My 12 Steps - an Online Journal

2007-04-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

BOOK SIGNING!!! MEET STEVEN FALES AUTHOR OF CONF...

2007-03-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

BOOK SIGNING!!!

MEET STEVEN FALES
AUTHOR OF
CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY

7pm - APRIL 11TH

At MY 12 STEP STORE
8730 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, Ca. 90069

Unflinchingly honest... an absorbing tale that, in the end, is less about a gay Mormon than about the universal human search for belonging. Mormon or not, gay or not, it’s something we can all relate to.

Steven Fales could have been the poster child for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church): Eagle Scout, international missionary, BYU graduate, married in the Salt Lake Temple, and father of a beautiful boy and girl. In his autobiographical book, Fales tells the captivating story of his failed attempt to overcome his "same-sex attraction" through "reparative therapy," which resulted in his divorce and excommunication from the Mormon Church. After his perfect Mormon world fell apart, Fales took his pain and confusion to New York City where he quickly descended into the gay underworld of escorting and drugs. Both touching and funny, Mormon Boy is a reclamation saga of a Latter-day prodigal son that ends in a moment of self-revelation that "hits us between the eyes like a shot with a two-by-four" (Chicago Sun Times).

THE BLEEDING DEACON

2007-03-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

2007-03-03T14:17:00.000-08:00

THE BLEEDING DEACON

2007-02-24T14:35:00.000-08:00

2007-02-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

My 12 Step Blog

2007-02-03T17:59:00.000-08:00

BOOK SIGNING
JOIN US AND MEET TODD CRANDELL
FEBRUARY 13TH - 4PM TO 5:30PM
At MY 12 STEP STORE
8730-B Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, Ca. 90069

BOOK SIGNING JOIN US AND MEET TODD CRANDELL FE...

2007-02-03T18:38:00.000-08:00

BOOK SIGNING

JOIN US AND MEET TODD CRANDELL
FEBRUARY 13TH - 4PM TO 5:30PM
AT
MY 12 STEP STORE

My 12 Step Blog

2007-01-27T17:04:00.000-08:00

MY 12 STEP STORE
MAKES YOUR SOBER VALENTINE'S DAY HAPPEN!!

Cupid is a recovered drunk. Not many people know this, but he's open about the fact that he's in AA. So he wanted me to tell you about the fantastic Valentine's Day Gifts here at my12stepstore.com.

If you want to make your sponsor smile with a gift that is different from anything he or she has yet received from a sponsee, then give him or her a pair of sober underwear! That's no bronze medallion!

Your sweetheart will love modeling a pair of these undies for you as well!

We also have two different types of chocolates for that Valentine with a sweet tooth. Our gold foil wrapped AA chocolate medallions are not only unique, they're delicious!

And then there's our fabulous 1/2 pound of assorted premium chocolates in an exclusive clear case that is sure to please that chocolate lover in your life.

Valentine's Day is about being of service to those special people in your life who you love. As you can see by our instore display pictured above, we here at My 12 Step Store believe in having fun in sobriety and we think that celebrating Valentine's Day (and all the love it represents) in a big way reflects the joy found in sober life perfectly. We hope you agree.

My 12 Step Blog

2007-01-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve can pose a problem for many people...

2006-12-29T18:42:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve can pose a problem for many people in recovery. Most of us are brainwashed into believing that if we aren't out "partying" on New Year's then we must be losers. Of course this isn't true, but try telling that to the little voice yakking in your head. Some cities have started hosting what is known as "First Night" events. These Non-Alcoholic events are wonderful alternatives to being engulfed by large crowds of the drunk and drug-crazed.

First Night Is…

a community celebration of the New Year through the arts. It is an alcohol-free, public celebration that marks the passage from the old year to the new with art, ritual and festivity.

Origins

First Night revives the ancient traditions of marking the passage of time in a present day context. It was invented by a group of civic-minded artists in Boston as a meaningful alternative to traditional New Year's Eve revelry. Offered to the city as a finale to its Bicentennial events in 1976, it was also the beginning of a new tradition that brought the neighboring communities together through a joint celebration.

Objectives

To recapture the symbolic significance of the passage from the old year to the new; to unite the community through a shared cultural celebration; to deepen and broaden the public's appreciation of the visual and performing arts.

Why Is It Called First Night?

