Tag Archives: conversation

Exciting news…

Here’s what I posted on Facebook and Twitter today.

Great news! The next incarnation of this blog, “Coming Out Crazy” is now in development at Psych Central. Looking great. And, I can keep my  Canadian spellings, too. Should be up in about a week. Thanks to Dr. Grohol and your team.

And thanks to you, for taking a chance on me and moving here with me. I hope you will follow me and our community when we make our move.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, it turns out we were simply “waiting” for the universe to unfold, here, at this address.

I didn’t have a plan, but I did have a dream. I had no idea any of this was going to happen when I launched this incarnation of “Coming Out Crazy” on Wednesday, April 14th from my final post at The Toronto Star.

Your comments there warm the cockles of my heart. They mean more to me than my replies can ever possibly express. I’m speechless. Rare for me. :)

All I did was keep churning out my lemonade and working like I’ve never worked in my life. Hard and Fast. There was no time to worry or brood. That’s not my style. I accept the past. Stay in the present. And, somehow, the future takes care of itself.

So, have a great day and speak soon. When we launch, I’ll be signing off here and continuing to post on Facebook and Twitter just like I do now. All that stays the same.

Nothing will change. This is my blog, our blog, and always will be. Things are just going to get a whole lot better. More freedom. Shorter posts. At least three or four times a week. Maybe more.

Plus I’ll have lots of blogging support for WordPress – which I’m just learning to use – and a lovely editor with a “light touch” – we’ve already started corresponding. She’s not unlike my beloved Toronto Star editor Brandie Weikle.

She and I are still working together, by the way. I’ll be writing features for her at Healthzone, where Coming Out Crazy originated.

At our new address, I’ll be joining a fascinating and eclectic party of Psych Central bloggers with a delicious smörgåsbord of intriguing perspectives and assorted specialties ~ to suit every interest and taste. I’m joining a vibrant community. The first mental health website on the planet. Fifteen years old. Leading the way. A team. Like the newsroom of a big urban daily newspaper.

We’re retaining our name and our ethos. Coming Out Crazy and community development. Conversation. Discussion. Disagreement. Freedom to be who we are. To evolve and practice using our voices in a safe haven.

“Share. Learn. Grow.”

I’ll have complete freedom to continue our conversation. Continue with my mental health advocacy. Continue my teaching. Continue my commitment with my commitments to social change through public education.

I have to confess, I’m daunted by all this. A mite nervous. But I’m not going to think about it right now. I’m pulling a Scarlett O’Hara, who famously said in the final paragraph of Margaret Mitchell‘s romantic Civil War classic, Gone with the Wind, “I’ll think of it all tomorrow… After all, tomorrow is another day.”

So bye for now. Today, I’m offline so I can finish my end-of-term marking/grading.

The clock is ticking.

Sending you all my affection and gratitude.

Speak soon!

“Blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light.” ~ Groucho Marx

And finally, thank you, Mr. Marx, wherever you are ~ for defining our spirit with your vivid wit and wisdom.

xox

sln


On the move, again…

About an hour ago, I got off the phone with John Grohol, Psych.D.

He’s the CEO and Founder, soul-owner and independent-operator of the first mental health website on the Internet, 15-year-old Psych CentralLearn. Share. Grow.

You may be familiar with his World of Psychology blog because I often link to it. There are many other treasures at PsychCentral, including Quizzes, News, and a diverse Community of forums and discussions. Even more. Plus blogs. Lots of intriguing blogs.

We spoke for an hour and I felt I’d found a soul mate in John. He’s open-minded, curious, willing to share. Our philosophies are remarkably  similar. We’re committed to community. To social change and public education. To reporting unbiased and balanced mental health information from a rich and diverse pool of sources and resources. To making a positive difference in the world.

To Recovery. Self-Determination. Hope.

I enjoyed our conversation thoroughly. Bottom line? He cares.

So, in about a week, Coming Out Crazy will be launched there. I’ll join his eclectic team of bloggers. I certainly do not have to submerge my Canadian identity. Rather, I’m joining a global endeavour to learn more and share more about vital mental and emotional health and wellness issues that touch all of us, directly and indirectly.

You’ll notice a few differences. I’ll be posting shorter and more frequently, at least three to four times a week.

Linking will continue as will engaging you  in a dialogue with me and I hope with each other.

I’ll even be staying on WordPress. John and his team will be provide editorial and blog support.

So, who knows? You may be seeing more art and more videos. And maybe I’ll summon up the courage to post a video of me talking to you!

What I like best is that I will belong to a community of bloggers, writers, resources ~ professionals and patients ~ sharing my voice and joining their conversation and continuing ours. Opening a window to new voices, too. What an adventure we’re beginning.

Can you believe we launched here exactly one week ago, today?

My head is spinning.

I’ll keep you posted. Wish me luck.

Speak soon!