I would like to request starting an email based meeting for our members (One for OLGA and one for OLG-Anon) I've taken the liberty to start the Google Group to allow us to view what I have in mind. If the group totally disagrees with having such a group, I will remove it.
My hope is that we can give our members a feel for what a "meeting" can do to help our recovery process. It could be argued to simply post a new meeting on the boards, and I agree that that could be done. Having recovery emails from like minded members in my mailbox is an idea I'd like feedback on.
Hi, I take it this would be like a yahoo group? If so, I see no reason not to try this out. It is important to reach as many people as possible, using whatever techniques and tools are at our disposal. Heck, if somebody wanted to start an OLGA Twitter feed, or an OLGA Facebook or MySpace, I'd like that too!
Jane in CT
I am dubious about this. I saw your "invitation" on google and viewed that as "promotion" of the website.
We "attract" not promote members, so I feel your process may be against our traditions, but other may want to join in on this thread.
"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative." --W. Clement Stone
Hi Oki,
I couldn't see what the parameters of the group looked like, and when I searched google groups very quickly it didn't come up for me. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong.
FWIW, AA e-mail groups do operate online, for much the same reason as you are interested in starting this group. I have ample face to face meetings to attend, so I haven't ever kept up with an e-mail AA group, but I would be interested in trying something like this.
I need to set up a separate identity though, as I don't like having this attached to my personal e-mail. This will sound bizarre--I think I have a lot less to lose by coworkers, etc finding out I'm a recovering alcoholic, than if it becomes known I'm a recovering gamer. Do to the nature of my work I think it opens up too much liability for my employer, and I'd like to keep my job!
Can't comment on the attraction vs promotion until I see how the group is listed, etc. since much of that can be changed with rewording things.
Cheers, Desire to Stop
ALL quoted text (unless otherwise stated) comes from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (with wording sometimes changed only to make it more relevant for gaming addiction). I will include page numbers.
Hoping & praying for a measure of recovery for all of us today.
I've locked new members without an invite from joining the group at this time untill more feedback from the board is made.
My opposing view is that this request is not to "attract" rather to facilitate further recovery in another format.
okicajun, although I am quite familiar with the features of this site such as the forums and on-line meetings, I have never used Google groups (as well as Yahoo! or other such groups). For those of us like me, I would greatly appreciate you briefly telling us how Google groups work, in particular how you envision using your newly created group as an adjunct to what this site already offers. Thanks.
- John O.
[em]Carpe Diem![/em] (Seize the Day!)
The only thing I envision, that this site does not do, is create the ability to share in a format similar to face to face meetings through email. Google groups can make this occur. If a member so chooses, they join the Google group. A member can start a discussion, which I like to call a meeting topic, and all other members can reply via email, to share. That is all I envision; a way to send email between members that choose to do so, daily or weekly topics that each other creates.
To calm fears, a disclaimer can be placed there to inform all that the Google Group is not endorsed by OLGA/OLG-Anon. The example disclaimer can read:
This group has neither been approved nor endorsed by and is not affiliated with OLGA/OLG-ANON.
Then you would not be using the Olga/Olganon incorporated & copyrighted name, in any way?
"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative." --W. Clement Stone
I have removed the site to create a properly named group. I look forward to continued discussion as needed.
Other sites must have permission (or are using without permission) to use the AA or Al-Anon names on their respective Google Groups.
Hello Okicajun, Thank you for the suggestion and for offering to do that. I do belong to the Everquest Widows yahoo group, which operates in the same way that you speak of. All communication is sent through the e-mail. That is where I started. OLGA/OLG-Anon is an organization not just a group. We offer many tools, (the website is just one of them), so members can have more than a letter going back and forth. We are a community where people can come and have a safe place to change their lives forever, if they choose. We meet on-line whenever we like and stay for as long or as little time as we like. We have many topics from 7 years, that can easily be browsed, rather than the format that the groups have. The google and yahoo groups are fine in their own way. We really need our members to join together and unify here, rather than separate. Would you consider starting an on-line meetings here? Tradition one is so important for our survival - 1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OLGA / OLG-Anon unity.
We need you here, okicajun. I believe we do have an option on this board, that you can be notified by e-mail if some one responds to your comment. Is that correct, webmaster James?
Thank you again, okiajun. I hope you will consider being a meeting group leader here.
Sincerely,
Liz W.
Liz Woolley