Welcome to My Bumpy Ride.......

Before you all read on, I guess it is best to introduce myself to you and let you know a bit about myself. I am Susan, and first and foremost, I am a mother to a wonderful young man. Though he is grown, he will always be that three year old little boy, that asked all those questions and expected answers to them all. Though I will tell you much about myself in this blog there is no one or nothing that is as important to me as him, even if I don't discuss him much, because he kina likes to remain private.

For years I was actively trying to find myself, but that was a big waste of time, since by doing so I was not living. All my life I have always known that I was "different", but was unable to know why that was. I first thought that perhaps it was because I was adopted, but that was not the case. Turns out, I am bipolar and pretty much have been all my life. This was explained to me about nine years ago when I had a major melt down. I tend to be more on the depressive side, but have on occasion been quite manic. My last episode was early thru mid 2008, with full blown depression. For five months, I bearly left my house, let alone my bed. Why am I telling you this? I just want it out in the open and let you understand that I discuss my illness from time to time.

Present day, I am currently a full time student, studying social work. At the end of 2011 I was approached by a mentor of mine, who mentioned a new program that was going to launch here in Rhode Island. This new program called the Peer Wellness Coaching, was something that I had always wished would become a reality and to add even more excitement was the fact that this mentor was inviting me to train for a position as one of the Peer Wellness Coaches.

So currently (spring 2012) I am part of the three phases of training and should be employed by the fall of 2012. What is even more excellent about this program is that they are aware of my education goals and are willing to work with me on maintaining those goals.

Also you might hear me mention NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), because I am actively involved with them. I am a facilitator and state trainer for the NAMI Connection groups (peer run support group) here in Rhode Island, and I also help teach high school and college students about mental illness through NAMI RI's Inside Mental Illness program.

So with all that being said...I hope you read on to my daily activities and thoughts and such.




Friday, April 29, 2011

Entry for April 29, 2011 Too Much

This week I was hit with a surprise.  First I have to tell you that some time in the late fall I had a discussion with Denny about his drinking and how if ever he wanted help, I would do all that I could to help him.  Well Tuesday we were out having pizza and he tells me that he wanted to take me up on my offer.  I was like, seriously, and he was like yes. So since Tuesday I have been working to help Denny to get the help he needs.  Well right now he is in the hospital and will either be going to a partial hospitalization or to a program where he goes home each night.  I am hoping for the partial hospitalization, but at least he is doing something.  This is the first time he has ever tried anything to help his drinking and he has been a heavy drinker for thirty years.

At least for two days I had something else on my mind other then my shit, but as with anything you’re trying to avoid, it is still there.  Today I went to see him at the hospital and then like a wave my shit came back.  My God, when is this shit going to friggin stop?  How am I going to be able to be there for him, finish my last two weeks of school, clean his apartment, clean his finances and keep me in check all at the same time?  Three days of classes left and two days of finals, that is what I am thinking right now.  It is way too late to even consider taking an incomplete.  It would be a mega waste of time. 

With me focusing on Denny it kind of calmed my racing thoughts, but today they came back with a vengeance.  It is so bad that I even called and left a really crazy message with my therapist.  She will most likely get that on Monday.  At least tomorrow I will be at Denny’s house cleaning it.  I am really hoping that I can focus on that and keep my thoughts more leveled.  We shall see.  You know, I didn’t even know what I was going to talk to my therapist about in the first place.  Guess I just needed someone to talk to.  All my friends are busy and not answering their phones.  Maybe they are just tired of me being off.  I mean I try as hell to spare them the thoughts that are running around in my head.  Well it doesn’t matter.

Think I am going to lie down.  No picture today.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Entry for April 26, 2011 My Brain in Overload

Went to classes today, but left second class early so I could go to group so I could be with those that understand me and I can let my guard down a little bit.  It helped a bit I suppose, but in some ways it didn’t.  My anger is building and that worries me a bit.  Two weeks to go and the second week I only have to go for two days, thank God.  Two classes left of my Comp class, which is really good, because that arrogant instructor is really pissing me off.  The only reason why I took his class again was because as much as he pisses me off, I was still able learn something and he actually grades pretty well.

