Speech at Ryerson: “Too Far From Heaven”

Sometimes I think tequila is a good idea. I once got so drunk on tequila in University, that I came up to my residence room, determined to get back to the party when the world stopped spinning, that I turned up Wu Tang Clan’s Ain’t Nothing To Fuck With, so loudly that it shook the [...]

We Have To Make It Better

On June 28th, 2010 I came out about my experiences with anxiety and depression. Any employer can do a Google search and find out about the battles I have fought and how close I came to losing them. I write to remind myself that the best of what I am came from emerging out of [...]

I can’t save your life redux

Dear Michael, I happened upon your amazing post tonight. I wanted to contact you to say “thank you” and to tell you that you were also telling my story. I have bipolar disorder; I’m very open about it and how it affects my life. My family knows, most of my friends do. The holidays are [...]

Chapter 2: So You Think You Have Anxiety

Chapter 2: So You Think You Have Anxiety November 3, 2009 I can’t really tell you why it happened. There is no single incident that explains why I lost my mind on November 3rd, 2009. I’ve watched friends commit suicide, deal with drug addictions, I fell in and out of love a hundred times and [...]

The Cure Chapter#1: Laughing Myself to Death and Life

Note: This is an excerpt from the way updated version of the novel form of the Cure. Welcome to the worst and possibly last day of Michael Kimber’s life. I’m getting dressed to exercise in the local Holiday Inn gym and somehow find myself philosophizing with a locker room full of naked senior citizens about [...]

The Anniversary of My Mental Breakdown and the things we can’t replace

You ever wonder where you are going to be in five years? If you are like me you don’t have the slightest clue. That idea used to scare me. My friend told me that my nervous breakdown baffled him because it was not about who I was but who I would become and my fear [...]

Flight of the Alacorn#2

December 10th, 2009 “Ocean sounds?” asks my girlfriend, looking like a princess in her polar bear sweatshirt and flannel pajama pants. Her laptop sits on her knees as her legs dangle from her bed and don’t quite touch the ground. “You don’t have to do this,” I say. “I can just go home.” “No you [...]

Flight of the Alacorn#1

By Kayla Layes December 6th, 2009 The first thing I see when I wake up is my girlfriend in Unicorn form. Mounted on her wall is the portrait in oil paints I commissioned for our two-month anniversary. The actual girl lies to the side of me lost in sleep. She’s gotten used to sleeping with [...]

The Cure for Depression: The Glass is Mostly Full

“I have a cure for depression,” says the old French-Canadian man, carefully dissecting ginger root with a rather large knife on my kitchen counter. He is about five feet away from the cooking element I caused to explode in flames almost immediately upon moving into my new apartment making an excellent impression on my new [...]

Happy Holidays#3: Christmas for the Jews and Papa Quimborius

My dad is driving me back from the airport. I’m making jokes and talking about my latest plots to make my dreams come true. He’s been listening to these stories since I was ten years old. When I was working on my first novel, as our idiot dog Gabby dragged me through Point Pleasant Park, [...]

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About

Michael Kimber is a 26-year-old journalist who suffered a nervous breakdown on November 3rd, 2009. On March 28th, 2010 when he recovered from mental illness, he began writing a blog called Colony-of-losers. About falling on your face to figure out who you are and the hilarious antics of a blond jew. What began with a few friends and his mother reading has become a cult phenomenon, averaging 10,000 views a week, receiving praise from Commonwealth Award Winner Shandi Mitchell and many others. On, November 3rd, 2010, the one year anniversary of his mental breakdown he signed with Anne McDermid and Associates, the largest literary agency in Canada. In a year he went from wearing pajamas, making his couch depression HQ to leaving his hometown for the Toronto, where he exclusively wears business suits and the armor of ancient Greeks. Don't worry, he's still choking on the feet he contently sticks in his mouth and making moments awkward just by being part of them. During these struggles he met other talented bastards and drew them into his circle. Peter Diamond became his illustrator. Patrick Campbell his video editor and part time photographer. He recently added the incredibly talented John Packman as Colony of Losers Toronto photographer. Without the support of the Colony of Losers, Michael Kimber would be nothing. Welcome to the losers and the success that comes from utter and complete failure. You aren’t alone. Follow him on twitter.com/colonyoflosersand twitter.com/quimbo. If you’d like to hire him for a public speaking engagement for mental health events in Toronto, like to arrange an interview, offer millions to publish his book or for another reason contact Michael please email him. And join his facebook Colony of Losers.

Really obvious disclaimer:
I’m not a trained psychologist. Just a fellow traveler. If you need help seek it from the professionals. The Canadian Mental Health Association provides a help locator. You can find crisis resources provided by the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. If you are in the states check here. It will give you services by zip code. I’d also recommend checking out Mindyourmind.ca. I think they do great work and have been a help to me personally.

Fantastic Thoughts of Quimbo

I suffer from anxiety, being a twenty something and having an awesome blog. Check out colony-of-losers.com

Check out Mike Kimber's stint on MTV news talking about mental illness stigma.
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Do you guys have a lot of people in porn companies following you on Twitter. My name is Christie and I love sorority
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Check out Mike Kimber on MTV News discussing the stigma of mental illness wearing a wrinkley shirt.
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Check out Mike Kimber on MTV News discussing mental illness and stigma.
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Check Mike Kimber on MTV News speaking about mental illness:
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Michael Kimber speaks on MTV News about Mental Illness and come out campaign. Share this around.
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