Photo 1; Day 6: Solitude

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! Today’s topic is of solitude and I thought of the perfect picture from Christmas of 2017 in Olympia, Washington.

IMG_0115The above picture is from my hotel room I stayed at while visiting family for the holidays. As you can see I had a white Christmas. I stayed in Olympia, Washington as mentioned which is the state capital. You can see tiny bit of it three quarters of the way up on the left. So the solitude part of this picture was when I walked around the lake while listening to the sounds around me. I went back to the hotel room and had hot chocolate while looking out the window to the scene that is pictured above.

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

Wednesday Morning Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Hump Day, World!!! It’s Wednesday and I am looking forward to today. Lets start with what I will be doing in a couple of hours. I will be going to an interview at my former employer. I know one of the individuals interviewing me as we’ve attended all staff meetings and staff holiday parties. In fact this individual reached out to me to apply and interview. So, I’m a bit excited and anxious since I was the one who was reached out to regarding the job. It is a peer specialist job not with the same team. I’ll be interviewing for their crisis program. So, working with individuals will be challenging however I am up for the challenge.

I had a challenging night of sleep. Not because I was having issue with insomnia but because someone kept pulling the fire alarm. They found out who kept pulling it and well the person ended up going to the Emergency Room to get a psych evaluation. The individual has been having some issues with their mental health so I think it was wise that the police took them to the hospital.

My own mental health is improving which is a great thing. I’m feeling hopeful and am grateful for this emotion. I am relieved that things are starting to get better.

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

 

The Love Between Gertie & I

Posted on by jjuniorz

Hey! As Gertie mentioned last week, they want myself and Mama Bear to post every other Wednesday. I stepped up to the plate to post today and Mama Bear will do it next Wednesday.

I’ve decided to write about the love Gertie and I have. I originally met Gertie when she was found unconscious and unresponsive as well as barely breathing due to a suicide attempt. Gertie’s neighbor found them and called 911 when the engine company was called out to help Gertie. Fortunately, she survived that attempted suicide as well as a handful of others.

If it wasn’t for Gertie being survivor, I wouldn’t have become friends with them. Being friends with them is what helped me fall in with Gertie. Gertie has the endearing way about her that has people go to them as friends and for me it had me fall in love with them.

Thanks for reading. I hope this gives some insight of my love for Gertie. Have a great day.

Experiences Have A Beginning & An End

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I’m feeling slightly calmer than I was an hour or two of ago. That is because I used the Calm app and did a few pages in my mindfulness workbook. It appears that todays topic in both avenues of my mindfulness was experiences have a beginning and an end. Mainly talking about letting go of emotions. Both the app and the workbook was discussing on how to let go of emotions and they don’t last forever. Even the good emotions.

This is helping me come to terms with both the negative and positive emotions that a coming up for me in my life. Such as my grandma being in hospice and me having job interviews. I’m hoping that with continued mindfulness and meditation practice that I will just be able to let go of emotions or at least be accepting of them.

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful evening and Peace Out World!!!

Tuesday Afternoon, Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I had my interview this morning. They were already running late at 8:30 in the morning but considering what I witnessed in the waiting room I understood. The interviewers were “impressed” how I handled the client crisis and helped with the other clients in the waiting room. I asked the other clients what music they liked and started playing music suggestions from my phone.  I was informed that it helped the need to deal with the crisis at hand without creating a bigger one. I wasn’t doing anything out of the norm for me. I was just doing what was needed at the time. In the interview they asked what ways I would handle a client in crisis in a treatment room. I said I would have art supplies available at hand. Again, I impressed them and wasn’t attempting to do so.

When I got home from the interview I turned on some music and did some art. Specifically, painting about recovery. Like I’ve said in other post, art helps me express my emotions and I must be feeling hopeful.

Thank you for reading. Have a great rest of the day. I know I will. Peace Out, World!!!

Photo 1; Day 5: Connect

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! When the topic of connect came up I thought to myself “well this is up for interpretation” and that’s what the assignment stated as well. I’ll be talking about how waterways are connected. Specifically, I will be talking about the Ballard Locks. Let me give you a brief history of the Locks.

Operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the locks were formally opened on July 4, 1917, although the first ship passed on August 3, 1916. They were named after US Army Major Hiram M. Chittenden, the Seattle District Engineer for the Corps of Engineers from April 1906 to September 1908. Its fondly known to Seattleites as the Ballard Locks or Locks.

20170529_151416The Big Lock full of boats waiting to continue on their journey from the Puget Sound to Lake Union on Memorial Day of 2017. The water is filling up to lake level as it was low tide in the Puget Sound.  Shot is Looking toward the lake.

20170529_161012

An empty big lock or at least empty of boats. No boats were needing to go to the Puget Sound so they shut it off to lower the water level to the low tide Puget Sound so the boats going back to Lake Union could get to their destination. This looking toward the Puget Sound.

Thank you for reading. As realize I love water. This is one of the many places that gives me peace. Have a great day. Peace Out, World

It Takes Courage to Follow Your Own Path

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning!!! I sit here at my laptop this morning figuring out how it takes courage to follow my own path. Part of why I am thinking about this is because of my interview today as well as tomorrow.

As many of you know my path includes getting back into working as a Peer Specialist. If the interviews don’t work out into getting jobs, I plan on going back to school. Going to school to get an Associates of Applied Science in Social and Human Services and then a Bachelors in Applied Behavior Science at a local community colleges. While getting an education I plan on continuing to volunteer.

Another thing I am planning on doing weather I’m working or going to school is to set up art shows displaying art that consumers do at conferences that are Peer and/or Behavioral Health and/or Legislative related. This is to help show that no matter if one has a job or not we can live productive lives through art.

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

Woo Hoo!!! I Got Some Sleep

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is 3:33 in the morning and I am up however I am excited because I actually got some sleep. Some much needed sleep. Sleep that I was thrilled to get.

Since I am up two hours earlier than expected for my job interview, I’m going to make myself and Junior a good and yummy breakfast. I think I’m going to make French Toast, scrambled eggs and chocolate milk.

After I eat I think I’m going to do my mindfulness workbook as it helps me stay focused and learn how to be my mindful of any situation I may be currently in. One thing I need to be mindful of is my job interview that is in roughly five hours from now.

I am looking forward to my job interview. It’s with any agency that is all for Peers. They are known to the community as being “Pro-Peer.” Something, that I am for is an agency that creates a good environment for Peer Specialist.

I should get going so I can follow through with what I told you I would do. I hope everyone has a good Tuesday and good day at work or whatever you do. Peace Out, World!!!!

Looks Like I Might Be Able To Sleep

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I’m realizing that I’m tired and might be able to sleep at some point tonight. I forgot to tell you in my last post that when I talked to Gilbert, we discussed the Photography course I’m take through WordPress. To find out that he too, likes to do photography. It’s nice to know that sometimes therapist can be human with you. It make them more real.

Speaking of being real, I’m thinking I should get going because I am falling asleep at my laptop and don’t have to fall asleep while posting. Thanks for reading. Peace Out, World!!

Ramblings About Work & Education

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I’ve been thinking about my future and what I want to do. Yes, I want to go back to work and plan on doing so when the opportunity  arises to do so. I’m wanting to go back to school to get an Associates and Bachelors degree at a local community college. The Associates would be in Social and Human services and the Bachelors would be in Applied Behavior Science. Both which would help me advance in my career.

I saw Gilbert today and we discussed the about education and work. He likes the idea that I am being future oriented. He also likes the fact that my depression symptoms are improving. He also talked about the hope I have with how things are going at the moment.

Thank you for reading. Peace out World!!!