Next week I’ll be posting an update on several Al‑Anon guidelines that have been revised this year. However while I was researching those, it led me to this guideline for The Forum that was very recently updated – just last month, in October 2021, in fact! It got me wondering, 🤔 “What changed exactly?” See…
Tag: Traditions
MTG – Orlando – “Friday Morning Lights AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: To me, Tradition 6 seems to be Al-Anon’s declaration that it is a program that is not codependent. Everything could fall away… money, property, prestige, even AA, & Al-Anon would still be ok. It would survive. …just like me.
N. FL Summer Assembly 2019 – Days 1 – 3
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. I have lost a lot of pain in Al-Anon. 2. Wise people plant trees under whose shade they’ll never sit. 3. We give from the gratitude we’ve already gotten. 4. The alcoholic has not volunteered to get sober. 5. God’s will for me is to stop playing God! 6. Joy is…
MTG – Orlando – “Courage 2 Be Me Alateen AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: Tradition 12 means it’s like I’m in an Al-Anon Witness Protection Program. (And boy have I witnessed a lot!) If I can’t speak my truth about it, then I can’t heal.
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…
PODCAST – When I Got Busy, I Got Better / From Survival To Recovery (Item #’s P-78 / B-21)
EPISODE 11 of my “CAL Chat” podcast is now available to listen to! Am I the right kind of busy? Where does self-worth come from? Helping versus enabling? Being a victim versus a participant? (To hear this episode, please visit the show’s website at: calchatpodcast.com – or you can subscribe to it for free on…
PODCAST – Courage To Be Me / Various Alateen Literature (Item # B-23)
EPISODE 8 of my “CAL Chat” podcast is now available to listen to! How can I keep things simple? If my growth is like a tree, then what are my roots? What Alateen book can I bring to an Al-Anon meeting? (To hear this episode, please visit the show’s website at: calchatpodcast.com – or you…
PODCAST – Reaching For Personal Freedom / Best of Public Outreach (Item #’s P-92 / P-90)
EPISODE 7 of my “CAL Chat” podcast is now available to listen to! What do I want to be free of? What exactly are character defects? Can Alateen outreach be done to AA members? (To hear this episode, please visit the show’s website at: calchatpodcast.com – or you can subscribe to it for free on…
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 – 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 – 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 – Forum Favorites, Vol. 1 (Item # B-9A)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. As an Area Archivist once said, “I love my position because I get to time travel.” I too feel I get to step into the ‘Wayback Machine’ whenever I read discontinued Al-Anon literature. When this “Forum Favorites” book was first published in 1970 it was a hefty hard cover book &…
WORKSHOP – Orlando – Summer Service Workshop
WHAT I LEARNED: If Al-Anon was not supported by its own members, think of everything that would go away… groups, CAL literature, phone hotlines, websites, Gratitude Dinners, Conventions, & even the World Service Office. The 7th Tradition reminds me that no one is an island & it makes me grateful for everything that we do support…
CAL – Guideline for Al-Anon Websites (Item # G-40)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. There is no such thing as “Conference Approved” text to use on Al-Anon websites, therefore it’s not necessary for all sites to use the same wording. Freedom! Whoo-hoo! Ha ha ha. 😃 2. I understand that links on an Al-Anon site to non-Al-Anon sites would give the appearance of affiliation & are to…
CAL – Electronic Al-Anon Meeting Guideline (Item # G-39)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. According to this guideline, there are 3 types of online Al-Anon meetings that the World Service Office (WSO) will register: chat, email, or message board. (…I guess Skype meetings haven’t caught on yet?) 2. There’s still a 7th Tradition basket! Donations are sent directly to WSO, rather than a District or Area. 3….
"CAL Chat" Blog ~My journey through Al-Anon~ 