july, 2014 a christmas story - orange county aa · · 2014-12-07a christmas story ththis past...

Volume 44, Number 12

July, 2014 December, 2014

THE TOOL BOX 1. Don't Drink one day at a time 2. 90 Meetings in 90 Days 3. Get a Sponsor 4. Work the 12 Steps 5. Change your playground,

Playmates and Playthings 6. Read the Big Book 7. Read the 12 & 12 8. Join a Home Group 9. Get involved in Service 10.Find a Power Greater than Yourself 11.Pray and Meditate Daily 12.Help Others Thanks to Red B.

A Christmas Story

This past December I celebrated my 30th Christmas season as a recovering alcoholic. There is a story to tell each Christ-mas, to share my experience, strength and hope. It may be just my opinion, but it seems to me that from Thanksgiving through January 1st, people wear their hearts on their sleeves. People, in general, are more sensitive and it just may be that alcoholics are more so.

My first two A.A. Christmases were a bit rough. At eight months I experienced my first sober Christmas. I was “just” sober, going to a meeting every day and not drinking between meetings. Still angry, still feeling sorry for myself, my mar-riage was still a disaster. I was just not drinking, but did not find sobriety until later. It was tough being just a “dry” mem-ber of Alcoholics Anonymous. I believe there is a difference between being sober and having sobriety. Sobriety, for me, is the ability to live comfortably and peacefully with me, most of the time. What I did not realize at the time, was that while I was sober, I did not know how to change. I had not let go of old ideas.

That first Christmas, on Christmas Eve, sitting in front of the tree, all the lights were out except those on the tree, my wife and I were both in tears. We were both in total depression. My wife turned to me and said, “Let’s face it, this marriage is over with.” That’s exactly what we both thought at that moment in our lives. It was just one more failure in my life.

Well, I kept going to meetings and did not drink between meetings, and at nine months I found sobriety and had, what I call, a spiritual experience. Maybe it was just a change in atti-tude. The first description is my favorite. I was driving home from a beginners meeting, when a thought flashed through my head that I could not fix my marriage! It was either going to work or it wasn’t going to work; it was God’s business, not mine. All I could do was to contribute to that marriage and let God handle the rest. First, I lost all fear of when she was go-ing to divorce me. Second, I did not know I was working the third step by turning my marriage over to the care of God.

Two months later, the marriage just changed. I mean it just blossomed. The last 30 years we have been a couple of God’s kids having fun most of the time. I still get tears in my eyes by telling you that after 50 years of marriage, we sometimes wake up in the middle of the night holding hands. Now that is a true joy and a true miracle.

The second Christmas was also rough for me. My wife had gone back to Germany to contend with her sick parents. Our daughter (year and a half sober) was in the hospital, in an oxy-gen tent, with bronchial pneumonia. I was left at home, alone with me and not in the best of company.

On Christmas day, I got up about 7:00 A.M., walked out into the living room and there was no Christmas tree. There were no Christmas decorations, no gifts, and no celebration, just me alone with me. By this time in my sobriety, I did have a pro-gram to work. I had learned that a problem shared is half a

problem, but I just did not feel like calling another alcoholic and whine and snivel about my loneliness that early in the morning on Christmas Day. But one of the tools in my tool bag, to help with that low feeling, was to do something re-sponsible. Clean the kitchen, sweep the garage, make the bed, just do anything responsible.

So I started wandering around the house to look for some-thing to do that was responsible. I walked into the office in my house, and it was half wall-papered. “Here,” I thought, “is something responsible to do.” I made the decision to finish wall-papering my office. I just love God and God’s timing. The very instant I made a decision to do something responsi-ble, the phone rang. It was my sponsor.

“Chuck, I just called this morning to let you know that you are not alone,” my sponsor said. Then he said something that did not make sense to me, but for some reason I understood what he was saying. He said, “I have no idea why God has your daughter in an oxygen tent right at this moment, but may-be he just wants her off the highway for a few days.” Made no sense, but I understood that God was in control.

My day just changed. I just lit up. My whole attitude and outlook just turned 180 degrees. I got busy and started wall papering my office and the telephone kept ringing. I was in-vited to the home of some A.A. friends for a potluck. While I was there, the hospital called and my daughter was being re-leased. I picked her up and we both went back to a room full of A.A. friends. It turned out to be one of the best Christmas’s of my life.

So I have learned to make some phone calls on Christmas day, and tell someone they are not alone. It is just plain fun to light up someone’s Christmas.

Chuck H., Laguna Woods.


Purpose: The Orange County Lifeline Committee is a committee of volunteer A.A. members, charged with the responsibility of producing and distributing the Orange County Lifeline, (a publication of the Or-ange County Intergroup Association). The Lifeline is published monthly and is supported solely through contributions from the A.A. groups and members of Orange County. The Lifeline is published to meet the following needs of the Orange County A.A. membership: to inform the A.A. membership regarding A.A. service, A.A. events and A.A. announcements; also to share experience in recovery, unity and service; to keep the A.A. membership informed regarding the actions, finances and meetings of the Orange County Intergroup Association and other Central Office committees.

Lifeline Committee: Meets the 1st Thursday of each month at the Central Office. Join us @ 7PM. Patrick C., (Chair), Phil F., Mike T., Brian C., Tarcy H.

Mail submissions to the above address or send email to: [email protected]

The Orange County Intergroup Association

Upcoming Meeting

Wednesday, December 10th at 7:00 PM

Costa Mesa Senior Center 695 W. 19th Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Features and Fun Stuff:

A Christmas Story ............................................... 1 The Holidays ....................................................... 3 Trudging the Road to Happy Destiny .................. 3 What Do You Think? .......................................... 4 Practice Making the Better Choice— Step 12 ..... 7 Birthdays ............................................................. 7 Taking Inventory ................................................. 10 Sober Surfing ...................................................... 12 Glum Lot ............................................................. 12

Business:

Meeting Changes ................................................ 5, 6 Web Site Statistics .............................................. 6 Central Office Activity ........................................ 6 Group Contribution to Central Office ................. 8, 9, 10 Speaking Meetings/Events .................................. 10 Call Forwarding .................................................. 11 Statement of Income & Expense ......................... 11

Chair, Doug B.

Vice Chair, Dave W. Treasurer, Kristen V. Secretary, Scott Ra.

Central Office, Jennifer M. Group Relations, Doug P.

Hospitals & Institutions, Destiny W. Lifeline, Patrick C.

Public Information, Ron B. Special Events, Angelica H.

Who? What? When? Where?

Public Information Committee

[email protected] Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm

Group Relations Committee Meetings scheduled as needed

Lifeline Committee Meets the 1st Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm

Special Events Committee Meetings scheduled as needed

H & I Committee Meets the 2nd Sunday of the month at the Garden Grove Alano Club. Institutions meet at 4:00 pm; Hospitals meet at 6:00 pm.

South Orange County H & I meets at the Laguna Beach Canyon Club the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm.

With the exception of H & I, the above committees meet at Central Office, 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75, Santa Ana, CA

92705. If you are interested in serving on a committee or would like more information please contact Central Office at

(714) 556-4555.

ORANGE COUNTY CENTRAL OFFICE 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75

Santa Ana, CA 92705 Phone: (714) 556-4555; Fax: (714) 556-7231

E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.oc-aa.org

Office hours: Monday-Friday: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Saturday and Holidays: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

South County Office 27281 Las Ramblas, Ste.135, Mission Viejo, CA 92691

Phone: (949) 582-2697; Fax: (949) 582-2611 E-mail: [email protected]

Office hours: Monday-Friday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

mailto:[email protected]


Trudging the Road to Happy Destiny by Rosanne P., Kessler Park Group

Bill W. ends the first 164 pages of the Big Book with this valediction: “Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to our fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny. May God bless you and keep you — until then.”

He uses verbs which summarize the actions we must take to work the program. His verbs include, “abandon,” “admit,” “clear away,” “give” and “trudge.”

Wait a minute... “trudge?” I’m not a Big Book scholar but I have read the words “abandon,” “admit,” “clear away” and “give” in the book and can apply them to my efforts to stay sober.

The word trudge, however, appears to be misplaced — at least as I understand the word. Here’s my ‘contempt prior to investigation’ about the word trudge.

I picture a sad, tired alcoholic, barely able to put one foot in front of the other, on an unpaved, un-shaded road. The alco-holic does not seem happy, joyous or free. Somehow the des-tination does not seem to be Happy Destiny.

Is there more to the meaning of this word than I know? Did Bill W. carefully choose the word trudge?

Don't get me wrong: I love Bill W.’s word choices, especially the ones he uses to describe drunks and drinking, such as “sots” (page 8), “debauch” (page 8), “a jag” (page 9), “alcoholic crackpot” (page 9), “getting tight” (page 21), “senseless series of sprees” (page 21), and, my favorite, “can’t stay on the water wagon” (page 22).

