you doing great? How are you doing fabulous? Fabulous?
But I'm glad you're doing great. What is better fabulous or great?
Fabulous? Fabulous? Yeah, for sure, fabulous m interesting. I would
think great would be just as good. But fabulous is a great state of
mind, great place to be. So welcome. We are in a secret
location because we're doing some secret things. Would you guys say or is it
public knowledge? Public knowledge? Okay, we're at a Is this search retreat
for the recovery community organizations in the world or just Michigan, just us,
we're the special ones. Okay. Well, it's fun though, because we're
here at a retreat and you know, I love also about a retreat that
the room smell funny, that and bugs and being hot. I love being
hot. Oh wait, then I already say that. No, people don't
like don't like being I don't like being hot. It's a thing. Well,
the whole idea of retreat center is like to get away right from So
it's this whole kind of being in nature. And I don't know, there's
something about there's this like fifth grade camp feel what's going on here? It
is? It's like one stuff up from fifth grade camp though, because we
have rooms with private bathrooms versus all having to share a cabin and bunk beds.
Are they private? No, they're not. You can hear your neighbor.
Yeah. And there's a door like in ours, and we were trying
to break into the next door. It's a room. We're like, can
we get in there? Does that mean they can get in here? It's
the two bathrooms side by side. Wanted I figured that out. It's a
two bathroom side by side because I can when there's somebody in the bathroom next
to me, it sounds like they are in my room. Where would be
the benefit of having adjoining bathrooms? The only thing I can think, I
don't know what's going on. I mean, you see, I don't I'm
left out of the drops, so I can't hear. I can only guess.
I can use my imagination the advantage. I don't know. I think
for the cleaning ladies, that's been my thought. It like maybe when they
were chained, like reconstructing it or whatever, and it used to be like
shared bathrooms, and then they had to split it so that everybody had their
own bathroom, and so they put a door so that cleaning ladies can like
open it and just like mop the whole thing. Huh. I think there's
a union out there for cleaning ladies that were like, nobody's ever cared about
us like that, they would never do that just for us, fabulous.
Well, yeah, that is nice, Justine. That's as a fabulous thing
that they did for them, if that in facted. But that that's a
better um answer than when I gave, which was sexual relationships. So that's
probably not why they did that. No, that's I'm sure not why Hey,
hey bar being there pooping, Oh great, get over here when I
have actual relationship now that that would be set up for that just saying,
I mean, there might be some people that like this stuff. I'm just
not one of them. There's a lot of people that probably are are just
like me. But but the fact that we've all thought about this this much
is what makes me laugh. Yeah, like we all and then they left
one and he's meant there, you know, it's like, that's cute.
Does your do you guys's room have a double bed end a single bed?
Yeah? Look like a tiny little dusk in between, yes, Like who
gets relegated to the single bed? And then the youth bibles there too in
case a little light reading, some light reading, but light reading because it's
not an adult Bibles, right, because gosh, you know they don't want
to leave the real thing there. You ain't twelve. They no hope for
you. You can't get this down. Yeah, you should have learnt been
learned that long time ago. You get the little bid? Did you sleep
in the little bed justin No? I did not, No, And you
took the b big bed as well. Yeah, my suitcases were relegated to
the little bed there. Well. It was weird because I went up there
the other day to use the restroom, right, and I heard somebody in
the next room and he was like on a phone call and I was on
speaker, and I'm like, is this weird that I'm listening to? You
know what? I'm like, I'm like, you're clearly here. Here's me.
Like there was no stop in it, Like I was there. I
was there for a reason. He could have taken his phone call somewhere else,
you know what I'm saying, Like, he could have taken his phone
call somewhere else. And I was like, well, I'm not here for
just killing time, even though I kind of want, but yeah, I
don't know. I felt weird, And then I was today I was like,
wonder what guy that was. And I don't know if it was a
dude I was in group with today or if it was that guy that came
in earlier, but it's one of those two. I narrowed it down.
Yeah, that's how my day went yesterday. But that but this is a
it's a fun thing. It's kind of a good thing for the recovery community
organizations in Michigan to kind of come together and I kind of talk about some
stuff. And this is my favorite part of it, is like after like
hanging out and getting to talk to you, Caitlin, because you guys are
in Potoski and you're with the Community Recovery Alliance cry Craw Craw, which I
have some associations with a little bit your Presidentcoria. Probably no, Cory,
No, I don't say it. But Dale Hall, who was the founder,
reached out to me was like hey, and I remember that was such
a big deal for me. He was like, I want you to be
on my board. Cory, Oh my god, really, And I remember
we were driving out and think it was like Thanksgiving or something, and I
was like, I felt like so cool and so privileged because I respect Dale
a lot and we had a mutual friend that was kind of going through some
things, and Dale and I came together with that, and you know,
we had lunch and breakfast a few times, and it was just just an
honor to be a part of that and for him to just go, Wow,
Corey, you're doing some good things, and I think you're doing good.
