Let’s look at the positive side: First, the get-together helped get the SA booklet into being; and it has so far proven to be much-needed and helpful to many. Somehow, getting it together and bound, even in the form that it is, puts SA into a position it didn’t have before.

1. You. How are you doing? Are you sober? According to the SA concept of sexual sobriety? How long? Are you comfortable with it? If you’d care to, we’d love to have you write something about where you’re at or what’s been happening in you in the Program.

Dear SA Friends,
I’d like to take this opportunity, the publication of our first brochure, to say hello to all our friends in SA—those with whom we have been communicating as well as those with whom we’ve been out of touch.

As we sit across the table from one another, or talk or write to one another, let us forgive and pray for that one other member who is so disturbing to us.

Traditionally in AA, November is a time for gratitude, and I’d like to share mine with you. Today I’m grateful for:

We’d like to know how you’re doing and whether we can help. Drop us a line or give us a call.

If you’ve moved and still want to be on the mailing list, be sure to send in your change of address.

Spouses of sexaholics have formed S-Anon, patterned after Al-Anon, and are currently holding meetings in Arizona and California. Contact SA GSO if you want more information.

In response to questions from members, we announce that SA is officially an exempt, non-profit organization in the same category (code 573) as Alcoholics Anonymous. This holds true for all of 1982 and part of 1981. We are using the following notice to SA members in compliance with our Seventh Tradition:

This brings us to our book, Sexaholics Anonymous, which is still in process, though it gets put on the shelf for long periods out of necessity. (We’re all volunteers in SA, you know; and have one or two other things to do once in awhile [smile☺].) The book is well along, and preliminary hunks of it are available at our cost.

Many of us have also discovered that once we start going to meetings, certain things become apparent. Personalities want to predominate instead of the principles of the Steps and Traditions. We make all kinds of mistakes trying to relate (or not relate) to other members. All our defects come to the fore.

If there is any pattern emerging, it is that people come into SA with a moment of clarity and resolve, grateful to finally know what’s wrong and to find others with the same problem and secrets. This initial motivation carries them for awhile, and many even stay sober for a time. However, many fall away. They drop out of contact or stop going to meetings.

If you’re a member without a group and haven’t an SA phone friend yet, you’re missing out.

To bring you up to date, we now have groups (that we know of) in the following cities:

Enclosed is a complimentary copy of the brochure. Since we ordered a limited first printing, the actual cost comes to 15¢ each. You can order them at this price by making check or money order payable to SA GSO and sending it to the address listed above. State quantity.

1. ALL GSC DELEGATES: Obtain and send in the vote on “Dear Abby.”

This “letter” has turned out to be something of a newsletter. Which isn’t a bad idea, as some have suggested. “ESSAY” was just an off-the-cuff stab at a clever name.

I’ve been asked this question time and again and keep trying to get a better handle on it. I’ve enclosed another attempt to take a look at this most important subject: “What Is Lust?”

Some of us are debating whether to let “Dear Abby” run the SA name and POB address as the opportunity arises within her column correspondence. She tells us that she gets a number of letters she’d like to refer to SA by merely giving to the readers in her column the SA name and POB address.

“Every SA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.”
Some members have suggested we should tell everybody what the financial picture is at the General Service Office (formerly called SA Central), so here goes.