Step 2: sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to him ... 1 Volume 43, Number 2 February, 2013 Step...
Transcript of Step 2: sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to him ... 1 Volume 43, Number 2 February, 2013 Step...
Page 1
Volume 43, Number 2
February, 2013
Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. I had been sober for several months, enjoying the fel-lowship, the meetings and the fact that my mind was clearing. Family life was starting to improve, though my wife was complaining about how many meetings I was attending. I figured I could just keep following this routine indefinitely. Besides, I wasn’t ready to deal with all the “God” stuff. I particularly resented old Claude W. who was always quoting the Bible, Victor Hugo or Emerson. His fa-vorite was, “If God did not exist, man would have to invent Him.” I thought that he was being less than helpful as I struggled to move on with the Steps. I did-n’t have a workable concept of “God”, and I didn’t want somebody else’s stuffed down my throat. One Friday night, at the post-newcomers discussion meeting, “Hostile Bob” was finally recognized by the leader. He began to refute Claude’s emphasis on “God”. He said that all we really needed to do was to have a “massive psychic change.” “Aha!” I said to my-self, “I don’t have to believe, I just have to wait for a massive psychic change.” Good news! One problem; how do I get this to happen? As I began attending a 12 Steps & 12 Traditions meeting, a clearer picture began to form in my mind. Something power-ful had happened to me: I had received the gift of so-briety by surrendering. So, a power not my own had certainly effected a psychic change of some sort. Therefore, I had to accept the fact that Alcoholics Anonymous was a power greater than me, and I sensed the presence of this power at every meeting. While I began to realize these “psychic” events, I still had no concept of a power greater than myself. Not to worry. The “12 and 12” tells me that, “True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A. meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to
sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to him.” In the beginning of my sober journey, I thought that the implied insanity had more to do with my distorted perceptions, burning resentments and neu-rotic thinking than with my drinking. These days, I believe that the Step is really talking about the insane thought that somehow things will be different if I pick up a drink. It was that strange mental quirk that always said, “Go ahead, you de-serve it, you need it. This time it will be O.K.” That was the ultimate insanity for an alcoholic. So both the coming to believe and the restoration of some kind of emotional sanity could be a process; something that would happen over time. Bill tells me in the “12 and 12” that if I work on through the rest of the Steps, I will find a faith that works and that I will have a good chance of achieving emotional sobri-ety as well. This has been my experience. Appendix 2 of our “Big Book” tells us that most members have spiritual experiences of the “educational variety.” “With few exceptions our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power greater than themselves.” And that sounds a lot like a “massive psychic change.” Phil F., Tustin
It is an attitude which can only be changed by a deep
and honest search of our motives and actions.
Twelve and Twelve, p. 79
Page 2
Volume 43, Number 2
THE LIFELINE
1526 BROOKHOLLOW DR., SUITE 75, SANTA ANA, CA 92705
Published monthly by the Orange County Intergroup Association Purpose: The Orange County Lifeline Committee is a committee of volunteer A.A. members, charged with the responsibility of producing and distributing the Orange County Lifeline, (a publication of the Or-ange County Intergroup Association). The Lifeline is published monthly and is supported solely through contributions from the A.A. groups and members of Orange County. The Lifeline is published to meet the following needs of the Orange County A.A. membership: to inform the A.A. membership regarding A.A. service, A.A. events and A.A. announcements; also to share experience in recovery, unity and service; to keep the A.A. membership informed regarding the actions, finances and meetings of the Orange County Intergroup Association and other Central Office committees.
Lifeline Committee: Meets the 1st Thursday of each month at the Central Office. Join us @ 7PM. Doug B., (Chair), Jim S.‚ Phil F., Richard H., Mike T., Tarcy H.
Mail submissions to the above address or send email to: [email protected]
The Orange County Intergroup Association Meeting
Wednesday, February 13th at 7:00 PM
Costa Mesa Senior Center
695 W. 19th Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Features and Fun Stuff:
Step Two, by Phil F. ............................................. 1
Tradition Two, News & Notes from GSO ........... 3
Profiles in Sobriety ............................................... 4
Birthdays .............................................................. 4
Wine Snob or Alcoholic, by Kristen B. ............... 5
What Do You Think? ........................................... 5
Another Buck in the Basket ................................. 8
A Letter from Bill W. on Depression ................... 9
We Are Not a Glum Lot ....................................... 12
Step Two Word Search ........................................ 12
Business:
Central Office Activity ......................................... 4
Group Contributions to Central Office ................. 6,7,10
Meeting Changes .................................................. 8
O.C. Central Office NEW holiday hours ............. 8
O.C. Intergroup Assoc. Web Site Statistics.......... 8
Events/Speaker Meetings.. ................................... 10
Call Forwarding ................................................... 11
Statement of Income & Expense.. ........................ 11
Chair, Alex N.
Vice Chair, Ron B.
Treasurer, Erick P.
Secretary, Kristen V.
Central Office, Mary O.
Group Relations, Jennifer M.
Hospitals & Institutions, Vacant
Lifeline, Douglas B.
Public Information, Scott R.
Special Events, Bill C.
Who? What? When? Where?
Public Information Committee
Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm
Group Relations Committee
Meetings scheduled as needed
Lifeline Committee
Meets the 1st Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm
Special Events Committee
Meetings scheduled as needed
H & I Committee
Meets the 2nd Sunday of the month at the Garden Grove Alano
Club. Institutions meet at 4:00 pm; Hospitals meet at 6:00 pm.
South Orange County H & I meets at the Laguna Beach
Canyon Club the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm.
With the exception of H & I, the above committees meet at
Central Office, 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75, Santa Ana, CA
92705. If you are interested in serving on a committee or would
like more information please contact Central Office at
(714) 556-4555.
ORANGE COUNTY CENTRAL OFFICE 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Phone: (714) 556-4555; Fax: (714) 556-7231
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.oc-aa.org
Office hours:
Monday-Friday: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday and Holidays: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
South County Office 27281 Las Ramblas, Ste.135, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Phone: (949) 582-2697; Fax: (949) 582-2611
E-mail: [email protected]
Office hours:
Monday-Friday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Page 3
Volume 43, Number 2
Tradition Two For our group purpose there is but one
ultimate authority—a loving God as he may express
Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are
but trusted servants; they do not govern.
Co-founder Bill. W liked to call A.A. a “benign anar-
chy,” and for good reason. A.A. is a spiritual movement,
and as Tradition Two clearly states, our sole authority “is
a loving God as He may express Himself in the group
conscience.” But what exactly is the group conscience?
How does it differ from a group opinion or a majority
vote? And what is the best way to get there?
It is generally agreed that the group conscience strives
for unanimity through enlightenment, spirituality and
adherence to
our Steps,
Traditions and
Concepts. On
sensitive is-
sues, the
group works
slowly—
discouraging
formal mo-
tions until a
clear sense of
its collective view emerges. Placing principles before
personalities, the group is wary of dominant opinions. Its
voice is heard when a well-informed group arrives at a
decision. The result rests on more than a “yes” or “no”
count—precisely because it is the spiritual expression of
the group conscience.
The late Dean K., who served a term as delegate, Cali-
fornia/Northern Interior, and then managed the Seattle
Central Office for a time, said that there are two ways to
arrive at a group conscience: “The competitive way per-
mits the person with the loudest voice to push his idea
across, take a vote and come up with a majority decision.
This is not informed group conscience. 1n the coopera-
tive way, group members come together in mutual trust
to arrive at a group decision, not one individual’s person-
al triumph.
