Clean for 12 months - used to attend CA meetings -interested in hearing more about meetings based on the 12 steps that do not remove God from the teachings - He is the only way to a sober life.

Congratulations, Lady. I have a higher power whom I choose to call God. I like having this higher power because it helps me to realize that I am not.

The secretary of our group informed me that our medallions came in and asked me for a ride to the meeting. She said that she should be getting her car fixed next week and wouldn't have to ask for a ride to the meetings after that. Before the meeting I was talking to a member about the dubious luxury of normal men. So anger became the topic of our meeting and we drifted to anger and inanimate objects. One of the members drew the correlation to People, Places and Things. Inanimate objects are things so I was able to vent my frustration of my electric can opener that doesn't perform properly so we drifted to anger and insanity. One member told me it was okay to talk to myself at times which helped me with my resentment of my can opener.

At another AA group I have started to attend which met on nights I couldn't make before we had a newcomer come to the group. We chose by general consensus to do the first step because he was a new member we thought. Come to find out that it is not his first time in AA. He had drank but had two days sober. He wanted to see his baby and his significant other wouldn't let him see the baby. So he punched her in the shoulder. It was traumatic for him and he burst into tears when he explained this. I couldn't help but think his chances of seeing the baby would probably be less now that he punched her. My reasoning being is that if he punched her what would he do if he had the baby. He was embarrassed for his crying since we were all men but we all assured him that crying was okay. He said he had taken Zanax with the drinking. The group gave him a big book and he assured us that he would come back to the meeting next time we met.

hey everyone.. i have been around aa since i was 6 always went with my dad...started alateen when i was 11 became state representative and went on to speak in front of 400 people at a alanon/alateen convention with aa's there... they all 3 are such wonderful programs! good luck to everyone in your journeys!!!

I love the conventions. My daughter I took to the meetings when she was small. She went on to be counselor in Girl Scouts. She said the reason was because of me taking her to the meetings. Shied away from relationship with the opposite sex because of growing up with her mother and me. She finally has a boyfriend and I was happy for her. I haven't ever seen her drink. I guess one alcoholic in the family was enough for her.

I have a friend who is married and has a variation on the first step. He says he is an alcoholic and his Alanon wife is unmanageable.

Use caution if you really want to stay sober...Follow the program....Read from Bills big book...AND GET A LONGTERMER FOR A SPONSER....The first couple of years are the easyest....When you think you got it beat and you are back in control is the day you fall off the wagon...........

Good advice. My sponsor has 27 years and I have 25. I am just getting ready to go to the meeting. I think I will read page 69 of the big book.

One of my favorite readings in the AA Grapevine is the cartoon character Victor E. I was thinking of him when I opened the meeting on the wrong night and was wondering where everyone was.

I have never used any kind of drugs and never abused alcohol.. I just want to say that I can't even imagine what you all go thru everyday but I applaude you for wanting to make your life a better place...

I have been sober since 09-18-08 and I live at a sober living home. I have a great support system and I am glad you started this so keep up and in touch!!!

Recently an AA member said something that helped me. He said, "Once you become a pickle you are no longer a cucumber." Some of our members have had longer pickling processes than others. In our NA meetings we refer to this as some are sicker than others. Since I go to church sometimes this has helped me with one scripture because I feel like I am a born again cucumber.

We had a cool meeting Friday night. Afterward two other guys and me had a get together at Walmart. The newcomer bought a box of day old donuts and we sat and drank the free coffee. I am thinking we might call it the Walmart AA group.

You're doing something great for yourself.

Tonight I'll be speaking at the Milford Center, and as it's a "home group meeting", I'll be at the podium in my morning slippers and robe. I hope to properly emphasise the importance of having a meeting to call home. It's usually a crowd of 40 to 50 people so it should be alot of fun.

Yes, I'll be wearing clothes too.

So an older gentleman who at one time had more than 2 decades of sobriety came back as a newcomer, and his main issue was having trouble with god and I'm thinking, big surprise there. When it was my turn, I'm pretty sure what I said wasn't too unique in this area except that the entire time I lived in this town I haven't been to church (Yes, still a believer) and that while drinking, the closest I ever got to calling out to god was during an orgasm. Having caught a little of his ear, I probably reminded him of something he already told others at one time, that it's not essential to be close to god in early sobriety, but it is essential to be closer to others who are, and that there were at least 20 of god's tools (The males of the fellowship) who could help.

The longest period of sobriety I've seen people give up to date is 44 years, and each time a long timer goes back out, it reminds me to stay closer to the fellowship, because next time it could be me. Needless to say, someone I was sponsoring felt more at ease to talk in meetings, after all, if he could hear someone else talk of god in orgasms in one sentence, he could say what's on his mind too.

ive vowed to stop drinkg and smoking meth but i still smoke a little bit of pot .. and i relapsed on the booze a few days ago... is the pot you think goin gto help trigger me... i dont go to AA but i go to something called smart recovery. and i have not told them about the pot but its for drinking which i told them tonight that i had a four pack about three days ago. anyways what is your guys thought on the weed

Once back in 1999, I had this idea that if I drank because it relaxed me, I could quit smoking. I ended up doing both. I'm satisfied that I may never quit smoking (Cigarettes that is).

Wow, some really strong people on this this thread.

Congratulations to all who have chosen life.