It was a beautiful May day in gorgeous Irvine, California, and four of us songwriters were sharing a sunny and lighthearted conversation as we walked.  This retreat had three scheduled songwriting sessions, and the forty-two attendees would find out before each session what the assigned groups and writing locations were.   Benji, Cara, Matt, and I began our gentle uphill walk to the chapel for the final cowrite.  We chatted and laughed as we walked. Good Shepherd Chapel, Concordia University Irvine. Photo by Anna Gruen. I don’t remember everything we talked about, but I’m pretty sure that at some point someone joked about the zoom meetings, commenting how you could wear some comfy shorts below the nice shirt and no one would know.  And about how there was no way anyone could tell what was really in your mug or water bottle.   The conversation took a serious turn when the observation was made that covid  (stupid covid!)  made substance dependency and addiction worse for many people.  No