Monthly Archives: July 2015

Volunteering On The Warm Line

Posted on by Gertie

As I am writing, I am finishing up a volunteer shift at the Warm Line. In fact, I wasn’t even on the schedule for tonight. It just so happened that I was hanging out with the mentor on duty tonight when she found out that we were short on volunteers. She asked me if I could volunteer tonight and I said I could.

In fact we are slow at the moment despite a busy start. I had a couple of difficult calls that involved people wanting to cut themselves or attempt suicide. I am grateful that I was able to help them come up with a safety plan. It is rare that we get those kind of calls. It is difficult to take those calls because I am able to relate to how they feel because I once felt like how they were feeling at the moment.

I think it is because I am able to relate how they feel that I am able to have empathy for them. Empathy is key to being a volunteer on the Warm Line as well as being employed in the mental health field. I love being able to be an example of recovery and offer hope to those who may need it.

Well, I need to get going. I need to help clean up and other stuff to end the night. Have a wonderful evening. Good night and don’t let the bed bugs bite. Peace Out!!

Common Sense Training

Posted on by Gertie

If you regularly read my blog you know I am Consumer Advocate at a local mental health agency. What you may not be aware of is that the agency I work for requires all full time direct service staff go to monthly trainings. Me being part-time I technically don’t have to go however my new supervisor wants be to attend especially if it is a day I normally work. In all honesty, I am quite happy to attend the trainings even if it is a normal day off for me.

The problem I have is that the trainings that I have attended is that most of the trainings are common sense trainings, especially if you have a degree of some sort in the mental health field and/or have worked in the field for a while. For instance, todays training was on Trauma Informed Care. Don’t get me wrong, I am pleased I went to the training, its that I don’t understand why my employer puts on a training that seems like common sense and I don’t even have a college education. Yes, I have been through trauma and have been a client or consumer of the mental health system for most of my life and maybe its because of my experience that it seems like common sense. My co-workers who I directly work with even thinks its a common sense thing if you have the education and/or working in the field for a while. Maybe, I am just being too hard on my employer.

I am grateful for my job and the trainings I am able to attend through my employer as well as trainings I am able to attend through my volunteer jobs. Any training I am able to attend despite on common sense it may be, I am beyond thrilled to attend because it broadens my “education” and am able to stick it on my résumé.

Now that I have bored you with my complaining about the training I attended, I am going to end this particular for now. Have a good evening all. Peace Out!!!

Goals for the Week

Posted on by Gertie

As some of you know, as part of blogging 101 I joined a blogging event. The event I decided to be a part of focus’s on goals. I chose this event because it best corresponds on what my blog is about. So here are my goals for the week with explanation:

1) Write my sponsored child. I haven’t written her in a while and need to. I will most likely send her one of the many post cards I bought specifically to send to her.

2) Sign up for shifts at the young adult shelter I volunteer at. It has been three weeks since my last shift at the homeless shelter.

3) Start reading Speaker of the Dead by Orson Scott Card I love to read and recently finished Enders Game by Orson Scott Card. One of my goals for 2015 is to read twelve books and so far I have only read one book.

4) Figure out what day I want to do my blogging feature. I hope that once I choose a day then I can start doing research for the blogging feature.

5) Work on cross-stitch for 15 minutes. I have taken up cross-stitching and yet to finish the particular piece I am currently working on.

6) Color. While on vacation, I bought be a coloring poster (about 8inch by 12inch) to color. It is a detailed poster and will take me a while. I hope to be able to share the finished product when I am done.

All of the my goals this week ultimately help me and my recovery. The goals I have chosen this week give me some relaxation, and a sense of giving back to my community and yes that help with my recovery.

Before I go the following link is the event I am a part of: http://greenembe.rs/2015/07/27/building-rome-week-30-for-2015/ Have a great day everyone. I hope you all have a great work week. I know I am. Peace Out!!!

Back To Reality

Posted on by Gertie

I am going to try to keep this particular post a short one. It is now back to reality. The reality of having to get back to the swing of things, now that my vacation is over with. I am fairly close to being done with unpacking. Yes, I do have some laundry to do but it can wait a couple of days.