The Big Book is well-written. It is peppered with descriptive words and sayings from the early part of the Twentieth Centu-ry. Trudge is one of those words. The online Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s definition of the verb trudge is “to walk or march steadily and usually laboriously.” It gives the exam-ple of “trudged through deep snow.” This example convinces me that Bill W. did carefully choose the word trudge.

We alcoholics trudge through deep stuff on the road to Happy Destiny. We don’t skip along or dance as if on the way to Oz. But neither are we staggering, stumbling, crawling, falling down or passing out on the road.

Because we have joined AA, we have been given a road map of Twelve Steps and we have been given like-minded walking companions with whom we walk or march steadily, usually laboriously, on the road of life.

It is the condition of life — the deep stuff — that makes our walk trudging. It’s not our physical or mental states that are trudging if we are embracing the program.

When we embrace the program, we abandon, admit, clear away and give. And we join and meet others who realize that the walk is trudging but our sober lives are not.

We aren’t sad and tired. We trudge happily, joyously and freely in the Fellowship of the Spirit until we reach Happy Destiny.

Borrowed with gratitude from The DIALog A publication of the Dallas Intergroup Association

From the Chicago Area Newsletter, December, 1974

The Holidays Come on, have a drink. It's Christ-mas time, you know. Shucks, it only comes once a year. One little drink isn't go-ing to hurt you. Gotta celebrate once in a while and let off steam. You don't get Tom and Jerry like this every day. Just a little wine for the stomach's sake.

You'll probably hear a lot of this in the next week or two unless your asso-ciations have now become only A.A. For your friends don't understand, any -more than they used to when they said, "Use that old will power and drink like I do." A.A.'s have a healthy respect for the havoc that can follow even one little drink. One little slip is all it takes to upset a good many years of sobriety. We only have to let down our guard for a second. Where that slip could lead is anybody's guess.

Many of us in A.A. find the holiday season a hard one in which to dodge the bottle. But others of us are more fortu-nate and aren't bothered too much. Those of us who have weathered our first Christmas in A.A. know the unadul-terated joy of a Christmas morning, clear headed, bright eyed, happy and filled with the contentment of peace on earth to men of good will. Once we have experienced that day, it would be hard to ever have it in any other way. And remember those New Year mornings? Most of us used to say, "I don't get drunk on New Year's eve. That's amateur night." But despite our big boy attitude most of us felt pretty bad come Jan. 1.

The joys that come from the bottle over the holidays are infinitesimal compared with the joys of happy living that we have learned in A.A. This writ-er, despite several Christ-mases in our fellowship, is girding his A.A. armor just a little tighter as the holidays ap-proach, for he knows that temptations will increase as we near the final week. Having arisen sober for several Christ-mases and New Year morn-ings, he wants again to be able to get up this year and say, "Good morning, God," instead of "Good God, is it morn-ing?"

Thanks to Meg L., Tustin

34 Annual H & I Conference with Al-Anon Participation

May 15, 16 & 17, 2015 Holiday Inn, 14299 Firestone Blvd.

in La Mirada, CA. SoCal Intergroup is made up of H & I com-

mittees from all over Southern California. Each year the South-ern California team hosts a conference to promote a better un-derstanding between ourselves and the professionals from the institu-tions we provide services in and the rest of Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole. We host SoCal. H & I ex-tends an invitation to all who are interested in H & I.

Please visit our website for more details and preregistration http://socalhandi.org/

http://socalhandi.org/



Reader Responses from “What Do You Think?” From September, 2014—Volume 44, Number 9 A.A. appears to have more judges within its’ rooms than a courthouse does. It has been my experience, that as I began to “retire” from my throne of self-righteous judgment in what others share in meetings, I began to experience the serenity I was asking God to grant me in The Serenity Prayer. My robe and gavel really got heavy before any light bulbs were turned on in the part of my brain which I was shocked was still there. Until then I was not able to accept human life experiences of others sharing their experience with their obsession for alcohol. Self-righteous judgment of what one shares in a meeting is a warning that there are three fingers point-ing back at the one standing in judgment of what anoth-er is sharing. Working the steps to where they have be-come an intuitive part of my thinking has been effective in opening my ears to hear, and to accept the language of others’ hearts when they share, rather than resent what they share. Alcoholic A appear s to r esent those who always boast when sharing: “I had it all—the cars, the money, the houses—all of it—and lost it all to alcohol.” He states that it “seems a little egotistical and distracts from whatever experience, strength and hope they wish to share.” What others share is not meant to be egotisti-cal and distracting; it is being honest in sharing the suf-ferings and difficulties of one’s personal experience with alcohol, as one learns to relate to alcohol as being problematic. From my perspective, sharing one’s per-sonal experience is not theorizing; it is facts born out of one’s own personal experience. It is an example of the new God-consciousness within, when one can hear and relate to another’s experience; the beginning of scales of fear falling from eyes, and being replaced by faith. Many others may be able to simply take up their beds and walk again by demonstrations of faith when one shares in honesty that one has had all of it—and lost it to alcohol. It is only by fully disclosing ourselves and our problems, that others may be persuaded that they, too, are an alcoholic, and be spared from the many years of hell some of spiraled so deeply into, before reaching our bottoms. Alcoholic B sums up my view when he states what about the newcomer who equally “lost if all” to alcohol and can relate, as well as his (or her) other eloquently penned words, ending with “But if one newcomer hears it and finds hope for a sober future, then the program is working exactly as it should.” I shall add that it has been a slow process for me to ac-cept that the program is working exactly as it should.

What do you think?

To Carry the Message of

Alcoholics Anonymous to the Alcoholic who is confined in a Hospital or Institution

Orange County H & I Meets the 2nd Sunday of the month

Institutions meet at 4:00; Hospitals meet 6:00 Garden Grove Alano Club, 714-534-2244

9845 Belfast Drive, Garden Grove For additional info call (714) 979-8524

or Central Office: (714) 556-4555

South Orange County H & I Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month 7:30 pm

Laguna Canyon Club 20456 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach

(949) 497-1823

As a newcomer, it was my firm conviction that I should rewrite the Big Book, and tell everyone what they should or should not share. In simple words, I had no clue that I was a control freak. What a gift to accept that I am not running the show; to have been released from the false responsibility of Queen of the Universe. Respectfully submitted, Effie R.

This month’s question: Alcoholic A says prayer is absolutely necessary for sobrie-ty. Any program without routine prayer will almost certainly result in a dry drunk or relapse. Alcoholic B says pish posh on prayer. Many members con-sider prayer a bit too churchy for their taste and have plenty of sober success with meditation and other forms of "conscious contact".

What do you think? Send your responses to [email protected]

I have a deep and abiding faith That comes and goes

Heard in an A.A. meeting


MEETING CHANGES SINCE

August 22, 2014

SUNDAY ANAHEIM 7:00 PM (~) SPANISH MEETING 202 W. Broadway @ Lemon Add to directory 7:00 PM BIG BOOK STUDY 202 W. Broad-way @ Lemon Name/Format Change GARDEN GROVE 6:00 AM SUNDAY AM BB STUDY 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved fron Serenity Hall 10:00 AM SPEAKERS 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Roque Center 12:00 PM PARTICIPATION 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO 8:30 PM GROWING IN UNDERSTANDING AND EFFECTIVENESS 27122A Paseo Es-pada c/s Rancho Viejo & Calle Arroyo Time Change

MONDAY GARDEN GROVE 6:00 AM ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall 12:00 PM PARTICIPATION 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall NEWPORT BEACH 8:00 AM TWO OR MORE-CAME TO BE-LIEVE 414 E. 32nd St. Name Change 7:00 PM (C,Y) BEACH CITIES YOUNG PEOPLE 414 E. 32nd St. New Meeting SAN CLEMENTE 7:45 AM DROP YOUR ROCK 929 Calle Negocio, Ste H @ Calle Amanecer Name change TUESDAY ANAHEIM 5:30 PM TUESDAYS TOPIC 202 W. Broad-way @ Lemon Name Change 7:30 PM BIG BOOK WOMEN'S PARTICIPA-TION 5340 E. La Palma Ave. (Vineyard Church, room 107) Room change 8:00 PM 12 X 12 202 W. Broadway @ Lem-on Name change GARDEN GROVE 6:00 AM ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall 12:00 PM NO WHINING GROUP 9845 Bel-fast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall LAGUNA NIGUEL 7:30 PM (C) BOOKSTUDY 27801 El Lazo (1st Episcopal Church) New location MISSION VIEJO 6:30 AM WOMEN'S SUNRISE SERENITY 23181 Tiagua (Solidarity House) New Meet-ing NEWPORT BEACH 8:00 AM TWO OR MORE-STEPS AND TRA-DITIONS 414 E. 32nd St. Name Change

