Ok, so now what?

Frankly, I don't know. I'm back from the NYFF, I had great time. Mr. Brown was, well, exceptionally great to me. I don't know why I was suprised, but, he was.

HOWEVER. What I thought about him last year(that he was going through a time of transition, change) was even more true this year. He's not that carefree guy I fell for. And whether its work, or life, or his words being taken out of context, or people who accept money from him and still continue to make fun of his weight loss, hair, deep faith, convictions, and allow other people who post on their site to do the same, something's going on with the man.

THAT SAID-It's not my problem, anymore. Yeah, I won't worry or care less about it, but I'm going to try to just put it on the back burner for a while. I wish I'd talked to him about it. If only there'd been time. I know he appreciated what I said to him, that I gave him something that hopefully he loved, that it touched him in some way. I hope he remembers me from now on.

On to the next big thing, whatever that is. I'm doing well at my volunteer job, am writing like a fiend, and getting ready to do that 'Novel In a Month--or 50,000 words--whatever comes first, in November. Looking forward to that. Wishing I could go to the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland and meet Michael Symon. (Yeah, he looks like a sex offender, I know). And yeah, someone else is going to be there, but I don't know who that might be.

I wish Mr. Brown well for the rest of his tour. I hope that his eyes do get opened one of these years, and he realizes who his real fans are. He seemed to be bitter about not being able to do his travel shows anymore--and we all know whose fault that is.

I want peace for him, as I want it for anyone I care about. But, he needs to wake up. Two handfuls of nuts are not dinner, dear.

To be continued.....I think.

As my mom always says, "On to the next".

I usually don't do this

But I've had yet another week from hell, and I feel like being silly. The picture on the bottom needs to be captioned, desperately.

I'll go first-

(mumbling) Uh, spare change, Chef Symon, Donatella, ANYONE?

Anyone else, have at it.

Oh Alton, and I say this with great affection, you need a consultation with Tim Gunn, ASAP. You will always be adorable, but the clothes in this picture certainly do NOT make the man!

After all the man does clean up EXCEEDINGLY WELL...as evidenced in the picture on the top.

I've seen him in a tux in person, this past May, @ the James Beard Awards.

The picture, does not do him justice.

God was paying SPECIAL attention to his work that day!

I'll Get There, I Know the Way

And I give big props to anyone who can tell me from what song I get the Title of this entry. I can think of one person who might know. :)

If I still drank, I'd probably be indulging in some liquid courage before I wrote this, but you know what? I'm really fine w/o it.


To all my friends who read here- I need your support, as I am currently under seige from another blogger, who seems convinced that I have slandered her in some way.
Truth is she slandered me. She is for some reason, unknown to me, because she seems like an intelligent person, rabidly against anyone who seems to possess any kind of religious faith. When I asked her about this, in a tweet, earlier this year, she responded to me, this way-
@awcbsdame how about you fuck off, you weirdo stalker freak? Get a hobby.

Yeah, some of you may think this is just mean. But it casts aspersions on MY character, and last I checked, stalking was a criminal activity. Add it up. It's slanderous towards me. It's not like I said to her, 'Hey--(insert explitive of choice) what is your fucking problem with people who believe? "
My faith is important to me. If this individual is a proud atheist/agnostic, more power to her.
But I think there is a limit to making fun of people who are different than you. You want to debate the existence of God, I'm more than open to that. I respect differing beliefs if it's done in a respectful way.
I'm tired of this. In my RL, I have to deal with scraping by on an SSI check, accepting the fact that half my family refuses to speak to me for something I've apologized a million times for, my own semi-stalker ex, and my recurrent major depression.
Let's just ignore each other from now on.
Am I a coward for not mentioning this person's name? Not at all. She lurks on this blog, she knows who she is. I wouldn't give her any more publicity. I've even considered shutting down my blog because of this, but you know what? It's NOT WORTH IT.

To my friends, any encouraging words, prayers, large sums of money :P are always appreciated.
Thanks for listening.

Alton Brown Is My Constant

Before any of you start making phone calls to the authorities, or Alton's publicists, or HVPC, or Scott my therapist, or ANYONE, let me explain what I mean. This is for those of you who don't understand, or care to understand, or, more importantly didn't watch "Lost", possibly the best thing
on television(after "Good Eats" of course.)

.


