Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

[Doggygirl]

Mary, our thoughts and prayers (and Sister's and all 90 nuns) are with Patty and you and your family today.

For any newcomers, here are some helpful links:

Daily Recovery Readings
Big Book Online

I have to dash off to work just now but will be back later to post more. Later this morning I am going to a meeting in a neighboring town that I've never been to before. That has been a goal of mine to "get out" more to other meetings and expand my sober network of friends. So having this new sponsee turn up in my life is helping me too! I'm meeting her there.

I hope everyone is off to a great start for the new week. Strength and hope to all.

DG

[momof3]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Mary/Reteacher,

Sending healing thoughts and prayers for your daughter today. :l

[greeneyes]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Me too Mary. :l

[dancelot]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Sending prayers and positive thoughts for Patty and you, Mary :l :h

[Cinders]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Prayers from me, too, Mary.

Love,
Cindi

[Gaia]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Mary,

Sending the best energy your way, for you and your daughter.

Hugs,
T.

[ready2change]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Mary and Patty,
((((((Hugs)))) and prayers to both of you!

R2C

[Gaia]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Hi y'all,

Sorry to be rude and just skip to the point but did you see the articles in the NY Times and in Wired about AA? I posted links in the General Discussion section. Just sharing.

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Hello friends. Gaia, I probably should have mentioned this in the other thread. But I'm sorta zoom zoomin' today so will comment here. My take from reading the Wired article is that the article was written about AA since AA is celebrating 75 years since it's founding this year. "Founders Day" is celebrated in mid June in Aakron OH every year, and the International is the event in San Antonio this coming weekend - that happens once every five years. Given the timing of the article about AA (and the 75 year anniversary of AA was mentioned in the article) - I think it was meant to be about AA after 75 years rather than about recovery in general. So I think that is probably why other recovery methods were not discussed. That's just my guess.

Mary, we all all still thinking of you and Patty and praying for her recovery. I hope the surgery went smoothly. Sister was asking about her this morning. She feels a very special affinity where breast cancer is concerned. I'm looking forward to hearing how things went when you get a chance to check in.

One of my goals has been to get out to some new meetings. So my new sponsee has been good for me in that regard. We went together yesterday to a Women's Big Book study in the next town over where she is staying with her family. I saw some familiar faces and some new ones. It really is something how every meeting is different. I'll call this one the "soccer mom" meeting. (and I mean that in a good way!) It's amazing how alcohol knows no boundaries and can touch lives in any socio economic circumstance. This meeting was in a church basement and there was a babysitter watching some womens' young children right down the hall. I'm not a Mom, but I could relate to a lot of what these women shared. Drinking in isolation was a big one.

One woman who is relatively new in sobriety talked about desires to drink and feelings that she "wasn't that bad." We read from the chapter "A Vision for You" in the Big Book. There is a part that talks about how "drinking wasn't fun any more." She said she ALWAYS remembers drinking being fun. We talked a lot about the progressive nature of the disease. If she truly believes she is alcoholic, then if she drinks again, the prognosis for "long term fun" is just not very good.

Another woman spoke about that who was sober for 13 years and then relapsed. This woman said she could relate to the feeling of being "not that bad." She thought she was "not that bad" enough that she drank again the minute her kids were grown and gone. And she badly regrets it. That decision set her up for several years of misery before she came back to AA.

I was grateful to hear all that. I was grateful to be reminded that "glammed up" thoughts of drinking happen for others and will happen for me too at times. It's BS and I need to ignore it.

We also talked about temptations of the season. One woman spoke of a family reunion where one morning, they walked into a cousin's house. At 8AM there was a huge bloody mary bar set up that she was not expecting. She said it rattled her for a moment and then she decided to just leave. (there was plenty of other family stuff going on all weekend.) She's got several years of sobriety under her belt and that was a great reminder that an exit strategy is a GOOD strategy to have in any situation, at any time now or in the future.

