The purpose of our Intergroup is to more effectively reach the sex addict in the Orange County area who still suffers.  We meet the second Thursday of each month from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Albright Room at the First Methodist Church of Costa Mesa, 420 W. 19^th St., located at the end of the 55 Freeway across from Triangle Square.  At 6:00 p.m. we share snacks and fellowship, followed at 6:45 by the business meeting.  If you can’t make it, meeting minutes are published on our website.  All SAA members are welcome.  We are still a young organization and want your ideas!

Don’t Miss the Retreat, Coming Right Up!

The Orange County Intergroup of SAA is sponsoring its third retreat on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at beautiful Mariners Church, 5001 Newport Coast Drive, Irvine.  The second floor of the Life Development Building will be ours for the day, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  The agenda focuses on several of the 12 Steps and includes:

8:30-9:30      Light breakfast
9:30-11:45    Morning activities with breakout session and more
11:45-12:45  Lunch
12:45-5:00    Afternoon activities with breakout session, panel on sponsorship, burning desire shares, and more
5:00-5:30      (optional) LifeLine presentation from ISO

A light breakfast and full lunch are included in the cost of $25 per person.  Register and pay at http://ocisaa.org using PayPal, or send a check to OCISAA, P.O. Box 12424, Costa Mesa, CA 92627.  Indicate “Retreat” on your check.  Some Intergroup representatives are also accepting cash payments to bring to the next Intergroup meeting.  A few scholarships are available to those who can’t afford the fee.  In order to plan for food, early registration is strongly encouraged.

Bring a pen or pencil and a notepad or paper.  If you have a refillable water bottle, bring it; we will have large bottled water containers for refills.  Since details are subject to change, you may check for updates at our website:  http://ocisaa.org.  You may also call Matt S at 424-216-6967 for more information.  Join your fellows for an amazing day of recovery in a safe and serene setting.  See you on the 24th!

My Share

Each month, we publish a personal but anonymous story of recovery.  Stories should be written in the first person (“I”); speak from your experience, strength, and hope; and be limited to approximately one typewritten page.  Please submit your story to ocisaa.newsletter@gmail.com.  We may edit submissions for reasons of space, clarity, and appropriate language.  Here is this month’s story:

Being Holistic and How It Works in My Recovery

The Free Online Dictionary defines “holistic” as “emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts,” and “concerned with wholes rather than analysis or separation into parts.”

I didn’t know what “holistic” meant when I moved to California some 33 years ago.  You see, I did not know what was going on with me at the time I arrived here.  I thought I was some freak of nature.  It was not until about 10 years later that I realized I was addicted to pornography.  I attended a sex addiction recovery group meeting, and it was actually quite a relief to learn there were others like me.  I stayed with the group for about two years but then went on my own for about 15 years, acting out along the way.

Eventually I began seeing a psychiatrist, who recommended SAA.  It has done wonders for me.  I now have friends in the fellowship along with a sponsor who I’m in contact with routinely.  I also work the steps and make phone calls along with volunteering for service positions at my meetings.

Along with being much more spiritual, I have also learned to practice being holistic.  I have gone from being an isolationist to a more sharing and caring person.  I look at nature as a guiding light as to how life should be lived – how all the pieces interact and integrate as a balanced whole.  I’ve learned that neither self-gratification nor love of money yield a purposeful and meaningful life.  In fact, they work against it.  Mental and physical health, fellowship with friends and family, volunteering to help others (giving back what I have learned and can still learn), and of course a new-found deep appreciation for spirituality, have taken over in all I do.  By practicing and combining all of these attributes of life in a holistic way, I can see all of the positives in living a purposeful and meaningful life on a daily basis.  I no longer feel depressed and unhappy.  I truly feel a part of the natural world of love and life.

Announcements

New Meeting Room for the Orange County Intergroup

Beginning September 12, the Orange County Intergroup will meet in a different room – the Albright Room – at the same church.  Turn right down the hall toward the restrooms, but keep going straight ahead into the Albright Room.  As the old song goes, “See you in September!”

