ERNIETWANG

Well my first AA meeting was good. I was a tiny bit nervous at first but fell right in with everyone. I feel like it was a very positive experience. Wish I had of done it a decade or more ago. I'll be back there on Monday.

BoutDamnTime

Why not tomorrow? There's nothing wrong with a daily dose of reality from people who've been where you are. I just had my 2nd meeting in as many days. It helps immensely.

24hrsAday

Yep.. i Went Almost Every Day My First Two Years Sober!

RobertHugh

Good for you Ernie, but if you're at all like me, you've got a constantly present disease that needs constant treatment.

You don't want to have too much time without contact with other alcoholics. It makes it very hard to stay sober.

swag2

The AA meeting in Columbus Georgia , was it the same as ours in the midw
est , I mean do they have the 12 steps and tradition sheets and everyone takes turns reading them then the daily reading then the how it works talk and then an intro for new people then the passing of awards then a topic or a speaker then the offering then its over ? I was at Ft Benning numerous times and never even heard of AA then. I was just wondering?

Swag/Jbro

LexieCat

I find almost every AA meeting/group I attend is a little bit different. I go to some where they pass out sheets for the Twelve Steps and they are read by whoever has them, and I go to some where it's read by the same person who reads "How it Works".

It's actually up to each group how they want to set up their own meeting, though when I've travelled, I have noticed what seem to be some regional differences.

swag2

I would Imagine the meetings in Jersey could get a little wild but then your in south Jersey thats like in the country right? Nothing like the other side of the Hudson I imagine. Dont mind me Im just making conversation......Swag/Jbro

LexieCat

Heh,

Not exactly "in the country". Philadelphia is actually a pretty major metro area. I'm right across the river from Philly (Delaware River). There's countryside not too far from here, but there's countryside in North Jersey, too.

Just gotta know where to look.

RobertHugh

I live in farm country, New Jersey. But have worked in NYC most of my life. Yeah, some of the meeting traditions vary a bit, but you have to look hard. Oh, and in NYC, you've always got a good chance of seeing a celebrity. Not so much in rural NJ.

swag2

Well slap me silly , ya I remember Ft. Dix and Philly , It was my last few days of my first tour in the Army, Geez I was drunk and dont even remember how I made it back to StLouis. All I remember was me and a few other people wasted and swimming nude at the holiday inn next to the airport in Philly....Swag/Jbro

Snarf

Early in my recovery, I had to be at AA all the time. Like, for real. 11 meetings my first 4 days, 50-something in the first month I'd guess. Tapered off a bit since then, but I was in such bad shape that an AA meeting was the 1 place I knew for certain I wouldn't drink. And it was so wonderful to meet and talk to people with experiences very similar to mine, though I thought no one on Earth could come close to the crazy stuff I did. Heh.

Good for you, Ernie. Keep it up bro. If you're ever in the Atlanta area we have some great meetings around here.

CarolD

I started AA in D.C. (where I became an alcoholic)
moved to Pensacola Fl...relocated 13 years ago to Jawja.

I've also traveled around ...so have attended AA in many places.

So....from city AA...to large town to village AA......
the meeting size has changed....the accent's and format's varied

Not once have I ever felt unwelcomed or uncomfortable....

I consider meetings classrooms for how to recover and live well.
These days....I usually go to 3 or 4 weekly.
Keeps me grateful and in emotional balance.

IMO....the more often you go...the quicker you learn.
Then you continue to share the joy...

augustwest

90 meetings in 90 days
sponsorship
home group
service work
STEP WORK!

It works if you work it!

DayTrader

what he said!!

I didn't do 90 in 90 but I can tell you this, sobriety was good for a number of weeks on meetings alone. I did no reading, no steps (unless I was at an aa table) - I just didn't drink (compliments of a SCRAM tether) and went to meetings. Then... almost all-of-a-sudden....the beast woke back up and started chewin' on my head. Thank GOD I had that tether on... not drinking and going to meetings stopped working.

Hit a lot of meetings and start looking for who you think "the winners" are - the ppl who seem to have GOOD sobriety, some time in, and seem happy. Start looking for them and sitting with them at meetings. Toss it out there that you're thinking about getting a sponsor... the "winners" will come-a-runnin'. Once I started doing "the work" (meetings, got a sponsor, worked the steps, lived the steps, helped others, etc) I started feeling better again... A LOT BETTER.