Dancing With Tina

By Terry Oldes

The heartwarming and inspiring account of one man's struggles with sexual identity, co-dependency and tina - otherwise known as crystal meth. This personal and sometimes graphic account covers two... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1934187151
• ISBN13: 9781934187159
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: STARbooks Press
• Length: 285 Pages
• Weight: 0.97 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.8" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

A CAUTIONARY PAGE-TURNER

I thought I had a decent outsider's grasp of the nightmares of crystal meth addiction, but Terry Oldes lived and survived a year of it and, fortunately, was brave enough to commit his hard-earned wisdom to paper. His account of that perilous stretch of his life is clear-eyed, free of bitterness, and in my opinion, essential reading for anyone who has dabbled or drowned in that world or is groping for a way out. The horrors of crystal addiction haven't received nearly as much attention as they should. This story needed to be told, and happily, it has a happy ending. Congratulations, Terry.

Simple and to the point.

This was a great book, simple and to the point. The story was moving and very truthful. It really shows how someone who is addicted believes they are in control, yet they have no idea how truly out of control their lives are!.

Open minded, witty and yet terrifying

This book presents a harsh reality of the gay community in a refreshing light. Yeah, it's a scary subject few people are willing to be honest about but the author seems to have no problem admitting his own faults and choices. I don't sense any "Drug users are evil" judgments, yet I also don't feel the author is promoting drug use either. It seems to be a "tell it like it is" story and I admire that. It's also a funny read since the author isn't afraid to joke about the rather insane situations he finds himself in. By the end of the story you feel as if you were on a therapeutic journey with him. I spent days on the sofa curled up with this book. There were spots in it where I laughed so hard I thought I would have tears, and other places where I was actually brought to tears. As a gay man myself I have seen Meth use around. I have been lucky enough for whatever reason not to be tempted, but it certainly wasn't that I didn't know who had it. I have seen many lose their livelihood, and their lives to this drug. It's a serious thing. The refreshing thing about Dancing with Tina, is that nowhere in the book will you hear the author say Drugs are bad, don't do drugs or any of that crap they try to drive into everyone's mind in school. What he does do is openly and honestly tell you everything that happened with him. He takes you on a journey from where he started using Meth, how bad it became, and then getting through it, and the forgiveness he gave to himself and others when the ride was over. He shares so such candid detail, that you can make your own educated decision about meth, without him having to tell you "Drugs are bad". Any idiot can read this book and see the pain, and suffering this man went though. There were some fun times too, but it all leads up to the end, when he found he had to stop the dance with Tina. This is a book that I would recommend anyone buying, and giving to a friend as a gift who you suspect might be considering entering the world of Crystal Meth. This is the best non-threatening way I have seen to steer someone away from the drug. If you stop someone and tell them how they will screw their life up, and how bad drugs are, it will all fall on deaf ears. Give them this book and let them read it. I think once they read it, you will have gotten the message across without becoming their enemy. This personal story is one that can be used as a gentle and kind example to anyone who might consider turning to Crystal Meth. I highly recommend it to everyone. If you know a young gay man in your life, Give him this book. You may save him a lot of heart ache in the end.

Insight Into Addiction and Codependency

Crystal meth abuse has reahed alarming levels in the gay male community. This heartfelt, pull-no-punches memoir is a front-line account of addiction and codependency. The author, Terry Oldes, has written a brave book that lays bare his "dance" with "tina", the nickname gay male users label crystal methamphetamine. Oldes says he started writing the memoir as a therapeautic exercise and it often reads that way, leaving the reader with a an almost uncomfortable level of intimacy with the author, who's willing to pour out his soul, no matter how unflattering the picture. But it's just this level of honesty that allows us to see into the mindset of addiction and how it can almost innocuously slip into the lives of those who aren't on guard. Fortunately for Oldes, his "dance" was relatively short-lived and although there is a harrowing account of a near loss of sanity, his time at rock bottom seemed to have been blessedly short-lived. The happy ending is that Oldes was able to walk away from his addiction before it took too great a toll on his life and health, and to have even learned deep lessons about himself in the process. For anyone living with addiction personally or the addiction of someone close to them, Dancing with Tina is insightful and compelling reading.

Riveting!

All I can say is WOW--gutsy, gritty, exciting--This book became like a body part as soon as I opened the cover! When I finished the book, I felt like I had actually experienced and learned something. It was compelling, at times amusing, emotionally charged and packed with a type of raw sincerity that I have found unmatched in other memoirs. Terry did a marvelous job in capturing one of the most defining periods in his life. Struggling with an addiction such as meth and then being brave enough to share it with everyone is huge. I commend Terry for taking the time to reflect on some agonizing memories: He is extremely respectful and reverent to cast his friends and cohorts in a good light - treating everyone in the book with respect and dignity. He carefully fashions his writing to interject humor appropriately to allow the reader to explore and understand very sensitive themes. I believe the work covers many addictions and is as informative as entertaining, providing both support and guidance. I can't say enough about this book. Buy it! On a personal note, I also think Terry is a well-rounded, down-to-earth, talented, intelligent and intriguing individual.