Friday Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Happy Friday to all of you. Today, is going a day of learning and growing for me or at least that is what my plan is. Plans that include things I oddly enjoy doing.

First and fore most one of the things I am planning on doing today is listen to educational podcast. Specifically, a podcast on philosophy called Philosophize This. I have fallen in love with this podcast for many reasons. One reason is I am learning things that I never learned in school.

Another thing I am going to be doing today is to work on one of my workbooks. I am not sure which one yet or even if I am going to work on multiple workbooks. I do workbooks  to help myself with my recovery. In fact I think the workbooks have helped me improve my ability to be more self aware.

Later on today I am going to a workshop on the implantation of recovery services in the county I live in. I am looking forward to it and have been since I heard about it last week. One of the folks putting it on is a friend of mine. A friend of mine that will be buying me a “late lunch.” I am not only looking forward to this workshop because of seeing my friend and getting food but I am able to help implement recovery services or at least have a say in it.

Thanks for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Fun Fact Friday

Posted on by Gertie

FUN FACTS ABOUT SEATTLE

  •  Smith Tower, a 42-story building constructed in 1914, was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi. Now the top floors are condos.
  •  When the Space Needle was built in 1962 for the Seattle World’s Fair, it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
  • Mr. Carlson’s vision for the space-age tower was inspired by the Stuttgart Tower in Germany.
  • The Boeing Company, founded in the Seattle area by William Boeing, was originally a boat company. Mr. Boeing was fascinated with flying and airplanes.
  • The Klondike gold rush greatest boom period for Seattle after gold was discovered in Canada’s Klondike region in August 1896. Seattle established itself as the jumping-off point for transportation to and from Alaska and the gold fields of the Yukon.
  •  George Vancouver was the first European to visit Seattle in May 1792 during his 4-year-long expedition to chart the Pacific Northwest.
  • Seattle was first economic growth boom was built on the timber industry. Early arriving developers converted a forest of trees more than a 1000 years old and 400 feet high into logs, and then milled timber for shipping to San Francisco.
  • Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain. You can buy a unique mug (if you collect them) at the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market, first opened in 1971.
  • At 76 stories and 937 feet, the black-colored Columbia Center is Seattle’s tallest building and is 12th tallest building in the country. Locals nicknamed it the “Darth Vader” building.
  • Seattle is the birthplace of Jimi Hendrix while Bing Crosby was born in nearby Tacoma.
  • Seattle was the first city in the US to play a Beatles song on the radio.
  • Seattle has the second-highest per capita rate of live music performances in the United States. New York City is first.
  • The Washington State Ferry System is the largest in the country and the third largest in the world, carrying more than 25 million passengers each year.

Everyday Inspiration; Day 4: A Story In A Single Image

Posted on by Gertie

The joys of childhood come to mind with this images. The joys of childhood friends come to mind as well. As traumatic as my childhood was, I will always have some innocent memories like most people on earth do.

Mr. Sandman, Where Are You

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I am having trouble sleeping once again. I am getting slightly frustrated with not being able to sleep. I am partly blaming the no sleep yet on PTSD because my symptoms are acting up.

Something that helps me with my PTSD symptoms is reading. Something I have been doing most of the night as it is one thing that has been tonight. Reading doesn’t take away the symptoms but it helps me forget them after they appear even for a brief moment.

I think I’ll get back to reading. Have a goodnight. Peace Out, World!!!

Midnight Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I have trouble comprehending why I have such a difficult time at night. Not just with sleep but with the symptoms of anxiety and depression. I am struggling a little bit with depression and anxiety relating to PTSD. Dealing with symptoms this time of night when your natural supports are unavailable for whatever reason can be difficult and challenging for me.

As challenging as it is for me right now, I know what I can do to help myself. I can turn to my coping skills. Coping skills that have helped me a great deal throughout my recovery. Coping skills that will continue to help me even in this moment in time.

One of the things I will do is color. As any type of art has helped me a great deal. In fact I’ll probably end doing some collaging as well because it helps me put words to my emotions.

Another thing I will be doing is a mindfulness and meditation practice as this helps quiet my mind. It puts me in a better head space. A head space that is at least in neutral gear.

