Tag Archives: Animals

Daily Prompt; What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?

Posted on by Gertie
Bloganuary writing prompt
What would you do if you won the lottery?
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The first thing I would do if I won the lottery is pay off my debts as being in debt sucks sh!t. I have both medical and credit card debt and it would be nice to not to worry about owing money.

After paying off debt I would love to buy me a new home. I would love to own a house however I would be happy owning a condo. Owning my own home would be amazing for me as I don’t ever see myself owning my own home unless a miracle like winning the lottery.

Another thing I would like to do is get a college education. I would love to get my four year degree in Applied Behavioral Science at Seattle Central College which is a two year college. Ultimately this would be a cheaper route and the route I would love to do. I would also like to get my Master’s of Social Work (MSW) if that is in the budget to do after winning the lottery. If I have the chance to ever get my MSW I would love to get it from the University of Washington.

One of the other things I would love to do if I ever won the lottery is get my passport to travel. I would love to travel to Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany. I would also like to travel within the United States via train to various cities and towns.

The other thing I would really love to do is increase the amount of money I donate to a local animal shelter that adopts out dogs and cats as well as some rehabilitation for wildlife. Any organization that does rehabilitation for wild animals as well as adopts out cats and dogs is an organization worth giving money to.

A Challenging few Weeks w/New & Refreshed Lessons Learned Along the Way

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Caturday Saturday. It has been quite a couple of weeks of being challenging for me for various reasons and many of them I have had to deal with some eighth deaths in a matter of a two week period. Some of the folks I have never met but really admired in the animal welfare community especially locally here in the Seattle area who touched the life of many humans and cats. Sadly this person took her own life and wish I would have been given to meet her in person. She will be greatly missed especially in the animal welfare community.

On the continuation of discussing death. I can’t really discuss much about it due to HiPAA law but many of the client I work with overdose on drugs and alcohol. Sadly some pass away to drug and/or alcohol overdoses and It is challenging to deal with. Thankfully I have the support of my colleagues with this especially when people have been trying to get off drugs so they don’t have to have a stigma with an addiction.

Dealing with so many deaths is the last couple of weeks I have been reaching out to my support system such as my friends, family and my colleagues as well as my therapist. I am just beyond grateful that I have supportive people in my life to be there for me. Not many people have a good support system and I have a great support system.

Now on to what I do to help with my self care. One way I do self care is due at least two mindful meditations daily; once in the morning and another one before bed time. I am also trying to put in third mindful mediation in the middle of a work day to help me refocus during work. Another way I have been doing self care is spending time with my cat as well as walking two times a day; once in the morning and once the evening. Of course another self care act is going to volunteer at PAWS Cat City a least once a week. Of course working at my job helps as well. I have been reading a lot of books that I find helpful to help with my recovery journey. I also have been doing some art work and hope to show sometime soon.

As this post comes to an end just know there is always hope along the way. I want to thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you reading and/or following my blog, I most likely would be continuing to writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out World!!!!

My Go to Wellness Tools When Things are Either Going Well or Not so Well & Sometimes in the Middle

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! Things haven’t had been very good lately but I’m handling them okay. I lost my new job because I wasn’t the right fit and I agree. It turned out to a be mutual agreement and “considered a lay off.” This lay off I’m okay with. The first lay off I wasn’t okay with it due to the fact of how it was handled.

I am putting in applications and going to interviews in the career of my choice as a peer specialist. I have also been applying to old employers I tolerated even the ones that were overnight or twelve plus hours long. Having a job helps me a great deal.

Even though things may not be going so well my cat, Billie has been a huge help. Hell, he is a huge help when things are both going well and not so well. Having an animal around had been quite helpful for me.

Another thing I have found helpful in both the good times and not so good times is volunteering. Volunteering at an animal shelter has been and continues to be quite rewarding. Helping cats find their furrever homes and people a new family member in a cat is one of the best feelings in the world.

Something I have started to do is to start doing math. Specifically, basic math and pre-algerbra. I’m doing this to help me if I get too emotional as well as to keep my math skills up. Having basic math skills is something every adult should have.

Another thing I am taking up is latch hook. I figure taking up a hobby latch hook would be helpful when thing aren’t going so well and even when they are going well.

Of course I’ll still be doing art. Specifically coloring. I am coloring a poster for my mom. She likes that type of thing. She is dealing with cancer and the treatment that goes along with it. Plus her birthday is tomorrow.

