Big Book – Chance for Change Workshop – Part 1 of 6 – 2008 – Myers R.

About This Speaker Tape

Chance for Change Workshop - 2008

A third-generation drunk from the Texas hill country Myers R. describes a life of mental obsession that kept him 'dry' for seven years while he remained a 'knife-wielding nut job' and a 'beast' to his family. He recounts the specific moment of clarity that came not from meetings but from a crusty old-timer named Cliff B. who demanded to see his Big Book and told him he hadn't been sober a single day. Myers R. argues that the fellowship has drifted into a 'therapy-based' model of sharing feelings about mother-in-laws which he believes kills the newcomer's chance at recovery. He advocates for a return to the 'common solution' found in the literature contrasting the high success rates of early AA with the modern 'batting 5%' reality where people sit in rooms without ever working the steps.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction: Myers R. introduces himself and his home group in Dallas.
• 5:15 Laughter: Story about Dougie's dangerous driving and the 'bloodbath' of certain phone calls.
• 12:40 The 'allergic reaction': Recounting the first time he drank in the Texas hill country.
• 18:20 The bottom: Arrested for trying to beat up a liquor store clerk after using a maxed-out credit card.
• 25:10 The 'dry drunk' period: Seven years of abstinence while writing hot checks and hating his life.
• 32:45 Meeting Cliff B.: The 'crusty' old-timer who demanded to see his Big Book.
• 40:10 The Common Solution: Discussion of the 'powerful cement' that binds alcoholics (Big Book p. 17).
• 52:30 Critique of the 'therapy-based' model and the danger of sharing non-AA content in meetings.