statmnt arrests

throughout my life i've used alcohol and

narcotics for several decades- from my teen years
until 1996.
beginning in 1983 during my earlier university
career i became involved in the growing addict
society on the berkeley campus.
i have an addiction-related arrest record from this
period- specifically,
arrests in 1983 and 1984 for narcotic possessions,
1986 for "narcotic intoxication", and
1987 possession of heroin.

since 1996, and for over 10 years continuously

i've been active in 12-step programs-
aa- and na - including activities:
alameda sheriff's approval for narcotics
anonymous h&i (volunteer) work inside the
alameda county jail at santa rita;
regular speakers' work inside herrick campus of
alta-bates hospital in berkeley,
the bonita house halfway house in berkeley, and
the city of berkeley's harrison house;
as well as some work on the uc berkeley campus
and
work with individuals throughout the state.
***

while living with my father in 1987, he and i

became involved in altercations
which ended in november 1987 with my guilty
plea to one misdemeanor charge
of elder abuse.
i was ordered into counseling - and through my
contacts in addict circles was fortunate to
discover a talented lfmc who has encouraged me
to see life in a fuller context.
this professional relationship of the therapists i've
worked with have encouraged my current
commitments within local recovery, meditation
and buddhist communities.
but i have also learned to accept that my father
has rejected a caring relationship with me. i have
learned that my frustration in the situation will
tend to feed his reactions.
i have also learned a name for one source for my
own anger,
and how anger and abuse is epidemic throughout
our society.
***

subsequently in 2004 i was able to finish my ba

degree at ucb.
since then i've been continuing academic work,
and doing classroom work
in the berkeley unified school district as a
registered volunteer.
this year i have also applied to join my
neighborhood's berkeley chapter of the
oddfellows' fraternity, a charitable group.