I discovered dooce.com and Heather Armstrong the day she posted the photo of Leta’s birth. That one small post captured me and I spent the next several days between work and home life reading the blog from the very beginning. I loved every single post. I’d never thought going forward from there that her writing would effect me as much as it did.
When she started suffering from depression, and OPENLY wrote about it, I would read the posts and say WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HEAD!? The words she spoke, the symptoms she had, the feelings that she was expressing, they were all things I had felt, suffered, hid and ran from for much longer than I can remember. There have been times that I’ve started to feel that way again, and I go back and read those posts and they somehow remind me of how far I’ve come since then, and that there is always light on the other side of that dark, deep tunnel of despair.
I know that I’m not the only person she’s touched with her writing so when I went to her reading and signing for It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita I immediately thought of getting a second copy to give away here. I know that quite a few of my readers have had similar experiences with the disease and if reading her thoughts has helped any of you as much as it’s helped me, I think you will appreciate this book.
The book itself is basically passages pulled straight from her blog, although some of them seem to have been expounded on a bit. Now I have a convenient, hard back covered way to read through these passages while sitting on the toilet trying to get five minutes of peace from the ALWAYS TALKING NEVER STOPPING ten year old.
AND! YOU CAN TOO!
I’m giving away a signed copy to one of you. All you have to do is comment here and say hi, tell me about your experience with depression, just say I WANT THE BOOK, or take a few minutes to tell me how awesome I am. I don’t really care what the comment says, you just have to get one in to enter and use a VALID EMAIL ADDRESS so I have a way to contact you. You have till next Wednesday, April 8th at midnight to enter. I will write down the name of all the commenters (one entry per person), put them into a hat and pull one out. Seems more fun than those silly randomizer things. I’ll made a video of it or something too just to make it MORE EXCITING! I’ll post the winner Thursday or Friday so make sure to check back then.
Also, if you’d like to tell others about the contest, feel free just don’t be spammy about it. Your blog readers and twitter followers will appreciate it.
So go forth! Comment! Enter! Discuss! AWAY!
I would just like to say: it totally sucks that none of the good book signings ever come to Orlando.
The end.
You got to meet dooce?! I am so unbelievably jealous!!
I would love her book please! Being down here in NZ makes it tough to catch her to sign it 🙂 hehe
I think it’s fantastic that you had a blog to read to help you get through your depression! Always nice to know you’re not the only one out there 🙂
I’m also jealous that you got to meet her! 😀
I WANT THE BOOK! Actually, I really should read her blog. Everyone seems to talk about her, I’ve just never really looked into it! She sounds awesome though.
*crosses everything I’ve got*
I wanted to buy the book regardless, but a signed copy is something that just can’t be passed up. Here’s hoping!
I want the book 🙂 !
Wow, I’m really jealous that you got to meet her! Very few of the writers that I like ever come up to the general area where I live – even the writers from around here (once they get ‘big’) don’t come here anymore for book signings!
Depression and I are old pals, sorta like the dorky chick you befriended who wanted to be you in college so she tried sleeping with your boyfriends, but without the sex part, because depression and sex never mix well.
Post-partum depression made me realize what an awesome guy I married, because I did not want to stick around with me during those 18 months so I figure since he did, he wins the “awesome husbandus” title.
I love Dooce.. she is such an inspiration. Gratz on the signing =)
**crosses fingers, and my big toes**
I’m not entering (so if for some reason my name is drawn, draw again!), but thanks for having an honest, non-spammy contest. This makes me happy, and I hope other people can learn to follow your example.
Good luck everyone!
I think Katie should get the book, it could help her.
I didn’t start following her that early on for sure… Leta was probably three. So, not too long. I would LOVE to read the book though so I’ll comment here and hope for the best. 🙂 If I don’t win I’ll prolly buy it anyway if I run across it.
I’m so jealous you got to meet her. I started reading her years ago as well, and it’s just downright refreshing to see someone speak openly about the things going through her mind, especially when it came to her depression.
Thankfully I’ve never suffered from depression, but I do love Dooce’s writing. I’d love to win this book!
Wow that’s so cool that you got to go to the book signing. You even got a photo out of the deal. Not bad. Not bad at all!
I’d definitely love to read her book. I read her blog here and there and have always found it to be very interesting. I bet the book is just as good if not better.
:using jedi mind powers: You want to pick my name. 🙂
I’m not dead!
I thought the give away was supposed to be a knit hat? I WANTED A HIPPIE KNIT HAT! But the book sounds neat, too.
I should update my ravelry account, I think, so i can foist my yarn creations upon you.
This is why I shouldn’t still be awake at 3:38 am.
I am very jealous. I wish I lived in a more cultured/popular city.
I went to fine her book at Borders. They were all out. The clerk I ask said she has just sold the last copy an hour ago and would have any in until next week. I reserved a copy.
I’ve heard so much about dooce (I think I even saw her on The Today Show), but like Dez I’ve never actually looked into her. I’m so happy she was able to help you with your depression.
For most of my life I was so ashamed of the fact that I wasn’t always happy. I should have been grateful for what I did have, I should feel guilty for not being happy because it could be so much worse. I tried to hide all of it, forced myself to smile and act cheery and over exert myself so everyone would think I was “normal”. I’ve finally learned to just accept that my mild depression is apart of me, and that I have no reason to be ashamed of the fact that I am one of millions affected by the disease. I am grateful for all I have, including the fact that I am not wrestling with more serious issue depression issues. If I’m not feeling particularly well one day, I let the people around me know and they are far more understanding than I ever could have hoped for.
I CANT BELIEVE YOU MET HEATHER ARMSTRONG.
(jealous jealous jealous!)
I would love to win the book – but, since I’ve never suffered from serious depression, I think someone who has would probably be more deserving of the book. Either way, awesome giveaway! 🙂
She was on Oprah today! They were talking about moms and how everyone struggles behind their smiles.
Holy goodness! I’m so jealous that you got to meet her. Very cool! Nice giveaway, too 😉
First of all, I think it’s great that you’re doing a contest like this. Spam free and just really generous. I love you.
Secondly, I’ve been a stalker… umm… I mean anonymous reader… of Dooce for quite a while now. I really have gotten a lot from her blogs and I love her writing.
I have suffered from depression for most of my life. I don’t know if I really should put all my hardships in a comment but I am sure that you are at least aware of some of the struggles I’ve been through.
So this is me totally entering the contest. <3
Hmm, am I the only guy that follows your blog? Anyway, I’ve often wondered if I was depressed, but it’s never been so bad that I wanted to try medication or therapy, although friends and sig others recommended it. Hope your ankle heals up quickly and you and Ben can come by for a Bbq sometime soon.
Stu, I think that you, Ben and my dad are the only three boys that really comment. I know there are more out there that read but I think they get kinda scared to comment with all the GIRL POWER around. 😉
And YES! BBQ! Sounds good to me! I miss the old ‘hood.
You are very awesome for giving away a copy of the book. 🙂 I was hoping to go to the signing at King’s English when she comes back to Salt Lake, but (since no job still) can’t afford to buy the book to get one signed.