Dean's formula for a cooperative and informed group
conscience calls for facts (or presentations) on both sides
of a question. “The meeting is not thrown open for gen-
eral discussion,” he stressed. “This would allow the more
vocal members to set the debate. It is suggested that the
chairperson call on each member in turn, allowing two
minutes for each to speak. No member should speak a
second time until all have had their turns; this gives even
the quietest person an equal chance. The chairperson
expresses his or her opinions only after all the others
have spoken.”
“It is important,” Dean noted, “that the minority voice
always be heard; but it should be born in mind that
while the minority voice sometimes is right, it is just as
often wrong. Unless the minority voice is decidedly
persuasive, it should be considered in its proper light—
as a minority voice. To permit the minority always to
influence the majority is to permit the tail to wag the
dog.”
Beyond the group level, the A.A. General Service Con-
ference has the responsibility of acting as the collective
group conscience of the Fellowship. About the closest
thing to a collective voice that A.A. has, the Conference
produces statements on important matters of policy that
affect A.A. as a whole; approves the choice of some
trustee nominees for the General Service Board and
directly elects others. But neither the Conference nor
the board can dictate to any A.A. group or member.
Not always understood, group conscience as expressed
in Tradition Two is a powerful spiritual concept that
makes it possible for people of diverse backgrounds
and temperament to rise above personal ambition and
unite in our common purpose: to stay sober and extend
the hand of A.A. to the alcoholic who still suffers.
Box 459, News & Notes From the General Service
Office of Alcoholics Anonymous®
VOL 35, NO 1, FEB/MARCH 1989 http://home.capecod.net/~rogerg/pages/recovery/print/
groupconscienceprint.html
Step Two
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves
could restore us to sanity.
Tradition Two
For our group purpose there is but one
ultimate authority—a loving God as he may express
Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are
but trusted servants; they do not govern.
Concept Two
The General Service Conference of A.A. has be-
come, for nearly every practical purpose, the active
voice and the effective conscience of our whole so-
ciety in its world affairs.
Page 4
Volume 43, Number 2
Profiles in Sobriety
First name, last initial: Paul C.
City of residence: Irvine
Years sober: 23
Sobriety date: January 8, 1990
What was your first impression of A.A.?
That it should be named by all nations as the savior
of the world.
What made you realize A.A. would work for you?
This was the final & last resort, all else had failed.
In your opinion, what is the most important thing a
newcomer should know about A.A.?
That it's a spiritual program, and change will hap-
pen.
Take a wild guess - how many A.A. meetings have
you been to?
I don't know or care. All I care about is I feel better
when I leave.
What’s your current weekly meeting routine?
I attend four men’s stag & one mixed speaker.
Why do you continue to go to meetings?
To hear the solution.
What do you remember the most about your first
few months of sobriety?
Excitement, confusion, peace.
Do you remember the first time you asked for help –
what was that like?
Complete surrender.
What has been your biggest challenge in sustained
sobriety?
Not helping enough Newcomers.
Do you ever think you might be cured for good?
NEVER
Besides yourself, who benefits the most from your
sobriety?
My kids, friends, clients.
What’s the best thing about being sober?
Waking-up in the AM, not coming-to. Going to
sleep at night, not passing-out.
Fidel Dana Point 1 year
Terry M. Laguna Niguel 3 years
Matt C. Dana Point 5 years
Michelle M. Capo Beach 6 years
Johanna L. Laguna Woods 7 years
Deb A. Laguna Niguel 8 years
Gerry L. San Clemente 8 years
Kaeri S. Dana Point 10 years
Brad N. Laguna Beach 17 years
Heather E. Huntington Beach 25 years
Lori D. Dana Point 28 years
Dianne S. Huntington Beach 30 years
Jim C. Huntington Beach 30 years
Patricia Ann C. Laguna Niguel 33 years
aka Cindy C.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Help keep the doors of A.A. open so that new members may receive the same help so many of us have already received.
Make a donation of any amount for an A.A. Birthday—yours or someone else’s and we will help celebrate by publishing their name and years of sobriety in the Lifeline.
Please send March Birthday donations by February 10th with name, city and years to: Orange County Central Office 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75, Santa Ana, California 92705.
1788
CENTRAL OFFICE ACTIVITY
December 2012
TOTAL
CALLS:
12
Step
Calls
Meeting
Info
General
Info Customers
OFFICE
VOLUNTEERS
(MAIN +
SATELLITE)
17 641 382 260
NIGHT OWL
VOLUNTEERS 12 461 275 0
Everyone has the right to be wrong and
I don’t have to prove it to them.
Page 5
Volume 43, Number 2
This month’s question:
Alcoholic A says people shouldn't go too deep when
sharing in meetings. Stories of childhood abuse, suicide
attempts and the like should be reserved for a sponsor,
therapist or other close confidant.
Alcoholic B disagrees and says the deeper the better.
Any story, no matter how chilling, should be welcome in
a meeting if it relates to alcoholism and recovery.
What do you think?
Send responses to Email:
What do you think?
Wine Snob or Alcoholoc?
A Moment of Clarity
The moment I knew I had to either stop drinking or die was one of the most powerful in my life, and yet it's also one of the hardest to explain. I was one of those drink-every-day and-pretend-it's-social alcoholics. I didn't pass out at parties or drive somewhere in a blackout or wake up in a stranger's bed and wonder how I got there (I had at least a vague memory of how I had gotten there). No, my drinking was the kind that appeared to be just normal enough to lend itself to massive self- deception.
This is what I thought of myself: I was a wind-down-after -work drinker. A red wine snob drinker. A nonpartying drinker. (I stopped the partying around age 33 and migrated to being an at-home and out-todinner drinker, proof of my growing maturity.) On an online dating site I listed my passions as wine tasting and going out to dinner (at fine restaurants with lots of wine). I showed up at events after imbibing two or three glasses, drank the socially correct amount, and then finished off the night with another two or three when I got home. This, I was sure, did not make me an alcoholic. Alcoholics couldn't stop drinking— and they drank the hard stuff, not wine. Me? Nah. I habitually left small amounts of wine in the bottom of my bottles to prove to myself that this wasn't the case for me. And as the years went on, I added “cut down on alcohol” to the long list of things I needed to do to improve my life: reduce caffeine, eliminate sugar, exercise regularly. I was going to do it—just as soon as I did all those other things first.
Although my drinking did not, to my knowledge, affect my life, I did get the sense that I was unraveling at an alarming rate, and I couldn't figure out why. I was shaking all the time, and I thought it was because of my stressful job, or my latest break-up. The made-up reasons kept changing.
The unraveling didn't. It wasn't long after that I hired someone to work for me at my company who began using his finely honed Twelfthstepping skills to bring me the solution.
There was a time after I met this man and before I had my moment of clarity that I knew I was going to stop drinking. I grieved. I walked through the wine section at Andronico's and spent a long time breathing in the oaky smell of the barrels and admiring the beautiful labels. I ordered fabulous, expensive bottles at dinner and told my friends each time that it was close to being my last.
And yet still I didn't stop, couldn't stop. Until one night, after making a fool out of myself with a man I truly cared for, I found myself at home, drunk and stumbling and standing in front of my kitchen sink with every bottle of alcohol in my house. I was looking out the window, and suddenly I had the sensation that I was in a car speeding toward the edge of a cliff. I felt time slow down, then pause, and I saw myself going over the edge and all the way down. I knew without a shred of doubt that I had to leap out of that car and I had to do it right now. It almost felt as if some powerful force pushed me out. I stood there at my sink and emptied every bottle in my house. The last drink I took was a big gulp of Nyquil before it, too, went down the drain. More than anything else, it is this moment that has kept me sober for the last four and a half years. It cuts through the delusional crap that continues to rattle around my brain from time to time, telling me I'm not an alcoholic and I could have just one and all the other things voices like that tell us. That moment sits somewhere at the center of who I am right now; it is a polished piece of truth about myself that I can't deny, and it's saving my life.
by Kristen B.
