Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

R2C: In the meetings I go to, there is sometimes a line in the preamble warning against "crosstalk" (i.e. referring to another person by name). I try to keep the Tradition (not sure which one) of "keeping principles above personalities" in mind. That's why crosstalk is frowned upon. That said: some of the groups I go to are pretty loose & there's crosstalk galore. If I really want to refer to what someone else said, I'll sometimes refer to that person as "a previous speaker." I've heard that pretty frequently. Some meetings are stricter about rules than others. Also, I've heard in preambles warnings against advice-giving. It's suggested that we stick to our own experience. I hope all this formality doesn't put people off to AA. These rules are for our own protection...so that resentments or hurt feelings don't occur. I'm sure you were probably a little embarrassed or chagrined, but I know that the positives or AA far, far outweigh anything I might deem as a negative. Good luck.

Last night's "burning desire" meeting was wonderful. So much feeling & emotion. To me, it's unique.

Phil: I see a lot of drug addicts (& cross addicts) at our AA meetings. I know there's an NA meeting in the area, but there are far more AA meetings. As far as I'm concerned, addicts are addicts, whether it's a drug or alcohol...it's still a mood-altering substance.

Mary

[ready2change]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

Thanks all for your replies, I really appreciate it. A lot of you have way more experience than I do in AA. I think it had more to do with me and how I have been feeling lately than the way my sponsor presented it to me. I'm sure she was just pointing it out to me for my knowledge than she was to criticize me.

I have been having some restlessness and discontented feelings lately. Quite a few comparisons of how I'm not that bad and I'm sure I've had my share of yets. I gently remind myself that I am new to all of this and that I have made a committment give this a shot. I'm sure I expected being sober to magically fix some imperfections in my life, and of course it has not. I suppose I am like most alcoholics looking for instant gratification!

I have made a conscious decision to try out some different meetings, I think perhaps that is what I need. And perhaps a second sponsor just to get some different perspective on things.

To anyone new to AA or considering going, definately do not let this put you off. We all have egos that are constantly trying to get in our way, in my opinion, AA is a lesson in humility, one we can all use. I know for sure I wouldn't be sober today if not for AA, as I tried many things before I finally really started practicing what they teach.

Happy Sunday to all.

R2C

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

Choochie, I appreciate the vote of confidence on lasik! My eye is really doing well (only had one fixed for monovision) and I am working on the patience to just let things change the way they are expected to change. A VERY new way of dealing with things for me.

Mary, I appreciate your thoughts on cross-talk. That is additional information and understanding for me.

R2C, you raise such a good point about our egos, and about humility. The more I work on developing an understanding of those two things and how they work in my life for better and worse, the better off I am. I am sure seeing how keeping my ego in check and being humble are BENEFITS to ME. That took some doing to grasp. (and I fall back into my old ways of thinking all the time!)

Everything I am learning in AA is a growth experience and an opportunity for me to experience more peace in my life. I am willing to go through some growing pains to achieve a peaceful outlook and way of reacting to the world around me.

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

R2C: I too have those "I'm not that bad" feelings fairly frequently. It often happens to me when I go to a speaker meeting, & the speaker has had incredible losses as a result of his/her drinking (i.e. homelessness, loss of family, job, etc.). I was a functional alcoholic, but an alcoholic nonetheless. I don't want to lessen the degree to which I drank. I lied, hid, sneaked around, took alcohol that didn't belong to me, passed/blacked out & a whole host of other undesirable activities. I absolutely must keep those awful experiences in the forefront of my mind. They are not in any way, shape or form normal.

Mary

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

I agree with Mary. Often while listening to a speaker I think "I never had a DUI, PI, jail, job loss or any of that, I just drank a lot of beer". Well, Phil that is true. However I drank beer every day, during business hours in my home office, sometimes recording myself on conference calls to listen later to see if I "sounded drunk". If I wasn't drinking I was thinking about when I could. Normal people don't do that. So I am an alcoholic. Nothing wrong with that as long as I stay in recovery. Just my opinion.

[Bella]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

cpn...well said

[Bella]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

i know its old hat but i have to say....we bright people turn to alcohol...i dont know why we do but we do. Its gonna send me mad, i know that. I just need a friend. X

[Bella]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

pay no attention to me...I have done so well but have now fallen at the first post. Im 42, i am ok but slowly and surely dying...and the funny thing is, no one knows. You (one) me...We.....get clever....But I will tell you one thing....Are you ready....YOU CANT PRETEND ANY MORE.......im just talking to myself coz there is no one here to talk....its true. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN AN ALCOHOLIC LIKE ME....Dont get like me XXXX

[Choochie]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 11 - Oct. 17

Bella, would it help to get with AA people so you'd have someone to talk to? I'm not sure yet whether or not I want to go to AA but I really like the idea of having people to talk with. Maybe you've already tried that?? I see you're on the thread, so you may already be in AA.

Hang in there.

Hugs,
Choochie