Jessica Ward-King, B.Sc., Ph.D.

I was driving my car down the street, heading to a movie with a friend, when all of a sudden: WHAM!  A pothole.  My tire was in there before I could react, and I don’t know what it did – bent my alignment or twisted my suspension or something (can you tell I’m no mechanic?) – but the next thing I know, I am stranded by the side of the road and being towed to the shop, facing a very hefty bill and a long process just to make her roadworthy again.  And I missed my movie.

As a former (recovering?) book snob, I think there are far worse things in life than trading your glasses for earphones and enjoying the escape of storytelling once again.  Mental illness already robs us of so much of the simple pleasures of life.