Sup pals! So my cousin hit 30 days yesterday. Woohoooooooo, right? Well he told the secretary at the meeting (as bill sees it) he was at last night and she said “we don’t do 30 day tokens at this meeting”. He a said she was kind of bitchy about it too but that’s neither here nor there. She said they only give 90 day tokens. My cousin said he heard this at another meeting he goes to also
Now, I’ve been to A lot of meetings and I have never heard such a thing. I’m kinda pissed about it. It is our fcking job as AA members to reach out to the Newcomer. It’s our duty to encourage them and celebrate them if they are succeeding. To help them up if they are not. No matter what! Helping Newcomers is what helps US stay sober. It helps the person with 2 days sober to see someone get a 30 day chip. Shows them it can be done!!
Well someone forgot all this I guess. Someone decided that they were tired of seeing newcomers take 30 day chips. Someone decided that they themselves were more important than the newcomer. That their time was more important. And it pisses me off!! Lol
30 days is a BIG freaking deal! I couldn’t go 30 waking minutes without a drink. 30 days was unimaginable to me. So that is why I still carry my 30 day chip with me. The same chip that I WILL be giving to my cousin at my meeting on Sunday
K, rant over. Lol. Just wanted some opinions. Is this me upset cuz AA is functioning the Gabe thinks it should? Is it geographical? Have you ever heard such a thing?
This is not the normal for most of the meetings I chase. This isn’t you wanting it your way either IMO. I do go to one meeting that only stocks 24hrs, 30, 90, 180, 270, 365, 18mo and multiple years. But to not acknowledge 30 days is new for me. I feel 30 days is a huge accomplishment and should be celebrated. But to play devils advocate a bit here too. Maybe it is an expense that they had to make a group conscience decision on? I would think 30 would be a big one but. So just express how proud you are and the fact you know how hard it is!
Yea that is kinda weird. I live in DC and I got to a lot of meeting that ONLY give out chips to newcomers. They acknowledge over a year, but only give out chips up to one year. I keep these with me at all times. All those one months are from the five meetings I went to the week I got to one month…
Due to my schedule, I attend three groups in a week, and occasionally four, with one being my primary group of at least four days a week. I have not seen anything less than a 90 day chip at my primary and nothing else until the one year chip. At the others, I haven’t seen anything other than yearly anniversaries. There have been no 24hr or 30 day chips in any that I have heard about.
in all my years sober never had a chip not big here in scotland , got cards, still got the first pramble card i got at my first meeting still in my wallet a bit faded now lol everyone have agood day
Good stuff guys. Thanks for your input. I have 2 meeting halls I go to in the same city. They both have meetings all day and night. They both have every type of meeting so I have not had to venture out to other places for my meetings. It’s one stop shopping.
So I get that it may be different in other cities. It also is prolly gonna be different for a meeting that only meets at a church or something once a week. They don’t have the literature or tokens for purchase.
So yeah, I guess I get it. My haunts supply 30, 60, 90 days. 6 month 9 month and 1 year and every year after. Tokens are $1.75 for copper and 2.75$ for brass. The meeting foots the cost of the token. Or you can buy one for your friends or sponcee from the counter. Just how I was raised. Lol.
Reguardless, my cuz will be getting a token from me
I think there is a philosophy about the first 90 days being the most crucial and the hardest. I wonder if that is the issue. They really want each person to really get to that stage as a proof that you are serious. I’ve also heard a lot about 90 in 90. I think it is a valid policy (though, damit, I want a chip for every dame hour I am sober!!) but the rudeness about it is very … well, RUDE. It isn’t like wanting a 30 day chip is selfish. Thirty days is a HUGE accomplishment for any addict.
THB i also don’t get the chip thing even though I now carry my 90 day chip in my wallet. If you asked and I answered honestly, I can’t tell you why though.
Having been the only person in my primary group that attends regularly to make it to 90 since I started, IDK how it all is supposed to work. What mattered to me was that one of the people went out of their way to make sure I got the chip and to give it to me in front of everyone. Their (and the groups) pride in me was what moved me and reminds me that I don’t have to do this alone.
Lol. I have never really liked taking a token. How the do it at my meetings is you go up to the front and somebody like a sponsor or a friend will say some stuff to the group about you and present you with the token. Everyone then claps and hoots and hollars and then you share how you did it.
It’s all very humbling and all that. I just don’t like being the center of attention. Lol. For my 60 day I told my then sponsor that I didn’t really care for the taking of the token. He chuckled, (like they tend to do) and told me that it wasn’t about me. That it helped everyone else in that room to see me getting a token. In a way, they had all helped to get me to that milestone. So really, the token was for THEM. And of course, for the newcomer. He said something like “do you think that I like going up there year after year to take that damn token? Fck no! I take it for the newcomer”
He went on to tell me that you always take 3 tokens for milestones. 1 for the newcomer. 1 for the meeting. And 1 for yourself. So like I said, just how I was raised.
Man if that is t the truth. I’ve done 90/90 three times now and it made me resentful. Not a good requirement if you ask me. But I didn’t write the book. However the book doesn’t say it either so…
Sorry…I didn’t mean to imply the 90/90 was a policy…I meant the no tokens before 90 days. Perhaps it is because they believe in a 90/90 but not that a person would have to DO 90/90. I also have no idea if this is WHY this meeting is not giving out a 30 day token, it was just a thought.
Agreed. I’ve been to a lot of meetings I didn’t really care for with no program focus at all and people seem to get upset if you mention the program, so I stick to the two groups I know I like now. We do 24 hour chips and 30, 90, 6 months, 9 months and a year. Getting my 9 months in two weeks I pray.
I have a bunch of coins for the meeting I run, I will mail you a 30 day coin my friend. That isn’t right. The first 30 days are one of the toughest we have to endure…
We have the white chip (or surrender chip), 30 day, 60 day, 90 day, 6 months, 9 months, 18 months(tweener chip we call it) and the blue 1-82 yr chip. I really like the chip system. My first 30 day was a way to get through and challenge myself to stick around and check it out. I took the challenge and liked what I found in AA. Stuck around for awhile longer and I intend on staying. Good for you giving him one on your own. He will appreciate that. It feels good to receive them.
