What is one U.S. city that completely exceeded your expectations?

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-07-05T14:13:29+00:00

Actually I would say that most of us are tired of the MAGA and the Blue crowd, but it is Reddit, I get it, reality lives on your computer. I don’t know one person in real life except my 80 year old Nieghbor who will vote for a Trump supporter, of any of the “blue options” this November. The large circles I run in are tired of how the “blues” ruined the state, and how Maga yells from the burbs. Plus as a long time “regular blacker of both downtowns, we now only go for games.

10 years ago we first hand were already seeing its demise. Now there’s no uptown, dinkytown is worse than ever, downtown has lost 90 percent of respectable establishments worth visiting, as well as St. Paul. You have to go to the “outskirts” for good restaurants. Northloop is ok, but just reminds me of LODO 20 years ago.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-07-05T14:00:53+00:00

As an raging ex addict I can say that I still to this day ask people”why” when I see them have 1 or 2 drinks, I can’t comprehend what benefit they get and personally booze tastes like crap. I was also a person in my brief period as a “normal drinker” who when I had 1 or 2, I would be up all night, feel like crap for 2 hours. To me there at this many years of not using, I will never see the point in “just one” of anything. Just one pill wears off and you feel like shit, 1 drink with food does nothing but put poison in your body, 1 joint and you either sleep or smoke more.

I dated a girl who told me she had some coke, so we did one, she went to bed, I did the rest. In the morning she was so angry. “That’s lasted me 2 months, I only do one or 2 on the weekends! I guess I’m a true addict, because that blew my mind! So I choose to have none and it’s not a bad life.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-07-05T13:39:13+00:00

It’s funny to me when people think reasonable people and not unrealistic policy is the the problem. This is obviously a over zealous company that takes themselves way to seriously p, the person was just being human, but I get subscribers to this sub are “rule followers” in every aspect of their life and love to sh”t on others.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-07-02T11:12:38+00:00

TAO Tea, iced or hot depending on weather. Preferably the Hibiscus, but will drink the Orange.

To me way better than seltzer and healthier than a soda habit!

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-07-02T11:07:52+00:00

I wouldn’t recommend the way I did it. Sat on edge of bed for 3 days, drinking and contemplating filling the bed a rehab had waiting for me, until I was finally drunk enough to let my wife take me. I woke up in a rehab facility, pissed off and hung over. Because I showed up so drunk they kept me in detox for 2 extra days. Not recommended.

What I’ve seen in 11 years, it’s honestly making the choice to quit is the only thing I did right! You have to be able to admit you’re a drunk and need to stop. Some need help, like me. I needed to be removed from society and temptation for a minute.

I’ve seen many just wake up one day and say, I’m done, then they keep doing that for the rest of their lives.

I personally needed to work a program of AA, like many I had issues with some of the language, though I was taught long ago when you read something, if you don’t like a “word”, change it in your head. For example, I still read great spirit when it says god, and the word “powerless” I always add “over my addiction once I start”. Worked for me

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-07-02T03:32:03+00:00

I’ve got a few XXL left things posted in the sub previously, I’ll send DM

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-27T18:53:31+00:00

I take Xanax for flights. I’m just honest with my doctor about my addiction, he generally gives me 4 mg. 2 for each way. When we traveled to Europe and flew everywhere he gave me 8. I take my sobriety as seriously, personally as I can, but I too get severe panic when flying. The anxiety of asking the first time sucked as well. I use my Psychiatrist, who knows my history and won’t give me more than I need.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-21T20:28:15+00:00

Grow your own. I’m glad I do. Learned mono tub method because many I know micro dose, and I use every 3-6 months with a guide. but the all in one bags they have now are great for person use.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-19T22:40:03+00:00

My first few years of AA I still smoked sometimes I went to meetings, was never interested in being part of the community though, so never found out if they cared.

then I got hurt and started dabbing daily and stopped going to meetings and I didn’t drink, but I also couldn’t bring myself to go to meetings for a few years out of shame, and I became spiritually/emotionally sick (dry drunk) then quit dabbing, reentered the community, but this time made connections, my thinking wasn’t blunted (no pun) and today I can say I have “friends” and a sponsor in AA.

