Monthly Archives: June 2020

Frustration With Depression

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Right now I am frustrated. I am frustrated with depression symptoms creeping in especially since I have had a relatively okay type of day. I am grateful for the things that I have done today.

The things that have been helping a great deal are my cat, Billie Dean. Billie has been quite “helpful” with helping me color meaning that he happily lays down on the picture I am trying to color. I kind of find it funny that he does this as he is just trying to help me deal with the emotions I am dealing with. I love the fact the Billie is doing what he is suppose to do as my Emotional Support Animal (ESA).

As I colored today, with the help of Billie, I also listened to a podcast about philosophy. The specific philosophy I am listening to is Philosophize This. I really enjoy this podcast and am trying to get to the most recent airing of the podcast but I know it will take me a while to do that but I am okay with that. I love to learn new things and feel like I am learning new things as I listen to Philosophize This. I will encourage anyone to listen to this particular podcast.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I just want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has great night head of them. I also hope that you have a great night of sleep if you are not working. If you are working I hope you have a great night at work. Peace Out, World!!!

June Gloom = A Blah Type of Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! It is a typical Seattle June Gloom type of day. With the June Gloom day and how I am feeling, it is a blah type of day. It is a type of day where I need to be aware of how I am doing as days like this can easily turn into days where my depression acts up. I do think that days like today are needed from time to time. Sometimes days like today are meant to be lazy type of days.

Earlier today, I had a phone session with my psychiatric nurse practitioner (ANRP) and we discuss things that have been going on in my life and meds. My psychiatric nurse practitioner is a sweet woman and am greatly appreciative of her and how she listens. She increase the dosing of my sleep med in hopes of helping me sleep. I also now see her every six week instead of every four weeks which means she thinks I am doing better and I agree with her assessment.

After my appointment I went to pick up my meds from the pharmacy. I had a great conversation with the pharmacist who is awesome and on top of their game. After getting my meds, I went to the Amazon locker where my package was delivered to, to pick it up. Getting out of the apartment to do these two errands helped my mood a great deal.

Since getting home from my two errands, I have been doing some art work while listening to a podcast about philosophy. Specifically, I am coloring as I listen to the podcast, Philosophize This. Coloring and listening to Philosophize This has been quite relaxing for me. Of course, my cat, Billie Dean has been “helping” me with my coloring and he appears to be enjoying listening to Philosophize This. Spending time with my cat, Billie while doing things I enjoy is a great way to spend my day.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you do read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great rest of their Tuesday. I also hope everyone has a great rest of their week with whatever you are doing. Peace Out, World!!!

Photography: Developing Your Eye I; Day Ten: Architecture

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Today is the last day of the free photography course I am taking through WordPress which makes me sad. With that being said, today’s topic for the photography course is architecture. When I was on one of my walks through Cowen Park, I noticed a playground toy I hadn’t seen in years. A toy that has been deemed dangerous by some but was and is quite fun. It is that of a you push and jump on merry-go-round or at least that is what I call it. I loved these things as a kid. Seeing this made my heart happy as you don’t see many of them on playgrounds any more and they use to be one of the most common playground equipment around or at least it appeared that way to me. This piece of architecture makes me both happy and sad. It make me happy because it brings back good childhood memories. It makes me sad because they are not around too much now a days and I feel like kids today are missing out.

Green & Yellow playground merry-go-round that you push and jump on.

Photography: Developing Your Eye I; Day Nine: Pop of Color

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Today’s topic for the photography course I am taking for free through WordPress is “Pop of color.” When I saw the topic I immediately thought of this picture I took last summer. Took it last summer as I walked through the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle before going to an art class I was taking at the time. Every time I see this picture it makes me smile.

A pink flower with bright green in the center.