It was actually a nice surprise to see my old therapist today.  Talked to him a bit, which was a good thing.  Didn’t think it would be a big deal to see him again, but strangely it was.  I am figuring that I still have some major abandonment issues from when I was a kid.  Sounds logical to me since basically from birth, people have dropped me.  I know I should feel really honored to have been adopted, but honestly I have always felt like an outsider in my family.  It seemed like I just never belonged with them.  Don’t get me wrong, I love them and all, it is just that with my dad it was like I was the last one he thought about all the time and with my brother needing so much attention then and even now, there just was not any room for me in his thoughts.  With mom, I guess it was more or less the same but then there was also her work.  It just seemed like her work was much more important than me.  At least when my brother lived with us she seemed to pay attention to what was going on at home.  After he moved out, it just seemed like I was all alone.  When I met my son’s father he gave me the attention I was looking for and he really in his own way cared about me, but he didn’t know how to show his feelings in a positive manner.  When he started to be abusive, I just thought that was normal since when I was a kid if my brother would beat up on me, I was the one who was reprimanded, because it was easier for my mom or dad to get me out of the situation, rather than discipline him.  Now as an adult, I can really see how that was the easier solution for my parents.  I remember that they used to accuse me of getting him started, when in fact, he would just attack me if he was mad at someone else.  Mom used to do that to me as well.  When her and my brother was arguing over something, I knew it would be me to deal with the consequences of their argument. 

I am pretty sure that is why I thought that I could do something to get my ex-husband to stop being abusive.  After all it was always told to me that I was the reason why my brother was beating up on me, as my parents would tell me.  I was always told that I should know better, by my parent for so long it just kind of sunk in.  What I could not understand was the fact that my brother was older and in my mind it was him that should have known better. 

People have asked how I could have stayed in a situation for so long with my ex.  Honestly I just thought that was going to be how my life would be.  I didn’t see a way out.  I feel into a deep dart hole and just thought that there was no way out.  I remember saying something to my dad and he told me that since I picked him, he was to be with me forever.  I was really hoping that for once, my dad would have stepped up and did what I needed at that time.  My dad though is a pretty passive guy and looking now, my ex was pretty much a scary type of guy.  You just never knew where he was going to go.  Sometimes I did and I knew there would be no way around his rage.  I will admit, those times I would start something because I knew he had to let something out and I tried in all my power to let him let it out on me when our son was not at home.  I know fucked up, but like I said, I didn’t know that there was any other choice.

Wow, ok, I really talked about more than I wanted to, but that is the nature of this blog really.  Me sitting in front of the computer and just typing and not thinking.  Just grabbing a thought and go with it, not stopping, because maybe if I do that, then maybe I will actually see something that I need to or something.  So sorry if these blogs lately are bothering you, but I am not letting myself stop, just me and my thoughts on the screen, without any editing, so perhaps one day I can read these and it will help me out a bit.  Ok I will look for a picture for today….Oh wait…I went out with Denny today, maybe there is a picture from today that I can share…BRB…



Ok, this picture I believe represents my mind.  There are so many windows and way to enter it, but yet it is a maze, not a difficult one, but a maze just the same.  It is also a mystery as to which window will take you to where.  One can set me off, one can shut me down or the other can find the core of who I am and so on.  So like I said it represents my thinking at this time.

Side note though, Denny went to his therapist today and did some serious talking with the guy.  Finally they talked about his drinking enough to where Denny is seeing some sort of other possibilities.  He is serious thinking about a 30 day treatment program, but he is in the baby stages.  He does want me to look over his health insurance plan to see if they will pay for it.  I already know they will and his work will give him the time off as well without any repercussions.  Let us hope he is serious about this, but I am not going to push him at all.  I tell him that I will do whatever I can to help him with his recovery and only discuss it with him, if he wants to discuss it with me.  No pressure from me, since he is the one who wants it.  Oh geeze, this is an extra long one today.  Sorry I end here…..

