This is now my home group.

AlcoHater · Senior Member

This is now my home group.

Mr_David · MIP Old Timer

I'm glad you found a place to call home. We're here when you need us.

Jerry F · MIP Old Timer

Alco; although that is a different journey than mine I do understand when I run it thru the filter of one of my early elder sponsors, "Find and use what ever you can to gain and maintain your sobriety". That is what I was told and that is what I have done. Don't over work...that causes problems. When you're tired and weak the disease smiles and extends it's paws extending it's claws. The tiger never sleeps. smile

In recovery and service

Tanin · MIP Old Timer

AlcoHater wrote:
Ever since I started working 10/hrs. a day 7 days a week, I'm no longer able to attend f2f meetings. That's the bad news. That's okay, though, as I never felt comfortable or welcome there anyway. And listening to the same old drivel from a bunch of well-heeled drunx can be tiring.

Can you go to online meetings? There are plenty listed at http://www.aa-intergroup.org/

A good online meeting site listed there is http://www.aaonline.org/ Four or 5 meetings a day.

A 10 x 7 schedule is definitely rough. But going to zero meetings as a result of the schedule might be a bit too little.

AlcoHater wrote:
I've gotten more from you folks in the short time being here than from out there. Here I see stuff from all kinds of folks, not just old x-ian plutocrats. (Not trying to be mean, mind you, but when you're looked down upon as low-class trash, you develop a streak.) I can identify with the lot of you, where I have nothing in common with the f2f-ers. It's different stories, topics, etc. and not just stories of victories, but losses, too, that makes me "keep coming back" here. There's not a day goes by where I don't come to this site to see what's goin' on. You people are just what I needed. Thank you. You are my sponsors. I am your sponsee. You are my home group, and I am an alcoholic. -AlcoHater
Do you have an individual sponsor?

-- Edited by Tanin on Sunday 21st of July 2013 07:57:49 AM

Pablomoses · Senior Member

I'm glad you are staying sober today!! We are all Miracles in Progress!! If you don't take that first drink all will get better. Glad to be of service for you!!
You are a service to me. Some f2f meetings are rough.

AlcoHater · Senior Member

@ Tanin. No, fired my sponsor a while back. Flying solo. He kept insisting I accept being powerless over EVERYTHING. As I see it, powerless over alcohol = alcoholic. Powerless over everything = earthworm. Also, my computer is so out of whack and obsolete that things like skype and chatrooms are verboten. Besides, this board combines book study type meetings with open discussions. For me, there's no better way to a.a. than this website.

-- Edited by AlcoHater on Sunday 21st of July 2013 08:26:48 AM

-- Edited by AlcoHater on Sunday 21st of July 2013 08:35:24 AM

Tanin · MIP Old Timer

AlcoHater wrote:
@ Tanin. No, fired my sponsor a while back. Flying solo. He kept insisting I accept being powerless over EVERYTHING. As I see it, powerless over alcohol = alcoholic. Powerless over everything = earthworm.

-- Edited by AlcoHater on Sunday 21st of July 2013 08:26:48 AM

I see. How about someone else to be a sponsor, someone more compatible with your views?

-- Edited by Tanin on Sunday 21st of July 2013 08:36:53 AM

AlcoHater · Senior Member

@ Tanin. As soon as I find someone who fits that profile, I'll ask them to be my sponsor.

Stepchild · MIP Old Timer

AlcoHater wrote:
@ Tanin. As soon as I find someone who fits that profile, I'll ask them to be my sponsor.

That's good. I'm glad you find this site useful...I do too. I really wanted this program to work...Was I willing to go to any lengths to get what they had? I've done some things I didn't want to do...And heard some things I didn't want to hear. I guess that's what they mean by that. Keep coming back.

Pythonpappy · MIP Old Timer

Hey AlcoHater, ... ... ...

I understand that your work schedule may interfere with f2f meeting times ... but I just wanted to say, that is why it is suggested to us to find a home group ... that means I had to try a lot of different meetings with different groups until I found a group that most suited my point in sobriety ... never underestimate the power of having what a 'home group' can provide ... this puts a group of brothers and sisters and their phone numbers handy to you in the event you need 'help' ...

For instance, when one of my sponsees calls and is unstable for whatever reason, and needs f2f time with me, then I'm there ... you could find yourself waiting hours for a response here, when you need the contact 'now' ... ... ... I'm just sayin', don't give up on going to meetings ... try your best to find one or more that you can attend ...

Another thing, you could share something here where it would help us to see your body language ... if you and I were sitting f2f in a group setting, then I could read the 'honesty' in your share ... here we don't have that luxury ... good sponsors have learned to read the sincerity of their sponsees not only by language, but by the actions they see, or don't see ... to me, f2f meetings were a crucial part of my recovery, I highly recommend them ...

