Unorthodox. I have been twenty-five years an ordained Episcopal priest. I am catholic with a lower case “c”. I am a parochial school girl but of the rebellious kind. My Jesuit educated father gifted me with an insatiable curiosity. I grew up asking questions of all kinds, many the good sisters did not appreciate. At Immaculata Preparatory School, Sister Mary Clare took me aside one day and told me to stop because I was confusing the other girls. She told me (and I quote) “Joani, you are intellectually gifted but spiritually retarded”. Needless to say I became a philosophy major at Catholic U and shortly thereafter an Anglican. Anglicans are forever asking questions. And I am one.
Unhinged. I have been 16 years certifiably crazy. I say this with great affection. Bipolar brains are the gift that keep giving in my family and I got the gift. My brain is not disordered; it is different. To be balanced and bipolar is actually a great gift. As my life has expanded and shrunk and expanded yet again, I have experienced this world with an intensity I don’t believe otherwise possible. Balance is an art I practice every day. Some days better than others.
In this little blog, I share true life stories of this manic Christian. And I am very proud to say, that a few of my stories have made it onto the Story District stage. (Hypomania is a many splendored thing!)
I hope that my tales might remind you of some of your own. Maybe you will recognize yourself or someone you love or — maybe just someone who drives you crazy.
There are lots of us, you know.
Unorthodox and Unhinged, and often Unfiltered, here I go.
Unorthodox and Unhinged 
I love it 😍. Question everything! If you are a bipolar, I am unipolar. Contemplative catholic.
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Hey Joani! It’s great to “reconnect” via this – all because I listened to Invisibilia today. Hugs!!!!
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Yes, it is! My 9 minutes of fame on NPR! You can hear more of my Story District stuff on Youtube as well! Great to hear from you!
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Joani hello I am Kathy Seikel’s English husband Ian Roberts and a lifelong CofE now Episcopal Anglo-American bi-polar in a social-thinking way … with an open minded Richard Rohr- reading rector … wd love to keep up w Kathy in reading yr blogs directly …
I’m a tortoise to Kathy’s hare …
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Ian! Very happy to make your acquaintance. So happy you have stumbled upon U&U. I have been posting every week or so for a year and a half. Almost 80 posts! And Unhinged was staged last April with Story District! Please click the “follow” button to subscribe and you will get new posts via email. Or you can go directly to the site and read freely as you please! I’d love to know what you think!
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May I link to your website on my website: suddenlybipolar.wordpress.com?
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Absolutely! I would be honored!
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Great! Thanks!
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Where do I subscribe to this blog: Unorthodox and Unhinged to receive it in my email?
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Caroline! I am very happy you would like to subscribe to Unorthodox & Unhinged. Go to celticjlp.wordpress.com and click on the “follow” button on the left top of screen. Joani
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http://saintlaika.com/2014/06/01/t-e-c-practice-shames-church-england/
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We share much in common, my brother across the pond. Unorthodox and Unhinged is my witness to the church with a lower case ‘c’ as well as a capital ‘C’ how normal it is to have things go wrong with our brains. And this is about ALL of us. And yes I am most blessed to have the support of The Church Pension Fund, to serve as priest associate at Emmanuel, and play a very small part at Virginia Seminary. I pray that our Mother Church and wake up to the 21st century truth that they are the ones who should be ashamed for their ignorance and treatment of those called into the church’s service as well as any and all in the pews. Keep telling the truth. It really matters. Peace.
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