Monthly Archives: August 2018

What A Week?

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It has been a few days since I have blogged. I had every intention to blog more this week however I was both busy and exhausted. I was busy with the peer conference I both attended and volunteered and that is what caused me to be exhausted.

I had a really great time at the conference. I loved being able to attend the seminars while at the same time serve my fellow peer specialist/counselor. My primary duty as a volunteer was to hand out and collect the evaluations of the seminars I attended and I was able to attend the ones I wanted to. It was also awesome to see friends I haven’t seen in awhile due to having busy lives.

I was suppose to have a job interview today however they needed to change it to next week and I am just waiting for them to let me know when. That was for the peer job. As for the other job I was trying to get an interview for, the interview has finally been scheduled for Tuesday. That is for a Shelter Counselor position at homeless shelter for young adults. Whatever job I get is the job I am meant to have at the moment.

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a good weekend. Peace Out, World!!!

An Early Start To The Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I know I have posted earlier than this before however I really never needed be up and ready by now unless it was when I was working. I am at the conference I have been telling you all about. The one I am volunteering at. I got to the hotel yesterday.

Well, I am looking forward to what the day has to in store even if things appear to be a bit more disorganized than last year. I have a volunteer meeting I need to be at, at seven. That’s about thirty minutes way. I am having anxiety over some things but that is normal for this kind of thing especially when things appear to be disorganized from my end of things.

I know this is relatively short post from me as of lately however I need to do good self care before the morning volunteer meeting. Thank you so much from my end of things for reading my blog. It is very much appreciated from my end of things. I hope to update you when time allows for me to do so. I have a full day ahead of me so I might now be able to do so till this evening. Peace Out, World!!!

Monday Morning Madness

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! As always there is always some madness to Monday mornings. Not sure why there always seems to be some morning madness to Mondays but there is. Today’s Monday morning madness it brought to you by last minute shit that needs to be done before I head to conference later on today.

For instance, I have some last minute packing I need to do. Stuff like my laptop other such stuff. For the most part I am mostly packed. I highly dislike packing which is why I do as much as I can as early as I can. I pack early because I am always fearful I might forget something.

As I pack the last of what need to, I am also getting ready for the day and other stuff I need to do. For example, I have therapy today. I have to emotionally prepare myself for therapy as it is hard and difficult work. Another thing I need to do I get wet (canned) cat food for my cat so my cat sitters can give Lil Gertie, my cat, a special treat while I will at the conference. Another last minute thing I have to do is get my meds. I most definitely need to get my meds or I won’t be able to function very well.

Well, I need to get going and get ready for a long day ahead. Thank you so much for reading my blog. I hope you have a great Monday. Have a great week ahead. Peace Out, World!!!

Ways To Get Through The Grief Today

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, once again, World!!! I know this is my third time blogging this morning but I am having a tough moment with grief at the moment. So I want to discuss what I plan on doing today to help through the grief of missing my grandma.

First and fore most I am relying on the support of Lil Gertie, my cat. She has her moments of being a cat and not want anything to do with me or any other human. Just having her around is helpful for me. She has be cuddly with me this morning which is most helpful with dealing with grief.

Another way I am going to deal with the grief is going to go to a local peer run organization to volunteer. I volunteer by helping co-facilitate a peer support group. Due to confidentiality I can’t go into more detail about it. But I enjoy being able to volunteer by co-facilitate a peer run group.

Another thing I am doing today is spending time with my family. We are celebrating my grandpa’s birthday today even though it was this past Thursday (August 23rd). Celebrating my grandpa’s birthday is going to be a good thing. Yes, a little difficult as it is his first birthday without my grandma but my dad, two uncles and I will do our best to make it a good one for him.

When I get home from spending time with my family, I plan on packing. Packing for a peer conference I will be volunteering at. The conference may not start till Tuesday but I need to be at the hotel tomorrow afternoon to help do last minute set up as I am volunteering for the conference. So I will be doing a lot of packing. Yes, I will be able to attend the sessions of the conference as I volunteer and that is the beauty of it. I just hope I don’t forget anything when I am packing for the conference.

Thank you for reading. Have a great Sunday. I hope to be able to blog again later today but I can’t make any promises. Have a great day. Peace Out, World!!!

A Post In Respect to Senator McCain and My Grandma

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! As I type here at my laptop, I watching the Sunday morning news. The main topic of the morning news is about the death of Senator John McCain. The news is doing a great job in honoring Senator John McCain.

As the country mourns the death of an amazing man, John McCain, my heart goes out to his family. My heart goes out to his family because my family and I are still mourning the death of my grandma. Yes, my grandma’s death was on Valentines Day of this year (2018) which was six and half months ago and Senator McCain’s death was only yesterday. My heart goes out to the family of Senator McCain because I truly understand the pain they must be going through. Yes, the deaths of my grandma and Senator McCain were due to two different diseases but still as difficult deal with.  My grandma passed away due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease while Senator McCain passed away due to Brain Cancer. Both the diseases my grandma and Senator McCain may have be completely different but both affected the brain. So that is why my heart goes out a little more to his family because I understand to an extent of what his family is going through.

As I watch the news about Senator McCain, I can’t help but be hit my grief to not just his death but the death of my grandma. As many of you know, I have been hit hard by a wave of grief of my grandma’s death within the last week even though her death was six and half months ago.