New Year's Eve is a time for renewal and new beginnings. It is an opportunity for the community to look ahead collectively with hope and optimism and appreciate its common bonds. The name "First Night" symbolizes this forward look, over the technically correct words, "Last Night."

Each First Night Celebration is identified by the date of the New Year the event welcomes, e.g. First Night 1977, the first event in Boston. All cities that have a First Night Celebration observe this guideline.

Reasons For First Night

Cities, large and small, are searching for positive models in response to some of the complex problems of our times. Cultivating a sense of community, bringing together the family, revitalizing the downtown, developing audiences for the arts, decreasing alcohol consumption on New Year's Eve through a public celebration are objectives First Night cities share in common.

Since its inception in Boston in 1976, First Night has emphasized a nonalcoholic festival environment because of the long-standing association of New Year's Eve with excessive drinking. Think of all the graphics you have seen to illustrate New Year's Eve. Most show champagne glasses. The absence of public drinking has been key to First Night's success in attracting large numbers of people to downtown areas on a night when most people do not feel safe walking around with their family and friends. The police enforcement of "no public drinking," combined with an artistically and culturally rich program, has made First Night the unique model that it is as a New Year's Eve celebration-a new tradition.

If your city is hosting a First Night event, you might think about going for its a great way to have sober fun on one of the scariest nights of the year for many of us in recovery.

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-29T17:42:00.000-08:00

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-29T17:42:00.000-08:00

a community celebration of the New Year through the arts. It is an alcohol-free, public celebration that marks the passage from the old year to the new with art, ritual and festivity.

Origins

Objectives

Why Is It Called First Night?

Reasons For First Night

If your city is hosting a First Night event, you might think about going for its a great way to have sober fun on one of the scariest nights of the year for many of us in recovery.

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-29T17:42:00.000-08:00

a community celebration of the New Year through the arts. It is an alcohol-free, public celebration that marks the passage from the old year to the new with art, ritual and festivity.

Origins

Objectives

Why Is It Called First Night?

Reasons For First Night

If your city is hosting a First Night event, you might think about going for its a great way to have sober fun on one of the scariest nights of the year for many of us in recovery.

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

SOBRIETY CALENDAR FACT OF THE DAY:

24 Hours A Day...No More Is Required.

DAILY MEDITATION:

From; Twenty-Four Hours A Day

I pray that I may face the dull days with courage. I pray that I may have faith that the bright days will return.

AA MEETING:

H - Promises (8:00PM) - 28211 Pacific Coast Hwy. - 667G2

TODAY'S STORE ITEM:

My 12 Step Store $20.00 Gift Certificate

Gift Certificates make GREAT gifts for anyone! This allows them to look in our store and decide for themselves the material that speaks to them and that will help them the most.

Our Price: $20.00

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

SOBRIETY CALENDAR FACT OF THE DAY:

It's a pity we can't forget our troubles the way we forget our blessings.

DAILY MEDITATION:

From; Twenty-Four Hours A Day

I pray my soul will lose its restlessness by finding rest in God. I pray that I may find peace of mind in the thought of God and His purpose for my life.

AA MEETING:

Pasadena - Sat. Night Candlelight - (10:30PM) - Bldg. - 3746 E. Foothill Blvd. - 566H4

TODAY'S STORE ITEM:

Deepak Chopra's - Creating Affluence

"In this remarkable book lies the secret to Creating Affluence. Here you will discover that you are the dancer and the dance, the creator and the creation, and unlimited wealth is yours merely for the asking. With clear and simple wisdom, Deepak Chopra explores the full meaning of wealth consciousness and presents a step-by-step plan for creating affluence and fulfillment on all levels of our lives. According to the author, affluence is our natural state, and the entire physical universe with all its abundance is the offspring of an unbounded, limitless field of all possibilities. Through a series of simple steps and everyday actions, Creating Affluence gently fosters the wealth consciousness needed to tap into this field and create anything you desire."

Our Price: $10.95

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

SOBRIETY CALENDAR FACT OF THE DAY:

1934; Bill and Lois W. start attending the Oxford Group meetings with Ebby T.

DAILY MEDITATION:

From; As Bill Sees It
pg. 58

Righteous Indignation

The positive value of righteous indignation is theoretical-especially for alcoholics. It leaves every one of us open to the rationalization that we may be as angry as we like provided we can claim to be righteous about it.