Borrowed from The Point, San Francisco
Page 6
Volume 43, Number 2
GROUP CONTRIBUTIONS TO CENTRAL OFFICE— December
Continued on page 7
DEC YTD
ALISO VIEJO ^ ^
ANAHEIM ^ ^
Th 7:30P-We Got a C/P,5340 E. La Palma $490
BUENA PARK ^ ^
CAPISTRANO BEACH ^ ^
Fr 7:00P-Friday Knights, 25976 Domingo $100 $405
Sa 9:30A-Pines Park Disc, Pine Bluffs $50
CORONA DEL MAR ^ ^
Mo 7:00P-Baywood Disc, 1601 Marg $107
Tu 12:00P-Noonatics, 611 Heliotrope $70 $315
Tu 7:00P-(M)'s Part, 611 Heliotrope $2,586
We 7:00A-Women's B/B Study, 3233 Pacific $385
We 7:30P-Living Sober Discussion, 611 Hel $375 $375
Th 6:00P-Happy Hour (M)'s Pacific View $70 $280
Th 7:00P-Big Book Study, 611 Heliotrope $100
Fr 7:30P-Rebels Disc, 611 Helio $279
Fr 8:00P-BB Stdy, 3233 Pacific View $350 $866
COSTA MESA ^ ^
Dly 7:00A-Daily Reflect, 2040 Placentia $155
Dly 7:30A-As Bill Sees It, 2501 Harbor $200
M-F 6:45A-Morning Meditat, 183 E. Bay $9
M-F 12:00P-Noon Rec, 420 W. 19th St. $150 $1,044
Su 8:45A-Chow Hound Hooligans, 2040 $30
Su 6:00P-60 Minute Beginners, 2144 Thurin $70 $140
Su 7:00P-12 S/ S M's Stag, 2015 Charle St. $364
Su 7:00P-Sun Speaker, 678 W. 19th St. $160
Mo 12:00P-Clean & Serene BB, 183 E. Bay $593
Mo 6:00P-As Bill Sees It, 2040 Placentia $92
Mo 6:00P-Mon Night Men's Book Study, 20 $90
Mo 7:00P-Men's Sober Flow, 420 W. 19th $140 $908
Tu 7:00P-CDM Soup Kit Men 420 W. 19th St $100 $100
Tu 7:05P-Women of Courage, 2040 Placent $50
Tu 7:30P-Balboa Broads, 420 W 19th St $50
Tu 7:30P-Men's One Hour 1865 Anaheim $75
Tu 7:30P-(M)'s Last Gaspers, 695 W 19th $131
Tu 8:30P-Daily Reflections, 2040 Placentia $40
We 12:00P-High Noon Step, 183 E. Bay St. $588
We 7:30P-Sobriety Night Live, 2040 Placent $20
We 8:00P-(M)'s Stdy, 2015 Charle St. $293
Th 5:30P-(W)'s Its/Book Study, 2040 $75
Th 6:00P-Step Study, 2040 Placentia $35
Th 7:00P-12 Steps & 12 Trads, E Bay $120
Fr 10:00A-Big Book Study, 2040 Placentia $20
Fr 12:00P-Friday Noon Men's Stag, 183 E. $83 $403
Fr 6:30P-Family After, 1701 Baker St. $125
Fr 6:30P-TGIF Women 183 E.Bay St. $160
Fr 7:00P- The Q & A Meeting, 183 E. Bay $114
Fr 8:00P-BB Stdy, 1865 Anaheim $80 $80
Sa 7:00A-ARK, 760 Victoria St. $25
Sa 9:30A-(M)'s By The Book, 420 W. 19th $400
Sa 9:30A-Sat Morn (W)'s Gr, 2040 Placen $105
Sa 1:30P-What's/Point, 2040 Placentia $49
Sa 6:00P-Cover-To-Cover, 183 E. Bay St. $120
Sa 6:30P-Sat. Night Refugees, 2144 Thurin $189
Sa 8:00P-Keep It Simple, 2850 Fairview $340
CYPRESS ^ ^
We 7:00P-Cypress Women's S/S, 5100 Ce $509
Fr 7:00P-Girls Night Out, 6143 Ball $160
DANA POINT ^ ^
Dly 7:00A-Hard Core Harbor, 34451 Ens $7,128
Mo 5:30P-(W)'s Disc, Ensenada & DPH $120 $652
Mo 7:00P-Promises, 34052 Del Obispo $60 $492
Tu 9:30A-(W)'s Back/Basics 24642 SJ $207
We 7:00A-(W)'s Harb Topic Disc, S Juan $60 $120
Fr 12:15P-Fri Lunch (W)'s BB, 33841 $260
Fr 7:00P-GV, 33926 Calle Primavera $460 $1,283
Sa 7:00P-Spkr, 33926 Calle Primavera $372
FOUNTAIN VALLEY ^ ^
We 8:00P-Disc, 10280 Slater $30
FULLERTON ^ ^
Sa 4:30P-Hear & Now, 530 Commonwealth $10 $10
GARDEN GROVE ^ ^
Su 10:00A-Speakers, 9842 W. 13th St. $20
Su 5:30P-Participation, 9845 Belfast $25
Mo 12:30P-Daylight Disc, 9845 Belfast $40
Mo 7:00P-Primary Purpose Bookstudy, 10282 $25 $75
Tu 7:00P-Top/Key Book Stdy, 9th & Lamp $220
Tu 7:00P-Heartspeak (W)'s, 13082 Bowen St. $150
Tu 7:00P-(W)'s Bright Spot of Our Lives, 9842 $30 $30
We 10:00A-Ovr 50 Sin/Purp, 9845 Belf $250
We 12:00P-(W)'s, 9845 Belfast $35
We 6:00P-Wed Warriors, 9845 Belfast $64
Th 10:00A-Over 40 Disc. Grp, 9845 Belf $35
Th 5:30P-Women's Cover to Cover, 7212 $35 $35
Th 6:00P-Real Deal, 9845 Belfast $1
Fr 10:30A-(W)'s (C)12 & 12, 9845 Blfst $60
Sa 10:30A-F-Troop Disc, 9845 Belfast $90
Sa 10:30A-BB Stdy, 9845 Belfast $25 $121
Sa 8:00P-Sat Nite Spkrs, 9845 Belfast $20
HUNTINGTON BEACH ^ ^
Dly 6:00A-Early Birds, 19092 Beach Blvd $140
Dly 7:00A-Hggrs/Bill Sees It, 8200 Ellis $1,650
Dly 7:30A-Attitude Mod., 19092 Beach Blvd $180 $420
Dly 8:00A-Hggrs II, H.B Lifegrd Tower 11 $360 $2,829
Su 9:00A-On/Beach, Lifegrd Tower 11 $90 $360
Su 10:00A-Sober Sharing, 19092 Beach Blvd $181
Su 7:30P-Disc, 20444 Magnolia $242
Mo 12:00P-(W)'s Bill Sees It, 18631 Chap $70 $783
Mo 5:00P-Men's Book Study, 19092 Beach $140
Mo 6:00P-Alices Spkr/Q&A/Part, 7641 Talbert $68
Mo 6:00P-Language of the Heart, 16351 Spr $45 $224
Mo 7:00P-(W)'s Sans, 18631 Chapel Ln. $60 $699
Mo 7:30P-(M)'s BB & 12&12, 1912 Florida $60 $140
Mo 7:30P-BB Stdy, 20444 Magnolia (St. Sim $40 $110
Tu 1:00P-Harmony (W)'s, Beach/Denney's $360
Tu 6:00P-(W)'s 12&12,19092 Beach Blvd $70
Tu 7:30P-Beginners (M)'s, 19822 Beach $1,300
Tu 7:30P-Language of the Heart(W)'s Disc. $336
Tu 7:30P-(W)'s Serenity BB, 20444 Magn $676
Tu 8:00P-Newcms (M)'s Grp, 20444 Magn $205
Tu 8:00P-Talbert Tuesday, 7641 Talbert $15
We 1:00P-(W)'s 12&12 Stdy, 9812 Hamilton $70
We 2:00P-Seniors & Friends, 1718 Orange $275
