JANUARY 1
“I AM A MIRACLE”
The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves.ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 25
This truly is a fact in my life today, and a real miracle. I always believed in God, but could never put that belief meaningfully into my life. Today, because of Alcoholics Anonymous, I now trust and rely on God, as I understand Him; I am sober today because of that! Learning to trust and rely on God was something I could never have done alone. I now believe in miracles because I am one!The GSR Says!
Step 2 Men’s Group Annual Meeting
December 12, 2025
The meeting was called to order at 11:00 by John M. Over 16 folks were in attendance.
● John M, who has served gallantly as the President of the Step 2 Men’s Group Annual Meeting, officially retired from his position. John introduced the new General Secretary, Mark C. Congratulations Mark and welcome aboard as our new General Secretary. Mark then took over officiating the meeting.
● Mark W presented the Treasurers Report. Several items were discussed by the group with discussion centered around raising the monthly donation to CCFAA from $150 to $200, and increasing the monthly rent to Tim C. A decision on these items was tabled. Mark C and Mark W will put together some options to be presented at a later date.
● The General Service Representative (GSR) position will become vacant January 1, 2006. Terry’s name was raised as an excellent replacement for this position. Terry has since returned and he will accept this honor. Thanks, Terry!
● Lastly, the Grant Miller Award was presented to a very deserving Dave Meeker. Dave’s contributions to the Step 2 Men’s Group have been invaluable. Thank you Dave for all you do to support our group and help us grow. Congratulations!!!
● In closing, a big THANK YOU to Tom W for the sandwiches, Mark W for the chips, April Moore for the drinks, and John M, Harry, and Mark Q for the meeting set up.
Thank you for allowing me to be of service.
Mark Q.
First Wednesday… January 7th
Come join a review of Step 1 on January 7th (First Wednesday). “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.”
John reviews the step corresponding to the number of that month on each first Wednesday. It’s a rewarding meeting with John outlining the step of the month, how he was challenged by it and how we tackle it ourselves, with and without success! Look for his monthly contribution in this edition!
Step 01
“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.”
What Can I Surrender in this Step?
- The delusion that in and of myself I have power, and
- The belief that alcohol is my problem
Step Summary
When we first walked into the rooms of A.A., we thought our lives were unmanageable because when we drank, we wound up in strange places, with strange people, in strange positions (some of us – literally). How grateful we were when our sponsor, or other caring members of the Fellowship, helped us fully understand what co-founder, Bill W. meant in More About Alcoholism (top of page 35 in the Big Book – 4th Edition) when he said, “So we shall describe some of the mental states that precede a relapse into drinking, for obviously this is the crux of the problem.”
We are grateful that we were helped to understand that our mental states, or our thinking, WAS/IS the crux of our problem. Selfishness/Self-Centeredness! That, we are told, is the root of our troubles (not alcohol). Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we go to the only thing that has proven to provide us the release we seek from these “fleeting forms” – alcohol.
If we ever need proof of our powerlessness over “a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body” (which is one definition of alcoholism), all we have to do is look at the many examples of how our life was unmanageable while drinking – and how it wasn’t the alcohol that made our life unmanageable.
Interesting Side Note: Step 1 is the only step that talks about alcohol. The remainder of the Steps share solutions on how to deal with what the REAL problem is – the noise that lives between my left ear and my right ear (more commonly referred to as our defects of character).
Myths About this Step
Powerlessness means you’re weak.
Admitting powerlessness is a crucial step on the path to freedom and strength. It takes honesty and courage to accept that alcohol has taken over your life.
You have to take this step over and over.
Step 1 is the only step we ever take 100% and once taken, we don’t have to ever take it again. Once you admit to your inner most self that your’e an alcoholic – you can’t “un-admit” that. Once you get completely honest and tell the truth – that truth never changes. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.
From an idea by George T.
I Know from What I Write
From Squaw Valley
I have a hard time calling it Everline or the Palisades. The Palisades is in Los Angeles. Everline? What’s that? Snowshoe Thompson named it Squaw Valley in the 1830’s because female natives could be seen in their wigwams all up and down this Valley. The men, presumably, were up in the mountains hunting and fishing. Just over Squaw Peak, I fished as a kid.
A lot of my alcoholism was installed here. My alcoholism came in increments. I was scared to death drinking on New Years Eve when I was 16 but did it. There were a dozen or so stories that came out of that night that are still recalled today. My father climbed up about 20 feet of a pine tree, being around four old fashions and a half a bottle of wine in at his New Years party.
And I met Pam P. One of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen. About 4 Coors down, I told her so. “ Well aren’t you the cutest puppy dog” . Apparently she had heard it before. I saw her a few years ago at the Sacramento Food COOP on Alhambra. She was an earth mother now. Gray hair but smooth skin for late sixties maybe 70. Still gorgeous. “Well, hi Puppy Dog” she said. It was that kind of night.
I was here once in love and blew the big bucks on Plump Jack. The service was terrible. The food might have been good but by then we had drank so much who knew.