I don’t have much more to talk about. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Developing Your Eye; Day 6; The Rule of Thirds

Posted on by Gertie
From first glance it looks like just a big tree but if you scroll in closer you will see an owl.

I may not understand the rule of thirds for this assignment and that is okay with me. Again, I was hiking through Ravenna and Cowen parks and notice an owl in a tree. It was a mama owl watching here growing babies that where learning what owls learn but they were in a different try and I couldn’t get a good picture with out disturbing any of the owls. I love owls and is rare to find one in the city but at least they find safe places in some of the city parks.

Everyday Inspiration; Day 19: Feature a Guest

Posted on by Gertie
A picture of Billie Dean the Kat who is the featured guest

Good Morning, World!!! I know it is weird to have a cat or any animal as a featured guest on a blog. My plan is to ask him questions and answer them the way I think he would answer them as he were able to speak human and not just meow like the cat he is. Here is the “interview.”

Me: How did we originally meet?

Billie: We met while you doing a regular volunteer shift at PAWS Cat City.

Me: Was it love at first sight for you?

Billie: I think it was love at first sight for the both of us. I know you love my crinkly ear and you can’t deny that.

Me: When you came home with me, how did you feel?

Billie: Do you really need to ask that question? You know I love you unconditionally.

Me: What can I do better as your parent?

Billie: You can feed me at the butt crack of dawn when I ask for it then. Hell, you can feed me whenever I ask for it even if there is still food in the bowl.

Me: You do realize I’m not going to get up at the butt crack of dawn to feed you when I know you have food?

Billie: Yes, but do you remember who runs this home?

Me: Of course I do. You run this home, I just pay the bills.

Billie: I love you but I’m done with this interview. It’s time for another nap.

The Healing Love of the Cats of My Recent Life

Posted on by Gertie

Lil Gertie the first cat that captured my heart as an adult. She was only 8 when she crossed over the rainbow bridge, I would still adopt her even only having a year an half with her.

Lil Gertie wasn’t exactly the type of cat I would looking for. I go into wanting a black cat knowing the realities I might not connect with a black cat. Anyway, after filling out the survey, I talked with a volunteer who I know from his place of work. He said we have a cat who needs to be an only cat. She is all white and the two of you share the same name. Then he explained to me about her ear issues and fell in love with out looking at her. So I decided to not put her on hold as I wasn’t sure at the moment and wanted a couple days to think about while still giving her a chance of being adopted sooner as I made my decision. So two days later I made my decision to adopt Lil Gertie. Sadly she got cancer and ended up having a mini stroke. It was the best choice to let her cross over even I only had a year and have with her. She got her furrever home and helped with some hard shit like the the first holiday season without my grandma as well as the first Mother’s day with my grandma. She was also there during the first anniversary of my grandma’s death. As much as I miss Lil Gertie, her untimely death helped me put into action becoming a volunteer at PAWS Cat City in Seattle.

I now volunteer there and started January of 2020 so we continued volunteer through mid-March. Volunteers were furghloaded till June were a hand full off us could start back up and I was one of the first to start volunteer again.

Billie wanting to take a shower with ne when he realize he didn’t lie it;’

I was very lucky when I adopted him because it was right before the lock down from Covid and he helped me through the initial part of isolating and not go to big gatherings like I was planning on going to. Billie was the on constant in my life during Covid-19 pandemic. In fact he has helped me be more mindful in my life and realized he has now ended two jobs with me and started two new jobs one of which I started this week. Billie helped me realize that working nights once a week and an occasional on call shift was not for me so I got a job as a full time Peer Specialist at an agency that treated me like family. Sadly after being there for a year and half the agency permanently closed its doors. Staff found out March 1st of this year and I didn’t find out my lay off date till two weeks before hand. My last day was June 3rd. Billie was and is my calming affect through all the recent work stuff. If I didn’t have my loving Billie on June 3rd, I don’t think I would have lived much less continue to want to work. Billie’s unconditional love is what got me through a very dark time that I hadn’t had in four years. The Healing affect of Billie helped me get back on track and I started a new job this week as peer.

Both of my cats have healed me in ways with their love that human could not do. My cats are family to me even the ones I help take care of at my volunteer job at Cat City. Thank you for listening to me babble on about my cats. Peace Out, World and go pet a cat.