Monday, April 25, 2011

Entry for April 25, 2011 Society’s Little Helper in the Form of a Pill

Sitting here in the dark, except for the screen before me, I decided that I would just write for a bit.  For what I am going to write about I am not sure, just gonna let my fingers type alone to the thoughts that I can catch in my head.  It is funny how so many thoughts can pass through my mind in such a short period of time.  I can’t understand why it is like that actually.  When I am manic I have so many thoughts and when I am depressed I have so many thoughts, so when am I ever gonna catch a break.

Granted though, my thoughts do run different with each of the two.  I guess if I was going to pick the thoughts of mania or depression I would pick mania for sure.  At least with mania they are not so dark and twisted.  I am really not liking the things I have been thinking about lately.  I am gonna spare any of you who actually read this crap the actual thought process.  I have to admit; this time is a bit different then other depression, because of the fact that my thoughts used to be inward and didn’t give me a feeling of fear of what I could actually be capable of.  Guess everyone has the capability of such things that I have been thinking about, but it sucks to have them in your face all the time.

Thank God I am almost at the finish line with school.  I am so thankful I have been able to hang on to that for now.  I actually had a fleeting thought of taking an incomplete but decided with only a short time to go and the fact that I have been hanging on this long that I will continue til the end.

I am mega worried about taking meds again.  All those frigging side effects are just crazy.  They (the so called professionals) say that the meds will help to better improve the quality of life.  OK. Then tell me this, why so many people who take those friggin drugs all are messed up physically.  And the friggin weight gain.  What the fuck is that about anyways.  Aren’t we all walking around thinking we are freaks already, do we really need the extra weight gain to really boost our low self esteem and really let the world know we are different in the first place. 

Let’s not even go into the spacey feeling we get from the meds, I mean come on.  Oh they say…it is to calm you down…yeah calm us down do much that we are basically walking zombies and able to function through life and be good little members of society.  Oh yes, I am so looking forward to those days that just start blending together and making everyone around me feel like the meds a “working.” 

Like I said, this blog is brought to you today from the inner workings of my frontal lobe.  Sorry for anything that you don’t agree with or those things that you do.  No picture today, just because I have taken one of their meds today to “calm” me down and hopefully I will get some sleep, because tomorrow is seventeen days until I am finished for the semester and I really need to stay focused on the plan I have set for myself.  What I do after that day, I have no idea, what I do know is I am NOT going to go anywhere that requires me to leave my apartment for more than six hour intervals.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Entry for April 24, 2011 Our Pets Help Us Not to Feel All Alone

Spent the better part of yesterday and last night working on my final project for English Comp, and I guess I can say that for the most part I am done.  Thank God I was able to that much done.  I still have a hundred question take home exam for social psychology to get done and I am not even half way through.  I am giving up for now though. 

I have not heard from Denny since Friday early evening.  I am kind of worried, not about where he is or anything, but for the responsibilities he is not taking care of.  I know, not my problem, but it is just so hard to see him making really stupid choices.  I know that is why he has not called me, because he didn’t take my warnings and made bad choices.  Sometimes I wonder why I bother, because he never listens and then when I am right, he ignores me, because he doesn’t want me to say. “I told you so.”

Being alone so far this weekend had brought something to my mind, like I really need more at this point.  I started out all alone in the world since my birth parents just basically dumped me off and left right after my birth.  As I sit here now even I have the whole feeling of being all alone.  I remember even after I was adopted feeling alone all the time.  Seemed like no one actually cared what I did, unless of course they were embarrassed by my actions. I would get up when I was a young kid and go about my business doing whatever and honestly I wonder if anyone even cared what it was I was doing.

When I was a teenager and lived alone with my mother, you might as well have said I lived alone.  I had a dog though.  She was great.  Had her since I moved in with my parents I think.  I can remember that whenever I felt completely alone she was there and she would always be right next to me.  She was a great dog.  Here it almost thirty years since she died and I still miss her from time to time.  Shit, I still have a picture of her in my iPod.  I guess if someone was to ask me who was the one person in my family that I loved the most while I was growing up, I would say it would be my dog, since at any given time she was the one true being that really seemed to care about me all the time.

