Monthly Archives: February 2018

Tuesday Night Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It is eleven thirty at night in my neck of the woods and it appears it could be a sleepless night for me. I’m not sure way I get that feeling but I do.

I think once I am done writing this post, I am going to work on one of my workbooks. I am going to work on The Queer & Transgender Resilience Workbook as I have been finding quite helpful for my recovery and gender identity. Being able to acknowledge my gender identity without shame is awesome. I am proud to be a gender non-conforming, non-binary, pansexual individual.

Being able to do workbooks is quite helpful for me and my recovery. I look at doing workbooks as part of the many things I do to be in recovery. Kind of like taking meds and going to therapy is apart of my recovery.

Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

PTSD Can Phucking Go To Hell

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! My PTSD is acting up because of the assault that happened last night. I was able to talk to Gilbert earlier about what happened and we came up with a safety as a preventative measure. A preventative measure as just in case I get self harm urges at some point today.

One of the things we came up with was music. I can play my flute or harmonica if it’s before ten o’clock at night. I can also listen to music. As I mentioned before when words fail music speaks and I find this to be true.

Another thing I can do is art. Art has become a very helpful (and healthy) skill to have for me. Art is a way for me to express my emotions in a positive way.

The last thing we came up with was reading as it helps me get out of my head. Gilbert and I discussed reading my book as well as Wonder Woman comic books. We discussed superhero’s and how they relate to recovery.

Thank you for reading. It is appreciated. Peace Out, World!!

Everyday Inspiration; Day 9: Writing & Not Writing

Posted on by Gertie

Today’sĀ  assignment is to discuss what I do when I am not writing. This easy for me to write about as the things I do outside of blogging is a form of self care for me.

I tend to be a strong advocate in my community. Not just the mental health community or the Peer community but the LGBTQ+ community. Being able to advocate in the communities I identify with helps be in the long wrong to be able to advocate for other communities that I don’t identify with but an ally.

I also volunteer at the Warm Line in my area. Which is something I have been doing for three and a half years now. Something I also love to do. I love to be able to be of support to those who may not have the support that I have.

Something, I do to help myself are self-help workbooks. I am currently doing two work books. One is one my gender identity and sexual orientation while the other is on mindfulness and meditation.

Reading is another thing I do besides reading. I love to read. My favorite genre’s are science fiction, fantasy and mystery. I also love to read text books. Yes, I know it sounds strange but its something I enjoy.

Another thing I enjoy besides reading is to do art. I love to paint, color and collage. Writing helps me process my emotions and feelings while are helps me express them.

Another way I express my emotions is by playing the flute or harmonica. Where words fail music speaks. I also love listening to music and have a ton of play list on Spotify.

Thank you for reading. Have a great day everyone. Peace Out, World!!!

 

Blogging + Wonder Woman = A Life Worth Living

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! So far today hasn’t been the easiest of days for me due to the assault I experienced yesterday evening. I am attempting to use my DBT Skills. One skill I am using right this moment is blogging. Another skill I have been using is reading. I have been reading Wonder Woman comic books.

For me both blogging and reading Wonder Woman comics for me is just two of many things in my life that make my life worth living. A life worth living looks differently to each individual. For me its blogging, Wonder Woman and many other things.

I want to thank you for reading. I am going to go and read more Wonder Woman. Peace Out, World!!!

Tuesday Morning Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! The last six days has not been the easiest for me. First my grandma died and then last night a neighbor was being a jerk and physically attacked me. I naturally called the police and filed a police report as well as went to the hospital. Good thingĀ is that I have now broken bones. Bad news is that my face is swollen and I have bruising on my arms and back.

The doctor gave me some strong pain meds. He and I discussed ways to reduce my pain without meds as I only asked him to prescribe only three. I informed him that I do daily mindfulness and meditation practice twice a day and that I tend to do extra practices when I am in pain and/or have high anxiety. The doctor was impressed that I have non-medicine ways to deal with pain.