I want you to be a part of this, you know. And
I did for a little bit and then it just it was too busy,
so I went on my own way. But like what you guys doing POTASKI
is very similar to what we do sort of. I mean, we have
the same kind of title of a you know name, but we help people
in early recovery. And there's no there's no point of being like, wow,
we're not gonna do anything with them, and we really like you and
Martie and I both talked about it, and I think justin too, it's
like, we know, we gotta start doing stuff with the cra you know,
you guys are hour and a half away with some people are like,
oh, that's just right out the road, but it's not not when you
got any things going on and then you gotta drive bag and there for three
hours and do we have three hours you know, plus the hup much time
we're gonna be there, and how many times have we been like gonna come
see your center? And I'm like both ways and you're like, okay,
just didn't happen this week. And that's that's the thing. It's with what
we do, things come up last minute all the time, and with the
transportation, you know, taking people to and from treatment and helping them out
and getting to recovery services, it's it's tough and you might think, oh,
man, got nothing on the plate today, and time you get to
work, there's three people that have called me and I'm telling Justin, I'm
guess plan C now, like we're doing this and Justin's cool and he's been
doing it with me long enough now where he knows it's kind of like you
never know, you know, it's got nothing, I'm up today, Just
wait five minutes day. Yeah, And that's what's hard for I think some
of the recovery coaches that come in, you know, work in the industry
is some days it might be like that, but the fact that we get
called at eleven o'clock a night to go get people. It's it's not a
job that you can just be like, oh, I leave at five,
see you later, and some people, I guess can, but we like
not to be because that's what our thing is. It's like, when people
need us, we want to be there for them. So it's it's a
different kind of job for some people. Some people who are just like,
man, but I'm sitting around all day not doing anything. I'm like,
oh, just wait, just wait, man. You know, you gotta
be ready when they do call. But what's um some of the fun things
that you guys do up in potask you. So we do a lot of
recovery community events. We just opened our first community center, so it's a
small little place, but we get to have meetings there and we even let
people like use the space. So if there's a game coming on and the
Recovery House all wants to come down and watch the football game, they have
like a space that they can come and hang out. That's not you know,
that's outside of the house. Do something a little bit different. We
have like a little we call it the Quiet Room, but it's quickly becoming
the entertainment room, So we have games and we're gonna put some old gaming
units in there, you know, like a old being like we not like
ten or sixty four, like, you know, nobody has a wee anymore,
so we're gonna put like and we have like Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar
Hero and all those like nice quote unquote old school games. They're not old
school to any of us. But and then we have you know, we
always have a coffee pot on and so it's just like a nice community gathering
space. That's what our community kept telling us that they wanted. There's not
anything like that right now in Potaski. So now we have one and it
opened in April, so it's still brand noon. We're still getting it up
and running, but we're starting some multiple Pathway meetings, which has been really
nice. And then we're trying to do more out in the community and throughout
Northern Michigan, helping to support recovery coaches in their work, but also just
bringing the recovery message to the whole community recovery friendly workplaces and family events and
awareness events and trainings. So we're really trying to get the word out there.
And then we have just like our regular drop in coaching available every day
from ten to four. Yeah that's fun. Yeah, it's tons of fun,
and it's something different every day and you don't know what you know,
you think you know what your day is going to be coming in And some
days that works out great because we do have some administrative time, and other
days you have a walk in who or somebody who calls you and you end
up spending four hours on the phone because they're in crisis, and so we
change course. And yeah, we do most that that same stuff at our
place. Like I said, we kind of have the same time and we
do most of the kind of the same stuff too, and it's exciting to
see people come in. And you know, we're lucky to have addiction treatment
services like right there, and we work very well with them and they help
us out a lot. And when somebody you know that may or may not
be in their program, you know, comes by and we'll help anybody out,
you know, But if somebody wants to start a meeting. But when
somebody in early recovery comes over and they're like, hey, I want to
start this meeting and it's this and it's not a it's not an a,
but it's this their own thing that they've kind of created or heard somebody else
kind of doing. Something similar, but they're running with it, you know,
they're they're creating their their rules, they're creating what to do and what
it's about, and and it's beautiful to see that start happening. And then
you see them come in with this new confidence, you know, and just
like when they pack the room full of people that want to be there with
them, And it's not really about the messaging, and I don't think.
