As we look at ourselves, we see we have a long way to go:
1. There are lots of newcomers (in many groups) and initial interest and even great honesty.

We’ve learned that earlier this year a writer for the pop sexology/“girlie” magazine press posed as a sexaholic and attended SA meetings in at least two cities. This man had requested an interview and used “dirty tricks” to try and force one. He was given the standard response that we are not granting interviews at this time, and we sent him our media form letter (copy enclosed).

The Phoenix-Tucson people tell us their December get-together is in the planning stages.

The word from the SLC people is that their June get-together was a resounding success.

1. The big change is that all quotes from the AA Big Book and Twelve and Twelve are in quotes with the credit line at the bottom of the page. AA is not letting us paraphrase their literature as they have in the past; they’ve changed their policy.

Dear Friends in SA,
This newsletter is going out to all groups on file at the General Service Office here in Simi Valley. It is also being sent to individual members who represent groups or potential groups for information as well as to individual SA members.

We’re asking sober SA members to send in personal articles telling of their experience, strength, and hope so we can see how people are doing and perhaps share them with others.

I’ve been rediscovering the second half of the First Step lately. My emotional life is unmanageable.

Most SA groups experience a common dilemma: Many walk through the doors, but few achieve lasting sexual sobriety. This matter is constantly on our hearts, and we should seek God individually and collectively in this matter.

The Salt Lake City, Utah groups are holding a combined get-together June 1-3 in Salt Lake City and are inviting all other SA members and any S-Anon spouses to join them in a retreat of meetings and fellowship.

Are you listed with GSO? If not, please provide us with the name, address and phone number of the group contact person for our GSO mailing list.

Perhaps now is the time for us not only to take an SA inventory, but for us to take our group inventories, based on the Twelve Traditions. How does my group rate when evaluated against the Twelve Traditions? Is our main purpose to carry the message of what we are to the sexaholic who still suffers?

Recently one or more members granted interviews with the press, which were published in a local newspaper but then picked up by other papers in the chain and by the wire services. One member’s first name and home address were listed in the newspaper article, and that member has been inundated with inquiries.

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.

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.