Success!

It is often said of those that say they plan to kill themselves that the simple expression of the desire -- though certainly concerning -- should not raise great fears in those who love them and/or hear the declaration. However, when someone expresses a specific plan: "I am going to take my shotgun and put it in my mouth and blow my head off this evening", that is concerning.

Often I have difficulty tearing myself away from a plate of appetizers, especially the very nice cheeses and crackers my sister is wont to pull together for family gatherings. This evening I made use of the observation about suicidal ideation described above: instead of just telling myself I was going to quit eating the cheese, I made a specific plan: "I will put cheese on one more cracker and then take my water glass across the room to get my computer to take it upstairs to charge and so I can take a shower." It worked!