I think it's more about like the camaraderie, the companionship, the fellowship,
the stuff that you're talking about with seeing with people with the same kind of
problem, you know. I think that's what it's about. And they believe
in this guy, you know what I'm talking about, and it's just it's
just it touches me, you know, like that's sorry, but you know
what I'm saying. Well, there's our second meeting that we started. Was
somebody from our local recovery house wanting to start a creative expressions group and started
their own. They call it here, and they meet every other Friday night
and they share poetry, they play the guitar, they you know, bring
whatever musical instruments they have and just come and hang out and and talk and
share their journeys and expressions through creative arts. Yeah, that's awesome and I
love that when these pure led groups are you know, it's something that's that
inspires them and it's someplace that it's something they want to go to, right.
I mean, we're so they're so kind of run of the mill meetings
that have been around forever. And that's fine, and they people have their
home groups and that's great too, But to have a place that they are
like it's their space, something that they've come up with, and it's something
that they show up because they want to show up and it's their own and
then you know, whoever comes it becomes their own too, you know.
So that's a really cool thing to watch happen. Your turn justin this is
cool to watch them come in and just do that. We're just have a
couple of guys come in off the street and want to have a meeting and
just build have the space to build to do it right there on the spot
in the time, like we did last week for a couple of individuals that
just came in wanted to have a meeting because they needed a meeting. And
then you jumped up and you're like I got this, man, I wanted
to do a meeting. Guys, get over here. This is what it's
for. I think you were like saying something like that. Yeah, not
quite. But you get it though, and you understand and seeing those people
come in and you know when you go out to them and you tell them
that, like, look, man, if you feel like you're needing a
meeting, because sometimes it might be eleven thirty seven, well the next meetings
at two, you know, like they gonna wait around. Nah, I
wouldn't my using days, all right, that's the easy one meetings that too.
I'm just gonna go to the store to buy some popcorn and yeah.
Yeah. So the fact that they can come there pretty much any time when
we're open or have somebody there and just be like, hey, man,
I need a meeting, and I'm like, all right, let's get you
one, you know. And it's a beauty beauty of it. But is
there anything else you like justin not the work you do? I like driving,
yeah, he does. He likes getting out of the office and out
of the office seeing the beautiful state we live in. I love I miss
and I'll probably drive something a little bit in the fall just because it's so
beautiful. Like I used to love driving across the state, you know,
to pick somebody uptakes my treatment and you feel so good about it sometimes and
it's it's interesting, you know, but to see the state it is kind
of beautiful sometimes and we go all over man, so it's it's pretty crazy.
But um, what's been your biggest am? I asked, justin first,
your biggest I don't want to say, um, let me think of
a good word, but that's not disappointment. What's been your biggest like challenge?
There you go, honey, The biggest challenge, I would say it
is probably the RDP system that we use, the Recovery Data Project. Yes,
that which is where we put all of our data into a system.
Got a lot of it. What makes you not like it? Oh?
Nothing, just days upon days of entering data from the whole year. Yeah,
welcome. Good bookkeeping was it was so cute. I was like,
hey, we got these books and like put these in there, and I'm
like okay, and like twenty minutes ago, like we're done, so okay.
Well, then I go to run a report for like all the stuff
that's supposed to be there, I'm like, yeah, there's nothing in there,
guys. And I'm looking, I'm like, you just post my name
in bros, Like you gotta put like what we did? What you didn't
you didn't talk to this person, like, but there's no services offered,
like what we've got their name, sure, you know, but like I
don't know. So I'm like, here's the books back. Yeah, round
two, Round two. They're like, let's make this take a little longer.
Maybe I'll think we really did it this time. No, it's it's
it's tough though, when you're learning the new program. You're learning something new
and we're trying to figure it out and we still haven't. We still haven't.
No, I'm pretty sure we haven't neither, but we will, you
know. And it's just one of those things that when you're starting something new,
it's not always rainbow and unicorns. We even signed up. They offered
a special like four hour training that we paid for so that we could get
like more in depth and we like and one of my staff couldn't make it
to one sash and then the other because it was two two hour sessions.
One couldn't make it to one and one couldn't make it to the other.