Gram and my sister Tammy would also be important to me while I was growing up, but Gram was in another state and well Tammy was trying to live her own life and figure out where she fit in.  Honestly, I think that Tammy felt the same way I did to some degree.  See with Tammy she was the oldest and shared something special with my parents and then my brother Tommy well he was the golden child.  It just seemed to me that in the order of things in my home growing up was first Tommy the golden child and then Tammy because she was their first try at a child and lastly if there was anything left, that is what I got.  I always felt like each time I tried to seek any kind of attention from my family I was received with a feeling of dread from those that I looked for it from.  Mom often got annoyed at me as did my dad.  Dad just seemed to make sure that I had the basic needs.

Koko, my dog though, she was always there for me.  If I was sad she nuzzled up on me to let me know she was there. If I was happy, she was there to jump around and let me know she was excited as well.  If I was scared she seemed to sense it and let me know that she was on duty.  Those last years with her, it was just me and mom in the house and many times I was home alone and scared out of my mind.  I never actually told anyone that, but I seriously was and Koko would lay down with me in my bed and protect me from the big bad world that existed outside of my room.

When she died it was the one of the hardest times of my life, because for the first time in a long time, I was completely and utterly alone. From time to time there was Tammy and Gram but for the most part, it was just me.

Now that I have moved away from Denny, my Gram and Tammy have both died and my son and friends are so far away, I am feeling I guess like I did after Koko died.  Maybe that is why I am really thinking of her.  I feel as though I could just easily slip away and all would be fine in the world.  Sure there would be those that miss me, but they could live their lives and remember some of the good times and such, but seriously, I could.  I am not going to, but it really is a terrible feeling to know that I could.



I didn’t have to go and look around to find the picture I wanted to post in this blog, because I already knew as soon as I wrote about Koko.  This picture was taken in the 70’s in NJ.  I have yet to see a dog that looks like she did.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Entry for April 23, 2011 Honor thy What?

The count as of today is eight actual days I have to go to classes, two final days, and 19 days until the end of the semester. Maybe it is not a good idea to be counting down since it looks like a lot of days until the end of the semester and it is not helping me to see that, but I can’t help it.

Spent today doing absolutely nothing except lying in bed and being on the computer.  Lying down in bed is not good for me but since I have nothing else better to do other than homework, it seems like a better choice.  So now I wonder, what is it going to be like in 19 days when I am done and have no responsibly? Will I spend my days laying in bed and watching shit on TV that I totally forget about once they are done?  I had the TV on and honestly, I have no idea what it was that I was watching.  I vaguely remember Will and Grace, but not sure if that was last night or today.  OMG this is bad.  Reminds me of two years ago major, only difference is I am alone here and don’t have Denny to remind me that there is an outside world out there. 

Maybe this weekend is tough because of the fact that I have not heard from Denny since last night.  I am guessing that he is getting annoyed with me being on a downer and all and since I don’t live with him, he doesn’t have to see it if he doesn’t want to.

Tomorrow is Easter.  Not much to say on that really.  I have no plans.  Suppose I could go to church or something and get all connected to God or whatever, but honestly that is hard for me right now.  Yeah I know, we don’t have God on a time schedule or anything and if we believe that we believe and blah blah blah. 

I was really serious in a church back in Virginia and well at that time I was in a marriage from hell.  I told a Pastor about the whole situation and was quite honest with him and all, and you know what he told me….Fuckin!!! he said that our vows are sacred or something like that and then quoted the scripture about wives honoring your husbands.  What the fuck was that shit.  Here I was almost every day wondering if this man that I lived with was going to beat the shit out of me and here was this asshole Pastor basically telling me to obey my husband.  I did though look up those verses and it also stated, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

