tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46850391793313184802024-02-19T07:19:04.962-08:00The Problem with Maraschino CherriesKaren Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-29629202221759702422012-12-27T15:42:00.000-08:002012-12-27T15:44:19.791-08:00The Mania of Bipolar Disorder<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Excerpt from <b><i>WHERE ARE THE COCOA PUFFS? </i></b></div>
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Chapter 9 </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiOGA4tqLd0hQ-JkyedtC3SJe-F05uauJJZ_SPHBzUBhV3W237vOT3aAh8Dnq2gs2cBzyv4QFu_-Sx0STrzLwXrKyD6Mesr-Lo-yyJOHl7Tbv_IPUgopQ1qfdCthtemHrLTQRxu0gDDjy/s1600/Where+Are+the+Cocoa+Puffs+-+Front+Cover+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiOGA4tqLd0hQ-JkyedtC3SJe-F05uauJJZ_SPHBzUBhV3W237vOT3aAh8Dnq2gs2cBzyv4QFu_-Sx0STrzLwXrKyD6Mesr-Lo-yyJOHl7Tbv_IPUgopQ1qfdCthtemHrLTQRxu0gDDjy/s320/Where+Are+the+Cocoa+Puffs+-+Front+Cover+(2).jpg" width="207" /></a>But before the argument made a dangerous turn, they walked into the tavern. The locals took their eyes off their beers and took the four of them in, shifting a bit on their bar stools, feeling the power of Amanda as she laughed and flipped her purse about in the air.<br />
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Amanda could feel the power she had and knew that she commanded the room. Any of these deer-shooting, beer-drinking, snowmobiling good ol’ boys would give anything to be with her. Hell, if it weren’t for Ryan, she might have slept with them all. But he was there and had a power almost as great as her own; between the two of them the world was theirs to do whatever the fuck they liked. Nothing, nothing could stop them. All the things that she was going to do, now, starting tonight, she would begin — that novel that had been flying around her brain, well, she needed to get some money to start that, but once she finished that new dance that everyone loved to see her dance then everything would fall into place, and things wouldn’t be so confusing once she had the money — wait, what the hell was that hanging from the wall? Why was someone talking to her and distracting her from what was critical, which was something anyone who wasn’t dumb as shit could see? Of course she wanted something to drink! Wasn’t that why they were here? Were these people just stupid? What she really needed was a pen or a pencil and napkins, lots of napkins … anything! Order her anything! That thing staring at her from the wall was freaking her out; its eyeballs were watching her. Fuck! Things were flying at her now, those eyeballs sending things her way; some of this just needed to be put down …. Finally someone was handing her a pen and she began to write, already feeling better, each word adding power to the previous words — if she could write a thousand words, then that thing would stop staring at her.<br />
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Ryan sipped his beer and watched Mandy write. When she was done with one napkin she would stuff it in her purse and start on a new one. The tip of her tongue was slipping between her lips in concentration. When the waitress brought their food, she was irritated by the disruption, but ate and wrote, and did not enter into the conversation the rest of them were having. When the napkins were gone, Ryan got her more before she became distressed. What he really wanted to do was read what she was writing, to try to understand what was going on in her head. When she got up, taking her purse and heading for the bathroom, David asked, “Is she okay?”<br />
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“Yeah, she’s cool,” was his answer. When she came back from the bathroom, smelling of weed, he could tell that she was already calmer, and he didn’t question her desire to switch seats with him. He glanced at the large moose head in front of him and swore the thing was staring at him.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Are-Cocoa-Puffs-Disorder/dp/0979875560/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356651428&sr=8-1&keywords=where+are+the+cocoa+puffs" style="text-align: center;">Amazon link</a></div>
Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-26799661755167811822012-12-16T11:47:00.003-08:002012-12-16T11:52:42.298-08:00NAMI ADVOCATE REVIEW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Love, Loss and Schizophrenia</h1>
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<em>By Taylor Poor, NAMI Education Program Coordinator</em></div>
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In <em>Reis’s Pieces</em>, Karen Winters Schwartz brings the devastation of schizophrenia—a journey difficult to comprehend even for those who have experienced it themselves—into the familiar setting of a lighthearted romance.</div>
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Reis Welling seems to have it all: early tenure at Cornell, a loving girlfriend and a research project that involves hiking some of the world’s most beautiful mountains. When his father dies of a heart attack, Reis starts to lose touch with reality, believing his department heads are spying on him and that even his girlfriend Ellen is involved with the conspiracy. His friends beg him to seek help, but he has to hit rock bottom—losing Ellen, his professorship and contact with his concerned family—before he finds the right treatment and the right doctor and starts gathering the pieces of his life together at last. When an attractive young woman interrupts his vastly different but relatively stable new life, Reis may even have another chance at love—that is, if he can find the courage to tell Kelly the truth about his stigmatizing illness.</div>
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Schwartz’s characters voices, as they describe Reis’s battle with mental illness, will echo with NAMI members and supporters who have said these lines themselves. Reis’s mother has the well-rehearsed response she always gives to well-meaning friends who ask whether schizophrenia is “some kind of multiple personality:” it’s a brain disease, a thought disorder, usually involving hallucinations and often much more. Reis’s psychiatrist, Dr. Benson, is the kind, intelligent, respectful clinician we all wish our family members could meet, telling Reis, “You’re right. I don’t know what it’s like, and I can’t tell you everything will be fine.” But, “You must first accept your illness for what it is: An illness. A brain disease.”</div>
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Schwartz’s prose is most powerful and authentic when describing the symptoms associated with Reis’s collapse into psychosis, and the heartbreaking emotional reactions of Reis’s family, friends and colleagues. Reis’s gradually jumbling speech patterns and increasing grandiosity ring true. Sure, in bringing the messy, complex landscape of mental illness into the context of a frothy novel, Schwartz has made some simplifications. Her descriptions are cliché—the first time Reis meets Ellen, she is depicted as having a “pleasing exterior” at odds with her aggressive athleticism. At the end of the book, I’m left wondering how the story would have read for a protagonist living with mental illness without Reis’s good looks and unassuming charm—he’s described multiple times as “gorgeous” or “very attractive.”<br />
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Yet Schwartz’s most significant triumph in writing this book is a major one toward the effort to de-stigmatize mental illness. She has placed schizophrenia in a context from which it is typically been excluded: everyday, “normal” life. For anyone who has faced the challenge of telling others about their own mental illness, or who has watched a family member deteriorate, this book will be a source of hope that the story of their struggle can find a wider audience.</div>
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Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-66346526418220179322012-12-09T10:53:00.000-08:002012-12-09T11:16:37.220-08:00SCRAMBLED EGGS...AND BRAIN-FRIED CHICKENS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">SCRAMBLED EGGS…AND BRAIN-FRIED CHICKENS</span></b></div>
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<b><b>by Karen Winters Schwartz</b></b></div>
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<b>I’m sure</b> I’m not the only one who immediately thinks about chickens and eggs almost every time they hear the word comorbidity. But the first time I found a hash pipe floating around with my daughters’ clothes in the washing machine, chickens and eggs were the furthest things from my mind.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IJCxPFdBSRD5UJif7hubVp75LIGtsp7AEBxd1TpeLpYQC90je_fAj3CbDQ3w6JUvy_LvzA6seoenyuuAvxRQ4fQRtXdLS3RPZ54Bsjrsz52VzsinMu_BXPg6Cevwhe12Pp88_wbOP3mb/s1600/Crazy_Chicken_by_johnnydesigns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IJCxPFdBSRD5UJif7hubVp75LIGtsp7AEBxd1TpeLpYQC90je_fAj3CbDQ3w6JUvy_LvzA6seoenyuuAvxRQ4fQRtXdLS3RPZ54Bsjrsz52VzsinMu_BXPg6Cevwhe12Pp88_wbOP3mb/s200/Crazy_Chicken_by_johnnydesigns.jpg" width="150" /></a>I grew up in a family who appeared quite normal on the outside and the inside. In the early ‘60s, watching your mother dress up for cocktail parties while easing down the final few puffs of her unfiltered Pall Mall was the norm. My father sitting with his after-work gin and tonic while he caught up with the national news was the norm. I didn’t grow up exposed to blatant alcohol abuse or drug use of any kind. We were all June and ward Cleaver. Really, we were. Even as a teenager of the ‘70s, drugs barely phased my world.<br />
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Years later my husband and I continued the Cleaver tradition. Although I fell short of meeting him at the door in a pretty blue dress with my hair in a stylish flip, we raised our two girls in a very normal household. So when my two daughters suddenly turned from adorable little girls to unrecognizable teenage monsters with hash pipes and slips of paper decorated with curious, tiny, triangular squares in their pockets, we didn’t know how to respond, who to blame (other than ourselves), who to turn to for help, or how to stop the rollercoaster, eggshell crushing few years we were heading toward. Nothing in either of our lives prepared us for what was coming.when my older daughter’s behavior turned from that of a slightly difficult child to that of an unmanageable teenager, many hours of useless guilt bantering between me and my husband ensued: “What did we do wrong?” “Do you think it’s drugs?” “Why does she feel the need to do drugs?” “What could we have done differently?” “Am I a bad mom?” And on and on.<br />
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When she was ultimately diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of eighteen, we accepted this with a sigh of relief—at least this was something tangible, something “fixable.” By the time her younger sister started getting in trouble at school, doing drugs, acting oddly, becoming paranoid, and hearing voices, I could almost handle the double punch. By then I had educated myself, I had become involved in the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI, www.nami.org ), and I had become an advocate. But it was still hell—she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.<br />
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<b>So where’s that chicken and where’s that egg?</b><br />
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Perhaps I should have been given a tiny ovum of foresight the first time our younger daughter woke us up in the middle of the night screaming in her little pink doll-baby pajamas with her moonlike eyes peering up at us without recognition and her face fixed in death-impending terror. But I was soothed by our doctor’s reassuring words: “Night terrors are very common. They are in no way related to future mental illness.” I now know that he was incorrect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuLFTsdZM2ZBrPvNYvECzuea9rBnn9RHFrEsBt4IN3dUZXv2htWWmBTyrjG8jAMeOHphpgAGAse3frOsYtwxx9ASckFqhCWks463oVvV-53JQTxg87QGT8100vLSVbXt525rMoLixgxxL/s1600/l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuLFTsdZM2ZBrPvNYvECzuea9rBnn9RHFrEsBt4IN3dUZXv2htWWmBTyrjG8jAMeOHphpgAGAse3frOsYtwxx9ASckFqhCWks463oVvV-53JQTxg87QGT8100vLSVbXt525rMoLixgxxL/s200/l.jpg" width="150" /></a>Perhaps my older daughter’s contention that she had ADHD in spite of her exemplary school performance should have sent up red flags. Maybe if I had known what I know now, I wouldn’t have placated her words: “You have no idea what goes on in my head!” But the fact is, other than a stubborn and sometimes difficult child at home, my older daughter was a perfectly charming, brilliant student who was well liked by her teachers and better liked by her friends.<br />
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Then there were the things I never knew about until later. Like the fact that my younger daughter used to sit in her second grade class and say, “Iron wall. Iron wall. Iron wall,” over and over to herself as she tried to limit the external stimuli flooding her young brain.<br />
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Then there was the time she was given steroids as a young child for a severe sinus infection and distinctly heard people talking to her. “Mom, someone just said cleanup in aisle seven in my head!” The moment the prednisone was decreased, the voices stopped.<br />
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So as these early prodromal symptoms grew, so did my children, and so did their access to things like weed and alcohol and random pills pilfered from grandmas’ medicine cabinets, thus providing them something like relief.<br />
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Yet my younger daughter did not become psychotic until after that bad LSD trip. My older daughter now admits that she was doing a lot of coke when she was most manic.<br />
