MY LIFE

11:00 AM Winter is the time of year when I struggle the most. This year is no different. Right now my home looks more like a garage than a home. I have messes everywhere. I just can't keep up. I get energize and work on all kinds of different projects, but prioritizing my time, such as cleaning before projects just doesn't work well. The good thing is I am completing lots of projects. But then the down cycle hits and my tools and supplies get left. Currently I think I have partially done projects sitting in nearly every part of my home. Baskets of laundry to fold, others to wash. Piles of laundry that are sorted waiting to be washed. Dirty dishes are falling out of the sink. MY LIVING ROOM TODAY My biggest problem today, is no energy or desire. But, I need to try to get things done, obviously. However, this evening I have a birthday party for a 9 year nephew and I need to make sure that I have enough energy to but my happy face on. Today is one of those overwhelmi...

Back when my disease was much more stable, I used to do a variety of volunteer work. One to keep myself busy and two so that even though I was not able to maintain substantial gainful employment, I was still able to be a productive member of society. As some of my volunteer work I was President of the all volunteer, not-for-profit Inver Grove Heights Days committee from 1999 to 2007. Additionally as part of this work I obtained my Festival and Event Management Certification through the University of Minnesota. Being President also lead me to being a City of Inver Grove Heights Parks Commissioner for 6 year. Most of that at the same time I was President of Inver Grove Heights Days. This video is of the Fireworks display the last year I was President.

Back when my disease was much more stable, I used to do a variety of volunteer work. One to keep myself busy and two so that even though I was not able to maintain substantial gainful employment, I was still able to be a productive member of society. One of the projects I participated in was saving part of the Rock Island Swing Bridge. I am very proud of my work here. My name is even commemorated on a stone near the entrance to the pedestrian bridge. Work on this project and other volunteer work also lead to me being a City of Inver Grove Heights Parks Commissioner for 6 years. The bridge was about to be demolished, when a number of us took action and save the historic bridge from complete inhalation. But partway through a welders spark started the salvaged sections on fire. Thankfully the construction insurance covered the damage and structurally the bridge was still sound. The west section of the bridge remains. It is now a pedestrian overlook with a wonderful view of the main ...

In this video that I finally edited, my son and his friend were playing with lamp oiled soaked flaming rags. So much for being "Adults" LOL. No one was seriously hurt. Don't try this though.

HI EVERYONE I am not new to Blogging, but this thread is. I am going to start this thread with a bio which I hope will help you put some of my future posts in context. I was born in 1965 I enlisted in the United States Air Force where I served for about 2 years before getting sick and being discharged. I am a disabled veteran, with a service connected disability due to that illness. My diagnosis is serious and persistent Manic Depression or as they call it now Bipolar Depression. This illness has prevented me from maintaining stable gainful employment. However, throughout the years I have been able to find ways to be a productive member of society. (Below I will share with you a list of many of my volunteer works. These days my illness has become to unstable to maintain the level of volunteer work I once did and is limited to simply helping at events here and there. I do occasionally work in the HVAC industry when work is available and I am stable enough to do so. Throughout th...