When I brought this to the attention of that friggin Pastor he basically said that it was me who needed to comply first and how was a man going to be able to do that for me if I would not obey him.  I was like WTF.  One would think that this transpired somewhere in the 50’s or even the 70’s, but no this happened around the early 2000’s.  Crazy but true.  What I find amazing is how I still receive emails from this Pastor about his program that he runs for addiction recovery.  I wonder why I do, since I don’t even have an addiction problem.  Whatever.  Just something my brain was thinking while I had this page open.  Ok time to find a picture.  Be right back…



I guess, since I am feeling all alone right now, I will share a picture I took one fall of one of the miniature pumpkins that I buy each year.  Well TTFN.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Entry for April 19, 2011 Expectations

Expectations, we all have people that expect things from us.  It is the way the world is and has always been and always will be. I thought about that today.  Expectations, which others have for you.  You might want to do something for you but it becomes something an expectation.  And because of this, should you feel like you don’t want to do it anymore, you can’t quit, because you will let another person down. Even when you feel like you have lost yourself somewhere, there is that need to accomplish that thing that people are expecting you to do and to do it well. Even as you keep on going, you think of those that you will let down, and that keeps you going.

So what would happen if you finish that expectation and then make it so there will be no more for you or for others to expect from you.  Is it then that you have all your options open, open to do anything that you really want to do, regardless of those people in your life? 

With the semester ending I have been thinking about this a lot.  Everyone I know is supporting me and at the same time expecting me to do my best.  I know that this comes from me.  After all, isn’t that how it works?  When we have a friend or family member who is really trying to go for themselves, don’t we cheer them on and really root for them, to help them get through it.

So what happens when you fail?  Well for the people who support the person who failed it is a big let down and it is hard for the supporter to respond, because no one wants to vocalize anything that is negative. 
The person who failed at something has the tough job of telling everyone that they didn’t do it or do it the way they wanted to in the first place.  There is always that feeling of letting the supporter down and causing them to be in a downer, because we as humans don’t like to vocalize anything that is negative.

So we are stuck in this endless circle of getting excited for something we want to do or something someone close to us wants to do.  Now sometimes we get that wonderful feeling of a positive outcome and those times give a good feeling inside, but then there are those other times, the hard times, when failure is the outcome and we are left with those negative feelings.

So the question here is, is it better to not have a expectations and not have the possible negative outcomes or is it better to have the expectations and hope for the positive ones?  Which outweighs the other?

Ok, going to find a picture that kina fits with this one.  Off to my collection…



This one that I picked is one that I had taken in Utica, NY in mid fall of a few years ago.  I picked this one because even though it looks like the leaf is all alone to endure the newly fallen snow alone, there are some blades of grass there to support it, just like we as humans support each other.  Kind of what I was talking about here today.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

April 17, 2011 Beach Pictures

So I went to the beach yesterday morning and got some pretty good shots.  I really can’t believe that I got up and left by 8 am since I didn’t even try to go to sleep until around two in the morning.  I mean I was still writing my last blog and posted it around one in the morning.

I am going to make this sort of quick.  Just want to let you all know that while I was there, I was actually feeling a bit better.  I did the Julie Andrews thing from the sound of music, except I was at the beach rather than in a field.  I was all by myself and was able to play my iPod as loud as I wanted and I sang at the top of my lungs and it actually felt pretty good.  Then I got home and felt exactly as I did when I left.  Oh well.  Anyways, I am just going to post a bunch of the pictures I took while there.  Here you go…




























Well that is about it for now.  TTFN

Saturday, April 16, 2011

April 15, 2011 Just a Taste of My Mind

Having not done a thing all day today, has tired me out.  Can’t tell if it is the lack of doing anything or it is the depression or both.  Oh well, who knows.  I am thinking that even though I have a lot of school work to do for the weekend, I am going to take the bus down to the beach and see if I can get any pictures taken.  It was actually kind of an idea that my therapist had, but I extended it a bit.  I mean she said something about walking around here and getting some shots and well I am the one who decided to take the hour and a half bus ride to the beach.

You know it was supposed to be this time that some of my photos would have been displayed at the art gallery and because of my friggin illness; I am unable to even get my photos ready for it.  It would have been nice to have been able to sell at least one of my photos, and be able to say that I was a photographer. Such as life.