Are you all ready to sit quietly and listen? Good, then we can begin. According to the "Lost" mythology, a Constant is a person who for whatever reason is present (in one way or another ) during important or pivotal or stressful periods in their lives. The Constant may or may not realize or understand their importance, but they are, just the same. I know, sounds a little well, unusual, for lack of a better word, but it's the truth.

Here's why Alton Brown is mine. In the summer of 1999, I broke up(I thought for good) with Mark, yes, the same Mark that I DID break up with for good earlier this year. I was inconsolable during this time, and one thing I did for distraction was watch the Food Network. I've been cooheking since I was small--making things like French Toast and Eggs Benedict when I was 12. We won't talk about the Disasterous Biscuit Incident(e-mail me for details).
Cooking for me was an adventure, something that you could create and others could enjoy.
But, I digress. One August night, bored and channel surfing, I settled on the Food Network, and low and behold found a new show, "Good Eats". My first viewing left me confused(that was a cooking show?) but intrigued. The rest of that summer, I watched faithfull, learned a lot, and laughed a lot.
At the end of the first season, I was hooked.
Flash forward to 2006, when, unemployed, again single, and still dealing with the loss of my dad. One sleepless night, FN aired a commercial for the First Feasting On Asphalt.
There was AB, in a hospital, in a sling, scruffy.
Here were my thought processes.

OMG-he's hurt!
OMG-he's scruffy
OMG-he rides a motorcyle..
O....M...G!
Kicked in the head moment, for sure. And I guess that's when I realized, that like it or not, whether I ever met this man, he would always be important to me.

Flash forward again to last October 9th-the worst day so far of my life.
It also happened to be the day I met AB for the first time. Because of everything that had happened that day, I didn't expect much. Instead, I got to meet someone warm, and gracious and genuine. Someone who basically redeemed the day for me.

And this past February, when I met him again, he effusively thanked me for a gift that I gave him, something that I thought was so negligible, I'd get an off-handed "thanks " for. That was so NOT the case.
This year, to put it bluntly, has sucked. So many times I have been close to shuffling off this mortal coil, due to the ending of a 20 year relationship, the estrangement of family and friends.
Some things have remained. My faith, my writing, my love of art and books.
I am blessed with three amazing friends who have stuck through all of this with me.
So, to Jules, and Dee, and Lisa, I don't know how I will ever thank you. None of you have ever criticized or questioned me, have endured my snark and my screaming,and my constant barrage of tears and self-loathing. I wish you all were closer. If not for you three....well.
You all have saved my life, innumerable times.
And, as I get ready to go see The Illustrious Mr Brown next month, I want to say, "Thank You So Much" -I don't expect you to understand, and I'm sure what I've written here will catch you off guard. But you, and your show have helped me through an extremely difficult time, and if, you can't sleep one night, and happen upon this entry, know that I appreciate everything you do.
And yes, I do love you. In the best possible way.
In closing, I'm posting this video, shot by another fan in Boston last year.
Enjoy, all.
PS. Thank you also, Ashli, my twin sis, born 20 years after me, for all the late night letters. I love you, sweetie.

Wake Me Up When September Ends

It's been a crappy Summer. Crappier than I care to talk about. So much family drama, so much internet crap. I've learned a lot of things I wish I didn't know, I've lost what I thought were two good friends. My brother and my sister-in-law told all manner of lies about me, and half the family believes them. Their loss, but it sucks.

I've been slandered, and accused of slandering, when all I did was tell people the truth. What the people who slandered me don't realize is that I would not have done anything, if they hadn't gone after me first in June, on the FNH forums. Saying and insinuating things about me that were unfair and untrue. I tried to tell people about them, with varying degrees of success, but....two minutes ago, I got a message from Chef Michael Ruhlman, saying people like this were usually assholes...

Can't copy the tweet for some reason, but it's on my twitter page.

If you search for SiouxDoughNym, it's there.

Thank you, Chef Ruhlman.

It's nice that after all this shit, someone gets it.

And btw, all the readers who visit this blog from" Europe and Luxembourg", etc....get lost.

There's nothing for you here.

Sometimes, the good guys do win. :)

Using Blogging For the Powers of Good(Or, What Have We Learned This Summer, Children?)

Yet another summer comes to a close.






(Lucky fish, don't you think?)


The worst summer of my life, in possibly, the worst year of my life. But, enough hearts and flowers, let's talk about something else.



A dear friend of mine has a wonderful blog-"All About Alton"
http://www.allaboutalton.com/
It's acutally about more than just Alton. It's about cooking and life, and she will argue with me, but it's about dreams, and not giving up, and staying true to yourself. It's entertaining, but with a point. She's had it for the past two years, and it's given a lot of people, including myself tons of valuable information. She's a great inspiration to me, and also one of the reasons I'm still on the planet, but, that's another show. I digress.





Ever since we heard about the first oil spill in the Gulf, we've wanted to do something to help. I made a suggesting to her about something I'd been thinking of, and well she did the rest.





Le link est ici(the link is here) :





www.allaboutalton.blogspot.com/2010/09/alton-brown-fans-lets-unite-for-good.html





We're hoping to raise a good amount of money. I pray God blesses this effort. So, to my group of small, but valued readers, I ask that you all please, give something if you can. These are two causes that are very near and dear to my sister's and my heart. And yeah, they mean something to Mr. Brown, too.


See Alton, some blogs work for the Good Guys.


And that's all I have to say uh-bout that.





Here, if you are unfamiliar with Heifer International, is a video.
























I thank all of you in advance for your donations-remember, every little bit helps.

An Apolgy For Alton, and the Ugly Truth (What Blogging Is For, and What IT ISN'T)

Well, I got my wish. I'm officially infamous. Last week, thanks to a Tip from Twitter, I was on the radio with Mr. Brown.

Here's the link:

www.929dave.radio.com/2010/08/24/alton-brown-in-studio/#photo-1

I'm the third caller in the second group of calls.

Apparently, I struck a nerve with AB. I wish I knew the complete story, why he is so against blogs and bloggers, what truly happened to make him feel this way. He used to have a blog himself, and it was very enjoyable to read! I've heard the rumors of what happened, that some people sent in obscene, and borderline threatening comments and he decideed to stop, and that makes me sad.

I hope that maybe, when I see him in October I can talk to him about this. (No, I will NOT try to change his mind.)

For now, I apologize to you, AB, for pushing my point. I let my heart take over, and maybe I got a little too passionate. I promise, I wasn't trying to show you up.

I admire and respect the heck out of you. Last year, when I met you for the first time, you redeemed one of the worst days of my life and I will never be able to thank you enough for that.

I don't expect you to understand, but just know, regardless of what happens in the future, that I will always be grateful.

And now, for the UGLY TRUTH-

What follows is a thread that I started on the Forum for a Blog called Food Network Humor

www.foodnetworkhumor.com/forum/topic.php?id2256

Sorry, that link only brings you to the forum, not the thread. The thread starts "On the Podcast Yesterday"

Apparently, these people seem to think I'm someone else who has a blog about Mr. Brown-I'm not. I 'd really like to know what I did that was so slanderous. Truth hurts, and yeah, it's ugly.

Everything I've said about what Mr Brown says about bloggers is true.

And, I have proof.

So, it's not slander.

And I'm not scared. At All. Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world.

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

Unfortunately, dear readers, my depression is back in spades. It's worse than it's been in quite some time. I don't know what's worse, the feeling sad, or the feeling lonely. I know that I am, without a doubt, going to lose the remaining friends that I have, if things don't get better.

I REFUSE to go into the hospital. Two and a half hours of group therapy, vs twenty-0ne hours of eating industrial food and staring at stark white walls is not going to help.

My own therapist has done some grievous bodily injury to himself, and no one at the clinic seems to know when he will return. Just so you all know, NO, I AM NOT SUICIDAL.

However, if I died in my sleep in the near future, I wouldn't mind.

I miss my dad. I miss my dad, and my grandparents, and my aunt, the one aunt who believed that her brother-in-law was molesting me, when no one else did. Unfortunately, no one ever listened to her, either.

Today, I talked to my brother, and asked him if it bothered him that we were not close. He gave me a a half-hearted, 'yeah, a little'. His excuse for never trying to have a relationship with me, "We don't have that much in common." Great. Translation: "I really don't care". I know, some of you will say I'm wrong about that, but I know him.

My mom is very helpful, and supportive as she can be(she suffered a brief bout of depression when I was a kid), but I have so much guilt about telling her what's going on. But, if I don't talk, my head will explode.

And then there's my aunt, the wife of the uncle who molested me, and her alcoholic son, both who hate me., simply because I spoke up for myeself at Christmas, who threatened to slap me(her) and threatened to 'strangle me where I stood' (him) on the day after Christmas. This woman, whom I apologized to, who tells me I didn't apologize, who thinks she did nothing wrong, and who poisoned my brother and his wife against me. She's allowed to be happy. While I stay up at night, sad and feeling awful.

