In 2004 I was newly sober after a fifteen-year stint drinking and drugging my way through countless relationships, jobs, homes, jails, and hospitals. I had always worked as a heavy equipment mechanic and welder; jobs that paid well out in Summit County, Colorado, but jobs I couldn’t hang onto. I was drunk, high, in jail or the hospital, and employers actually wanted me to show up to work – sober – and that’s something I never quite got the hang of.
I repaired snowcats, loaders, dozers, salt trucks, and anything with a diesel engine. I could fabricate, weld, and fix mechanical things pretty damn well but never found a way to fix myself. There are massive chunks of my life I don’t remember – time I will never get back, but all those experiences led me here, right now, doing this thing…and that’s exactly how it is supposed to be.
My last drink or drug was August 20th, 2004. I had just moved back to Michigan but don’t remember making the trip from Colorado. I nearly died the final time I kicked the sauce and my final stint in rehab changed me. This isn’t some kind of “I saw the light” bullshit. I saw no light, had little hope, but was finally in the place where I knew I was done living that way. I slowly surrendered to the fact that I was someone that could not drink or use drugs. Once I admitted my powerlessness over booze and drugs I very slowly began to overhaul my life: a true frame-up restoration.
I worked a few jobs here in Michigan doing what I did out west: overhauling and repairing heavy equipment, and was doing just fine. I had settled into a life as a newly sober man and had a lot going for me, but something felt off.
After surviving my last detox – and it was a gnarly one – God had put something in my gut that had never been there before: Instead of being the selfish, self-centered, egotistical prick I had always been, I wanted to help other people get sober and fix themselves but had no idea where to start.
On a total whim, I signed up for a college course. One course turned into two, then three, then a job helping to run groups for guys right out of prison. I kept my day job turning wrenches for a large industrial supply company, went to college, and eventually got a job working the night shift at a detox.
That was a long time ago, and I’m still here, doing the deal. I now work in addiction treatment full-time. I have graduate degrees in psychology and mental health counseling, national certifications in addiction counseling and clinical supervision, and have seen thousands of clients and ran thousands of groups over the years. I’m a Subject Matter Expert in Addiction Treatment and have lectured to and trained CPS and foster care workers, groups of probation agents, judges, lawyers, universities, and have been a guest speaker more times than I can recall. I’ve written several books, created courses on addiction treatment for universities, and have published several professional articles through my company, Wolanin Training and Consultation, or WOLTAC. Who cares, and why should you give a shit? Maybe you shouldn’t. I say all that to say this:
After all these years I’m still a normal Michigan guy that’s good at fixing things and solving problems. Though I still love working in my personal shop customizing Harley Davidson motorcycles and working at my forge hammering steel, I don’t repair machines or equipment for a living anymore. Instead, I provide people the tools, insights, and knowledge they need to fix themselves. That’s what The Daily Tune Up is all about.
I am not an internet prophet or keyboard warrior and never want to be one. I’m not trying to sell you shit and not trying to be someone I’m not. Though all my professional and personal experiences I’ve found a gaping hole between what men need to get their lives tuned up and running smoothly and what they are actually willing to do to make that happen, and that’s usually very little. That’s what sparked the idea for The Daily Tune Up. I create content that men can easily relate to, digest, and apply to make life better, one day at a time. Period.
There is no catch, nothing to buy, and no fancy-ass content. Just bite size lessons and tools to help you get life tuned up and running right. Stick around and get tooled up. Much more to come. Let’s move the needle.
See you in the shop,
Paul
