Happy New Year to all Walkers, past and present!

I wish for you all to have your dreams come true, but if that can't be the case, then at least let 2010 suck less than 2009, right?

Seriously, here's what I really wish for you.  I wish that you will each step back far enough to see yourself the way others see you, as a valuable, interesting and worthwhile individual who is able to accomplish much in life, despite having the affliction of mental illness.

All too often all *we* see is the illness, because we have to struggle with it every day, but we miss all the positive things about ourselves that others see.

Also, this January 1st, 2010 marks the 19th year of Walkers in Darkness, the mailing list.  It was founded on New Year's Day in 1991 by David Harmon, who ran it for several years before his own illness made it too difficult to keep up with and he decided to turn it over to me in the mid-90's.

David, if you are out there somewhere, what you did that cold day in 1991 was the beginning of a support method which has helped millions of people over the years.  None of this would exist if it weren't for you and the other original Walkers. 

I am happy, proud and privileged to have been given the opportunity to adopt Walkers, nurture it and see it grow into what it is today.  As many people have told me over the years, I would probably not be alive today if it weren't for Walkers and the understanding it gave me of my illness and the fact that I was not alone in it.

I still remember the first time I attempted S* and being in the hospital, wishing I had succeeded, when the nurse came to me and told me there was a guy named David from Walkers on the phone trying to reach me and would I take the call or prefer him to be told that they were unable to disclose any information about me.

I took the call and it was then and there that I realized I could get through this; that I would not have been better off succeeding in my S* attempt; and that I had friends who were really total strangers but would help me when and if I wanted it.

I thought this was an amazing thing, this Walkers.  I also made a promise to myself that I would do anything I could to help it, once I was strong enough to contribute something of myself.

Everything I am telling you is not only true and real, but it is what keeps me able to continue running Walkers today, despite my own illnesses and disabilities.

If you've been here a long time, you probably know most of this and if you are new, well, welcome!  I hope that you, old or new, get even a fraction of what I got and what our members and volunteer staff try to offer.

I hope that this year brings a lot of good and positive things to Walkers.

We incorporated a legal entity, Walkers in Darkness, Inc., last year and will apply for charitable tax-exempt status this year.

We will have more of a structure that can keep Walkers running in the event that something were to prevent me from continuing to do so.  We will also have a framework from which to raise outside funding and grow the Organization.

I also have a few interesting and creative ideas for our web site that will make it even better and more accessible to all.

I will announce the beta test of one of them right now (might as well give everyone a New Years treat).

I have been working on a project to provide a new kind of chat room which has never (to my knowledge) been offered before on any similar site.

This live chat will be able to be accessed by SMS TXT message and email *IN REAL TIME*.

This week will begin phase 1 of the beta test to see if it is a concept that can work for our members.  There will be a general chat room and a self-injury chat.

If you would like to participate, you can email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (ONLY) and provide me with your name, email address, cell phone # and carrier.  I have to set up all the accounts manually, but you will be included usually within 24 hours and be a member of the chat.

THIS IS IMPORTANT!  Please DO NOT apply unless you have either an unlimited txt plan or an enormous number of unused units every month.

If the test works well, there will be a **LOT** of txt messages each day and if it gets to be more than you have in your quota, it could take 24-48 hours from the time you ask to be dropped until that happens.  This could run up an enormous bill if you are not on an unlimited (or close to) plan, so please do not ask to be a part of this right now if you are not.

Once we get further on in testing this and have a better way for people to come and go at will, then we'll open it up to a more general crowd.

OK, so it is 3AM (Happy New Year, West-coast!!) here.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it.  It's nice to think about the early days of Walkers and then of the future.  Puts a big smile on my face and I am going to now go to bed and sleep with that, so good night!

Mongo