Monthly Archives: February 2023

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Start learning to latch hook crafting project
  • Read as I cuddle with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Learn to do latch hook crafting project
  • Read as I cuddle with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Learn to do latch hook crafting project
  • Read as I cuddle with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Learn to do latch hook crafting project
  • Read as I cuddle with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Learn to do latch hook crafting project
  • Read as I cuddle with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Learn to do a latch hook crafting project
  • Read as I cuddle with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Spend time with my grandpa
  • Learn to do a latch hook crafting project
  • Read as I cuddle with my cat, Billie

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is officially that time of week where I do my weekly check in. This past week has been a pretty good week. My current work schedule changed and I now work Sunday through Thursday. I have mixed feelings about it but once I get used to it, I know it will work to not just my benefit but the benefit of the clients I serve. I really like my job. I am, however, wondering if I am doing a good job as well as if I am a good fit for the team I am on. I know I am being self conscious about how I do at work. My supervisor says it’s “imposter syndrome.”

I may not be sure if what my boss says about the imposter syndrome thing, I know that I am doing well overall in regards to my mental health challenges. I, saw my therapist on Tuesday. It went well. She also emailed my psychiatric nurse practitioner stating how well I am doing mental health wise.

Speaking of my psychiatric nurse practitioner, I saw her yesterday. She too thinks I am doing well. So well that if I continue doing as well as I am doing, she is going to reduce my antidepressant to a lower dose. A lower dose that will make it, the lowest that it could go that will work effectively. I am excited about this.

One of the things that has been helping with my mental health challenges is volunteering at PAWS Cat City. Due to my work schedule changing, the day, I volunteer changed as well. I now volunteer on Friday mornings. I miss volunteering on Sunday mornings but I will get use to Friday mornings.

In between, working, volunteering and attending appointments, I have been reading. I have been reading a book on tarot cards. I am wanting to learn how to read tarot cards so it can help me with my recovery. I also hope that one day I can help others with their recovery with learning how to read tarot cards. I am slowly learning about tarot cards and am finding it fascinating.

I do not have much more to say about my week. Peace Out, World!!!

Fascinating Reading & Time to Go to Bed

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is now officially Friday morning and it is just after two in the morning Seattle time. Since I am not sure if I informed you all, my schedule changed. I, now work Sunday through Thursday which is why I have had the luxury of staying up this late reading. Reading a book that is fascinating. Fascinating because it is on a subject that I think could help with my recovery as well am maybe helping others if I feel comfortable enough to do it if others would be willing and wanting me to help them is this particular way.

The subject that I am reading about is to help better understand how to do it and incorporate it into my life and hoping other people’s lives are learning to read tarot cards. I feel like what I have been learning thus far can help me in my own daily life to help what direction I would need to go for day to day life but my life being recovery with mental health challenges. I know it may not be a traditional way of going about one’s recovery but recovery is nonlinear. I haven’t slept at all so far tonight just because I have been fascinated by the book I have for beginners of those who want to learn about reading tarot cards. Since I’ve been mainly reading all night, I am realizing I am getting tired and ready to go to bed.

I may be ready for bed and plan to go to bed after I am done writing this particular blog post, I am beyond grateful to have my cat Billie on my lap the majority of the time as I read. His body heat helped keep me warmer even though my heat is on due that the weather in Seattle is absolutely freezing outside. According to a weather app on my phone it is currently twenty three degrees Fahrenheit (-5 Celsius) in my neighborhood of Seattle. With it being so cold I am beyond grateful for my cat, Billie’s body heat to help keep me warm when I turn off the heat as my cat, Billie sleeps under the blankets with me when I go to bed and sleep.

Well, I guess I am not going to end this particular blog post so I can go to bed and sleep since I am tired and full of new fascinating knowledge. Before ending 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 the reader continue to read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Therapy
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Appointment with psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness mediation practice with the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Clean apartment
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Weekly Check In

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! This past week has been an up and down week. It has been up and down due to the fact Valentines Day marked five years since my grandma passed away. I miss my grandma greatly. My grandma alongside my grandpa helped my dad raise me. I am grateful that my grandma guided me through life.

Work is going well. I had new employee training this past week and was bored but at least I met some other colleagues besides the ones that I directly work with on the team I am on. I really enjoy my new job and look forward to going to work everyday. In fact, my work schedule changed. I, will be working Sunday through Thursday. Most Sundays I will be working from home doing notes. Tomorrow, I will be going into the office to do some training on the computer and possibly going to one of the housing projects to check-in with a couple of clients.