LOCAL MEETING:

G - Fridays Into Action (8:30PM) - Church - 6817 Franklin Ave. @ Highland - 593E4

TODAY'S STORE ITEM:

Wrath Of Grapes

This delightful sequel to Denial Is Not a River in Egypt brings home humor's power to heal. Filled with the timeless wit and insight of recovery slogans and quotations, The Wrath of Grapes reminds us that recovering our sense of humor may be the first step toward a healthy life.

Our Price: $11.95

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

SOBRIETY CALENDAR FACT OF THE DAY:

1949; Sister Ignatia accepts Poverello Medal of St. Francis on behalf of AA from the Franciscan College of Steubenville, Ohio.

DAILY MEDITATION:

From; As Bill Sees It

Fear somehow touched every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did we not often set the ball rolling ourselves?

LOCAL MEETING:

G - Speaker/Part (8:30pm) - Recovery Home - 1919 Beachwood Dr. - 593G3

TODAY'S STORE ITEM:

SERENITY PRAYER SAILBOAT

Honor your loved one's sobriety with a tranquil reminder that we cannot control the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails. Beautifully crafted in polished brass with the Serenity Prayer engraved on its sail. Heavy marble base Perfectly sized for desktop display Approx. dimensions 6" W x 8.5" H

Our Price: $33.00

My 12 Step Blog

2006-12-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

My 12 Step Blog

2006-11-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

Here Are Some Fun Non-alcoholic Recipes For Christmas Drinks!

Christmas Cocktail (Non-alcoholic)

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 large unbeaten egg whites
8 to 10 ice cubes
Maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil and simmer uncovered, for 5 minutes. Chill.

Place all ingredients, except cherries, into container of electric blender. Blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour into 4 glasses and top with a cherry.

Makes 4 servings.

Christmas Deluxe Eggnog (Non-Alcoholic)

6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups whipping cream, chilled
2 cups cold milk
6 egg whites
6 tablespoons sugar

(Some people add more milk, to thin the liquid out, to taste – otherwise it is quite thick. In France, instead of the "three cups whipping cream", you can put "un pot de creme, mais pas la plus petit …". It's the 40cl or 50cl size, not the smaller 20cl one.

Once it is finished, drink it with red and green striped straws.

So:

Beat egg yolks until light. Gradually add in 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla and nutmeg; beat constantly. Chill. Stir in cream and milk. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; add remaining sugar, beating to stiff peaks. Fold into yolk mixture. Serve at once.

NB: this recipe was originally published in a US ladies' magazine in the 1960s or 1970s, something like"Better Homes and Gardens"

Christmas Cranberry Punch (Non-alcoholic)

Servings: 30

Ingredients:

7 1/2 cups Cranberry juice cocktail

3 3/4 cups Orange juice

22 1/2 ounces Lemon-lime soda, sugar free

Cranberries, whole

Directions:
Combine the cranberry and orange juices in a punch bowl. Pour the carbonated beverage down the sides of the bowl. Float whole cranberries on the top.

SPICED FRUITY PUNCH (Non-alcoholic)

Makes approximately 2 1/2 pints (1.42 litres)

1 pint (570ml) Sweetened Orange Juice
1 pint (570ml) Apple Juice
1/4 pt. (142ml) Water
1/2 tsp. (2.5ml) Ground ginger
1/2 tsp. (2.5ml) Mixed spice
1 Orange

Place orange juice, apple juice, water, ginger and mixed spice in a saucepan. Bring mixture to the boil, then simmer gently over a low heat for about five minutes. Pour the warm punch into warm glasses, add slices of orange and apple to serve.

APPLE AND BLACKCURRANT CHRISTMAS CUP (Non-alcoholic)

This recipe only makes 1/2 pint (285ml)

1/2 pint (285ml) Apple Juice
2 whole cloves
1/4 of a Cinnamon Stick
1 tbls. (15ml) Blackcurrant cordial
Sugar to taste (optional)
1 apple sliced - for garnish

Place apple juice, cloves and roughly broken cinnamon stick in a saucepan and heat gently below boiling point for 5 minutes. Add blackcurrant cordial and sugar to taste, if required. Place in refrigerator until completely cold. Strain the liquid and discard spices. Pour into glasses and add slices of apple to garnish.

