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!
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. I was just 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 a little background on why this new intro came about, check out pages 38-39 of the “2021 World Service…
CAL – Al-Anon’s Best Sellers of 2021
WHAT I LEARNED: 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…
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! 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…
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~ 