So much crap, too much for one entry.

I'm ready to just well, quit.

And by quit, I mean, just not talk to anyone...at all.

So Alone I Keep the Wolves At Bay

It's a better title than "Life Sucks, And Then You Die, " don't you think? I do.

Well, let's see, it's been just about six months since my life fell apart, and what have I learned? Not a whole lot of good stuff.

Let's get out the score card, shall we?

Friends Lost: 3

Family Lost: More than half

Faith: Hanging On By A Thread

Self Esteem: Less Than Zero

And no, I'm not feeling sorry for myself, though by rights I should be. Through all of this, up until this point, I've tried to keep busy, been there for all my friends(Two went through major crises)looked for work, and wrote. Also tried to turn a twenty year relationship into a friendship. But now, I'm DONE. I need someone to take care of me. When I brought this up to my friends, all but two of them were there for me. I am so grateful for those two, who both live much to far away from me. What irks me most are now, that I've vocalized how abandoned I feel, all the other people who considered themselves my 'friends' are protesting my calling them out. In answer, I ask them this?

Did any of you ever---

Send me an unsolicited e mail (Hi, Anne, haven't seen you on LJ for a while, are you ok?)

Sent me a PM on LJ (You ok, or any variation of that)

Jess, Ash, and T, you are all excluded---but you guys are young, and I didn't want to burden you with my crap.

So please. Don't now, automatically claim 'close frienship',. when we know it's not true. I'd like to say that's ok, but it's not, it hurts. What I wouldn't have given for some correspondence, anything. I'd been talking about how bad things were on LJ for a while. When I stopped writing, you would think someone might have worried.

It's ok, I know I don't matter. I've accepted that. I will be alone for the rest of my life, while other people who know how to play the game do just fine.

I'm better off alone. For those who understand, and I know who you are, I love you guys.

For everyone else? Ciao.

I make no apologies for what I've written here. I think I have every right to feel the way I do.

PS. For everyone who still thinks I'm not being fair, you can write me One4saul@aol.com, or leave a comment. I PROMISE I'll respond. I have nothing else to do. :(

Alton Brown: Under-rated, Underappreciated, and Unaware

Seeing as my blog has finally found it's way onto Google(after weeks of trying to get it noticed), I thought I wanted to try this One. More. Time.



So, here goes-and, Mr. Brown, if you're out there, and you see this, just an acknowledgement that you've read this, would be greatly appreciated.







Seems you've had quite the summer. From trying to donate to a webpage whose administrator basically admitted to not being a fan and then going on to let her readers ridicule you again, to being nearly crucified because of your endorsement of Diamond Chrystal Salt, being compared to TV Evangelists, it seems that people just don't get you.



And then finally, yesterday, as I was having my 'quiet time' and surfing the internet, I found an article about Guy Fieri, which contained this quote: "Susie Fogelson, head of marketing for Food Network explained his (Fieri's ) appeal. "I haven't seen anyone connect to this range of people since Emeril".-end quote.



Um. Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot?



Excuse me, and, gentle reader, indulge me, as I blow a proverbial gasket. Sigh. I have watched the Food Network from Day One, when they re-ran the same shows,. showed very old cooking shows, which I didn't mind, because it gave me a chance to appreciate Julia Child in a different way than I did when I watched her when I was small. I enjoyed the network greatly, but around 1999, it seemed to be on it's way out.



Then, one dreary and miserable August night in '99, I was channel surfing, and stopped there as I often did. Here was a new show, "Good Eats"-hosted by a guy who looked like a cross between Thomas Dolby and Sherman from the old Bullwinkle cartoons. I stopped, I watched, and at the end of that first half hour I was shaking my head, and laughing. Two things ran through my mind-THAT was a cooking show? , and, I have got to see this show again.





The more I watched the show, the more I liked it. Not only did I realize that Mr Brown knew his stuff, but it was one of the few things that could make me laugh, even when I'd had the worst day. And for a few years, the Food Network had the same idea, and Alton was treated like the Golden Boy at FN. Until, the season of The Next Food Network Star when Mr. Fieri won. Somehow, after that, the dynamic of the network changed.

