The funny part of it all is that relatively few people seem to go crazy. – Gertrude Stein
For some time, I’ve been thinking I should explain the origin of my blog title. Despite what some members of my family think, sometimes I do have reasons for the things I do. The short version of how I came up with my title is this: I stole it.
I can’t recall where I heard the line, but I remember one character asking another, Are you out of your alleged mind? If I had to guess, I’d say it came either from an episode of M*A*S*H or The Carol Burnett Show, aired sometime during the seventies. I really do have very few original ideas, so I often resort to stealing from songs, movies, and other pop-culture venues. I always try to give appropriate credit, but I honestly can’t remember where I got this one.
The line was a play on words, and it amused me. Since I make a fair number of decisions based on what amuses me, I googled to see if it was available as a blog title. It was. So I typed the words into the header of a Blogger template, and this became the place I write about things that are bumping around inside my head.
Since I've taken up residence in blog world, however, I've come to know and care about a number of folks for whom the pain of mental illness is no joke. I'm concerned that some will read the title of my blog and think I'm insensitive to their experiences. Nothing could be further from the truth. I've had a front-row seat to what the pain of this world can do to a person's body, soul, mind, and spirit. I'm no stranger to the heartache caused by mental and emotional distress. To borrow a line from the movie Arsenic and Old Lace:
Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.
(I've created a separate page for this piece. Won't you click here to read the rest of my story?)
Linking with emily and her community of broken and beautiful people:
19 comments:
AHHH! Arsenic and Old Lace!!! Love.
I'm sort of in love with C.G. If you know what i mean. he's amazing.
ANYWAY it's funny that you feel you should explain YOUR blog name, because just last night I realized afresh that mine has NOTHING to do with Ostriches, so even if I tried to explain it, it wouldn't make sense, and then I laughed at myself because I realized that I have never even THOUGHT to explain it. I let the weirdness lie, so to speak.
I'll be back for more you crazy woman.
Bravo, Nancy.
I really like the blog's title. It catches my attention every time. You could always change it to "out of my all egged mind" if it ever came to that...
Oh, insanity "gallops" through my life on a regular basis. It's funny. . .I've always wondered about your title!
I love _Arsenic and Old Lace_, your blog title, you. I meant to write an explanation of my blog title for my 100th post, but something huge was happening at the time, so I blogged about that, instead. (Why is something huge always happening to me?) So I'm planning to write about it for my 200th post.
1. LOVE that quote from Arsenic and Old Lace.
2. I NEVER thought your title was insensitive to mental illness. Just thought it was funny.
3. I know exactly what you mean about blogging/writing being cathartic, helpful, encouraging, supportive, you name it.
4. I'm sorry about the loss of your family member through suicide. Back then, so little was known about mental illness - and depression wasn't recognized as a physiological problem. I imagine it was hard to ask for help. Even today, many Christians think of depression as a mostly spiritual problem, which, I think, can really be a detriment to treatment. I often wonder how many lives could have been saved if only the medications that are around today were available back then...
5. so glad you're a part of my world - sharing in the good, the bad, and the ugly, and holding on to God through it all...
okay so I came back after a quick nap and I read the rest, and I've been thinking about the exact same thing! We will have to talk sometime. I started my blog for some of the same reasons...
I've always chuckled at your title but now I truly admire it. Love your honesty and the bottom line - I cling to Jesus.
I’m daring to look at the hard things in life, the painful, and the broken; to tell my stories of living life with eyes and heart wide open.
i love this about you. i love that you are willing to share the hard with us. and i pray you know how you are loved. xoxo
Yes, you tell him, sister. He can't have you, you belong to Jesus. Love it.
I've never thought of mental illness when reading your blog. Thanks for your honesty. I try to be authentic in my writing and I appreciate the authenticity in your writing, and the better writing. :)
Thanks for sharing about the title, and I love your last line...I'll have to tell Crazy how it is, too.
You are not offending anyone---it's a wonderful title. Being out of your alleged mind can be a very good and refreshing thing.
This is good good good stuff.
You are.
and if I do a little of all three sometimes, that's still okay. I got that broken stuff down just fine.
love to you.
( and I get you in this on a few points. )
No need to explain.
:)
Nancy,
I love this. I love YOU.
Thank you for being authentic, no matter what.
I'm with Deb...I do a little of all three sometimes. But mostly just trying to cling harder to God.
And this -- This blog has been my way of telling Crazy, “I belong to Jesus. You can’t have me" -- I just love that. What a kick-ass closing line.
I agree with Michelle -- totally kick-Crazy-ass. Love it! And, Nancy, I really admire your willingness to be open about what lurks; it lurks for me too.
Nancy, I love that you want to explain. Because that's your heart--never wanting to wound. This is good stuff--hard stuff. We do need to look out for the crazy I think. Life is hard. But that last part? You go, girl. Keep telling Crazy to keep the hands off, cause you're a Jesus girl!
Post a Comment