Through a lens starkly
I don’t know, I don’t know. What have I done? I went to get new glasses, and I noticed that the least expensive were vintage frames. I liked the idea of having frames no one else had, and I decided to get them. Now I’m feeling like I made a mistake. I mean, one wears one’s glasses all the time. They define one’s face. In my quest to be funky and original, have I erred and simply chosen to be freakish? Some personalities can get away with bold frames. Perhaps I’m not that kind of personality. Despite my qualms, I’ll be wearing them for the next four days as a test. Let me know your thoughts.
And don’t worry about being too honest. When I got to work I asked my co-worked if he’d go to Dunkin Donuts with me. “Sure, but can your glasses go too?” Oh, ha ha. Funny office humor.
liz | 11:24 AM | Uncategorized
New appliances
This may seem a strange segue after the ECT video, but my landlady has decided not to merely repair the old stove and dishwasher, but to replace them entirely. Wha? It’s so awesome. I’ve never had such a great landlady.
Anyway, the point is I have to go home and deal with that, so today will be a light blog day. Just keep watching that video over and over again for a Liz fix. That should do ya.
[Pictured: a view from my porch]
liz | 2:53 PM | Uncategorized
T.O. attempts suicide?
The ex-Eagle and current Dallas Cowboy took 40 painkillers in what some say was an attempt to end his life. His publicist, naturally, is telling a different tale.
To stay up to date on the story go to Philadelphia Will Do.
Terrell Owens Reportedly Tries Suicide
[Disturbingly objectifying photograph courtesy GQ.]
liz | 12:25 PM | Uncategorized
Kitty
I got a comment from Sandy asking if I’d heard anything about the Kitty Dukakis book called Shock, which is about her experience with ECT (electroconvulsive therapy, aka shock treatments). I have heard about it, and that’s what has prompted me, in fact, to talk about my own history with ECT.
There was a recent excerpt in Newsweek from Dukakis’ book, and rather than make a case that ECT is destructive and spectacularly ineffective unless you do it on a regular basis through the rest of your life, as Dukakis does, I’ll just quote the book directly. I think you’ll see that though she may want to live her life in the following way, most people would not.
“But there are some memories—of meetings I have attended, people’s homes I have visited—that I don’t want to lose but I can’t help it. … I forget telelphone numbers, including ones I dial all the time. I sometimes don’t know where I am supposed to go or at what time. What embarrasses me most is forgetting people’s names. … I still go to receptions, dinners and other public events, with Michael or on my own, but I am generally not on my game. I sometimes forget commitments I make to help people. … Then I don’t make the call or get back to them with the name. Promising it, then not doing it because I don’t remember, is terrible. …
“I have learned ways to partly compensate for whatever loss I still experience. I call my sister Jinny, Michael and my kids, asking what my niece Betsy’s phone number is, what we did yesterday and what we are planning to do tomorrow. … I hate losing memories, which means losing control over my past and my mind.”
If that’s the way you want to live, by all means, sign up for ECT. But be prepared for it to lose its efficacy after a month—and some memories and cognitive functioning to vanish forever.
liz | 10:33 AM | Uncategorized
I loves me some hypomania
Thanks to Jason Reynolds, who sent me an mp3 of a podcast interview with author John Gartner (pictured). Sadly, my tech skills are lacking, so I can’t post the mp3. But please do click below and listen to the interchange. It’s fascinating, and for those of us with loved ones who have hypomania, it helps explain a lot.
Total picture radio with Peter Clayton
liz | 4:31 PM | Uncategorized
Everyday heroes
I love those sappy stories in Reader’s Digest about people who do something heroic like diving into icy-cold water to save a puppy, or running into a burning house to save a kitten. This past weekend in Phoenix the driver of a tractor-trailer saw a man threatening to jump from an overpass, and he threw him a bunny. No, just kidding, he parked his rig underneath the man so that he wouldn’t be able to jump.
No one knows who the good Samaritan is—he vanished into the sunset—but I do feel like he deserves thanks for stopping and making a difference. If you know him, truckers, send me an email at lspikol@philadelphiaweekly.com. When I was a little girl my CB handle was “Half Pint,” so I’m legit.
liz | 1:51 PM | Uncategorized
Song of the day: “Angry Concrete”
One thing I love about this job of sharing myself is that people are inspired to share themselves back. I got a MySpace message today suggesting I check out British classical composer Caroline M. Breece, whose piece Angry Concrete deals with themes I’ve had to grapple with in my life.
I’m glad I found her; her music is so beautiful and haunting. When I was at Oberlin, the composition students at the music conservatory were incredibly brilliant, and I envied them. Oberlin was great because being a fan of classical music didn’t make you a nerd; it made you interesting. I admit I haven’t listened to contemporary classical in quite some time, but hearing Breece’s music has reminded me why I once loved it.
liz | 10:09 AM | Uncategorized
I hear ya, girlfriend
As a veteran of rehab and psych wards, I love this delightfully bitchy account from British jazz singer Amy Winehouse:
“I’ve been to a couple of rehabilitation centres before, whether it be for not eating properly, or drinking – everyone there just wants to talk about themselves all the time. The fella in charge said, ‘Why are you here?’ and I said, ‘Well, I think I’ve come because I’m drinking a lot, but I’m in love, and the drinking is symptomatic of my depression. I’m not an alcoholic.’ Although now of course I sound like I am. Anyway, he says to me, ‘I’m a recovering alcoholic…’ and I thought , ‘You’re not going to stop now, are you?’ And he didn’t! He just kept talking about himself… it was so boring. He goes, ‘Do you want to just fill out this form and we’ll see how you feel?’ And I said, ‘I don’t want to waste your time, to be honest.’”
liz | 5:49 PM | Uncategorized
