This must be the spot where the cool kids hang out

Wittesea! - I've been very good. I'm going to cut and paste all that junk down below. What have you been doing? You and Mari have always been among the kindest and most insightful people. I hope things are going well for you?

Here is the cut and paste part. I'm lazy... From BT...

I started a new job in May, and even though I took a few steps down the ladder in status and pay I love it. I work for an agency that provides human services, mainly overseas in war torn areas, but also participated in providing aid after Katrina. I do IT network administration.

My wife is doing great, she started a new job this summer at a non profit as well.

We are in the process of closing on a much larger apartment in our building. Within the past few days some things came out in my background check, unfortunate things that I did when I was very sick but that I am forced to continually deal with and explain - in this case to the entire tenant's board. None the less it seems our closing will still go through with all the necessary approvals.

My wife and I had a huge falling out with my Mother back in October. My Mother is a very difficult person, poster child for various personality disorders... We started speaking again a few days before Christmas which was nice. We just have to be really careful with her because she can be extremely abusive and manipulative.

I've been on the 6mg EMSAM patch for about two months now. I was struggling a bit late summer; and fall/winter is such a historically bad time for me that I feel like I might have really proactively staved off a really bad depression. I haven't had any sides, none! It seems to be helpful. I notice myself having little bouts of genuine ok-ness and a lot less social anxiety during the day. I can't say its been a sudden or tremendous effect - but the last time THAT happened was with Celexa and it launched the most severe and damaging period of illness in my life.

I had some initial fears that the patch would make me show positive for amphetimine on my drug tests. My PDoc did a urine test in his office to put my fears to rest. It was negative. (the drug in EMSAM actually metabolizes to partly methamphetimine in the body). I still take lithium and Lamictal and also use Seroquel and Ativan in the evening.

I'm still struggling with the depression and some days are better than others... but in general things are good. I worry constantly about having to explain my past at work and that brings me a significant amount of fear. "coming out" to the tenant's board was as cathartic as it was embarassing because I feel like now they know and I don't have to worry about it anymore.

I'm coping, even with the hard stuff and sometimes I even feel good!