functionally ill

my etsy

2011-11-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

For years I would only trade, but I've decided to give selling a try.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/robotmad

functionally ill 11

2011-10-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Issue eleven is about identifying, what my crazy is like, coping strategies, support styles, mental health advocacy groups, and why I want to get off medication.

It's all laid out and will be available in a week.

paper cuts

2011-09-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill is mentioned in this article I was interviewed for.

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/paper-cuts/content?oid=3688447

nice mention in Time

2011-09-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill is mentioned on page two of this article from Time. WTF?

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2091194-1,00.html

great review of fi 10

2011-08-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

My friend Bettie reviewed functionally ill 10 on her blog.

http://manufacturinghearts.blogspot.com/2011/08/zines-you-should-read.html

Salford Zine Library

2011-08-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill 10 is featured on Salford Zine Library's blog.

http://salfordzinelibrary.blogspot.com/2011/08/laura-marie-taylor.html

fi 10

2011-08-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill 10 is ready to copy--I will start sending it out next week.

Issue ten is about using the word crazy, what mad love means to me, how my crazy manifests, and how I feel about my best friend Arrow's self-harm.

functionally ill 10

2011-07-24T21:34:00.001-07:00

I'm working hard on functionally ill 10 and hope to be done with the writing within the next few weeks.

Sacramento Icarus Group

2011-07-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Icarus Project
radical mental health by and for the mad community

support group / discussion group
for people with bipolar disorder and other dangerous gifts

Email robotmad at gmail dot com
for info about our first Sacramento meeting.

The Icarus Project envisions a new culture and language that resonates with our actual experiences of 'mental illness' rather than trying to fit our lives into a conventional framework.

We are a network of people living with experiences that are often diagnosed and labeled as bipolar or other psychiatric conditions. We believe these experiences are mad gifts needing cultivation and care, rather than diseases or disorders. By joining together as individuals and as a community, the intertwined threads of madness, creativity, and collaboration can inspire hope and transformation in an oppressive and damaged world. Participation in The Icarus Project helps us overcome alienation and tap into the true potential that lies between brilliance and madness.

The Icarus Project international collective: theicarusproject.net

functionally ill 9 is out

2011-06-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

Issue nine is about an incident with a knife-wielder at my apartment complex, a SF Icarus Project meeting, two LGBTQ mental health reducing disparities project advisory group meetings, Disability Capitol Action Day, identifying as psychiatrically disabled, and losing services.

Contact me to trade at robotmad (gmail).

functionally ill 9

2011-05-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

I've started work on functionally ill 9 and like what I have so far.

from the Barnard zine exhibit

2011-02-24T17:43:00.000-08:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barnardzinelibrary/5474757490/

Barnard zine exhibit

2011-02-24T17:38:00.000-08:00

Functionally ill was featured in this disabilities zine exhibit at Barnard.

http://zines.barnard.edu/about-barnard-zines/exhibits/disabilities

review of functionally ill 7

2011-01-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

http://www.brokenpencil.com/view.php?id=5441

ALARM Press Zine Scene

2011-01-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

Functionally ill gets a little mention in this essay by Katie H.

http://alarmpress.com/23913/blog/columns/zine-scene-rummaging-through-nostalgia-guest-column-and-playlist-by-katie-haegele/

fi 8

2011-01-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

Functionally ill 8: crazy, not stupid is out and available for trade. It includes an offensive joke, a brief conversation, an account of a trip to the dentist, and an interview. It's 16 pages, quarter size.

functionally ill 7

2010-03-31T18:12:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill 7 is now available for trade.

podcast review

2010-03-27T09:08:00.001-07:00

http://awbcradionews.blogspot.com/2010/03/audio-moblog.html

fi 7 text done, got cover

2010-03-27T09:05:00.001-07:00

Last night Erik read functionally ill's text and loves it, and my friend is sending me a collage she made for a cover. I'll copy it next week and send it out the next.

cover for functionally ill 7

2010-03-23T11:01:00.001-07:00

Anyone interested in making a cover?

starting fi 7

2010-03-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

Today I started work on functionally ill 7 and love what I have so far.

fi 6 cover

2010-01-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

All about the logistics of care: losing services, cost of medication, the quest for refills, and running into a former psychiatrist at the grocery store. Featuring a cover image by artist Niku Arbabi.