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<b>Egg. Chicken. Egg. Egg. </b><br />
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I think what we have here is the first and second hit. The first hit being the genetic propensity for these illnesses along with an increased sensitivity to certain medications and drugs. The second is environmental. Stress, drug use, hormones, a viral infection, and head trauma have all been theorized. I have no doubt that my children were vulnerable. I know now that both sides of our families are peppered with mental illness. The use of drugs to quell prodromal symptoms could have easily brought the predisposed mental illness to the forefront. Drug use absolutely made things worse. we were lucky. Thanks to the help of a great practitioner and people I met through NAMI, my kids were helped quickly. Proper treatment was initiated and my children recovered before any sort of drug or alcohol addiction took hold. Regardless of the accuracy of their initial diagnoses, the word comorbid was never part of the equation. Twenty to twenty-five percent of adults in the US will struggle with mental illness at some point in their lives. Over half of these individuals have a coexisting addiction. what can be done to decrease these percentages? How can we decrease that drug-induced second hit?<br />
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I believe early detection is the key—flagging those children who are genetically vulnerable, screening each and every child as we screen for other serious illnesses. we need to step in and treat those early prodromal symptoms before drugs and alcohol can take hold. This can be achieved by education, by open and frank discussions on mental health, by making it okay to talk, by decreasing the learned fear, and by promoting what is needed for recovery. Screening should be done on every child by pediatricians and family doctors. Mental health should be stressed and taught in our schools, starting at lower grade school levels. we should be talking to our children about our own struggles or those of other family members. I could never talk to my children because no one ever talked to me. I was forced to learn everything I now know about these neurological brain diseases out of desperation, out of despair, and out of necessity. what we went through as a family was unconscionable. we should have been educated and supported by our medical and human community rather than made to feel ashamed, judged, and helpless. Blame it on poor genes if you must, but these are no-fault neurological conditions that are not due to poor parenting or weak constitutions.<br />
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When it comes right down to it, eggs and chickens are not all that important. It really doesn’t matter if the egg predated the chicken or the chicken predated the egg, or even if they both occurred at the exact same time. what’s important is that we understand that both mental illness and addiction are often comingled. Both need to be acknowledged, understood, and treated. The cost of mental illness is huge; the cost of comorbidity is even larger—not only financially, but emotionally and physically. I believe the mental healthcare system is beginning to understand this. Now we just need to get the rest of the world to understand.<br />
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<b>Karen Winters Schwartz, bestselling author of <i>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?: A </i></b><b><i>Family’s Journey Through Bipolar Disorder</i> (Goodman Beck Publishing, 2010) </b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Are-Cocoa-Puffs-Disorder/dp/0979875560/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355079437&sr=1-1&keywords=where+are+the+cocoa+puffs">Amazon CP</a><br />
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<b><i>Reis’s Pieces: Love, Loss, and Schizophrenia</i> (Goodman Beck Publishing, 2012) </b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reiss-Pieces-Love-Loss-Schizophrenia/dp/1936636085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355079639&sr=1-1&keywords=reis%27s+pieces">Amazon RP</a><br />
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<b>Reprinted from "The Sober World" * November 2012 * Volume 1, Issue 9</b></div>
Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-1705176706505610512012-10-06T05:38:00.000-07:002012-10-06T05:38:24.683-07:00Midwest Book Review for Reis's Pieces <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Reis's Pieces<br />Karen Winters Schwartz<br />Goodman Beck Publishing<br />PO Box 253, Norwood, NJ 07648<br />9781936636082, $14.95, www.karenwintersschwartz.com<br /><br />Mental illness can take your whole world away from you. "Reis's Pieces: Love, Loss, and Schizophrenia" is a novel surrounding mental illness. Professor Reis Welling had everything he thought he could want, until the world starts telling him how it really feels, or so his mind feels. A diagnosis of schizophrenia seems crushing, and normalcy seems impossible. A novel of the road to wellness as a schizophrenic, "Reis's Pieces" is a strong and much recommended addition to any literary fiction collection.</b><br />
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Amazon Link: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reiss-Pieces-Love-Loss-Schizophrenia/dp/1936636085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349526821&sr=1-1&keywords=reis%27s+pieces">http://www.amazon.com/Reiss-Pieces-Love-Loss-Schizophrenia/dp/1936636085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349526821&sr=1-1&keywords=reis%27s+pieces</a></div>
Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-15197640656956284212012-07-28T10:36:00.000-07:002012-07-28T10:36:45.672-07:00A New Post!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow! It's been forever since I put a new post on this thing! I've been busy traveling around the country as an advocate and promoting my new book: <i>Reis's Pieces: Love, Loss, and Schizophrenia</i>. I'm now enjoying panting through the dog days of summer.<br />
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Here's some great things people are saying about <i>Reis's Piece</i>s:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Finally a book that rivals the elegance and the beauty of <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i>!"</span><br />
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Okay, I just made that up, but seriously, the book has been amazingly will received! If you want to read real reviews check out my website:
<a href="http://www.karenwintersschwartz.com/">http://www.karenwintersschwartz.com/</a> or Amazon:<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reiss-Pieces-Love-Loss-Schizophrenia/product-reviews/1936636085/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1">http://www.amazon.com/Reiss-Pieces-Love-Loss-Schizophrenia/product-reviews/1936636085/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1</a></span></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-63586883749978017892012-04-01T05:22:00.008-07:002012-04-01T07:13:38.294-07:00One Month Away! Reis's Pieces: Love, Loss, and Schizophrenia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkuDY5uhsHndtm5cwksDpGUDqS5gfhcA-eLzEIU9t6zugvV26173kdroEFVCmRrsXXLtQwfmaF53m0RBTNwn2E2wPQy_q0LPelTX-BV9862bzlun9bS8LexKQW6fqmoxGs6zGePfbxTVp/s1600/Winters+Schwartz%252C+Karen+--+Reis%2527s+Pieces+--+Cover+Design.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 131px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkuDY5uhsHndtm5cwksDpGUDqS5gfhcA-eLzEIU9t6zugvV26173kdroEFVCmRrsXXLtQwfmaF53m0RBTNwn2E2wPQy_q0LPelTX-BV9862bzlun9bS8LexKQW6fqmoxGs6zGePfbxTVp/s200/Winters+Schwartz%252C+Karen+--+Reis%2527s+Pieces+--+Cover+Design.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726408329039274386" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Idiot, serif; ">one</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 4.3pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-size: 30pt; font-family: Idiot, serif; ">R</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Idiot, serif; ">eis was dreaming of the forest. He was reaching upward, his hand wrapping around a tree root, his foot finding that perfect step in the earth. He felt his muscles tighten in an almost sexual way as he ascended toward the brilliant fall blue of the sky—his body straining in pleasure, each advance a rush, a wholeness. Each part doing what was necessary—a perfect amalgamation of man and mountain so that when he woke only a few yards from the summit of his dreams, he felt initially euphoric, stretched his arms above his head, and yawned. His eyes then focused on the dullness of the ceiling. Feeling the sticky sensation of the sheets against his back, his head started to ache. The nauseous odor of mildew hit him each time he took a breath, while the incessant sound of Albany traffic assaulted his ears. He closed his eyes and tried, unsuccessfully, to draw himself back into the dream, into that sensation of perfect control. He rolled over on his side and drew his legs toward his chest, glad that he was alone—glad that he could roll up like a child and not be judged. And, if he chose to, glad that he could cry, or even weep, with no one there to hear that tree fall in that forest.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 4.3pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Idiot, serif; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 4.3pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Idiot, serif; "><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reiss-pieces-karen-winters-schwartz/1109245232?ean=9781936636082&itm=1&usri=reis%27s+pieces">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reiss-pieces-karen-winters-schwartz/1109245232?ean=9781936636082&itm=1&usri=reis%27s+pieces</a> </span></p>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-3355387384305603572012-01-19T10:15:00.000-08:002012-01-19T10:24:57.876-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWl_LYV28cjcpCKQthaNSxp4SjrAYmRRHYXhpuOcWSZA1Gvb7WNpkJT8ANd-cUTuHku1pxpTzsAO7aGsiVS0tcOrwgSbk6wLxZjzQhZFSlKS2hUzYZWRoNRSkXgT_iEkpOUxsbjtIYZFDr/s1600/Winters+Schwartz%252C+Karen+--+Reis%2527s+Pieces+--+Cover+Design.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWl_LYV28cjcpCKQthaNSxp4SjrAYmRRHYXhpuOcWSZA1Gvb7WNpkJT8ANd-cUTuHku1pxpTzsAO7aGsiVS0tcOrwgSbk6wLxZjzQhZFSlKS2hUzYZWRoNRSkXgT_iEkpOUxsbjtIYZFDr/s400/Winters+Schwartz%252C+Karen+--+Reis%2527s+Pieces+--+Cover+Design.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699408756069220434" /></a><b><span><i><br /></i></span></b><div><b><span><i><br /></i></span></b></div><div><b><span><i><br /></i></span></b></div><div><b><span><i><br /></i></span></b></div><div><b><span><i><br /></i></span></b></div><div><b><span><i><br /></i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span><i>And here it is: the cover </i></span></b><b><span><i>of my new novel!</i></span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span><i>Release date: </i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span><i>May 1st!</i></span></b></div></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-11265895864501298562012-01-15T05:32:00.001-08:002012-01-15T17:39:57.689-08:00bp Magazine Review<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); float: left; width: 125px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=bpmagaz-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0979875560&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" style="border-top-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-color: initial !important; width: 120px; height: 240px; "></iframe></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); float: left; width: 315px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="titleLink" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; ">Where are the Cocoa Puffs? A Family’s Journey Through Bipolar Disorder</span><div><p><br />By Karen Winters Schwartz (Goodman Beck Publishing, 2010)<br /><br />Reviewed by Kelsey Osgood<br /><br />It’s a parent’s nightmare: a teenage daughter, once a well-adjusted, academic achiever, suddenly begins to fray at the edges. Despite everyone’s best efforts, she tumbles down the wormhole into bipolar disorder, bringing her parents and the rest of the family along for the ride.<br /><br /><em>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs? A Family’s Journey Through Bipolar Disorder</em>, the debut novel of Karen Winters Schwartz, tracks the Benson family as their eldest child, 18- year-old Amanda, is diagnosed and struggles with euphoric hallucinations, crippling depressions, suicidal thoughts, a nostalgia for mania, and eventually, a hospitalization. The story is in some ways unbelievably tidy, the most obvious example being Ryan, the instantly devoted, endlessly patient boyfriend. But what Schwartz does so well is give each character ample space and time to express how the illness has affected him or her. The most interesting dilemma is that of Jerry Benson, Amanda’s father, also a psychiatrist. Throughout the story, he wrestles with his psychiatric rationale and his emotional paternal instincts. His decisions are often questionable, but this is a forgiving book and a gentle writer, one who makes sure each character is seen as both flawed and beautiful, or in a word: human.</p></div></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-91237262327779735072012-01-14T17:08:00.000-08:002012-01-14T18:02:06.815-08:00Sneak Preview of Interior Layout for Reis's Pieces!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNawvTgdx51JPuPfEM4nkyfihvHZOF36lbu9zqCxmLjWv9Jp1qbXnECiNWKVmIHzM8Bq8uqr6jyT8R8PWaed3A_ir6SWD-3LCbCQZhda6Wx7Z2Lxj6G4MknDAcqrzYt1KhEGPK6MGrjn4w/s1600/2012-01-14+20.14.14.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNawvTgdx51JPuPfEM4nkyfihvHZOF36lbu9zqCxmLjWv9Jp1qbXnECiNWKVmIHzM8Bq8uqr6jyT8R8PWaed3A_ir6SWD-3LCbCQZhda6Wx7Z2Lxj6G4MknDAcqrzYt1KhEGPK6MGrjn4w/s320/2012-01-14+20.14.14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697672909483604162" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF6cEQYFPvX3P1WJvmG8zcYJrQb4utaKe0AaFNgv0kvQ-q2iMm6dNMFozbNZdIAgFZrZovllAG__OIlMM6bWY3ho3ZJ-unEkw8BhlfRA8Zx9cKay219Udg-8-tqGlQRsUIVRHkJKVtX-m/s1600/2012-01-14+20.44.56.