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A Bit Mental: One Man's Mission to Lilo the Waikato
Jimi Hunt is a man who has spent most of his life doing ridiculous things for his own amusement. Things like building the country's biggest Slip 'n' Slide, playing golf through the streets of downtown Auckland, and holding an alternative Summer Olympics including events such as sandcastle building and rhythmic gymnastics. But what none of his friends knew was that Jimi had been silently battling with depression. It was eating him alive from the inside, affecting his business, losing him friends and slowly, painfully destroying his marriage. Disillusioned with the help and advice he received, he read that having a goal could help with depression. Five minutes later Jimi set his goal and announced it to the world – he would travel the entire length of the Waikato River on an inflatable mattress. Loneliness, 21,000 people following the journey on Facebook, chancing upon a dead body in the river, unbridled kindness from strangers, physical pain, and crazy psychic predictions are just a few of the strange experiences that Jimi gained along the way.
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 15, 2013
I came across this book through a Facebook page that invited me to share 31 pictures, one for each day, that came from a list he suggested. The point was to end up with 31 pictures (one per day) that, when one sees them at the end of the month, one can feel the satisfaction of knowing that no matter what one is going through, one has a good life.
Jimi Hunt is a regular dude from New Zealand who suffered from depression. The depression went long enough to wreck his marriage and his life. In a last moment of desperation he finally did what is hardest to do for someone who suffers from depression and that is to ASK FOR HELP. When he did, he figured out what things and activities he needed to do in order to help himself. He also wrote down a list of things he discovered on his way to healing and those are in his book. He was recommended to set a goal and work for it and he chose for a zany, crazy one which was to float down a very long river in New Zealand named Waikato on a small inflatable mattress, which over there is called a Lilo (pronounced: Lie-low).
He trained for it, asked for more help, mainly from strangers who became his guides, drivers, helpers and video recorders, etc. and on he went to accomplish his mission. The book goes on to describe his training, his adventure and how he helped himself out of that depression.
But something more wonderful that a simple crazy adventure came out of this, a new support system for others who suffer from the same depression, and more awareness for what it means not only for the depressed people, but also for the people that live with those others who suffer from depression. Tis awareness was meant to be in New Zealand, but I think Jimi is becoming a celebrity (he is somewhat of a ham, but a cute one at that) world wide. He is the new voice and is actions and word speak into the heart and soul of others.
I for one, listened, and set a long desired goal ( about 30 years old) to train and go for my Pilgrimage walk on the Santiago de Compostela path, for the sheer pleasure of walking through woods and villages and also for the physical challenge and the spiritual peace I hope to encounter. I have been at it for two weeks now and can hardly wait for the time I walk the path, but as my son and the fortune cookie say: "A long journey begins with the first step" and indeed I am already well on my way, after all ait is all about the journey and not just the destination.
Favorite Pages:
" So I started doing what comes naturally to me - acting like an idiot. The fear made me feel alive - I loved the trill of it." (pg XI)
" This is my story, all of it is true, especially the parts that I've made up." (Pg XI.)
"When I look back, I see warning signs much earlier, but the first thing that made me think there was something wrong was when I developed a sudden inability to open emails. I became scared, really really scared. I was afraid that every email would bring bad news. I was afraid that clients would hate their design work. I was afraid suppliers would be angry with me for something. I was afraid of everything. It felt horrible." (pg. 29)
"This is what I believe - common depression is a SYMPTOM of your lifestyle. It is not a disease or a cause."
"We need to start treating the cause of depression. However, the cause is likely different for everyone. How can a doctor figure out the cause in just 15 minutes? It's tough. That's why I don't blame them for simply trying to throw a blanket over a forest fire - it's the way the system is set up. Drugs are not always the solution. They were definitively not a solution for me and I knew that." (Pg 38)
"If you are reading this and you have depression, think about how it is affecting our loved ones. If someone close to you has depression, take the time to help yourself and learn how to cope with it properly." (pg 51)
" I was leaching her happiness out, pulling her down. I wanted her to become depressed , too, so that she could wallow with me in blackness. i didn't want to be alone there. That's a horrible way to feel and it makes me feel sick to write it here now. I wanted to make the woman I loved depressed so that I could feel as if there was someone at my side." (pg 51)
Jimi Hunt is a regular dude from New Zealand who suffered from depression. The depression went long enough to wreck his marriage and his life. In a last moment of desperation he finally did what is hardest to do for someone who suffers from depression and that is to ASK FOR HELP. When he did, he figured out what things and activities he needed to do in order to help himself. He also wrote down a list of things he discovered on his way to healing and those are in his book. He was recommended to set a goal and work for it and he chose for a zany, crazy one which was to float down a very long river in New Zealand named Waikato on a small inflatable mattress, which over there is called a Lilo (pronounced: Lie-low).