at Columbia University Libraries

2010-01-15T17:38:00.001-08:00

http://cliobeta.cul.columbia.edu:7018/vwebv/search?searchArg=Functionally%20ill%20:%20Adventures%20with%20mental%20health,&searchCode=TALL&searchType=1

at the Portland library

2009-12-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

http://catalog.multcolib.org/search/a?searchtype=Y&searcharg=functionally+ill&SORT=R&searchscope=1&submit=Search+catalog

fi 6

2009-12-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

I might be done writing functionally ill 6, but if so, it will be a very short issue. It's about the logistics of care.

fi 5

2009-06-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Amazing Sunflower's reviews

2009-04-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Amazing Sunflower reviews functionally ill #1 - #3.

http://wemakezines.ning.com/profiles/blogs/reviews-of-functionally-ill-1

good review from Hungry Forest

2009-04-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

A good review of functionally ill #3 can be found here after the review of Erik and Laura-Marie Magazine #44.

http://hungryforest.blogspot.com/2009/04/zine-review-erik-and-laura-marie.html

functionally ill #1

2009-04-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

functionally ill #2

2009-04-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

functionally ill #3

2009-04-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

functionally ill #4

2009-04-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

to order

2009-03-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

To order any issue of functionally ill, please email me at gmail: robotmad. You can also contact me through the mail at Laura-Marie Taylor, 1728 Richmond St #9, Sacramento CA 95825 USA.

Library Journal review

2008-11-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

Functionally ill issues 1 - 3 were reviewed by Library Journal. Here it is.

In addition to discussing physical illness, zine authors write about their mental problems. Laura-Marie's series reveals her experiences with bipolar disorder, explaining in precise detail what the voices in her head sound like. The first issue follows her pursuit of professional help and the question of whether to take medication and what kind. In issue No. 2, she describes going to her initial exam, her doctors, and her decisions about drugs. Issue No. 3 serves as an update, with added information about the types of therapy (e.g., dialectical behavioral therapy and somatherapy) that she tries.

functionally ill #4

2008-10-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

I'm happy and proud to announce that issue four of functionally ill is finished and being sent out into the world.

It’s about seeing a new therapist: what she’s like, how we interact, what works for me, and what doesn’t. Themes are how we present ourselves, communication, trust, and therapy’s efficacy.

Like all my zines, it's free or trade, so get in touch with me if you're interested. You can reach me at robot mad (no space) dot gmail dot com.

update about #4

2008-08-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

I've been working on #4 slowly but surely. So far it's almost entirely about my new therapist and what interacting with her is like.

Today I started to work on the layout. It's going to be another small one like #3. I'm at 21 pages and aiming for 24. So I'm kind of almost done. But those last three pages could take a long time. We'll see.

a nice mention

2008-05-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill #3 gets a nice mention at the end of this review of my friend Dumpster Mouse's zine Against the Flood.

another Zine World review

2008-04-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill #2 got a good-neutral review in Zine World 25.5.

In a brave move to confront stigmas about the mentally ill, Laura-Marie responds to her bipolar diagnosis by "coming out" and writing about it. She questions presumptions, researches the medications she is prescribed, shares information about resources, and generally gets busy with maintaining the growing network of people who refuse to just take their Lithium and shut up. Quote: "There's nothing inherently wrong with [hearing] voices, but if I have a doctor who makes decisions about what medication I should take on the premise that all voices are bad... I might be prescribed drugs that I don't need."--Jaina Bee

functionally ill #3 is out

2008-03-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill #3 is out. It's quarter size and made up of small vignettes on identifying, control, pills, psychiatrists, Somatherapy, DBT, and The Icarus Project. Probably the most attractive thing about this issue is a transcription of my voices. That's also what makes me feel most vulnerable.

If you're interested, please let me know and give me your full address. You can email me at my gmail account (robotmad).

great news

2008-02-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

An excerpt from functionally ill #1 is being printed in Zine Yearbook 2007.

digital them

2008-02-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

PDFs of both functionally ill zines can be found here.

http://public.box.net/sporeprint

at Sweet Candy

2007-10-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill #1 is still being stocked by Sweet Candy Distro, listed under personal zines. Here is the link--I'm at the bottom of the page.

http://www.eyecandyzine.com/zines_D-F.html

Zine World review

2007-09-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill #1 got a very favorable review in the latest Zine World. I've received one order as a result so far.