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF6cEQYFPvX3P1WJvmG8zcYJrQb4utaKe0AaFNgv0kvQ-q2iMm6dNMFozbNZdIAgFZrZovllAG__OIlMM6bWY3ho3ZJ-unEkw8BhlfRA8Zx9cKay219Udg-8-tqGlQRsUIVRHkJKVtX-m/s320/2012-01-14+20.44.56.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697670279526782450" /></a>Check out the awesome formatting and chapter headings my publisher has come up with for Reis's Pieces!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92GJD36wY6u7QT20vZkAN9O-AcL3eA8iQYMjl0sRS1BFKPum76jkmybDz4c2rirgZ_KSOOrqT4LeY9JVc8-D_zOt04Rinrstqr6u2RF36BpaT0CkDkfG0iL-tPGChCZHGsejOXfzV_idi/s1600/2012-01-14+20.42.30.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92GJD36wY6u7QT20vZkAN9O-AcL3eA8iQYMjl0sRS1BFKPum76jkmybDz4c2rirgZ_KSOOrqT4LeY9JVc8-D_zOt04Rinrstqr6u2RF36BpaT0CkDkfG0iL-tPGChCZHGsejOXfzV_idi/s320/2012-01-14+20.42.30.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697670275854952802" /></a>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-66213114423285880922011-12-31T07:29:00.000-08:002011-12-31T07:56:59.493-08:00Sneak Preview From My New Novel<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.0in; "><span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: georgia; " ><span>My new novel:</span><i style="font-weight: bold; "><span> <span>Reis's Pieces</span>:</span></i><i;> <span><i><b>Love, Loss, and Schizophrenia</b></i> </span><span>will be released in May! We are busy with the final edits! As with </span><b><i><span><span>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?</span>:</span> <span>A Family's Journey Through Bipolar Disorder,</span></i></b><span> I thought I'd share a few excerpts now and then.</span></i;></span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in; ">Reis settled into the leather chair and sighed at the doctor. “I feel like I’m being tested.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">“Tested?” asked Dr. Benson.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">“Well, more like a child, really…or a criminal. Like my life isn’t my own.”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">Dr. Benson frowned, then nodded and waited.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">“It’s like, now that I’m part of this system, there’s no way out. So many people looking after my welfare.... It’s rather insulting.” Reis stood up and began to pace. “It’s not like I committed a crime against society. I’m not a criminal.” He stopped and appealed to Dr. Benson. “Why do I feel like I’m trapped? No longer able to man my own life?”</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">Dr. Benson leaned forward, rested an elbow on his knee, and placed his chin in his hand. “Reis, the system’s there for you. As you said, to look after your welfare. As long as you’re not a danger to yourself or anyone else, you’re free to walk away.”</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">Reis sat back down in the chair and ran his fingers through his hair. He tried to stop the gasp of sorrow that escaped from his mouth, but he just couldn’t. He rubbed his fingers into his eyes and looked at Dr. Benson. “But don’t you see? Don’t you understand? I have nowhere to go.” </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-48797588633218585642011-10-16T08:49:00.000-07:002011-10-16T09:05:53.060-07:00My Favorite Cocoa Puffs Cookie Recipe!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px; background-color: rgb(230, 225, 193); " ><b>As Promised: Something to do with all those boxes of Cocoa Puffs purchased at the NAMI SE Minnesota dinner!</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(230, 225, 193); "><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Trebuchet Ms', sans-serif; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 25px; background-color: rgb(230, 225, 193); ">Cocoa Puff Cookies</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(230, 225, 193); "><h1 class="section-title" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.381em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px;"><br /></span></span></h1><div class="section clrfix heading" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; "><p class="credit" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.636em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.385; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 11px; ">By Moe! Larry! Cheese! on April 05, 2005</p></div><div class="section clrfix photo-lg" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 10px; zoom: 1; float: right; width: 160px; "></div><div class="section clrfix rating" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.273em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; float: left; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 11px; white-space: nowrap; "><span class="inline-rating small" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 7px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; "><img src="http://food.sndimg.com/2010/print/star45.gif" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></span>2 Reviews</div><div class="section clrfix time" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; clear: left; float: left; "><ul class="clrfix" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.538em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; "><li class="timer" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: left; font-size: 0px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); line-height: 0; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><img src="http://food.sndimg.com/2010/print/timer.png" alt="timer" width="31" height="24" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></li><li class="cook" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0.636em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.636em; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: left; font-size: 11px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); line-height: 24px; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><strong style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">Prep Time:</strong> 5 mins</li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0.636em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.636em; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: left; font-size: 11px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); line-height: 24px; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><strong style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">Total Time:</strong> 9 mins</li><li class="last" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0.636em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.636em; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: left; font-size: 11px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); line-height: 24px; border-right-width: 0px; border-right-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; "><strong style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; ">Servings:</strong> 24</li></ul></div><div class="section clrfix about" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.231em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; clear: left; "><h2 style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.118em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; ">About This Recipe</h2><p style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.385; ">"Comes from "Favorite Fixins from Fafnir Folks" cookbook. Cooking times may vary."</p></div><div class="section clrfix ingredients" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.538em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; clear: left; "><h2 style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.235em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; float: none; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; ">Ingredients</h2><ul style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.308em; margin-left: 14px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; clear: left; "><ul style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; clear: left; "><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; font: normal normal normal 13px/18px Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-size: 10px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3; background-position: 0px 7px; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">1 cup sugar</span></li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; font: normal normal normal 13px/18px Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-size: 10px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3; background-position: 0px 7px; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">1/2 cup Karo syrup</span></li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; font: normal normal normal 13px/18px Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-size: 10px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3; background-position: 0px 7px; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">1/4 cup honey</span></li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; font: normal normal normal 13px/18px Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-size: 10px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3; background-position: 0px 7px; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">1 1/2 cups peanut butter</span></li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 16px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; font: normal normal normal 13px/18px Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-size: 10px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3; background-position: 0px 7px; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">4 cups Cocoa Puffs cereal</span></li></ul></ul></div><div class="section clrfix directions" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.231em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; zoom: 1; float: none; clear: left; "><h2 style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 22px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; float: none; ">Directions</h2><ol style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 22px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 14px; clear: none; width: auto; "><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.571em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; width: auto; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.31; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">In a large pot; bring to a boil the sugar, syrup and honey.</span></li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.571em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; width: auto; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.31; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">Boil until sugar is almost melted.</span></li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.571em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; width: auto; color: rgb(134, 38, 118); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.31; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; ">Stir in peanut butter and then the Coco Puffs.</span></li><li style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.571em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; float: none; width: auto; font-weight: bold; "><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.31; ">Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool. Store in a air-tight container.</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px;"> </span></span></span><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><h1 class="section-title" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.381em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span></h1><h1 class="section-title" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.381em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >I spread them in a glass casserole and then cut them in squares once set. Thanks to all from NAMI SE Minnesota!</span></span></span></h1></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 1.31; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet Ms', sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></span><span style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; display: block; margin-left: -0.308em; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 25px;"><br /></span></span></span></li></ol></div></span>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-63291473222879882932011-08-24T07:09:00.000-07:002011-08-24T07:14:22.796-07:00NAMI Advocate Review<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><h1 style="font-family: arial, Verdana; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">NAMI Bookshelf</h1><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; "></p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; "><strong style="font-weight: bold; "><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Are-Cocoa-Puffs-Disorder/dp/0979875560/namiorg-20/" target="_blank" style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 51, 204); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; "><em style="font-style: italic; "><img alt="Where are the Cocoa Puffs?" src="http://www.nami.org/newsletters/img/eadvocate/coco_lg.jpg" align="right" border="0" height="155" width="107" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; text-decoration: none; margin-left: 10px; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-right-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-left-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); " /></em></a><em style="font-style: italic; "><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Are-Cocoa-Puffs-Disorder/dp/0979875560/namiorg-20/" style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 51, 204); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; ">Where are the Cocoa Puffs?: A Family’s Journey Through Bipolar Disorder</a></em></strong>
