TThhee BBoottttoomm LLiinnee May 2005 A Publication of the Debtors Anonymous Intergroup of Greater New York

Editor’s Notes John H., 1991 World Service Conference (Perhaps the best-known exposition of a vision for the fellowship of Debtors Hi, Folks, Anonymous is a talk given by DA founder John H. at the 1991 World Service Calling all writers out Conference in San Francisco. It has been reproduced many times, in print and on there! I am putting this tape. It ties the founder’s personal recovery story in with his deepest thinking on plug in right now to get where DA was headed and what its potential is. - Jan) out your notebooks and start writing and submit- I’m John. And I have a dream. I have a going to handle all by myself, and I would ting those articles to dream that this room tonight, all of us not have to depend on His vagaries. share with other compul- included, is full of incredible genius. Something wasn’t working. sive debtors. We can all Here tonight are some of the greatest help eachother by shar- writers, architects, artists, lawyers, doc- At about this time in 1981, I was intro- ing our experience, tors, that exist in the world. And my duced to a book called Please strength and hope. dream is that this energy, this talent, this Understand Me. The essence of what I gift, be liberated tonight. got out of it was that there are two types “Lord, you gave me this of people in the world. There’s the intu- day. I didn’t ask for it, There still remains that shadow of doubt itive, who represent one quarter of the but I was glad to have it. and ambivilance and and blame. population, and there’s the sensate, who I did the best I could with And what I want us to do is to join in represent 75 percent of the population. it and you helped me prayer that we be freed as this shadow I’m so far on the intuitive scale it’s fright- and I thank you. I made is lifted so that we can all march out and ening! What I understand is that that is some mistakes. That do what we were created to do. me. Genetically, it’s me. I was born was when I didn’t follow that way, it works that way, and that’s me. your advise, and I am When we go into a DA meeting we want There were a lot of good parts to it. I sorry for that. Forgive to hear someone say, “I just got my new had vision. I was creative. I saw a wide me. But I had some suc- Mercedes,” “We just got the new house,” range of options. I could see things that cesses, too and I am “The kids are all graduating from other people didn’t see. I saw relation- grateful for your guid- Princeton.” It doesn’t seem to happen. ships that other people didn’t see, and I ance. But now, Lord, What is that thing that keeps this from had a great opportunity to have a very mistakes or successes, happening? remarkable, creative, and fulfilling life. victories or defeats, the day is over and I’m All I can share with you is my own expe- Now, what that same intuitive type did through with it, so, I’m rience. In 1981, I thought I had control. with numbers was something else! If giving it back to you. I really thought I had it at last. I was they passed out breath, and I got a Amen.” going to get a spending plan, put it on a week’s supply of breath on Monday, I’d computer, push a button and say what I be in bad shape by Tuesday night. The Just a reminder -- send would do today, and it would be all bal- sensate, that other 75 percent of the your stories as a anced. At the end of the day I’d know people with whom I have to live and deal, Microsoft Word file or as how much income I’d made and I’d get a are different. I see what can be; they text in the body of an P&L and balance sheet pushed out every see what is. And if we get it together, it’s email to night. great. But if they’re not there and I’m just bottomline@danyc. going after what is possible, I’m in deep org. Or send typed or I would sit and pour over my records, trouble. handwritten submissions thinking. My son recently said to me, to: The Intergroup of “You used to think something would hap- That happens to be me. What I have to DA - ATTN: Bottom pen by looking at those numbers.” do is accept that part of me and realize Line, PO. Box 452, Without realizing it, I wanted to find some that that part of me is not going to Grand Central Station, way that this churchgoing Roman change much, and I have to live with it. New York, NY 10163. Catholic would not have to let God into I didn’t know what to do with this informa- The Guidelines for writ- the numbers. I was going to have this tion. I thought about it. I concerned