Mar 2014

Volume 34 - Issue 03
Ventura County Central Service Office Inc.
321 No. Aviador Street, Suite # 115
Camarillo, CA. 93010
PAID
Oxnard, CA
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Monthly Newsletter of the Ventura County Central Service Office Inc.
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FEATURES
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TRADITION
“Apart of—Apart from story
Let Go —Let God Story
PAGE - 2
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Birthday cake story
The Drinker’s Vocabulary
What’s your story?
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Living Step #3
Recovery Poem
A review of Tradition #3
Word Scramble Recovery Quiz
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The Grapevine Corner
The Humor Column
Office Announcement
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A.A. Birthday Club
Trivia Question Contest
Office Report
Staff and Contact Information
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Major Events Calendar
Monthly Local Event Calendars
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Office Manager Report
Financial / Expense Report
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“A Part Of” vs. “Apart From” as we change in AA
By Lena B., Camarillo
PAGE -1
RENEWAL
MARCH 2014
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
Visit Our Website.
Just want a meeting or
other A.A. information?
Check out the expanded
Ventura County website.
www.aaventuracounty.org
Ventura County Central
Service Office Inc.
321 N. Aviador Street,
Suite 115
Camarillo, Ca. 93010
24 Hour Telephones
(805) 389-1444 (800) 990-7550
Fax (805) 389-2912
E-Mail
vcaaco@verizon.net
A woman with short and spiky hair shared
at a meeting I recently attended while visiting the Bay Area. Piercings dotted her
lips and brows. Her tank top revealed
sleeve tattoos. Her belt was a chain. The
tone of her voice surprised me though
with its soft sweet sound. She said, ―I‘ve
always felt an inner war between ‗look at
me, look at me, look at me, and what the
*$%#$ are you looking at?‘‖
Those words immediately hit home and
found their way to my heart. Although her
appearance was the opposite of mine I
realized, in my blue jeans, bland top, conservative hair and nondescript accessories (to ensure I would blend invisibly into
the wallpaper), that I‘ve fought the same
inner struggle.
I desperately wanted to be a part of something but instead always felt apart from
the very thing I longed for but didn‘t feel
worthy enough to have.
Mostly I tried to convince myself that it
was my inner strength that made me
choose to go it alone; that I actually preferred to keep my distance. But I see now
that it was false bravado masking fear and
self-doubt, and that haunting feeling that I
did not fit in. I slinked around on the outside looking in when I secretly wished I
could be like those who seemed to glide
easily through life, comfortable in their
own skin, living and loving effortlessly.
Other times, when the need or desire to
be a part of something overtook me, it
was usually misguided. I would attract and
be attracted to other misfits, the walking
wounded instead of gravitating toward
something positive or healthy. I would
then sit in harsh and mocking judgment of
others who I secretly envied.
Now with the help of AA and my everdeepening relationship with my Higher
Power, I notice I am more willing and able
to connect and relate to healthy people,
places and things. Even those times that I
still find myself holding back, I recognize
that the only barrier is me, the bondage of
self. I keep getting stronger and accept
that any residual deep-rooted feelings of
shame or not-enough-ness are false, and
will continue to fade when brought into the
light of awareness.
At last I feel a part of something huge and
wonderful. Yes, it is the fellowship of AA,
but it‘s much bigger than that… I feel a
part of this Universe, connected to a power so vast, yet so close, I can‘t find the
words to articulate it. With my Higher
Letting Go, Letting God ...OR Sharing Compassion
Letting Go, Letting God. Feeling compassion for a friend in pain is a loving way
to respond. It softens the harsh edges of
reality for the sufferer as well as for ourselves. Trying to take away the pain,
however, is not appropriate. Each of us is
on a journey of experiences and opportunities that will help us grow and fulfill
God's plan for our lives. What we learn
from the difficult steps we have to take is
part of the plan.
It's not always easy to draw the line between showing compassion and trying to
solve a friend's problem. Some of us
have made it a practice to intrude on other
people's lives. Neither they nor we have
been helped by it. Learning how to maintain healthy boundaries between ourselves and others is part of our journey
today. Practicing this kind of compassion
will give us growth.
I will show compassion today by maintaining healthy boundaries and not intruding
on other people's lives.
Submitted by an Anonymous Member.
