WHAT I LEARNED: 1. This audiobook version of “Opening Our Hearts” (item # eA-29) has been a long time coming! I first read about it being worked on from pages 107-108 of the “2015 World Service Conference Summary” (item # P-46) & on Sept 12th, 2022 it officially came out & man was it worth the…
Tag: Addiction
CAL – One Day At A Time (Item # B-6) – NEW INTRO!
I was recently poking around the al-anon.org website today & found the brand new introduction created for the daily reader: “One Day At A Time In Al-Anon” (also known as: “ODAT”). For more about the interesting background on why this new intro was needed in the first place, check out the article “New Introduction for…
CAL – Al-Anon’s Best Sellers of 2021
A few weeks ago I recently received my hardcopy of the new “2022 World Service Conference Summary” (item # P-46). Pasted below are images from pages 80-81 that show some stats for 2021’s best selling Al-Anon books, booklets, and the “Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2021” (item # N/A) outreach magazine. It’s surprising that the book “Intimacy…
CAL – Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2008 (Item # N/A)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. In keeping with the same printing schedule as the first “Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2007” that came out in September 2006, the subsequent annual edition, “Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2008,” debuted in the fall of 2007. (From 2007 to 2019, the outreach magazine had only 2 print runs each year, so Al-Anon members could…
CAL – Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2007 (Item # N/A)
Usually around February, my order of the new annual public outreach magazine, “Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism” arrives. However, it is now the middle of 2022, & I haven’t received an answer yet on whether there will even be a new issue for this year. I’m guessing that since the 2021 issue was the first time a…
PODCAST – How Al-Anon Works / Newcomer Packet (Item #’s B-32, B-22, eA-22, & eB-22 / K-10)
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! 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…
PODCAST – From Survival To Recovery / How Al-Anon Works (Item #’s B-21 / B-32, B-22, & eA-22)
Episode 13 of my “CAL Chat” podcast is now available to listen to! How is a pandemic similar to recovery? What Al-Anon audiobooks are available? Can a book also be a picture frame? (To hear this episode, please visit the show’s website at: calchatpodcast.com – or you can subscribe to it for free wherever you…
MTG – Austin – “Ways to Freedom AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: For me, the difference between being thankful & being grateful is that when I’m grateful, I give back! Therefore, I can truly say “I am grateful for the alcoholic in my life,” because I can also show how grateful I am by continuing to do service work, not judging anyone with an…
N. FL Area Convention 2017 – Days 1 – 3
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Tradition 4 is about protecting Al-Anon for future generations. 2. When applauding an alcoholic’s total years of sobriety, I am actually applauding God’s work! 3. The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it’s connection… Connection to a Higher Power. 4. Sometimes I need to put butter on it… & “let it…
CAL – Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual 2014-2017 (Item # P-24/27)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Originally, I only read the “Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual” on an as-needed basis, but when my next podcast guest said that this was her favorite book that she wanted to talk about on my “CAL Chat” show, I had to dust off my manual & put on my scuba reading mask to…
N. FL Area Convention 2014 – Day 1 of 3
WHAT I LEARNED: Addiction is: The compulsory pursuit of illusionary satisfaction.
CAL – Opening Our Hearts, Transforming Our Losses (Item # B-29)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. I won this book in a raffle basket many moons ago but I was afraid to read it because it was about grief & loss. I thought if I did, something bad would happen – which makes about as much sense as not making a last will & testament means I…
CAL – 12 Steps & 12 Traditions for Alateen (Item # P-18)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. At 48 pages, this is the longest pamphlet in the CAL catalog because it’s filled with a little info about each Step & Tradition followed by several related questions & personal stories from Alateen members. The reflections share quite a bit about when good Traditions go bad, so for someone like…
** Thank you for your sympathy wishes **
This blog has been silent for the past 3 weeks because, as some of you are already aware, my boyfriend of 16 years died of a drug overdose on 11/18/13. No one was aware he was shooting up. He hid it well & didn’t reach out to anybody. And it saddens me to think that the…
CAL – Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2014 (Item # N/A)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Ok, I must admit, during all the years I’ve passed out this magazine for outreach purposes, I never fully read through one until now. I used to just read 1 or 2 of the articles & that was it. And perhaps, maybe that’s how it’s read by people in doctor or counselor…
"CAL Chat" Blog ~My journey in Al-Anon~ 