BipolarLab.com

The illusion of being first is haunting us. I have been trying to blog purposefully to keep up the interest in our different projects and also make our work more familiar and less scary to potential participants. I did my best to do so especially when I felt well and happy about things or even when I was in a feisty but positive spirit. And it has worked. It may seem or at times read as a silly blog to some, the comments function may still be broken, but our little blog enjoys a little traffic of 9,000 visitors per month consistently over the last year. I have been reading all the emails I get but I have been unable to answer each one of them or open any meaningful dialogues. I will get in touch once we are ready to roll again, one way or another.

Little George is now big George. From a lowly intern in the emonitoring project and a second year undergraduate, is now a graduate with a 1st class honours degree. He did well with his subjects, and we did well with his thesis. He joined our little elite club of 1st class graduates in UK. That takes me almost 8 years back to my graduation. I am sure he will progress a lot faster than I have. I guess I may have slowed down but I have other things to be proud of that I do not wish to make public. I should not lose sight of this - life is more than research projects, grants, or publications. Of course working for the Institute of Psychiatry makes it all more difficult to see life through different lenses. It comes with the territory.

I have been learning a few things over the last few months. Apparently my academic writing is not up there anymore (no wonder I am blogging instead of publishing). I am also learning the value of having to do things right and make things right. I am trying to make things right with a couple of people I have faulted in some way in the past. Yes I could justify having faulted them but it still doesn’t feel right. Also, poor Jordan passed away a few days ago - cause of death: heart attack. He had grown old and I am sure his little heart could not take any more of this hyperactivity. Little Boubou is mourning. We think however, that once again he did his deed before he passed away. Little Boubou may be pregnant.

The Hellenic Bipolar Organisation (www.bipolar.gr), my little greek bipolar charity finally came officially to life a couple of days ago. We still have a long way ahead of us, but that’s another first. Hopefully things will go well with it. We need to make small and slow steps forward. Greece is an unpredictable territory. It will soon be time to start recruiting our first 300 strong members.

There have been a few more firsts that I would not necessarily be proud of discussing in public but I guess no one is perfect in life. I am trying to fix things and not to let things take me down. I never thought I would post a sad post here but this would have to be one more first…I hope you are in better spirits…