Talked with Denny today. Well he finally got copies of his W-2’s and sure enough, I was right.  He owes the government and for three years. I told him for quite a few years that he really needed to let me do them, but no he would not listen to me, and now he has like mega taxes, interest and penalties that he is going to have to pay.  I know I should not get worked up or concerned about this, since it is his problem and not mine, but I can’t help it. 

I was thinking about how maybe if I didn’t feel what others felt so much, and then maybe I would be alright.  Seems I only feel the hurt that everyone feels more than the good feelings.  Now doesn’t that just suck ass.  I seem to think so.

I only have fourteen more days that I have to actually go to classes and twenty seven days until I am finished for the semester.  I am thinking my calculations were a bit off the other day.  OMG I just have to make it to the end.  Well that is good that I have that goal, you know something to look forward to.  Something that I can beat, you know what I mean.  I figure if I focus on getting through the rest of the semester then I can just concentrate on that, and for now that seems to be working for me. 

I made a hard decision the other day.  I decided to actually trust my med doctor and let her prescribe anything that she feels is right for me and I won’t question it at all.  Anyone who really knows me knows that this is major.  I am always looking at the side effects of meds and then get freaked out about taking them.  I guess the biggest side effect I worry the most about is weight gain.  Friggin, since I have been taking psyc meds I have gained so much weight.  Now I am not saying that I was some skinny minny but shit, I was not as I am now. 

You know what I really don’t like.  When you feel like I do and you think about ways that you can leave the situation and you express it to someone, they always ask you how would your significant others feel about your choices.  I am sorry but it is hard to think about that.  I know that it is selfish to say it like that and I do love the people in my life, but I also know that people revolve.  That is all I got to say about that.  I do have to add that I don’t see myself at the point of making any kind of radical choices, I am just rambling.

When I sit here at the computer and type away, I let my mind decide what to say and well shit, welcome to my ride.  It is very hard to take things from my mind and put them to words sometimes, because my mind is like the old time projectors that would flash with each new slide.  You have to hurry up and grab something to make some sense of it.  A lot of my thoughts are not like before when I have felt this way, which is concerning me a bit, well a little more than a bit, but I am maintaining and that is good for now. 

Twenty seven more days.  I have to make it because so much rides on it. There is so much that I can lose and honestly now it doesn’t mean that much to me, but I know myself all too well, it will matter to me later and I really don’t want to f something up that I will hate myself more later.  There is enough of that low self esteem going on here that I don’t need to add more for myself later.  So I figure if I stay as focused as I can for now, I will make it through the next twenty seven more days.

Alright, so now that I decided that I am going to switch from my looking back pictures to my own that I have taken over the years, I think it is time for me to go looking into my collection and see which one fits anything that I discussed here.  Be right back with a picture.



This one I picked because I mentioned that hopefully tomorrow I will make it to the beach to take some shots and well this is where I am hoping to make it to.  This shot was taken last year with my friend and her daughter.  They came here to visit and we decided to head to the beach and I got a lot of shots that day. 

Just a side note.  Even though this is posted on Sunday, it was around midnight so in my book it is still Friday so hope it didn’t confuse anyone reading this.  TTFN

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Entry 2 for April 13, 2011 Grab the Moment

While waiting for my class to begin, I decided to just let some words make sense on paper, and this is what I came up with. I didn't make any correction or anything,  so if there is errors and you want to correct it, then you miss the point on what it was that I was doing in the first place.  The picture is one that I had taken quite a few years ago.  It was the closest picture I could find of mine that kina sort fit.



As the rain drops fell hard and constant, she stood letting each drop land on her. Because it was early fall, the temperature was still fairly high and the raindrops felt warm to her skin. She didn’t care about the looks she was receiving from the umbrella holding passersby. In her mind she believed that she knew something they didn’t.

Here face looked up toward the sky; with a smile she closed her eyes. It was the first time in months that she was able to crack a smile on her face. She had waited for this moment, even if it would only be brief.