We 6:30P-(W)'s Step Stdy, 7641 Talbert $30
We 8:00P-HB Part, 20444 Magnolia $150 $350
Th 10:00A-(W)'s BB Stdy, 18631 Chapel $344
Th 7:00P-11th Step Disc., 1912 Florida $215
Fr 7:30A-Attitude Modification, 19082 Beach $120
Fr 10:00A-Step Sisters, 18631 Chapel Ln. $84 $577
Fr 6:00P-(M)'s/Solution, 7111 Talbert Ave $115
Sa 7:30A-(M)'s Stag Book Study, 19092 Be $74
Sa 7:30A-Camel(M)'s Disc 9812 Hamilton $60 $240
Sa 9:30A-W BB Stdy, 19092 Beach Blvd $331
Sa 9:30A-Charle St. Overflow, 9812 Hamilton $27 $87
Sa 10:00A-(W)'s BBStdy, 18631 Chapel $20 $566
Sa 7:00P-Sat Nite Live BB, 18631 Chapel $205
IRVINE ^ ^
Dly 6:30A-Sunrise Sobriety, 4400 Barr $6,000
Dly 7:00A-Solu Grp Mar, 5001 Newport Coast $8,400
M-F 12:00P-Take the Steps. UCI Bldg. rm $20
M-Thur 5:30P-On The Way Home, 17321 Mu $40 $220
Su 10:00A-Donut Mtg, 6670 Alton Pky $205 $1,265
Su 7:30P-BonitaCnyn Disc, 5001 Nwprt $270
Mo 5:00P-Women's Blue Book, 5001Newport $367
Mo 6:00P-(W)'s B. B. Topic, 6670 Alton $70
Mo 6:30P-Easy Does It, 4949 Alton $351
Mo 6:30P-(W)'s BB Topic Disc, 4949 Alt $53
Mo 7:30P-(W)'s Disc., 15 Orange Tree $438
Tu & Th 6:30A- A New Morning, 4945 Alton $37 $603
Tu 10:00A-Women's Reflection Group, 5001 Newp $120
Tu 12:00P-(W)'s BB Stdy, 5101 Alton Pky $411
Tu 6:00P-W's Courage To Change, 18182 $110
Tu 7:00P-(M)'s K.I.S. 12X12, 14701 Har $1,008
Tu 7:30P-Good Guys (M)'s, 55 Deerwood $50
We 6:30P-B. B. Topic Disc., 5001 Nwprt $847
We 7:30P-12 Solutions SS, Harvard $275
Th 6:30P-(W)'s Gypsies, Deerfield & Turt $218
Fr 10:30A-Over 50 Grp, 4400 Barranca $40 $355
Fr 12:00P-(W)'s Topic Disc, 5101 Alton P $91 $410
Fr 5:30P-Topic Disc.Grp, 6650 Alton (Kai $66 $419
Fr 5:30P-On the Way Home $79 $79
Fr 7:00P Winning Tkt Bk Stdy, 1 Sunnyh $167
Fr 7:30P-Brothers in Sobriety, 4400 Barr $520
Fr 8:00P-Little Grp, 18422 Culver $175
Sa 6:30A-Back Room S/S, 4400 Barranca $10 $155
Sa 9:15A-SS, 5101 Alton Pky $121 $1,459
Sa 11:00A-B.B Stdy, 1 Sunnyhill - Turtle $720
Sa 7:00P-Spkrs, 1 Sunnyhill - Turtle $370
LAGUNA BEACH ^ ^
Dly 7:00A-C Club 7AMs Att Adj, 20456 $520
Dly 7:05A-Attitude Adj, 31872 PCH $7,788
M-Sa 7:00A-Good Morning Serenity/Ruby $395
Su 7:05A-Montage Grp, (Montage) $116
Su 10:00A-Heisler Park Disc, Cliff $100
Su 10:30A-Sun Q&A Serenity Hill, 31872 $100 $300
Su 11:45A-11th Step Disc., 20456 LCR $105
Su 6:00P-Disc, 20456 LCR $100
Su 6:00P-As Bill Sees It, 340 St Anns $20
Su 6:00P-GV Stdy, 21632 Wesley Dr $250
Su 7:00P-TIS Spkrs, 31872 Coast Hwy $50 $1,699
Mo 6:30P-(W)'s Perspect, 20456 LCR $16 $92
Mo 6:30P-(W)'s BB Stdy, Wesley $504
Mo 7:00P-Mon Night (M)'s Stag @Pat's 4 $300
Mo 8:00P-(M)'s BB Stdy, 31872 PCH $257
Mo 8:00P-S/Coast (M)'s, 340 S/Ann's $257 $1,047
Tu 7:00A.-Men's BB Stdy, 20456 LCR $140
Tu 12:30P-Serenity-Sea (W)'s, 340 St Ann $353
Tu 12:30P-(W)'s Disc, 20456 LCR $840
Tu 6:00P-Here & Now, 20456 LCR $140
Tu 6:30P-(M)'s Beg, 31872 So/Coast $210 $2,538
Tu 7:30P-By The Book, 20456 LCR $95
We 7:00P-(M)'s SS, 415 Forrest Ave $153
We 8:00P-(M)'s Part, 21632 Wesley $70
Th 7:15A-W's Dolphins at Day, Aliso Cree $280
Th 12:30P-(W)'s Disc., 415 Forest Ave. $300
Th 6:00 P-(W)'s Disc,20456 LCR $140
Th 6:30P-(M)'s BYOB 12& 12 SS, 21632 $500
Fr 6:55A-Women's Workshop, 20456 LCR $325
Fr 6:00P-Fri Nite Lit Disc, 21632 Wesley $323
Fr 5:45P-Happy Hour Disc, 20456 LCR $329
Fr 7:30P-Candlelight Acceptance., 20456 $40
Fr 8:00P-Here & Now, 21632 Wesley $140 $518
Sa 7:00A-Whale Watchers Men's, PCH $1,846
Sa 12:30P-Into Action, 20456 LCR $84
Sa 5:00P-Silence is Golden, 428 Park Ave $50
Sa 7:00P-Beginners, 31872 PCH $1,357
Sa 8:00P-Living Sober Spkrs, 428 Park $273
LAGUNA HILLS ^ ^
Su 7:30P-Legacy Grp, 23802 Ave de la $350 $1,468
Mo 6:00P-(W)'sDisc, 23802 A D Carlota $375
Tu 7:00P-(M)'s Stag, 23802 A D Carlotta $762
Tu 7:30P-(W)'s BBStdy, 24566 Ashland $280
Th 12:00P-(W)'s B/B Study, 23181 Verdug $105
Th 7:00P-Sober Ladies Candlelight Disc. $70
Sa 7:00A-Warmer-Upper, 23802 Ave de $90 $674
Sa 11:00A-Acceptance Grp, 23802 Ave $50 $205
LAGUNA NIGUEL ^ ^
Mo 7:00A-Morn (M)'s Stag B2B, 30071 Ivy $287 $926
Mo 10:30A-(W)'s 12X12 Stdy, 27802 El La $90 $220
Page 7
Volume 43, Number 2
Group Donations continued
Continued on page 8
Mo 5:30P-What's The Purpose Mens, 30111 $359
Tu 7:00A-Tues Morning (M's) BB/SS, 30111 $96
Tu 6:00P-(M)'s Disc/Munch L N Reg Park $230
Tu 7:30P-Book Stdy, 30111 Niguel Rd. $326
We 6:00P-6PM Book Stdy, 30111 Niguel Rd. $128 $288
Th 7:00A-Th Morn Men's Topic Disc,30111 $218
Fr 7:00A-Back to Basics Men's, 30120 Town $257 $2,736
Fr 10:30A-(W)'s Disc., 30071 Ivy Glenn $330
Fr 7:30P-Here & Now, 24360 Yosemite $90 $185
Fr 8:00P-Endless Summer, 30111 Niguel Rd $210
LAGUNA WOODS ^ ^
Dly 7:30A-Do It Sober, 24442 Moulton $506 $3,894
Mo 7:30P- Nite SS Grp, 24442 Moulton $175
We 1:15P-(W)'s BB Stdy, 24351 El Toro $180