This is about as good as it gets for me. Laura-Marie tackles her fear, her shame, her secrets, and the voices in her head by talking about her journey through the surreal landscape of mental illness and the mental health system. Her no-nonsense writing is clear, concise, and ultimately poignant in its hopefulness. She is completely likable, and casts a profoundly human and compassionate light on anyone we might meet who struggles with mental illness. --Jack

update about #3

2007-05-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

Issue 3 is slow going. I find myself with much less to say now that this is no longer new. But I have faith that issue 3 will happen one day. So far the most compelling thing I have is transcription of my voices--I wrote down some of the things they were saying. Erik found it really interesting.

Today I got an email from possibly the biggest distro in the US wanting to carry functionally ill issues 1 and 2, but I'm sure they'll change their mind when they read my email back saying that they're free. Very few distros want to put something free in the catalog. But I said I would send some anyway to give away if they want. We'll see.

listing of #2

2007-04-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

You can see my main distro's description of #2 here.

http://www.freewebs.com/sweetpeadistro/zinesfj.htm

Laura-Marie says on the first page: "Functionally Ill is a mental health zine I'm writing about my experiences becoming bipolar and navigating county mental health." She talks a lot about problems with mental illness and it really made me think about the way society views mental illness - I got upset! She talks about going to see a psychiatrist and how nervous she was and how he didn't understand her - frustrating! She talks about mania and a support group. This zine makes me want to give Laura-Marie a hug - she is so brave!

number two is finished and out

2007-03-26T04:50:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill #2 is the latest installment in my examination of mental illness from within and without. A long essay "problems with mental illness" discusses the construction of mental illness, stigma, and the words we use to talk about it. There's a detailed description of my trip to the psychiatrist: our fears beforehand, the questions he asked (including, "Who's the president of the United States?"), the prescription of medication, and conflict. Shorter pieces discuss my feelings and choices about medication, a helpful support group Erik and I attended and what happened there, more about what mania is like and how it can make me super-productive or delirious, and the first bi-polar person I ever knew, who threatened to kill my friend Jenny. A poem about suicide graces the back cover. I'll paste its ending.

Not killing myself
exhausts me.
It’s like a swim that never ends,
a long push through
pain to the place where
you’re allowed to die of natural causes.

Free or trade, 20 pages, digest sized, text heavy.

If you would like a copy, please email me at robotmad at gmail dot com, explaining in a sentence or two why you're interested, with your complete mailing address.

#2

2007-03-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Functionally ill #2 should be done within two weeks. Last night Erik read a draft, and we like it. It looks like the new issue will be 20 pages again, just as text heavy. There's a long essay "problems with mental health" which is abstract and has a large scope. There's an account of the first bi-polar person I ever knew, who threatened to kill my friend Jenny at UCSB. There's a long account of seeing the psychiatrist and getting diagnosed by him. I talk more about how mania feels, a support group I attended, and there's something about medication.

As always, it will be available by trade and free by request.

zine wiki listing

2007-03-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

Why oh why won't zine wiki respect my lack of capitalization. (I'll show them! I won't capitalize zine wiki ever again.)

http://zinewiki.com/index.php?title=Functionally_Ill

Note that "Becoming Bipolar" should be "becoming bipolar" etc.

first listing

2007-02-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

Functionally ill is being carried by my loyal distro Sweet Pea.

Here's where you can see Lisa's description.

http://www.freewebs.com/sweetpeadistro/zinesfj.htm

new zine

2007-02-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

I have a new mental health zine. It's called functionally ill: adventures with mental health, and it will be out in a week or two. This particular issue is titled becoming bipolar.

In functionally ill I describe what depression and mania feel like for me, describe the voices in detail, give some scenes of what the various clinics are like, and talk about the mental health evaluation I had over the phone.

If you're already on the list for Erik and Laura-Marie Magazine, don't worry--I'll send you this one too. If you're not on the list and would like to be, just drop me a line with your postal address. Use robotmad at gmail dot com.