I Didn’t End Up in a Ditch
Managing the Menagerie
by alissablairerichey
5y ago
My parents told me that, if I didn’t get away from him, I would end up either in an orange jumpsuit or in a ditch. It wasn’t in an orange jumpsuit, but my parents were right about where I would find myself. Olive green, gray-ish scrubs would be a more apt description. I thought about this recently after having lunch with some friends that I hadn’t seen in a very, very long time. I don’t even know if one of the friends that I had lunch with knows about the time I spent in the pokey. Most people don’t. I mean, it’s not one of my proudest moments. It’s certainly not something I brag about on soci ..read more
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Mental Illness is a Thing, but so is Mental Well-Being
Managing the Menagerie
by alissablairerichey
5y ago
I recently saw a post on social media that read: “Positive thinking won’t cure depression.” And it is true. You can’t think yourself, even positively, out of depression. I am not saying that we shouldn’t practice positive thinking. Positive thinking can help. But when you are so consumed by thoughts and feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt, sadness, apathy, fear, and regret that you can barely function (if at all) in your daily life, there is no room for a single positive thought. Your brain doesn’t have the energy to recognize a positive thought, much less form one. In my experience ..read more
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What Normal is Not
Managing the Menagerie
by alissablairerichey
5y ago
Fantasizing about death is not normal. I just want to die. What will it be like when I die? Will I go to Heaven? Will I go to Hell? What if I go to Hell? I don’t want to go to Hell. What if there is no Heaven or Hell? I believe in Heaven and Hell, but what if I’m wrong? But what if I’m not? What if there is just a black abyss of nothingness? Do I really want this to be it? How will my family react? Will they be mad? Will they think I am selfish? Will I be able to see them? Will I be able to know? Will they understand? What will my son do? I can leave a note with instructions. I will wait until ..read more
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It Wasn’t an Orange Jumpsuit
Managing the Menagerie
by alissablairerichey
5y ago
My parents told me that, if I didn’t get away from him, I would end up either in an orange jumpsuit or in a ditch. It wasn’t in an orange jumpsuit, but my parents were right about where I would find myself. Olive green, gray-ish scrubs would be a more apt description. I thought about this recently after having lunch with some friends that I hadn’t seen in a very, very long time. I don’t even know if one of the friends that I had lunch with knows about the time I spent in the pokey. Most people don’t. I mean, it’s not one of my proudest moments. It’s certainly not something I brag about on soci ..read more
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17 Numbered (Random) Statements
Managing the Menagerie
by alissablairerichey
5y ago
I had this idea while driving home today. I figured I may as well. What is the point of having a blog if I don’t post anything? What is the point of wanting to be a writer if I don’t write? If I have an idea, no matter how silly, I should just go ahead and get it out there while it is still fresh in my head. I tend to let things marinate and write and rewrite them in my head until I am ready to transfer them to paper. Yes, I handwrite many of my blogs before I actually type them. I am old. I have paper a ..read more
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In a World Where You Can Be Anything
Managing the Menagerie
by Alissa Richey
5y ago
I have always wanted to be a writer. For as long as I can remember, that has been my “go-to” dream. I say “go-to” because that is the dream that has stood the test of time. That is the one I always go back to. I guess that dream is “the one.” I have had other dreams. Once, I dreamed of being a lawyer. I am not really sure why the idea appealed to me. I pictured myself in a brown pencil skirt suit. I’ve never in my entire life worn a pencil skirt. I can’t imagine standing in a courtroom full of people arguing a case on behalf of someone else ..read more
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