ing are on the back page private deal. God could take care of myself with it. It seemed to me to have of this everything else except this. This I was the key. publication. Peace & Prosperity, Debtors Anonymous of Greater New York Gretchen P.O. Box 452 Grand Central Station New York, NY 10163 917- 319- 2819 www.danyc.org The opinions expressed here are those of the individuals who gave them and do not represent DA as a whole. Perhaps there is absolutely the whole thing, and that just doesn’t financially. I don’t know what it 2 nothing wrong with me, or with change. You ask me how much means with time. I don’t know what anybody else in Debtors Anonymous, I’ve got, I got to check it. it means in a whole lot of things, but I except that we happened to be intu- That’s there and that doesn’t seem to know that next year when we get itive. We happen to be gifted. If change. together things will be better and I’ll that’s the case the talk, as far as I be a little bit clearer. was concerned, of disease, illness, or And there’s another part of it and any type of pathology was totally that’s cultural. I said maybe that will One other thing has happened this irrelevant. I simply happen to be a change. And boy, that’s where it year in the process. One day, sitting gifted, intuitive person who had diffi- began. The beginning was the in church, I realized that when I came culty in relating to numbers. It’s not recognition that I could do nothing into and they just dollars, it’s time, it’s distance, it’s about the way this mind computed said you turn your will and your life space. Now, what to do with this dollars and cents and time. What I over to the care of God I said “OK”. information? could do something about was the I mean this has to do with jobs, mar- healing of this relationship with these riages, illnesses, deaths, teenage I have a very good friend, JoAnn, people who made this uncomfortable children, whatever you want, God who’s a tennis instructor. I told her for me. was in charge of everything except. of my dilemma. We’re now up to And there was the money....I couldn’t 1985. I say, “What do I do with this There begins the next pursuit. Well, let that go. information?” She says, “I don’t lo and behold someplace in the heart know, but it does remind me of of The Bronx I found a wonderful I felt it go. Literally I felt the accept- something. A man came on the nun, Sister Anne. This nun’s work is ance of God in that area of my life. tennis court one day and he said, ‘I’m in praying for the healing of ancestral What seems to have begun to hap- blind and I want you to teach me to relationships. We began to pray. pen is that I remain a very gifted intu- play tennis.’” So I asked her, “What We began to pray hard. We began itive person who has great vision, did you do?” She said, “I taught him to pray regularly. She asked me to sees remarkable things that many how to play tennis. I just taught him lay out everybody. And I mean not other people don’t see, and can do to listen to the tennis ball, and he just father and mother and sisters important things. With the love of played tennis.” and brothers, but everybody, all the God entering, I’m now prepared to way back for three or four genertions. allow other people to enter into this That was at 10 o’clock in the morning area of my life. I’m prepared, and when JoAnn told me how she taught And I didn’t have to think about it, the reason I’m prepared is because a blind man how to play tennis. Five just write them down and forgive the shame and the blame seems to o’clock that afternoon I went to them, and ask for their forgiveness. be lifting. church and the priest read the And she took it and she prayed and I gospel. He said, “As Jesus was prayed and we prayed. And all of a And what I believe, what I truly walking along he saw a man who sudden it’s gone! That whole histori- believe, is that there is nothing, was born blind. His disciples asked cal, cultural, environmental frame of absolutely nothing wrong with an him, ‘Teacher, whose sin caused him reference isn’t there anymore. If I body in this room. I’ll let you speak to be born blind. Was it his sin or knock this microphone off now, it’s for yourselves, but I believe that was it his parents’ sin?’ And Jesus not because my father was a micro- there is no reference to pathology answered, ‘ His blindness has noth- phone knocker-offer. It just isn’t here. I personally don’t think any- ing to do with his sins or his parents’ there any more. I still can’t figure body in this room has a problem. sins. He is blind so that God’s out how those dollars work. That And if we do have a problem, what I power may be seen at work in him.’” doesn’t get any better at all. truly believe is that we can let that problem go this very minute because If indeed I’m blind it is so that God’s What I now know is that if the dollars it is all totally, completely in our head. power can be seen at work in me. are less than I expected they would be it’s not because my father fought Once that shame has lifted, and once I still didn’t know what to do with with my mother. It’s simply that the that blame has lifted, I become—inci- this...Now two more years go by, two dollars are less than I thought there dentally, Christ happened to heal that very confusing years. Everybody were, or they’re more than I thought blind man—free to do and be knows the sleepless nights...Where is there were. whatever I want. this going? What’s it leading to? Just add to that that you’re the I don’t know where this is going. I think there is nothing so important founder of Debtors Anonymous! What I do know is that God loves to the realization of what we really me. I’ve been sober now for 42 truly are, can be, and want to be, as I was sitting with Father Graham, a years, and I do know that for the last to have a passionate desire to fulfill friend of mine. I said, “I think I’ve 42 years, if I’m honest with my self, that realization. I don’t mean in the got this.” He’d been through this every consecutive year for 42 con- head. I mean a passionate desire at with me for 25 years. I said there’s secutive years my life has gotten bet- a visceral level that allows for two tracks here. One is a genetic ter. You can’t beat that trend. absolutely no Plan B. track and it isn’t changing. We’ve now been through pressure groups, I don’t know what that means materi- When I am ready to say that this is spending plans, computer programs, ally. I don’t know what that means the life I want, that I desire at a visceral level, faith will come. If realizing and fulfilling whatever it is the potential of the most remarkable 3 I have a passionate desire the that God meant for me to do. segment of our population, that is the faith follows and everything else creative, intuitive person who is so comes into being. To sit around, for The dream, the vision I have is that gifted that they can build the world, me, and to ever again say that I’m all of us can be what we’re meant to theirs and ours. disabled would be an absolute, utter be, and I believe the future of denial of faith. I am totally capable of Debtors Anonymous is in unlocking - John H., 1991

“The greatest miracle in my life today is realizing that money is a small part of abundance. I don’t have a lot of money, but I have mountains of abundance. I have myself, and I have a relationship with a loving God. Anything else dwindles in importance.”- A Currency of Hope, Page 45 The Importance of Money

We cannot afford to allow our focus do that, without worrying about the I have learned that when I am true to in life to be money. That will not lead money. myself about work and what I need to us into the abundance we’re seeking. be doing, the money will follow. Usually, it will not even lead to finan- Consider the financial aspects. Set Sometimes it’s not as much as I cial stability. boundaries about what you need to want; sometimes I’m pleasantly sur- be paid. Be reasonable. Expect to prised, and it’s more. But I’m con- Money is important. We deserve to start at the bottom, and work up. But tent, and I have enough. Money is a be paid what we’re worth. We will be if you feel led toward a job, go for it. consideration, but it cannot be our paid what we’re worth when we primary consideration if we are seek- believe we deserve to be. But often Is there something we truly don’t ing spiritual security and peace of our plans fail when our primary con- want to do, something that goes mind. sideration is money. against our grain, but we are trying to force ourselves into it “for the Today, I will make money a consider- What do we really want to do? What money”? Usually, that’s a behavior ation, but I will not allow it to become do we feel led to do? What are our that backfires. It doesn’t work. We my primary consideration. God, help instincts telling us? What do we feel make ourselves miserable, and the me be true to myself and trust that guided to do? What are we excited money usually goes wrong too. the money will follow. about doing? Seek to find a way to -- Douglas S., Miami Keep Coming Back, It Works!

