Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere

by Maria Bamford

I am very fond of suddenly adopting a new set of ideals in order to receive welcome from any rigid group of weirdos.

I love groups. I love social orders that I can push against while still being held by snug boundaries of membership.

I don’t think he’s happier, but he has times of happiness, and that does help to teach me about how to stick around in life after the worst thing happens.

It’s totally random and tedious, as all addictions are.

Unfortunately, people are bringing their maximum 24-7 all over the world to no applause. Everyone deserves a raise.

It gave me insight that maybe the people in charge knew as much as I did (which was nothing).

close and cheap is what I like in my health-care provider.

the psych ward is simply a place to be safe from yourself until the drugs kick in.

No one can guarantee security and stability, which is a real bummer when you think about it. Don’t think about it.

They gave me one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, which is, at a time I was in no way useful or fun to be around, their attention, presence, and tolerance when I was at my worst, without the promise that I’d get better.

Scott’s presence in my life made my mind open to “maybe I can do this” and that even if I failed in a huge way, he would have my back so why not give it a shot?

It was a dream, and sometimes the dream is a lot more challenging than you think it’s going to be.

Eight years into our union, HOW DID WE DO IT? HOW ARE WE DOING IT? The answer is that we make each other laugh AND are getting any kind of help we can.

Yes, I still might do the dysfunctional pattern, but I’ll have done things SLIGHTLY differently

I love the hobby of “personal growth,” which I understand some people find to be as meaningful as American Girl doll collecting, but it gives me some shape and meaning to my life. I don’t think it’s “better” than fly-fishing; it’s just what I like. In practice, it’s me answering questions about my beliefs and behaviors, looking for patterns in my life (like illegal parking [or procrastination or compulsive whale-watching]) that create chaos and what I might replace them with.