<br /><strong style="font-weight: bold; ">Karen Winters Schwartz
<br /></strong>Goodman Beck Publishing (2010)
<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; "><em style="font-style: italic; ">Where are the Cocoa Puffs?</em> illustrates how a well-crafted piece of fiction can be effective at explaining the experience of mental illness. The story unfolds like the chronology of an earthquake, with 18-year-old Amanda at the epicenter and those close to her being shaken to varying degrees by the development of her illness. Just like in documentary photographs of a quake or a storm, what communicates the hugeness of the event are snapshots of the details: a troubling conversation in which Amanda plans to cure blindness and deafness; a trip with the extended family; the breakdown on the cereal aisle because there are no Cocoa Puffs; mother Carol’s tears in a restaurant that reminds her of happier times or Amanda’s younger sister acting out with the wrong guy. Bipolar disorder shows itself to be a storm that peaks and levels and rages again, but that is best communicated by daily events like meals or a mundane activity cut short by a phone call signaling the beginning of a new stage of crisis.</p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; ">One of the most gripping themes in<em style="font-style: italic; "> Cocoa Puffs</em> is watching Amanda’s father, a psychiatrist, slowly recognize and come to terms with his daughter’s illness. The reader sees events such as the first suicidal conversation and the first hospitalization through the eyes of someone who has experienced them many times before—but not like this. In one moving scene, Jerry receives a prescription from his daughter’s psychiatrist and finds himself lingering, knowing that this is all the doctor can give him, but wishing the other man could just give him some reassurance about his daughter’s illness.</p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; ">Another interesting element in the book is Amanda’s relationship with her boyfriend, Ryan. Older, long-haired, not currently in school, he is not what her parents ideally want for her in a partner. But over time, he becomes a powerful support to both Amanda and the rest of the family. Like the NAMI Family-to-Family class that helps Carol, Ryan shows how sometimes families find healing outside the family. When the reader is inside Ryan’s head, it’s like a moment of calm. All the worries, anger and projections from the minds of the rest of the family stop, and we can just appreciate what he loves about Amanda, even as we see his own struggle to understand her illness.</p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; ">Unlike its title, the book is not always sweet—sex, strong language and drugs are all part of this slice of life. In keeping with the naturalistic tone, the book’s resolution is a glimmer of normalcy. After many months of painful ups and downs, mother and daughter finally meet in the middle for a regular conversation. “Wow,” the family says together. Readers with all degrees of familiarity with mental illness may very well find themselves saying the same at the end of the book.</p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; "><em style="font-style: italic; ">Reviewed by Kim Puchir</em></p><p style="font-family: arial, verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: black; "><em style="font-style: italic; ">To order: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Are-Cocoa-Puffs-Disorder/dp/0979875560/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314195032&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Where-Are-Cocoa-Puffs-Disorder/dp/0979875560/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314195032&sr=8-1</a></em></p></span>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-11122302329428960572011-08-08T14:05:00.000-07:002011-08-08T14:10:09.790-07:00New Release of a Wonderful Cookbook!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_1312732398321148 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_11_1312807926928108" style="font-size: 13px; font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; "><div class="yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_131273086285694 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_131273239832196 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_11_131280792692866" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; "><div class="yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_131273086285696 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_131273239832198 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_11_131280792692868" id="yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_1312730862856211" style="font-family: times, serif; "><div id="yiv93409413"><div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" ><span style="color: black; ">I'm very excited to announce the official release of my mother, Dot's, cookbook! In honor of her upcoming eightieth birthday, her original book,</span><span style="color: black; "> </span><i><span style="color: black; ">The Old Caterer's Favorite Hors d'oeuvres</span></i><span style="color: black; "> has been updated and published by Bryce Cullen Publishing. Copies of this beautiful addition can be easily ordered from Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com: </span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935752081/ref=cm_cr_thx_view" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(35, 71, 134); outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; ">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935752081/ref=cm_cr_thx_view</a></span></div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_1312730862856106 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_1312732398321108" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: times, serif; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" ><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; "></span></span></div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_1312730862856108 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_1312732398321110" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: times, serif; "><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; "> </span></div></div><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_1312730862856162 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_1312732398321168" style="font-family: times, serif; "><img src="http://us.mg2.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1%5f2307427%5fAMdWiGIAAQ3LTj%2fgBwgs9QJP9%2fY&pid=2.2&fid=Sent&inline=1" alt="image.png" title="image.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; " /></span><div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_1312730862856112 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_1312732398321114" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: times, serif; "><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; "> </span></div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" ><span style="color: black; ">This cookbook is a result of over half a century of Dot Winters entertaining others and is quite possibly (definitely) one of the most comprehensive hors d'oeuvre cookbooks ever assembled! Filled with amazing recipes, laced with wise personal commentary and seasoned social advice,</span><span style="color: black; "> </span><i><span style="color: black; ">The Old Caterer's Hors d'oeuvre</span></i><span style="color: black; ">s is more than a cookbook—it's a way of life.</span><span style="color: black; "></span></span></div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" ><span style="color: black; ">
<br /></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></span></span><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: medium; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" ><span style="color: black; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" >You can also "Like" The Old Caterer's Facebook Page:</span><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Old-Caterers-Favorite-Hors-doeuvres/194759750584100" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(35, 71, 134); outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span">http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Old-Caterers-Favorite-Hors-doeuvres/194759750584100</span></a></span><span><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_1312732398321148" style="font-size: 13px; font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; "><div class="yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_131273086285694 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_131273239832196" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; "><div class="yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_8_131273086285696 yiv93409413yui_3_2_0_19_131273239832198" style="font-family: times, serif; "><div><div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="color: black; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" >
<br /></span></span></div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" ><span style="color: black; "></span></span></div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="color: black; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" >Please pass this news along to others in support of a lifetime of great eating, entertaining and cooking!</span></span></div><div class="yiv93409413MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="color: black; "><span class="yiv93409413Apple-style-span" > </span></span></div></div></div></div></div></span></span></span>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-17268063210394587492011-03-06T15:37:00.000-08:002011-03-06T16:06:38.898-08:00Finally! Back Where I Belong!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6xEMtq2qFFC5l0NDV3tqzOi-bUB3cUdvGjEFWJAKPqR9m863QghtCUk1y5OSQBrCmgjue7C3AEeR4WKxLE3CmFekT3eyDj5ZFfbEuukGAeUUKBojHE3O5Vjumird97kg6TMa4lhjtBhv/s1600/DSCN3678.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6xEMtq2qFFC5l0NDV3tqzOi-bUB3cUdvGjEFWJAKPqR9m863QghtCUk1y5OSQBrCmgjue7C3AEeR4WKxLE3CmFekT3eyDj5ZFfbEuukGAeUUKBojHE3O5Vjumird97kg6TMa4lhjtBhv/s200/DSCN3678.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581119682591402658" /></a><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOFS_pOFmDkuHZ5JElwFkU3Ib9wCYuKqPFXFscaeIh1r9aNK5XM5tGNqFcFju6L8lPy9B8aSku6EYfSOlhJvYQMcs4YCQEEcSvW_qGBlToa1tlv60jK4Ljit94W_XEdGW5hGZ9GaRImiR/s200/DSCN3666.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581118351353428498" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rZZtJ_5HQ9VIs37ory_VZx_y7990YLUYuvbxN3zk0KCTHu00H27ZsF3xI-5xMDHK6VNKtT2ZoxW_y7GEmpwTgC8XyVBGyCTticWJ7ZcCQ1j-3MA6YFpRNeD1KP69unWw41IkQXQqadw_/s200/DSCN3645.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581122175655899938" /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>BELIZE! You just have to love Belize!</b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><br /></b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUU6nyhQfxqFNMLPXyTVPFzV8-Vzn8MY4LQofTTHIhjNdYxAtMWjJ1JTYm0VJn51PnOR3rJBX3iDz6gSCsvdYKZquhZMLwGuq2wcmL8BLOG-mruF1YwtWoK2adqIQKL6NCyOaVdCowCK-K/s200/DSCN3664.JPG" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581117620460580146" /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidclXxIBD0nmDQUv03IZZY7eRJUYFlexxq0_SJTf9SHvrSBhML0hba0srg20ngK5dXk2RIyS4dOq7kp1Iww-AAJeOUbozHAJGmrDH1MIYO7v8myEbh-tnftnBGYlQP_bPEhJxYGoTUN4YA/s200/DSCN3647.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581121351939522754" /></b></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvPD4eJK74n9MTkmb5Rk9YGiDx0Na-XjzTHN2rsHhPm_Q9zyeA08mg74w_9feED4Ikv8e7uVjPuzgzK9uzJMyCL6pQM6XXefozVqUlYogspvNWW5vut7lAbbl_IdjjJ2ZgfQAnfgTJ7py/s200/DSCN3672.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581118991119793762" /></div></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-61750162266979431492011-01-19T17:48:00.000-08:002011-01-19T17:55:02.819-08:00A Letter From NAMI—Thanks Mike!<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 11pt; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(112, 48, 160); "> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; ">Dear</span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" > NAM</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >I</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >State</span></span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "> Organization and Affiliate Leaders,</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">For all Americans, <span ><span style="color: navy; ">this </span></span>has been a long and challenging week. NAMI has been inundated with calls from the news media and others—policymakers and ordinary family members— seeking information in the wake of the Arizona tragedy about <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_3" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">mental illness</span> and mental health care.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">THIS TRAGEDY OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY . CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS<span ><span style="color: navy; "> – </span></span></span></span></b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">It’s important that elected officials—particularly governors and state legislators—understand that the Arizona tragedy is a national tragedy that means they have to take steps now to fix the mental healthcare system.<b><span ><span style="color: navy; font-weight: bold; "></span></span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">Please send a message today to your elected officials.