I am looking forward to going back to work. I do have to say that going back to work at my current employment is a much different feeling than going back to work after a vacation at my previous employer. My previous employer I would be dreading going back to work. My current employer, I’m not dreading going back after a much needed vacation. Loving your job helps a great deal in the transition of going back to work after a vacation.

Junior and I are grateful to be home and be able to sleep in our own beds. We spent most of last night having some intense and pleasurable intimate moments. I am beyond blessed that I have a man who treats me right and does not hurt me. Junior and I our grateful for our intense love we have for each other.

Before I end this post for now, I have to say that I am a little jealous of Junior right now. He doesn’t have to be back to work to Wednesday. He deserves the extra few days off. He doesn’t have the easiest of jobs. He is a firefighter. Well, I should get going and make dinner. Have a wonderful week everyone. Peace Out!!!

A Well Deserved Get A-Way

Posted on by Gertie

There is nothing like coming home from a well deserved vacation. A vacation that needed to be taken. I love my job with a passion but I needed to a break.

I just didn’t need a break from my much loved job but the city. City life can get to a person if you don’t get away every now and then especially if you live near a highly traveled freeway. I am a city girl to the core but even this city girl needs to get away from time to time.

I went to go see my brother in the town that he lives in. While visiting my brother, I did spend some time with my mom. My mom surprisingly respected most of my boundaries. The time I spent with my brother was nothing but fun. My brother, fiancé and myself went to the fair (or carnival) that was being held. We had a blast. Junior and my brother won five gigantic stuffed animals from the carnival games. My brother gave me one of the stuffed animals that he one and the other to our mom. Junior gave me one as well as giving my brother one of three he won and gave the third to my mom. The three of us (my brother, Junior and myself) went to the movies. We saw Antman. I highly suggest you all go see it even if you don’t like comic books or comic book type movies.

After spending a few days with my brother, Junior and myself went to a small town in Oregon that is located on the Columbia River to visit my grandparents. My grandparents own a river front home. Junior and myself did some fishing. Junior caught some salmon and he grilled for dinner one night. It was yummy. Junior and I also swam a lot in the Columbia River while visiting my grandparents. We also helped my grandparents out around the house. We painted the outside of their house, mowed their lawn and fixed a few things that needed to be fixed. It was nice being about help my grandparents out with things around their house. It was also nice to be able to relax while at my grandparents. With all the fishing and swimming I did I got a sunburn and I know that my dermatologist wont be happy with that. I put sunblock on every two hours. My grandparents were and are grateful that we helped about the house. We got all the house stuff done in less that two days and enjoy the rest of our stay at my grandparents.

Now that I am home I am happy to be here. Cant wait to sleep in my own bed. I best be going. Have a great Saturday evening!! Peace Out!!

Day Fifteen: Create a New Posting Feature

Posted on by Gertie

It is day 15 of blogging 101 and that means that today is the last day. In all honesty, I am just a wee bit sad that today is the last day. I have met a great deal of bloggers in this course and have gained a lot of insight from them as well as blogging 101 through the assignments we were encouraged to do. I have started following sites that I would have not have been able to find if it weren’t for the blogging 101 course. I would like to dedicate this particular blog post to my fellow blogging 101 students as well as the three WordPress staff that helped all of us “students” in the “class.”

Now on to today’s assignment. Today’s assignment is to create a new blogging feature, such as a recurring event. I’ve decided that I will do an educational piece once a week on mental illness, The educational part of it could be on a particular diagnosis, or the best treatment therapies that best help a particular diagnosis or what is going on in the world of mental health such as various bills that the U.S government is on working to pass or not pass. I will also be looking into various bills that have been passed in regards to mental health in other states and looking at the ones that they are trying to make into law. Some of what I want to do in the means of education, will take some research and am more than willing to do so. I haven’t chosen a particular day that will do the education part yet but will let you all know as soon as I pick a day. Yes, it will be on the same day every week.