Fr 10:00A-Top/Hill Gang, 24252 El Toro $130
LA HABRA ^ ^
M-F 6:30A-Topic Disc, 100 W. La Habra $40
LAKE FOREST ^ ^
We 7:30P-Back To Basics, 23262 El Toro $45 $65
Th 7:30P-Mustard Seed SS, 23262 El Toro $83
LA MIRADA ^ ^
LAS FLORES ^ ^
Sa 7:15P-Mission Spkrs/Water District., 261 $260 $1,155
LOS ALAMITOS ^ ^
Th 7:30P-(W's)Cover/Cover, 3352 Katella $55
MISSION VIEJO ^ ^
Daily Saddleback Valley Grp, 23166 Los $100 $430
Mo 7:00P- (W)'s SS, 26051 Marg. $360
Mo 7:30P-Mon Night W's S/S, 26052 Marg. $120
Mo 7:00P-(W)'s Book Stdy, 26558 Marg. $116
Tu 7:30P-Design for Living BB, 26558 Marg $40
We 9:30A-(W)'s, 26051 Marguerite Pky $75 $290
We 8:30P-Missionaries Disc, 26558 Marg. $200
Th 9:30A-(W)'s 12 x 12, 26001 Blascos $96
Fr 8:30P-Couch Meeting, 26001 Muirlands $30 $156
NEWPORT BEACH ^ ^
Dly 6:30A-Jumpstart Disc, 414 E. 32nd St. $682
M-S 6:30A-Round Disc, 414 E. 32nd St $960
M-F 6:30A-Chicken Coop Round Table, 414 Old $633
M-F 6:45A-Attitude Adj, Bayside Dr (Yacht $2,317
M-F 12:15P-Shark@Aquatic, 1Whitecliffs $3,415
M-F 5:30P-Fish Out'a Water, 414 E. 32nd $300
Su 7:15A-Men's Closed B/B Study, 798 Do $105 $314
Su 9:30A-Sandy Survivors, On/Beach $305
Su 7:00P-Primary Purp Grp, 1 Whitecliffs Dr. $300
Su 7:30P-Spkrs, 414 E. 32nd St $726
Mo 12:30P-Back Bay (M)'s, 1201 Irvine $250 $1,250
Mo 7:00P-Women's Book & Step Study 2414 $380
Mo 7:00P-Over 40 Disc, 1099 Bayside Dr. $298
Mo 8:00P-(M)'s Disc, 301 Nwprt Blvd $120 $354
Mo 7:45P-(W)'s Beg Disc, 301 Nwprt Blvd $300
Tu 6:00P-Dover (W's) 12 & 12, 798 Dover $179
Tu 7:00P-B St Bonfire-1st Fire Ring/Ocean $100
Tu 7:00P-(W)'s B/Stdy, 2414VistaDelOro $362
Tu 8:00P-(W)'s Topic Discussion, 4141 E. $140
We 7:00P-Steps&Trads, 2200 San Joaqin $60 $180
We 7:30P-Wed Night (M)'s, 2401 Irvine $25
We 8:00P-Recovery Radicals, 301Nwprt $700
Th 7:30P-Balboa Spkr Grp, 414 E. 32nd $375
Fr 12:15P-(M)'s Closed Group Disc, 414 $186 $533
Sa 6:00P-Discovery Grp, 1 Whitecliff Dr. $110
Sa 8:30P-Hoag Hut Spkr, 301 Nwprt Ave $175
ORANGE ^ ^
Dly 7:00A-Early Birds, 812 Town&Cntry $474
Su 11:00A-Sun Pumprs, 705 W LaVeta $70
Mo 7:00P-(W)'s Step Stdy, 161 Orange $28 $259
Tu 7:00P-Discussion, 1130 E. Walnut $35
Tu 7:00P-(W)'s Keep It Simple, 1310 E W $406
We 7:30P-Alkies Only, 1800 E. LaVeta $424
Th 7:00P-How It Works, 1800 LaVeta $420 $420
Th 7:30P-777 (M)'s Stag, 395 S Tustin $100
Fr 7:00P-As Bill Sees It, 161 S. Orange $90
PLACENTIA ^ ^
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA ^ ^
Su 7:00P-Old Time AA 12&12, 30605 Fl $457
Mo 7:00P-(W)'sSta/Sober, 30382VCD $215
Mo 7:30P-Charter(M)'s, 30605 Ave de la Fl $180
Tu 7:30P-Old TimeAA BB Stdy, 30382 VCD $150 $600
M-F 6:30A-Att & Grat, 30605 Ave D/L Flor $1,905
We 7:30P-RSM StepStdy, 30382 VCD $50
Sa 10:30A-(W)'s BB Stdy, VCD $195
SAN CLEMENTE ^ ^
Dly- Groups, SC Friendship CTR,929 Calle $40 $160
Mo 7:00P-N.O.I. (M)'s, Camino Capist $350 $770
Tu 6:00P-SOS(W)'s Disc, 190 Ave La Pata $40
We 7:00P-Doheny Group, 35522 Cam. Cap $70
Fr 7:00P-(W)'s Book Stdy, Ave.Aragon $280
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO ^ ^
Dly 7:00A-SJGroup Eye Opener, 27514 $1,000
Dly 6:00A-Taking a Trip, 21891 Camino $2,725
Dly Various- San Juan Meetings, 27514 Ca $1,107 $9,969
Su 5:00P-SJGroup 1 Hr Top Disc, 27514 C $221 $982
Tu 6:00P-(M)'s Stag/Munchies, 32202 Del $820
Tu 7:00P- SJGroup Hear Here Part, 27514 $397
We 6:15P-Speaker Disc Group, 27112A Pa $751
We 7:30P-BB Stdy, 26283 Shadybrook $200
Th 7:00A-Design for Living (W's) S/S, 271 $312
Th 9:30A-(W)'s Back 2 B B/S, 27122A Pas $126 $385
Th 5:30P-Men's Meditaition, 27122A Paseo $100 $100
Th 6:00P-Do The Steps, 32202 Del Obispo $48 $298
Th 7:30P-(M)'s Q & A, 32202 Del Obispo $806
Fr 11:30A-(W)'s B 2 B Grapevine, 27122A $110
Sa 6:00P-SJGroup Around 40's Disc $50 $530
SANTA ANA ^ ^
Dly 12 & 8pm-Nueva Luz, 2525 N.Grand $10
Mo 7:00P-(M)'s Disc, 1st & Lyon Elks L $20 $20
SEAL BEACH ^ ^
Mo 7:30P-Seal Bch Spkrs, 500 Marina Dr $733
We 7:30P-(M)'s SS, 8th & Central $50 $186
Th 6:00P-Ladies Power Hour, 148 10th St. $150
SILVERADO CANYON ^ ^
SUNSET BEACH ^ ^
Su 7:15A-Sober Sunday Sunrise, 16865 $88
Su 10:00A-Sunset Bch Mtg, PCH & Warner $240
Su 11:00A-Inner Peace Group, 16865 PCH $75
Su 5:00P-Sundowners, 16865 PCH $30
Tu 7:00A-Disc, 16865 PCH $190
Tu 12:00P-Disc, 16865 PCH $180 $280
Tu 6:00P-Disc, 16865 PCH $261
Th 7:00A-Disc, 16865 PCH $60 $275
Th 5:30P-(W)'s Meet, 16865 PCH $20
Th 7:30P-Participation, 16865 PCH $30
Fr 6:00P-I Never Had It So Good Mens, 16 $125
Sa 7:30A-Disc, 16865 PCH $70 $580
Sa 9:15A-Lucky 13, on the beach @ Broad $154
Sa 5:00P-Discussion, 16865 PCH $70
TUSTIN ^ ^
Dly 6:00A-Foothill Early Risers, 19211 $140 $1,351
Dly 6:00A-Attitude Mod, 1221 Wass $269 $2,191
M-F 12:00P-Alkies Winners, 555 W.Main $135 $2,201
M,W,F 12:00P- Spiritual Experience, 14402 $145
Su 9:02A-Podium, Spkr,Q&A, 18341 Lass $221