I’m Gretchen and I am a compulsive motion. my early years in DA. They are the debtor. As an underearner, I take standard which I hold every sponsor jobs that are in my field but I’m not I am presently using DA and ARTS to – I didn’t know then how blessed I paid what I deserve for the work I do. as support for the changes I want to was to have these 2 amazing people I have a wonderful job that I love, but be making professionally. I need all in my life. The burning problem I it’s only part time, at a local newspa- the help I can get as this is a whole walked into DA with was that my per, no benefits, low pay. When I long career’s worth of changing how landlord was threatening me with was a working photographer in NYC, I approach my professional identity. eviction because I was chronically 2 I did the same work that other adver- & I’m terrified of letting go. I’m terri- months late with rent. I was always tising photographers did who made fied of making good money, as late with all my bills, having the hundreds of thousands a year, and I strange as that sounds. power and phone cut off at times. was barely covering my bills. & $11,000 in was driving me Living on my card, using it to I’ve got a book I want to get pub- crazy. My PRG helped me work up a buy my lunches. All because I was lished. I’ve got photographs that rent plan. I set up a meet- afraid to be visible, afraid to take my need to be represented by a gallery ing with my landlord’s agent and pre- portfolio to the agencies that paid & architectural firm. I need to create sented my payment plan to her. She good money. Because I was afraid I a stock photo website. And the only screamed at me that they wouldn’t would be scapegoated and criticized. thing that keeps me from achieving accept my plan, they wanted their Also because I was afraid I would these goals is my fear. And DA is money then and there, and threat- lose my alcoholic father’s love if I the program that has taught me how ened me with court & eviction in 2 succeeded beyond him. Women are to walk through my fear. weeks. I left that meeting and imme- not supposed to do that in my family! diately called John, I was practically & The studio I worked in was such a I first came into DA in 1980, in NYC. crying, sure I’d failed. John told me comfortable alcoholic family—it was At my sixth meeting I asked John to have faith and wait the 2 weeks so much like home! I could get lost Henderson to be my sponsor and he out to see what happened. It was in whatever drama was going on and said what he always said when the 2 weeks that made me a solid forget that I needed to take care of asked to do service: “Yes!” Joan M. DAer! Because I went to every myself and ask for a raise, or a pro- & John were my sponsors for most of meeting and made constant calls to DA friends and sponsors – I was visions: I own my own condo in the when it was my disease that did me 4 terrified! What happened was country; I’m married and have a in. I self destructed, my recovery that even though every time I con- child; I show & sell my photographs was getting too close to focusing on tacted the landlord, they screamed regularly in gallery shows; I am the my underearning so I picked up my and threatened me, they still cashed gallery director of a unique space. disease of & got my checks. Which meant that they drunk on it. accepted my plan. DA worked! & I My story is really 2 stories. I am a kept that apartment all throughout the relapse survivor in DA. I am in As a single person, I had been in DA 4 years it took to pay off all my debt ACOA, OA, DA & ARTS. My recov- for 9 years. I moved to PA & didn’t and get completely solvent in DA. ery depends on my working all of my connect with DA for another 5 years. 12-step programs. I learned this the By that time my husband (who is also My relationship to money before DA hard way. Not focusing on my recov- a compulsive debtor) & I had built up was that I never had any money. I ery as a co-dependent did me in & (& paid off twice & built it up again) knew nothing about money, or how to stole my DA recovery from me. I had $35,000. in . I’ve manage it. Couldn’t balance a paid back all my . I was been back in DA for 10 years and it checkbook. I would space out focusing on my visions. I had been has been very difficult going. As a around money or anything to do with elected to the DA board & served on single person I had only me to con- money. I called it a moral choice of the literature committee. Then I met tend with, and I used all the tools in voluntary poverty, but it really was my husband to be. He came to my order, got an SP right away. underearning. It was a relationship PRG meetings with John & Joan - in Learning how to be solvent as a cou- with money that reflected my Child of those days