Zufrieden

Oh God.... that was me last May. After dispensing sage advice to many of you I drank the rest of the summer
So embarrassing but a step on the way I guess.....
Jonathan

Thumpalumpacus

I stopped attending my first group precisely because texting is accepted in meetings.

I know what's important to me.

Tommyh

I always leave my phone in the car.They ask us to "refrain from texting so as to not disturb the meeting" at almost every meeting here now

Bunny211

My sponsor trained me to leave my phone in the car. When I first started working with her I brought it into a meeting she was chairing. I had set the alarm on my phone because I planned on taking a nap and skipping the meeting. At the last minute I decided to go. I put my phone on vibrate but forgot to turn off the alarm. In the middle of her share my alarm went off. She shot daggers out of her eyes. OMG. She never said anything to me...she didn't have to. From then on I left my phone in the car.

Totally agree on the 2 week sober person dispensing advice. Cracks me up every time.

I really learn a lot at meetings. I love the old timers who have seen and heard it all. Some of them have been through some crazy **** in sobriety and stayed sober! That's what I love to hear. I stand in awe at some of them. Like, your wife and baby were killed in a freak sailing accident and you stayed sober?! HOW did you do that? Give me your wisdom! I really want to be like a sponge...absorbing as much as I can from meetings.

CousinA

I sponsor a guy who is always playing with his phone. I call him out when he does it at meetings and he gives me the look which is fine. He can look all he wants Anyway, I suggested he do some service and he's chairing a step meeting where one of the pre meeting announcements is something like "please refrain from texting. If you feel you must please step outside...". Priceless!

-allan

Fly N Buy

I have iBooks on my phone which holds several AA related books - also I will pull up daily reflections if that is the topic used for the day. So, while I don't text I do find it useful to reference the literature during the meeting at times - not always, but at times.

35 years of drinking did a number on my brain......my remeberer is not what it use to be.........

Perhaps some of what is perceived as phone distraction would be revealed as engagement of the topic in some instances.

.02 cents.........

Ken33xx

We use the daily reflectons to kick off the meeting at my home group. I read along on my cell phone where I downloaded the book.

I don't text during a meeting but if someone starts babbling on and on I check my messages.

I'm hardly a BB thumper and I'll listen to just about anything as long as the person is respectful of the group.

Unfortunately, some members even those with a lot of time can't recognize when the room is no longer listening.

Soberpotamus

I use my smartphone for reading as well, and for checking emails that might be coming through about work related things. I use my smartphone for work and have tons of books on my Kindle app on the phone. Just because someone has a phone in hand, doesn't mean they're 'texting.'

If someone ever called me out in a meeting for a having my smartphone in my hand, I'd probably have an equally sharp reply back. And then I'll ask to see the rule that states I'm unwelcome in the room because of it.

MIRecovery

In most of the meetings I attend phone use is not permitted and this fact is announced at the beginning of the meeting.

I find phone use of any kind to be disrespectful to the group and individuals. There is almost nothing in my life that can not wait an hour. There is nothing more important than my sobriety and being fully engaged at a meeting is one of the tricks in my bag that keeps me sober

Ken33xx

When I attend any meeting I set my phone to vibrate and not ring. If I attend an afternoon meeting and receive a call I leave the room and listen to the message. The same with an email: I need to read it and will do so during the meeting. If a group has a problem with that I'll find another meeting.

Soberpotamus

I would never take or make a phone call in a meeting. I set mine to vibrate as well. If I have my head down toward my desk or seat, I could be reading a print book or an ebook on a smartphone. There's no difference. Same principle. And I am disturbing no one in doing so.

48heath

All the meetings I attend ask that mobile phones are turned off,or put on silent.

I have rarely seen anyone use one in a meeting,unless they are on call with their work.

SoberCAH

I leave my phone in the car, mostly because I fear being the person who lets his or her phone ring in a meeting.

When I go to continuing education seminars (for my line of work), I turn my phone off to be respectful to the presenters.

stevieg46

Yeah Awuh I have come across a few wise sharers guys/gals who only usually come in when they can add to the meeting or being subtle but getting the point across usually hitting the intended target , and it makes it worthwhile if the target is teachable .

Regards Stevie recovered 12 03 2006 .

CousinA

In the case of the guy I sponsor he's texting or playing a game, That's a huge difference between reading the ebook version of the BB or 12x12 during a literature meeting. I do that.

The phone thing is interesting. I'm a busy guy, run my own business and have an 86 year old parent who needs some help. I'll check an email or text during a secretary break or before the meeting begins. I don't do it during the sharing part of a meeting. I see it as a matter of respect to others in the meeting. If I'm too busy to be there then I should be someplace else. If someone is someone at an AA meeting is trying to stay sober then they deserve my attention.

In the group that makes the announcement to please step outside, the "rule" is their group conscience voted on at their business meeting. I would say it differently but it's not my group.

-allan

Soberpotamus

That's all understandable, Allan.

The Clubhouse I attended didn't have that rule, so maybe that's why all this rule business about smartphones sounds silly to me.

Plus, I'm an adult and I act like one. I tend to *know* if I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing. I don't need rules on a wall to tell me this, unless it's very specific things that I'd otherwise have no clue about it.

I have never used my smartphone excessively in a meeting, and I've never done so disrespectfully toward a speaker. I use my smartphone before the meeting starts, when my anxiety level is very high. I do this in order to calm myself down so that I don't jump out of my seat and run out the door. It's therapeutic.

Bunny211

It doesn't bother me when people use their cell phones in a meeting.

Soberpotamus

Me either, Bunny. I really couldn't care less what other people are doing.

dox

I must admit: it bothers me.

But, why should it?

Thanks Bunny.

With regard to people seen at AA meetings:

What about the small man who always sits in the back by the door.
When he shares it will usually be the last share; I don't know why.
He does not boast.
He sometimes shares about his drinking and where it got him.
He is not proud.
He shares openly about his problems and how they relate to alcoholism.
Then he shares how the programme has, or will, help him with his problem.
He no longer speaks disparagingly of others . . .
not even his ex-wife.
He sometimes says: "I'm sharing this for me."
He always gives credit to those that came before him when recalling their wisdom.
He is always one of the first to greet the newcomer and give out his number.
He sits by the door after all.
He is kind.
He has sponsored many.
He has 25 years himself -- this time.
I am never afraid to ask him what may be a difficult (or dumb) question.
He always listens patiently to what I have to say.
Then, if appropriate, he will share something similar that happened to him and how he dealt with it.
He will not hesitate to admit he was wrong or admit mistakes he has made.
If he hasn't got any experience that might help me he will say so.
Then, if he can, he will refer me to another member who may be able to help.
He is humble.
Although he wears old tweed, he is a shining example.
I am better off having known him.
He is not my sponsor.
He remains . . .
anonymous.

Ken33xx

As long as the phone is set to silent mode and they leave the room if they need to take a call I say fine. The same with checking messages or texting. It's really none of my business. I find it annoying when members babble on, or share about something unrelated to recovery or parrot the BB/AA platitudes but I've learned to live with it. It all comes with the territory.