And so by the time all of us had watched all of the sessions,
we all go wait now what wait do we put it in here or over
here? I'm confused And I was like, oh man, now I have
to go back and like rewatch this video like he recorded it for us,
so at least I can go back and rewatch the training because and remind myself.
But it's a very nice program, but it is a lot to like
just learn any new program. Anybody who does data entry or has ever done
that. You're just kind of like, oh, stop it. You guys
are killing me with this talk. But it's for real and this is stuff
that we're doing. And just one more thing on that though, when I
heard him say, oh, we can make it accustomed to what you want.
Wow, No, they didn't mean that, because I'm all like we
need this, this, this, this, this, this, or like
yeah, don't do that. And one of our guys too, is like
um because I told him the same thing. I'm like, they can customize
it to what we want, you know, And he got told that same
thing, like no, our program doesn't do that, and he's like,
but I want it to. And they're like, well, it's not going
to because it doesn't do that. And I'm like, well they think they
duped us because they say, win customize it. How do you want within
the parameters of understanding how databases can be customized. I just want you to
print money. Print money. That's what we all want. Fabulous, Yes,
it is fabulous. It's what else is going on, y'all? Soo
what's going on, Caitlin, Yeah, just really enjoying this retreat and getting
to me all the other our CEOs throughout the state. So I'm pretty new
to my position, so it's nice to get to actually like talk to some
of the other directors and get to see what even though we all have the
same designation of recovery community organization, people are doing way different things. And
you know, we're we have a very different challenge being in rural northern Michigan
than a lot of the like metropolitan our CEOs and what they're able to do.
And you know what their numbers turn out two events our and we're like,
we got like four people to our smart meeting and they're like we had
fifty five and we're like, well, we don't know, that's not going
to happen. And we're we're new too. I mean these a lot of
these our CEOs have been you know, have existed for years and years and
years, and the people that work for them, I mean they got hired
on too in existing our CEO that was up and running, so it was
I mean that's great. But like we're building something, and whenever you're starting
something new, I mean, there's just it's the learning curve is just undeniable.
It's going to be there, and you know, I mean it's but
it's a positive thing because you get to see it grow and what you guys
have built is just incredible. And the transfer so we don't do transportation,
and we've talked a lot about that this weekend, but this week for a
lot of various reasons that you guys are all willing to tackle that is just
too much for us to tackle. So it's amazing what you guys are doing
and how much you guys have grown in the last year since I've been here.
Even Yeah, it's it's pretty crazy to look back at it. And
I just remember driving to Alpina at six in the morning, seeing the sunrise
and just praying, like God, like when't like, can I get a
paycheck? Please, Like it's just every gonna like, am I ever gonna
be able to pay myself? Lord? Because this is I mean, I
get it, I'm doing the stuff, but what do I need to do?
And it's just those conversations you know, And I used to have them
with Marnie as well, you know, like honey, I'll be working at
Walmart soon because I need to get a job job, you know, And
like I went back to school take some classes, you know, but it
was to get the student loan so that you know, we can make some
bills and stuff like that, and it was just tough man, and then
finally to have it kind of come together, and then I still don't feel
like I'm even where I need to be, you know, And that makes
some people frustrated and when they're like, well, you don't even seem happy
for me, and I'm like, well, because I got like any other
things I want to do, you know. And it's not that I'm not
happy, because I you know, appreciate it everybody that's helped me get to
where, you know, get to seventeen recovery where it needs to kind of
start going, and and it's just it's just been a lot of people,
you know, But it's just it's been cool though, and it's kind of
rewarding. And when I start making my films, so that's that's when we'll
be talking about cool stuff and the grand opening of our movie and stuff.
M can't wait. What was that? I roll just projects projects. He's
always got like pocket projects, all kinds of stuff that he wants to do.
Yeah. I think they were talking about that in here earlier, or
maybe it's yesterday and they're like that person with the Madias are just file over.
Then Marny just looks at me and I'm like, I know it's me.
Here's the thing makes me sound like I'm not supportive and supportive. And
I know he's capable of all these things, but he's got so many going
on at all times, and I'm like, what's he working on now?
Which? Where are we going? What are we up to now? Are
what's our next? What's on the agenda? It's which was funny because just
actually brought this, like I don't know, months ago, we registered and
Justin's like, hey, we got the thing coming up this next week and
I'm like, huh, what thing? He's like the thing, you know,
and the wit or whatever. And I was like, oh, that
that's next week. He's like, yeah, whatever, where you're going to
be gone all week? Yeah, so not tell remind Marnie. And she's
like, I'm supposed to relating my paper that day or that week or whatever.
