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Post Info TOPIC: Favorite Speakers?


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Favorite Speakers?
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Hi everyone.  I just joined today.  I am 9 months sober and have suddenly taken an interest in AA Speakers.  What are your favorites?  I know about Joe and Charlie, and Sandy B.  I look forward to reading your responses.  :)  Thanks  If there is already a thread about this could you please point me in the right direction?



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MIP Old Timer

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My favorite speakers are the ones who share "...in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now." BB pg.58

I used to love the tragi-comedy of the horror stories turned hilarious, the heart-breakers, the ones I could most identify with compared to my own drunk-a-log, the AA "celebrity" speakers. I used to have an awesome tape collection-there is lots of good stuff out there!

Now I prefer the ones that just follow the book-disclosing in a general way, not all the gory details, telling me briefly what he or she was like (as tho we don't already know) and briefly what happened (as tho we don't already know). And then, a little more detailed, slightly longer, description of what he or she is like now.

That's my favorite part! Usually the speaker is profoundly different, improved feeling/doing/being/thinking--in a far better place than when drinking. Those are my favorite speakers these days.



-- Edited by leeu on Tuesday 16th of August 2011 06:57:28 PM

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Hi ... At the end of the month, my home group has the people who have their yearly anniversary during the month speak...I really like that because I am fairly new and it helps me get to know my home group members better....

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Hi Nicky,

Welcome to the MIP forum. I have heard a lot of good speakers over the years. My absolute favorites are Milt L. Cleveland Ohio, Earl H. from Los Angeles, Beth G from Brecksville Oh.

I think there are some speaker recordings on this site your can download, also downloads @ wejoy.org



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Hi Nicky, 

Welcome to "MIP". I like speakers who make open confessions with their heart, not their mouth. I also like speakers who keep it simple and keep it real. The last thing this recovering alcoholic needs to hear is another "drunk-a-log". I hope this helps...God bless.



-- Edited by Mr_David on Wednesday 17th of August 2011 01:15:21 AM

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Mr.David


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I have a rather worn cassette tape of Dr. Paul, aka "Doctor, Alcholic, Addict" from the 3rd Edition Big Book.  It's longer than most - I think close to 90 minutes.  It's filled with the same humor, honesty, and just plain great stuff as his BB story, but goes into more detail.  I hope I can get this tape replaced with a CD. 

Other than that, I really have never heard any of the "big name circuit speakers", either in person or recorded.  We have a few locals that I always look forward to hearing, including a nun who I guess has 35+ years sober now if she's still around.

Sometimes you just can't tell...  I don't have a great attention span, I'm generally not a good listener and I have to stay interested or my mind wanders.  Once heard a guy who was just a deadpan speaker... I had heard him talk in meetings before, and he was just... dull.  So he had the floor for the whole meeting, and he was still deadpan but he was honest, humble, and funny as hell.  I even asked him to come speak at my home group. 

I remember the first time I heard my sponsor speak.  It was in the city at a huge meeting... I got there early and sat in the front row.  He had a booming voice and here he was at a podium with a microphone and amplifier... that was "captivating" for sure, I was about 10 months sober at the time... LOL. 

Barisax



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MIP Old Timer

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Ray OK (may he rest in peace) is one of my absolute faves. Incredible speaker, very funny, very powerful. I've only heard his tapes, though my sponsor actually heard speak in person.

Steve

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best way to find out what your favorite speakers are is to go listen to all of them on http://xa-speakers.org/

Clancy, Chuck C, Bill W, Dr Bob, a few earls, Joe and Charley there are so many and all of them are fantastic

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I've enjoyed all those I've heard. I tried a Bill W. one that was too scratchy to really listen too. Heard a good one from Marty Mann, one of the first one hundred, who's story is in the first section of the back of the BB. Dr. Paul O., and for contemporary speakers I like Father Tom W. from Bay Area, Ca and Father Jim whom I've heard in person as they travel a lot and sometimes speak together over a weekend.

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I haven't heard that many speakers but here was one who really moved me. Kip C. His talk was memorable not only for the extremes of his "what it was like", but also because of the almost unimagineable adversity that came his way in sobriety. He really shows the AA program as an enduring solution to all the challenges that life can throw up.

Best wishes,
Mike.


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Bob Earl, there are several links to his speaker tapes in the thread above.

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Thank you everyone for your input. It's greatly appreciated.

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