Questions Bipolar Version #8

Oh I used to love fairs. But my back prevents me from enjoying them now. However I’m going to PT now so maybe by the time August rolls around I’ll be stronger? I love the industry buildings, and 4H buildings so many interesting things to see. And free stuff to pick up!

Favorite rides? All of them when I was younger. One year a friend and I were on the zipper, every time they opened the door we handed him another ticket so we could go around again. Now-a-days it’s limited to the ferries wheel and the Matterhorn.

Good question, I’ll repeat it. With the fairs coming up, do you go? What’s your favorite things and rides?

I absolutely love fairs! Some of my best memories happened at the fairs I've been to. The State Fair is held every year in my hometown, so I attended every summer from young childhood until my 50's. Now I live in a different town, but it has a cute little fair every summer...except not last/this summer because of covid. Disappointing. Next year!

Rides - LOVED them, especially roller coasters, until I was rear-ended in an accident in my 30's. After that, unfortunately I couldn't do rides anymore due to having had a whiplash. But I still love the amusement park section, all the lights are so pretty at night.



Continuing...what was/is your favorite amusement park ride?

as a kid, I remember going on a ride that was themed to a tour of a fizzy pop factory. I don't remember too much about the actual experience, but I do remember the soundtrack, and I think I remember going round in a little boat seeing diffrent sceens from the factory. I'm sure that if I heard the soundtrack today, I would remember standing their in the queue

I have not been on anything since though- my weight is the main issue with rides, the safety bars don't like me. but their's my only ride memory

question: do you ever see something and wish, I wish I could do that?, but know that for what ever reason, you can't (been here a lot)

Yeah. Work, read, sleep...er, function. There's also this long run called the Pemi Loop that some people run in a day it's like 30 miles and has 10,000ft of elevation gain.

Do you have any comorbidities?

No, nothing really firm right now. I suppose there are always bits of low-level anxiety issues, at times. One could say that I have very mild social anxiety for some situations. I used to have an alcohol dependence code, but I demanded that be removed after a long effort to prove I wasn't a bona fide alcoholic.Not that I didn't abuse alcohol, at points, but that was more self-medication of bipolar disorder.

Did you ever have a major disagreement with a psychiatrist or therapist? If so, what was it about (if you're willing to share)?

yes.



she asked me: are you sure it's not that you just want to see the musical? (I have no interest in seeing avenue q, this was her idea)

me: I come in here every week, despearet and upset, and you're asking me if the only reason I'm going to london is to watch avenue q?

her:



it was a very difficult time in my life, made worse by the fact that it was my parents who provided



so, I'm going to ask..

what would you say was the hardest time in your life?. how did you get through it?

This might sound like a pretty high class problem, but when I was living in Germany I booked a summer vacation to Crete (a beautiful Greek island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea). A woman I lived with had broken things off with me a few months before, & I thought getting away would make time go faster. I was already morbidly depressed before I left, but vacationing alone made matters even worse. While there was much to do & see, I spent the entire 10 days holed up in my hotel room drinking all day...with the TV blaring American programs dubbed in Greek. I've never felt so utterly alone. So far from the States...unsure if I'd ever live long enough to return.

To be honest, I'm not sure how I got through it. My drinking was out of hand at that point; a few months after my return to Germany I came back to the States, & started going to AA to put my life back together.

Do you have a green thumb? Have aquariums, or other pets? Other interactions with living things? How do you live in harmony with life in your own small space of the world?

No green thumb here. Not one of my talents, but I do try hard with mixed success. When successful, it's mostly because of trying and trying again. Or luck. That doesn't stop me from planting things, because I love plants, flowers, trees, and herbs. I am fairly good at flower arranging.

As for pets, I've never had a fish. In my youth, I had a cat. Later I had parrots (one at a time). I had mixed success caring for them sufficiently. I loved them, but I guess I wasn't cut out to ever be a mother. Never had a human kid. When I could have, I wasn't ready/interested. When I was older, I was too sick (and didn't want them). My husband dislikes children even more than I do. Of course if we'd had them, we'd have loved them.

I live in harmony with my hubby. He is the greatest thing in my world. We explore the rest together.

What is something you're very good at and something you're not?

Well it’s been a long long time but I’m very very good with architecture drawing. The old fashioned way with a pencil, drawing board and rulers. That’s what I went to college for for two years. But I was convinced by my professor that in that field it depended on being able to hear to make connections with others to get ahead no matter how good you were with the technological parts. So I switched schools and went into archeology! That did me no good. Of course now-a-days everyone uses computers to make blueprints.

What I’m not good at, small talk. I need a topic. I’m not good at coming up with questions for this thread either. I cheat and google it.

With modern life comes keyboards, are you a fast typer? I’m a slow bear and do the hunt and peck methods

My guidance counselor in high school pressured me into taking typing. It was the best advice he gave me. I touch type and I do it fast.

What is/are your pet(s) name(s)?