WEDNESDAY ANAHEIM 6:00 PM BROTHERS N RECOVERY 202 W. Broadway @ Lemon Add to directory

8:00 PM BIG BOOK 202 W. Broadway @ Lemon Name Change GARDEN GROVE 6:00 AM ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall 12:00 PM EASY DOES IT 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall LAGUNA NIGUEL 6:00 PM (C) 6PM BOOK STUDY GROUP 30071 Ivy Glenn Dr. c/s Niguel Rd & Alicia Pkwy New Location

NEWPORT BEACH

8:00 AM TWO OR MORE-SPEAKER 414 E. 32nd St. Name Change SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO 12:00 PM (C) HIGH NOON SAN JUAN MEN'S STAG 27122A Paseo Espada c/s Rancho Viejo & Calle Arroyo New Meeting

SANTA ANA 1:00 PM AS BILL SEES IT 2416 S. Main St. @ Warner (MHA Building) Name change THURSDAY COSTA MESA 6:30 PM AA HISTORY STUDY AND MORE 1119 Sunflower Ave @ Fairview New Location FULLERTON 8:00 PM IN THE SOLUTION 530 W. Common-wealth bwtn S. Euclid & S. Harbor Blvd Name Change

8:00 PM AA TOPIC DISCUSSION 109 E. Wil-shire Ave. (Church) Address Change GARDEN GROVE 6:00 AM ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall 12:00 PM PARTICIPATION 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall HUNTINGTON BEACH 6:30 PM STEP STUDY OUT OF THE BOOK 6931 Edinger Ave. (Grace Lutheran Church, up-stairs) New Location NEWPORT BEACH 8:00 AM TWO OR MORE-BIG BOOK FIRST 164 414 E. 32nd St. Name Change ORANGE 6:30 PM (C) LADIES NIGHT BOOK STUDY 300 N. Rampart St. (Mobile Home Park Club House) New Meeting FRIDAY DANA POINT 12:00 PM (C) FRIDAY LUNCH WOMENS BIG BOOK STUDY 33926 Calle La Primavera (St Edwards Church) Time & Location Change

GARDEN GROVE 6:00 AM ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Halll 12:00 PM FRIDAY HIGH NOON 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall LAGUNA NIGUEL 7:00 AM MEN'S FRIDAY MORNING DISCUS-SION 30071 Ivy Glenn Dr. c/s Niguel Rd & Alicia Pkwy New Location

LAGUNA WOODS 10:30 AM TOP O' THE HILL GANG 24252 El Toro Rd. (Church) Time Change

NEWPORT BEACH 8:00 AM TWO OR MORE- LIVING SOBER 414 E. 32nd St. Name Change SANTA ANA 6:00 PM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS 1516 N.Flower St. (17th and Flower) Time Change SATURDAY ANAHEIM 4:15 PM OPEN DISCUSSION 202 W. Broad-way @ Lemon Add to directory COSTA MESA 8:00 PM OPEN SPEAKER MEETING 420 W 19th St New Location GARDEN GROVE 6:00 AM ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall 12:00 PM SATURDAY NOON SERENITY GROUP 9845 Belfast Dr c/s Brookhurst & Garden Grove Moved from Serenity Hall LAGUNA NIGUEL

8:30 AM AA MEN'S MEDITATION PRACTICE 29102 Crown Valley Pkwy @ Nueva Vista (Room 5) New Location SANTA ANA 10:00 AM (C) DESIRE TO STOP-HIV FRIENDLY 807 N. Garfield St. @ E. Civic Center Dr. New Meeting

MEETING DELETIONS SINCE August 22, 2014

SUNDAY ANAHEIM 2:30 PM SICK SURVIVORS 202 W. Broadway 7:00 PM EAST STREET AA "COMPLETE ABANDON 202 W. Broadway

FOUNTAIN VALLEY 5:00 PM SINGLE DADS 11111 La Naranja Ct.

GARDEN GROVE 10:00 AM MEN'S RECOVERY 7212 Chapman Ave.

5:30 PM PART. CUTTING LOOSE 7212 Chapman Ave.

8:00 PM SPEAKER MEETING 7212 Chapman Ave.

MONDAY COSTA MESA 7:00 PM LIVING SOBER 1734 Orange Ave.

GARDEN GROVE 5:30 PM THE ANSWER IS IN THE CAN 7212 Chapman Ave.

8:00 PM PARTICIPATION 7212 Chapman Ave.

8:00 PM (C) SERENITY GIRLS 7212 Chap-man Ave. 8:00 PM BACK TO THE BIG BOOK 9842 W. 13th St. (Roque Ctr.)

LAGUNA HILLS 5:45 PM HIT IT HARD 23802 Avenida de la Carlotta

TUESDAY ANAHEIM 5:15 PM (C) AS BILL SEES IT 202 W. Broad-way

Continued on page 6


Orange County Central Office Christmas Day Holiday Hours

Thursday, December 25 9am-1pm

Another Buck in the Basket

Ask the meeting leader to suggest dropping an extra buck in the basket every now and then if it can be spared.

1554

CENTRAL OFFICE ACTIVITY

October, 2014

TOTAL CALLS:

12 Step Calls

Meeting Info

General Info

Customers

OFFICE VOLUNTEERS

(MAIN + SATELLITE)

04 568 331 296

NIGHT OWL VOLUNTEERS 03 409 238 0

Archived issues of the Lifeline for the years 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 2005 are now availa-ble at www.oc-aa.org (click on Lifeline) in downloadable .pdf format. More to be added in the future.

Meeting Deletions continued from page 5

8:30 PM SPEAKERS 202 W. Broadway

GARDEN GROVE 7:30 AM STEP MEETING 7212 Chapman Ave.

5:30 PM DISCUSSION 7212 Chapman Ave.

7:30 PM BOOKSTUDY 7212 Chapman Ave.

8:00 PM TUESDAY NITE DISCUSSION 9842 W. 13th St. (Roque Ctr.)

8:00 PM (C) CANDLELITE DISCUSSION 9842 W. 13th St. (Roque Ctr.) 8:00 PM PARTICIPATION 7212 Chapman Ave.

TUSTIN 6:00 AM TTS ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 600 W. 6th

WEDNESDAY GARDEN GROVE 5:30 PM WOMEN'S LIFE ON LIFE'S TERMS 7212 Chapman Ave.

5:30 PM JUST FOR TODAY 7212 Chapman Ave.

7:30 PM (C) SOBER HORSE THIEVES STAG 7212 Chap-man Ave. 8:00 PM 12 STEP STUDY 7212 Chapman Ave.

THURSDAY GARDEN GROVE 5:30 PM WOMEN'S COVER TO COVER 7212 Chapman Ave.

5:30 PM UNORGANIZED MEETING OF AA 7212 Chapman Ave.

8:00 PM DISCUSSION 7212 Chapman Av.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO 9:30 PM GROWING IN UNDERSTANDING & EFFECTIVE-NESS 27122A Paseo Espada


FRIDAY ANAHEIM 7:30 PM PSYCH WARD 202 W. Broadway

GARDEN GROVE 5:30 PM HAWIIAN SHIRT MEETING 7212 Chapman Ave.

8:00 PM OPEN PARTICIPATION 9842 W. 13th St. (Roque Ctr.)

8:00 PM BIG BOOK STUDY/SPEAKER 7212 Chapman Ave.

SATURDAY GARDEN GROVE 10:30 AM WOMEN'S MEETING 7212 Chapman Ave.

5:30 PM DISCUSSION 7212 Chapman Ave.

8:00 PM CANDLELIGHT DISCUSSION 7212 Chapman Ave.

LA HABRA 8:00 PM SATURDAY PARTICIPATION 631 N. Euclid


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Gary M. Mission Viejo 07 years Dawna Huntington Beach 26 years Steve C. Laguna Beach 27 years David B. Newport Beach 28 years Michael M. Murrieta 29 years Van S. San Juan Capistrano 29 years Regina K. Laguna Beach 36 years Ken L. Mission Viejo 36 years Glenn H. Tustin 36 years Mel B. Laguna Woods 38 years Phil F. Santa Ana 39 years

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Help keep the doors of A.A. open so that new members may receive the same help so many of us have already received.

Make a donation of any amount for an A.A. Birthday—yours or someone else’s and we will help celebrate by pub-lishing their name and years of sobriety in the Lifeline.

Please send January Birthday donations by December 10th with name, city and years to: Orange County Central Office 1526 Brookhollow, Suite 75, Santa Ana, CA 92705.

