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meditation · 09-30-2009, 03:03 PM

I have a question about the chip system in AA. Okay I picked up my year chip in NA and it was no big deal. At the end of the meeting I got the keytag. But I also go 50% of the time to AA due to the strong years of sobriety in AA and I hope to hear something about experience and things I don't always get in NA due to the high relapse rates in NA.

Okay then. I talked with an oldtimer about 3 weeks back about the process to get the year chip in AA. He said just tell the chair you are going to get a year medallion. Fine. I tell the chair (different oldtimer than one I talked with 3 weeks back) today I had a year yesterday and would like to get my chip today if possible at the end of the meeting.

His response was that I had to have a formal process going on to get the medallion. I had to have somebody present the chip to me. So I said well I would have to plan another day then to get the chip.
And that the chip was not for me but for the newcomer to see that a year chip could be earned. I said to the chair well geedarn, that's great and everything but I was really looking forward to this chip and I really worked hard. I think it's great that the newcomer gets the experience but I really thought the chip was about earning a milestone.

I had never heard about this chip problem till today and frankly, now I don't want a chip. It seems a big deal to pick it up and I don't like a circus production around this. I had a very small wedding back 25 years ago and everything in my life has been on a small scale. I don't want a production out of this. I just want to get the medallion like I got the other ones along the way, no fuss, just a nice feeling, now I feel sort of yucky about this whole thing and I am content to just have my keytag from NA. I doubt I will ask again for the medallion. My question is ..... is this a normal process? Can't a person just get one and who is this chip for? The milestone earner or the newcomer? I don't have any resentments, just sort of resigned about the thing.

09-30-2009, 03:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
meditation Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,967	Chips issues I have a question about the chip system in AA. Okay I picked up my year chip in NA and it was no big deal. At the end of the meeting I got the keytag. But I also go 50% of the time to AA due to the strong years of sobriety in AA and I hope to hear something about experience and things I don't always get in NA due to the high relapse rates in NA. Okay then. I talked with an oldtimer about 3 weeks back about the process to get the year chip in AA. He said just tell the chair you are going to get a year medallion. Fine. I tell the chair (different oldtimer than one I talked with 3 weeks back) today I had a year yesterday and would like to get my chip today if possible at the end of the meeting. His response was that I had to have a formal process going on to get the medallion. I had to have somebody present the chip to me. So I said well I would have to plan another day then to get the chip. And that the chip was not for me but for the newcomer to see that a year chip could be earned. I said to the chair well geedarn, that's great and everything but I was really looking forward to this chip and I really worked hard. I think it's great that the newcomer gets the experience but I really thought the chip was about earning a milestone. I had never heard about this chip problem till today and frankly, now I don't want a chip. It seems a big deal to pick it up and I don't like a circus production around this. I had a very small wedding back 25 years ago and everything in my life has been on a small scale. I don't want a production out of this. I just want to get the medallion like I got the other ones along the way, no fuss, just a nice feeling, now I feel sort of yucky about this whole thing and I am content to just have my keytag from NA. I doubt I will ask again for the medallion. My question is ..... is this a normal process? Can't a person just get one and who is this chip for? The milestone earner or the newcomer? I don't have any resentments, just sort of resigned about the thing.