Bodyunderconstruction · Member

I feel the same when it comes to meetings. I have learned and felt like I belong here rather then in any meeting. I just don't feel like I fit in.

Speaking of fitting in I will share a story. I clean houses for a living. By the time I am done I don't have time to run home and change before my meeting. I don't go looking nasty or anything, just go in T-shirts and jeans. Most of the women attending this meeting come looking as tho they were in a fashion show. I always felt it was because I didn't dress nice like them is why I did't fit in. So knowing that our alcoholism can mess with our minds and have us think things that are not true, I decided to try something. For 2 weeks I changed into fancy clothes before the meeting. Wow did I get lots of friends then. I fit in finally. After 2 weeks I went back to the good ole scrubs

. Those women once again shunned me. Nice huh?

Stepchild · MIP Old Timer

I was pretty rough looking when I came into AA....Damn near walking dead. I wasn't there to make friends...I was there to save my life. I found that the more I showed up and worked this program.....Rather than just greasing my chair and watching it....The friends came around. The ones I wanted anyway. You got to do what you gotta do.

Pythonpappy · MIP Old Timer

Bodyunderconstruction wrote:
I feel the same when it comes to meetings. I have learned and felt like I belong here rather then in any meeting. I just don't feel like I fit in.
Speaking of fitting in I will share a story. I clean houses for a living. By the time I am done I don't have time to run home and change before my meeting. I don't go looking nasty or anything, just go in T-shirts and jeans. Most of the women attending this meeting come looking as tho they were in a fashion show. I always felt it was because I didn't dress nice like them is why I did't fit in. So knowing that our alcoholism can mess with our minds and have us think things that are not true, I decided to try something. For 2 weeks I changed into fancy clothes before the meeting. Wow did I get lots of friends then. I fit in finally. After 2 weeks I went back to the good ole scrubs
. Those women once again shunned me. Nice huh?

Okay, I know I'm just another Bozo on the bus, and maybe it's the difference between a 'guy thing' and a 'gal thing', but I've generally always felt welcome at meetings no matter where they were ... I have found, however, that there ARE groups that I am more comfortable with than others ... some meetings are comprised of mostly 'street people', then there are the average common worker groups, then the upper income bracket groups of pilots, stewardesses and stewards and lawyers and such, but I always felt welcome ... It is true that I have more in common with the basic common worker types, but we all have 'recovery' in common ... and we're going about it in the same way ...

People contact keeps it 'REAL' for me ... ... ... without the handshakes and hugs, recovery would have less meaning or realism for me ... of course we can come here and be uplifted and learn more about the program, but I still feel there is no substitute for f2f meetings ... If i say to someone 'I'm doing fine', and they see on my face and body language that I'm really not, then they offer assistance to help me thru a rough period, they've been there, and know I'm not fine, they instinctively know I need help ... it's hard to experience that on a computer ... or the other electronic devices out there ...

And Birdie, maybe it's different with women, I don't know, but I've always gone to meetings in a T-shirt and jeans ... I don't even own a 'suit' ... ... ... I have learned what others think of me is none of my business, I go for recovery, period ... kinda like what Stepchild said ...

Senior Member

Bodyunderconstruction wrote:
I feel the same when it comes to meetings. I have learned and felt like I belong here rather then in any meeting. I just don't feel like I fit in.
Speaking of fitting in I will share a story. I clean houses for a living. By the time I am done I don't have time to run home and change before my meeting. I don't go looking nasty or anything, just go in T-shirts and jeans. Most of the women attending this meeting come looking as tho they were in a fashion show. I always felt it was because I didn't dress nice like them is why I did't fit in. So knowing that our alcoholism can mess with our minds and have us think things that are not true, I decided to try something. For 2 weeks I changed into fancy clothes before the meeting. Wow did I get lots of friends then. I fit in finally. After 2 weeks I went back to the good ole scrubs
. Those women once again shunned me. Nice huh?

Huh. Well, shallow people abound, even at AA meetings. What can you do? You can't be accepted by everybody on the planet. If they don't want to friends with you, it's their loss.

Tanin · MIP Old Timer

AlcoHater wrote:
There's not a day goes by where I don't come to this site to see what's goin' on. You people are just what I needed. Thank you. You are my sponsors. I am your sponsee. You are my home group, and I am an alcoholic. -AlcoHater

Bodyunderconstruction wrote:
I feel the same when it comes to meetings. I have learned and felt like I belong here rather then in any meeting. I just don't feel like I fit in.

Heya, AlcoHater. Oh, Bodyunderconstruct.

Where ya'll been? Are you folks still here?

-- Edited by Tanin on Saturday 10th of August 2013 09:37:33 PM