NoMoBeer

If you are interested, I am speaking at the Nu Hope Alano Club March 30th, at 11:00AM. (12313 NW Grand Avenue, El Mirage, AZ)

I put this out here for two reasons --

1. If you are local or in town visiting, please stop in, I would love to meet you.

2. If you have any suggestions, and have done this before -- HELP!!! I have never had to fill 45 minutes talking about my "stuff".... I don't have a great drunk-a-log, and am hoping and praying that I can just talk from the heart about my experience, strength and hope. I was thinking of writing notes, but I don't want to seem (or be) contrived.

Please pray for me, especially March 30th at 11AM Phoenix time -- that I will say something to touch the hearts of both the old timers and the newcomers, especially the newcomers...

Ken

zoomer

Good luck. You may want to write notes just to put your thoughts down on paper and not really use them up there when you speak. I never could "just speak" without thinking at the end of it all what I really wanted to say,so I write to remind myself. I do think all great speakers have notes of some kind even if they do not use them.

Rob B

Why don't you talk about the power of God in your life. How going through the steps gave you a spiritual experience that is now maintained by the disciplines of steps 10-11-12. Talk about the gift that you have been given and how your life has been recreated. That's what I talk about whenever I am asked to speak at a convention.

Tazman53

Ken do not worry about a drunk a log, simply qualify yourself!

What I mean about qualifying your self is to share enough of what it was like out there drinking for another alcoholic to know you are an alcoholic.

Some drunkalogs are amusing, some are shocking, but in the long run that is not what the newcomer needs to hear. If they are an alcoholic they need hope, they need to know there is a way out of that damn hole!

Give them just enough of a drunkalog to where they know it is one alcoholic talking to another.

Then tell them what happened, what led you to your bottom, let them know that you know what that hopeless feeling is, if they are in that room then they know that as well, you need them to know that you to have been at the bottom of that hole with no appearant way out.

Once you have qualified yourself as an alcoholic by telling them what it was like, and have told them of what happened..... your bottom, then you hit them with what every one is there for............. HOPE!

Tell them of how you recoevered, tell them how life is today!!!!

We all know how to get drunk, we all know that feeling of hopelessness, we all need to know how to recover, that is what gives us HOPE!

I have spoken a couple of times, I turn it over to my HP with a prayer just before I speak, I speak from the heart and it just comes.

I will not be there in person, but in spirit I will be, it may help you to do a very general outline of what you would like to say, but try and let it flow from your heart, pray and trust in your HP, have faith, the words will come and they will be the words that someone in that room will need to hear to either stay sober or to get sober.

Try to think about what you needed to hear when you first walked into the rooms, didn't you want to hear HOPE!, I sure did because I was feeling pretty damn hopeless.

Emimily

i will be praying for you... how exciting! the only "advice" i would have is to relax, invite god to speak through you, and talk to your family just like you would at a meeting.

my mom always told me there are 3 talks you give: the one you plan, the one you give, and the one you wish you'd given. have fun and good luck!

laurie6781

Ken, keep it simple. What it was like (the oblivion, the desperations, etc). What happened (what triggered you finally to get help) and

What it is like now....................................how it was in the beginning, what started happening as the fog cleared, how you changed, and where you are now.

Then right before you go up there give it all to HP and let HP's words come out of your mouth.

The time will go quick.......................focus on some folks that you know like you are talking just to them in a coffee shop.

I know you will do GREAT. Prayers and good thoughts winging their way to AZ from NM.

Love and hugs,

collinsmi

I truly regret I won't be able to make it Ken!

My sponsor gave me 2 bits of advice:

1. Pray beforehand that you give a helpful talk

2. Get sober halfway through

You communicate very well through your keyboard, I think you'll have no trouble at all giving a good talk. Have fun!

Barto

I’d just make a minor adjustment to what Laurie suggested. Talk about what “you” were like, what happened, and what “you” are like now. I actually "might" be able to make it. Let me look up El Mirage.

Astro

Ya know Ken, it's a long drive but I just might try to make it. It'd be great to hear you speak.

I agree with what Taz shared, nobody really needs to hear drunkalogs cuz we've all been there in one way or another. What I really appreciate hearing from a speaker is hope, a good message, and what worked for you.

I think you'll do great, and in the event I don't make it I'll be praying for you!

mike_mass

Just tell the truth