On that note, I am grateful that I have my cat, Billie Dean who is helping during my down moments. I love Billie to the moon and back. I am happy he chose me three years ago and that I was able to adopt him.

Well, that is my weekly check-in. Peace Out World!!!

What Day is Today?….It’s Hump Day

Posted on by Gertie

As I stated in my last blog post I was having some high anxiety over money that the bank did. I learned it was mostly not my fault. The bank manager will be helping with setting a budget for my monthly bills. He really didn’t have to do this but he did. I will be doing monthly budgets within one month and then do a check in to see how things are going. The branch manager at the bank I go to is beyond awesome. So the money situation should be fixed for now.

On the plus side, I set up a veterinarian appointment for my precious cat, Billie Dean. I love Billie so very much. I love him to the moon and back. Billie doesn’t mind going just as long as there are treats for him. He also loves the extra love he gets from everyone. They treat him very well there and that makes me happy.

Something else that makes me happy is I got some art and crafty stuff from Amazon. I would really like to start them now but I really need to create a schedule so I can clean my apartment the way it needs to be not just for me but for my precious cat, Billie as well. I am planning on purging some things in my life and of course getting more creative stuff within reason of course.

Of course, I will be doing some workbooks for my own recovery so when I present a group on a certain workbook, I can let clients know that I did do the workbooks. I hope what I am planning on doing works well for me, my cat, my current home and my job.

I do not have much more to say. Thank you for reading my blog. I am grateful for you because you read my blog. Peace Out, World!!

Out of Work Today Due to Anxiety Acting Up

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Right now, I should be arriving at work especially since I need to be attending a new employee orientation where all new employees are required to take. Sadly, due to a mishap with my bank once again, I am having major panic attacks over it to where I needed to take my anxiety meds which is a controlled substance. My work frowns upon needing to take those types of meds when you are working as you need to be on full alert. I did let my supervisors know that I would not be in today. I just worry I will get fired because I’ve already missed three days counting today and I’ve only been with my new employee for just over a month now. I’m sure I have nothing to worry about at this moment in time with work or they would have informed me by now or I would hope they would have.

The thing I am most worried about is the money situation I am having with my bank. I thought it was taken care of and it was at one point in time. Now it is screwed up again. I did call the bank to see if I could get it fixed. They said it is now taken care of but I will still go to the bank I regularly go to, to make sure it is taken care of. Even though the nice banking people on the phone were helpful, I just want to make sure it is fully taken care of when I go into the bank. Messing with people’s money is no joke and I know my bank with help with the money situation as communication styles were challenging specifically on my end.

Of course the lack of sleep last night did not help much with my anxiety around my money in my bank account this morning. It was quite a shocker when the same banking issue arises again as you barely wake up from a not so good night of sleep. Having insomnia sucks and waking up to money issues that were supposed to be taken care of already suck.

Good thing I have my cat, Billie Dean by my side to help with my anxiety especially when I go to the bank. No Billie will not go to the bank with me. He will help me with decreasing my anxiety before I go to the bank. Hopefully, this will help with everything.

I do not have much more to discuss 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 the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Sleepless in Seattle Once Again

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am having a challenging time being able to sleep and it sucks shit. My grandma did five years ago and Valentines Day. Even though I never liked Valentines Day before my grandma passing away, her death just made me hate it even more. I just want one more hug from my grandpa however my cat Billie Dean gives me great hugs.

On to the hugs from my cat, Billie, he is helping with some art work. He is choosing what coloring book to color from and then the picture. So, I am hoping the picture I color that Billie chose comes out well.

On to a similar topic I ordered some crafty stuff. I ordered latch hook and cross stitching stuff to help ease my mind and do something with my hands. I figured I can learn new things like latch hook and cross stitching.

Something else I am learning is tarot cards. I am reading two books about tarot cards as well as the little bookletts in tarot boxes. I know I must sound nuts about learning tarot but if it can help with my recovery then I am all for it.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog post. I greatly appreciated it. I hope every has better sleep than I did. Peace Out, World!!!

Five Long Years Without My Grandma

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is Valentines Day and I have never been a fan of this holiday. The reason being is why do we need a special day to let those we love to say, I love you. I never quite comprehended why it is such a big deal.

Despite never liking Valentines Day, it is now especially more challenging for me. It is challenging for me because five years ago today my grandma passed away due to complications of Parkinson’s. She was like a mother to me as she and my grandpa helped my dad raise me. I miss her very much. I just want to call her up and tell her I love her.

On the plus side, my cat Billie Dean has been by my side since I came home from work. I love my cat, Billie to the moon and back. I know that he will give me the love I so desire as he is good at that.

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, the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Errands and household chores
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read or watch movies