My 12 Step Store

2006-11-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

SOBRIETY FACT OF THE DAY:

On this day in 1939, the Cleveland Plain Dealer runs first of a series of articles on AA. Cleveland soon has more AAers than any other US city.

DAILY MEDITATION:
From: God Grant Me

How do we see our life today? Are we feeling lucky because we are sober? --Or maybe we feel angry because we don't want to be sober? Do we feel sorry for ourselves because we are sober--or because we are in relapse? Do we feel rich because we have enough food to eat? Or poor because we can't afford the sports car or home we really want? Do we feel sad because a person we love is ill? Or happy because our friend's illness is mild?

We get to choose our feelings about life. Our feelings are connected to the ways we think about life. We can change our thinking by talking things over with other people and getting a new way to see things. When we do, we change our lives.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
From: God Grant Me

"Human Beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds can change the outer aspects of their lives."
~William James

LOCAL MEETING:
Adventures in Sobriety (7:00PM) @ Sr.Center- 7929 Melrose Ave. 593B7

TODAY'S STORE ITEM:

Serenity Afghan
46" x 67" - Washable Acrylic

Retail Price: $34.00

CURRENT EVENTS:

My 12 Step Store is currently looking to hire part-time retail help for the Christmas Season. We are located at 8730-B Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, CA. 90069. If you are interested in applying for this job please submit your resume by email to info@my12stepstore.com or bring the resume by in person to the store. Thank you.

My 12 Step Blog

2006-11-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

SOBRIETY CALENDAR FACT OF THE DAY:

1966: The Big Book is published in paperback.

DAILY MEDITATION:

From; Look To This Day

Gratitude to God is the theme of the Thanksgiving season. The Pilgrims gathered to give thanks to God for their harvest. When you survey your harvest of peace and serenity, you give thanks to God. In the quiet moments of thanksgiving, you sense the spirit of God entering and filling your being.

LOCAL MEETING:

LH - Sat. Night Live (10;30PM) - Radford Hall - 13323 Ventura Blvd. - 562D5

TODAY'S STORE ITEM:

Healing With The Angels Notecards:

Inspired by the art of Doreen Virtue's Healing with the Angels Oracle Cards. All notecards are blank on the inside for your own personal inspiration. Each package contains 20 beautifully illustrated cards with four different designs. Cards are 6” x 4.75” and packed with coordinated color envelopes in a sturdy re-closable gift box.

Our Price: $10.95

My 12 Step Blog

2006-11-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

My 12 Step Blog

2006-11-21T17:11:00.000-08:00

SOBRIETY FACT OF THE DAY:

On this day, 1939, the First West Coast AA meeting was held in San Francisco, CA.

DAILY MEDITATION:
From: The Promise of a New Day

Our experience in this life is a composite of many lessons-which will ease our personal growth and offer us the opportunities necessary to encourage our unique contributions. Clearly, not all lessons are easy or pleasurable when we first encounter them, but their rewards are great if we choose to learn from them, and we can be certain that no lesson is without its reward.

Those things we need to experience, to learn, to understand, will present themselves again and again until we have attended to them. We may choose to close our minds one time, and even close them again, but the lesson will not be put off for long.
Another experience will surround us, offering once again the opportunity necessary
for the personal growth we're destined to realize.

We must trust that our lives are unfolding in ways that will evoke our full potential and that no challenge comes that earlier lessons haven't prepared us for.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
From: God Grant Me

"People show their characters in nothing more clearly than in what they think laughable." ~Joan Didion

ACTION FOR THE DAY:
From: God Grant Me

What can I do today to bring a healthy laugh to someone? If I do it, I will consider myself a healer, Just for Today.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:
From: God Grant Me

Higher Power, bless me with the gift to see the funny things that happen every day. Remind me to share these stories with others in love and healing.

LOCAL MEETING:

Hollywood: New York-New York (7:30PM)--2nd floor 6720 Melrose Ave.-593D6

TODAY'S STORE ITEM:

Serenity Chocolate Chip - AA 1.5 (Pouch of 12)

"My 12 Step Store can help you celebrate the sweetness of life in recovery with our mouth-watering, milk chocolate treats. Recognize personal, group and fellowship recovery milestones, such as anniversaries and birthdays or just make each day of sobriety delicious."

Our Price: $10.00

My 12 Step Blog

2006-11-17T18:21:00.000-08:00