I am grateful that todays assignment was creating a new feature because it helps me with refocusing back to what I desire this blog to be, both educational and inspirational. Now that I am done with todays assignment and blogging 101, I want to say thank you all for putting up with me posting about my assignments. It has meant a great deal that all of you have stuck with me especially those who have been following and/or reading me for a while. Lastly, thank you to all my “classmates” and WordPress staff for a great learning experience. Happy Friday!!!!!! Enjoy your weekend and Peace Out!!

Day Fourteen: Extend Your Brand

Posted on by Gertie

It is day fourteen of blogging 101 and it has flown by quickly. I am sad that there is only one more day of blogging 101. I only wish that they were offering another course I could take next month. As of right now, I am unaware when WordPress is going offer more courses and I am fine with that. It gives me time to blog more of my own stuff.

Speaking of my own stuff and my assignment, it’s time for me to do my assignment. Todays assignment to brand my blog. First off, I want to brand however, I don’t have an image that would fit just right at the moment for my blog. Secondly, the instructions that WordPress gives, I am unable to comprehend on what they are explaining due to a stupid learning disability. I know that, in a matter of time, when I look over the instructions again (and again) that I will be able to figure out how to put an image up, when I am able to find the right one. If I am unable to figure it out, I know that I will have people who can help me, if they are able to and willing to do so.

I do like the idea of branding my blog. To tell you the truth, I have been searching for an image for my blog since the time, I was considering to start a blog or not. It been about a year and half searching for the right image and have only been blogging for one year, and one and half months now. I know what type of image or “brand” I desire but have not com a crossed it yet. I do know that when I find it, you my readers and followers will know.

Time for me to get going and enjoy my day. I’m going back out on the Columbia River to do some wake boarding and swimming. Not going fish again today. I already caught my limit for the day. Have a great day everyone. Peace Out!!!

Day Thirteen: Try (Another) Blogging Event

Posted on by Gertie

It is day thirteen of blogging 101 and today’s assignment is something new that I haven’t tried yet. The assignment is to try a blogging event; whether you join an event or create one.

I decided to join an event because it was an easier thing to commit to at this point in time in my life. Another reason why I decided to not create one is to see how others do their events as well as how others participate.

It took me quite some time to find the event that best suited me. The event I have decided to do is a weekly event. It’s every Sunday. In fact it is goal oriented, which is the reason why I chose to do this particular event. The event I chose to do is “Building Rome” over at http://greenembe.rs/

I am hoping that joining this event will help me along my path of recovery. As you are aware of, my recovery with the mental illness I struggle with is a big part of who I am and what my blog is about. It never hurts to make some goals to accomplish every week, not matter how small. I hope that doing this event will ultimately help me on my recovery path as well as with my blog.

Now that I have finally finished my assignment for today, I am going to go fishing and swimming in the Columbia River. Oh how I love being on vacation. Have a great day!! Peace Out!!

Day Twelve: Increase Your Commenting Confidence

Posted on by Gertie

Today marks day twelve of blogging 101. Todays assignment is to explore the prompt that you posted on. Since, I didn’t do a daily prompt yesterday because I ended up discussing about daily prompts and how much I like them, I’ve decided that I will do todays assignment in the blogging 101 tag. I read a good dozen blogs before I actually came to a couple of blogs that I felt inspired to comment on.

The first one that grasped the inspiration part of me is over at http://thethoughtcard.wordpress.com. The second one that I commented on was over at: http://megandianej.wordpress.com/.  I encourage you to take a look at both blogs.

Now that I have completed todays assignment I am going to enjoy my time with my grandparents. Have a wonderful day and take time to smell the roses. Peace Out!!

Day Eleven: Make a Prompt Personal

Posted on by Gertie

It is day eleven of blogging 101 and the start of the last week. It makes me a little sad to know that blogging 101 is going to be ending at the end of the week. I have learned so much from this course.

Since, I am learning so much from this course it is time to do my assignment. Today’s assignment is to personalize prompts such as the daily prompts. Since, I have l already discovered the daily prompts and have personalized them into my own post, I would like to tell you that they are a great source to help you when you have blogger’s (writer’s) block. Heck, they are wonderful even if you don’t have blogger’s block.

I should get going and sight see a little bit here in Portland, Oregon while, Junior and myself have a long lay over at the train station. Have a wonderful day. Enjoy your work week. Peace out!!!