So, as I end this post I want to honor both Senator John McCain and my grandma. I may not be a conservative like Senator McCain, I admire his work as a war hero and politician. So, please take the time out today to honor Senator McCain and the loved ones you have lost just like I am going to do. Thank you for reading my blog. Please, if comment on this post, be respectful. I am honoring my grandma and Senator McCain. Have a great day. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Blog
  • Co-Facilitate Group (A volunteer gig I have)
  • Spend time with family

Monday

  • Blog
  • Therapy
  • Head to Hotel for conference
  • Help set up last minute stuff for peer conference
  • Spend time with friends (who are fellow peer specialist/counselors)

Tuesday

  • Blog
  • Attend and Volunteer at Peer Conference
  • Spend time with friends (who are fellow peer specialist/counselors)

Wednsday

  • Blog
  • Attend and volunteer at peer conference
  • Head home after conference is over
  • Spend time with cat when I get home from the conference

Thursday

  • Blog
  • Go to doctor’s appointment
  • General lazy day
  • Spend time with cat, Lil Gertie

Friday

  • Blog
  • Job interview
  • Spend time with family

Saturday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Spend time with friends
  • Volunteer at the Warm Line

 

Noon Time Randomness

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I just woke up from a late morning nap and is now twelve noon. I decided to take a nap after reading the news paper and a good cry over my grandma. I still miss my grandma and I don’t think that will ever go away.

I also had a good cry over what was in the newspaper this morning. Actually it has been all over the news on television as well. The good cry I had was about how there is a cat killer in Washington’s capital city of Olympia. Sadly, eleven cats have been killed in Olympia. Olympia is about sixty miles southwest of Seattle. As a cat owner this angers me. What kind of sick individual kills harmless animals especially cute cuddly cats that love with all their heart.

Now onto a totally different subject, the weather. Seattle weather is much more cooler. But unfortunately the cooler weather isn’t helping the air quality of the region due to the wild fires. The poor air quality is effecting my asthma greatly.

I don’t have much to say in the post either. Sorry for such short post as of lately. Thank you so much for reading my blog. It is much appreciated. Peace Out, World!!!

The Wave of Grief Strikes Again

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! As I sit here at my laptop, I have tears rolling down my face. Tears rolling down my face because I really miss my grandma and wish she was still here on Earth. I know it has only been six and a half since she died but I wish the pain wasn’t so difficult to deal with.

As difficult as it is for me to deal with my grandma’s death six and a half months ago, I am sure it is that much more difficult for my grandpa. My grandparents knew each other for over seventy years and married for sixty two and a half years. As hard as my pain is with missing my grandma, I am sure it is that much more difficult for my grandpa. It is hard to see him break down when he cries about my grandma. Now that is difficult to see when an eighty eight year old Navy man cry over the loss of their spouse.

As much as I miss my grandma, I am happy that I have my cat, Lil Gertie, to help me through moments of grief. Another thing that I have found helpful with dealing with my grief is journaling. My cat and journaling have been life savers the last week or two in regards to dealing with grief.

Thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated. I do apologize that it is a depressing to read a post about grief first thing in the morning. Again thank you for reading. Have a great weekend. Peace Out, World!!!

Feeling Blah & Other Randomness

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!! Right now I am feeling a little blah which is a sign of my depression acting up a little bit. So, I went over my grandpa’s place and had dinner which was quite helpful for me. We had breakfast for dinner which was yummy. We had biscuits and gravy for dinner.

Now that I am home, I am spending time with Lil Gertie, my cat, who seems to be extra cuddly at the moment. She is also purring up a storm. Poor little thing has coughed up two fur balls in the last two days. So I am going to take her to the vet if it happens again.

My asthma has been acting up quite a bit lately due to the wildfires around the state. Yes, Seattle is getting plenty of the smoke from the wild fires. It sucks for folks like me who have breathing problems such as asthma. The air quality right now sucks shit for Seattle. Hell, it would even suck shit for Los Angeles. As much as I don’t want it to rain because I am not a big fan of rain, I want it to rain so it can help with the wild fires and clean the air to have better air quality.

I don’t have much to say as I am tired and hopefully will be able to sleep tonight. Sleep didn’t come very well to many people in my building last night but thankfully the problem person is getting the help that they desperately need.

I am looking forward to tomorrow and Sunday due to my volunteer jobs so at least I have something to keep me busy as I start getting excited about the peer conference I am attending next week.

I should get going. I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of their Friday. I also hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Thank you so much for reading. It is much appreciated from my end. Peace Out, World!!!

More Randomness About The Same Ole Shit

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, again, World!!! I am so excited for the conference next week that I created a painting expressing how I feel about attending the conference. Painting is not just for me to express my negative emotions but to express the positive emotions as well. I am thinking about taking the painting to the conference to share with people. Art is so helpful for me to express my emotions.

Even though I don’t check into the hotel to three in the afternoon on Monday, I have started packing. Which reminds me I have to get my refills for my meds on Monday before I leave for the conference. I already know what to pack but making sure I get my meds are the major thing I can’t forget to pack as I have refill to pick up on Monday.

I am also getting excited about my job interview for next Friday, August 31st for a peer specialist position. Yes, the commute will not be fun as it is about an hour each way on the bus. But on the bright side if I get the job, I will be traveling the opposite direction of the main part of the traffic nightmare since everyone tends to go toward Seattle while I’ll be going the opposite direction of most everyone else. I am not saying there won’t be traffic the direction I am going in, its just the traffic going into Seattle is worse. Look, I am getting ahead of myself as if I already got the job but I don’t know if I even got the job because I haven’t had the interview yet.

Thank you for reading!!! It is really appreciative from my end of things. Like I said in my last post, I hope to blog about the conference during my free time at the conference. I hope everyone has a great Friday. Peace Out, World.