As expected and not surprising my PTSD is acting up. It is acting up severely and is an opportunity to use my mindfulness skills. Skill that have been quite helpful forĀ me.

Thank you for reading. It isĀ much appreciated.Ā Peace Out, World!!!

Typical Monday

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!!Ā I don’t have much to say except I didn’t go to knitting group and art group was cancelled however I did see Gilbert today. We discussed a number of things. We mainly discussed recovery and what it looks like to me. We also talked about societal norms and expectations and how they are both beneficial and a hindranceĀ to my recovery process.

After therapy I came home took a nap and then made dinner. Well, I am making dinner right now. It’s in the oven and waiting for it to finish cooking. I am hungry and am looking forward to my dinner being done cooking so I can eat it.

Thank youĀ for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

 

Everyday Inspiration; Day 8: Letter Format

Posted on by Gertie

Dear Abuser,

Normally this where I tell you hi and ask how you are doing however you don’t deserve that type of greeting. This the point in the greeting I tell you how I am doing. I’m angry.

Angry with the fact of the shit I had to endure at your hands and the hands of others. Others that had paid you for me. I am a person, not a commodity. Humans are not merchandise. We are to be respected and not sold.

I was only nine when you raped me for the first time. You ruined my childhood. Do you realize the shit I deal with on the daily basis because of you. The shit you did to me interferes with my sleep, eating, love life and other daily stuff people take for granted. You took that away from me.

You are an asshole and you don’t even deserve this acknowledgement.

Gertie

Monday Morning Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Brrr, its cold outside. I finally got some sleep last night. Much needed sleep. I am grateful for the sleep I got last night.

I started this morning out with reading the news paper and drinking some tea. Nothing really happy in the news except the Olympics and the Funnies.Ā Another good thing in the news is Baseball. Spring training is going be starting soon. Another good news story is that a local urban loop trail reopens and I am so looking forward to the reopening.

It is a wee bit chilly here in Seattle. It is currently 28 degrees Fahrenheit. For Seattle that is really cold. I am not a big fan of the cold but at least it is sunny outside.

Thank you for reading. I hope to blog more later on today. Peace Out, World!!

 

Table For Two

Posted on by Gertie

Craft a story or scene about two peopleā€”or other nonhuman characters, if you preferā€”from very different backgrounds sharing a meal together. What do they learn about each other that they werenā€™t expecting?

This is an easy one for me as Junior and I come from two completely different backgrounds. Junior is a well off Mexican American while I amĀ an IrishĀ American who is not all that well off. He is well over six feet tall and I am just barely over five feet tall. Junior is a successful firefighter while I am an unemployed Peer Specialist dealing with their mental health conditions.

Junior and I maybe completely different from each other especially when it comes to how we were raised yet we have a lot in common. We both play musical instruments. He plays the bag pipes, drums and trumpet while I play the flute and teaching myself the harmonica.Ā We both are in the “helping” professions. We both have a sense of humor. Humor that gets us through rough patches as individuals and as a couple.

I think what Junior and I learned about each other is something that we weren’t expecting but not a surprise was our desire to advocate for those who do not have a voice. Especially those who don’t have a voice in the communities we most identify with. Another thing we were both surprised about is the love of sports we have.

Thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

 

Tough Moment

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I am having a tough moment. A moment that has been due to PTSD and Anxiety with some Depression. A moment that Junior is helping me through. A moment that mindfulness and meditation practice has helped me.

As I have a tough moment I realize that as rough it is right now, I am doing better than I was doing early in January. I think I am doing better than I was because I don’t want to go back to where I was when I first made a decision to be in active recovery. I want to be where I was when I was doing well and working fulltime as a Peer Support Specialist.

Thank you for reading as I think its time to settle in for the night. Have a goodnight and don’t let the bedbugs bite. Peace Out, World!!!.