2
The Ventura County Central Service Office Inc. Monthly Newsletter
March 2014
March 2014
The Ventura County Central Service Office Inc. Monthly Newsletter
7
Nothing Lights Up a Room Like An AA Birthday Cake
By Mike H., Ventura
One of the things that impressed me
during my first year was seeing a man
take a cake for 22 years of sobriety. It
\was in a large room with about 500 people. He and the cake were at least
25 yards from me. The flame was
a sight. I remember thinking that it
looked like a blowtorch. That fiery
illumination showed me what 22
years really was. A few months
later I got my own first cake with
exactly one candle on it. That was
perfect because it represented just
how much sobriety I had, no more
no less. It was not belittled by
someone else‘s candles.
Since then, the number of candles
on those cakes has grown. Every 365
days one more is burning and I get to
stand up and thank the program and the
people that made it possible. Every year
the cake is a little brighter than the one be
fore and I hope it keeps going that way.
Of course, the only way to bring that about
is to continue not drinking one day at a
time—work the program, work with newcomers and do all those things that are
―suggested‖ that we hear all the time.
A few weeks ago, I was at a party
to celebrate a good friend‘s twentieth birthday. I was honored
when his wife asked if I would like
to help her in presenting him his
cake. We had the big sheet cake
between us as we went into the
living/dining room. Someone had
turned out the lights and suddenly
that small raft of fire between us
lit up the room. ―...and darkness
became light.‖ The symbolism
was perfect. My life was a thing
of darkness and sobriety has put light into
it. I want to go right on getting candles,
once every 365 days.
( Reprint of an article that previously
appeared in The Tradition )
The Drinker’s Vocabulary
DIFFICULT TO SAY
WHEN INEBRIATED:
— Indubitably
— Innovative
— Preliminary
— Proliferation
— Cinnamon
VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN
INBRATEDED:
— Specificity
— British Constitution
— Passive-aggressive disorder
— Loquacious Transubstantiate
DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY
WHEN INBRERIATED:
— Thanks, but I don't want to have sex with
you tonight.
— Nope, no more booze for me.
— Sorry, but you're not really my type.
— Good evening officer, isn't it lovely out
tonight?
What it was like!
What Happened!!
What it is like NOW!!!
What’s
Your Story!
We encourage our Tradition readers to share
their own experiences and recovery with other members with your personal 500 t0 600
word story. Maybe something that’s happened in recovery that may be helpful to others. Or an experience that happened that
shows how the program has worked for you.
It’s an effective way to help other members
who may be inspired by your story. Use your
name in the “By line” or be anonymous, it’s up
to you. It’s one-to-one sharing in print, any
time you want to read it. So start writing today, AND SHARE YOUR RECOVERY STORY!
E-MAIL Your recovery story to:
VCAACO@VERIZON.NET
My
Story
God Works in Mysterious Ways
I received a call the other day from a friend asking if
someone had turned in his cell phone. I told him
that we had not received it but that I would keep an
eye out. About 3 hours later, a woman called the
office and she seemed a little confused. She tentatively asked what number she had dialed and when
I told her that she had reached Alcoholics Anonymous she was certainly confused. She went on to
inform me that she had found a cell phone and that
the ICE (in case of emergency) contact phone number on the phone was our Central Office main number. Apparently she had hung up once before because she was surprised that she reached AA. As it
turns out, a few days before she realize that she
had to stop drinking and wanted to contact Central
Office for information – however she could not find
the will to do so. After speaking to her for a little
while about AA, I arranged to go over to her house
to pick up the phone and in return I give her a
meeting directory.
Jan 14
Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
Cash Over (Short)
Gratitude
Group 7th Tradition
2,591.93
Inventory Sales
8,694.94
Miscellaneous Contributions
25.00
Newsletter Subscription
10.00
Total Income
Cost of Goods Sold
Gross Profit
11,967.02
3,570.77
8,396.25
Expense
Computer
Copier
Credit Card Processing Fees
Freight and Shipping Costs
108.23
79.14
Office Supplies and Expense
244.28
Payroll EmployerTax Expense
840.41
Payroll Expenses
438.04
POS Inventory Adjustments
563.52
32.53
Rent & Triple Net
1,340.00
Salaries Expense- Part Time
5,378.00
291.58
Travel Expense-Auto
55.08
Utilities
99.82
Total Expense
Net Ordinary Income
Net Income
96.75
160.69
Telephone
Humbly in service,
Matthew
586.22
Maintenance and Repairs
Postage
God once again did for someone what they could
not do for themselves.
I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for
help, I want the hand of
Alcoholics Anonymous always
to be there. And for that;
I am Responsible.
645.30
Merchandise Sales
The phone turned out not to be my friend‘s and
when I tracked down the rightful owner she turned
out to be another one of our member‘s. When the
woman came into the office to pick up her phone
she was a bit frazzled for being without her phone
for the day, but was grateful that I picked it up and
tracked her down. When I told her the story of the
woman who called, she laughed and said if that
was the case she should lose her phone more often.
