CAL – Reaching For Personal Freedom (Item # P-92)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. The guest for my next “CAL Chat” podcast show (Episode #7) chose this workbook, “Reaching for Personal Freedom” (item # P-92), as his favorite literature piece.  I’ll be posting that episode soon at calchatpodcast.com, but wanted to get my review in this blog first…  This workbook has the rare distinction of…

CAL – The Best of Public Outreach (Item # P-90)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. The guest for my next “CAL Chat” podcast show (Episode #7) chose this booklet, “The Best of Public Outreach” (item # P-90), as his favorite outreach piece.  I’ll be posting that episode soon at calchatpodcast.com, but wanted to get my review in this blog first.  This hardcopy booklet was originally printed…

CAL – Parents of Alcoholics (Item # R-18)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. The item # for this short 12-page piece begins with an “R” because this is a reprint of various articles from The Forum magazine.  It came out in 2012 & reprints are typically only printed for a 2-year period.  However, demand for this piece must be high because it’s now 4 years later…

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…

CAL – Sexual Intimacy & the Alcoholic Relationship (Item # P-77)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Well surprise, surprise, this is not an instruction booklet on how to have sex with an alcoholic!  However, it does reassure me that I’m not the only one who has had difficulty in this area.  Intimacy, especially sexual intimacy, is a topic rarely brought up in Al-Anon meetings.  This must have…

PODCAST – One Day At A Time / Detachment (Item #’s B-6 / S-19)

EPISODE 2 of my “CAL Chat” podcast is now available to listen to!  Why is Al-Anon not considered a self-help recovery program?  How is detaching different than separating?  Am I making my spirit sick?  It was such a good conversation, I didn’t want to edit anything out, so I had to break it into 2…

CAL – How Al-Anon Works (Item # B-22, B-32, eB-22, eA-22)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Originally, I was going to read this book as the very last one of this blog since I was making my way up to the top seller & according to the World Service Office, this one is it.  …It would be like starting a climb by already being at the top…

CAL – District Representative (Item # G-37)

WHAT I LEARNED: There’s also info in this guideline about the Alternate District Rep &, if needed, they can serve as several other positions as well such as Secretary, Treasurer, or Public Outreach contact.  Whew – hopefully not all once! 😄 ━━━━━▼━━━━━ **UPDATE (5/5/17): This guideline was revised in 2014 & the changes are somewhat substantial. …

CAL – When I Got Busy, I Got Better (Item # P-78)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. What are the benefits of service?  Let me count the ways…  Or you can just let this booklet count ’em for you!  It’s 60 pages filled with stories from members regarding Step 12 (the carrying the message Step).  Beginning with addressing different types of fears, it eventually culminates with covering each of the 12 Traditions…

CAL – From Survival to Recovery (Item # B-21)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. For the fellowship, “From Survival to Recovery: Growing Up in an Alcoholic Home” (item # B-21) marked a major turning point in fully welcoming adult children of alcoholics in the mid 90’s.  At 300 pages, it’s probably only a few pounds, but it felt so much heavier than that because of all…

CAL – As We Understood… (Item # B-11)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Based on its size, this book looks like it might be a daily reader, but it’s not designed that way.  The purpose of the book was to share members’ sense of the spiritual (not religious) nature of the program.  It doesn’t focus on any one particular Step & I’m glad for…

CAL – Area Literature Coordinators (Item # G-6)

WHAT I LEARNED: Much like any of the guidelines that are job descriptions, I always learn that the position entails a lot more than I thought!  Area Literature Coordinators interact not just with World Service Office & LDC’s (Literature Distribution Centers – like yours truly!), but also Website Coordinators, Information Service or Intergroups, Newsletter Editors,…