Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

[retteacher]

Everyone: I just wanted to get a quick start. I've been on the go a lot but see some down time in the next few days. Tonight I'll be speaking at the big speaker meeting. I think I'll be fine. My sponsor will be there sitting in the front row. That will be most helpful. Mary

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Mary, I wish I could be there tonight! I would love to hear your story all in one piece. I know you will do a great job! I hope you come post about it later tonight or tomorrow morning. I cant' wait to hear about it! I hope you know you have our support across the miles!

DG

[Kimberley]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

00h let us kn0w h0w it went Mary! I've 0nly been t0 0ne speaker meeting and it was tiny but i kn0w they're usually huge.

I had my first week 0f my new tea c0mmitment t0day. It was funny I'm s0 used t0 making teas f0r pe0ple as whenever I w0rk at the h0meless pr0ject 0ver xmas I l0ve getting 0nt0 the tea bar c0s y0u get t chat t0 pe0ple. But I was really nerv0us tday f0r s0me reas0n. I think it was because I was having a 'meh' day a bit as well. Pr0crastinating all 0ver the place.

But it was fine really. And I enjyed the meeting t0night t00.

Catch y0u all s00n!
K x

Ps yes a certain letter 0n my keyb0ard has g0ne a bit temperamental...!

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Kimber & DG: It well very well. I definitely was nervous, but that only added to the authencity of the talk. What an incredible high it was ! Unlike anything I've ever felt while drinking. The hugs & congrats afterward were worth a million dollars to me also. I know I helped someone, because a woman came up to me afterwards & said I told her story. That felt very good.

Tonight I'm meeting my sponsor at a meeting. It's so comforting to do that. Just sit there w/someone I know & like very much & take in the spirituality. When i do that, I realize what a completely unique program AA reallly is.

Mary

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Mary!! :l:yougo::l You warmed my heart today. Indeed, AA is a unique program. I am still amazed when I think of all the secrecy I tried to live in. What a lonely place my AL prison became. I am so grateful to have the physical company of other people just like me these days.

Kimberly, it sounds like things are going great with your new service work!! What exactly does serving tea at your meetings involve? It's coffee here in the states - and all we do is make a pot, and pour it black. If people want anything in it, they are on their own. And where I go, you can absolutely NEVER trust that the pot with the orange handle really is decaf. :H In my imagination, I see something a little more refined with tea.

I was up late (for me) last night at Mary Kay training and slept in some this morning skipping my regular early AA meeting and business activity. I'm OK with that - it's a busier week than usual helping two new Mary Kay ladies get started and also taking care of some new customers of my own. Flexibility! So you all are my meeting today. Thank you for posting!

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Ah the secrecy. At one point during my talk, when i was talking about the machinations of drinking alone & getting rid of bottles, I stopped & said (paraphrase): "In my wildest dreams, I couldn't have imagined standing here & saying all this about myself." To get it all out in the open is a unimaginable gift. Mary

[Horsegirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Hello All!!!!


So happy you found the courage to speak, Mary. Wish we all could have been there.

I remember thinking at some of my first meetings that I could not believe people were actually sharing about all of those things that I was way too ashamed of to tell anyone. You're right, what an unimaginable gift the AA program has been to many of us.

Have a super, sober day!!!!

HG

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Hi HG! Good to see you as always! Just sitting still and closing my eyes and remembering what it was like to share a deep dark secret for the first time. What a relief. It was and is such a relief I can physically feel it just THINKING about it.

It was quite shocking to me at first to hear the things people would share - and then to hear people LAUGHING about these things (i.e. bottle hiding, etc.) rather than cringing and keeping it secret....that was really something.

DG

[Newgrange]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Well done Mary. Sounds like it went very well. I do not know much about AA but gaining
Information in here. I am sure you helped others. I always gain in here from both yourself and DG and others.

Hello everyone.

