Monthly Archives: July 2021

Feeling Better Regarding Depression

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Right now my depression is slightly getting better. I owe it to self-care. Self-Care that is much needed for everyone even if you don’t have a mental health challenge. Self-care can be challenging for anyone especially when depression symptoms are acting up.

The first thing I did was do some mindfulness meditation practices. I am finding that starting off my day with some mindfulness and/or meditation practices that my day starts on a more positive note. I am also finding that if I schedule mindfulness and/or meditation practices throughout the day it helps me refocus on what needs to be done.

After doing some mindfulness meditation practice I took a shower. A much needed shower because I had not taken a shower since Monday. For me when basic hygiene like showering isn’t happening means I need to be extra aware of what is going on especially in regards to depression symptoms increasing and acting up.

When I was done showering and got I dressed I called my grandpa. I asked him if he would like to spend time with me. He said yes and he came to pick me up to hang out. We went out to breakfast. In fact I am surprised he let me pay for his meal. We ate at IHOP and had a great time.

Spending time with my grandpa helped my depression a great deal. When I got home I turned on the television to watch the Olympics. The moment I sat down, my cat, Billie Dean, quickly laid down on my lap. So my cat Billie and I watched the Olympics for about three hours. It was nice having Billie the Kat on my lap as I watched the Olympics.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I am happy I am taking care of myself to decrease the depression symptoms. I also want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you my reader read my blog. If it wasn’t for your readership, I wouldn’t be blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my hear for reading my blog. I hope you all have a wonderful evening. Peace Out, World!!!

Dealing With Uncomfortable Emotions

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Right now I am dealing with some uncomfortable emotions. Emotions most people, including myself, don’t want to deal with. I am dealing with anger, anxiety and depression which sucks but at least I know how to deal with these unwanted emotions. They may not go away as quickly as I would like but at least I know how to deal with these undesired emotions.

I have pretty much been doing some form of mindfulness and/or meditation practice most of today. I started out the day like I normally do by doing a mindfulness meditation from the Calm App which is quite helpful for me. Other ways I have been practicing mindfulness and meditation is by reading magazines that focus on mindfulness and/or meditation. I have also been journaling about what I am learning regarding mindfulness and meditation. Something else I have been doing is working on a workbook that’s main focus is mindfulness.

Something that I have realized through all this mindfulness and mediation practice is how much my cat, Billie Dean, helps me with mindfulness. In fact I realized this the first day I brought him home when I adopted him. Billie has many ways and behaviors he does to help me with realizing I need to slow down and be in the current moment. Billie has been quite helpful to me with this.

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 read my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader, I wouldn’t be continuing to blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great evening ahead of you. Peace Out, World!!!

Lack of Sleep = Self Care Time with Billie the Kat plus Mindfulness & Meditation

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It’s before the butt crack of dawn in Seattle and I am wide awake for some reason. I suspect my cat, Billie Dean woke me before a major PTSD moment while asleep. He does this a lot and I am learning to wake myself up because of what my cat Billie does. So, I guess I am learning new skill due to my beloved cat, Billie. I love my cat so much and am grateful that he is in my life.

Now it is on to some self care time with mindfulness and meditation. First and fore most Billie is a great way to start mindfulness with after a PTSD moment. Then it is to do a ten minute app from the Calm App to help ground myself even more so I can focus on reading one of the magazines focused on mindfulness and meditation with some journaling . In fact a fellow Peer Specialist/Counseling informed me of the Calm App. I was hesitant at first and now I swear by it as it is so helpful for me. So, from the looks of it, I will be starting my day at the butt crack of dawn doing mindfulness and meditation by ways of my cat, the Calm App and some mindfulness and meditation magazines with journaling involved.

I don’t have much more to say except 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 especially at the butt crack of dawn. Or at least it is the butt crack of dawn here in Seattle. I know it is Tuesday and I hope everyone’s work week goes well. Please take a moment to do a mindfulness exercise even if it is only for thirty seconds. Peace Out, World!!!

Restarting to Read Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is midnight in my corner of the world which is Seattle, Washington. I am at a loss of what to do as I need to keep myself occupied. I have decided to start reading the book “Ship of Magic” by Robin Hobb. Every time I pick it up start getting into it a major life event happens. I will not let another life event get in the way of reading “Ship of Magic.”

Robin Hobb is a local author the lives in the Seattle/Tacoma areas. I met her twice while she was signing books. She appears to be a very down to earth type of person who doesn’t let their celebrity get in the way. She is a very sweet person.

Anyway, I am going to end this particular blog post so I can get back to reading. I 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. Peace Out, World!!!

Olympics 2020 + A Global Pandemic = A Year Late

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! The Olympics have finally started despite concerns of Covid-19 and it’s many variants. As much as I am grateful that the summer Olympics are going on even a year late, I worry about the health of the athletes. The last think I want is any of them getting sick especially from Covid-19. I love watching the Olympics and have been watching them since I was a child.

One of my favorite sports to watch in the Olympics is the track and field events. I don’t know why it’s been one of my favorite sports to following even when it hasn’t been an Olympic year but it is. Another one of my favorite Olympic sports is new this year and it is skateboarding. I skateboarded a lot when I was a kid and teenager. I was never any good at it but I am happy to see it is finally in the Olympics.

