Area G AA Sydney Australia

Area G covers Sydney's Eastern Suburbs beach suburbs, with little Bay and Maroubra in the South to Watsons Bay in the North and includes Sydney City, and urban wilds of the Inner West all the way out to Harris Park. While geographically not the largest area in Australia, Area G is one of the most d
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Rusted on Reflections

DEALING WITH UNWANTED ADVICE

Nikolaus Rieth - Delegate June 19, 2014

Dear Rusted on Reg

I learnt through experience that too many people who shouldn't be giving advice, give advice on all sorts of things that they have little-to-no idea about. With your many years in recovery, what's the best way you have found to tell an older member thanks, 'but there's no way I want your advice, you crazy person'?

Sincerely,

Redheaded service-junky.

Dear Redheaded Service Junkie

I like the cut of your jib.  Not many people would think to ask a person who claims to be over 127 years sober and is widely regarded as "mad as a cut snake" for advice about how to respond the unwanted advice of a crazy person, but I think in that beautifully mystical and counter intuitive kind of way, you have come to the right place. 

As you know I am something of a visionary, which is why I was headhunted to be on the Festival of Daring Ideas committee.  As a visionary I have certainly had my own challenges and misunderstandings.  Let's face it many would describe me as having quite a few roos loose in the top paddock.   Naturally in my 127 years of continuous sobriety I have met my fair share crazy people in our little fellowship.  I have also met many profoundly wise people.  Often they were exactly same people on different days. 

Some years ago I moved to Byron Bay to escape the narrow minded judgmental folks in Sydney who failed to appreciate the attractive quality of a clothing optional meeting.  Granted Roseville Presbyterian Church may not have been the best choice of venues and the full contact greeting made some feel a little uncomfortable.  I hoped that in Byron Bay I would find people for whom naturism and AA went together like dolphins and UFOs, and to my delight that's exactly what I found. 

One day I was watching a St Paddy's day parade going down Jonson Street with my friend Painter Dave, an artistic genius and gifted Reiki Master, with an unhealthy obsession for the punt.  Parades in Byron Bay are always colourful circus of crazy and lots of fun.  Freak flags are in full flight everywhere you look.  After a while Dave remarked "Byron Bay is like a giant open air insane asylum".   I laughed and nodded in agreement, then I in a moment of clarity, I realized I was there too.  It gave me pause.  

I trust that has answered your question Redheaded Service Junkie.  However if all else fails remember "talk to the hand" trumps everything. 

Kind regards

Reg

 

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Area G AA Sydney Australia

Area G covers Sydney's Eastern Suburbs beach suburbs, with little Bay and Maroubra in the South to Watsons Bay in the North and includes Sydney City, and urban wilds of the Inner West all the way out to Harris Park. While geographically not the largest area in Australia, Area G is one of the most d

Festival of Daring Ideas

Our founders were men and women who were willing to try and fail and learn through the process.  We believe we have a responsibility to continue the process of trial and error, change and growth, so that AA continues to be relevant to new generations of people who need the solution we have found.   

In that spirit we are trying something new. The Festival of Daring Ideas will feature some of the inspiring things people are doing in AA and will be a wonderful opportunity to meet some of the hard working and remarkable members who are out there making a difference at every level.  You will get to meet face to face with members of the General Service Board, Eastern Regional Delegates, International Delegates, and National Office staff.  It will also be a celebration of the local heroes who make a difference in every day ways.  They run local steps groups, put on dances and events, put out their hands and welcome new members at the door, pay the rent and keep the doors open, creating the welcoming and attractive fellowship that is AA. 

The overarching theme of the festival is unity. 

Most of all we hope that the festival will be a celebration of what we in AA are doing well and will inspire a new generation of AA members to pick up the torch and find their own ways of carrying our common solution to those who need it. 

AA is yours.  We hope you will take ownership, make your own mistakes, learn from them and create a fellowship that you want to be part of.   As one of our elder statesmen, Rusted on Reg says: “It is better to ask forgiveness than seek permission”. 

The festival program will include:

·      Entertainment

·      Social media workshop

·      Innovative local initiatives making a difference

·      What is happening in AA in Australia and internationally

·      The great debate, and much more

The Festival of Daring Ideas is happening at North Sydney Leagues Club on Saturday 6 September from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.  The internationally renowned Cabaret AA will be on in the same venue following the Festival. 

It should be lots of fun.  Hope you can be there.