And I'm like, what, We're going to this thing, you know?
And she's like, it's a retreat. I'm surprised you wanted to go
to that. And I was like, why, it's because it's a retreat.
I was like, yeah, it's like that's like outside camping, bonfire
stuff. And I was like, nah, what hotels that you know?
And he's like it's it's not it's at a retreat, like the Saint Francis
Retreat place is the name of the police I said what? And I looked
at it. I was like, oh, okay. I started looking at
closer and I'm like, yeah, because I don't like being hot, I
don't like bugs, like they're like yeah, no wonder she was shocked.
I mean it probably said swimming in there too. She'd be like, what
were we doing here? Heat? Water and fish. I was really like
what got him to agree to this? Curious? I don't remember, but
it was kind of comical. Then the email to even register, so,
oh, here's free tickets, are right, that's what I got too.
I just got the tickets. I did not like, do you want to
go to this? No? Yeah, I figured it wasn't a choice.
I figured it was a mandated thing. Make executive decisions sometimes, you know,
Yep, we're going to this. Yeah, we'll see you there.
Yeah, And so that was kind of interesting and fun. Well then I'm
like, everybody, we're leaving at noon and it takes like two hours and
forty minutes to get from where we are to hear. And then start thinking
as we're driving here, I'm like, wait, we're gonna get there just
before three because I was thinking check in time and hotels three o'clock. So
it was, honey, you might can you look at that thing again,
the email, the thing we could the email again and see what time we
can check in even She's like, yeah, five, okay, so we
got time to kill. Let bring Itt justin, who's driving in a car
behind us, and like, so we're trying to get just on the board,
like where are we going out? And I went over to ann Arbor
first and was staying with friends and they were getting ready to leave, and
I thought it was three thirty, and I was like, okay, that's
great, Like that'll get me over there right about you know, five,
a little bit before, and I like, get in my car. And
I turned on my car and it was two thirty and I was like And
because they were like, you know, you can stay at the house.
They had to leave, but they were like, you can stay at the
house for another hour if you want. I'm like, oh, it's fine.
And so in her head she's going, what is she going to do
over there for an hour? And I'm like and I get in and so
she sees me walking back up the girl the driveway and she's like, yeah,
you can stay here for another hour, and I was like, yep,
it's two thirty. It's not three thirty. She's like, I know,
best friends, that's what they're there for. Yeah, for sure.
It was fun. Yeah, we all got here, and it's interesting,
you know, to have some of the people in the room because DHHS had
a representative here and it's it's kind of weird for me to like kind of
calm down and like, that's not we're hereful, Corey. We're not here
to like start telling people, this is what's wrong. And because that's another
thing, you know, that to do my best to not tell people what
is wrong, because that's just bitching. And instead, how about come up
with a solution of, Hey, we could really get people to treatment if
we just had this. But it's hard sometimes, man, it's hard to
like switch your brain around. How do you do it, Marnie? How
do I not tell people what's wrong? Yeah, and like switch it around
to be like if we had this, Well, I think it's just framing.
It's all has to do with framing, and if your solution focused and
that's how you're presenting things, is like, here's what here my thoughts on
this, and I understand this is a barrier or these are the stipulations that
are in place for this that make it not possible for us to do it,
for your example, my way, right, So here's what, but
here's what we can do. What would it how would it look like?
What would it look like if we did it this way? Would that be
possible? And then hopefully come to some sort of some sort of solution or
at least get the ideas rolling around. And so sometimes you need to be
able to tell like, talk to you know, your friends or your people
that you know, and say what's wrong so that you can start sparking those
other ideas, so that you know, we might not be able to come
up with it, but like, I need to talk to you about this
so that we can brainstorm together and you can say something that then sparks something
in my head that then maybe we can come up with a solution eventually.
Yeah, I'm working on it. But sometimes you need to just be able
to Yeah. I's like, oh my god, I get that enough justin
does two? Yeah, sure, you but it is it's good though,
you know, to get it out, but just not here. You know,
this isn't a place for that. This isn't a Hey, let's pick
on the d H chess worker because she came, you know, like,
oh yeah, I was scared for her, actually opened up about his thoughts
on some things. And she's she organized this whole thing, and she's delightful
and a great person. Actually, yeah, she's very nice and that.
But that I mean, so your grievances aren't with her there with the yeah
picture, yeah, and we're some policymakers and and so sometimes it doesn't really
help you know, she can't really change Michigan policy about things like that.
