The largest public facility for mental health is the LA county jail.

>> 10 November 2009

I listened to the this NPR clip today. It played on the radio this week in Utah. This man says that mental illness is turning from a health problem to a criminal justice problem. I would argue that Mental illness has NEVER been seen as a health problem. I WISH that it was seen as a health problem. The brain is an organ in the body just like your liver or your gallbladder. If you have a heart condition or diabetes, you take medications and get treatment. Instead, mental illness has a stigma so deep and strong that suicide and depression are the end result of those who have to live in a society that shuns them for their health problem. I would urge everyone to take time to understand those in your life who are suffering from a mental illness. It is a hard road to walk, especially when no one in your life understands it. A mental illness is not something you can just snap out of. The sooner you understand mental illness, the sooner we can get to the prevention of these problems in the first place.
Second, I can attest to the fact that those will mental illnesses end up in the justice system. I work in the forensics unit at the Utah State Hospital. Prisons and jails are the new asylum. Perhaps justifiably so, the public deals with those with mental illness by calling the police. "Mom there is a man using our lawn mower- and it is not turned on." is bound to get the police there. There is a great fear of the unknown. I think I understand that. We can not count on our neighbors to protect us if we confront him. We have to call the police. The man may be dangerous if he is unstable. That is true, but not the rule. I'm not saying don't call the police. I am saying its important to try to develop a real understanding an compassion for those with mental illness.


As a side note: I feel this father should be advocating to the public in understanding mental illness rather than brow-beating the systems that are dedicated to them already.

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The Harold B. Lee Library

>> 07 November 2009

You know you have been in the library too long when you walk into the bathroom, sit down, and forget to shut the stall door.
This may or may not have just happened to me- and I may or may not have been jolted into reality when someone else walked in.

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Nevada Day Weekend

>> 02 November 2009



This weekend we found a spooky forest, surrounded ourselves with jack-o-lanterns, and read Edgar Allan Poe. Loved it.

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SKI SEASON

>> 27 October 2009


I am grieving the loss of summer and it's been the shortest fall I remember, but I am ready for winter! It is supposed to snow in Provo today. While, I could be sighing and moaning, I just had the opposite reaction. Today in the mail, a ski magazine arrived for me. FOURTEEN PICTURES were taken at LAKE TAHOE. At least 7 of them were taken less than 15 minutes from my parent's house. Now, I live in Utah, but don't be disappointed there either; the magazine featured six pictures of Utah destinations.

I can't wait to go skiing. I can't wait to go skiing. BRING IT ON MAMA NATURE!

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Cousin Dinner

>> 26 October 2009


Last week I had this conversation:

Merissa: Well, it sounds like you need to hang out with our cousin Jessica.
Me: I think you are right. We need another cousin dinner soon.
Merissa: We do need to have another cousin dinner.
Me: Potluck
Merissa: Good idea! Jess is in Provo now.
Me: HNOOOOO!!! Give me her number. How can she be here and me not have seen here yet? I’m going to make this happen asap.... man there are alot of us
Merissa: Indeed!!
Me: This makes the location key... it has to be big enough. Maybe korinne wil let us do it at her place.
Merissa: true
Me: Do you have her email by chance?
Merissa: lol, I like that, just call her up and say, can we have a party at your house :)
Me: ..and then invite everyone. Haha!
Merissa: I do have her email.
me: WHO HOO!!! k nice to chat, i emailed her. It is in the works. Talk to you soon...

And we did! That conversation lead to this on Sunday:


I have some seriously strong feelings about the awesomeness of the Bagley cousins in my family. It was strange for me to be there with cousins who have kids with kids. Having been the catalyst for the gathering, people kept asking me what to do. It took me off guard because but I was about the youngest adult there (and definitely the most immature & underdeveloped). Welp! That was fun! I blame that uppity-go-get-em attitude on my mom who made me plan an entire Bagley reunion when i was 16... and then scrapbook about it.

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Kayte, Keri, and Karl (aka John Karl) or else we would be KKK

>> 18 October 2009

Since I got back into Provo, I have been happily creating music once again. Amazingly enough, I had some friends that said they wanted to play too and we have stuck to it. We play on Sunday nights. Sometimes we are many but most of the time it's just us three. We are all taking this opportunity to get better at a wide variety of instruments. For me, it is the banjo, drums, saw, and autoharp. So far my skill level is pretty minimal, but that is the way it has been done for generations in my family. Jack of all trades and master of none.

Here is our lil recording from a song called Blood of the Lamb. We imagine it would be very popular in a church full of sinners and believers.

I am on banjo, Kayte on guitar, John Karl is main vocals and drums. Enjoy- we think it's AWESOME!

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