Gone was the emphasis on instructional cooking shows. In it's place were more and more loud, obnoxious entertainment, 'reality' or 'challenge shows whose aim seemed to 'entertain' rather than teach. And, that's sad.
What's sadder was when I heard Mr Brown himself talk in an appearance about the fact that the network wouldn't let him do anymore "Feasting " programs--they'd (because of 'budget constraints' rather funnel that money into things like "Diners, Drive-in's and Dives", that insipid half hour where the host stuffs his face, talks with his mouth full, and asks very possibly the stupidest questions ever to the owners/managers of the places he visits. Nothing is really learned by watching.

And I don't know if maybe these recent developments have left you dishearted, discouraged, and maybe a little jaded. Perhaps that's why you behaved rather pompously when you were on The Next FN Star this year.
But Alton, maybe you're forgetting something. There are fans of yours who've followed you from the beginning, and feel the same way I do about FN, and the same way you do. We know you wanted to do "Ten Foods That Changed the World" and it was seemingly taken away from you, revamped and given to Mo Rocca, (why?). We know you are underused and under-appreciated at FN.
But, we want to help. However, we need to know that you still care about us. Take a moment to consider your die-hard fan base-those who blog about you, promote you, and still, well, love you. Don't group us in with the others, who don't get it. In other words, please. Let us know you're still out there, and you care. I feel that you do, you've just lost sight of it. I hope I'm right.
Thanks for listening.
Please feel free to comment.

Alton Brown, the Serene and Professional Bloggers on the 'Net Would Like to Have a Word With You. Pretty Please?

An open letter

Dear Mr. Brown-

Ok, I understand. Well, let me rephrase that. I think I do. After reading what several unscrupulous and uninformed bloggers have put you through during the last two weeks, (Yes, I am referring to the nefarious Richard Auffrey and his "Alton Brown, I Call You Out" post on "The Passionate Foodie", and all the subsequent responses to it'; the outcry about six weeks ago concerning your endorsement of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt--(ie the article in the NY Times) among other things, and the lambasting (unwarrented and rediculous) that you received about that, I'm pretty sure why you feel your labelling of the blogosphere 'inflammatory and journalistically unprofessional was warrented, and in your mind, as close as anyone can get to gospel truth.
That said, if you are still reading, give me a few minutes of your time. As a blogger, and a relatively new one at that, I feel that I owe you an apology. Not that I would ever indulge in some of the activities that the bloggers you abhor would, but basically because I know that none of those bloggers ever would think of, or consider, apologizing for their words or their actions.

That's the reason for this letter. To tell you that, yes, while many bloggers out there do use this forum to cause controversy, spread rumors, and generally just cause trouble, there are other bloggers out there, and we are more numerous than you think. In the past few weeks, I've have conversations with some of them, including a dear friend of mine, who were very hurt by your blanket negative labelling of ALL bloggers without exception. I could liken your statement to thowing the baby out with the bathwater. I know you had your reasons for saying it, but I'd like you to consider what I'm about to say in our defense.

Blogging, to me, and to my colleagues, is just another form of writing. It's a way of expressing ourselves, our feelings and our passions. It's a way to vent when we feel no one else will listen, or maybe we feel the people we do know are tired of listening to us. It's cheap therapy. It's a way to network, to correspond, to connect with like minded people. Not all of us are fortunate enough to be Bill O' Reilly or Keith Olbermann, or even well, yourself (:)), and have an opportunity to share our ideas on nationwide television.
There is an element of hope in us each time we click 'publish post', as we send our ideas out into cyberspace, hoping that they will be seen by people who can relate, who may be able to help us, and please God, that they will be well received by all. Bottom line, the bloggers that I know just want to be listened to. These are univeral feelings that everyone can relate to, I think.
In closing, I want to thank you for reading this. I know I'm probably tilting at windmills to even think that you might reconsider your feelings, but maybe, when you have a quiet moment, I'd ask you to just think about what I've said here.

I welcome your comments here, realizing fully you don't know me from Adam's off-ox, and that you may not choose to respond, and I also invite my fellow bloggers to weigh in with their opinions.

Oh, and one more thing:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW,(or, today :)). I hope the coming year finds you happy and healthy, surrounded by friends and family, and continuing to do what you love, whatever that may be.
I look forward to seeing you this coming October at the FN Food and Wine Fest!

Take care, and Be well, sir!
Sincerely,
Anne Mikusinski

Now is the SUMMER of My Discontent

When it's 9:10 PM and it's still 88 degrees, and it's only the middle of July, there's no way that can be good. Especially when you're female, and diabetic.
Translation, you can't have all the ice cream you want, and the law dictates that living in this country, you have to wear a shirt in public, along with that medieval torture device a bra--so much for the perks of being a "D" girl. Yeah. Perks, my ass.