Fun Through Fellowship

A little bird whispered into the editor’s ear that our Fun Through Fellowship activity in September may be a tour at beautiful Bowers Museum in Santa Ana.  We’ll let you know if the little bird was accurate; but meanwhile, you may want to consider attending if this is the place.  It’s a first-rate museum with special exhibits.

A Few Intergroup Representatives Still Needed

If your meeting still lacks an Intergroup rep, please tell your secretary that you need one.  For more information, contact us at ocisaa.inreach@gmail.com.  We highly recommend you find someone to fill this service position.

A Note to Event Promoters and Organizers:  For those requesting announcements to run in our newsletter, please use the following format – and order – as much as possible:
Who:  Are you a committee (of the Intergroup, for example), or an individual SAA meeting group, or another type of organization or individual?
What:  Is this a workshop, breakfast, retreat, or another type of event?
Title:  What is the name of your event?
When:  Give the date and starting and ending times of your event.
Cost:  What is the suggested contribution, or is it a set fee, or is no one turned away for lack of funds?
Description:  In a sentence, or several sentences, say what is unique or especially appealing about your event.
Where:  Event address, along with any cross-street info or parking tips you think are important.
More Info:  Who to call for more information?  List a telephone number, email address, and/or website.
Please give us as much lead time as possible, and note that submissions are subject to editing for clarity and space.

SAA Meeting News

New Meetings:

Sunday, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Closed, mixed
United Methodist Church, Room 2
13000 San Antonio Dr., Norwalk, CA 90650
Contact Eli R. (714) 650-0132 or Gary H. (562) 882-0729, email eliminatorfundeck24@gmail.com

Monday, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Women’s SAA Book Study Meeting:  reading & sharing on the SAA Green Book; general open sharing
Open to women only
Costa Mesa Alano Club, 2040 Placentia Ave., Costa Mesa
For more information call Lori, 949-444-1554

Monday, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
AA Big Book Study – bring your AA “Big Book” for this SAA meeting
Open – Mixed – Newcomers (newcomers RSVP 6:45)
Valley Alano Club, Room 107, 10980 Arrow Route, Rancho Cucamonga 91730
Across White Oak from Post Office
For more information call Dexter, 909-218-0502

Changes:

New location—
Tuesday, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Mixed/Closed/Step/Tradition/Topic
Formerly held at Novus Mindful Life Institute, 6695 E. Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach
Moved to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 370 Juniper Ave., Room 104, Long Beach
South of 4th Street at Carroll Park North
Enter parking lot off Carroll Park North
For more information call 949-478-5617

Two meetings have suspended operations until a new location is found—
Monday and Wednesday, 12:00-1:00 p.m., Men Only/Open/Book Study
Formerly held at 23151 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Woods
Call Scott, 949-547-3412 for updates

Orange County Intergroup Officers and Committee Chairs

Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern. — Tradition 2

Chair:  Thomas P., ocisaa.chair@gmail.com
Vice Chair:  Ron R., ocisaa.vicechair@gmail.com
Digital Communications:  Neal B., ocisaa.digicom1@gmail.com  (Assistant:  John R., ocisaa.digicom2@gmail.com)
Inreach:  Greg R., ocisaa.inreach@gmail.com
Outreach:  Steven C., ocisaa.outreach@gmail.com
Literature:  Ron C., ocisaa.literature@gmail.com
Treasurer:  Brian A. (Vice Treasurer:  Carol M.), ocisaa.treasurer@gmail.com
Secretary:  Vacant, ocisaa.secretary@gmail.com (Want to be of service?  Who will answer the call and write the notes?)
Parliamentarian:  Vacant (Are you interested?  Do you know a little about Robert’s Rules of Order?  Then volunteer!)

Website

 If you have ideas or suggestions for the website, please contact our Webmaster, Neal B., at ocisaa.digicom1@gmail.com.