Su 7:00P-Sober & Crazy Spkrs, 1834 Lass $63 $1,148
Mo 9:00A-(W)'s Unity Grp, 14402 Prospect $102
Mo 7:30P-Mens Crosstalk Mtg., 330 El Ca $100 $100
Mo 6:15P-Tustin (W)'s 12X12, 1221 Wass $175
Tu 12:00P-(W)'s 12 & 12, 19211 Dodge A $90
Tu 7:00P-Tustin BB Stdy, 225 W. Main $114 $587
Tu 8:00P-Steps 1-4, 1201 Irvine $442
We 7:00P-Lucky Stiffs (M)'s, 18542 Vanderl $181
We 7:00P-(W)'s Solutions, 19211 Dodge $29 $624
Th 6:30 P-Th 12&12 SS, 19211 Dodge $35
Th 6:15P-(W)'s Living Sober, 1221 Wass. $50 $106
Th 7:00P-12 Steps & 12 Trads, 225 Main $98
Fr 6:30P-It's in the Book, 222 W. Main $963
Fr 7:30P-Turning The Corner, 1221 Wass $145
Fr 8:00P-Discussion $85
Sa 7:30A-Tustin Acceptace Meeting, 225 $105 $475
Sa 8:00P-Visiting Spkrs 1221 Wass $50 $385
VILLA PARK ^ ^
Dly 7:30A-24 Hour Book Grp, 17855 Santia $262
Fr 12:00P-(W)'s BB Stdy, 17855 Sant $47
WESTMINSTER ^ ^
Fr 6:30P-Men@His Place, 14061 Chestnut $540
WHITTIER ^ ^
UNLISTED GROUPS ^ ^
Chapman & Lewis AA, Orange $100 $200
Anonymous Group $270
BIS, Irvine $100
Scott's Cake, Mission Viejo $153
Bell Ringers B/B Study $164
Tu 6:00P-Women's Bookstudy $67
Tuesday Sassy Sisters, Newport Beach $40
We 6:00P-Look at the Book $144
We Kaiser Med Morning $167
Women's Unlisted Mtg, CM $87
Th 7:15P-BB Stdy (UL) LB $100
Fr 5:30P- B/B Tape/CD Study, Irvine UL $340
Women's AA/Alanon $134
Winners Step Study, Laguna Niguel (final) $179
Sa 8:00A-Men's Stag, CM $280
Sa 9:00A-Double Winners, Canyon Club $50
WANDERING GROUPS ^ ^
Tu 6:00P-Wandering Step Sisters $140 $420
Tu 6:00P-Chicks on the Run $200
We 7:30P- Rolling Men's Stag BB Study $105 $255
We (W)'s Wandering-South County UL $371
Th 6:30P-RSM (3rd Thurs) Wandering $140
MISC. DONATIONS ^ ^
OCCO Change Can $18 $151
Satellite Office Change Can $114
Intergroup Meeting $61 $777
Laguna Beach 4th Step Workshop $597
Men's Banquet 2012 $1,639
Southern CA AA Convention $300
Desert PowWow $1,000
AOCYPAA $708
PERSONAL DONATIONS ^ ^
Anonymous $100 $1,872
Alexander A., San Clemente $1,500
Garry & Toni N. , Capo Beach $1,000 $1,000
Gordon L. $5
Harry R. $30
James D. , Laguna Beach $50
June L., Irvine $300
Ken R., Nicaragua $75
Layne G., Newport Beach $50
Linda L. , Lake Elsinore $400
Michael & Lola K., Trabuco Canyon $180 $180
Michel T., Laguna Niguel $105 $105
Tom Z $100
Wanda R., Huntington Beach $70
Thomas L., Newport Beach $100
Theresa W., Newport Beach $50 $575
IN LOVING MEMORY ^ ^
Memorial to Kay T. from her women's groups at St. Wilfreds, HB $245
GROUP INFORMATION REQUESTED ^ ^
Receipt #2108 CK#3497 CK247 $42
Receipt #3054 CK#3504 $14
Receipt #2639 CK #7548 $98
Receipt #2481 CK #4333579704 $173
Receipt #3475 CK #6904369595 $21
Page 8
Volume 43, Number 2
Receipt #3720 CK #363 $60
Receipt #3319 CK #376 $100
Receipt #2902 CK#391 $186
Receipt #3343 CK#5222 $702
Receipt #1974 CK#1566 $65
Receipt #3534 CK#8524 $68
Receipt #3315 CK#14345 $78
Receipt #3101 $100
Receipt #2869 CK#1111 $163 $163
Receipt #2944 $100
Receipt #3295 CK#79310929 $225
Receipt # 3575 K#1080 $238
Receipt #3578 CK#152 $100
Receipt #3573 $80
Receipt #2510 CK# 7539 $365
Receipt #3644 CK#0998018988 $120
Receipt #2596 CK#687 $60
Receipt #2854 CK#1312 $70 $70
Receipt #3685 CK#244 $120
Receipt #2884 CK#196 Michael M. $750
Receipt #2627 CK#0096010455 $800
Receipt #3652 CK#14560500539 $13
Receipt #3607 CK#576 $91
Receipt #3616 CK#995219 $40
Receipt #3167 CK#7564 $289
TOTALS $14,367 $187,980
Group Donations continued from page 7
MEETING CHANGES Since December 20, 2012
MONDAY SILVERADO 7:00 PM BIG BOOK STUDY 28890 Modjeska Canyon Rd. (Community Center) Name Change WEDNESDAY ORANGE 2:00 PM SHARING AND CARING (LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH CHIP MEETING) 401 South Tustin St. Bldg. C Room Change
THURSDAY SEAL BEACH 7:30 PM THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE FIGHTS 3333 St. Cloud Drive (Community Center) Name Change
MEETING DELETIONS Since December 20, 2012
THURSDAY LAGUNA BEACH 8:30 PM FROM BOYS TO MEN 20456 Laguna Canyon Rd
Orange County Intergroup Assoc. Web Site Statistics
Visitors who Viewed Lifeline Issues
Month Home Page
Views Current Issue Last Month Previous
Issues Back to
(oc-aa.org) 34 Months April, 1963
July, 2012 22,812 209 138 900 927
Aug, 2012 23,402 209 106 850 1,137
Sept., 2012 23,818 79 184 783 1,140
Oct., 2012 19,885 233 93 600 2,188
Nov., 2012 19,649 118 125 1057 3,265
Dec., 2012* 28,085 97 218 296
Christmas Day 12/25 Tuesday 9am – 1pm
New Year’s Day 01/01 Tuesday 9am – 1pm
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 01/21 Monday 9am – 1pm
Presidents Day 02/18 Monday 9am – 1pm
Memorial Day 05/27 Monday 9am – 1pm
With the hope of better serving it’s Members and Groups, The Intergroup
Service Board voted in favor of a new holiday schedule for the Central
Office in Santa Ana on a six month trial basis. Below are the new holiday
hours.
Orange County Central Office—New HOLIDAY Hours
*Lifeline numbers are lower due to now reporting "Visitors" rather than "Hits"
Archived issues of the Lifeline for the years 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1974,
1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 2005 are now available at oc-aa.org (click on
LIFELINE) in downloadable .pdf format. More to be added in the future.
Another Buck in the Basket
This month's tip for dropping an extra dollar or two
in the basket:
Make a pledge with another close A.A. friend to each drop $2 in the basket every meeting – you'll both feel better for it.
Alcohol does not make people do things better; it makes them less ashamed of doing them badly.
Page 9
Volume 43, Number 2
A Letter From Bill W. on Depression
The following excerpts from a letter of Bill W.’s was quoted in the memoirs of Tom P., an early California A.A. mem-ber. Tom did not use the name of the person addressed—perhaps because he was still living.
Tom said: Here in part is what Bill W. wrote in 1958 to a close friend who shared his problem with depression, describing how Bill himself used St. Francis’s prayer as a stepping-stone toward recovery:
Dear ......, I think that many oldsters who have put our A.A. “booze cure” to se-vere but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. Perhaps
they will be the spearhead for the next major development in A.A ... the de-velopment of much more real maturity and balance (which is to say, humility) in our relations with ourselves, with our fellows, and with God. How to translate a right mental conviction into a right emotional result and so into easy, happy, and good liv-ing ... well, that’s not only the neurot-ic’s problem, it’s the problem of life itself for all of us who have got to the point of real willingness to hew to right
principles in all our affairs. Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy may still elude us. That’s the place so many of us A.A. oldsters have come to. And it’s a hell of a spot, liter-ally. Last autumn, depression, having no really ration-al cause at all, almost took me to the cleaners. I be-gan to be scared that I was in for another long chron-ic spell. Considering the grief I’ve had with depres-sions, it wasn’t a bright prospect. I kept asking myself, “Why can’t the Twelve Steps work to release depression?” By the hour, I stared at the St. Francis prayer ... “It is better to com-
fort than to be comforted.” Here was the formula, all right, but why didn’t it work? Suddenly I realized what the matter was ... My basic flaw had always been dependence, almost ab-solute dependence on people or circumstances to supply me with prestige, security, and the like. Fail-ing to get these things according to my perfectionist dreams and specifications, I had fought for them. And when defeat came so did my depression. There wasn’t a chance of making the outgoing
love of St. Francis a workable and joyous way of life until these fatal and almost absolute dependencies were cut away.
Reinforced by what grace I could secure in pray-er, I found I had to exert every ounce of will and action to cut off these faulty emotional dependencies upon people, upon A.A., indeed upon any set of circumstances whatsoever. Then only could I be free to love as Francis had. Emotional and institutional satisfactions, I saw, were really the extra dividends of having love, offer-
ing love, and expressing a love appro-priate to each relation of life. Plainly, I could not avail myself of God’s love until I was able to offer it back to Him by loving others as He would have me. And I couldn't possi-
bly do that as long as I was victimized by false dependencies. For my dependency meant de-mand ... a demand for the possession and control of the people and the con-ditions surrounding me. This seems to be the primary heal-ing circuit, an outgoing love of God’s creation and His people, by means of which we avail ourselves of His love for us. It is most clear that the real cur-rent can’t flow until our paralyzing dependencies are broken, and broken at depth. Only then can we possibly
have a glimmer of what adult love re-ally is. If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at
the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent demand. Let us, with God’s help, con-tinually surrender these hobbling demands. Then we can be set free to live and love; we may then be able to gain emotional sobriety. Of course, I haven’t offered you a really new idea ... only a gimmick that has started to unhook several of my own “hexes” at depth. Nowadays my brain no longer races compulsively in either elation, grandiosity or depression. I have been given a quiet place in bright sunshine. Tom said: “Bill's word’s of wisdom helped and inspired me and many others. To those who have never been there, it is hard to describe the gratitude that overflows in men and women who are delivered from the black depths of depres-sion into the light. As with delivery from the bondage to alcohol, it is a hosanna of the heart that never ends.”
Page 10
Volume 43, Number 2
SPEAKER MEETINGSSPEAKER MEETINGSSPEAKER MEETINGS
Fullerton 8:00 p.m., Friday Top of the Hill 111 W. Las Palmas Dr. @ Harbor (St. Paul's Lutheran Church) Contact: Michael L. 02/01 Michael B., Santa Ana 02/08 Debbie M., Buena Park 02/15 Blair G., Long Beach 02/22 Mary O., Fullerton 03/01 TBA 03/08 Kerry C., Huntington Beach 03/15 David F., Anaheim 03/22 Joanie V., Tustin 03/29 Todd C., Anaheim 04/05 TBA 04/12 Jessie F., Anaheim
Mission Viejo 7:30 p.m., Friday Friday Night Speaker Meeting Oaktree Village Center (above the Mission Ranch Market) 23166 Los Alisos Blvd., Suite 238 Contact: Fran F.
Orange 7:00 p.m., Sunday Sunday Night Speakers of Orange 1800 E La Veta @ Tustin St. (Rio Center) Contact: Debi S. 02/03 Bernie, Book House 02/10 Karla, It’s in the Book Group 02/17 Jack, Newport Beach 02/24 Sharon, It’s in the Book Group
Tustin 8:00 p.m., Saturday Saturday Night Visiting Speakers St. Paul’s Church, 1221 Wass St. Contact: Keith S. 02/02 Louis G., Villa Park 02/09 Patrick C., Lucerne Valley 02/16 Karol N., Tustin 02/23 Brenda D., Diamond Bar
Tustin 7:00 p.m., Sunday Sober & Crazy Speaker Meeting 18341 Lassen Drive Fairhaven & Esplande (Prentice School) Contact: Chuck D. Jr. 02/03 Jerry G., Tustin 02/10 Mickey C., Downey 02/17 Brianna R., Orange 02/24 Cia F., West Los Angeles 03/03 Kirk C., The “Gator” Meeting 03/10 Danny S., Mission Viejo 03/17 Patrick C., Santa Ana
Tustin 9:02 a.m., Sunday Podium Participation Speaker Meeting & Q & A 18341 Lassen Drive Fairhaven & Esplande (Prentice School) Contact: Mary S. 02/03 Garth, Santa Ana 02/10 Dani, Long Beach 02/17 Kevin Y., Mission Viejo 02/24 Dana Sue, Villa Park
To Carry the Message of Alcoholics Anonymous to the
Alcoholic who is confined in a Hospital or Institution
South Orange County H & I Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month
7:30 pm Laguna Canyon Club
20456 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach
(949) 497-1823
Orange County H & I Meets the 2nd Sunday of the month Institutions meet at 4:00; Hospitals meet at 6:00 Garden Grove Alano Club, 714-534-2244 9845 Belfast Drive, Garden Grove For additional info call (714) 979-8524 or Central Office: (714) 556-4555
April 26-28, 2013
25th IWV A.A. Round Up
A Frontier for Hope
Desert Empire Fairgrounds
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Website: www.orgsites.com/ca/iwvroundup
Email: [email protected]
May 4, 2013
3rd Annual South County
Chili Cook-Off
Presented by:
SOC H & I Cook-Off Committee
All Welcome, Pet Friendly
Mason Park, Irvine
EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS
Please submit speaker meeting
and event information by the
15th of the month to [email protected]
Events and meetings listed on this
page are listed here solely as a
service to our members, not as an
endorsement by the Orange County
Intergroup Association of Alcohol-
ics Anonymous or the Lifeline
Committee
Page 11
Volume 43, Number 2
ORANGE COUNTY
INTERGROUP ASSOCIATION OF A.A. Statement of Income and Expenses for Period Ending 12/31/2012
Unaudited
CALL FORWARDING: The call forwarding program instituted by Orange
County Central Office insures that our help line
phones are answered by volunteers 24/7. During
hours when the Central Office is closed, calls to the
Central Office are forwarded to a call forwarding vol-
unteer’s home or cell phone, where the volunteer an-
swers the calls just as if he or she were sitting in the
Central Office. This service allows the Central Of-
fice to realize a significant cost saving because we do
not need to contract with a phone answering service.
Even more vital, when a call is placed to Alcoholics
Anonymous in Orange County, the caller will be talk-
ing to an Alcoholics Anonymous member not a
phone service! This truly is “front-line” 12th Step
work and we would appreciate any time you can give.
SHIFTS:
Monday thru Friday shifts are 6am to 9am, 6pm to
9pm and 9pm to 6am. Saturday and Holiday shifts
start with the 6am to 9am. The Central Office opens
and covers from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays and Holi-
days. The phones are then forwarded to volunteers to
cover the phones from 1pm to 4pm, 4pm to 7pm,
7pm to 10pm and 10pm to 6am. On Sundays shifts
begin at 6am with the 6am to 10am, and continue
with 10am to 2pm, 2pm to 6pm, 6pm to 10pm and
10pm to 6am.
VOLUNTEERING:
In order to volunteer for this service it is suggested
that you have two years of sobriety. You must then
arrange with the Central Office Manager in Santa
Ana or the Satellite Office Manager in Mission Viejo
for a brief orientation session which will be held at
one of the offices. Shifts are available please call the
Central Office at (714) 556-4555 or the Satellite Of-
fice at (949) 582-2697
“Alcoholics Anonymous,
how may we help you?”
In Southern California, see Page 72 of our Orange County printed Meeting Directory for a list-
ing of nearby Central Offices with phone numbers and web site addresses.
For the rest of the U.S. and Canada, go to www.aa.org where you can locate Central Offices by State or Province or Country.
Travelers without access to the Internet can call our Central Office (714) 556-4555 where a phone volunteer will look up a contact
or meeting in any of the printed or on-line directories published by GSO.
A.A. on the road
December YTD
INCOME
Group Donations 12,870.10 180,083.15
Individual/Fellowship 1,435.00 6,911.79
Literature Sales 10,004.08 132,536.10
In Memoriam 0.00 245.00
Birthday Donations 427.00 4,509.65
Intergroup Donations 60.70 776.67
Interest Earned 12.66 314.57
TOTAL INCOME: 24,809.54 325,376.93
EXPENSES
Accounting 0.00 8,325.00
Auto Expense (all Mgrs.) 80.34 710.49
Credit Card Expense 96.56 907.90
Bank Charges -25.00 -6.00
Cash/Invoices OverShort -16.93 -60.75
Donated Literature 0.00 150.60
Insurances 0.00 6,114.88
Intergroup Expense 150.00 4,310.32
Lease Expense 349.87 4,001.65
Sales Tax on Lease 27.12 310.16
Maintenance & Repairs 292.53 970.23
Volunteers Coffee + Water 182.74 1,358.26
Offices' Supplies + Expenses 277.38 3,199.51
Postage 54.00 705.35
Public Info Expense 1,309.62 2,241.00
Rent Main/Satellite Offices 2,902.90 34,650.35
Salaries 9,180.80 109,804.16
Reimb. Health Insurance 230.00 2,736.01
Payroll Tax Expense 726.44 9,344.55
Taxes & Licenses 0.00 194.94
Penalty Expense 0.00 0.00
Interest Espense 0.00 0.00
Telephone Expense 541.02 6,661.70
LIFELINE Expense 1,080.11 13,350.60
Cost of Literature Sold 8,934.88 110,990.85
Returned Checks 0.00 0.00
Special Events Expense 0.00 3,991.39
TOTAL EXPENSES: 26,374.38 324,963.15
INCOME/(LOSS): -1,564.84 413.78
Page 12
Volume 43, Number 2
Hope
Miracle
Believe
Spiritual
Acceptance
Bondage
Reprieve
Strength
Experience
Sanity
Humility
Simple
Surrender
Willingness
Restore
From a speaker at the Sat. Night Tustin Visiting Speakers Meeting:
Seems there was a renowned A.A. speaker that a group was eager to book. Only problem: he was known to
ramble on and on, always going over his allotted time. Knowing this, the group’s Secretary figured he had a
good way of getting the speaker’s attention when it was time to wrap up. Came the big night. The speaker
was eloquent, but as the end of the meeting drew near, the Secretary held up a card showing the speaker that
there were only ten minutes to go. Now rambling on, the speaker ignored this bit of news. At five minutes,
the Secretary held up the next card. Again, the speaker ignored the message, and launched into a new subject.
At ten minutes over the Secretary, having lost it, grabbed a copy of the Big Book, and threw it at the speaker,
just missing him and knocking an Old-timer in the first row out of his seat. The elder one regained his chair,
and loudly announced, “Hit me again, I can still hear him!”
H O P E A A T Y Z B N O Y V A H J
S A H E L P B S Q A D R M A Z W E
S P I R I T U A L A P E B U W N W
U L I V X T A N C E A S I P L O W
R E Y R B N O I M C A I E V Y A I
R A L E V U C T L O E M A R C L L
E E A P E A X Y I C N P M M C O L
N D Y R K M U N D A A L T R E O I
D W B E L I E V E J I E F A A B N
E Q O L K R M X O F S I R J N I G
R E N L M A A N P B Y E P X F C N
S D D C F C O G J E X B B I M H E
E S A A B L A P W B R S H K A U S
N T G J R E V A Q Z A I E S A E S
G R E P R I E V E T U X E Q U E A
X E N K A A K S Y Q B H S N B C Y
D N M H E T R E S T O R E R C D G
A G O A Z I I Q P H A F G W G E L
A T C P T S U L J R A S B U T R K
F H U M I L I T Y R T S M I E H I
STEP TWO WORD SEARCH UP, DOWN, ACROSS, DIAGONAL
Find at least 15 AAs.
You might be an alcoholic if:
You think the pill bottle warning label “ALCOHOL MAY
INTENSIFY THIS EFFECT” is a serving suggestion.
You’re fond of saying, “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.”
You’re telling the truth when you say, “I don’t recall.”
You wake up to the blue lights in the rearview mirror.