</span></span></b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> We’ve prepared a sample letter you can send here:<span ><span style="color: navy; "> <u><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://capwiz.com/nami/issues/alert/?alertid=22427516" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_4" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">NAMI’s on-line CapWiz tool</span></a></u></span></span>. Send an action alert to your own state and local networks asking them to do so as well. Follow-up with postal letters or additional email or personal contacts in constituent meetings in <span ><span style="color: navy; ">the </span></span>weeks ahead.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">Following NAMI’s <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=press_room&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=113184" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_5" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">official statement</span></a> on the tragedy on Jan.10, we have worked to help shape news coverage with considerable results. Many NAMI leaders have been interviewed and quoted in leading media at the national, state and local level. Thank you—all of you—for helping to move the focus of news stories from political rhetoric and guns to America’s broken mental health care system—especially the need for early evaluation and treatment and elimination of stigma.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">A TEACHABLE MOMENT</span></span></b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> – In your communities, reporters, friends and others may be askng “How did this happen?’” and “What can we do to make sure it doesn’t happen here?” This is a teachable moment. You may have opportunities to make the same basic points that we have over the last week:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">Individuals and families should not be afraid to reach out for help when they need it and no one should be afraid to offer help.</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">It’s not about political rhetoric. It’s not about guns. It’s mental health care.</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">Most people living with <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_6" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">mental illness</span> are not violent. The U.S. <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_7" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">Surgeon General</span> has said the likelihood is “exceptionally small.” Acts of violence are exceptional—which means something has gone terribly wrong.</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">The mental health care system is broken. We need to fix it.</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">In the last few years, budget cuts have devastated <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_8" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">mental health services</span> in all states—not just Arizona .</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">We need to strengthen the system so that people can get the right help at the right time.</span></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">To date, NAMI ha<span ><span style="color: navy; ">s had</span></span> <span ><span style="color: navy; ">75 or more</span></span> direct media contacts<span ><span style="color: navy; ">—we’ve lost count!</span></span> The total <span ><span style="color: navy; ">c</span></span>overage is too long to list here, but I do want to share <span ><span style="color: navy; ">a few</span></span> <span ><span style="color: navy; ">highlights, </span></span>below. I also encourage you to follow NAMI’s continuing<span ><span style="color: navy; ">efforts</span></span> on <span ><span style="color: navy; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/officialNAMI" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_9" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">Facebook</span></a></span></span> and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/namicommunicate" title="blocked::http://twitter.com/namicommunicate" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_10" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">Twitter</span></a>.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=13570" title="blocked::http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=13570" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_11" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">NPR, The Diane Rehm Show:</span></a> “Serious Psychiatric Disorders Among Young Adults”</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.c-span.org/Events/Washington-Journal-for-Thursday-Jan-13/10737418896/" title="blocked::http://www.c-span.org/Events/Washington-Journal-for-Thursday-Jan-13/10737418896/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_12" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">C-SPAN Washington Journal</span></a>, January 13</span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span></span><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/14/our-broken-mental-health-system.html" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_13" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">Newsweek</span></a>, “Our Broken <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_14" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">Mental Health System</span>”</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2041733,00.html?xid=rss-mostpopular" title="blocked::http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2041733,00.html?xid=rss-mostpopular" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_15" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">TIME</span></a> “If You Think Someone Is Mentally Ill: Loughner’s Six Warning Signs”</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/2011-01-13-arizonalaws13_st_N.htm" title="blocked::http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/2011-01-13-arizonalaws13_st_N.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_16" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">USA Today,</span></a> “Loughner Could Have Been Committed Under Arizona Law”</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/11/pima-county-mental-health-services_n_807522.html" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_17" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">The Huffington Post</span></a>, “Nearly 50%<span ><span style="color: navy; "> </span></span>of Mental Health Recipients in Giffords’ District Were Dropped in 2010”</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.npr.org/2011/01/11/132830484/the-new-republic-reexamining-mental-health-care" title="blocked::http://www.npr.org/2011/01/11/132830484/the-new-republic-reexamining-mental-health-care" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_18" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">The New Republic</span></a>, Reexamining Mental <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_19" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; ">Health Care</span></span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span></span><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "></span></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">NAMI RESOURCES</span></span></b><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> – NAMI is here to help individuals, families and communities. Whether through the NAMI website and HelpLine or your<span ><span style="color: navy; "> office and phone lines</span></span>, we’re all trying to offer information that can help save lives. The importance of family education and support has been made especially clear this week.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">The <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.nami.org/" title="blocked::http://www.nami.org/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_20" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">NAMI web site</span></a> carries a vast array of information and resources.</span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span></span><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">NAMI’s <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=press_room" title="blocked::http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=press_room" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_21" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">Newsroom</span></a> points reporters to helpful resources such as <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.nami.org/gtsTemplate09.cfm?Section=Grading_the_States_2009" title="blocked::http://www.nami.org/gtsTemplate09.cfm?Section=Grading_the_States_2009" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_22" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">Grading the States</span></a> and provides press releases that affiliate<span ><span style="color: navy; ">s</span></span> can use for themselves.</span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span></span><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Family-to-Family&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=4&ContentID=32973" title="blocked::http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Family-to-Family&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=4&ContentID=32973" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_23" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">Family-to-Family</span></a> classes all across the country offer the support and help that families need.</span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span></span><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.strengthofus.org/" title="blocked::http://www.strengthofus.org/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_24" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">StrengthOfUs</span></a>, a social networking site for transition-age youth, provides a supportive environment for finding and offering <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1295487604_25" style="color: rgb(54, 99, 136); ">peer support</span>.</span></span><span ><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span></span><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "></span></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">Thank you for the work you are doing in your community. Thank you for being there for all of those who need our help.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span ><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; ">Mike</span></span></p>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-12212827581942668152010-12-06T15:11:00.001-08:002010-12-11T14:51:24.455-08:00A Repost For Christmas!<div align="center" style="text-align: left; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; ">Okay, let's move away from this political crap for a few days and get back to what's <i>really</i> important--laughing! I thought I'd repost one of my best received short, short stories. I hope you all enjoy! And don't forget: the gift of literature keeps on giving (everybody must have Cocoa Puffs!):</span></span><a href="http://www.goodmanbeck.com/Where-Are-the-Cocoa-Puffs.htm">http://www.goodmanbeck.com/Where-Are-the-Cocoa-Puffs.htm</a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 21px; "><br /></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 21px; ">The Best, the Only and the Unexpected</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 14px; ">by Karen Winters Schwartz</span></div><div align="left"><br />I guess the best place to start something is at the beginning, but since the beginning is really impossible to define, it gets a little tougher on just where to begin. I could start this with something like: ‘I was born,’ or ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...,’ or ‘I am an invisible man,’ or even, ‘Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.’ But since only one of the four statements is true, and even that one seems questionable at times, I guess I’ll just start with early Christmas morning and Aunt Sharon’s startlingly massive tits.</div><div align="left"><br />So there I was, in the throngs of Aunt Sharon’s “hello” with my face pressed into that startlingly impressive mound of flesh. It wasn’t like Aunt Sharon was big and fat and gross. No, she’s beautiful, for an aunt, and her tits are truly amazing. Oh, you think, a fifteen year old boy’s dream, his face nestled into the pure sexual pleasure of her hello. Well, you would be wrong -- dead wrong. It was awful! The inability to breathe, the leering look on my older brother’s face, (I could just make it out over the soft pink flesh) the coarse laughter of my father -- these, the least of my problems. What got me, what shook me to my adolescent core, was the actual withdrawal, the shrinking away of what little bit of manhood I sported between my legs; and with that withdrawal, the sudden irrefutable conclusion that my brother, Mike, was right; I was a frigging fagot!</div><div align="left"><br />Oh, all the signs were there! My love for literature, the arts, my obsession with music, movies, my skinny hairless body.... There wasn’t a nanogram of testosterone anywhere and there was little hope there ever would be. Not that my lack of manhood has anything to do with this story. And not that being gay would frigging kill me or anything, but really I did long for something ‘normal’. At least, I’d like to believe that....</div><div align="left"><br />But here I was, nine months, three weeks and thirteen hours away from my sixteenth birthday, and I looked like I was twelve -- some sort of screwed-up Peter Pan Phenomenon. Even the most disrespectable gay man would not look twice at me. The only hope my sad little body had of getting any sort of sexual attention was from priests and pedophiles.</div><div align="left"><br />“Merry Christmas, Allen!” said my aunt, releasing me from her grasp with a wicked grin, her hands still caressing my brown unruly mop of hair. “Maybe later you can unwrap them fully!” My father and brother laughed mercilessly.</div><div align="left"><br />“Leave him alone, Sharon!” came my mother’s voice to my defense, but it was hard to understand her words through her own laughter. Merry frigging ho ho ho!