Practice Making the Better Choice

Step 12

“Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” I used to think 12-Step work was sponsoring other alcoholics, taking commitments at meetings, speaking on panels and gen-erally being proactive about being of service. For sure those are all admirable examples of this kind of work. Lately, how-ever, I’ve come to think that making an ongoing effort to apply the principles of the steps to my own life is where the real re-wards of Step 12 lie.

The choice of the word “practice” in the “practice these princi-ples in all our affairs” line really resonates with me. At first glance this just sounds like making a determined effort to chan-nel the steps into our daily activities. For me, however, there’s more to it than that. To practice the principles of the steps is to actually do something with the intention of getting better at it.

Athletes practice their moves. Musicians practice their notes. Actors practice their lines. At first the goal is to steadily get better and better. After a while, practice becomes more of a tool to maintain a level of performance that would surely di-minish otherwise. More than one famous performer has made this remark: “If I miss one day’s practice, I notice it. If I miss two days’ practice, the critics notice it. If I miss three days’ practice, the audience notices it.”

I can see this working in my life. The first few years of sobrie-ty included plenty of prompt apologies for wrongs made in restaurants, grocery stores, airplanes, sidewalks, and just about anywhere else humans are likely to get in each others’ way. After enough practice, however, I found myself making fewer and fewer apologies. I discovered I always have a choice re-garding how I behave – and after a time I made the better choice more often than not. So instead of having to continue practicing saying “I’m sorry”, I now practice making the better choice – and the more often I opt for the better choice, the more often I’m likely keep opting for the better choice.

I suppose that is what is meant by “right living”. Seeing life as a never-ending string of choices, and opting for the better choice. That’s not to mean it’s always easy – often the better choice is less attractive on countless levels. The lesser choice might require less effort, less risk or less time – or it might mean you have to pass on an opportunity where you feel justi-fied to rip into another human being. It can be very hard not give into a mean-spirited urge to lash out at someone who slighted you, but if it will ultimately leave you feeling like a scumbag then you’re the one who really loses out.

Still, there are plenty of times when I’ll think about something I did recently and have to admit that I did not make the better choice. Sometimes it was an honest mistake – just another les-son learned (and making mistakes and learning from them is certainly a huge part of what practice is all about). Other times it will be facing the bitter truth that I made the lesser choice because, for whatever sorry reason, I wanted to. It might be anger. It might be laziness. It might be envy. It might be any one of the countless emotions that can get between us and the better choice.

These emotions can be a tough nut to crack. Heck, sometimes we walk around just waiting for someone to piss us off so we can let them have it. The best antidote I’ve found is right there in the idea of practice. If I can just do the right thing one time, the chance I’ll do it the next time I’m in the same situation increases tenfold. The time after that is almost too easy. And then, only four times into it, it’s almost like habit to me. Un-fortunately it works the same in the other direction. Just mak-ing the lesser choice once can set the ball rolling the other way, making it all the harder to make the better choice the next time around. Sometimes I have to be very careful with how I respond to an unfamiliar situation, because I know that making a poor choice can put me in place that’s hard to come back from.

There’s still plenty of ground left for me to cover, but I’m en-joying results from the practice I’ve done to apply the steps so far. I’m much more tolerant of other people, and much more capable of taking things in stride. And if I get in a pinch and feel a nasty action bubbling under the surface, I make a beeline for the exit and remove myself from the situation. Sometimes the better choice is to just put distance between me and the lesser choice.

There’s certainly a lot more to Step 12, but getting practice at making the better choice is where it’s at for me these days. Getting better at being a better is probably one of the best gifts of sobriety I can think of – right up there with being alive. Mike T., Irvine