Though the sky was grey and cloudy, it felt to her as if the sky took away the clouds that filtered her thoughts.  The clarity she was now feeling, she could not but hope it would last forever, but she knew it was on to remain momentarily.

No one she knew was aware that her mind was flooded with clouds, because she was a master masker.  Her mother had taught her well.  Because she was such a great masker, she lived with her pain alone. If only her mother knew of the cost.

Just as she was beginning to enjoy the clarity of her mind, the sky cleared and her mind started to return to its cloudy mess it was.  At that moment she let her head drop, and she let out a deep sigh, and she realized that she was still standing in the same place where she was, only now she stood dripping wet.  For the first time in a long while, her thoughts matched her appearance.

Entry for April 13, 2011 Almost There

Sixteen actual days left of classes.  Thirty two days until I am finished with classes.  Each day that passes I wonder if I am going to make it.  Absences are maxed out in all my classes.  I can do this, I can make it through.  My grades are passing and I should be happy with that, but honestly it is making me even more depressed, knowing that I am not working to my full potential.

Trying to get the assignments done for the classes are really a hard task.  I get the study area ready and open the books, but my mind is always somewhere else. I have been putting on music for most of it, and it is helping some, but I can’t do that for reading though. 

I really shouldn’t be complaining since I am getting up and going to classes and passing, but it is such a struggle to do those things.  Last semester I was rocking.  This one, I feel like I am swimming in syrup or something. 

Now after me telling you all about how may days I have left of classes, that I would be looking forward to being done for the semester, but I am not.  At least with classes I know I have to get up and go somewhere.  When classes are done, there is no reason to get up and get going.  I am already coming up with ways to explain to my father that I am not going to make it to visit him this summer.  The good thing with that though is I have not actually said anything to him yet.

I am going to have to build a structured summer for myself at this point so I don’t run into problems.  I just wish that I would not lose my medical if I went to get a job.  I know right now is not the time to lose it.  I really hate how the system works.  You would think that if you made the effort to try and work at a job that they would somehow make sure that you didn’t lose it so you can gradually go back to work and have that safety net in case you are sick.  I know that when I am done with school I will have to make that jump but at this time I am not ready.

Also with school there are the long breaks that are really helpful.  I don’t know what I would be doing right now if I was at a full time job and feeling this way.  I can at least feel some sort of light at the end of the tunnel with the upcoming summer break.  I can at least work on meds and get the mental care I need at this time.  At a job they would not sit back and let you take that kind of break.



Anyways that is enough of that.  Today’s picture is from the Roger Williams Park Zoo.  Though I took many pictures of the animals, it was the scenery pictures that I felt were much better.  So here is one.  I chose this one for today because I have been talking about the light at the end of the tunnel, like pertaining to this semester and this picture shows the light from the sun. TTFN

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Entry for April 10, 2011 Reassessing My Thoughts

Well yesterday and today, I forced myself to get up and go out.  It is nice out after all.  It doesn’t matter whether or not there is a thunderstorm going on in my mind, there is still life outside of it.  I am hoping that if I get up and out, that somehow the nice days outside will help clear the dark clouds within my mind.

So yesterday, Denny and I went to Federal Hill, here in Providence, and ate dinner and then walked to the mall to see a movie.  We saw limitless and The Adjustment Bureau. I remember some of the movies and I guess they were ok.  I think I would become addicted to the pill in limitless.  I could really see that happening.  That is all I can say on that one, because I don’t want to spoil the movie for anyone else.

Last week I was kind of ahead in school and this weekend I did nothing for school.  It is not the smartest thing to do at this time, but honestly I could not see myself getting anything done anyways.  Each time I am here, I look at my bed and long for it. 

My grades as of now are passing, which is good, but usually at this time I am doing so much better.  I picked my classes for fall already.  Biology for Today, Physical Science and Intro to Human Services/Welfare are the courses I have picked and with each being 4 credits, it fulfills my fulltime requirement.