sponsors wouldn’t give ple, when one of us was not working an Alcoholic wardrobe – my favorite PRG meetings without significant oth- a program was hard. But now, that clothes were old, shabby and full of ers present. & I became the 1st sol- my husband is in DA another dream holes. Hey, I’m a hippie, an artist, vent DA bride. of mine has come true. In Alanon I none of these things matter to me - had seen all these happy recovery THINGS are not cool, man! I mean Then funny things began to happen. couples & wanted what they had – there’s nothing wrong with this think- I cut down on my meetings, too much now I have a partner in recovery. ing, just that I was lying to myself and in love. There was always a reason using these moral ideas to deny my not to go. I began deferring every- underearning and self-depravation thing to my husband. I began to see We’re not perfect, we’re still strug- . I consider myself a dep- him as all I needed, the answer to all gling with a SP because we don’t yet ravation addict. It goes hand in hand my problems. My codependency bring in enough money to fill one out. with my brand of co-dependency, I was taking over and I had no pro- We keep records. We have family focus on the people in my life 1st & I gram to help me break through my business meetings instead of the come 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th… I used this denial. Then I dropped out of the DA knock-down-drag-out fights we used denial for decades to keep myself in board & at my PRG meeting John to have. We take all our financial the dark about what was important to tried to talk me out of it & lost his stuff to our PRG & bring god into our me. temper. I focused on his behavior decisions. Our latest DA wonder is and not his message & decided to that we have a prudent reserve. I remember an early PRG meeting, fire him as my sponsor. When I With the OK of our PRG we decided after I had gotten a SP together & called the next day to fire him, he to take $600. of our xmas bonus and taken care of all the emergencies my tried to convince me that I was doing put it in a account. Now, debting caused in my life. My PRG the wrong thing and that I was head- instead of using a credit card, which decided to ask me, “What do you ing for a fall. I took what he said as we had been doing, whenever we want?” Now, you have to under- anger talking and fired him. Now I have a financial emergency we use stand, Joan is very patient but John know he was right. I wish I could our prudent reserve and pay it back is not a patient man & they sat there have heard it at the time, but I was for the next time. This simple tool and listened to my dumbfounded so high on my codependent glom- has brought us consistent solvency silence for 15 minutes before they ming onto my husband that I was at last. It’s amazing to me that such began trying to pull it out of me. blind. a small amount of money has made They talked to me of what they such an enormous difference in our thought I might want based on my I had the mistaken idea that I had to recovery! When I got my car inspect- lifestyle choices – owning my own pay 50% of our expenses – even ed 2 months ago, I wound up with a home, where I might want to live, a though my salary was 1/3 of my hus- $800 repair bill. When my husband family, a good salary as a photogra- bands. This insidious bit of misinfor- automatically put half of it on our pher. This got me talking again. My mation did 2 things: It kept me living credit card I reminded him of our pru- wonderful sponsors shared their in depravation and gave my husband dent reserve & he called the repair visions with me. But what I learned the windfall that enabled him to co. back told them we will pay cash, at this meeting was that I had no idea increase his compulsive spending. instead. We used $400. of our pru- what I wanted. My disease had beat- More than anything else, it was this dent reserve & $400 from checking. en me so far down. & That I now thinking and the resentment it caused We have used our prudent reserve a had permission to find out what my in me that pushed me out of DA. few times since. & It may seem like dreams and visions were. And after a couple more years of such a simple thing but being solvent having it my way, I left DA. I wasted feels so good! I’m even getting my I have achieved some of those years of my life blaming my husband library books back on time! What I have to share is that no away so I could get on with my life. I time. I have learned that my money 5 one graduates from DA and just wanted all those people, my is mine and it exists in my life to help stays solvent. I didn’t incur any boss, parents, etc. to stop being me create my dreams. That abun- debt for the first couple of years out stingy & give me more money – I