Tag Archives: Books

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is that time of week where I do my weekly check-in. I do not have much to discuss in this week’s weekly check-in. The major thing that has happened is the fact that my grandpa took a major fall yesterday while on errands. He has a broken jaw and nose as well as being in extreme pain. He is currently in the ICU due to his blood count being out of whack. He is 93 and I hope he gets out of the hospital soon.

As far as everything else, I have been depressed and isolating. While isolating I have been reading a pretty awesome book and doing some art work. The book I am reading is the second book in a series that I am enjoying. As far as the art work goes, I have been coloring a giant poster as well as some rock painting. When I do art work I also listen to some music. The music I have been listening to is from my recovery playlist that I created.

I have also been spending time with my cat, Billie. I love my cat so very much. I cannot imagine my life without my cat Billie, in it. He is an amazing kitty and I am grateful that he is a lap cat that loves spending time with me.

I do not have much more to discuss in this week’s weekly check-in and I will keep you all updated about my grandpa. I do want to thank you the reader 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 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
  • Morning walk
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Dinner with grandpa

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with a friend
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Morning walk
  • Get meds
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with grandpa and dad
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Dinner with friends

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Morning walk
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with a friend
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Morning walk
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or rock painting)
  • Dinner with grandpa

Things That I Am Doing To Help Myself

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is sunny here in Seattle but it is windy and chilly outside. Right now my depression is acting up and I am not really sure why. As much as I don’t like the chilly weather and my depression symptoms acting up, I am glad that I have my cat, Billie. Billie is currently laying on my feet and keeping them warm.

Not only is my cat Billie helping with my depression, keeping busy with various things has been quite helpful. I have been reading and I am really enjoying the book. I have also been doing some artwork. I have been coloring as well as painting some rocks. I am happy that I have been reading and doing some artwork.

I do not have much more to write about 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 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.
  • Morning walk
  • Lunch with grandpa
  • Do my laundry at grandpa’s.
  • Work on a mental health recovery workbook
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Monday

  • Mindfulness Meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House
  • Work on mental health recovery workbooks
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness Meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House
  • Attend Queer Space (an in person group where I get therapy at)
  • Work on mental health recovery workbooks
  • Dinner with friends
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness Meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House virtual group
  • Lunch with an old friend
  • Kickball practice
  • Work on mental health recovery workbooks
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Thursday

  • Mindfulness Meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House virtual group
  • Celebrate dad’s birthday a couple of weeks late
  • Work on mental heath recovery workbooks
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Friday

  • Mindfulness Meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House
  • Work on mental health recovery workbooks
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Saturday

  • Mindfulness Meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with a friend
  • Kickball game
  • Late lunch with kickball team
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

A Catch Up Type of Post

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It has been quite a while since I last posted. I don’t have any particular reason why I have not blogged nor do I have any legit excuses. I do know a lot has happened since I last blogged. Some bad things but some good things. The good things thankfully out way the bad things.

First and foremost, I joined a book club that is geared toward the queer community. To make it even better the book we are going to choose will be a queer fiction book. The book club I joined will meet on Thursday evenings starting this Thursday. We will get to know each other and choose a book this Thursday and I am looking forward to it. I looking forward to it because it will help me get social interaction within the queer community.

Secondly, I am now a part of a queer kickball league. I got assigned to a team called Resting Pitch Face and our first practice is tomorrow (Wednesday). Our first game is this Saturday. I am also looking forward to this as it will provide me some exercise and social interaction within the queer community.

In fact my therapist suggested that getting more involved within the queer community could help me with my recovery especially since she noticed how well I did when I worked at a queer mental health agency before it permanently closed. I have to agree that being within the queer community has helped me a great deal with my mental health recovery and I am looking forward to being more part of the queer community.

I do not have much more to write about 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 continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Productive Sleepless in Seattle Type of Night

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is the middle of the night here in Seattle and I am not able to sleep. I really wish I could sleep but sadly, I am not able to due to insomnia. Having insomnia suck sh!t and I don’t wish it on anybody including my worst enemies.

Since I am unable to sleep I have been trying to be productive in some way. I have been reading Revelations; Fire & Brimstone Scroll 1 by Nikole Knight which is the first book in a six book series. I am about three quarters of the way in the book and I am really enjoying it. The genre is dark fantasy and gay fiction and discussed the book with my therapist when I saw her for my session with her this past Friday. She appeared to be interested in the book which is always a good thing. Of course as I read my cat, Billie, was laying my lap.

