I am writing this from my dining room, as my husband and nephew play Wii boxing in the living room, and my niece and step-nephew listen to music on my niece’s cell phone. Just another Saturday night at our place.
I talked to one of my Nashville friends for several hours today. She and another friend of mine have a PR business together, and they’re going to help me promote my book. I was extremely grateful for her input and expertise. Good friends are hard to find.
One thing has become obvious – if I’m going to get readers, and interviewees, I’m going to have to change my wording. “Mental illness” repels people like a cat and a bathtub. I have to soften what I am saying, which is frustrating to me because part of the reason why I am even writing this is to take the stigma out of it, and get people to realize that all mental illness REALLY means is an illness in the brain, just like diabetes is an illness of the pancreas, and heart disease is a disease of the heart. But not everybody sees things the way I see them, and I really can’t expect them to, so I have to soften my wording.
Really, it’s such a broad category. It can mean depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, addiction, etc., etc. So when I’m talking about this, I have to be more specific, I guess.
Live and learn. But for now, Saturday, play and enjoy family.
My youngest nephew turned 7 this past week, and his birthday party is tomorrow, so I’m off to find him some Lego goodies at Walmart. I can’t believe how big he’s gotten. He was born 2 weeks before 9-11. I remember going to see him in the hospital. When he was a toddler, I was his nanny for 4 months. I have been head-over-heels for the kid since the first time I saw him. My oldest nephew leaves to go into the Navy next year. They really do grow up too fast, you know. Enjoy them while they’re here. I love each and every one of them. They’re beautiful.
Caffeine, Jesus, and Pontification 