</div><div align="left"><br />And then came my cousin, Jeff, right behind her, shoving me ‘hello’ good-naturedly with his broad massive manly hands; and me, proving Newton’s second law of motion, almost falling into one of Mom’s innumerable potted plants. More laughter from the peanut gallery -- it was nice to know that I was a steady source of entertainment. But I laughed the loudest, because if you can’t laugh at yourself life is going to seem a whole lot longer than you’d like. (Garden State, lest someone sue me. God, I loved that movie!)</div><div align="left"><br />My little cousin, Megan, looking terrified by the possibility that she might actually be alive, was close behind Jeff. She looked nothing like her older brother. (Aunt Sharon’s men were sort of like my Mom’s potted plants -- innumerable.) Megan’s little spider fingers were nestled between the mixture of baby teeth and naked gaps and a few hopeful permanent teeth; her red hair was pinned on top of her head like a troll doll; her worried look was perpetually etched into her face. “Megan! Get those fingers out of your mouth!” said Aunt Sharon, rudely ripping Megan’s fingers from the safety of her lips.</div><div align="left"><br />I made my way over to Megan and tugged gently, lovingly on her crazy pony tail. “Ow!” she cried, but then she smiled her even crazier semi-toothless smile. Someone smaller and weirder than me. I loved this little girl!</div><div align="left"><br />Finally the door was shut, coats were put in the closet, presents were put under the tree, and the dog settled down. Because, let me tell you, I was eager to get all this ‘Hello, glad you’re here’ bullshit out of the way and get right to the presents. And I don’t want you to think it was because I was the least bit eager to see what people had picked out for me, because I knew from the fourteen Christmases I’d been through, that the older I got, the likelihood of getting something that was not intended to be placed on my body, (socks, underwear, ugly old man shirts, fluffy faggy mittens....) and something that I actually wanted, was as likely as Aunt Sharon growing a third tit. (Which would really be rather interesting.)</div><div align="left"><br />What I was eager to do was to pass out the wonderful gifts I had purchased from the most incredible mail order catalogue ever -- America’s Longest Running Catalog...Offering the Best, the Only and the Unexpected for 160 years...Hammacher Schlemmer! I had worked my butt off bussing tables at Schmidt’s Sausage House all summer and now on weekends. I must have seen ten thousand hot steamy Bahama Mamas, laying stiff and pink and tasty on their bed of sauerkraut go passing by, and scraped ten times as many sausage remnants into the garbage. Oh, how the rats of German Village must have waited each night with their whiskers quivering with gastronomical anticipation!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJJphO_5u2DkIZ-gzTt0GRy1ZQJXVEvExDekacRoiu1qZqyKb6RvK3bhWv5DWVP0IB_WWaLS7-0gjrpg9S6Qqa7qJyzZPbcHgKpKuWF3uxt0qn6csYrmTDR8XsFmWRd9sPSRGawy60CVW/s1600/2820856109_428daccd84.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJJphO_5u2DkIZ-gzTt0GRy1ZQJXVEvExDekacRoiu1qZqyKb6RvK3bhWv5DWVP0IB_WWaLS7-0gjrpg9S6Qqa7qJyzZPbcHgKpKuWF3uxt0qn6csYrmTDR8XsFmWRd9sPSRGawy60CVW/s200/2820856109_428daccd84.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549554197749250658" /></a>But it had all been worth it, for I now had the financial means to give everyone the Best, the Only and the Unexpected.</div><div align="left"><br />Agonizing hours had been spent perusing their catalogue -- eye numbing sessions on the computer studying their website. But ultimately, decisions had been made, money had exchanged hands, packages had been UPSed, gifts wrapped, and finally Christmas had arrived. So it was with great altruistic enthusiasm that I gathered this family of mine and sat them around the Christmas tree. Megan insisted that she play postman, which was annoying as she read like a retarded trout might read, and the name tags proved to be a slow and arduous task. I tried not to fidget excessively as I watched Megan’s lips tremble -- her brow knit in concentration as she tried to sound out ‘To: Mike. From: Mom,’ but my father still found my disposition disturbing. “Will you sit still? You’re sloshing my coffee about!” he growled, placing his hand firmly on my knee and forcing me into stillness.</div><div align="left"><br />Mike unwrapped the package of tidy whities. “Thanks, Mom,” he said, dropping the packet down by his chair and not even feigning enthusiasm.</div><div align="left"><br />“Well, it’s something you need!” Mom’s voice chirped.</div><div align="left"><br />“Gosh! I hope I get some!” My capacity for sarcasm amused me to no end. My father’s hand tightened on my knee until it flirted with pain, and I was forced to squirm away to help Megan. I think we all agreed that Christmas should not run into New Years.</div><div align="left"><br />“Let me help you there, Meg. I’ll read the tags and you can deliver them.” She seemed pleased by this arrangement, and things began to move along in a reasonable fashion.</div><div align="left"><br />The first of my wonderful gifts to be delivered to its lucky recipient was my mother’s gift. She held the large heavy package on her lap and her face glowed with anticipation. “Whatever could this be?” She teased me by lifting it and shaking it about and dragging out its unveiling.</div><div align="left"><br />“Open it! Open it!” I finally blurted out.</div><div align="left"><br />My brother shoved me hard in the back. “Christ! Stop being a f-ing fagot!</div><div align="left"><br />“Mike! Language!” cautioned my mother.</div><div align="left"><br />“What’s wrong with f-ing? It’s not even in the dictionary!” quipped Mike.</div><div align="left"><br />My father sighed. “We all knew what you meant.” Megan looked around in her usual confusion. Mike rolled his eyes. Finally my mother ripped the paper apart with gusto. My father mumbled, “What the fuck?” as he took in the lovely gift that sat on my mother’s lap.</div><div align="left"><br />“It’s The Pop-Up Hot Dog Cooker!” I announced.</div><div align="left"><br />“Oh my!” she exclaimed.</div><div align="left"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIpN9M27onUBfOrMrch3YBBSL1W8x4NGxZ_6NjFR2PBL_7jFEHF8LuOF-7D4nkJU4ZosgVtEBUQUX67WQqUNDvW8C5RLc788SNJRf7HQT_Pgyd6xd3wTQ6Wt78pAxJoaUQMMyMF-Z-Ppf/s1600/mb-hot-dog-cooker1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIpN9M27onUBfOrMrch3YBBSL1W8x4NGxZ_6NjFR2PBL_7jFEHF8LuOF-7D4nkJU4ZosgVtEBUQUX67WQqUNDvW8C5RLc788SNJRf7HQT_Pgyd6xd3wTQ6Wt78pAxJoaUQMMyMF-Z-Ppf/s200/mb-hot-dog-cooker1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549549419928510754" /></a>I jumped up and pointed to the picture on the box. “See! See? You put the hot dogs in the middle holes and the buns in the outside ones. Its 660 watt electronic heating coil has time settings so you can heat your dog to your taste preference. And it has a removable crumb basket for easy cleaning.”</div><div align="left"><br />“Wow! We might just have to forget about the roast and have hot dogs for Christmas dinner. Thank you, honey.” She hugged me, and even though I knew she was joking about hot dogs for Christmas dinner, there was no doubt that she loved it.</div><div align="left"><br />“Jesus Christ,” mumbled my father. His attitude did not concern me in the least. He liked hot dogs just as much as the next guy, and the first time he had the pleasure of biting into a dog cooked to his taste preference -- oh, I knew his attitude would change. And besides, I’d purchased him the perfect gift as well.</div><div align="left"><br />More gifts were unwrapped. My grandmother loved The Full Bottle Wine Glass, which held an entire bottle of wine. No longer would she have to concern herself with my mother’s insistence that she limit her intake to one glass of wine. My cousin, Jeff, seemed pleased The 40 Foot Marshmallow Blaster. Aunt Sharon pushed the soft cloth of The Turkish Shower Wrap against her soft chest and thanked me. I only hoped I’d get the opportunity to see it on her wet substantial body. I’d almost ordered the life-like Remote Controlled Tarantula for Megan, but decided last minute to spend the extra $30.00 on The Remote Controlled Flying Pterosaurs, which was a good thing, as even the harmless looking dinosaur freaked her out at first.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpW473JwUsyb_sFyiwjrrATnU_x4lgnZMnSVeIbR7xlHdkdqRCMac9kDznIqK3bIttHUL35MnPLbvrXZuGEKmBV1FLWaF7HawvUqrgaI4SPZTBxROaFc-JxYSgkMqvKBIxzRyYJHGxfgy0/s1600/flying_pterodactyl.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpW473JwUsyb_sFyiwjrrATnU_x4lgnZMnSVeIbR7xlHdkdqRCMac9kDznIqK3bIttHUL35MnPLbvrXZuGEKmBV1FLWaF7HawvUqrgaI4SPZTBxROaFc-JxYSgkMqvKBIxzRyYJHGxfgy0/s200/flying_pterodactyl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549551208943524738" /></a><br /><br /></div><div align="left">I was thrilled to procure my own tidy whities along with an impressively large bag of white tube socks, a new winter hat (light blue, with a yellow stripe, if you can believe it), a couple pairs of Sears ‘special’ jeans and a red plaid button down shirt. I was barely keeping my enthusiasm contained, when I finally unwrapped something that squelched my sarcasm; Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol 2 for Xbox 360. Now this is something I secretly wanted, but had not told a soul -- not something I was willing to admit to, and certainly something my father and brother would not endorse.</div><div align="left"><br />You see, I fancied myself a bit of a singer. My mother loved my voice, so I knew that it was she who had purchased this gift. I smiled at her with gratitude, my new treasure secure on my lap. “Thank you,” I told her, and I could just make out the look on my father’s face with my peripheral vision and felt the rough shove of my brother’s hand.</div><div align="left"><br />“Fagot!” he said.</div><div align="left"><br />Could he not come up with something a bit more original? Certainly there must be other adjectives that even his minuscule brain could come up with to describe me.</div><div align="left"><br />I went to the dwindling pile of gifts and pulled out my brother’s box. I handed it to him and watched as he tore the wrappings aside. He looked at me incredulously as he sat with my gift perched on his knees. Mike shook his head. “I don’t even have a fucking fish.”</div><div align="left"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAiU94bfJTmkTgcXRnKTNRBCpQWKXdrYMu1pEseZsKgaw3rTaEJoZ6cj7t9DrVt5XazV9S3Tg1tRIM2Jlh0bySMcm_R5rDhlRM8HTkNHMnHPL6R4FwbqwD9NGhQ2lRk9pet0wFTnxx5SN/s1600/fish_training.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAiU94bfJTmkTgcXRnKTNRBCpQWKXdrYMu1pEseZsKgaw3rTaEJoZ6cj7t9DrVt5XazV9S3Tg1tRIM2Jlh0bySMcm_R5rDhlRM8HTkNHMnHPL6R4FwbqwD9NGhQ2lRk9pet0wFTnxx5SN/s200/fish_training.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549552635979635762" /></a>“Mike!” my mother warned, but she could not be heard over everyone’s laughter.</div><div align="left"><br />Okay! Okay! I admit this gift was more for me than Mike. But really, he was a pain-in-the-ass. Why should I spend my hard earned money on an ass? “You can borrow Ralph!” I told him, and grabbed the box off his lap, as I was eager to hold its precious contents in my hands.</div><div align="left"><br />As I opened the container of The Fish Agility Training Set, Megan slid over and we took out the amazing tiny football and soccer ball, the soccer goal, the hoops, the slalom course and even a limbo bar! Final gifts were being unwrapped as we absorbed ourselves with the possibilities. Could Ralph, who was rather small for a goldfish, really learn to slam dunk?</div><div align="left"><br />My attention was pulled away from the training set when I heard my mother (who had taken over the postal duties) say, “Here’s your gift from Allen, Carl.” Her smile was something more than a smile as she handed my father his gift.</div><div align="left"><br />I believe everyone in my family was afraid for me, even my father, as he sat there with his package on his lap; but I was not concerned. It was not going to be a repeat of last year when he found The Pocket Sized Germ Eliminating Light, which set me back $69.95, the most ridiculous thing he’d ever seen. No, this was going to be good. I’d wisely passed on The Million Germ Eliminating Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer, balked at The Men’s Extended Reach Body Hair Groomer, and chosen something truly useful this year. So that it was with the utmost pleasure that I watched him tear away at the package.</div><div align="left"><br />But before I reveal the gift, let me build reader suspense, and characterization, and all that crap, by telling you a little about my father. My father is a Buckeye. Now in most societies if you called your father a nut it would not be considered a compliment, but in Columbus, Ohio it’s a given -- almost everyone here is a nut. The few individuals in Columbus (I think there are twenty-seven in total) that poo poo the football team -- believing that it actually detracts from Columbus -- sucks away attention and moneys from the other things that the city and the university offers -- art, music, theater, learning, research, betterment of man . . . These individuals, who refer to the game as a barbaric extension of man’s hostility against man, are, according to my father, fucking fools. And according to the other 747,753 other people living in Columbus, the fact that my father makes a living, and a good living, at being a Buckeye, rates him right up there with doctors and lawyers and in some circles, equivalent or superior to the President of the US of A and the Pope. Maybe you have to live in Columbus to understand this phenomenon, but as an ex-football player with The Ohio State University football team and recruiting coordinator of the best damn team in the entire universe -- well, my father was a demigod.