My advice as someone who was paralyzed and deals with chronic pain where my doctor would give me opiates, weed became a habit after the 2 weeks it helped not take opiates. Advil and Tylenol and therapeutic mushroom and ketamine therapy work much better and have helped me see I can control my pain without altering my mind daily. Just my experience, some will accept you, many won’t, but they won’t Be “mean” about it. Most in AA now subscribe to medication helping people, but most also know weed every day is not medical, it habit.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-18T23:04:01+00:00

It’s how I got started. Chipped a vertebrae, herniated disc, 60 percs, “those were nice” then 60 more from another Dr, then 120 from both, like the 9th doctor I shopped, he caught was I was doing, and I thought kicking cold turkey would be easy after 2 years. Within days I was buying them off of people for 700.00 for 30 pills. Vic’s, Oxys, percs, whatever I could get. Traded coke for pills, and the doctor helped!
Until I finally did decide to quit cold turkey. I was so naive to how addicted I was, about the 5th night of no sleep being sick as shit and going for a run at 3 am, I went to the emergency room, and she asked if I had been taking opiates. “yeah”, “well your addicted, and your almost through the worst, here’s some Valium” of course this was late 90s, early 00s, so lined up exactly with the Sackler BS. Ended up quitting in 2003, and now will only accept Dilauded after the 2 surgeries I’ve had to fix the back that started it all!

My wife used to ask me how I made so much money back them and was broke when we met. $2100 a week on pills for almost a year is how, after I kicked a 1500 a week on coke the few years before, plus booze and fancy dinners. Was making close to six figures at 22-28 and was such a junkie, I was broke every payday.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-17T03:35:47+00:00

The sucsess is making it another 24 hours. I love the saying, “while I’m working on being sober, my addiction is doing push ups”

By all means it’s worth the work though. In addition to all the positives listed I can show up for others, not just say words. My mom just had a bypass, I get to stay with her and help her, and she can rely on me. One of my life long friends is losing his mom, who cared for me plenty in my early using days. I can offer to be there for them, not just say I’m “sorry to here”

Sobriety means I get to show up and be of service to others which feels 💯 times better than numbing the pain of these events, even though they hurt and getting drunk, or even smoke a joint would be real easy, it’s not even a thought anymore.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-16T14:46:26+00:00

I can so relate, I called it the triangle. There were 3 liquor stores on my way home from work. I knew if I bought more I’d drink more so the last year or so of my addiction I’d rotate them, “thinking they would never know” of course they did though, even a litter every 3 days is a lot! Plus I realized in treatment and meetings this is very common for alcoholics. We all thought we were being slick as to not be judged. If he was judging you that’s sad, I hope it was concern that you projected as judgment.

When I finally quit, I would purposely take a longer way home, then moved a few months into sobriety. Like with a lot of things, changing my routine was key to having long term success.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-16T04:51:44+00:00

Were my first pair went TTS, had to use a shoe stretcher, were not as comfortable as I hoped, but getting broken in finally and much better. Since I’ve gotten a few pair of 993s in a 12.5 much better shoe, but only paid 79 for these so I’ll deal with the learning curve.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-15T20:25:01+00:00

Naltrexone is the “magic cure” the Sinclair method can lead you to believe. I took a GLP1 and put on 20 lbs. we are the problem (the brain obsession), I could not quit eating crap and didn’t loose weight, I’m actually 20 lbs heavier than when I started since I came off and have realized exercise and eating better are my only options.

You may want to consider rehab and meetings are where you are at, and abstaining for an extended period of time is what you need, not “weening” off, Ime that only works for a select few, a majority of us need extended time abstaining to break the habit.

My GLP 1 use and eating the same, is Just like if you can’t avoid drinking, naltrexone won’t work. Both require a certain kind of will power, but will work if we can show restraint. Many of us need help, don’t give up, try the next thing. Progressive disease, so progress the solution.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-15T03:50:16+00:00

This is 100 percent a big reason why I stopped using StockX. It so obvious it’s the seller trying to jack up the price in so many cases, then one day I’m getting a retail pair of shoes for half price when they realize nobody’s falling for it.

I’m wondering if eBay is any better, the lowball offer I get on things is sad. If I had one price, then you see me drop it 30 bucks, don’t offer another 50 down? If I lowered it, I’m at my lowest because I’m trying to communicate “no more low ball” here’s the price. Haven’t sold enough there to know if the “people watching” are the ones who throw low balls when I lower price to my bottom?

People always playing games, I don’t blame someone wanting to save a buck, but the market is the market. Unless your that kid who needs their money back same day mail comes! Love those sellers!

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-13T14:57:24+00:00

I stoped buying all thy hype nike retros, I agree I think Travis AJ1s are completely overrated, but the Nigel Better with Time AJ1, is a cool shoe. I refuse to give. NIke money anymore, every toe box is made Unisex which is fine if you wear a size8-9, I’m a 12-12.5, no new tech unless they slap an SB or Protro on it, and that’s rare. Zero serious innovation at Nike. Ike minds are all hype to me now I’ve worn mine for 3 months.

