Response

My previous post "REALITY - PHOOEY!" had an immediate response. Two donations and $60 helps tip the scales. MUCH appreciated. I think I should post a "Donations to date" with details on the use of the donations on the home page.

Now ... if I can get the authors who said they would write something for Sponsor Magazine #3 to actually WRITE something ...

Mobile Access

Anyone using a mobile device can get quick access to all things Anonymous Review in a new mobile page: http://m.anonymousreview.org

The Realities - Phooey!

I don't like reality. That is probably why I drank. One reality I don't like is that people want to get paid for their work. And I think they should be compensated for things that don't relate to personal 12-Step work. But the phone company needs to get paid, the web hosting service needs to get paid and if something is printed or duplicated physically, the people who do that work need to get paid.

What I contribute is done without expectation of reward, but there are costs to set up and maintain domains, and some of the new projects will require some basic support. Filthy lucre. I have supported the project out of my disability income in the same way others might go to a movie or eat in a restaurant with friends. I eat at Taco Bell with friends and I don't see movies in theater. In the past year I've cut back on driving, eliminated cable and cut costs where ever I could. But I've reached a limit for my so-called "fixed" income (I think it's still broken).

The 27 Volume 1 podcasts of ANONYMOUS REVIEW are available as free downloads through archive.org.

The 50 Volume 2 podcasts of ANONYMOUS REVIEW - THE VIRTUAL SPEAKER MEETING are available as free downloads on archive.org.

The book A RECOVERY READER is available as a free download in several editions, including PDF and ePub formats. The printed version is availalbe as a print-on-demand item in paperback and hardback, but is not available through Amazon because of their pricing structure. (This means Amazon requires a 50% discount, which means we would have to cover all the printing costs from the print-on-demand service, which translate to a 100% price increase to place the book on Amazon!)

SPONSOR MAGAZINE is available as a free download in PDF format and is also available as a print-on-demand item through MagCloud.

The new projects come at a time when I am looking beyond limited resources to something much more precious - limited time.

I want to make a series of RECOVERY GEEK CDs available. These will first be posted for free download as ISO images for people who know how to mount a disk image and free to share. There are many MP3 files on each disk, plus support files as graphics, text and PDF formats. The MP3s can be shared as computer files or burned to regular CDs. These will be added to the ANONYMOUS REVIEW page for the recovery geeks who can use them. It would be nice to get a small stock of them available to people who may not have the computer skills to download, mount and burn the images to CD.

I foresee two more volumes of the podcast. While I have shown very few followers to the Blog, over 2,000 downloads from the various podcats have been made, and many more hits to the pages. These files will circulate and will, I hope, be of service to new alcoholics long after I'm gone.

The first is a series of podcasts on TOPICS IN DEPTH. First I see a series of 2-3 podcasts to hear Bill Wilson give a new version of his stories pulled form the few dozen recordings we have of him telling that story. Not just "Bill's Story" but a more behind the scenes and defining details. Then a series of speakers discussing the steps in grouped format. This means for Step One you hear 8-9 people telling their comments on the beginning of Step Work, and for the next podcast you hear a different 8-9 people giving their take.  Maybe 35 speaking comments on Step Four.  20 Speakers on Sponsorship... all available for download through the main page.

The next is a series based on a format used by a local mental hospital, before speakers were allowed to come in to share meetings with patients. It is called SPEAKER IN A BOX which could be used by isolated alcoholics who need a speaker (similar to Virtual Speaker meeting) but restricted to a tight 35-45 minute talk to give time for discussion after the speaker. This could be used as a format for locations with just a few alcoholics to gather, who have heard each other's story too many time and need some fresh input. 60-minute and 90-minute formats could be provided and groups are free to use the speakers in any way they feel appropriate.

But the final project would be with a new technology to allow a free ANONYMOUS CHANNEL with ROKU to provide audio and video productions related to recovery. Not just AA but all 12-Step programs, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No charge, really! And not just Anonymous Review items, but productions from the dozens of other Recovery projects on the Internet.

To move forward with any of this, ANONYMOUS REVIEW needs to work within its means. Its means have always been meager, but now the means would mean to stop completely.

If you use or share the materials on this podcast site, please consider a small donation - $5 from the people who have downloaded programs would be great. $25 would pay three month's web hosting. $100 would sponsor the creation of the first disks for direct sale at a low price - like $5 plus shipping.

Yes, its the crude money-whine. If this project has to go away, I'll have to adjust myself to that reality.

If you agree with the purposes of ANONYMOUS REVIEW, please forward the blog address to those you think would be interested. This is not a Facebook "Post this to your status..." demand, but a request for help from those who would like to move the project forward.