Good News for People Who Like Great News

On how to use the Sunday newsletter. A Jim Harrison feast. An A.Savage song you'll never forget.

Reminder: The Small Bow is funded entirely out of the pockets of paying subscribers. We don’t take advertisements or sponsorships, we use your money to help pay for all our freelancers and illustrator. A subscription is about the price of a Wawa hoagie per month; if any of our newsletters over the past year have made you smile or laugh or cry or feel less wicked and alone, please consider signing up. Subscribers get access to the whole archive; the Sunday roundup of book and recovery recommendations and the complete rundown of my weekly recovery program. You’re also gifted the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes with helping to put something good out into the world. Seriously—thanks for considering us!

Since there are many new people here, let’s talk about the Sunday edition which is only for paid subscribers.

Its primary function is for me to write out an inventory of my daily Recovery Program, highlighting some of the more notable aspects of it from the week before. At the end of it, I give myself a grade—between 1 and 5, with “1” being spiritually unwell and “5” being an emotionally sober powerhouse capable of healing the world with one wave of my hand. (I try to keep my ego more in check, though. Because, as we know, having a huge ego is not very sober. But I have a huge ego, and when it reveals itself, I usually have a lower sobriety score. But people with huge egos do quite well on this platform. Go figure!)

When I began to do this consistently in 2017, the original routine was very AA-inspired and began the minute I woke up each morning. Then I had three kids. There’s never a day when I’m awake long enough to complete this before one of them pops up and wants a waffle or chocolate milk. Sometimes I wake up at 4 a.m. like David Goggins and knock this stuff out, but a more realistic day begins after 9 when they’re out of the house at school. I no longer freak out if I don’t finish my morning routine, but I prioritize getting the most important parts done each day. If you want to get into it, here’s a guide.