Everyday Inspiration; Day 7: Let Social Media Inspirer You

Posted on by Gertie

Being inspired by social media is a catch twenty-two. For example I’m on WordPress to blog and it is inspiring as I get to read peoples stories of inspiration and I don’t think I have seen and dram on WordPress. To me that is a good thing

Another good thing about another Social Media site I am on is LinkedIn as it is a professional social media site. I’m on it to make sure my name is out there just in case I need a new job like I did recently dud to being laid off. LinkedIn helped me get noticed for my last two jobs as well as my new job that I will be start this Monday. I’m getting excited and anxious about it which is normal.

As far as Facebook book goes, it’s full of drama. I’m mainly on it to see some old friends. Oh I can’t forget about seeing the animals and pets people share on their Facebook. I think the pets, animals and friends is the why I stay on Facebook because there is way too much drama on it.

It Wasn’t Fireworks

Posted on by Gertie

I’m not even going to hi or good morning as I was rudely awakened by what I thought was fireworks. Well it was not fireworks but gunshots. Of course it not only scared the shit out of me but out of my cat as well as my neighbors and their pets. Now there is a buttload of Seattle Police surrounding not just my building but other buildings on my street. There is also a buttload of fire department vehicles (Fire Engines, Ladder Trucks, Medic One Ambulances, Battalion Chiefs and even the Chief of the fire department).

All I know is it wasn’t fireworks and it was gunshots. Sadly, there were at least two people shot. As far as I know nobody thankfully was killed. On that note having two people shot is still scary. Another thing that is scary is that we can’t leave our building much less our apartments with a couple of expiation’s which are coming home from someplace of course needing to show a valid I.D/Drivers License/Passport or if the person has an emergency or has to go to work.

Needless to say many of us in my building and I’m sure other people in the neighboring apartment building are scare shitless. I know I am. My cat was scared at first but he appears to have calmed down. The poor dog two doors down from me is still freaking out as he is still barking.

I was sound asleep when the gunshots happened and I am tired as hell. I’m scared to go back to sleep. Most importantly I am worried about the two gunshot victims even though they lived in the building next door to my building. I know I shouldn’t be as scared as I am but I am. At least I know I am safe and alive.

And now there are more gunshots which is why I am purposely sitting on the floor below any windows. This is not going to be a fun night as I’m still waiting to give my statement to the police after the initial gunshots. I just want to go to sleep without being in fear of being shot.

Well, I should get going. I just want to try to calm myself down. I hope to update you all later.

Three O’clock in the Morning Tuesday Chaos

Posted on by Gertie

It is three o’clock in the morning Seattle time and it’s nothing but chaos. First a neighbor starts pulling on the fire alarms in the building which wakes everyone and their pet up. Almost every evacuate. Manly the ones with animals and pets. The Fire Department gets here quickly and turns off quickly.

Sadly, this happened six more times from the same neighbor and all the neighbors are now out of the building and abut to fight the neighbor pulling fire alarms, The cops showed up just in time time or someone would have gotten seriously hurt . The good thing is everyone with a pet or an animal were sticking together because the pet were keeping us calm.

Thank you for listening to me ramble on about building drama. Than you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Resiliency Making an Appearance

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! The last two and half months have been challenging for me and many others due to the unexpected news off my employer closing and being laid off. It has been quite traumatizing for all involved and am beyond grateful for the support I have received from many different people including those, I never expected support from.

If you been reading my blog regularly the last two and half months, you know I’m getting laid off due to my employer closing. Due to Covid-19 I know most of my colleagues via zoom and same goes for the clients I serve. Any way, I am realizing the fact how resilient myself, colleagues and clients are while sharing the same trauma even though we are experiencing it in different ways.

As sucky as the pandemic has been, Zoom has become a love hate relationship. Zoom may has it’s problems but it sure has its ups. Lets start by the best part of Zoom meetings and appointments which is surprise visits from all the pets which includes on my end seeing (and hearing) birds, rabbits, cats, dogs, turtles, snakes, rats and a miniature horse. I think with the seeing all the animals people have as pets has built a rapport with others if the pandemic didn’t happen. I know my cat, Billie, has helped my clients in Zoom appointments. Hell, Billie and my colleagues pets have helped ease a lot of meetings when they (pets) make an appearance in meetings.

Not only have pets including my own cat Billie has helped with my resiliency, music has helped a great deal. The last two and have months my recovery play list has helped a great with the resiliency part of my recovery. My recovery play list appears to be the play list I’ve been listening to the most since I found out I was being laid off. So music helping so much just my cat Billie is.

I don’t have much more to say except that my cat, Billie (and other animals/pets I see in Zoom meetings) and music have been helping me a great deal with being resilient. I also want to thanks you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciative 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!!!