dance is a way of life. That I can be of DA but after I started, my husband thought more money would solve all happy with just enough money in my and I wound up tripling my original my problems & I thought they owed pocket to pay for a token home from debt. And coming back was a very me! work, as long as I walk to a DA meet- slow process, it took me the first year ing. That all gifts are freely given. to even commit to getting to meet- What I have learned from DA is how That I go to any lengths not to incur ings regularly. For the first time in 10 to negotiate with creditors. To work new debt, even if it means taking a years, I have 3 consecutive months up a plan with my PRG. How to train to another city to meet a dead- of solvency. It took 5 years before I bookend my phone calls with line or giving a friend my camera to cut up my credit card. & Then I still another DA friend so I’m not out hold as . I have learned this would call my husband and have him there all alone. I call a creditor and past year that even though I do not use his card when we ran out of present my plan to them and if the have a SP I can still pay private money. But thank god that’s behind person I am speaking with doesn’t school tuition for my child & that me now. have the authority to make the deci- somehow with god’s help, I have the sions I need made, I move on to funds for this. To depend on my DA When I came into DA, the first time, I someone who can. I have called friends because god works through just wanted the pain and fear and ter- Corporate headquarters to speak us. That everything is in god’s hands ror I was living under to stop. I want- with a Vice President who was able & god wants us to live prosperous ed some magic bullet to cure me of to accept my plan. I have learned lives. this problem I was having with how to live with money, to keep money & I wanted it to happen right records, to pay taxes, bills, etc. on Thank you. Living beyond “limitations” I have a retirement plan, and sub- inaccurate perceptions of the world. to live that way. My possibilities are stantial savings for many short-, My insanity around money and my endless, Even if I can’t yet imagine medium-, and long-term needs. I live faulty perceptions of the world of per- myself there. in a beautiful home, drive a beautiful sonal no longer leave me a new car, and live a life of balance crippled, beaten, crisis-ridden animal, I love what Debtors Anonymous has and grace. reacting only out of fear and depriva- done for me, and because I want tion. I have breathing room for life, more of the program’s promises, I My perceptions remain, to some and for an increasing prosperity. intend to keep coming back. I am so extent, insane when it comes to grateful to John H. and to the legion money. I still, to some degree, manu- I still have a long way to go yet in this of recovering debtors who came facture a sense of impoverishment in program of Debtors Anonymous. I before me, who kept the focus of the all I see and do, and still very much feel that my growth and my prosperi- program on the real issue: ìthe need relate to that trait in other D.A. mem- ty have barely begun. One of the to not incur unsecured debt one day bers. And yet, those perceptions no most incredible gifts of this program at a time. Because of these D.A. pio- longer rule me. With the help of is our limitless horizons. Although the neers, I am getting better, despite sponsors, pressure groups, and a default setting in my head is that of a myself. Higher Power, I have become able to gloomy, pessimistic, crazy, chronical- live beyond my “limitations” and my ly deprived person, I no longer have Jan S.

SLOGANS -- Abstinence is the first step in treat- My Higher Power knows my needs God is greater than any problem I ing anger. and is caring for them. have. I have outgrown my need to suffer. HP, help me to accept myself, exact- I will not expect to change all my ly as I am, today. habits overnight – GENTLENESS I will not give-in or give-up, but give- not perfection is the key word. over to the power of god. DA is the ANSWER. Debtors Anonymous 2005 World Service Conference August 24 - 28, 2005 The 19th annual DA World Service Information will be updated regularly Group Service Representatives Conference will take place at the at the GSB and NJPA website: (GSR’s), Intergroup Service Radisson Hotel in Mt. Laurel, New Representative (ISR’s) and the Jersey (Philadelphia Area). www.debtorsanonymous.org and General Service Board gather to www.njpada.org review the state of the D.A. fellow- Estimated Costs are $280 confer- ship, work on topics such as new ence registration before July 15, after The World Service Conference is the D.A. Literature and new outreach July 15 $380, $435 Lodging & Meals, annual business meeting of Debtors methods, and vote on important $45 gala (dinner/dance/talent show). Anonymous. It is where issues affecting D.A. as a whole. 6 Ways and Means Ways and Means, DA's meeting The theme for the summer issue will 2005 for the Summer issue that will in print comes out quarterly. be the conference and the editor is come out at the conference. seeking ESH on service, particularly The most recent issue featured a World Service - I know there is a lot To submit an article, announcement, lovely article by a loner taking step of esh on this topic among us! or contact the editors, write waysand- four and five in this program. Submissions are due by June 1, [email protected]

