I still drink but monitor and self restrict how much I can and life is still okay

We had a good meeting, tonight. I am going to another one, tomorrow. Since our group has dwindling members I am taking a friend to another meeting tomorrow and see if we can frequent each others' meetings.

Same here, we had a great meeting tonight as well! It seems though, the rooms get a few more people coming in around the Holidays.

I was glad to see a few more last night. We have a regular Friday group for our town. One of our members who couldn't be there just celebrated 40 years. We didn't have a 40 year chip to give her so tonight I am taking a friend over to the meeting in the town six miles away to see if we can get a 40 year chip. When our chief dish and bottle washer took off to a bigger town I accepted the role as treasurer until we can get enough members to actually vote some people in. I am trying my hardest to get back on third shift so I can make more meetings. My friend that I go to pick up for the meetings has been very helpful in setting up and hopefully she will become our new secretary. If all goes well she will be able to order us some new medallions with the help of the other group.

Two weeks in a row we have had nine members. Got the rent paid to the church for four months in advance. Got to do some 12th step work by bringing a member to the meeting. She was feeling bad because she has to ask me for a ride to the meeting. I told her that at least I will know I won't be the only one there. If others won't guilt trip us then we just guilt trip ourselves.

I don't drink but I worked with a guy who would drink 4 beers after work in a bar and then go home and drink 18 more.He was drunk even at 6am in the morning.He was a funny guy but sad at the same time.He said he didn't even own a telephone.One time I told him that "I think your a alchoholic".He said "no I'm not I'm a drunk".I said "whats the difference"?He said "alcoholics want help and I don't want any".I thought that was pretty funny and got a laugh out of it.

Alcoholics have to go to "those meetings' too.

You didn't think the alcoholic was the only sick person in the family, did you?


6/16/03

For what it's worth, sobriety at 2007 successful todays is really not much different than putting a couple together, except that maybe a track record of success might indicate that I'll get through the next 3 hours sober. As important, I believe the steps are to recovery, I also have had to remind people that the traditions are just as important, actually calling someone onto the carpet for spreading rumors about me, violating my anonymity, and ultimately calling him an a**hole in front of everyone, which I've never done before. Oh, nice interruption by an uninteresting phone call.

An alcoholic/addict recently released from jail with AIDS called me from a motel room asking me to get her a pack of cigarettes for her and she would pay me tomorrow. I asked, "What are you doing in a motel". She quickly said, "Spending time with my boyfriend". "No - click-"... Anyway, to resume...

I enjoy my anonymity here and in meetings, and when someone with a resentment against me decides to go against traditions I have 2 options, both of which are fear based, Face Everything And Recover, or F*** Everything And Run. As this has happened both professionally and in AA meetings, I chose to face whatever happens. For those who haven't done a 4th step, this might have been a difficult task, but it is well worth it, and makes facing idiots much easier, because we really are only as sick as our secrets. When I go to a meeting, all of my noteriety, property and prestige is left at the door, and I am Joe, alcoholic. If someone tries to mess with it, or tries to alienate me from the program that saves my life on a daily basis, they will eventually find me facing them, at every meeting we go to, reminding people of that one promise that if we cause harm to others and are not sorry, we are sure to drink again. (bb p70)


While what's written above was not a very positive view of AA out here, I think it serves as a gentle reminder to me of where I could go with my next drink and that it's all to easy to start again.

4 and 5, are critical to recovery. Good points.

Santa,

Is the person still "recovering" if he stopped at the 4th step?

Funny you should say that. I recently compared both steps 4 and 10 to toilets in a meeting and here's my thoughts.

One toilet is large, because it has a life time's worth of crap. It is so large that it takes god and another human being to flush. The other toilet is tiny, so tiny that it can only handle a day's worth of crap. Since it is so small, I can flush that toilet myself, but I can't let it back up, otherwise I might end up knee deep in crap, which is a real pain in the ass.

For the OCD impaired, assumed is that a person works all of the steps, and realizes just how extravagant the promises really are.

They won't be for long, timewise, can't really say how much 'grace time' they will get.

That is a fantastic comparison!

Clean now for 11years

After much putting it off we finally ordered new medallions for the group.

We had a nice meeting, Friday. Guy with his 3rd dwi is starting to get serious about the program. Another group got him a big book. He says he enjoying reading it. He comes with his mother to the group. Was cool to give him the serenity chip and the 30 chip.

Clean since 04/15/87 and sober since 08/01/02.

No one promised me life would get easy, but they did tell me it would get different. Life on life's terms can be difficult to handle at times but I always have to remember that the only thing I can change is me and my outlook on everything.

As long as I'm always in acceptance, life is good no matter what happens.