GROUP CONTRIBUTIONS TO CENTRAL OFFICE— October

Continued on page 9

OCT YTD

ALISO VIEJO ^ ^

ANAHEIM ^ ^

Th 7:30P-We Got a C/P,5340 E. La Palma $245

BUENA PARK ^ ^

CAPISTRANO BEACH ^ ^

Fr 7:00P-Friday Knights, 25976 Domingo $140 $683

Sa 9:30A-Pines Park Disc, Pine Bluffs $175

CORONA DEL MAR ^ ^

Tu 12:00P-Noonatics, 611 Heliotrope $124 $324

Tu 7:00P-(M)'s Part, 611 Heliotrope $1,750

We 7:00A-Women's B/B Study, 3233 Pacif $159

We 7:30P-Living Sober Discussion, 611 $120 $220

Th 12:00P-Big Book Study, 3233 Pacific $100 $190

Th 6:00P-Happy Hour (M)'s Pacific View $80 $380

COSTA MESA ^ ^

Dly 7:00A-Daily Reflect, 2040 Placentia $50

M-F 6:45A-Morning Meditat, 183 E. Bay $4

M-F 12:00P-Noon Rec, 420 W. 19th St. $132 $754

Su 8:45A-Chow Hound Hooligans, 2040 P $50

Su 7:00P-12 S/ S M's Stag, 2015 Charle $210 $630

Su 8:00P-Triangle Square Men's, 420 19th $150

Mo 12:00P-Clean & Serene BB, 183 E. Ba $120 $570

Mo 7:00P-Men's Sober Flow, 420 W. 19th $637

We 12:00P-High Noon Step, 183 E. Bay $290

We 8:00P-(M)'s Stdy, 2015 Charle St. $20

Th 5:30P-(W)'s Its/Book Study, 2040 $80

Th 6:00P-Serenity Shores Book Study, $30

Th 7:00P-12 Steps & 12 Trads, E Bay $302

Fr 12:00P-Friday Noon Men's Stag, 183 E. $55

Fr 6:30P-Family After, 1701 Baker St. $42 $42

Sa 9:30A-(W)'s Wrkg.in Sol. BB, 183 E $135

Sa 9:30A-(M)'s By The Book, 420 W. 19th $100

Sa 9:30A-Sat Morn (W)'s Gr, 2040 Placen $50

Sa 6:00P-Cover-To-Cover, 183 E. Bay St. $48 $298

Sa 6:30P-Sat. Night Refugees, 2144 Thur $1 $192

CYPRESS ^ ^

Tu 8:00P-BB Study, 8615 Walker St. $125

We 7:00P-Cypress Women's S/S, 5100 $90 $343

DANA POINT ^ ^

Dly 7:00A-Hard Core Harbor, 34451 Ens $2,720 $10,710

Su 9:30A-DP Spkr 1st/mo Wind & Sea $130

Mo 5:30P-(W)'s Disc, Ensenada & DPH $650

Mo 7:00P-Promises, 34052 Del Obispo $60 $532

Tu 9:30A-(W)'s Back/Basics 24642 SJ $256

We 7:00A-(W)'s Harb Topic Disc, S Juan $180

Th 7:30P-If Nothing Changes, 24642 San $119

Fr 12:15P-Fri Lunch (W)'s BB, 33841 $210

Fr 7:00P-GV, 33926 Calle Primavera $453

FOUNTAIN VALLEY ^ ^

M-F 8:30A- Morning Meeting, 16581 Broo $94

We 8:00P-Disc, 10280 Slater $60

FULLERTON ^ ^

GARDEN GROVE ^ ^

Tu 7:00P-Top/Key Book Stdy, 9th & Lamp $60

Tu 7:00P-Heartspeak (W)'s, 13082 Bowen $135

We 10:00A-Ovr 50 Sin/Purp, 9845 Belf $25 $25

We 12:00P-(W)'s, 9845 Belfast $19

Fr 7:30A-TGIF, 9845 Belfast $30

Fr 10:30A-(W)'s (C)12 & 12, 9845 Blfst $32

Fr 5:30P-Hawiian Shirt Meeting, 7212 Ch $100

Sa 10:30A-BB Stdy, 9845 Belfast $155

HUNTINGTON BEACH ^ ^

Dly 6:00A-Early Birds, 19092 Beach Blvd $200 $1,220

Dly 7:00A-Hggrs/Bill Sees It, 8200 Ellis $1,764

Dly 7:30A-Attitude Mod., 19092 Beach Bl $960

Dly 8:00A-Hggrs II, H.B Lifegrd Tower 11 $197 $2,907

Su 9:00A-On/Beach, Lifegrd Tower 11 $270

Su 10:00A-Sober Sharing, 19092 Beach Bl $40 $200

Su 5:00P-Creative Sharing, 19092 Beach $192

Su 7:30P-Disc, 9812 Hamilton Ave. $117 $442

Mo 12:00P-(W)'s Bill Sees It, 18631 Chap $105 $315

Mo 5:00P-Men's Book Study, 19092 Beach $40

Mo 6:00P-Women's B/B Read & Chat, 7641 $50

Mo 6:00P-Recoverettes, 18631 Chapel Ln. $200 $600

Mo 7:00P-(W)'s Sans, 18631 Chapel Ln. $310

Mo 7:30P-(M)'s BB & 12&12, 1912 Florida $92 $112

Mo 7:30P-BB Stdy, 20444 Magnolia (St. Si $35 $266

Tu 12:00P-Open AA Disc, 19092 Beach Bl $27 $62

Tu 1:00P-Harmony (W)'s, Beach/Denney's $50 $410

Tu 7:30P-Beginners (M)'s, 19822 Beach $114 $699

Tu 7:30P-Language of the Heart(W)'s Disc., $23 $164

Tu 7:30P-(W)'s Serenity BB, 20444 Magn $231 $701

Tu 8:00P-Newcms (M)'s Grp, 20444 Magn $235

We 1:00P-(W)'s 12&12 Stdy, 9812 Hamilto $25

We 2:00P-Seniors & Friends, 1718 Orange $342

We 6:30P-(W)'s Step Stdy, 7641 Talbert $64 $137

Th 10:00A-(W)'s BB Stdy, 18631 Chapel $40 $160

Th 7:00P-11th Step Disc., 1912 Florida $65

Fr 10:00A-Step Sisters, 18631 Chapel Ln. $486

Fr 6:00P-(M)'s/Solution, 7111 Talbert Ave $255

Fr 6:30P-BB Stdy, 16400 Springdale $256

Fr 7:30P-BB Stdy, 7641 Talbert $35 $70

Sa 7:30A-(M)'s Stag Book Study, 19092 Be $210

Sa 7:30A-Camel(M)'s Disc 9812 Hamilton $105

Sa 9:30A-W BB Stdy, 19092 Beach Blvd $190

Sa 9:30A-Charle St. Overflow, 9812 Hamilt $20 $60

Sa 10:00A-(W)'s BBStdy, 18631 Chapel $420

Sa 1:00P-Disc, 19092 Beach Blvd $97

Sa 7:00P-Sat Nite Live BB, 18631 Chapel $100 $215

IRVINE ^ ^

Dly 6:30A-Sunrise Sobriety, 4400 Barr $1,966 $3,916

Dly 7:00A-Solu Grp Mar, 5001 Newport $3,500 $5,500

M-F 6:30A-It's/New Morning, 4915 Alton $282 $843

M-F 12:00P-Alton/Irvine Noon Grp, 5101 Al $420 $2,310

M-F 12:00P-Take the Steps. UCI Bldg $20

Tue-Thur 5:30P-On The Way Home, 18842 $100 $150

Su 10:00A-Donut Mtg, 6670 Alton Pky $625

Su 7:30P-BonitaCnyn Disc, 5001 Nwprt $163 $499

Mo 5:00P-Women's Blue Book, 5001Newp $179

Mo 6:30P-Easy Does It, 4949 Alton $216

Mo 6:30P-(W)'s BB Topic Disc, 4949 Alt $18

Mo 7:00P-Story Grp, 4445 Alton Pkwy $30 $50

Mo 7:30P-(W)'s Disc., 15 Orange Tree $99 $217

Tu 10:00A-Women's Reflection Group $114

Tu 12:00P-(W)'s BB Stdy, 5101 Alton Pky $339

Tu 6:00P-W's Courage To Change, 18182 $39 $427

Tu 7:00P-(M)'s K.I.S. 12X12, 5000 Barran $280

We 6:30P-B. B. Topic Disc., 5001 Nwprt $50 $549

We 7:30P-12 Solutions SS, Harvard $100

Th 6:30P-(W)'s Gypsies, Deerfield & Turtle $96

Fr 10:30A-Over 50 Grp, 4400 Barranca $64

Fr 12:00P-(W)'s Topic Disc, 5101 Alton P $91

Fr 5:30P-As Bill Sees It, 6650 Alton (Kais $168

Fr 5:30P-On the Way Home $88

Fr 7:00P Winning Tkt Bk Stdy, 1 Sunnyh $300

Fr 8:00P-Little Grp, 18422 Culver $361

Sa 6:30A-Back Room S/S, 4400 Barranca $26 $69

Sa 9:15A-SS, 5101 Alton Pky $154 $1,322

Sa 11:00A-B.B Stdy, 1 Sunnyhill - Turtle $185 $585

Sa 7:00P-Spkrs, 1 Sunnyhill - Turtle $145 $674

LAGUNA BEACH ^ ^

Dly 7:00A-C Club 7AMs Att Adj, 20456 LCR $595 $2,316

Dly 7:05A-Attitude Adj, 31872 PCH $5,978

Su 10:30A-Sun Q&A Serenity Hill, 31872 $70 $574

Su 11:45A-11th Step Disc., 20456 LCR $345

Su 7:00P-TIS Spkrs, 31872 Coast Hwy $653

Su 7:30P-Su Participation, 20456 LCR $81

Mo 7:00A-Keep Coming Back, 30622 PCH $584

Mo 12:00P-BB Stdy, 20456 LCR $158

Mo 6:30P-(W)'s BB Stdy, Wesley $50 $657

Mo 7:00P-Mon Night (M)'s Stag @Pat's 428 $200

Mo 8:00P-(M)'s BB Stdy, 31872 PCH $161

Mo 8:00P-S/Coast (M)'s, 340 S/Ann's $125 $963

Tu 12:30P-Serenity-Sea (W)'s, 340 St Ann's $300

Tu 12:30P-(W)'s Disc, 20456 LCR $630

Tu 6:00P-Here & Now, 20456 LCR $294

Tu 6:30P-(M)'s Beg, 31872 So/Coast $200 $2,990

Tu 7:30P-By The Book, 20456 LCR $70

We 7:00A-6th Sense in Action, 20456 LCR $105 $105

We 12:00P-Anything Goes, 20456 LCR $234

We 8:00P-(M)'s Part, 21632 Wesley $420

We 8:00P-So.Coast Spkrs, 286 St. Anns $476 $476

Th 12:00P-12 & 12 SS, 20456 LCR $96

Th 6:00 P-(W)'s Disc,20456 LCR $196

Th 6:30P-(M)'s BYOB 12& 12 SS, 21632 $260

Fr 6:55A-Women's Workshop, 20456 LCR $420

Fr 6:00P-Fri Nite Lit Disc, 21632 Wesley $363 $813

Fr 8:00P-Here & Now, 21632 Wesley $450

Sa 7:00A-Whale Watchers Men's, PCH@ $245 $2,646

