I cannot believe that this April marks 10 years my wife Bonnie and I are married. They say time flies when you are having fun. I must have had lots of fun because I did not see the last 10 years go by. It almost seems like yesterday I was waiting near the front of the church while Bonnie nervously walked down the isle with her father to meet me so we could get married. I remember that moment so vividly. I had a huge smile on my face and could not wait to hold her hand. She looked amazing (and in my opinion, looks even better today as our love for each other has grown).
I have always said that marriage is a full time job. The more hours you put into it, the more you get paid. Bonnie and I have put huge amounts of hours working at our relationship and the pay is enormous. We have lots of respect, love, trust and care for each other. That is not to say that we never have or had rocky or difficult times. As we have gotten to know each other better over the last 10 years, we have grown so much closer together and as I like to say, the product of our love is our beautiful daughter and the loving home we provide for her.

Happy Anniversary Bonnie, I love you sooooo much.

Your husband,
Mike Santoro

When Daniel and I first decided we were going to work together to build MikesStory.com, I made a promise to him that I would do everything I needed to do in order to reach my goal and fulfill my dream. When I said everything, I meant EVERYTHING. For those who know me well, they know that I do not make many promises, but when I do, I keep them.

We have completed The 80/20 Project DVD and now more than ever, I am determined to do what it takes to talk about The 80/20 Project (my coping skills) across Canada, the United States and all over the world. My dream is to talk to large audiences about my coping skills. That dream is one step closer with the completion of The 80/20 Project DVD. Already we have sold many copies of the DVD and the positive feedback and encouragement coming from everywhere gives me the fuel I need to one day make my dream a reality.

Mike Santoro

My wife and I just celebrated our one-month wedding anniversary this past Saturday, and doing so gave us the chance to reflect on our wedding and honeymoon in February. Our year of planning for these big events was such fun, and the day itself was a magical time for us. We spent two weeks in Costa Rica for our honeymoon and had the time of our lives. Now, we are enjoying an enhanced depth of our love, our commitment and our sense of a future together – all rewards of our decision to marry.
And yet as I reflect on this story, I am also filled with gratitude for something entirely different. I am grateful that my bipolar disorder has been under control, through lithium and my lifestyle management efforts, since June 2005. This stability came only after 2 wild and destructive years of rapid cycling between depression and mania. I also feel fortunate that the careful management of my illness has allowed my bipolar to remain in the distant background. This has allowed me to enjoy my engagement, wedding and honeymoon to the fullest. I am painfully aware that had I experienced a sudden bout of depression or mania, my wedding day and honeymoon may have been ruined.
While I know I am fortunate, I am also encouraged by the simple fact that my bipolar has been tamed as a result of my choices. These choices include taking my lithium as prescribed, every day; tracking my sleep quality and hours per night; tracking my energy levels and minor illnesses to catch any potential trends; eating well and drinking in moderation; and speaking openly about my illness, as I am doing now.
My bipolar has been tamed so much that I don’t recall thinking about it on my wedding day. Not once. For someone who lost nearly 2 years, and much more, to the symptoms of bipolar disorder, that is a remarkable wedding gift.

Be well,
Jason Finucan