[Magdalen] Admission

[M J _Mike_ Logsdon]

>>>AA<<<

Since we have so many knowledgeable sorts here, I've wondered something for quite some time.  The only sessions I've ever attended (by court mandate) were with just one group that conveniently meets a half-block from my home at St Paul's Episcopal in the early morning before 8:00 am.  If I ever go that route again (by choice this time) I won't attend that one because it irritated the hell out of me with one particular thing, and I'm wondering if that thing is AA-wide or just that bunch.  Once the session starts, no one can even dare utter a peep without prefacing said peep with "[Hi,]My name is ____, and I'm an alcoholic".  Over and over and ad nauseamly over.  I can see, maybe, the name repeated each time (but the name's not supposed to matter after all), but that whole damned entire statement?  Every single time?  Rational people need hear such a thing only once to get the point.

So:  the AA norm, or just that bunch?  (I won't even mention the closing "Our Father" with everyone holding hands.  That would simply be easy to avoid by leaving just before [like I always did].)