SLOGANS -- I accept with gratitude whatever Trust the process. Shame will bury me alive. progress I am making – however small. Don’t forget to surrender. Who am I to tell god what to do? God’s formula for living – Serenity – Being willing to change is an act of I’m good enough just as I am. Courage – Wisdom. courage. Request from DA Public Information Chair The Univision TV Network has con- requirements for members giving If you or someone you know meets tacted Debtors Anonymous and interviews are: thiscriteria please contact me imme- would like to interview a DA mem- diately via email ber for a program on debting. They - 2 years of abstinence from incur- ([email protected]) or phone are looking for someone who is ring unsecured debt (512-289-7418.) The reporter Hispanic and a Spanish speaker. I would like to speak to (pre-interview) have spoken with the producer about someone in this week, if possible. - Have worked the 12 Steps in DA honoring the DA members anonymity (not just another program) and they have agreed to do so by Thanks in advance for helping to blurring out their face or having their carry the message to the debtor who face in shadow. - Understand the 12 Traditions still suffers,

The PI Committee suggested - Willing to read the PI Manual Lisa W., Chair, PI Committee

Guidelines for Writing for the Bottom Line All Debtors Anonymous members Guidelines tors influence the publication sched- are invited to share your experience, ule, but be assured that all writings strength and hope on the pages of As far as what to write about, virtually will be published unless deemed The Bottom Line, a publication of the any DA topic is fine. Tell us about unsuitable. In accordance with the Debtors Anonymous of Greater New your recovery in DA, tips on using the spirit of the 6th and 10th Traditions, York Intergroup. It features the writ- Tools, experience with the Steps, we do not publish anything that could ings of Debtors Anonymous mem- thoughts on the Traditions--anything be considered an outside issue. The bers and is something like a meeting is good, as long as it's DA related. DA of Greater NY Intergroup retains in print. It is available in its Web form Length may be a one-liner, recount- all copyrights. We do not accept any- at www.danyc.org as The Bottom ing something you experienced in a thing published elsewhere, except Online. Old issues are also available meeting, a short but sweet incident with appropriate permissions. You do online. that you want to relate, or a longer not have to live in NY to contribute. article on a particular subject. No Where to send your Bottom Line arti- Why Write? matter how short or long your contri- cle: The preferred method is to send bution, the important thing is that you Writing for the Bottom Line is a great your submission as a Microsoft Word say what you need to say. The aver- way to do service. Without your writ- file or as text in the body of an email age contribution ranges from one to ten experience, the Bottom Line can- to [email protected]. Or send three pages. If the editorial staff feels not be an effective tool for solvent typed or handwritten submissions to: that a lot of editing is needed, we will and serene living, or a vital, accurate The Intergroup of DA - ATTN: seek your permission. We usually picture of the ever-growing DA Bottom Line, PO. Box 452, Grand edit for grammar and clarity of Fellowship. So, if you've hesitated, Central Station, New York, NY thought and normally the editing is thinking you can't do it -- perhaps 10163. very slight. Of course, strict anonymi- these guidelines will give you a bet- ty will be kept. You can sign your arti- These guidelines are published by the ter idea of how to proceed. cle with first name only, initials, or Debtors Anonymous of Greater NY Everyone's input is valuable, any other name or phrase you like. Intergroup and were adapted from the whether you're a newcomer or an guidelines for submissions to the AA publi- old timer. Please keep in mind that many fac- cation The Grapevine.

The New York Intergroup was Founded in 1983 by John Henderson.