He trained for it, asked for more help, mainly from strangers who became his guides, drivers, helpers and video recorders, etc. and on he went to accomplish his mission. The book goes on to describe his training, his adventure and how he helped himself out of that depression.
But something more wonderful that a simple crazy adventure came out of this, a new support system for others who suffer from the same depression, and more awareness for what it means not only for the depressed people, but also for the people that live with those others who suffer from depression. Tis awareness was meant to be in New Zealand, but I think Jimi is becoming a celebrity (he is somewhat of a ham, but a cute one at that) world wide. He is the new voice and is actions and word speak into the heart and soul of others.
I for one, listened, and set a long desired goal ( about 30 years old) to train and go for my Pilgrimage walk on the Santiago de Compostela path, for the sheer pleasure of walking through woods and villages and also for the physical challenge and the spiritual peace I hope to encounter. I have been at it for two weeks now and can hardly wait for the time I walk the path, but as my son and the fortune cookie say: "A long journey begins with the first step" and indeed I am already well on my way, after all ait is all about the journey and not just the destination.
Favorite Pages:
" So I started doing what comes naturally to me - acting like an idiot. The fear made me feel alive - I loved the trill of it." (pg XI)
" This is my story, all of it is true, especially the parts that I've made up." (Pg XI.)
"When I look back, I see warning signs much earlier, but the first thing that made me think there was something wrong was when I developed a sudden inability to open emails. I became scared, really really scared. I was afraid that every email would bring bad news. I was afraid that clients would hate their design work. I was afraid suppliers would be angry with me for something. I was afraid of everything. It felt horrible." (pg. 29)
"This is what I believe - common depression is a SYMPTOM of your lifestyle. It is not a disease or a cause."
"We need to start treating the cause of depression. However, the cause is likely different for everyone. How can a doctor figure out the cause in just 15 minutes? It's tough. That's why I don't blame them for simply trying to throw a blanket over a forest fire - it's the way the system is set up. Drugs are not always the solution. They were definitively not a solution for me and I knew that." (Pg 38)
"If you are reading this and you have depression, think about how it is affecting our loved ones. If someone close to you has depression, take the time to help yourself and learn how to cope with it properly." (pg 51)
" I was leaching her happiness out, pulling her down. I wanted her to become depressed , too, so that she could wallow with me in blackness. i didn't want to be alone there. That's a horrible way to feel and it makes me feel sick to write it here now. I wanted to make the woman I loved depressed so that I could feel as if there was someone at my side." (pg 51)
July 30, 2017
amazing book and well worth a read. Jimi proves the ordinary people can do extraordinary and completely insane things. to anyone who has suffered from depression, or anyone who knows someone who has, read it. just read it.
January 8, 2014
Easy honest read, inspiring
June 3, 2014
I remember when I first came across the Lilo The Waikato project and immediately it was something that intrigued me. The fact that Jimi had gone out in to the open and talked about his battles with depression and was doing something as crazy as this to raise awareness is just awesome, and so I followed his journey from start to finish.
What I like about this book is that it gives more context around the 'why' he chose to do it. His thoughts and feelings are all bared here and it is a great read, if not just to reflect on ones own existence.
Highly recommended.
What I like about this book is that it gives more context around the 'why' he chose to do it. His thoughts and feelings are all bared here and it is a great read, if not just to reflect on ones own existence.
Highly recommended.
May 22, 2016
Brilliant.
August 31, 2016
I was recommended this book by a friend and immediately hesitated. I don't usually read non-fiction, particularly NZ non-fiction. However, I'm glad I took the chance on this book. Jimi's story is incredible, hugely inspirational and is packed with great advice he's learned along the way. It's hard to read how difficult his life got at times and I just wanted to give him a big hug! I was out of NZ when he lilo'd the Waikato so missed all the hype but it sounded AMAZING!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews