She's been screaming all day. I don't know what to do.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression. In some people, one of these highs is more prevalent than the other. Sometimes I wonder, if she leaned more toward the depressive side, would it be easier to handle?

My little sister is nine years old. She's been ( Read more... )

At this moment I am taking a break from college searching to bring you this update: I am horrified.

Maybe that's not the best word. "Overwhelmed" would probably be better. Maybe it's just me, but trying to figure out where I'm going to spend the next two to four years of my life is extremely intimidating. It makes me want to pop Advils and have ( Read more... )

Whenever there's a full moon, I wonder about what strange things people must be doing across the country in honor of it. The cults and the Goddess worshipers and what have you. It's fascinating to think about. What could I be doing if I were one of those people, if I were part of some group or cult or clan or society? Sometimes I think it might be ( Read more... )

As it turns out, no one could wait to pull on their new boots and go a-hiking. So this morning we woke up, dressed, and drove to California. We parked off the road in a basin surrounded by big, beautiful brown mountains, and then we were off. Climbing a mountain without the luxury of a trail is not the easiest thing to do. Watching your nine-year- ( Read more... )

The news for today: new hiking boots! This is lovely because I am not exactly known for my proper hiking attire. Observe:


( Read more... )

Because we're spending this whole month in Nevada, at the same (albeit beautiful) resort, my time has been divided between school work, the gym, the hottub, and various card games. It's a good life. I guess we've all sort of adjusted to the lack of space, the lack of privacy... There's something about living out on the road that makes a person feel ( Read more... )

For some reason, a comment I read today made me think of my boys, and how much I miss them. Maybe that's a little
possessive. They're not my boys, exactly. Somewhere along the line I just started thinking of them that way, and now here we are. Liam, Kyle, and little Ian. We spent the afternoons together after school, and snow days sipping hot cocoa ( Read more... )

It's strange how dualistic a person can be. Last night in the hottub, surrounded by family, I noticed it again. How, in one minute, I can joke and laugh and carry a conversation, and in the same minute I can notice the sky; black velvet, threaded through with pinprick stars, the moon like half a gemstone- chatoyant against the darkness. And in the ( Read more... )

The Grand one. When I saw you those few days ago, I wanted my breath to be taken away. Knocked right out of me, like the aftermath of a slip on the ice. Whoosh, bam. It didn't happen. You are impressive, don't think that I didn't appreciate you at all. The thing is, though, when I looked at you I couldn't shake the feeling that I was seeing ( Read more... )

You are children, adults (if there is such a thing, really), sisters, brothers, friends. You come in so many shapes and sizes that it is impossible to see every one of you, to count every face or notice every wind-blown wisp of hair. Sometimes you feel alone, so alone, like no one in this entire milk-and-honey galaxy can see you, hear you, know you ( Read more... )