Why a New Blog?

A little over a year ago, I started a blog entitled Tales of the Looney Bin. I was told I shouldn't call it that, but I needed to. At that time in my life, and months afterwards, I was defined in my mind by my mental illness and I needed to come to terms with that. I have realized recently, however, that I am much more than mentally ill. My depression/anxiety are a part of me, yes. And they affect my life and the lives of those around me, but they are not me. I am so much more than that, and so I have decided to tell the tales of my life without the shadow of mental illness staring at me from the title line :-).
I am not sure yet what feel this blog will take. I go through stages when all I want to do is write and then I go through dry spells when nothing coherent will come out of my fingers. I also have yet to determine how much of what I go through I want to put in the public eye and how much of it is better to keep to myself. One of my big struggles in life is one that I think many of us can relate to, and that is putting too much emphasis on what others think, so having my life as an open book in a public forum has proven to be very challenging in the past. We shall see how this all plays out :-).
I am tired today, so the myriad of subjects I wanted to blog about all week long have taken a backseat in my brain and do not wish to be expelled onto the computer screen for the time being. I would like to share, however, an excerpt I read in "Stories for the Heart", a book of short stories compiled by Alice Gray. The excerpt I read is entitled "If I Had My Life to Live Over", by Brother Jeremiah.

If I had my life to live over again, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I know of very few things I would take seriously. I would take more trips. I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers and watch more sunsets. I would do more walking and looking. I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. You see, I am one of those people who lives prophylactically and sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments; and if I had to do it over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead each day. I have been one of those people who never go anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, aspirin and a parachute. If I had it to do over again, I would go places, do things, and travel lighter than I have.
If I had my life to live over, I would ride on more merry-go-rounds--pick more daisies.