If by the first week in September I am not feeling any better, I am going to take a break for that semester.  I think what is scaring me the most is the lack of structure for the summer.  Believe it or not, that is so mega bad for me.  I have to figure out how I am going to fill the spaces that school fills for me right now, before it seriously becomes an issue.

Because of my illness, I was unable to get my photo collection together for the art gallery that wanted to me to exhibit at.  This is something that this past fall I was so looking forward to.  This illness of mine is a killer of many things.  Maybe next year I will be healthy enough to get into gear and get my photos ready.  I decided that each time I post here, I will insert one of my photos, and maybe that will get me more into the swing with my photos.  So here is something I took today.



This attracted me because of how not straight and normal this clock is.  This photo reminds me of me and how I am.  I am not someone who fits evenly into the box that the rest of society fits into.  When I am in that box, it tilts to the side and does not even out until I jump back out again.  TTFN

Friday, April 8, 2011

Entry for April 8, 2011 Completion

Sadly I feel destruction
Badly planned construction
Widely known contradiction
Beautifully in its classification
Angrily starting a vacation
Presumably my brain starts its new creation
Unflinchingly I wait for the homogenization
Unfalteringly I wait for the welcome termination

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Entry for April 6, 2011 Wow, My Rant!

I wish I could tell you all that I am feeling a 100% better, shit I would love to say that I feel 50% better for that matter.  I am not sure how it is that I am making it through this, but so far I am.  Funny thing is, no one can tell I am going through this thing.  Guess I am really good at saving face or something.

I think it is great that I can write this out somewhere, because it is a bitch to act as if everything is going alright and to try and take my classes and pass and keep up with how well I did last semester.  I find that I am forcing myself to open books and do the assigned work and readings needed to pass the courses.  At least I am doing ok in that area.

Thankfully the mental health center that I conduct the Connection groups at had a flood in their basement last month.  Because of the flood, we put the group in hiatus for the month of April.  This is good for me because, I don’t have to act as if everything in my life is in control.  I guess that is the worst part of being the facilitator in a peer run support group.  The most that I can say is, “I am having some symptoms of my illness.”  Damn, seriously, I would not mind that.  This is kicking me hard. 

At least I get to express myself here and not let anyone down.  I hate the fact that I have done so well that I am expected to keep it up all the time.  I know part of that is on me, since I don’t like to let people down.  However there is a group of people at my mental health center that do look up to me as someone who is “making it.”  Sometimes I wish I could tell them that even though I have done well in the past, I do have an illness that creeps it wicked head around to remind me that I do in fact have an incurable mental illness, that is just not going to go away.

Maybe that is what is bothering me the most.  That whole thing about how there is nothing to cure it, only something that could keep it at bay until whatever medicine you are taking decides to work with your body to become less active.  Then it is back to trying whatever it is that works well with you enough to let you try and become an active member of society.  What the f&*^ is that all about.  Not like I am really good about remembering to take the stuff in the first place, but I wonder, what is the point.  It is only temporary in the first place and besides these doctors don’t even have this set as an exact science.  They are guessing as to whether or not these drugs are going to help or not.  Let’s not even get into all the friggin side effects!!!  My God, does anyone have a clue as to how many people with mental illness also have medical issues that came about from the medicines they are taking for their mental illness.  It is just totally crazy.

Lastly, who is to say that we who suffer with mental illness are the sick ones in the first place!  Maybe we are the healthy ones and those that are so called mental illness free, really the ones who suffer.  Think about it.  Those that don’t suffer, don’t think.  They go about their days, doing things in robot fashion, with no thought process.  Must do, is where their mindset is.  Who the f^&* wants to think that way.  Yes, I over think things and contemplate everything, but at least I use my mind, and question things, and not walk aimlessly around doing as I am told.

Ok so this was a rant.  And I kina went way everywhere, and I am not even manic.  Go figure on that one.  Maybe it is because I am mad, mad that I feel as though I can express what I am really feeling, because it makes OTHER people uncomfortable!  Oh well, not one person can change the thinking of everyone.  I am signing off, since I have to leave for class in like fifteen minutes.  TTFN