First Day of Vacation

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Holidays, World!!! Today is my first day of vacation. I have today and the next ten days off from work. I love my job with a passion. I just need a break especially since I have a challenging time during the holiday season.

Today, is just a day to relax and enjoy being home with my cat, Billie Dean. I have packed to go to my mom’s tomorrow (Christmas Eve) evening after celebrating Christmas with my dad’s side of the family. Only thing left to pack up is Billie’s stuff as he will be staying at my grandpa’s when I am visiting my mom in Olympia. I will wait till tomorrow to do it as it is mainly his food and dishes as he already has the other stuff at my grandpa’s. I plan on watching movies and television the rest of the day.

I don’t 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. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

A Day Off for Self Care

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I took today off as a mental health day. I just needed to do it for the sake of both my mental health and physical health. I spent a great deal of the day of self care. It was the perfect day to do inside self care stuff as the weather in Seattle has be unpredictable today;

So, I spent part of the listening to music and the other part of the day listening to a podcast about philosophy. The specific music I was listening to was Christmas music and the philosophy podcast that I was listening to was “Philosophize This.”

As I listened to Christmas music or “Philosophize This” I did a multitude of things. The obvious thing I did was give my cat, Billie Dean, plenty of attention. Of course Billie loves all the attention I give him. Other things that I did was art work. Specifically, I colored. I colored various types of mandala’s. Another thing I did was put some jigsaw puzzles together. The puzzle isn’t complete put it is starting to look like what it’s suppose to look like. So that is what I did for my self care mental health day off.

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 do read my blog. If it was not for you the reader reading my blog, I wouldn’t be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great Monday evening. Happy Holidays, and Peace Out, World!!!

Mr. Sandman Forgot to Stop by my Place so I Could Not Sleep

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning World!!! It is 2:34 in morning here in my neck of the woods known as Seattle. My neck of the woods happens to be nothing but concrete buildings and the not the natural woods. It would nice to be some time in nature instead of a concrete forest known as a city. In my cast it would the concrete city of Seattle.

I will be taking a mental health day from work later today. I am grateful that my work is so understanding with needing to take time off. My job is really extremely supportive and I appreciate it. They are big into doing good self care.

I know eventually, I will bet some sleep at some point today but I do have plans to do some good self care stuff. I am planning on listening to Christmas music while I do some art work by coloring color pages that are Christmas pictures. I also plan on listening to Christmas music while putting Christmas/wintery puzzles together.

I most likely will be doing other self care stuff but right now I just want to sleep as Mr. Sandman forgot my place for me to sleep. I just want to sleep. Of course my cat, Billie Dean will be apart of my self care which will be sleeping. He will be playing later when I am not so tired. I think he is okay with not playing right now.

I do not know have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is really appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, does read my blog. If it wasn’t 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. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!!

Taking A Mental Health Day Off on Monday

Posted on by Gertie

Good Sunday Evening, World!!! Or at least it is still Sunday evening in my corner of the world known as Seattle. I have decided that I will be taking tomorrow, Monday, off from work for a mental health day. My depression and PTSD are sadly acting up so I am taking tomorrow (Monday) off.

I am grateful that I work in the mental health field at a mental health agency that supports taking mental health days off. I feel bad because I’m taking it off in the middle of the holiday season when I know I will be on vacation in a few days. I feel bad because a handful of my clients are not doing so well mental health wise. I know they will be okay as I know they have the resources but I feel like I am letting my clients down as well as my colleagues down.

On that note, I need to take care of myself to be able to help both my clients and my colleagues. So, what I am planning on doing rest of this evening (Sunday) is to listen to a podcast about philosophy while my cat Billie Dean lays on my lap. The philosophy podcast my cat, Billie and myself will be listening to is “Philosophize This.” I really enjoy this podcast and it appears that Billie chills out listening to the podcast as the podcaster, Steven West has a calming voice.

As far as self care tomorrow, I am not sure what I am going to do for self care. I know I will be spending much needed time with my cat, Billie. Billie is helping me through the holiday season and I have had a great deal of trauma as child around Christmas time. So, Billie will be helping me tomorrow. I will be doing other self care stuff but not sure what at the moment.

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 do read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great rest of their Sunday evening. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Blogging Idea’s & Other Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Holidays, World!!! I have decided to start doing a couple of free courses WordPress puts on for free that I have done in the past. I have finished both of the courses a couple of times. On that note I have started the courses several times and never finished them. It is my hope that I will be able to not only start the courses but complete them once again. I hope to start them in the next couple of days.

Another idea I have for my blog is to restart my Weekly Plans on Sunday mornings. That’s where I tell you some of my plans for the week ahead. The other idea, I plan to do is do my Weekly Check-Ins on Saturday evenings.

I of course will be blogging about other stuff in the next few weeks as well as into the New Years. I will be talking about the holidays the next couple of weeks. Of course I will continue to talk about my cat Billie Dean and how adorable he is. I will also be blogging about work things as well as volunteer things. And let not forget about discussing about mental health and recovery related stuff.

The other ramblings I have to say is that my cat Billie Dean is be really cute and cuddly today. Billie is such a love but. On another note, Seattle was sunny out today. It was sunny but cold outside. As much as I am not a fan of cold at least it wasn’t freezing outside and it was sunny in Seattle this time of year.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. I really appreciate you the reader for reading my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be writing my blog. Again, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Nearly 24 Hours of Being Awake

Posted on by Gertie

It is now 7:32 in the morning in my neck of the woods known as Seattle. I am still wide awake while dealing with a migraine. I’m wondering why I keep blogging through the night if I am blogging as I’m sure it is not helping my migraine which is considered a chronic pain issues.

