TO WRITE: Getting the pink slip
In my creative writing class for people with mood disorders at Stanford I often use quotations as writing prompts. They may come from writers, philosophers, actors, scientists, politicians or even coffee cups. You may agree or vehemently disagree with them, but they often trigger new ideas and internal dialog that creates meaningful writing. Today I'll offer a quotation from the book Unholy Ghost: Writers on Depression, edited by Nell Casey. Though it may be discouraging to read when you're down, this is a fascinating collection of essays on depression from diverse, yet articulate, writers. I found it very engaging to read when I was relatively depression-free.

Play with this...
In a piece entitled Poodle Bed, a depressed Darcey Steinke, author of novels including Suicide Blonde, describes feeling disconnected and lonely as she watches people and mailboxes go by during an early morning ride to the airport. "I felt like I'd been found incompetent and fired from my own life." Write for 15 minutes starting with this sentence.