Sa 12:30P-Into Action, 20456 LCR $202

Sa 5:00P-Silence is Golden, 428 Park Ave $40

Sa 6:30P-Beginners Q & A, 20456 LCR $84

Sa 7:00P-Beginners, 31872 PCH $390

Sa 8:00P-Night Spkr Mtg, 20456 LCR $483

Sa 8:00P-Living Sober Spkrs, 428 Park $150

LAGUNA HILLS ^ ^

Su 7:30P-Legacy Grp, 23802 Ave de la Car $150

Mo 5:30P-Hit It Hard, 23802 A D Carlotta $100

Mo 6:00P-(W)'sDisc, 23802 A D Carlotta $666

Tu 7:00P-(M)'s Stag, 23802 A D Carlotta $550

Tu 7:30P-(W)'s BBStdy, 24566 Ashland $70

We 7:00P-Get Happy 12&12 Stdy, A D C $54

Th 12:00P-(W)'s B/B Study, 23181 Verdugo $70

Th 7:00P-Sober Ladies Candlelight Disc. $130

Sa 7:00A-Warmer-Upper, 23802 Ave de la $490

Sa 11:00A-Acceptance Grp, 23802 Ave de $120

LAGUNA NIGUEL ^ ^

Su 5:30P-11th Step Meditation, 30111 Nig $197

Mo 7:00A Morn (M)'s Stag B2B, 30071 Ivy $780

Mo 5:30P-What's The Purpose Mens, 30111 $240

Mo 8:00P-12&12 Stdy, 30111 Niguel Rd $191

Tu 7:00A-Tues Morning (M's) BB/SS, 30111 $164

Tu 6:00P-(M)'s Disc/Munch L N Reg Park $149

Tu 7:30P-Book Stdy, 30111 Niguel Rd. $77 $287

We 7:30P-Book Stdy, 30121 Niguel Rd. $75

Th 7:00A-Th Morn Men's Topic Disc,30111 $100 $501

Th 5:30P- Mixed Meditaion Practice, 29102 $140

Fr 7:00A-Back to Basics Men's, 30120 Town $1,395

Fr 7:00A-Men's Fri. Morning Disc., 30111 $100 $400

Fr 10:30A-(W)'s Disc., 30071 Ivy Glenn $120

Fr 7:30P-Here & Now, 24360 Yosemite $790

Sa 8:30A-Men's Meditation Practice, 30111 $60 $60

Sa 6:00P-Candlelight Disc, 30121Niguel $51

LAGUNA WOODS ^ ^

Dly 7:30A-Do It Sober, 24442 Moulton $114 $3,509

Mo 7:30P- Nite SS Grp, 24442 Moulton $100

We 1:15P-(W)'s BB Stdy, 24351 El Toro $197

Fr 10:00A-Top/Hill Gang, 24252 El Toro $120 $300

LA HABRA ^ ^

LAKE FOREST ^ ^

We 7:30P-Back To Basics, 23262 El Toro $60

Th 7:30P-Mustard Seed SS, 23262 El Toro $100

LA MIRADA ^ ^

LAS FLORES ^ ^

Sa 7:00P-Mission Spkrs/Water District $70 $465


Contributions continued from page 8

LOS ALAMITOS ^ ^

Th 7:30P-(W's)Cover/Cover, 3352 Katella $30

Su 4:00P-Happy Hour Disc., 4388 Katella $321

MISSION VIEJO ^ ^

Daily Saddleback Valley Grp, 23166 Los Alis $200 $1,800

Mo 7:30P-Mon Night W's S/S, 26052 Marg. $203

Mo 7:00P-(W)'s Book Stdy, 26558 Marg. $214 $430

Tu 7:30P-Design for Living BB, 26558 Marg $105

We 9:30A-(W)'s, 26051 Marguerite Pky $483

We 8:30P-Missionaries Disc, 26558 Marg. $760

Th 9:30A-(W)'s 12 x 12, 26872 Estanciero $120

NEWPORT BEACH ^ ^

M-F 2:00P-Nwprt Nomads, 414 Old Nwprt $400

Dly 6:30A-Jumpstart Disc, 414 E. 32nd St. $160

M-S 6:30A-Round Disc, 414 E. 32nd St $500

M-F 6:30A-Chicken Coop Round Table, 414 $468

M-F 6:45A-Attitude Adj, Bayside Dr (Yacht $854 $4,823

M-F 12:15P-Shark@Aquatic, 1Whitecliffs $259 $2,380

M-F 5:30P-Fish Out'a Water, 414 E. 32nd $561

Su 7:15A-Men's Closed B/B Study, 798 Do $180

Su 9:30A-Sandy Survivors, On/Beach $492

Su 11:30A-Here and Now, 414 E. 32nd St. $180 $180

Su 7:00P-Primary Purp Grp, 1 Whitecliffs Dr. $390

Su 7:30P-Spkrs, 414 E. 32nd St $500

Mo 7:00P-Women's Book & Step Study $276

Mo 8:00P-(M)'s Disc, 301 Nwprt Blvd $120

Mo 7:45P-(W)'s Beg Disc, 301 Nwprt Blvd $250

Tu 6:00P-Dover (W's) 12 & 12, 798 Dover $150 $419

Tu 7:00P-(W)'s B/Stdy, 2414VistaDelOro $509

We 6:00P-Castaways Men's Stag, 798 Dov $100

We 6:00P-Men's, 414 E. 32nd Street $1,838

We 6:30A-BB Topic Disc, 5001 NP Coast $123

We 7:30P-Wed Night (M)'s, 2401 Irvine $2 $52

We 8:00P-Recovery Radicals, 301Nwprt $490

Th 7:30P-Balboa Spkr Grp, 414 E. 32nd $250

Th 8:00P-Moorehead Podium Call Up, 2401 $500

Fr 12:15P-(M)'s Closed Group Disc, 414 $67

Fr 7:30P-Misfits, 414 E. 32nd $495

Fr 8:15P-Creative Sharing, 414 E. 32nd St. $104

Sa 8:00A-Easy Risers, 2100 Mar Vista $280

Sa 8:00A-Castaways Men's, 798 Dover Dr. $140 $711

Sa 9:15A-Step Study, 5101 Alton Pkwy $167

Sa 11:00A-Participation, 414 E. 32nd $140

Sa 8:30P-Hoag Hut Spkr, 301 Nwprt Ave $150

ORANGE ^ ^

Dly 7:00A-Early Birds, 812 Town&Cntry $205 $1,621

Dly Vrs-Orange Friendship mtgs, 2191 Oram $100

M-F 5:30P-Tustin Rush Hour, 1800 E. La Ve $150 $390

Mo 7:00P-(W)'s Step Stdy, 161 Orange $50 $113

Mo 7:30P-Beg Disc, 705 W La Veta $219

Tu 12:00P-Discussion, 2191 Orange-Olive $50

Tu 7:00P-(W)'s Keep It Simple, 1310 E Wa $99 $597

Tu 8:30P-The Loft, 1001 N. Main St. $223

We 11:15A-Chapman & Lewis Mtg., 4201 $550

We 12:00P-Crawl/No One, 2191 Orang $119 $119

We 7:30P-Alkies Only, 1800 E. LaVeta $55 $55

Th 7:30P-777 (M)'s Stag, 395 S Tustin $200

Fr 7:00P-As Bill Sees It, 161 S. Orange $90 $180

Sa 10:00P-Candlelite Disc, 2191 Orng $100

PLACENTIA ^ ^

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA ^ ^

Su 7:00P-Old Time AA 12&12, 30605 Fl $440

Mo 7:00P-(W)'sSta/Sober, 30382VCD $140 $280

Mo 7:30P-Charter(M)'s, 30605 Ave de la Fl $90

Tu 7:30P-Old TimeAA BB Stdy, 30382 VCD $94 $397

M-F 6:30A-Att & Grat, 30605 Ave D/L Flores $240 $1,855

We 7:30P-RSM StepStdy, 30382 VCD $272

Th 7:30P-11th Stp Spt Disc, 30162 Tomas $378

Fr 7:30P-Roads End Part, 30322 VCD $60 $60

Sa 10:30A-(W)'s BB Stdy, VCD $315

SAN CLEMENTE ^ ^

Dly- Groups, SC Friendship CTR,929 Calle N $395 $2,675

Su 7:30A-What's Good… 929 Calle Negocio $220

Mo 7:00P-N.O.I. (M)'s, Camino Capist $140

Tu 6:00P-SOS(W)'s Disc, 190 Ave La Pata $226 $608

We 6:00P-12 Steps & 12 Traditions, 929 Calle $30

We 7:00P-Doheny Group, 35522 Cam. Capist $473

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO ^ ^

Dly 6:00A-Taking a Trip, 21891 Camino Capist $1,059

Dly Various- San Juan Meetings $455 $4,808

Su 5:00P-1 Hr Top Disc, 27514 C Arroyo $280

Tu 6:00P-(M)'s Stag/Munchies, 32202 Del Ob $567

Tu 7:00P- Hear Here Part, 27514 C Arroyo $239

We 12:00P- High Noon Men's, 27122A Paseo $210

We 6:15P-Speaker Disc Group, 27112A Pasea $1,196

We 7:30P-BB Stdy, 26283 Shadybrook $50

Th 9:30A-(W)'s Back 2 B B/S, 27122A Paseo $180 $391

Th 5:30P-Men's Meditaition, 27122A Paseo $70 $245

Th 6:00P-Do The Steps, 32202 Del Obispo $880

Th 7:30P-(M)'s Q & A, 32202 Del Obispo $96 $1,320

Fr 11:30A-(W)'s B 2 B Grapevine, 27122A Pa $53 $168

Sa 9:30A-AA Pamphlets Revealed, 27122A Pa $36 $101

Sa 6:00P-Around 40's Disc, 32222 Del Obispo $77 $466

Sa 6:00P- Keep It Simple, 31473 Rancho Viejo $50

SANTA ANA ^ ^

Su 7:00P-Big Book Study, 1764 S. Main St. $50

Mo 6:15P-(W)'s 12X12,1207 E. Fruit St. $77

SEAL BEACH ^ ^

Mo 7:30P-Seal Bch Spkrs, 500 Marina Dr $774

Tu 7:00P-Drunks are Us, 148 10th St. $166

We 7:30P-(M)'s SS, 8th & Central $200 $545

Th 6:00P-Ladies Power Hour, 148 10th St. $120

SILVERADO CANYON ^ ^

Th 7:30P-Fireside Disc, 27641 Silverado Cyn $43

SUNSET BEACH ^ ^

Su 7:15A-Sober Sunday Sunrise, 16865 PCH $60

Su 9:00A-Sober On/Sand, End of 16th St. $60 $210

Su 11:00A-Inner Peace Group, 16865 PCH $200 $290

Su 5:00P-Sundowners, 16865 PCH $113

Su 7:00P-11th SS, 16865 PCH $70

Tu 7:00A-Disc, 16865 PCH $300

Tu 6:00P-Disc, 16865 PCH $100

