So I’ve survived the quarter. Okay, I have one more week of my online class then I’m done. I have to say that the most difficult class I took was also my favorite one: Introduction to Creative Writing (at the University of Washington Tacoma with Professor Abby Murray). It pushed me the most intellectually and on a personal level as a person with Bipolar. I always remember that I’m a student, but I have Bipolar and ADHD (I’m officially Disabled) and I need to take care of myself with regards to those. If my disability gets out of control I can’t function as a student. So, I try to really be balanced and pace myself. This quarter went much better than last quarter. I’m not sure why it has been easier. Maybe it’s because I’m getting used to going to school again. I don’t know. I know I’m very glad it has been easier because if it had been as hard as last quarter I probably wouldn’t have continued on.

Now I have to decide what I’m going to do about next quarter. Circumstances may come about that will put so much pressure and stress on me that it might be best not to attend school spring quarter and start back in the autumn quarter. I’m not sure what I’ll do right now. I really want to take Creative Nonfiction from the same writing professor I had this quarter next quarter. That would be so cool. She is very energetic and an excellent teacher. She makes you want to learn what she’s teaching just because of how much she loves teaching it. It’s a plus that she’s actually also a great teacher.

For now, I’ll have to wait and see how things play out in my personal life, meet with my counselor and talk with my family and then make an informed decision. Of course, even an informed decision will be me guessing what the best thing to do is but what’s a girl gonna do?

I’ve never made any kind of political comment on FB before and I’m saddened that I feel I should do so now. I cannot in good conscience ignore the fact that white supremacists have embraced Trump as their candidate. Now that he knows who they are, he didn’t initially, he says he disavows them. They don’t mind. They think he doesn’t mean it. What really scares me is that the white supremacists have so easily slid in with the rest of Trump supporters. I don’t condemn Trump supporters, but I do urge them to consider who they share the couch with. Does Trump really preach that much of what the white supremacists believe? Who am I hoping to vote for? I don’t know. I’m not sure any of the candidates can be the leader that we need.

Read this article at Huffington Post that prompted me to write this: An Open Letter To Non-Racist Donald Trump Supporters

If you were here the other day you might remember I suggested that you get out and do something the way I’ve gone back to college.

You don’t have to go to college. That’s a big commitment that I recommend to only a few, but you can do other things. Join a bowling league or volunteer some place in your community. Take an art class or even teach one. Visit your neighbors and family more often. Start a small group of friends that meets together regularly to play cards or go out to dinner or the movies. Do something. I can’t stress how important this is. Why am I urging you to put yourself out there? There are a few reasons but the one I want to focus on today is people.

One of the things I’ve learned in my psychology class (and I’ve always known this) is that people need each other. We need someone to talk to. Even if we have a single good friend or are close to a family member… we need other people in our lives.

If you’re like me when you’re depressed you tend to isolate yourself from everyone. This is just one really good reason why it is important to grow our relationships when we’re doing better. We need these relationships in place and secure before we have our next flip out.

Now I’m not suggesting that you use this person must be your emergency person and that you lean on them, and depend on them like a lifeline. Although that may be what your relationship is like. I’m talking about having real people in your life to meet your real life and every day relationship needs. We live longer and are happier when we have people we care about in our lives. It’s really true.

I’ve been spending time trying to cultivate relationships with some of my closer family members and a friend I’ve had for many years. I’ve also been trying to reach out online to meet people and try to develop some new friendships here. The friend I’m closest to I met online over 15 years ago and I cherish her friendship even today. She knows more about me and my “conditions” than my family members do.

It takes time and patience. Lots of time. Right now I’m blogging more and reading other people’s blogs and trying to see if I connect with anyone. And there’s a local writer’s group that gets together to write at the local library every few weeks that I’ve been trying to go to. I keep missing that opportunity. There is a meeting this Sunday but I’m working on finals and a big portfolio that’s all due next week so I can’t make this particular meeting. But you know what? They’ll have another one and one of these days it will work out and I’ll get my scared little butt over there and meet some new people.

My point is just this… we each need to have other people in our lives. It’s how we’re made. If we want to be healthy and have a better chance of surviving the days when the depression is smothering us or the mania has got us doing a fire walk then having friends is really important. If we have friends who care about us and whom we care about we have a better chance of being stable too.

Give it a try. You could even write to me. I’ll write back. No promises on being besties, but I’ll write back. Or, you could write a note to some other blogger you particularly enjoy. Tell them how what they write makes you feel or just say thanks. Strike up a conversation. You’ll never know until you try.