Miscellaneous

  This is my cat Hannah, hoping that I don't see her creeping into my lap while I'm trying to use the computer.

Yesterday, I had 42 page views.  As of today I've had none.  Did I offend someone or was my blog so boring that you just decided not to come back?  I am traumatized, but yet, I will press onward and write until I cannot write anymore.

I think I have the plot of my next novel, the hopefully final rewrite of Dragert/Shadowland Diaries worked out.  I think it's going to be good, but sad.  Mental illness is not a happy topic, which is what the novel is about.  You might wonder why I choose to write on mental illness.  I am very much interested in the topic because I have seen the damage it does.

I have also seen the stigma attached to it.  I also don't like the way it has been portrayed in the media time and time again.  The truth of the matter is that many mental illnesses are successfully treated.  Plus, people who have mental illness are not uncontrollable monsters who need to be locked away in institutions.  Many mentally ill people lead normal lives, and  you would not even know they had an illness if they didn't tell you.

Of all the mental illnesses, the one that leads to the highest number of suicides if let untreated is bipolar disorder.  Even bipolar disorder can be controlled in most cases if it is diagnosed correctly. What tends to happen is that, at first, bipolar people seek medical help when they are depressed.  When they're manic, they often feel energetic, creative, and even productive.  Then, they crash.  If they get treated for depression only, they are liable to go into a huge manic phase with an even bigger crash next time. A smart psychiatrist will also investigate the possibility of bipolar disorder not just focus on treating the depression.

It's fall, and during the fall I start to feel a little restless.  It's the time of year when I feel a lot of pressure from work.  Currently, I am teaching full time and teaching two additional night classes.  I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.  And it doesn't matter how much paper grading I do I never get caught up, and frankly, I'd rather be doing something else.  This kind of feeling is typical for me in the fall.  I think autumn brings out the restlessness in all of us to a certain extent.

Cardinals play game two tonight.  They lost 9-6 last night.  It wasn't a good night for Garcia.

I think they'll win tonight.   Edwin Jackson is pitching, and he has been quite effective the last couple of months.  I think he'll pitch a good game.

I seem to be frozen by apathy right now, so I am going to sign off.

Beautiful sunset tonight.  We ought to see each sunset as an opportunity to close the book on our mistakes, and each sunrise as an opportunity to start a new page.