I AM RESPONSIBLE
(0.15)
10,314.29
(1,918.04)
(1,918.04)
This financial statement is the FIRST DRAFT. It is not complete but is included in the
Tradition Newsletter each month under the guidelines of the Ventura County Intergroup’s Financial Committee. Detailed information is always available at Central Office.
The FINAL REPORT can be obtained at the months IGR Meeting. “No financial information will be provided via fax or by electronic media.” The newsletter will be distributed
the second week of the month to enable the office to prepare a complete month end
statement.
6
The Ventura County Central Service Office Inc. Monthly Newsletter
March 2014
Wed 5th 6:00 pm District 13 GSR Meeting @ Ventura Center of
Spiritual Living @ 101 S. Laurel Ventura
Thu 6th 7:00 pm Inter-group Board Meeting @ Central Office
Traditions Workshop
Saturday April 19, 2014
11:30 –3:30 PM
Center for Spiritual Living
101 S. Laurel St., Ventura
Serenity by the Sea – Fundraiser
Saturday April 5, 2014
1:00 - 3:00 PM
Trinity Lutheran Church
196 N. Ashwood Ave., Ventura
www.vcaaroundup.org
Serenity by the Sea
29th Annual “Serenity by the Sea” Round-Up
May 2nd-May 4, 2014
Oxnard Performing Arts Center
800 Hobson Way
Oxnard, CA
www.vcaaroundup.org
Fri 7th 6:00 pm H & I Board Mtg @ Central Office
Sat 8th 10:00 am Newsletter Stuff and Fold @ Central Office
Sun 9th 12:00 pm VCYPAA Committee Mtg Central Office
2:00 pm Al-Anon VCAAC Committee @ Central Office
4:00 pm VCAAC Committee Mtg @ Central Office
5.30 pm H & I Committee Mtg @ Central Office
Wed 12th 7:00 pm Inter-group Meeting @ The Buck
321 N Aviador Suite 111, Camarillo
Tue 18th 7:00 pm GSR District 28 Meeting @
King of Glory Lutheran Church
2500 Borchard Road, Newbury Park
Wed 19th 7:00 pm Gold Coast Districts General Service Mtg
The Buck 321 N Aviador Ste 111 Camarillo
Thu 20th 7:00 pm District 24 General Service Meeting
United Methodist Church 2394 Erringer Rd
Rm # 10, Simi Valley
Sun 23rd 12:00 pm VCYPAA Committee Mttg @ Central Office
Mon Mar 17th Last day to submit items to the March Newsletter
The Ventura County Central Office
has listings and flyers of many other
AA related events in Southern
California and throughout the
United States.
Call 805-389-1444 or drop by to see us even if it’s only for a
cup of coffee.
www.aaventuracounty.org
The Ventura County Central Service Office Inc. Monthly Newsletter
Wed 2nd 6:00 pm District 13 GSR Meeting @ Ventura Center for
Spiritual Living @ 101 S. Laurel, Ventura
Thu 3rd 7:00 pm Inter-group Board Meeting @ Central Office
6:00 pm H & I Board Mtg @ Central Office
Sat 5th 10:00 am Newsletter Stuff and Fold @ Central Office
Sun 6th 12:00 pm VCYPAA Committee Mtg Central Office
2:00 pm Al-Anon VCAAC Committee @ Central Office
4:00 pm VCAAC Committee Mtg @ Central Office
5.30 pm H & I Committee Mtg @ Central Office
Wed 9th 7:00 pm Inter-group Meeting @ The Buck
321 N Aviador Suite 111, Camarillo
Tue 15th 7:00 pm GSR District 28 Meeting @
King of Glory Lutheran Church
2500 Borchard Road, Newbury Park
Wed 16th 7:00 pm Gold Coast Districts General Service Mtg
The Buck 321 N Aviador Ste 111 Camarillo
Thu 17th 7:00 pm District 24 General Service Meeting
United Methodist Church 2394 Erringer Rd
Rm # 10, Simi Valley
Sun 20th 12:00 pm VCYPAA Committee Mttg @ Central Office
Mon April 21 Last day to submit items to the May Newsletter
3
A Review Of Tradition #3
Living Step #3
“The only requirement for AA
membership is a desire to stop drinking”
“Made a decision to turn our will and
our life over to the care of God
as we understood Him.”
1-In my mind, do I prejudge some new AA members
as losers?
2- Is there some kind of alcoholic that I privately do
not want in my AA group?
3- Do I set myself up as a judge of whether a newcomer is sincere or phony?