She has to. I just make up the retreat plans to make sure you
guys have sandwiches. That's one thing. Like maybe I'll offer my catering services
next year. But their salad bar was delight great a salad bar every day
and it is, it's got all the fixings on. Yeah, it does
not a fan that holds up lunch for sure. Justin I have different thoughts
on that. Well, you have an ice cream cooler that it sounds like
sea and that sounds good, but you know, if you eat bad ice
cream, it can cause the rhea. Is that what you got? It's
from like an ice cream truck from like twenty years ago. I have to
get all up in it and frozen and unfrozen and frozen and unfrozen. Yeah,
and I've got one today. And I walked past Caitlin. I was
like, see, if you eat this is going to give you bad stuff.
I took. I just tried to eat where the good part was didn't
look pink ones, Yeah, the pink ones with the little dots on it.
Usually it did not freezer burned. And yeah, I don't even know
how to like it wasn't freezer burned. It was just it could just be
old. Yeah, I think that. You don't know, like, oh
we got We'll talk to him tomorrow, like ice cream freez. Don't don't
eat that some covid I'm in there. Oh no, do you give that?
Yeah? Yeah, and I supposed to eat that. We put the
food out, you're supposed to eat. I'm just go digging through people's freezers.
Man, would you expect they're just eating ice cream? Be fat?
Kid? Stop it? Did somebody tell us so we could eat those?
Or did we all just start diving? I think people just started diving in
ice cream on the bottom of the man. Okay, good, good good.
That makes me at least feel a little about it, because all of
a sudden, I was like, I don't even know how I heard about
it. Somebody is like, at least's I maybe it was you, just
like they got ice cream and the cooler. Just so you know, I
just saw everybody else doing it, so I did it. I didn't ask
you didn't hear it? Thou who did it? Ray Man? You can't
trust ray He's from southwest Michigan. Man. You heard him talking in here.
Ray, I mean, I love him to death. Man. He
was actually the recovery coach that I think I've told you just before. But
that pulled me in to his office as I was heading out to a treatment
place in northern Michigan. And I had a long bus ride to go there,
because that's how they send people sometimes if you're from a crappy area.
And it's not that Southwest Michigan's crappy. It's just the place that the state
gives the money to a swim ba. But they put people on buses,
so that's what you do, so you can get drunk or you know,
stop off wherever and do all kinds of stuff at the bus stations or whatever
you choose to. I was on probation, so I wasn't from us around
with that. So before I go, Ray pulls me this office as that
says, what's it gonna take? Man? And I was gonna bow to
say, well, once I have kids, and he's like shut up,
And I said but once I He's like shut up. He's like, don't
even answer that to me right now. So he got a long bus ride.
Think about it. What's something that you put above alcohol? Well,
once shut up, get out of here, have fun. And I thought
about it on the bus, and I thought about it when I got to
the said treatment place, and that's when it hit me. And I was
like being on the radio. You know, I drank when I was younger
on the radio, but when I was like twenty two, twenty three,
whatever it was, I hurt myself on a commercial that I had done and
I was smashed drunk, and I was so embarrassed that I swear to myself
that I would never drink on the air again. And I never did,
and that was like the only thing I put above drinking. So that's why
when I was like, my sister and everybody else have been telling me start
a podcast, start a podcast, and I was like, I don't know
what I'm gonna talk about. And then it was all the lights came on
and speak of the Devil, and he shall appear. He just walked past
Ray but Ray. Yeah. It was kind of like one of those things.
And then years later he's hitting me up and he's like, hey man,
I need to help me start a five or one C three nonprofit and
I'm like, a dude, that's crazy, because if I'd told you that
day when you were telling me what's it gonna take, I'm like, you're
gonna ask me to help you start a nonprofit one day? Like there's no
way either one of us would have believed any of that, you know,
but here we are. And so when people start telling you their dreams and
they're an early recovery, or start telling you what they're gonna do, don't
just poopoo on it, man, like ice creams. Don't ice cream sandwich
on it. You laughed at me. I did, doesn't. It's like,
I want to be a male stripper. Fabulous. No, it was
gonna be fabulous. No. I told Corey when he dropped me off to
the Silver Loving that I was gonna come work for him, and he laughed.
He said, one thing at a time, isn't that cute? Not
kick? I made him buy a shirt. That's where you got the shirt
stuff from him. So I was always like, you want to buy a
shirt justin Yeah, fabulous, you can do it. And then yeah,
and look what. And then he came back and he started doing the things
they needed to do, you know, And that's part of it, you
know. But I didn't laugh at you, and like you stupid. I
may might have been like, dude, how am I gonna pay you?
