I'm Not Suffering from Insanity...: I'm Enjoying Every Minute of It!

by Karen Scalf Linamen

Do you ever feel like a sock being tossed in the spin cycle of life? Have you ever wished they made straitjackets in the newest fall colors? Or ended the day with your sanity in a body bag? Then let Karen Linamen usher you into a place where hilarity and healing go hand in hand. In the tradition of her best-sellers Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt and Sometimes I Wake Up Grumpy. . . and Sometimes I Let Him Sleep, Karen moves seamlessly between wit and wisdom as she outlines fourteen things you can do to experience greater joy, purpose, and passion-even when life feels crazy! Hang on to your funny bone, because you're about to discover . . . - why a harem of live chickens makes a perfect gift for any occasion - what kind of woman could get both her lips caught in a car door, plus. . . - 23 ways to make new friends - how to forgive yourself for something you really regret - the rewards of taking the one hundred smile challenge . . . and in the process, you'll learn that, even when life is at its craziest, it's never too late to reclaim important things you might have lost along the way-like your sanity, your sense of humor, and even your faith. Karen Scalf Linamen is a frequent speaker, a regular contributor to Today's Christian Woman, and the author of numerous books, including the bestsellers Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt, Sometimes I Wake Up Grumpy...and Sometimes I Let Him Sleep, and Welcome to the Funny Farm. She lives in Littleton, Colorado, with her husband and two daughters.

Genres: Humor, Christian, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Kristine L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other Linamen titles, I’m Not Suffering From Insanity focuses on emotional, mental and spiritual health and healing. Fourteen chapters offer wit and wisdom on everything from dealing with regret(s) and making friends to practicing your passions, cutting back on TV viewing, redecorating a room on the cheap, breaking out of solitary confinement and forgiving yourself. The strongest chapters – by far – are chapters ten and eleven: Lose Your ‘Religion’ … and Embrace a Relationship Instead.

Having read two other Linamen titles, I’m Not Suffering From is pretty much '99 bottles of beer on the wall.' With the occasional can of Pepsi thrown in here and there. Take one down and pass it around…

In fact, I started snoring at about chapter 6 or 7 (out of 14) As in, Been There. Done That. Case in point: In chapter 4, A New State of Mind, Linamen writes about how she and her hubby Larry “worked hard to ignore some serious flaws in the foundation of our relationship.” She later writes that with a move to Colorado, she’s moving to a “new improved state of emotional wellness” and is starting to “experience joy again.” She goes back to marital woes later. And later. And later. And she's trying to meet deadlines, catch up on housework and lose weight like, every five minutes. We've seen most of it before. So Zzzzzzzzz.

The author didn't win any points here when she describes putting a shock collar on her German shepherd to keep Walter inside her “fence-free backyard.” Then she snickers about it: “I push a button, he yelps and obeys.” That’s funny? Really?

Also, Linamen often references her previously published books. Readers who’ve read her previous books will get the references. Others may get lost. So you may want to leave a trail of bread crumbs.

The author also has some of the same phrases on auto-repeat. She has some of the same phrases on auto-repeat. See how this works? Examples: “I don’t know about you” and “Now, don’t get me wrong.” After a while it’s as stale as Limburger cheese left out since last Christmas.

The ending also felt abrupt and sudden. Like a plane that ran out of runway and crash-landed into the ocean. Or morphed into another bottle of beer on the tarmac.

[Snogged · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this book on the shelf at our church library and the title made me giggle. It's a short, light-hearted read about a Christian woman who uses her own experience and spirituality to provide advice to others who might have similar struggles. She references several of her other books from time to time and since I hadn't read those, I had no context for those stories. My favorite chapter was the one on forgiveness. I also enjoyed her sense of humor and willingness to share silly stories to make her points.

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last chapter on forgiving yourself was excellent. The rest just average.

[Gigi Fenyx · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book. It was basically a Christian woman writing a journal and giving out life advice to homemakers, which is fine, but it's just not really my thing (the advice giving thing, not the homemaker thing). It was cute because it was funny. this woman, I will give credit where credit is due, has an uncanny way of making you laugh at her ridiculousness. She does some pretty silly things (she is basically a total cluts)and she has an interesting way of comparing everyday things to completely hilarious things that would never happen to any normal person. One thing I did learn from this book is not to be so uptight concerning my faith.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author uses her own experiences (which alternate between humor and heartbreak--heavy on the humor) and God's word to encourage Christian women in very practical ways. I enjoyed this book tremendously.

[Deb]

Gives a great lift of spirit! Wonderful. My daughter gave it to me for mother's day - because she knows I love my insanity.

[Francie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty light but entertaining look at motherhood. Great laughs.

[Melissa (Hiatus due to Death in Family) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Common sense, humorous Christian book about acceptance and finding God's truth.