4- Do I let language, religion (or lack of it), race, education, age or other such things interfere with my carrying the message?
5- Am I over impressed by a celebrity? By a doctor, a
clergy man, an ex-convict? Or can I just treat this
new member simply and naturally as one more sick
human, like the rest of us?
6- When someone turns up at AA needing information
or help (even if he can‘t ask for it aloud), does it really matter to me what he does for a living? Where he
lives? What his domestic arrangements are? Whether he had been to AA before? What his other problems may be?
When we decide that we want what other recovering members have found, and are ready to go to any lengths to get it,
we become ready to turn our will and our life over to a higher power. We learn that our life, prior coming to Alcoholics
Anonymous was filled with our vain attempts to control people places and things in order to run things by self-will. Our
best thinking got us to the point where we sought help by
attending AA meetings. Our lives were filled with disappointments and un-fulfilled goals. As we began to attend meetings, we heard from other members that their turning point
in recovery started with a ―surrender‖ to the fact that God
can do what we could not do by shear will-power. Many
thousands of recovering alcoholics have found that their
God is ready and willing to help them. All they had to do is
ask for God to come into their lives. Step #3 points out that
our Higher Power is one of each individuals choosing.
As the Big Book explains “God could
and would if he is sought.”
A Poem Of Recovery
By Dana M., Agoura Hills
God’s Care
Fri 4th
Woman to Woman 35th Annual Weekend
For Sober Alcoholic Women
May 30 - June 1, 2014
Mount St. Mary’s College, Chalon Campus
Bentwood, CA
www.WomanToWomanLA.org
March 2014
When will I quit demanding
For a life that just wasn’t meant to be
When will I pause and enjoy this great gift
That God created carefully for me
It took some years being sober
To notice a very important word
It sits in an honored position
But sometimes takes a while to be heard
The word is care
And I act unaware
That God wants
The very best for me
But making a decision
With my limited vision
Took more insanity
So off I went with
My entitlement and pride
Creating a mess
For a real bumpy ride
It was there in your share
I could then see God’s care
In His patience and tolerance with me
As my sponsor pointed out
My solution is always
When I’m living in step three
Find the following words in the puzzle below
Plus … How many “AA’s” can you find???
Twelve
Steps
Traditions
Honesty
Amends
Mental
T W
L
I
L
Obsession
Powerless
Suggestion
I
Willing
Admitted
Chips
N G N E S S
H R E A D M E N T A L A
I
P A A C K R
I
N G Y A
N O M D H H W T U M T B
K W E M
I
I
P T W E L V E V
E N
I
H O E S O S E
N R D T S M
I
M P E N I
G L S T A A H O Z R O T
A E B E E R
I
P N S H I
A S A D Y S T E P S L S
V S N O
I
S S E S B O O
S U G G E S T
I
O N A P
4
The Ventura County Central Service Office Inc. Monthly Newsletter
By Michele B. of Newbury Park
Twelve ways to use the AA Grapevine to strengthen
and insure your sobriety.
3. IT IS A “THOUGHT STARTER”
Looking for ideas that will help you make more effective AA talks?
You will find them month after month, in personal stories, interpretive articles and humorous anecdotes appearing in the Grapevine magazine.
At Wit’s End
Moonshine madness
FLOYD: ―Hello is this the sheriff‘s office?‖
DISPATCHER: ―Yes, what can I do for you?‖
FLOYD: I‘m calling to report my neighbor, Virgil Smith.
He‘s hiding moonshine inside his firewood! I don‘t know
how he gets it inside them logs, but he‘s hiding it there.‖
DISPATCHER: ―Thank you very much for the call sir‘‖
The next day, she sheriff‘s deputies descend on Virgil‘s
house. Using axes, they bust open every piece of wood
in the shed but find no moonshine.
They sneer at old Virgil and leave without a word.
Shortly the phone rings at Virgil‘s home.
FLOYD: ―Hey Virgil! This here is Floyd. Did the sheriff‘s
office come?‖
VIRGI: ‖Yeah, they did.‖
FLOYD: ―Did they chop all your firewood?‖
VIRGIL: ―Why yes, they did.‖
FLOYD: ―Happy Birthday Buddy!‖
Heard at a meeting
Order Your Own Grapevine Subscription
www.aagrapevine.org
Recycle Your
Copies of
The
Grapevine
The Grapevine is timeless! Articles written ten or twenty
years ago are still fresh and inspiring.
Central Office provides a box for collecting back issues of
The Grapevine. These issues are picked up by H & I and recirculated in institutions and jails. So . . .before discarding
your back issues, bring them in for use by another recovering
alcoholic! Recycle and help spread recovery!
