Do You Realize in Therapy…
April 7, 2008 by pistolpete
One of the fruits of my labors in preparing for my weekly Manic Mondays is that I can stumble across people who are not necessarily crazy like me, but who have been touched by the illness of Bipolar Disorder either through a family member, a friend, or simply someone of interest.
This is how I first encountered Lori V. of Do You Realize? In addition to blogging about mental illness, Lori is terribly interested in the environment, photography, animals, and family (not necessarily in that order). I was first drawn to her post “The Same, Only Different” which describes in personal and painful detail some of the challenges of being the mom of a Bipolar child.
As we corresponded by e-mail, however, I found that Lori has a great sense of perspective, even humor, about a life of craziness. Well, judge for yourself…
Pistol Pete: Did you play with Barbies as a child. If so, did you or any of your friends ever put them in the microwave?
Lori V.: No, but I did try to blow dry one’s hair once. For two weeks, I was terrified MY hair was going to melt when Mom blow-dried my hair!
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PP: If you could, would you rather be: a country-and-western superstar with her own sitcom, a grunge guru who once posed nude for Playboy, a famous teen pop star who might later need extensive therapy, or an American Idol contestant.
LV: I’d really choose to be a grunge guru who was an American Idol judge. I would lose my job when it was discovered I once posed nude for Playboy. I would then land my own sitcom, a semi-reality show based on my need for extensive therapy.
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PP: If God were a person you knew, what would God be like (not just looks, but qualities)?
LV: I’d really dig it if He were deaf and blind, so that I could personally justify His seemingly ignoring the pitiful state of the human race.
{artist’s depiction of God with watch dog}
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PP: What most annoys you about therapists (or a therapist in particular)?
LV: I only get annoyed with my therapist when I think about how kickass he’d be at poker.
{artist’s depiction of a therapist playing poker}
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PP: In addition to Jodi Picoult, who are some authors who have influenced you?
LV: A.A. Milne… I think everyone can learn something from the wisdom of Winnie-the-Pooh.
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PP: I once worked in a factory that made millions of plastic bags. Will you still be my friend?
LV: No, not really. No.
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PP: What is one thing you can do that seems to help your son (who has Bipolar) function best?
LV: Not speak to him?
PP: When did you first discover your son’s illness and what did you do?
LV: I almost wrecked the car when he unbuckled, lunged across the car, and started bashing his brother’s head into the window. I had known something wasn’t quite *right* since he was an infant, but we knew there was something very “wrong” when he was about eight.
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PP: When you saw Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance where you under the influence of any mind-altering drugs?
LV: No. I’m sure it wouldn’t have been nearly as close to a religious experience for me if I had been.
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PP: Finish this sentence. Everyone should have voted for Mike Huckabee because….
LV: Well. Ummmm. <chirp, chirp, chirp> I’m sorry, I got nothin. Seriously, religion seemed to occupy such a large part of his politics, it made me quite uncomfortable. Since our great nation was founded on the guiding principle of freedom of religion, I don’t think that religion has any place in the political arena; it should be a private matter, not set forth as the raison d’etre for all your political machinations. Besides, I’m not at all certain the White House would allow him to roast squirrel in the popcorn poppers there.
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PP: What’s one of the craziest things you have done to protect the Environment?
LV: I’ve chained myself naked to a paper towel dispenser in Cracker Barrel. Wait, okay, I wasn’t naked. Well, fine, technically, I wasn’t even chained. But I have put stickers on the dispensers that kindly remind everyone to “Remember, these come from trees.” ONE paper towel really will do the trick. I’ve done it, and I don’t even have freakishly tiny hands, either!
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>PP: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? And why?
LV: It’s always been a toss-up. Abroad, it would be Varenna, Italy, along Lake Como. Reason? See photo below. Domestically, probably Vermont, in the country, where I could have a llamas, chickens with fluffy feet, a pet cow, and a pig or three.
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PP: In a recent interview with me Murphy Klasing said this,
“I do not recycle and I own an SUV. I frankly do not have time to keep separate bins for paper, plastic, cans, etc? In fact, the only recycling I have ever really done is that I took my recycling bin given to me by the neighborhood, and threw it away. I have gas logs that I love to burn in the short winter we have and I have lots of lights in my house. But I suppose the least ? Green thing that I do is only buy wine with real corks. I read recently that there is a shortage of cork and to save the (tree/plant) it comes from, some wineries are going to screw top and plastic corks? No way, dude, bring me an expensive Cab in a corked bottle. (Oh, and I don?t recycle the wine bottles either).”
How would you respond to Murphy?
LV: Wow! I would respond by quoting Psalm 28:4-5: Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back upon them what they deserve. Since they show no regard for the works of the Lord And what his hands have done, He will tear them down And never build them up again.?
Speaking cosmically, I’d say: Be careful. Karma’s a bitch, dude.
Speaking simply with common sense, I’d say I hope he doesn’t have kids or grandkids, because with that flippant disregard for the end destination of his refuse, their beautiful country will eventually look like the Citarum River in Indonesia.
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PP: Thank you, Lori V., for your passion and candor. Have a blessed day.
Okay, now since I’ve been “called out” I have to respond. As for recycling–here is what I don’t do:
1. litter
2. purchase newspapers
3. drive a diesel
4. purchase non-organic fruit (truly)
5. pour oil in my yard when changing my engine oil
6. did I say “litter”?
Now–to ease the mind of your tree-hugging friend–our neighborhood uses a trash company that sorts our trash and recycles all recycleable (word?) items. So without even trying, I’m recycling. It’s like forced-recycling. Sounds kind of like communism–but I digress.
I have a warning for LV though–never quote the Bible if you don’t actually believe it is the inerrant Word of God. The only famous person in history that I can think of that did that was Satan. (okay that was harsh–but you get my point).
-Murphy
To be perfectly honest, I was, you know, kidding, Murphy. It’s all good. These things don’t lend themselves well to inflection. ;-)
And, while I’ve not ever been accused of being quite as evil as Satan himself, I do have to disagree with your statement. If one doesn’t believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, he or she has no reason NOT to quote it, as it would likely be considered a piece of timeless literature. This is especially true if it is the chosen vernacular of his or her discussion partner.
Have a great week! :-)
Lori, nice come back!
It’s interesting — I am getting alot more spiritually out of the bible after a messy departure from fundamentalism, a period of biblical angst-rejection and now, I am like some kind of New-Age Christian — or is Old-Age Christian, stripping back alot of additives from the “Fathers”? I’m not entirely sure…either way, I’m actually hungering for scripture and feeling it come alive as inspired.
If I understand it, I think the problem with Satan and scripture wasn’t that he didn’t think the bible was the inerrant word of God — it’s that Satan wanted to BE, or at least usurp God’s power. I find that inerrancy as a doctrine can actually lead to the idea that we can contain God in the bible, know the mind of God absolutely and can execute God’s will absolutely — all of which seem a little like unconscious or unintentional attempt at usurping God’s infinite wisdom and power and making it human-size, which if you believe in the finitude of humanity, is very small, and if you believe in the absolute fallenness of humanity, is even smaller. Yikes!
Anyone seen the Pistol around lately??
I (the Pistol) have been out of commission for awhile, stuck in a rather nasty depression. I’m hoping to be out of this funk soon. Thanks for asking.
Pistol, feel better soon!
Hi, Pistol.
I was about to ask the same question that “Longing” did, but I see the answer. I’m really sorry about that … I’ll be praying for you, my friend.
winnie the pooh is looking very very pregnant.