Navigating Life Lessons on a NYC Subway
Brendan on the Platform: NYC Connections The subways are a mess. Mercury is in retrograde and we are between two eclipses, or at least that’s what everyone keeps saying, and…
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The NYC Lockout Adventure: Grace, Humor & Feline
There I am, just getting home after a long day at the office. My husband Rob is out of town. I unlock our apartment’s front door, push, and nothing. The…
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Embracing Contradictions: Yoga and City Life
Thoughts from Hot Yoga The irony doesn’t escape me: I’m in my usual spot in a small and very hot yoga studio, under the window rather than in front of…
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Saudade: The Power of Sober Clarity
My sober sisters and I have been circling around a particular emotion lately, that bittersweet wave that washes over you at weddings, graduations, anniversaries. You know the one: where time…
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Lost Insomnia
I miss my insomnia. Removing alcohol from my life over a year ago has delivered many gifts, including the bliss of deep sleep that long left me. But, the one…
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Running Against Demons: My NYC Marathon Experience
November 8, 2025, Post-Marathon While I have pages of writing about this past weekend (my birthday, one-year sobriety milestone, and the NYC Marathon) that’s begging for edits, I couldn’t let…
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Mind Over Muscle: Finding Strength in Pilates and Sober Living
October 24, 2025: Random thoughts from Iris as I prep for NYC Marathon #8. Zen Mind, Beginner Mind… Ok, so I respect that I’ve been away from Pilates for 10…
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Over the Wall: A Dive into Peace and Reflection
185 feet Down Andros, Bahamas January 1, 2025: PEACE. It always seems to come first—peace and joy, peace and love, peace before action. When my sober sisters group asked us…
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Iris DERKE 