[Businessmtg] Archiving

[Sandie Parkker]

Hello Alls.  I have not been in these meetings for awhile. This is a great
topic I remember from awhile ago.    Some of the things I say may be
similar to what others have said and or thought.

I happen to enjoy many different ways to get the help I need from this
group and Alanon and looking at the archives is one of them.

I think it is ok to have archives of these email meetings available to all
members.  It is our meeting.  We are not dominated by authority here.
Trust me, before all of the current volunteers, this meeting was a h hole
with domineering, manipulative folks in charge.  This BM meeting seems to
have evolved past that period. It is like a breath of fresh air, for that I
am truly grateful and thankful for all of the willing volunteers to put
themselves forward here.

In any way shape or form, anytime someone puts something out on the
internet it is vulnerable to not being safe and that includes the daily
shares.  Past BM, reports, anything…….the information is out there,
regardless of when or who put their info out there.

The fact that people share on line here, is confirmation that they
recognize the risk of doing so. Everyone who shares here is basically
giving permission and is giving consent to all of the risk and exposure of
their private information. It is a choice.  My choice. I say this taking
into consideration:  "Everything that is said here, in the group meeting
and member-to-member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we
feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts for this is how we help
one another in Al-Anon."
 "The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as
confidential. Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of
your mind." ASP is internet country, not face to face.  Huge difference and
the freedom to choose.  Flavor to have choices.

I suggest, archiving is an added resource and comfort to know that I can
look up a topic or go back and look up something I have shared for
perspective purposes…..i can see how I’ve grown using the archive as part
of the program tools.  I don’t know about anyone else but I carry ASP
everywhere I go. Can't do that with face to face.  Alanon is a security
blanket for me, in all of its forms and resources and archives to keep me
healthy and on track.  I need program and my HP at all times and in all
forms 24/7/365.

As a new member from the seventies, I would have appreciated any archive
meeting content.  Maybe it would have helped me make different decisions
reading about real time people making real time decisions and mistakes they
learned from.

New members may not be as drawn to books and such as they are drawn to
email shares.  Personal preferences.

As far as other email groups go, I cannot speak to that regarding
archives.  However I know of F2F groups that archive meetings info.

The mere fact that I have a choice to go back to previous meetings and
archives of BM is helpful to my recovery.  Sometimes I would rather do that
than go to a physical book.

ASP’s archiving is a unique resource that is available for how ASP chooses
to practice our group program as individuals within the group.  This email
group.  It is like a time capsule…….I like time capsules, without stopping
to camp in the past.......

I recall one particular member in my early ASP years.  I go back and look
at those emails……the recovery road that person shared in this group was
very profound and impactful to my recovery as are all of the daily shares
and all of you.

I am in favor of keeping the archive.  It is one aspect of security in my
 life, that helps me continue to cope with growing up with the disease of
alcoholism.

Grateful member,
Beverly