</div><div align="left"><br />Now my dad spends a lot of time traveling, watching prospective players, sitting in his office; talking to high school coaches on the phone, messing with his computer and doing God knows what else. Only something like a heart attack would cause him to miss a home game and he somehow manages to travel to most of the away games. So he spends an unreasonable amount of time sitting on his ass, especially on cold metal benches, and even more time bitching about the recent eruption of hemorrhoids, so as I said before, it was with the utmost pleasure and great confidence that I watched him expose The Portable Gel Seat, $59.95. A lot, I know, for a cushion, but this was a special cushion.</div><div align="left"><br /> <br />It’s compact, with an integrated handle and a center groove that eliminates contact pressure of delicate soft tissue and has 16 small vented openings to allow for adequate ventilation. And I told my father all this, as I watched him slide the seat from its box, and slip it under his derrière. “Hey, this is nice,” he smiled as he shifted his massive frame about on the pad. “You worked really hard this year. Thanks pal!”</div><div align="left"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf14fo4ut2bWc7JOJ6mvoNNyvPXjBOZVd7pF9Jw0iJAXTNJ7mLQ1JBOcp95cx4SsRzzYB6e0_mEPnn6FqzachczNXFeanFMrDHxUQWP7cSosrJdx8aJk4t2ZAY6xKOErno9Rk7zTQKmiBg/s1600/134534w4_1.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf14fo4ut2bWc7JOJ6mvoNNyvPXjBOZVd7pF9Jw0iJAXTNJ7mLQ1JBOcp95cx4SsRzzYB6e0_mEPnn6FqzachczNXFeanFMrDHxUQWP7cSosrJdx8aJk4t2ZAY6xKOErno9Rk7zTQKmiBg/s200/134534w4_1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549554821691159202" /></a><br /><br />Mike was quite behind me -- didn’t punch me or anything. My mother beamed. Grandma was swirling imaginary wine in her glass. Jeff was studying his marshmallow blaster. Megan was investigating her right nostril. Aunt Sharon’s beautiful face was smiling above her breasts. And, me? I was grinning at my dad. Maybe you don’t think giving my dad something that made him call me pal was such a big friggin deal, but let me tell you, when my dad smiled down at me from his new gel cushion with something close to pride in his eyes, all the money I’d spent, all those long hours of lugging around sausage remnants, all the ribbing I’d endured, was nothing, and Christmas was everything it was meant to be.<br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); "><em><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande'; "><span style="font-size: 21px; ">Give the Unexpected</span> !</span></em></span></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-4206356250174758972010-12-06T14:35:00.000-08:002010-12-07T11:36:40.991-08:00Just Call Me Alice!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9eZV5cfGCQaKZhasfBtaGceufxHEBZYQo5eetvWfbVSheO-kYU5IMRb8Fh4YEJq_CDZy7nqXMgOTLu5pJ9mYKymN22uTLUapkAaDy6MGLPd-2BEWENter49sBoWF1mqEiwMYSHuWa2aa/s1600/imgres.jpg"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9eZV5cfGCQaKZhasfBtaGceufxHEBZYQo5eetvWfbVSheO-kYU5IMRb8Fh4YEJq_CDZy7nqXMgOTLu5pJ9mYKymN22uTLUapkAaDy6MGLPd-2BEWENter49sBoWF1mqEiwMYSHuWa2aa/s1600/imgres.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9eZV5cfGCQaKZhasfBtaGceufxHEBZYQo5eetvWfbVSheO-kYU5IMRb8Fh4YEJq_CDZy7nqXMgOTLu5pJ9mYKymN22uTLUapkAaDy6MGLPd-2BEWENter49sBoWF1mqEiwMYSHuWa2aa/s200/imgres.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547701581517701282" /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9eZV5cfGCQaKZhasfBtaGceufxHEBZYQo5eetvWfbVSheO-kYU5IMRb8Fh4YEJq_CDZy7nqXMgOTLu5pJ9mYKymN22uTLUapkAaDy6MGLPd-2BEWENter49sBoWF1mqEiwMYSHuWa2aa/s1600/imgres.jpg"></a><p style="margin-top:.25in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.25in;margin-left: 0in;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>“Off with her head!”</b></span> the Queen screamed. The blade hung in the air </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">with a breath of hesitation and then the backward movement and the fast parting of air and then body.<b> <span> </span>“Sentence first—verdict afterwards.”</b></span></p><p style="margin-top:.25in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.25in;margin-left: 0in;background:white"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin"><br /></span></b></p><p style="margin-top:.25in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.25in;margin-left: 0in;background:white"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">Just like that another NAMI-NYS Executive Director has bitten the dust.</span></b></p><p style="margin-top:.25in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.25in;margin-left: 0in;background:white"><span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.25in; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCs5YEIEyFO26GVdUT6tJnC-wBjXVGFEWIM18Eg-xyp4P-_EOaxtnGTy8Iu9Uu_-Jr_f2MlqSMWn66PFCPpePgFCTaX6aoHh7_a4UgrTEsaGI2LODzitchRpMYdNErsDs_lR_ynlaTd9i/s200/alice-falling-down-rabbit-hole.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547701809875440290" /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><p style="margin-top:.25in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.25in;margin-left: 0in;background:white">And Alice stands there open-mouthed and aghast, having tumbled unwittingly down that bunny hole—finding herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep and deadly well. Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to the end? “Was it partially me?” she wonders. “Was it me who poked this sleeping mass—or was the blade already poised and waiting?” </p></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="line-height: 115%; ">Swish,</span><span style="line-height: 115%; ">swish, swish! Three ED’s in a row and NAMI-NYS stands at the threshold of disaster, or, perhaps, at the threshold of restoration</span><span style="line-height: 115%; ">.</span></span></b></div><div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; ">“I don’t think they play at all fairly,” Alice began, in rather a complaining tone, “and they all quarrel so dreadfully one can’t hear one’s self speak—and they don’t seem to have any rules in particular</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; ">; at least, if there are, nobody attends to them—</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCJOHQz4tzQga8ZPZc5GFYl_R3NofHN8HRpj2XE4X1SuubiMrsRmYBVRcuK70JhZAuY3T1c6uvFq4EvvZq-YXKwaxqrLdUK3q6hSFPP4e9-jXMrl02sDdPU0dzpo66OnAVuzklxSIzqCI/s200/imgres.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 159px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547703691300344994" /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; ">The players all played at once without waiting for turns, quarreling all the while, and fighting for the hedgehogs; and in a very short time the Queen was in a furious passion, and went stamping about, and shouting, “Off with his head!” or “Off with her head!” Alice began to feel very uneasy: to be sure, she had not as yet had any dispute with the Queen, but she knew that it might happen any minute, “and then,” she thought. “what would become of me? They're dreadfully fond of beheading people here: the great wonder is, that there's any one left alive!"</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xlAOpVrOPwj6LFN5E1zBUi_hBD4nopWYHlQFEVzZFFC1P0I3xxJTkMDI1To650FaVVP4WsfQDahcIn3LXAjCSTjAjnKZrf6FFrUpzWZh7vBMTgTSnWoqJmwFVF_-gtnSCSlXF8wmW-F_/s200/diabolical-queen-of-hearts-fury.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547704506285142146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 160px; " /></span></span></p></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18px;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%">Alice was</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> a smart and spunky (if not stupidly hopeful) little girl. And although, <span style="color:#333333">it would be so nice if something made sense for a change</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;color:#333333">, she felt</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:#333333"> that good sense could bring good change.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> And although, </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%">the Queen had only one way of settling all difficulties, great or small: (“Off with her head!”) Alice thought,</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> “Why they’re only a pack of cards, after all, I needn’t be afraid of them.”</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">And the time is now for total disembowelment; and then restoration to something a little further from madness….<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%">Forgive me Lewis Carroll for my blatant plagiarism, but people are people; and almost 100 years later your words are apropos! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p></span></div></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-34880022917772378092010-11-18T04:26:00.000-08:002010-11-19T14:53:53.208-08:00NAMI-NYS: Sick & Bleeding Out!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DnS1el_dzYh_AMDDhNP9_qIdhetWrDNsXsfKAKoY65fFmXsPRoyyNiOtkPcXZnHJjwfYvA2477sPfC739rhtem-expj2XCIVOqtZaSw0vafuXFQov8USkFPSP3HbjxNhwo7AEfXwZaHF/s320/Bigstockphoto_Wild_Rabbit_1173977%25284%2529.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540868405884880754" /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Last</span> Friday morning as I made my way along the very dark, foggy, rainy road, toward Albany at 7:00 a.m. and a cute little bunny hopped onto the road—seemingly drawn to my tires no matter which way I turned the car—and I squashed his cute furry little head i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">nto the asphalt, I should have known that the weekend might not be all that I'd hoped.... But I chose, at the time, to somehow take it as a good sign—I had, after all, just created four potential rabbit’s feet.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I was on my way to Albany to present <i>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?</i> to the NAMI-NYS conference and to present myself as one of the individuals running for a board seat. It was an hour out of Al</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">bany when I was pulled over for a blown headlight and ultimately issued a ticket for an expired inspection sticker (it’s a long twisted tale of headlight woe, which I won’t go into now) that I began to mildly question the weekend. But I turned the ticketing event into a book selling </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">opportunity and handed the fine young officer one of my cards and plugged my book. I continued toward Albany.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">As some of you may know, I’m a board member of NAMI Syracuse (National Alliance on Mental Illness). A few months ago, I was forwarded a moving letter calling for our NYS members to consider running for the state board. Although I am not politically inclined, I thought it would be a wo</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">nderful way to pay back some of what NAMI has given me. I was warned and aware that all was not well at NAMI-NYS. Nonetheless, I decided—perhaps foolishly—to plunge ahead. I went to Albany with a wide-eyed, idealistic ignorance. The issues run much deeper and are much more toxic than I could ever have imagined.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">As it turns out a dead bunny is not a good sign—although it was a great w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">eekend for <i>Cocoa Puffs</i>, it was <i>not</i> so great for Karen. I nailed my presentation for <i>Where Are the</i> <i>Cocoa Puffs?</i>and they sold all the copies NAMI-NYS ordered; but you would not believe the subtle nuisances I was forced to endure. In the short time that I was there, getting to know these people, I could sense the deep and underlying illness at the state level; and I found myself wondering, before I even knew the res</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">ults of the election, what I might have gotten myself into. The results of the board elections, on Saturday, unfortunately, were not surprising. All the past board members, but one, were voted back in. And the tyranny continues.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">It saddens me that the NAMI-NYS Board is, and continues to be, so dysfunctio</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">nal—especially when I know how rewarding and inspiring it is to be on a fully functioning NAMI Board. Even thou</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">gh there was still talk of me running next year, there were things that transpired that left such a bitter taste in my mouth that there is no way I can stomach what is apparently necessary to penetrate the entrenchment of this board. I am so very grateful that I was not elected, but disappointed by the fact that I didn't get a chance to publicly refuse that board seat and let people know why I would rather chop off my right hand than get myself into that venomous mess!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I must </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">have one of those faces that people just want to come up and tell me things. By t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">he time I left on Sunday, you would not believe the things people came up and told me concerning the alleged corruption at the state level: misappropriation of funds, election tampering, threats of litigation, unethical practices, blatant manipulation, bullying and coercion—and on and on.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I love NAMI. It is an organization primarily run by individuals who have already had their share of stress and sorrow. It is an organization that should be run on compassion and desire for change. There are s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">o many wonderful affiliates in NYS and so many wonderful things being done, but NAMI-NYS is sick and bleeding out. The time has come for the affiliates in NY to stop either: rolling over—feet in the air, bellies exposed—or turning their backs in apparent indifference. What’s happening at the state level is a travesty. How can we begin to heal something that is so broken? Perhaps it must be broken down fully, swept away, and rebuilt.