Th 5:30P-(W)'s Meet, 16865 PCH $60

Th 7:30P-Participation, 16865 PCH $120

Fr 7:00A-Disc, 16865 PCH $222

Fr 12:00P-Disc, 16865 PCH $90

Fr 6:00P-I Never Had It So Good Mens, 16865 $97

Sa 7:30A-Disc, 16865 PCH $146

Sa 9:15A-Lucky 13, on the beach @ Broadway $120

TUSTIN ^ ^

Dly 6:00A-Foothill Early Risers, 19211 $1,325

Dly 6:00A-Attitude Mod, 1221 Wass $253 $2,130

Tu, Th, Sa 12:00P-Brown Baggers, 600 6th St. $228

M-F 12:00P-Alkies Winners, 555 W.Main $726

M,W,F 12:00P- Spiritual Experience, 14402 S. $143

Su 9:02A-Podium, Spkr,Q&A, 18341 Lassen $1,020

Su 7:00P-Sober & Crazy Spkrs, 1834 Lassen $241 $1,093

Mo 9:00A-(W)'s Unity Grp, 14402 Prospect $130

Mo 7:30P-Mens Crosstalk Mtg., 330 El Camino $100 $400

Mo 6:15P-Tustin (W)'s 12X12, 1221 Wass $90

Tu 12:00P-(W)'s 12 & 12, 19211 Dodge A $79

Tu 7:00P-Tustin BB Stdy, 225 W. Main $120 $460

Tu 8:00P-Steps 1-4, 1201 Irvine $190

We 7:00P-(W)'s Solutions, 19211 Dodge $90 $237

Th 7:00P-12 Steps & 12 Trads, 225 Main $21

Fr 6:30P-It's in the Book, 222 W. Main $1,645

Sa 7:30A-Tustin Acceptace Meeting, 225 W. $515

Sa 8:00P-Visiting Spkrs 18341 Lassen Dr. $342

VILLA PARK ^ ^

Dly 7:30A-24 Hour Book Grp, 17855 $92 $466

WESTMINSTER ^ ^

Mo 7:30P-12&12Beginners, 15750 $90

WHITTIER ^ ^

UNLISTED GROUPS ^ ^

Santa Ana Step Study $265

Anonymous Groups $36 $42

Royal Hawiian Mens, HB $250

Ernie's Book Study $125

Women's Meeting, Laguna Beach $76

Keep It Real, SJC $150 $150

Sun & Mon Outright Mental Defecti $37

Mo Men W/Feelings $100 $200

Tu 7:00P-Old School AA-Orange $25

We 5:30P-Look at the Book $40 $150

We 8:00P- 12 & 12 Study, Industry $100

Th 5:30P-(W's) B/B Study , Fullerton $5

Tustin Women's 12 & 12 Study $40 $80

Mo 5:30P- B/B Tape/CD Study $401

Sa AM Seal Beach $210

Saturday Seal Beach AM Meeting $83

WANDERING GROUPS ^ ^

Sa 7:00P-Orange County Wandering $30

Tu 6:00P-Wandering Step Sisters $175

Tu 6:00P-Chicks on the Run $366

We 7:30P- Rolling Men's Stag BB $100

We (W)'s Wandering-South County $101 $691

MISC. DONATIONS ^ ^

OCCO Change Can $44 $258

Satellite Office Change Can $35 $58

OCAAC $3,800

Intergroup Meeting $32 $349

Laguna Beach 4th Step Workshop $126 $511

Men's Banquet 2014 $1,022

Desert PowWow $1,000 $1,000

PERSONAL DONATIONS ^ ^

Anonymous $120 $4,949

Unknown Ck# 458 Receipt# 8802 $65

Alexander A., San Clemente $1,000 $1,000

David S., Irvine $22

David C., CDM $96 $96

Frederic B., Newport Beach $100

James M., Lake Forest $40

James M., San Clemente $20 $20

June L., Irvine $75 $300

Kathleen S., Newport Beach $50

Linda L. , Lake Elsinore $200

Michael K., Trabuco Canyon $1,190

Rodger & Annette F. $75

Vaugh G., Long Beach $70

Virgil N., Costa Mesa $800

Wanda R., Huntington Beach $20

IN LOVING MEMORY ^ ^

Memorial to Stewart P. of Tustin $25

Memorial to Tigger M. of Dove Ca $10

Memorial to Heather E. of Hunting $555

Memorial to Forrest O. of Dana Point

from the Gator Group $300

GROUP INFORMATION RE-QUESTED ^ ^

Receipt #8286 CK#914 $71

Receipt #8433 CK#s5145625&26 $210

Receipt #8450 CK#14-840836993, $98

Continued on page 10


Huntington Beach 7:00 p.m., Saturday HOW Hall Saturday Night Lite Speaker Meeting 19092 Beach Blvd. #G & H Contact: Bill G. 12/06 Faye S., Cypress 12/13 Don R., Huntington Beach 12/20 Mark T., Lake Forest 12/27 Cameron L., Stanton

Huntington Beach 7:00 p.m., Thursday HB Speakers Meeting 7751 Glencoe Ave His Place Church Contact: Kevin B. 12/04 Richard W., Huntington Beach 12/11 TBA 12/18 Kimberly H., Anaheim

Orange 8:00 p.m., Friday Friday Night No Puffers Community of Christ Church 395 S. Tustin Contact: Joey P. 12/05 Jill H., Newport Beach 12/12 Abel G., Orange 12/19 Chino G., Corpus Christi 12/26 Sharon B., Anaheim

Orange Sunday Night Speakers of Orange 7:00 p.m., Sunday 1800 E. LaVeta Ave Contact: Manny A. or Johnny C. 12/07 Charlotte, Santa Ana 12/14 Terry B., Buena Park 12/21 Paul R., Iowa 12/28 Johnny C., Garden Grove Rancho Santa Margarita 7:30 p.m., Friday Road’s End Participation As Bill Sees It Topic Discussion Speaker the last Friday of the month 30322 Via Con Dios Lutheran Church @ Santa Margarita Pkwy & Ave de las Flores Contact: Sharon

Santa Ana/North Tustin 8:00 p.m., Saturday Saturday Night Visiting Speakers 18341 Lassen Drive Fairhaven & Esplande (Prentice School) Contact: Glenn H. 12/06 Paul M., Corona 12/13 Tisha M., Compton 12/20 Wess W., Laguna Hills 12/27 Susan H., Tustin 01/03 Phil G., Newport Beach

01/10 Nancy H., Laguna Woods 01/17 David F., David Point 01/24 Lydia D., San Juan Ca-pistrano 01/31 Phil F., Tustin 02/07 Aaron H., Garden Grove 02/14 Triisha W., Westminster 02/21 Richard M., Laguna Hills 02/28 Lynsey H., Tustin 03/07 John D., Long Beach 03/14 Chris W., Orange 03/21 Tim H., Long Beach 03/28 Juli B., Costa Mesa

Santa Ana/North Tustin 7:00 p.m., Sunday Sober & Crazy Speaker Meeting 18341 Lassen Drive Fairhaven & Esplande (Prentice School) Contact: Karla W.

Santa Ana/North Tustin 9:02 a.m., Sunday Podium Participation Speaker Meeting & Q & A 18341 Lassen Drive Fairhaven & Esplande (Prentice School) Contact: Mary S., Mike R. or Vince D. Please submit speakers by the 15th of the month to [email protected]

January 23-25, 2015 21st Annual, Gratitude Weekend Highland Springs Resort 10600 Highland Springs Avenue Cherry Valley CA 92223 www.hsresort.com Alcoholic Women Only May 15-17, 2015 34th Annual H & I Conference Wih Al-Anon Participation Holiday Inn 14299 Firestone Blvd. La Mirada, CA http://socalhandi.org/ Events and meetings listed on this page are listed here solely as a service to our members, not as an endorsement by the Orange County Intergroup Association of Alcoholics Anonymous or the Life-line Committee.

Group Contributions continued from page 9

Receipt #9005 ($40.45) $40

Receipt #8962 CK #95285 $63

Receipt #8455 CK Grp.128302 $60

Receipt #8508 CK #1007 $27

Receipt #8534 CK #14399981 $70

Receipt #8552 CK #247 $106

Receipt #9104 CK #1156 $380

Receipt #9553 CK #17-083894478 $98 $98

Receipt #9554 CK#17-083894477 $70 $70

Receipt #9288 CK#110973 $230

Receipt #8340 CK#3399987 $18

Receipt #9384 CK#126 $50

Receipt #9259 CK#0025533964 $88

Receipt #9258 CK#5010 $100

Receipt #9257 CK#115 $379

Receipt #9331 CK#17-038554122 $105

Receipt #9430 CK#2272 $645

Receipt #9436 CK# 1927 $105

TOTALS $25,159 $180,924

Taking Inventory

When writing my inventory I am grateful to see the reality so that I may gain the strength and courage to be true to myself. Often times I live in a delusional world where I tell myself that things are good, or I convince myself it is going to change soon. I also live in fantasy where I make up how things are supposed to be and fight to control everything in my life. But when I look at the facts I can see that what I have is not what I want, it is causing me great amounts of pain, and I have the power to change it.