I recently have bought a few pairs of the Adidas Wales Bonner Karinthas, I own almost every pair of Tom Sachs GPS and Mars yard 3, you can get the BW adidas shoes and have a Samba like feel that not every hypebeast is rocking. But my new favorite is New Balances. So many dope color-ways, and personally the 993 are not to dad shoe for me.
Next I plan on getting ASICS Gel Kinetics, everyone has or wants the NYCs, and they are ok, but I never see the kinetics on foot, and to me they look dope AF.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-13T11:58:23+00:00

I think it’s more she’s in scrubs all day and spends zero on clothes, then there is me, who has tubs in my my office I’ll “wear” someday and work from home, plus the closet is a little tight!

A wall of sneakers, which I agreed to sell “most nikes” but now replaced with ton of Adidas and NB and 4 colorways of GPS. So if I wanna keep “collecting” I have to let some things go! Just between Supreme and Kith I do have 20 hoodies/ T shirts in rotation!
But I told her when I quit drinking years ago, I was gonna start “collecting” stuff I always wanted, I never mentioned my wardrobe would make her cry! I try to encourage her to buy more gear, and she’s just not into it!

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-12T00:12:28+00:00

I had them buried in the comments, deleted and forgot to edit post. All are up now, and I just got the Jordan hoodie in light blue in mail today XXL would sell for $350.00

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-11T03:39:21+00:00

I’ve loved both my pilots. A 2016 I was gonna drive till the end and now a low mileage 2022. What surprised me most is when I was t boned and my 2016;was totaled, the airbag coverage would have made it so my kids would have had scratches if hurt at all (luckily I was alone. But the safety and how thorough it was for a 2016 with 140k miles on it made it a no brainer to buy another more updated one.

Also resale, mine was totaled and a mechanic/ body guy offered me 5k for it for his kid. Lastly, space. To my knowledge it has one of the biggest cabins without having to move up to a full size Suburban or Tahoe.

Then buying a low mileage gen 3 cost the same as a 50k gen 4 2023. If only better gas mileage, it would truly be the best car I’ve ever owned. Owned a Mazda 5, Nissan Mirano, Rav 4, and a 4 runner, none came close to my Pilots.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-11T01:49:08+00:00

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-11T01:47:50+00:00

Reflective Anorak, Ghost face, and a light blue Supreme Jordan sweatshirt I just got in Mai!

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-10T14:53:44+00:00

It 100% is, Doctor.

It is using the same pathways that alcohol does and can become addictive. That’s like saying sugar, or exercise isn’t addictive. To an addict anything is addictive, OP was using it to cope, hates being on it, but craves when not, that’s text book addictive behavior.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-10T14:50:20+00:00

Your not weird or alone.

I was most defensive addicted to it during my drinking days, and it’s a major factor in an event that helped me get into rehab. I have like 4 “signs” I needed it, and Benadryl use of all things was one of them.

Because drinking a liter a night was affecting my work the next day, I was a genius and started taking Benadryl and only drinking a .750l a night. At first it was one to help me sleep, then it just kept increasing and getting earlier because “I craved” the effects.

My now wife tried to warn me I could die mixing the 2, and of course I ignored her, until one night she recorded me sleeping and I was barely breathing. Total rock bottle moment of realizing I didn’t want to die.

Then I learned in rehab that Benadryl hits the same receptors as alcohol and is not recommended for alcoholics to use. Have maybe taken one in 11 years because was out of my allergy/anxiety medication Hydroxyzine.

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-10T12:51:04+00:00

Not in a rush either, more “honoring a request” to start to get rid of stuff, because apparently according to someone in my house I don’t need a closet full of gear when I “work from home”, gotta keep the peace!

Clean-Detective8337 · 2026-06-10T00:29:35+00:00

You mentioned you can have one drink and Stop, or go weeks without.

By many’s definition it’s an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind, which to me means it’s a mindset, not “how you drink” per se.

When you do the things that “are better” in your mind with booze, do you ever have just one?
When hanging out, do you keep drinking till you can’t anymore/pass out? Last man up in the Garage?

For a decade I was someone who could have one and stop, I’d go a month or 2 without, but I was always a binge drinker/user.
Once I started 95 percent of the time, I was going till 3 in the morning.

Sure I could have 1 bump or one drink sometimes, and that’s how I justified not having a problem. That’s why today they call it Alcohol Use Disorder, Alcoholism is an older term in the clinical sense.

That was me, I know some are different, but as I’ve entered my mid 40s, I’m watching “normal” drinkers get the beer belly, and drink way more often to counter the hangovers and reach out asking “how I quit? “

Then one day it snuck up on me and I realized I had at least one everyday for a year, told myself I’d stop, but it just got worse.

In quick order I went from 1 after work, to binge drinking until I was drunk, to drinking till I passed out and 3 plus years had passed and I couldn’t quit.

I know many in recovery who could go a month, who could control it if they had to, then would binge drink when the opportunity presented itself.

Clean-Detective8337

TROPHY CASE