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

I really feel that the secrecy was killing me spiritually. Not living like that is a gift beyond words. I value my getting rid of all the lying more than getting rid of:
-the hangovers.
-the blackouts.

Those were bad, but i could get a little relief from them from time to time. But the betrayal: there was no escaping that...except to come clean which I couldn't do wo/help.


Mary

[Kimberley]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Mary, s0 glad it went well - h0w l0vely t0 be able t0 share and help 0ther pe0ple. 0ne 0f the secretaries at 0ne 0f my regular meetings wants me t0 d0 a chair s00n - gah!! I feel a bit funny ab0ut it as I d0n't have that much t0 say ab0ut AA itself as I've 0nly just started with it. But he reck0ns its g00d luck after d0ing a 90/90.

And it w0uld be quite nice t0 share with pe0ple I kn0w. Because I'm 0nly y0ung a l0t 0f well-wishers d0 try t0 give me advice based 0n the assumpti0n 0f what I was like. Lets just say my st0ry is n0t typical f0r a 30-yr-0ld. S0me pe0ple had rec0mmended t0 me I g0 t0 the Y0ung Pe0ple's 'They St0pped In Time' meeting - but I really didn't st0p in time!! :H

It might als0 be an0ther step t0wards getting a sp0ns0r - I want s0me0ne wh0 can relate t0 me quite a l0t but has 0verc0me it all. Maybe it'll lead t0 a rec0mmendati0n 0f a suitable pers0n.

DG, we have b0th c0ffee and tea. It depends 0n wh0 is d0ing it, but s0metimes we als0 have a seclecti0n 0f herbal teas, green tea, ginger, cham0mile etc - very nice! As f0r self-service, that kind 0f depends 0n wh0 is d0ing it t00! A c0uple 0f pe0ple will make the wh0le cuppa f0r ya, but m0stly it's 'add y0ur 0wn'. Decaff?! Thank g0d I d0n't see that at t00 many meetings! :H N0t a fan! I may write an AA guide - Where T0 Find...the best tea and biscuits! (Seri0usly s0me pe0ple bring cakes, mini Mars Bars etc - th0ugh I d0n't t0uch them, trying t0 stay 0ff the sugar.

H0pe every0ne is having a l0vely week - the weather here has been gl0ri0us f0r a change, s0 I've been enj0ying that.

K x

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

I'm going to try & meet w/my sponsor tomorrow. I'm working on the 2nd step. I don't have a problem w/an HP or the insanity part of it. I just want to know I'm on the right track w/my study of it. Also, I just like meeting w/her from time to time.

There has been a some conflict regarding the use of our treasury funds. Should we use them for our annual picnic or not? I'm sure it'll get settled, but for now, there's some processing that needs to happen at our business meetings. Also, there was a mix-up about who would open the door to the center. People were kept waiting last Sunday. I guess these things happen, but I don't want anything to happen to those weekend meetings. I think we've got to nail down a procedure before we go any further.

I could easily take charge, but that's not how it works in AA. I like to get things done! However, this is going to be a learning experience for me. I cannot fix everything by doing, doing, doing. The whole group has to come together to settle some of these issues.

I can only imagine the growing pains AA went through in the early years. It took a lot of fortitude on the part of the founders to keep it going.

In the end, I know things will work out. We have to stay away from gossip & dominance. I've read that in the literature somewhere, & it sure makes sense.

Mary

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

I'm somewhat excited. I have 500 days sober.
Thanks to y'all here, AA and some spiritual help.

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24


:yougo::yougo:CONGRATULATIONS PHIL on 500 DAYS SOBER!!!!:yougo::yougo:


That totally ROCKS Phil!!! I am so happy for you. I remember your description of the intense struggles before the miracle happened for you. I am so glad you didn't give up. I'm so glad you choose to share your experience strength and hope here.

DG

[Kimberley]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 18 - Apr. 24

Congratulations Phil!! Awesome! :wd:

K x