Photography: Developing Your Eye I; Day Eight: Treasure

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Today’s assignment for the photograph course I am taking through WordPress is “treasure.” Treasure means something different to everyone. For me most of, if not all of my treasure is of sentimental value to me. The picture I chose was one I had already shared with you all few years ago. It is of my teddy bear. A teddy bear that I have had since the day of my birth. My teddy bear is 41 years old just like I am. My teddy bear’s name is Ted or Teddy and has been my constant friend and support throughout my life. In fact he has been the one I have turned to when things have gotten tough. When my last cat, Lil Gertie crossed over the rainbow bridge, I turned to my constant friend, my teddy bear, Ted, and cried. Yes, I know he looks like a rat but he has seen better days. I love my teddy bear and plan on having him till the day I die and hopefully that isn’t for a very long time.

My teddy bear I have had since birth. He is 41 years old. I know he looks like a rat but he has seen better days.

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Get off work
  • Spend time with my cat Billie Dean
  • Take a nap
  • Work on a workbook or two
  • Do mindfulness or meditation practice
  • Do art work. (Most likely coloring)

Monday

  • Do mindfulness or meditation practice
  • Walk through local parks
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Work on a workbook or two
  • Do laundry
  • Do some form of art work (Most likely coloring)

Tuesday

  • Do a mindfulness or meditation practice
  • Phone session with my Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner for a med review
  • Get my meds
  • Clean my apartment
  • Do a workbook or two
  • Do some coloring as I am coloring something for my therapist

Wednesday

  • Do a mindfulness or meditation practice
  • Have an in person appointment with my therapist
  • Do some coloring as I am coloring something for my therapist.
  • Work on a workbook or two

Thursday

  • Do a mindfulness or meditation practice
  • Clean my apartment
  • Do some coloring as I am coloring stuff for people
  • Work on a workbook or two

Friday

  • Do a mindfulness or meditation practice
  • Do some coloring
  • Work on a workbook or two.

Saturday

  • Sleep all day
  • Work all night

Photography: Developing Your Eye I; Day Seven: Big

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Today’s topic for the photography course I am taking through WordPress is “big.” For today’s topic I decided I would share with you my cat, Billie Dean with his big green eyes. Billie’s green eyes are one of the reasons I fell in love with him. I love my cat so very much.

My cat, Billie Dean and his big green eyes.

Photography: Developing Your Eye I; Day Six: Solitude

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Today’s topic for the photography course I am taking through WordPress is “solitude.” While on one of my many walks though the trails of Cowen and Ravenna Parks, I saw this mama owl in what appears to be solitude. She is observing her three babies that are in another tree but I like to think as I was taking time of solitude she was doing the same thing. Spending time walking through the trails of Cowen and Ravenna Parks have been in solitude and quite helpful for me. The picture below is of the mama owl in solitude. For those who are sight impaired there are captions and hope you are able to read them as they are apart of the picture.

A lone owl in a tree. This owl is actually observing her three babies in another tree.

Photography: Developing Your Eye I; Day Five: Connect

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Today’s topic for my photography course through WordPress is “connect.” For me the word “connect” means many things. In this case, I have decided to post a picture of trails connecting in two parks here in Seattle. You can see wooded walk way over a brook and if you look a little further you can see some steps. This is just one of the many trails connecting to one another which connect Cowen and Ravenna Parks together. I have loved rediscovering the trails that connect Cowen and Ravenna Parks. For those who are sight impaired I included a caption with the picture. I just hope you are able to read it as it is apart of the picture. WordPress gives you that option.

A wood board walk over a brook that leads to steps to connect to another trail.

Photography: Developing Your Eye I; Day Four: Bliss

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Today’s topic is bliss. For me attending baseball games is bliss. It brings back positive childhood memories. I, sadly don’t live in the area of my favorite team, The Angels but I still get to see them play when they come to Seattle when they play against the Mariners. I feel like a little kid when I attend a baseball game and enjoy being surrounded by fellow baseball fans. I miss baseball. For those who are sight impaired I have added a caption to the picture and hope that you are able to read it because WordPress gives you the option to add it to the photo.

The Angels playing the Mariners at Safeco Field now known as T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington. Not sure if you could tell but that Angels are at bat.