Like, man, you mean work. You weren't even getting paid at that
point. So I'm like, I'm living off that COVID money is So I
don't know what you're talking about, man, But Justin's our most dedicated employee.
Yeah, for sure, playing number three. Yeah, there'll never be
another one because you just gotta keep going. Yeah, blackmail works, but
it's it's one of those things too. And to see like Justin like join
us so early on and then, you know, maybe have an opportunity to
go somewhere else and make a little more money for now, but to believe
in what we're doing, and you know, to see the things that I've
told Justin, Hey we're gonna do this, we're gonna do this, we're
gonna do this, we're gonna do this, we're gonna do that, and
Justin's seen it, you know, and he's seen it kind of happen.
So when I say, hey, we're gonna make movies, Justin's like,
headquarters, gonna make a movie one day? Is it gonna be good?
I'll make sure it doesn't suck as much as I can. But probably be
a bless movie, but I'll still be all right. Yeah, there's some
crap I say in Netflix now talking all that Mexican stuff or whatever they're talking.
They're Russian or where's it Norway. It's not even dubbed in right.
Do you have Netflix? Yes? So you know I'm talking about No,
Oh my god, do you not watch it? Shows that are just poorly
dubbed. They're poorly dubbed. Nothing's in the American It's like you go,
you know how like the new the new stuff that comes out, and you're
you kind of like go to the top of the list, right like there's
some something here that I haven't seen that I want to see. And then
they'll show you stuff or you'll read the topic or whatever the trailer recap and
you're like that sounds really good. And then you play it and then you're
like three minutes into it and you're like, this can be decent, and
then you realize that it's not in English. I mean, it's dubbed over
in English. But it's so like their voices don't match up. Oh.
I always love that when you like and they're they're you know, it's just
the voice doesn't match to the body, and you're like, this is just
comic because like that is not the voice that goes with that body. Yeah,
exactly, and they'll be talking about China. But I don't get them
that often, so I must have a different algorithm than you guys. So
I only like the only ones I've seen that on have been like ones that
I've actually gone to find, not ours, man, you got to fix
ours them. And I will admit that they were Christmas movies. There you
go, badly dubbed Christmas. What are you double whammy man? Thinking that
one pull not pullar spress. What's the there's one it's like a scary Christmas
movie. You we're saying those like evil Export, rare Export. There you
go, that's one of them. Yeah, and it's it's dubbed, and
it's oh no, that one's only subtitles. I think, Yeah, but
there's a couple other ones that are like poorly dub everyone I turn on this
is it's not American. And then when you get into like low budget also
dubbed, then like it just gets progressively worst. Uh So I wonder if
we're gonna have to dumb mine like really bad Spanish. So getting Netflix to
pick it up. I'm like, hey, man, here you go.
Look at that dub that's dubbed it perfect. The Netflix like, we got
it, we'll buy it. Suff We'll see. I know there's some really
crappy stuff on Amazon Prime too. What's the movie going to be about?
I don't know. People's taking a bust a treatment. Yeah, it should
just be like you could have like a yeah, can that just be like
a so it's like a yeah, like a documentary he really likes. He
likes watching like recovery movies or documentaries. Sometimes I just feel like that's all
we knew. I'm like, can we put away the recovery thing for a
minute, like just zone out on like killer shows. We watch a movie,
but you see that. She's like, what happened? I'm like,
no, see how they're using the lighting. It's wrong because it should be
like this, Yeah, you're one of these that's the really crappy light where
all that's brilliant. She's like, what I like the way they got that
shot? You see that was drone footage. I'm always pointing out the drone
footge let's see drone footage there. My mom does animation orwards doing animation,
and so for a while, anytime we would watch a movie, she would
be like, but look like, can we just can we just yeah,
I don't yet feel you, but yeah, it'll be about somebody going to
treatment. And at first I had an idea and it was it was shot
down, but it was a great idea. We'd get Whimer, who I
don't know if you guys know who that is, governor of Michigan. But
then just the whole fact that I said we're gonna get Whipmer, I didn't
mean get Whipmer, like we were gonna reach out to her, you see,
if she'll like to participate in our project. And then we were gonna
have her wear these certain clothes some people call him treatment clothes, like she
was going to treatment, you know, for an addiction. And then we
were gonna send her on bus and we're gonna film it. And then we
were gonna send her like I don't know, Grand Rapids or Lancing coin flip,
maybe both, and then have her just sit there with her bags in
front of all the people walking around selling drugs and stuff, and see how
long he lasts before someone came up and gave her some or just took her
off the bench and said you come up with me, so like undercover kind
of like yeah, like put like put her in playing clothes and then like
see and see how long it takes her to change some things around. By
sending people on buses to treatment, especially women, but men too, because
it's were equals, right. I mean, I worked at a treatment center.