</span></p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow:0;mso-yfti-firstrow:yes;mso-yfti-lastrow:yes; height:132.05pt"> <td style="padding:.7pt .7pt .7pt .7pt;height:132.05pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; ">And</span> so, dear readers, I am appealing to you. Paste the link to this blog entry anywhere you think rea</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">sonable; contact NAMI National (Lynn Borton, Chief Operating Officer: </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="mailto:lynnb@nami.org"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:blue">lynnb@nami.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> or ph#703-524-7600) and ask them what’s up with NAMI-NYS; contact NAMI-NYS Board of Directors (</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="mailto:info@naminys.org"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:blue">info@naminys.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">; address: NAMI Board of Directors, 260 Washington Ave., 2<sup>nd</sup> Floor Albany, NY12210) and say, "Shame on you!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">The time has come for this organization to heal and recover from its dysfunction; and to fulfill its mission statement: <i><b><span class="Apple-style-span">"To improve the lives of persons with mental illness and their families through education, support, advocacy and research, to achieve the highest possible quality of life."</span></b></i> Its mission is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>not</i></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">: <i><b>“To maintain control and power at the state level by whatever means necessary.”</b></i></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-size: 16px; font-family: arial; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUy70ThKL9Pi7jD-furuDe9U-VHU2CWEnMHHsjBdUEhpgGJVpTvV-XbetGBfzeGIsktVLfFH0idGcHswpmPkCb2ppQgUhfYE7FN0HXWNwHngLXZL5Kyxei6BNrKla4bqIHp7Y77FqRh5M/s320/imgres.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 194px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540939360027961042" /></span></span></div><div><table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="mso-cellspacing:0in;mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 0in 0in"><tbody> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-5360077566624369862010-11-04T13:33:00.000-07:002010-11-04T13:38:56.220-07:00NAMI Bound!<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I’m</span> on my way to The Desmond Hotel <a href="http://www.desmondhotelsalbany.com/">http://www.desmondhotelsalbany.com/</a>this weekend for the NAMI NYS Education Conference. The Desmond is a beautiful hotel with neat little courtyards that give the feeling of walking down a quaint village street. The food is wonderful, the rooms are amazing and the conference, if it’s anything like last year, should be great! NAMI always manages to bring together such compassionate and caring individuals. I’m looking so forward to meeting and reconnecting with the members of this organization. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Wish me luck on my book presentation and my bid for a seat on the NAMI NYS Board!</p>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-68293583643001190032010-10-17T14:06:00.000-07:002010-10-20T06:05:18.015-07:00Sarah Palin and Cocoa Puffs...? I DON'T Think So!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">My</span> husband and I stopped at <b>Creekside Books & Coffee</b> in Skaneateles on the way to meet some friends for dinner to take some photos of <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> –</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span">you know...actually on the shelves...looking like a real book...official and all. </span></span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IG-kbvlsp7qBHwT3dRd4PO7XdNYBEhHU6cKz0UR-OQjEgf2QSiDsERIn3ah7hDxYRud6wNGhuKAs9WvTDwFRkUO8JdF0_LMLU1zhMuXmG5I2aOrnJuzkW3J2Cf_RXtEodJgsrwysdGYZ/s1600/DSCN3442.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IG-kbvlsp7qBHwT3dRd4PO7XdNYBEhHU6cKz0UR-OQjEgf2QSiDsERIn3ah7hDxYRud6wNGhuKAs9WvTDwFRkUO8JdF0_LMLU1zhMuXmG5I2aOrnJuzkW3J2Cf_RXtEodJgsrwysdGYZ/s320/DSCN3442.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529124431740746610" /></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbqmfmfwqjjlUF2cZBDq5_S_JwcHmiNFBRSmlwTZqQdl_scqDQrkYM6WH53CVvbUTnug4xKmc2YcbJwW2cmcqYTtKeqYV7ChKeQ2vX74192z9LKJF5pbmBd_lQiBpZk7_lE9ANk1_R7-I/s320/DSCN3444.JPG" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529128427725389266" /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">So </span>it was pretty cool. They had my novel right on the checkout counter, which was great! And they also had it in the new and notable section. So I stand in front of the shelf, smile my goofy smile and my husband snaps a couple shots. One of my friends just happens to be in the bookstore too, so it’s kinda festive and exciting. I smile; my husband takes another shot and then pulls the camera away and gives me a funny look. “What?” I say. “Is there something wrong with my hair?” I push my fingers through my short tresses; push it a bit forward toward my face. (Something new I’m trying…. Not that I want to look all Justin Bieber or anything…just a little more <i>artsy</i> and <i>authory</i>.) He shakes his head. “Did you notice what book is right next to yours?” I turn to the bookshelf, look at my beautiful cover and then to its right, and gasp. “Are you kidding me?! No way!” I quickly grab Sarah Palin’s stupid smiling face and remove her from the vicinity of my novel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9UMrkzM5kA-KNx_zeTHhYgxodTGBUXkVjk60oj2r40tjZQ_wjLjKESnORWvCbZXG8WCbTi_C8s7uIjiW5bdfJWmU7fg3Q84w1qjYUExByVqMmbSf8_IafuPnQtLRIxEThCELdZtJOXXH/s1600/DSCN3450.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9UMrkzM5kA-KNx_zeTHhYgxodTGBUXkVjk60oj2r40tjZQ_wjLjKESnORWvCbZXG8WCbTi_C8s7uIjiW5bdfJWmU7fg3Q84w1qjYUExByVqMmbSf8_IafuPnQtLRIxEThCELdZtJOXXH/s320/DSCN3450.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529126206921474658" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-EJ_FEou_C0ikI97HnXNYNWRKnMMSX3bf4qWXKONBgwhnPgjmSyd6NNPwduX-EUf8LOHTwNg6wIL-4A3k3qU_Zja2Hi4C7GX7oj6M8QgvMrE1TrPt9vT38b16ZS5H5AdroUiliwskU1n/s1600/DSCN3448.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-EJ_FEou_C0ikI97HnXNYNWRKnMMSX3bf4qWXKONBgwhnPgjmSyd6NNPwduX-EUf8LOHTwNg6wIL-4A3k3qU_Zja2Hi4C7GX7oj6M8QgvMrE1TrPt9vT38b16ZS5H5AdroUiliwskU1n/s320/DSCN3448.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529125484072802642" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Unbelievable! </span>The woman in the bookstore was quite apologetic. I am hoping this unacceptable product placement will not be repeated! Meanwhile if anyone is going through Skaneateles, NY, be sure to check out Creekside Books and Coffee! And if Sarah’s anywhere near my book, please move her!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.creeksidecoffeehouse.com">http://www.creeksidecoffeehouse.com/index.htm</a>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-60168013806768033162010-10-15T17:57:00.000-07:002010-10-15T18:33:56.602-07:00Fall in Central New York<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR_2YtPjsb66xGxfKzapZ6mjdTtq6fHnUBTBUnKwWl4-d_Rh9I4I0EBLeAhGGxYHI_tVYyTLYqYJXzwtrrUxRh65-LxVmePLeipkoBsUD667Pj6-aq3bTpBmm57fvU1V8HU0KF6kbTtLh/s1600/DSCN3437.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR_2YtPjsb66xGxfKzapZ6mjdTtq6fHnUBTBUnKwWl4-d_Rh9I4I0EBLeAhGGxYHI_tVYyTLYqYJXzwtrrUxRh65-LxVmePLeipkoBsUD667Pj6-aq3bTpBmm57fvU1V8HU0KF6kbTtLh/s320/DSCN3437.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528444919505225554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B4KgbmDaGrkahYnVKGhySvABLkSTGj3cCHXrE2WwKPnxDnCpweXh-fD4CbNrmS2hgmlrSu-ECZa5Yy7RRDlWkequDugchidedxz9iZMlqdTbaJ7g1_nVPdOxWpxceAEzuQXLou8FJU1h/s1600/DSCN3436.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B4KgbmDaGrkahYnVKGhySvABLkSTGj3cCHXrE2WwKPnxDnCpweXh-fD4CbNrmS2hgmlrSu-ECZa5Yy7RRDlWkequDugchidedxz9iZMlqdTbaJ7g1_nVPdOxWpxceAEzuQXLou8FJU1h/s320/DSCN3436.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528444914873679218" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0ikUsKJ7rksKJGcvtY4_iStlCJBDAcR0lhV-oRGopsLhQZChyM6FuC_jdbXOFAw3L_JWRflSaeI-gcDVFl_iW_2T66iHofY2blUUqMFU7M0jDu0Jw7RhkbiIgno39dl9iWcvQcd2lKx_/s1600/DSCN3419.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0ikUsKJ7rksKJGcvtY4_iStlCJBDAcR0lhV-oRGopsLhQZChyM6FuC_jdbXOFAw3L_JWRflSaeI-gcDVFl_iW_2T66iHofY2blUUqMFU7M0jDu0Jw7RhkbiIgno39dl9iWcvQcd2lKx_/s320/DSCN3419.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528444891722675986" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Almost-famous</span><i> </i></b>author takes break from promoting </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">enjoy the amazing </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">fall foliage surrounding</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large; ">Otisco Lake!</span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXnXGxcsujq6ma8FQGAnGwmT03Ea1XNgVFu8fp46knbiHwwbP3cG8r_9lGmBjULBc1Y5ykqclzM7P1VfWNfU6_9kujLDEcoAdnNibw8OJJdkmXBMts96DfpBQ5bWXQuBVDlQAVqkeRXvB/s320/DSCN3435.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528444900314123634" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_bCY_7wShG_UpxwLexQkF7vkFyY1sfuLVh_80Qx4aMoMucEuYvjEb70rJwS2YxmBk2rhKAcQ9WRYhyphenhyphenik-Q3Ou4ij8uXYvRId1x_K0hjMWhjCDj3KL8SCemwBX95xpaqX62BTRMD6oUBc/s320/DSCN3429.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528444891889432194" /></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-1751983757973543532010-10-03T06:45:00.000-07:002010-10-03T07:06:15.676-07:00Breakfast of Champions!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-av77gwoTRZdmyWmn6_aE3GBF7mZss88VMtTXgJMVTaSkUKqC4pexfK68vyUtbQjsyPiOf_-WBPlCDyMO_pK7uDK-45MHAMxoomGPu2Dl3RWDOt435XRivkCZZZ6w8-Z93G12xn10SVz/s1600/DSCN3328.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 307px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523816084245206882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-av77gwoTRZdmyWmn6_aE3GBF7mZss88VMtTXgJMVTaSkUKqC4pexfK68vyUtbQjsyPiOf_-WBPlCDyMO_pK7uDK-45MHAMxoomGPu2Dl3RWDOt435XRivkCZZZ6w8-Z93G12xn10SVz/s400/DSCN3328.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-size:180%;">Paul</span> <strong>(the husband) loves his Cocoa Puffs! </strong><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Today</span> is the official launch of :</span></strong> </div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong><em><span style="color:#330000;">Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?:</span></em></strong> </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#663300;"><strong><em>A Family's Journey Through </em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#663300;"><strong><em>Bipolar Disorder</em></strong></span></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-45482720384990107272010-09-30T19:35:00.000-07:002010-09-30T19:43:11.073-07:00Launch Time!<span style="font-size:180%;">Less </span>than 72 hours until the official launch of <em>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?!</em> I am amazed and stunned by the number of people who are planning to attend! Close to 100! Who knew?! I wonder how many would show up at my funeral? Hmmmm....Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-82896133857424379662010-08-19T15:19:00.000-07:002010-08-19T15:22:51.748-07:00As Promised: Where Are the Cocoa Puffs? Cover Design<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRVVAZmAuGgC8cFsA8K6SS_rmGbVCXFOjY9mEYhICzvWAjZNfxcytyF_RJus_Ccy1U6BW_gev4VpSvy_Wda0vjBXX8eV9abIPhxbxofHfncHL-fCLqaeTcqH9W9GCSZfdA_d1_8eMyNZA/s1600/Copy+of+Where%20Are%20the%20Cocoa%20Puffs%20-%20Front%20Cover[1].jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507249301099357538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 259px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRVVAZmAuGgC8cFsA8K6SS_rmGbVCXFOjY9mEYhICzvWAjZNfxcytyF_RJus_Ccy1U6BW_gev4VpSvy_Wda0vjBXX8eV9abIPhxbxofHfncHL-fCLqaeTcqH9W9GCSZfdA_d1_8eMyNZA/s400/Copy+of+Where%2520Are%2520the%2520Cocoa%2520Puffs%2520-%2520Front%2520Cover%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685039179331318480.post-39835454969784720502010-08-15T16:57:00.000-07:002010-08-15T17:19:22.658-07:00Early Praise for: Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?<span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?</em> is a coming of age story. It provides an authentic look at a teenager, her family and friends who struggle to come to terms with the onset of her mental illness and to find a balance between hope and acceptance. Read it for its own sake. Read it to learn. It speaks to many truths.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:78%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:78%;"><strong>Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW Executive Director </strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:78%;"><strong>NAMI National</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?</em> Is an engaging family story of what happens when the 18-year-old daughter develops bipolar disorder. It is very well written and accurately reflects the effects of this disorder on all members of the family. Strongly recommended.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:78%;"><strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;">E. Fuller Torrey, M.D.<br />Executive Director<br />The Stanley Medical Research Institute Author of: Surviving Manic Depression: A Manual on Bipolar Disorder for Patients, Families, and Providers</span>.</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </p><br /><br /></span>Karen Winters Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05672640370549197653noreply@blogger.com0