I personally think that part of the reason why I am unable to sleep besides the migraine and insomnia which is the Depression and PTSD around the Christmas holiday. I had some major trauma around the holidays growing up.

Despite having depression, PTSD, a migraine and a sleepless night, I have been pretty busy tonight. I have been been doing some art work. Specifically, I have been coloring. I have of course been coloring as I listened to a podcast about philosophy. The specific philosophy podcast I have been listening to is “Philosophize This.” Listening to this podcast and doing art by coloring is very helpful.

And of course my cat Billie Dean has be quite helpful and not leaving my side. He truly knows when I need him around. I love my cat so very much. Billie is such a love bug.

I do not not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading for my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog as if it wasn’t for you the reader, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Sleepless in Seattle Type of Night

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is 5:24 in the morning here in my corner of the world known as Seattle. I haven’t been able to sleep for multiple reasons. Some reasons are known like dealing with an never ending migraine which is a chronic pain issues. Other reasons is due to PTSD and insomnia while some reasons are unknown. Sadly, due to the lack of sleep and migraine, I am unable to volunteer at PAWS Cat City today due to the lack of sleep and the migraine. Yes, I did leave them three voicemails and an email letting them I won’t be there.

It makes me sad that I won’t be able to volunteer today due to insomnia and a migraine. I really love to volunteer at PAWS Cat City. They are an amazing organization. Plus, I get to help a community that has helped me with adopting my last cat, Lil Gertie and current cat Billie Dean. If it wasn’t for the awesome experience of the adoption with Lil Brooke I would have never become a volunteer. Yes, I also had an awesome adoption experience with Billie but by the time I adopted him I had already been a volunteer for a couple of months at PAWS Cat City.

Billie, my cat has been extra cuddly tonight as I think he knows I haven’t be feeling well. Part of wonders if the lack of sleep and migraine has any thing to due with the stress I am having around the holidays which includes the Holiday Blues, Depression, and PTSD that comes this time of year due to trauma related things. I am trying to make my own Christmas traditions around Christmas which are helping a great deal but some days or in this case nights are tougher than others days and/or nights.

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 as 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. It really means a great deal to me that you do. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Holiday Blues

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I am unable to sleep once again in my corner of the world known as Seattle. I am unable to sleep due to insomnia. I am wondering if the reason why I am having an insomnia time night is because all the holiday stuff I did yesterday (Saturday) regarding Christmas with shopping and wrapping everything. The also includes listening to Christmas music as I colored Christmas themed coloring pictures. I’m wondering all this because I have trauma and PTSD around the holidays.

I am feeling like I am having the holiday blues so I decided to do art by coloring but I decided to color non holiday coloring pages and listen to non Christmas music. It seems like with me doing this that my depression, PTSD and Holiday Blues symptoms are lessening which is a good thing. I think I am going to go to bed.

I hope you all have a good night. I want to thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate you the reader for reading my blog as if it was not for reading it, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out World!!!

A Week till Christmas

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Holidays, World!!! It is hard to believe that Christmas is a week from today. I have of sadly did last minute shopping today and boy were the stores busy as hell which is not a surprise. I mainly still celebrate Christmas because of family. Mainly because my grandpa as he is 91 and wants to keep the family traditions going. In all honestly I still celebrate with my mom and that side of the family because my mom doesn’t very much support and I don’t want her to be alone when this time of year is already tough on her. As much as I’m not a fan of Christmas due to my own shit, I celebrate it because I know how much it means to others and want to bring them joy.

Hell, if I’m honest with myself I have my own Christmas traditions even though I celebrate other holidays this time of year. My personal Christmas traditions that I do just for me is read two comic books call Christmas with the Superhero’s One and Two. I also do two to three holiday or wintery puzzles as I listen to Christmas music. I say two to three puzzles because it depends on the size of the puzzles I do. I also do art work related to Christmas. Specifically, I have some pretty detailed Christmas coloring pages I do every year as I listen to Christmas music. Some of the coloring pages still aren’t finished yet due to me only coloring them during the holiday season. In fact if it wasn’t for a couple of therapist encouraging me to make my own Christmas traditions for just me and actually doing my own traditions, I would be more of a bah hum bugger than I already I am.

On that note Christmas in the Seattle area is my idea of way to spend a great Christmas. I love being able to celebrate Christmas with friends, family and my cat as it rains. Well, it rains most Christmas’s. Seattle has been known to have a white Christmas on occassion.

Billie Dean, my cat will be getting spoiled this Christmas. My grandpa will be cat sitting Billie when I go see my mom’s side of the family and some friends in the Olympia area of Washington. It appears that Billie is well loved by others as he is getting many gifts this year from friends and family just like he did last year. I thrilled that I have friends and family that love my cat, Billie just as much as I do.

Before I end this particular blog post, I just wanted to let you know that I am listening to Christmas music. I want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader do read my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader reading my blog, I would not be writer my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my hear for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Just a Bunch of Ramblings the Holidays

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It is almost nine o’clock in the evening in my corner of the world known as Seattle. My cat Billie Dean is lay right next to me as I type this particular blog. Billie has be quite helpful to me the last few days. The last few days my depression and PTSD symptoms have slightly increased. It’s hard do know if it’s actual symptoms or the winter blues and/or holiday blues. Maybe it’s all of the about but I am just grateful that Billie is helping be feel better.

As the Christmas holiday gets closer, I become someone anxious about being around family. I love my family but some of them increase my anxiety. That is why I have plans in place to when family shit hits the fan, I have ways to do self care.

I don’t 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 wasn’t for you the reader, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!