OklaBH

I know you guys will tell me if this is rude.....I enjoy my noon AA meeting. However I have 1 hour for lunch. I show up 10-15 minutes late. I have to leave at 12:45 in order to make it back to work on time. When I get there they have usually just finished reading "How It Works". I just feel bad when I have to leave. I do always wait for someone to finish sharing. I would never leave when someone was in the middle of sharing.

Actually today I made a friend there. She called me right after the meeting and asked if I wanted to do something Sunday. This is a weird feeling to me. For A LONG LONG time Ive lost friends not gained any.

Lenina

OKLA,

I used to go to a meeting that started at noon on a weekday. It was over at 1:30 pm. people came and went, I think everyone understood and there were never any hard feelings that I was aware of as long as there wasn't a big commotion. Some folks brought bagged lunches too. I was happy there was always a good turn out.

love from Lenina

desertsong

People are always coming and going in our meetings. Nobody thinks anything of it. A lot of people show up about 15 minutes after the meetings start because they've already heard "How it Works" and the 12 Traditions a bazillion times and don't feel the need to hear them again. People's schedules can be weird and they may have a limited amount of time they can be there. Our meeting is at noon, and a lot of folks come on their lunch hour so they grab a bite to eat first, come to the meeting a few minutes late, and then leave a few minutes early. No big deal.

I think it's wonderful you made a friend there today! This could be the start of something wonderful. Go for it and enjoy.

laurie6781

NO I do not think it is rude for that particular meeting.

Many noon meetings have gained the name of "The Brown Baggers."

It is a lunch time meeting, and folks do work. I too used to attend
a noon meeting also and would come late and leave early, and no
one seemed to mind as others did also.

Keep going, it is doing you some good.

J M H O

Love and hugs,

OklaBH

Im so weird....Im seriously worried about being rude to this group of people (which is a good sign) yet when I was drinking I offended the hell out of everyone!

desertsong

Nah, that's not rude. You're getting sober and getting out of yourself and thinking of others for a change. It's a whole new way of looking at things, isn't it?

OklaBH

Yes mam...its good to be happy

tomsteve

you are going to any lengths to get the help to get and stay sober. if your motives are right, then nothin wrong with it. sure hope you can find some after work meetings.

Zebra1275

Keep going to your noon meetings. Your sobriety is more important than someone being miffed that you showed up late.

OklaBH

YEP--we get off an hour early on Friday so Im going then. Im kicking around hitting up my old home group on Saturday...nervous because of all the crap I pulled...whats the worst that will happen? Will they throw me out? Ive been thrown out of places before...just not sober

sugarbear1

Why not share about how you are feeling when the time is available? That way you aren't holding on to it. You don't have to nor do you have to say it more than once. Just a thought....

CarolD

I'm pleased you are starting to find new friendships..good for you..

Each time I drank again...I did go back to my first HG..and was met with nothing but the supportive hand of fellow AA-ers.
Walk on in....you earned your chair...

BTW...I asked my boss for an extra 15 minutes for lunch
explained why and it was granted....no big deal at all.

OklaBH

Thank you carol. I didn't realize u ever went back to drinking. You're very inspiring. I believe I will go saturday-im pretty xcited. I missed them

CarolD

I wear no AA halo ..I stumbled along too.

I lost track of how many times I returned to drinking.
But each time I did...it was for a shorter period and
I kept my destination in mind...

Not until I began working the Steps did I find solid recovery.
I was an AA member who took 5 years to earn a 1 year medallion

desertsong

What Carol said ...

There is no judgment in AA. Each and every person in the rooms has earned their chair. No one can judge because we've all done the same things .... some even worse. I was in and out of the rooms for 3 years before my sobriety finally stuck. Every time I went back out, then went back in and picked up my umpteenth desire chips/30 day chips/60 day chips ... blah blah blah ... I received nothing but support and encouragement. Alkies are the LAST people to be judging other alkies. I am among my fellows when I'm in those rooms and it's where I belong.

FlyerFan

Not rude at all, a lot of people do that. At least you're making a meeting and not making your job an excuse. I commend you for that! great job.

babycat

Wouldn't bother me!

Kablume

I have made a few good friends this way. We now have a group of women who get together on Thursday for a meeting and then do lunch afterwards. It is amazing what this program can do for us! Why not give it a try?

keepfinding2

That's perfectly ok. I've had to do the same thing many times, but I did so while someone was sharing. Many of us do have time constrains and more important things to do. Work, deadlines, errands etc... Don't feel bad about it.

aNewEternity

"the only meeting you're ever late for is your first one" -AA slogan I picked up in Ithaca