I've heard all the stories about when people arrive after having been on a
bus. It's horrible. I mean, and just sitting there and I remember
when I came home from the treatment and I was talking about and again I
was on probation. I wasn't trying to go to jail anymore, and I
wasn't there for a little bit and I didn't like it. So I was
like, let's not do that. And I was really trying to put it
together this time. And they got to row the bus with we may actually
made a video on the bus and we had fun and we made the video
coming back. But when we got to Countla Zoo, he flipped out and
he's like, dude, don't leave me. And I was like, what
are you talking about. He's like, don't leave me. I can go
get some right now. And it would be free even like just walk with
me, dude, don't leave me, don't leave my side, don't leave
my side. And I'm like, all right, man, there's my ride
sea prom. I had to go. But yeah, I think he's say
clean for I don't know a couple of weeks. And then he was like,
I'm just gonna smoop pot and then yeah, right back to his thing.
That's what he did, you know, And that's what most people do.
But it was one of those things though that it really opened my eyes
to like wow, like I knew it wasn't safe. I saw a prostitution
deal about to go down and lancing, and if I wouldn't needed forty bucks,
you know, like I couldn't made forty bucks. She said nothing under
sixty and the guy was, oh, I got forty bucks. But I'm
just sitting there going this is happening right next to me, Like nobody cared.
He wasn't quiet about it. It was just like Wow, this is
happening. I'm just like wow. But looking back at it and then thinking
like okay, what if that's my cousin, what that's my sister, you
know, going to treatment, you know, and then to meet people in
treatment and you're like, okay, well, what if that person was made
to take the bus? You know, you're sick, you're withdrawing, you
know, and somebody comes along like, oh hey, hey, baby girl,
hey beautiful, you need this here just to help you out. And
what are you gonna do? Stay sick? Or he just handed it to
you or she just handed it to you, you know, like what are
you gonna do? All right, well, might as well take this.
And then it's something you don't even know what it is. And the next
thing you know, you're grabbed and you're taking him away. You know,
like, yeah, it's really dangerous something. Play the tape through women probably
would have turned us down for that. So I just decided that I will
use justin, put a wig at him, send him on his way.
I don't think it'll work so well, No, I think you have a
problem with your lines. Yeah, I'll be like from the background, because
like justice gotta look real. Ask him again as if he wants to buy
a shirt and then take yours off, it would be stupid, It would
be like jackass. Well maybe not all right, Well, I don't know.
We're just kind of kicking it, right, now and chilling. But
I thank you, though, Kaitlin for hanging out with us tonight and for
coming on the podcast with us. Thank you for having me. This was
really fun. It was my first podcast. You did really good. Thank
you. Yeah, anything else I want to say before we will wrap it
up shout outs, Oh, we're just I'm just gonna enjoy the rest of
this retreat. I want to say weekend. It's not a weekend. I
know it feels like this, does it kind of like does not feel like
that exactly? It early Cherry festival, Cherry trying to I just just not
pool. Yeah. I don't do people very well. I can't. Yep,
We're gonna make it through like champions. I got rides every day.
Yeah, just speaking of that sort of fabulous. But yeah, thanks for
listening though to seventeen Recovery Dot Competent Resources want to hit us up. You
can also get the two seventeen Recovery app, which is in the App Store,
Google Play Store. All that jazz and then um, look for our
video. It's going to come when you say before Christmas. Yeah, okay,
and that's the video on our grand opening. But I have a goal
to put it together before November. Even so, it is soon. It'll
be here, man, football season will be here. Fantasy it'll be great.
Get done when fantasy season starts. You don't ever tell your boss that,
Caitlin. By the way, if you're talking to your boss about stuff,
and when your boss calls and said, what are you doing, don't
want to be like not shit, just just saying and just said. Those
are Those are tips from Justin to you. Yes, thanks for listening and
check out our old episodes as well, but we'll talk to you later.
Everyone, save good night. Thanks for listening to the two seventeen Recovery Podcast.
We hope you come back for our next episode.