Another woman was at a graduation party last weekend and walked into the garage. :egad: there was a massive table of AL set up in there and people were drinking straight shots and stuff. She too chose to leave. (and also commented how sad that was as an example to the high school graduates present...)

Anyway, here is a link to "A Vision.." which is Chapter 11 in the Big Book. I am continually amazed at how the descriptions of "how it is" for alcoholics is the same today as it was 75 years ago. And probably 75 years before that, and before that. Time marches on but AL just keeps hovering.

Strength and hope to all for another sober day. ANYTHING is better sober than drunk.

DG

[Cherbear]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Hi All!,
new to this thread but I am returning to MWO and started AA this time around, tried soooo many times to quit and moderate its pathetic. Needed something extra and that is AA.
The meetings are intense. Today in our AA meeting they read page 61 about selfishness and everyone talked about what that is in their life. such great reflection and reminders to stay sober..

AF since 6/19/2010
Glad you guys have this thread.
I'm going to a women's meeting tomorrow.

[Time to change]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Morning all,

Day No. 2 today and I'm feeling pretty positive as I set off for work, Hope this feeling lasts the day. Have a lovely Wednesday everyone xx

[Raven.joy]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

always lovely to hear of another getting sober and joining the MWO family

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Time to Change, good on you for day 2. You know the saying...but it is so true...just don't drink today.
It does get better and better.

Heading to San Antonio tomorrow for the big meeting.

[Time to change]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Thanks guys,

My landlady's cooking us a meal tonight at her house, there will be Wine flowing freely but I wont be having any. Fact.
Hell, I have will power!!...Who knew? ha ha. This time of night, 7pm onwards is always the time I get fidgity for a drink so I figure as along as I can find another way to occupy myself at this time each evening then I'm on my way to winning the battle...the battle with myself! doesn't it sound crazy when you say it like that?
I often think I get hunger and craving wine mixed up as I find if I have something to eat the craving tends to subside pretty sharpish. Does anyone else find that?
Hope your all having a great sober day.

x

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Week of June 28 - July 4

Hello all! Welcome back Cherbear, it's great to see you. Looks like you too have finally had enough to be "willing to do whatever it takes." I too love the meetings and find the topics and reflection and sharing very thought provoking and healing.

Great to see you Time to Change and congrats on your great start. EAT!! Even now I always make sure to eat first if I am going anywhere near AL. On that dinner party.....make sure you EAT FIRST BEFORE YOU GO (if you go) and have an exit strategy. Make a decision that you WILL LEAVE before you take a drink. Personally, I wouldn't go anywhere near AL if I didn't absolutely have to at this point in the game. I relapsed hard after 60 days and that taught me many huge lessons. The biggest one being that sobriety MUST be my #1 priority at all times. So that means I miss some parties. I'd rather give up a couple of parties to GET my life back, which I have.

Hi raven.joy it's always good to see you!

Phil, I'm positively jumping out of my skin excited about the Big Meetings in San Antonio!!!

The Daily Readings have already flipped over to July 1. The 24-Hours a Day reading today was awesome. In the morning meeting I attended, we were mainly talking about seeking specific additional help if needed such as a psychologist if that is helpful resolving other issues besides the alcoholism. It was a good topic. As a funny side note, someone mentioned finding an old hidden bottle in their house over the weekend. So people were mentioning stories about that. Seemed a whole lot of us were drinking Vodka in the end - believing that old story about how "Vodka doesn't smell." :H:H:H

A really good story today was told by a guy who has been sober now for a few years and re-building his life. But at his "bottom" he was homeless. Some of the local shelters require a "homeless ID card." He was recently able to buy a house and he framed that card and hung it by the front door as a reminder to be grateful for his recovery. I loved that sharing.

Well, I better get crackin' on the packin'. I can't believe I need a ticket, and my suitcase needs a $15 ticket too. I better watch it or I'll get the over weight fee.

WHEEE!!!! Strength and hope to all.

DG