Longing for winter, when no matter how cold it gets there's always one thing more you can put on.
My body's here tonight, but my head and heart are elsewhere, thinking of people, places and things I wish I could have.
The kicker about having clinical depression is just that the rotten feelings and malaise that are the hallmarks of this disease are compounded on a day like this. And what truly sucks, is the activity I usually fall back on(napping) is impossible when it's so FREAKIN HOT. My wheezy window unit tries valiantly to abate the situation, but it's hit and miss.
Ah depression, what is it. Most pyschiatrists and pyschologists will tell you it's a chemical imbalance where the seratonin receptors are blocked and blah, blah, blah....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Does medication help, yes, having been with and without it (and I am with it now, permanently) but, on a bad day, all they do is take the edge off, and the best way I can explain that is that you still feel bad, you're just not throwing things and telling perfect strangers about how awful you feel.
On days like this, I wonder which is worse.
Here is what depression really is.
Depression is when you get a rejection letter about your poetry, and it wrecks your whole day, even though you've been writing and submitting stuff for over ten years, and you know receiving them is part of a starving writer's job description.
Depression is when you know your closest friend is away all day and busy, and not ignorning you, but you still check your phone like some sort of idiot, and by the end of the day, you're sure they are either-


A-angry at you for something that they honestly haven't given a second thought to
OR
B-never speaking to you again, because they're sick of your whining, and have found happier people to associate with, and, as a result of that, when you finally talk to them, you pick a stupid fight with them over nothing, and then spend the next week beating yourself up about how stupid you are.
Depression is seeing NOTHING good about yourself no matter how many people tell you otherwise.
Depression is lonely, and exhausting, and it well,
It SUCKS.

And some days, like today, you wonder if you'll ever feel differently.
But being the pessimistic optimist that I am, there's always that little voice, "Tomorrow could be better".
And maybe it will be.
FYI--Pandora Internet Radio is Pure Evil.
Trust me on that one.
And, if anyone out there in cyberspace is listening...Good night.

Be Gentle, This is My First Time

Hello, All! After being on the 'net for more than ten years, I've decided to dip my toe into the not-too safe world of blogging and see what, if anything happens.
I suppose I should introduce myself, my name is Anne, and for those of you who are reading and say, "Gee, is that Alton Brown in those pictures?" The short answer is 'yes'. I'm also there, along with a glamourous shot of the back of my head, but that's not quite as interesting, is it? :)
I think I'm starting this blog for a number of reasons. To vent--I know all my friends are sick of hearing me, and this way I can annoy strangers with impunity :). To share my writing, and my poetry, in the hopes that someone, somewhere will see it, like it, and just maybe want to be my agent.
More importantly though, I would like to use it as a forum to talk about the issues that are dear to me, my faith and my struggles to stay true to it in this world, the pros and cons of being single in a world that tells you you are NOTHING without a partner, my struggle to find gainful employment, and most importantly, living with Clinical Depression, a disease that still, too many people in this day and age think can just be 'gotten over'.
I was going to say that I've suffered with CD and anxiety for 33 years, but I think it sounds better to say that I've SURVIVED with it. Yeah, I like that better. I will talk about it a lot, share my good and bad days, but I also want to, if I can, help people understand that Depression, along with other mental illnesses, and the people who survive with them, deserve the same kind of understanding and compassion that a person suffering with Cancer, or (dare I say it AIDS) do.
It borders on the obscene that in 2010, people still view the mentally ill as shuffling droolers who push people off subway platforms, or lurk in dark alleys, waiting to strike.
It hurts me deeply that we are judged according to the labels our diagnoses give us, rather than for who we are as individuals. If, by writing here, I can change anyone's mind, well, then, my work is done--sort of.
There are plenty of things that help- my relationship with God and my prayer life, my therapist, my wonderful friends, who have become my TRUE family, my writing, my music, cooking, and every now and then, the man in those pictures.
Ok, off the soapbox--there's plenty of time for that later.
I welcome all who stop here, whether it's once, or frequently. I hope that I can provide you with something to think about, or at least some form of entertainment.
I don't trash talk, I will blog with integrity, and, I LIVE for feedback. However, if all you want to do is make fun of, ridicule, or critcize so you can feel better about yourself, please go elsewhere--you can find plenty of those places on (said in a broad Southern drawl) The World Wide Web.
Ciao for niao!