Besides reading, I have been doing art work as I listened to music. I listened to some old school alternative and grunge music. I mainly listened to Tori Amos and Nirvana as I did art work. The type of art work I did was coloring a giant poster I got from Stuff2Color.com. It is of an elephant. I also have started up painting rocks from a rock painting set that my uncle got me for Christmas. I am enjoying both the coloring and rock painting as I listen to music.

I do not have much else to write about 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 continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Tough Therapy Session W/Some Awesomeness

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is another Saturday evening here in Seattle and despite having a challenging day due to PTSD, I am grateful for the awesomeness of the people around me. Awesomeness that my therapist idea helped with at the end of my session with her yesterday (Friday).

Long story short, my session with my therapist was quite challenging yesterday (Friday). We discussed a lot of childhood trauma shit. Shit that was some of the hardest crap I dealt with as a child. Hell, it was some of the hardest shit I dealt with in my entire life that I shared with my therapist. Anyway, at the end of most of my sessions we discuss ways to take care of myself especially when it is a tough session. I brought up the book I am reading and how it is in the dark fantasy and gay fiction genre’s as well how it is a representation of being in the queer community. My therapist suggested that I find things to do in the queer community such as sports league like kickball or dodgeball. She suggested this since she knows I thrived when I worked a a mental health agency that was queer focused and sadly the agency went under due to the lack of funding. My therapist also gave me an idea to join a book club that is hopefully with other queer readers or a book that is queer related.

On that note, I reached out to the queer community via a Facebook group and asked about queer sports leagues involving kickball or dodgeball. I signed up for a kickball team yesterday (Friday) and will sign up for a dodgeball team when sign ups open up next Friday (March 1, 2024). I am so looking forward to participating in both a kickball team and a dodgeball team.

Since I received a great response regarding queer sporting leagues on Facebook, I reached out regarding book clubs. I am in fact currently looking at book clubs and the books they are reading. Representation in books is much needed.

I do not have much more to discuss in this particular blog post except that I am grateful for my therapist suggesting me getting more involved in the queer community in activities that I enjoy doing. 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 continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Having A Hard Morning

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am having a really challenging time right now. I had to call the crisis phone number that is through the mental health agency I am a client at about an hour and a half ago. I had to call because of the miscarriage is hitting me hard and sadly has increased the self-harm urges. Self-harm urges I wish I didn’t have. Self-harm urges that I will NOT act on. (NOTE: I am not suicidal and I will NOT act on the self-harm urges.)

Anyway, after talking with the crisis clinician, we came up with a safety plan for me to do to stay safe till one of my natural support persons is available to talk with. The plan is to enjoy the weather outside and go for a walk. Granted it is cold but at least the sun is out here in Seattle.

Another thing is to hang out at home with my cat as I read. I am reading an amazing book about a college aged kid who finds out he has guardian angels that he has crushes on. The college aged kid is also figuring out his sexuality. I am only half way through the book and it is the first book in a six book series.

I don’t have much to write about in this particular blog post except that I will not harm myself in any way. 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 continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Sleepless Type of Night in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is just after two o’clock in the morning here in Seattle, Washington and I am sadly unable to sleep. Having insomnia on top of having PTSD with some pretty severe symptoms suck shit. Sadly there isn’t much that can be done but at least I have some pretty amazing people in my life to help me. Those people include the people I seek professional help from as well as friends and sometimes family. Let’s not forget about my cat who helps a great deal.

Since I have not been able to sleep, I have been reading or doing some form of art work. I am reading the first book in a six book series. The book I am reading is Revelations Fire & Brimstone Scroll 1 by Nikole Knight. So far I am really enjoying the book. The genre the book is in is gay fiction and dark fantasy.

Like I said earlier since I am unable to sleep, I have been reading and doing some form of art work. The type of art work I am doing is coloring. I am coloring a picture as well as a giant poster. The picture I am coloring I think I am going to give to my therapist and the giant poster I might keep for myself. I just hope keeping something for myself that I helped create doesn’t sound selfish of me to do.

I do not have much more to write about 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 continue to read my blog. If it were not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write on my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Daily Prompt; What Do You Enjoy Doing Most In Your Leisure Time?

Posted on by Gertie
Bloganuary writing prompt
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
View all responses

I really enjoy doing a lot of things in my leisure time but if I have to choose it would be a tie between reading books and reading as well as collecting comic books. Specifically, I collect Wonder Woman comic books. I really enjoy the community of those who collect comic books as we are a unique set of people. The type of books I like to read are fantasy books but I also enjoy science fiction. It appears that folks who enjoy reading fantasy and science fiction books also like comic books which is why I think I enjoy the comic book community.