I only know you via your vlogs and writings here, both of which are always coherent and well-spoken/written.  Thus, I have concluded that the woman in question is absolutely insane (or just plain stupid and rude).  You, on the other hand, are of sound mind, but being subjected to stupidity, rudeness, and “this” coupled with your own emotional burden, is affecting you.  In the early and very dark days of our son’s first few institutional stays both my husband I wondered if we too had “lost it”.  With some professional assistance we were reassured that we were quite okay, just suffering dearly from guilt and sadness.  So, cheer up my friend, you are quite abnormally normal.

I am thoroughly convinced the rest of the world is insane and I’m the sane one so come join me in my sane room.  Because it’s the only sane room in the universe.

It’s the other people making you insane. I had something really bad happen 14 years ago and I was on the front page of the newspapers and the top story of the news. When the incident was over, I ended up dying my hair purple (it was blonde at the time) just so people would quit coming up to me in the grocery store or gas station saying “Aren’t you the girl who...?” It will eventually taper off.

Congrats on your win. I, apparently, am a baby machine.

Dude, we are all insane.  I was reading your post about how the city is different when you get off the touristy path.  I am visiting in September.  Should I not take the tourist route?

Wow, what a rude bitch!

Some people just don’t have an off-switch that keeps them from sharing every thought that pops into their heads.  Idiot. 

About your win—your writing has been exceptional as of late.  I do not think this was a pity win.

BTW, I was recently in NY and looked around for you—but alas, there wasn’t a NYCWD sighting.

I would expect those looks for a least a year. People don’t know how to react because they have never been in the situation.

How would you define normal?

It is the other people.  I swear to you that reading blogs lately has made me question the sanity of the majority of people and I don’t mean the bloggers themselves so much as the people that they have to interact with on a daily basis.  People are stupid to be sure, but I wasn’t aware how blatantly obvious that they had become.  We’re breeding a whole mankind of half-wits.

It’s not you. Her reaction was thoughtless. I’m sure she meant no harm, like a couple folks above me have said. You’ll find that everywhere you might want to go.

On the other hand, are any of us immune? I remember going to the wake of one of my best friend’s brother. I had known the entire family for years. Yet, for some reason, instead of “hello” I kept saying “How’s it going?” because that was my normal greeting at the time. Every time, I’d kick myself, then turn around and do it again. I left feeling like a turd.

Other people are the insane ones, that’s for sure.
But, I don’t know and I guess it depends on the person, but some people get upset when other people IGNORE what has happened and don’t mention it. 
It’s a double-edged sword kind of thing.

Man, I dunno. The only thing I can figure sometimes is that people have this deep unspoken belief that they can somehow innoculate themselves against the Bad Thing by poking, prodding and questioning those to whom the Bad Thing has already happened. They think by arranging their lives correctly the Bad Thing will never happen. Wrong.

My sis died 3 months ago. People ask “Was it expected?” as if somehow that would make it hurt less. Now I say “Even though she was ready to die, I wasn’t ready at all.”

Avi called that one… what a stupid bitch. So did KG, perfectly!

The world is a completely fucked up place and it seems to me that an ounce (to a pound or so) of insanity is the only means of survival.

I would have thrown her out of the vehicle right where you were. Walk bitch.  Damnit she’s got me flamed! Some people just have no brains.

Sanity? The world is insane and in turn causes insanity with us as well because we have to deal with asshats on a daily basis.

You’re totally sane, mister! 

I must be insane too...or tolerant of insanity because you seem pretty sane to me...stressed but sane.

While I’m sure rubber walls and straight jackets have a certain appeal, I don’t think I’ll be visiting you in the sanitorium any time soon.

to quote lewis carroll, “we’re all mad here.”

don’t move.  they’ll look at you “that way” there, too.  and if i’ve learned anything in the last 34 years, it’s that moving just relocates your luggage.

I lost a child 10 years ago.. I remember telling people that I felt as if I landed on a strange planet and the world was suddenly new.. For months I would watch people carry on with their business and inside I would feel like screaming.. “Don’t you people know that the world is cruel and takes children unfairly”?.. I felt defined by my tragedy.. I was the mother of a child that was infinitely gone.. It goes away, but it takes a really long time.. I felt better after about 5 years.. I hope it doesn’t take you quite so long…

The bitch was definitely crazy....NOT you!  And the fact that you didn’t throw her out the door, which is something even the most sane person might do, proves that even further!