Way back on July 1st, 2016, I posted the very first episode of my “CAL Chat” podcast, but I never did an official blog post about it…. until now!
EPISODE 1: How many different types of Newcomer Packets are available? Which one pamphlet does Michael find helpful to read before his second Al-Anon meeting? How can forgiveness be considered another tool in our recovery? This episode is only in 2 parts & in the total 23 minutes that Michael & I spoke, we went straight into some heavy topics. (To hear this episode, please visit the show’s website at: calchatpodcast.com – or you can subscribe to it for free wherever you get your podcasts & you’ll be notified every time a new episode is posted. 📲 🔔)
After six years, (as of April 2022), Episode #1 still holds steady as being the second most downloaded “CAL Chat” podcast episode ever. – To find out which episode takes first place for the most downloads, read to the end of this post!
Part 1 of 2: Michael focuses on the last paragraph on page 86 (at the end of Chapter 11) from the book “How Al-Anon Works” (item # B-32 for softcover, B-22 for hardcover, eB-22 for the e-book version, & eA-22 for the audiobook) about forgiveness & how it changed his relationship with his father. We bring up the “taboo” topic of suicide with the gripping first line of the story “Finding Reasons to Live” on page 301 (Chapter 27) & I reveal an entirely different way I read this book – by the index keywords! *Bonus content* link: “How Al-Anon Works” – Spreadsheet List of Index Keywords Sorted by Page Number.
Part 2 of 2: He highlights his favorite parts from the Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10) as his favorite outreach literature & he shares his experience coming to his very first Al-Anon meeting! We discuss the other types of Newcomer Packets available & the tendency to close ourselves off to literature that we think doesn’t apply to us. In the “Last Words” section, find out what Michael has in his life now more than he’s ever had.
FYI: Other “CAL Chat” episodes that primarily feature “How Al-Anon Works” are: Episode #10 & Episode #13. …And I’m sure there will be many more to come!
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**BONUS: Episode #1 is now available on the brand new “CAL Chat” YouTube Channel. You can click on the image below to play the Episode #1 playlist:
Additional “CAL Chat” social media can be found at the links below:
It’s a different way to enjoy & celebrate Conference Approved Literature. So, as always, I hope you enjoy & happy reading!
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***DOUBLE BONUS: What is the most downloaded “CAL Chat” episode of all time? (Well, at least as of April 2022…😉) To find out, click here to see the episode’s blog post or click here to go straight to the episode on the “CAL Chat” podcast website to hear it. Thanks for reading all the way to the end of this post! 😄
"CAL Chat" Blog ~My journey in Al-Anon~ 