Then came family. We started coming here when my oldest was 12. She is in her 30’s and this is our 12th week-after-Christmas stay. Sometimes over at the high rent district but most of the times here. At what was the Resort at Squaw Creek and now Everline. And for real old timers, this is where the Red Dog chair was and back in the day I would park the car here. Start skiing here and finish skiing here.
Its called Everline now and is a bit old and tired like the author of these columns. Suffice it to say, there are many stories my family has that I don’t remember because I was drinking then too. So ya, I remember Sean Penn and Robin Wright in the elevator but I do not remember taking my daughter to her first ski lesson and picking up a crying 7 year old.. I thought she loved It all the time .
Guilt with memories, and reminders here with me.
Travelogue notes. There are no meetings in what I now call Olympic Valley, formerly Squaw Valley. Guess the Newsom, Gettys, Cushing and Crown and Company don’t feel the need. So, you have Truckee or going into Tahoe. And I recommend the least amount of driving anywhere because many of the drivers are just like that 16, 19, 21, 22, 23 etc. etc that was me under the influence and driving in the snow.
Sorry its so long. JM Out!
Contributed by John M.
A Quick Financial Check-In
Step 2 Men’s Group is on solid footing and continuing to move forward thoughtfully.
Like many things, our meeting has evolved since COVID — from the church, to Google Hangouts, to the park, to our current home in Tim C.’s art gallery space and on Zoom. Costs have increased since our early days, and attendance patterns have changed, but we remain stable and committed to keeping Step 2 sustainable, welcoming, and accessible.
Behind the scenes, trusted members are actively paying attention to expenses, planning ahead, and looking for practical ways to maintain what we have while preparing for what’s next.
No decisions are being made yet, and nothing is urgent. Any requests for group input, votes, or changes will be shared clearly and directly through dedicated email announcements.
If you have ideas, want to help, or just want your voice heard, there’s now a simple Suggestions & Participation form on the website.
My First Meeting
Please be “of service.” If you’ve never contributed a “My First Meeting”, please help to keep this column going…we need you! What do you remember most of your first meeting? It can be one sentence; it can be up to two paragraphs. Could be funny, poignant or strictly “clinical”. Write what you want…you might have enjoy writing it!
Our Trusted Servants Continue to Be:
The current Step 2 Men’s Group meeting schedule is Monday, Wednesday & Friday at Tim’s (3809 J St), Tuesday & Thursday online, Saturday in the park is “Daily Reflections” and Sunday is our Rogue meeting in the park. Each gathering is one hour. Great job men!
- Monday: Tim C.
- Tuesday: Mark C.
- Wednesday: John M.
- Thursday: Sean F.
- Friday: Jon B.
- Saturday: Dave M.
- Sunday: Mark C.
Want to add your name to the “Back-up-Help-Substitute Secretary List”? Just contact Group GS, John M., Treasurer Mark W. or any of our other Secretaries and let them know!
“Mouse’s Corner”
A.A. member Dave Mc. curates a few selected readings from a variety of A.A. related publications each month.
Subject: PROBLEM SOLVING
“Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems.”
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 42
Through the recovery process described in the Big Book, I have come to realize that the same instructions that work on my alcoholism, work on much more. Whenever I am angry or frustrated, I consider the matter a manifestation of the main problem within me, alcoholism. As I “walk” through the Steps, my difficulty is usually dealt with long before I reach the Twelfth “suggestion,” and those difficulties that persist are remedied when I make an effort to carry the message to someone else. These principles do solve my problems! I have not encountered an exception, and I have been brought to a way of living which is satisfying and useful.
Contributed by Dave Mc.
Step 2 Men’s Group Believes…
“Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
We’d never presume that the 12 Steps are not clear. Nor would we imply that they need ‘improvement’. However…for purposes of assisting to keep the meeting pointed in an important direction each day, the “Step 2 Men’s Group Statement” is read as follows:
Step 2 Men’s Group is founded on the belief that spirituality is essential to our sobriety.
Our group is non-religious, but we do not oppose anyone’s religious beliefs. We believe that respect for others and their beliefs is essential to our spiritual development.
Accordingly we ask that avoid criticism of others or of their religion or lack of religion, their race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, physical appearance, trade or profession, length of sobriety, or personal beliefs.
Our goal is to further our spirituality, our sobriety and our personal development, not to confront or belittle others. Always remember to be kind to others.
Extra Special Thanks Dept:
Thanks to our General Secretary John M. for “I Know from What I Write” and for being our trusted leader, Dave Mc. for “Mouse’s Corner”, Mark Q for his Business Meeting recap and his GSR service, our new GSR Terry M., and our Treasurer Mark W. for all your contributions. We’re still waiting for YOU gentle reader…Why don’t YOU contribute a short “something?” Any length, most any AA related topic. Reply now and it will get included next month!
Men’s Gazette – December 2025
Men’s Gazette – February 2026