Thanks for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Thursday Evening Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Today, has been a relatively good day despite dealing with anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression that hasn’t been as bad as it has in recent days and weeks. I owe that to the sunny weather here in Seattle. Sunny weather always helps with the symptoms of my mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Art also has helped with my anxiety and depression lifting. For example creating my coping skills box was an awesome art project for me. Having a specific art project to focus appears to be of help to me even though doing any art is helpful.

Something I think I am going to do after blogging is reading. As I have mentioned before I enjoy reading. Reading has been helpful for me as well to reduce the symptoms of my depression and anxiety.

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

 

Sunny In Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am sitting here at my laptop staring out my front room window and it is going to be a beautiful day here in Seattle. Sunny days in Seattle are one of the reasons I love Seattle so much. Many people who live in Seattle like to claim it is rainy a dreary more often than it is because we are extremely protective of our city. It is a beautiful city especially when it is sunny outside.

I am pretty sure with it being sunny outside it is going to be of help to my depression symptoms. Symptoms that appear that will not go away. I know eventually that my depression symptoms will subside in time.

One way I have been combating my depression is going walks twice daily. Walking twice daily has helped my depression a great deal. Yes, I walk when the weather is yucky outside. Walking not only helps with my depression symptoms, it also helps with my anxiety symptoms a great deal.

Art has also been helping a lot with both my depression and anxiety symptoms. Doing art helps me express my emotions when I am unable to verbalize it. It may not appear to you that I have trouble verbalizing my emotions but I do and that is why art is so important to me.

Reading has also helped a great deal with the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Reading helps me get out of my head and forget my issues in a healthy way for a moment or two. It helps because being able to forget for a few moments gets me in a better mind set.

Thank you for reading. It is very much appreciated from my end of things. Have a great day everyone.  You’re awesome!!! Peace Out, World!!!

Everyday Inspiration; Day 3: One-Word Inspiration

Posted on by Gertie

Choice

Life is all about choices. Choices that make us who we are today. Some of the choices we have made in life were not all that wise while other choices were wise. I’ve chosen the word choice for my assignment because it is a reminder of the choice’s I have made and will continue to make. We all have choices.

Choices I make today will effect me later on in life. That is why I am attempting to make wise decisions in my life. For example my therapist gave me a “homework assignment” to make a coping skills box and to write a one page paper on how it made me feel making it and why I put what I put in it. I’ve made the box and put some coping items in the box but haven’t written the paper yet. I will write the paper. I am making the choice to do my therapy homework as I know it will help me in the future. A future with hope.

Loving My Coping Skills Box

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I am sitting here at my laptop slightly depressed. I can’t blame the weather on my depression today as it is sunny outside. It’s a wee bit chilly but beautiful day.

As my depression acts up this is when I use my coping skills to make sure it doesn’t get worse or at least give it a try that it doesn’t get worse. In fact I used my coping skills box to help myself. One of the skills I used was Sudoku. I also did some cross-stitching and feeling like I am making some progress with it.

After I am done blogging, I am going to go and read. I’ll probably go to the local park and read. There is something special about reading outside. Reading appears to be helping me a great deal lately. Maybe it is because things are starting to get better that I am able to concentrate on reading.

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

 

My Coping Skills Box

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! As I sit here at my laptop I’m thinking about my coping and the suggested therapy homework my therapist gave me yesterday during our session. The reason he suggested it is because it is an art project that he thought I would like to do. An art project that would help me in the long run. So, I decided to start making one last night. In fact I just finished and all I have to do is put coping skill stuff that will fit into it. I am happy that the coping skill box was an art project.

An art project that will help me help myself. I am going to be putting two stand alone books in the box. Stand alone books that are known to be what people call “eye candy” or “easy reads” because sometimes that is what is needed. I am going putting both Sudoku and Logic puzzles in my box to help me get out of emotional mind and think wisely. I also will be putting in some affirmations in the box to tell myself. I will be also putting in some cross stitch items as well.

When I need to use my coping skills box, I will have a plethora of choices to choose from. Having choices is always a good thing especially when you are needing ways on what to do when you are coping. Coping with undesired and intense emotions and/or urges.

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