I have a 6.5 pound chihuahua/fox terrier mix named Big Papi. I wish I knew how to post a picture of him. He's a speedy, yet compact little dude.

In grade, middle, or high school, did you have one favorite teacher who stood out above all the rest? What was it about this teacher that you found especially wonderful?

I was an athlete in an abusive home. There were a number of coaches who watched out for me and protected me as much as possible. Once one literally pulled me away from my father who was screaming at me and coming at me. He pulled me in the school, hid me in a room with no windows and wouldn't let me out until they calmed my father down. There were a lot of times those coaches stepped in and if nothing else they helped my self esteem a lot. I think without them my life would have been vastly different (yet still landing on disability).

Is pineapple a good topping for pizza?

If it’s the right pizza it is. Canadian bacon 🥓 and cheese 🧀 with pineapple 🍍 yum. But other pizzas 🍕 can be better. I just have to be in the mood for it. Ironically it’s the only way I like pineapple, on a pizza!

Do you like watching late night TV? If so who?

my late night tv usually comes in the form of animated sitcoms- family guy, american dad, bob's burgers, that kind of thing. we have a channel that shows late night marathons of those shows so it works

thoughts on eating seafood?. love it?. hate it?. not bad?

I adore seafood, but don't eat as much as I like because my husband doesn't like the large variety that I do. Plus, some of it is quite expensive. Especially in my new land-locked country. But I grew up in New Jersey, a coastal state. My grandparents and parents had boats on the bay. We would crab, clam, and fish many summers, in my childhood. I like pretty much all seafood.

Do you avoid eating new foods, or at least give them a fair shake? What is the food you tried most reluctantly? Did you like it?

I'm the most adventurous eater in my family, I'll try anything once, though I was a bit nervous when someone bet $10 I wouldn't eat a whole sardine straight out the tin. I liked the taste, but I'm sensitive with textures so swallowing it was a bit of a challenge.

What new food did you try most recently and was it any good?

It's not terribly exotic, but I had a lamb shawarma wrap for the first time on Sunday. For those of you who've never had one, it's lamb, grilled onions & green peppers in a garlic sauce, wrapped in a pita-like bread. Yum! Not Weight Watchers friendly, but I splurged when I went to the ballgame.

OK, I've asked this food question before, but you're about to walk the "green mile." What would you request as your last meal?

If I was to walk the green mile I don’t think I’d want anything. Maybe a comfort food like Mac and cheese? Hmm maybe with a side of cheesecake.

They’ve been saying all day that storms are coming. Do you like storms? I love the thunder and lightning show but I’m not too thrilled with hail and wind.

I'm like you, I like the thunder and lightning but not the wind or hail. We're hoping to avoid some severe storms in the next few days.

Do you like to color?

No, not even as a kid. I've even asked myself why I don't/didn't and am slightly unsure. I don't like to paint, sculpt, draw, or do collages, either. Never did. Being forced made me uncomfortable (spoonful of cod liver oil). When in art therapy at the hospital and in IOPs, I would use that time to write, instead. I do love to dance, though, and am oddly good at flower arranging, which I enjoy. I must also say that I do appreciate other peoples' art. It's interesting how people prefer one way of expressing themselves over another.

What type of art (including performance arts) are you best at?

you sound like me in art class at school.

lol... the art teacher never knew what to do with me because I was just never interested in it

anyway, nothing. I avoid art like the plague. I don't enjoy it.

okay so what is something (activity, coping methodd, what ever) you avoid for what ever reason?

I do my best to avoid CBT. It just annoys me. I don't know why but it does. I know it is great for a lot or even most people but I just don't get a lot from it.

What is the longest time you've seen one therapist or pdoc?

I've seen my current therapist for at least 10 years. It's nice having that continuity.

Summer will officially begin in a few hours. What is your favorite place, activity (hopefully you'll address both) to enjoy in the summer? Describe it. What do you enjoy about it?

My favorite place is no longer an option. It was a cabin up north on a good sized lake. There were woods, and two lakes. The cabin was on a big lake but if it was really windy and the parents were worried about the waves we could walk though the woods to the other much smaller lake that was nearby. It was always much calmer. My favorite activities were many. Most involved water. Swimming, canoeing, practice life saving skills, ( we loved running off the dock fully clothed and taking our clothes off in the water and blowing up our jeans to use as life preservers) tipping the canoe over and righting it while in the water, climbing back in. Swimming out to the pontoon and playing board games or cards. If we still had the cabin I’d love to go swimming. Lakes are so much better than pools. And I’d love to paddle the canoe out early morning when the loons are out. As it is though. It got to be too much. So my biggest activity now is reading on the deck during nice days.

Soon To tell the truth, will be on. Are you good at picking out who’s telling the truth or can liars get you too?

I'm terrible at telling if people are lying unless what they're saying obviously confuses me because it's contradictory.

Do you have any "childish" coping skills, like cuddling teddy bears?