I don’t have much more to say except I am looking forward to watching the Olympics on the television. The Olympics seem to bring the world together in a way other things do not. There is a sense of peace when the Olympics are going on even during a pandemic.

I do not have much more to say in this post. I just hope the best team wins. Thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated that you read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

No Jury Duty + Paid Time Off = Unexpected Staycation

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I found out that I am not selected for jury duty. Little did I know that it is common practice at my work that you get a paid week off for jury duty when you are not selected to serve on a jury. If you are selected then you get paid at least the one week plus the amount you serve if you get selected to serve on a jury that last longer than a week. My work encourages its employees to serve on a jury. I wish I was selected for a jury but I am grateful at the same time as I get paid to do nothing.

Well, I don’t get paid to do nothing. I am just getting paid to what I need to do around my home. So, basically I am going be cleaning my apartment which is something that desperately needs to happen. It also means I can spend some more quality time with my cat, Billie Dean. I know Billie, will appreciate the extra attention that I can give him since I won’t be working.

As I was thinking about what to do with my paid time off due to not having jury duty, I am thinking about ways to keep blogging on the regular basis. I know I have said in the past that doing a Weekly Plans post as well as a Weekly Check-In post will be of help to keep you my reader more engaged. Engaged in a way that won’t bore you or at least that is my hope.

Another thing I will be doing this week is to focus on mindfulness and meditation practices. A way of doing so is reading up on mindfulness and meditation in magazines that focus on such things that I bought at a local drug store. Some of the magazines include journaling exercises to help with being mindful as well as meditation. I have found that mindfulness and meditation has been quite helpful with my recovery from the symptoms of my mental health challenges.

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, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Without you my reader, I wouldn’t be blogging. Peace Out, World!!!

The Waiting Game of Jury Duty

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am officially not working today as I have been summoned to jury duty. Jury duty will be done remotely due to Covid-19 restrictions even though in most cases restrictions are being lifted. I am guessing that they haven’t lifted jury duty being lifted is to keep everyone safe as there are different variants going around.

Despite the different variants going around and jury duty being done remotely, I hope I don’t get selected. I hope I don’t get selected. I hope I don’t get selected because that means I get an entire week off with pay. Don’t get me wrong I love job, I just some time off. I need some time off because my depression is acting up.

My depression is acting up for some unknown reasons. Even though I know work would help with my depression, I feel like having time off would be of some help. I think time off would be of help because I would be able spend time with my cat Billie Dean. Spending uninterrupted time with Billie is always a good thing especially when it comes to my depression.

Mindfulness and meditation also helps my depression. Doing a daily routine of mindfulness and meditation actually helps with my depression as well as my PTSD. Even though some days are more challenging than other days at least I know the mindfulness and meditation practices help.

I don’t have much more to say in this particular post except that I am currently playing the waiting game regarding jury duty. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope you all have a great work week ahead. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans (Late Post)

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City (didn’t attend due to family emergency)
  • Read

Monday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury Duty (and my work still pays me to go. I love my new job)
  • Read
  • Go for a walk around the neighborhood with Billie the Kat on leash and harness

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury Duty
  • Read
  • Dinner with grandpa

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury duty
  • Read
  • Go for a walk around the neighborhood with Billie the Kat on leash and harness

Thursday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury duty
  • Read
  • Dinner with grandpa

Friday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury duty
  • Read
  • God for a walk around the neighborhood with Billie the Kat on leash and harness

Saturday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Clean apartment
  • Lunch with grandpa and dad
  • Read

Still No Sleep In Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

It is now 12:29 in the afternoon here in Seattle. I still have not been to sleep and I am cranky as fucking hell. I’ve been ready some magazines about mindfulness and meditation that seems to be helping. They seem to be helping because that have some journaling accepts to them which is pretty cool. I am also reading a magazine specifically geared to be more creative and want to be more creative.

That sad part of all this is since I am lacking sleeping my comprehension skills suck shit right now. I think I am going to call this a post and end it for now now. I hope everyone has a great weekend ahead of them. Peace Out, World!!!

A Sleepless Kind of Night in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World from Seattle, Washington. I have yet been to sleep and it is 6:12 in the blasted morning here in Seattle. I am proud to say that the lack of sleep helped me be productive in ways I have been so the last few times Mr. Sandman has not exactly stopped at my home.

I started reading a book and read six chapters in it. It is quite an interesting book. I then picked up another book a read four chapters in that book. My dilemma is now what book I am going to focus on reading. Both books are quite interesting. I know there a bigger problems in the world that figuring out what book to read like being able to get to sleep.

I decided to do some art work. Specifically, I did some coloring that was not even a quarter done when I started coloring it tonight. Well, I can officially say that it is one hundred percent done and it only took me three and a half hours to finish. You would think that would have helped me get to sleep but sadly it did not.

So, I did decided to read some magazines about both mindfulness and meditation that included journaling. I found this extremely helpful to me. As it appeared to be the second best thing to help me relax. The first thing that of course helped me relax and that is finally making me tired is my cat, Billie Dean. I love my cat Billie so much. Life would not be the same with out him.

I don’t have much more to say in this post except thank you for reading my blog. I really appreciated that you read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my hear for reading my blog. Have a great Saturday day ahead of you. Peace Out, World!!!