Once again I refer to the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity (serenity being a feeling of calm or peace) to accept the things I cannot change (my alcoholism and others), the courage to change the things I can (myself), and the wisdom to know the difference.

An inventory gives me courage (courage being the ability to do something that frightens me) and wisdom (wisdom being the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of ac-tion based on knowledge and understanding). I face the truth in black and white. Something happens when I write. In my head I can contin-ue the delusions and fantasy but as I write I start to see the truth from the false and I am shown what actions are needed next based on these discoveries. This is where I gain the wis-dom from the knowledge in front of me and the understanding with my sponsors help to recog-nize the right course of action. I then use my will and courage to follow this course. When I act through courage and wisdom I am brought into harmony with God, with other people, and with myself. My self-worth strengthens and I gain inner peace. A peace which I didn't think was possible.

-Your alcoholic friend

http://www.hsresort.com



ORANGE COUNTY INTERGROUP ASSOCIATION OF A.A.

Statement of Income and Expenses for Period Ending 10/31/2014 Unaudited

CALL FORWARDING: The call forwarding program insti-tuted by Orange County Central Office insures that our help line phones are answered by volunteers 24/7. During hours when the Central Office is closed, calls to the Central Office are forwarded to a call forwarding volunteer’s home or cell phone, where the volunteer answers the calls just as if he or she were sitting in the Central Office. This service allows the Central Office to realize a significant cost saving because we do not need to contract with a phone answering service. Even more vital, when a call is placed to Alcoholics Anonymous in Orange County, the caller will be talking to an Alcoholics Anonymous member not a phone service! This tru-ly is “front-line” 12th Step work and we would ap-preciate any time you can give. SHIFTS: Monday thru Friday shifts are 6am to 9am, 6pm to 9pm and 9pm to 6am. Saturday and Holiday shifts start with the 6am to 9am. The Central Office opens and covers from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays and Hol-idays. The phones are then forwarded to volunteers to cover the phones from 1pm to 4pm, 4pm to 7pm, 7pm to 10pm and 10pm to 6am. On Sundays shifts begin at 6am with the 6am to 10am, and continue with 10am to 2pm, 2pm to 6pm, 6pm to 10pm and 10pm to 6am. VOLUNTEERING: In order to volunteer for this service it is suggested that you have two years of sobriety. You must then arrange with the Central Office Manager in Santa Ana or the Satellite Office Manager in Mission Vie-jo for a brief orientation session which will be held at one of the offices. Shifts are available. Please call the Central Office at (714) 556-4555 or the Sat-ellite Office at (949) 582-2697.

“Alcoholics Anonymous, how may we help you?”

In Southern California, see Page 72 of our Orange County printed Meeting Directory for a listing of nearby Central Offices with phone numbers and web site addresses. For the rest of the U.S. and Canada, go to www.aa.org where you can locate Central

Offices by State or Province or Country.

Travelers without access to the Internet can call our Central Office (714) 556-4555 where a phone volunteer will look up a contact or meeting in any of the printed or on-line directories published by GSO.

October YTD

INCOME

Group Donations 23,818.43 171,251.27

Individual/Fellowship 1,301.66 8,414.80

Literature Sales 13,067.71 128,581.54

In Memoriam 0.00 890.00

Birthday Donations 729.00 3,143.65

Public Info Donation (Misc.) 0.00 0.00

Intergroup Donations 32.00 349.26

Interest Earned 4.02 47.24

Misc/Repaid Bounced Checks 0.00 677.77

TOTAL INCOME: 38,952.82 313,355.53

EXPENSES

Accounting 475.00 8,825.00

Auto Expense (all Mgrs.) 108.07 1,049.67

Credit Card Expense 152.90 1,602.41

Cash/Invoices OverShort -200.70 147.59

Insurances 686.42 3,910.68

Intergroup Expense 2,128.59 4,832.80

Lease Expense 349.87 3,498.70

Sales Tax on Lease 27.99 279.90

Maintenance & Repairs 0.00 288.95

Volunteers Coffee + Water 118.30 1,217.17

Offices' Supplies + Expenses 141.96 3,340.46

Postage 52.73 659.42

Public Info Expense 224.65 3,453.71

Rent Main/Satellite Offices 3,057.76 30,984.45

Salaries 9,288.22 96,343.56

Reimb. Health Insurance 230.00 2,300.00

Payroll Tax Expense 1,095.24 6,843.52

Taxes & Licenses 0.00 210.53

Telephone Expense 743.06 6,585.89

LIFELINE Expense 1,081.92 11,147.26

Cost of Literature Sold 11,473.67 108,809.67

Returned Checks 0.00 749.77

Special Events Expense 0.00 1,890.07

TOTAL EXPENSES: 31,235.65 298,971.18

INCOME/(LOSS): 7,717.17 14,384.35

http://www.aa.org


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A A S O B R I E T Y J P O W E R A Y

Sober Surfing There are many similarities between surfing and being a recovering alcoholic in A.A.. The recovery lessons I learn from both impress me. Nearing my 50th belly button birth-day, and having gotten sober at age 15, I've been at both a while.

To maintain recovery, I need to align my will with HP's will daily. When I do this as outlined in 11th step in the Big Book, I lineup my emotional and spiritual bodies with HP's will. I can handle whatever comes my way with grace and trust. Safe and secure in that sweet spot, I go forth with con-fidence. I'm at the right place at the right time for the right thing to happen. Same with surfing. At my home break, there is a sweet spot where the waves break best. Being a tiny surfer in a big ocean, it's easy to miss the spot, so I lineup with something. Because of the underwater topography, if I align myself so a particular palm is directly in front of a particular trestle I'll be in the sweet spot, and stoked when the sets come. Just as I'll be stoked to have a great day if I stay in that sweet spot with my HP.

Some days it's so easy to stay lined-up! One awesome wave after another, I'll paddle back to the lineup, and gaze through salt-fringed eyelashes to see another playful peak aiming straight for me. But other days it's not so easy. In the ocean, as in life, a current may drift me out of alignment. I can quickly find myself way, way off the mark. Some days re-quire constant paddling, constant work to stay in the sweet spot, yet other days I hang there with bliss and ease. Either way, I need to pay attention and take immediate action if I find myself drifting.

A beach I frequent has two staggered signs which face the sea: "O" and "K." Looking shore bound from the water, the signs read "OK," but they read "KO," for "Keep Out" if one drifts to the other side of the signs. I like to think of this as I'm spot checking my alignment throughout the day. Gener-

ally, my personal signs of drifting from "OK" to "KO" are restless-ness, irritability and discontent; thinking of myself, my plans and designs. If I feel protected and content, I'm in the "OK" zone. And here's another thing about that sweet spot: I need to lineup with an immovable source. If I lineup off of a person or an expectation, in the water or in recovery, I'm screwed. Even if someone is awe-some or they catch tons of waves, people will fail me; they have their own currents of life to tend to that have nothing to do with me. Their currents are between them and their own HP's. I may like them, but it's unfair for me to use them as a lineup. I get to take re-sponsibility and find my own source to lineup with, find my own sweet spot, my own "OK" and "KO" signs.

And to find and stay in that sweet spot, I need to balance my paddling with courage and serenity. Being sober takes courage. If I accept things because I lack the courage to change them, I'll paddle in circles. Often the courage to change a situation, say what needs to be said, do what needs to be done, is way more appropriate than the serenity of acceptance. My HP wants the best for me, and if something doesn't feel right, ( rather than doubt my feeling and accept what's causing it) my HP may be asking me to pad-

dle with my courage and action muscles. Right before "The Promis-es" it says "As God's people we stand on our own two feet. We don't crawl before anyone." I interpret this figuratively and literally, which takes courage. Therefore, I need to seek wisdom to balance my paddling with courage and serenity.

I could go on and on about recovery lessons learned in my two fa-vorite places: A.A. and the ocean. Both humble and empower me. When I'm on my board in the ocean, I'm just a tiny speck floating in a power way greater than me, yet I am part of that great force. Just like in A.A.- I'm just a tiny speck in a power way greater than me, yet me and my story are part of that great force! I am forever grate-ful for this awesome life A.A. has given me. Happy paddling, er trudging!

Lizabet L., Mission Viejo

july, 2014 a christmas story - orange county aa · · 2014-12-07a christmas story ththis past...

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