March 2014
AMERICA’S FUTURE LEADERS
In one University civics class, the young adults
were discussing the qualifications to be president of the United States . It is pretty simple. The
candidate must be a natural born citizen and at
least 35 years of age.
However, one girl in the class immediately started in on how unfair the requirement to be a natural born citizen is. In short, her opinion was that
this requirement prevented many capable individuals from becoming president.
The class was just taking it in and letting her
rant, but everyone's jaw hit the floor when she
wrapped up her argument by stating . . . " What
makes a natural born American citizen any more
qualified to lead this country than one born by
C-section?"
HENRY FORD and the GOLDBERG BROTHERS
Interesting bit of history & info. AC in your car! Did
you know this????
The Goldberg Brothers - The Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioner.
Here's a little factoid for automotive buffs or just to dazzle
your friends..
The four Goldberg brothers, Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and
Maxwell, invented and developed the first automobile airconditioner. On July 17, 1946, the temperature in Detroit
was 97 degrees.
The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office
and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that four
gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in
the auto industry since the electric starter. Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their
car.
They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about
130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the
car off immediately. The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3
million for the patent. The brothers refused, saying they
would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition
by having a label, 'The Goldberg Air-Conditioner,' on the
dashboard of each car in which it was installed. Now old
man Ford was more than just a tough negotiator, and
there was no way he was going to put the Goldberg's
name on two million Fords. The haggled back and forth for
about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million and that
just their first names would be shown.
And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show -Low, Norm, Hi, and Max -- on the dash controls.
can hear your groans from here. Control yourself!........
I was sucked in, too!
March 2014
The Ventura County Central Service Office Inc. Monthly Newsletter
CELEBRATE YOUR AA BIRTHDAY HERE!
Celebrate your annual sobriety anniversary with us. To
participate in this tradition, just send in the form provided
in this column or submit it to vcaaco@verizon.net with
your Birthday information. Member’s birthdays submitted
will be published in this section the following month.
Join the winners and celebrate your recovery.
Feb 2014 and Previous AA Birthdays
Lorre S. - 1 Year
Simi Valley
Mary R. - 26 Years
Simi Valley
Q
5
MARCH QUESTION:
In what national magazine and in what year
did the Jack Alexander story appear on theAA program which greatly boosted the fellowship’s nationwide identity ?
FEBRUARY ANSWER:
A
The sobriety date of Bill W., the cofounder of the Alcoholics Anonymous
program is December 11, 1934
There were no correct answers submitted this month.
Good Luck!
Verlon M - 32 Years
Camarillo
Answers will be published the following month. Mail your answer to:
Ventura County Central Service Office Inc,
321 N. Aviador Street, Suite 115, Camarillo, Ca. 93010.
The correct answer will win a free one-year subscription to this publication. If the winner already has a subscription, a gift subscription
will be awarded to another member — winner’s choice.
Skip H. - 33 Years
Moorpark
Birthday Club Listing For:
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Ron B, Camarillo
Name__________________________________________
City____________________________________________
NEWSLETTER STUFF-N-FOLD GROUP
Friends of Bill W., Paul H, Rosalie, Don, Allison, Linda, Bill C,
Jessie, Eddie and Visitors
Sobriety Date ________________Years_____________
Voluntary Donation Amount $___________________
INTERGROUP BOARD:
Chairperson
Martin F. Oxnard
Vice Chairperson
Bob S.. Thousand Oaks
Secretary
Bob O. Moorpark
Treasurer
Vickie L. Camarillo
Member at large # 1
Wayne W. Ventura
Member at large # 2
Jan K. Ventura
Member at large # 3
Lynn Simi Valley
Please mail to:
Ventura County Central Service Office
321 N. Aviador Street, Suite 115
Camarillo, CA 93010
SPECIAL PAID WORKERS
Matthew C., Dick M.
Meeting Info
192
Twelve Step Calls
26
Other Twelve Steps Programs
16
Activities
3
Directions to Office
5
Other Type Calls
143
TOTAL
385
OFFICE VOLUNTEER STAFF:
Don B., Robert S., Peter M., Vickie L., Al B., Dora E.,
Azusa S., Mary J., Claudia P., Eric K.
Ventura County Central Service Office Inc.
321 N. Aviador Street, Suite 115
Camarillo, Ca. 93010
24 Hour Telephones
(805) 389-1444 - (800) 990-7550 Fax (805) 389-2912
E-Mail vcaaco@verizon.net
WebSite: www.aaventuracounty.org
Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday 9 am-6 pm
Saturday 9 am to 2 pm
CLOSED SUNDAY