Holiday Traditions

Good Evening, World!!! I would like to inform you of my own personal holiday traditions as it was suggested to me to start my own early on in my mental health recovery. The reason why it was suggested to me is because of some of the unrealistic holiday traditions that were placed on me by my family. No disrespect to my family as I love them very much but creating my own holiday traditions have helped me cope with my family as well helped me cope with my PTSD and depression.

When it was suggested to me by my therapist at the time early on in my mental health recovery the only thing I could think of regarding traditions for myself was comic books. Specifically two comic books that focused on Christmas. In fact the comic books I am speaking of are Christmas with the Superhero’s volume one and two by DC comics.

Over the years I have added to my holiday traditions. I have included the typical traditions of watching movies and listening to music. I have also included with the help of friends of the Jewish faith of spending a night or two or three celebrating Hanukkah with my friends who celebrate it. I am grateful that I can help celebrate Hanukkah with my friends who celebrate it. Besides watching holiday movies, listening to holiday music and spending two or three nights celebrating Hanukkah, I have included the following traditions to my list: reading holiday focused books, doing holiday or wintery focused jigsaw puzzles, doing holiday focused logic puzzles, doing Christmas dot to dot, and doing artwork focused on holidays or wintery scenes which includes coloring and diamond art/painting.

Now that I informed you of what I do for my own holiday traditions, it is challenging to know how my family traditions will change this year and next year due to my mom passing away two days before Thanksgiving. I say this year and next year as this year it is so fresh. I know I will keep some of the Christmas traditions my mom instilled upon me. As far as my dad’s side of the family they will still celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve as one of my uncle’s birthday is on Christmas and celebrate his birthday on Christmas.

I do not have anything 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 and Happy Holidays, World!!!

Sleepless in Seattle Type of Night

Good Morning, World!!! It is the middle of the night here in Seattle. Actually it is a few minutes past three o’clock in the morning Seattle time. I am unable to sleep for multiple reasons which include insomnia, PTSD and grieving the recent loss of my mom. Hell, it hasn’t even been two weeks since my mom’s death. I really miss my mom and wish she was still alive.

Since I am unable to sleep I have been doing some things to help me with the grief, PTSD and insomnia. The things I have been doing is reading a book called Unholy Night by Seth Grahame-Smith, listening to music, working on diamond art/painting, and cuddling with my cat, Billie. I love the fact that I can get some cuddle time with my cat especially when I am reading in bed. I am grateful that I can listen to music as I do any type of art including diamond art/painting.

I do not have anything else to write about in this particular blog post. 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 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

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk (most likely with my partner or friend)
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Diamond art/painting
  • Read
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk (most likely with my partner or friend)
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Work on DVR paperwork
  • Diamond art/painting
  • Read
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk (most likely with a friend)
  • Work on DVR paperwork
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Diamond art/painting
  • Read
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk (most likely with partner or friend)
  • Volunteer at Cat City
  • Work on DVR paperwork
  • Work on recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Diamond art/painting
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk (most likely with partner or friend)
  • Attend appointment with Employment Specialist regarding DVR and jobs
  • Work on recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Diamond art/painting
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk (most likely with a friend)
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Diamond art/painting
  • Read
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk (most likely with partner or a friend)
  • Work on recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Diamond art/painting
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Feeling Like Sh!t & Haven’t Accomplished Much

Good Evening, World!!! I haven’t been feeling well and sadly didn’t go in and volunteer at PAWS Cat City today. As far as volunteering at Alley Cat Project I haven’t done anything today due to sleeping most of the day. For my particular volunteer position with Alley Cat Project it is a remote position. I do have opportunities to help with other volunteer positions such as helping with cleaning and setting up kennels with where the cats are kept when in quarantine and/or awaiting medical care and/or an available foster home.

I just wish I felt well enough to do something. I am super tired but I really need to go to the grocery store to get some food to eat. I do have food here at home but it doesn’t sound too appetizing. I think I have enough energy to go to the grocery store and get some food.

I think after going grocery shopping that I will spend the rest of today and most if not all day tomorrow here at home cuddling with my cat Billie. I, of course am hoping to be able to read and do some art work at some point this evening as well as tomorrow. I do know spending time cuddling with my cat, Billie is something I will be doing.

I do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post except that I hope I feel better sooner than later. 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, 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

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning Walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by checking to see if calls need to be returned throughout the day. Call back one to two calls if needed and non urgent. Contact the lead person if urgent and they will contact any urgent calls.
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Read
  • Art (Color and/or rock painting)

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning Walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project to by checking see if calls need to be returned throughout the day.
  • Read.
  • Art (Color and/or rock painting)

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning Walk
  • Pay Bills
  • Buy art supplies
  • Spend the day doing self care
  • Read
  • Art (Color and/or rock painting)

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning Walk
  • Attend a therapy session with therapist
  • Read
  • Art (Color and/or rock painting)
  • Dinner with my longest Seattle friend

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the  Calm App.
  • Morning walk
  • Self care day.
  • Read
  • Art (Color and/or rock painting)

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Read
  • Art (Color and/or rock painting)

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through Calm App.
  • Morning walk
  • Attend University of Washington Husky football game with Junior
  • Read
  • Art (Color and/or rock painting)

Weekly Plans

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with a long time friend
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Dinner with friends
  • Art (coloring and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Lunch with a good friend
  • Attend a virtual group
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend two virtual groups
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Dinner with partner
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Farmers Market with partner and two good friends
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)
  • Read

Weekly Plans

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Fill out volunteer application for the Alley Cat Project
  • Read

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Grocery shopping
  • Clean apartment with help
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Go to Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Read

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Therapy
  • Lunch with friends
  • Attend a virtual group
  • Read

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend two virtual groups
  • Dinner with a friend from California
  • Read

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Go to Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Dinner with friends
  • Read

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with a friend from California
  • Read

Daily Prompt; What Activities Do You Lose Yourself In?

Daily writing prompt
What activities do you lose yourself in?

I can lose myself in multiple activities. One activity I can lose myself in is reading. I can spend hours on end reading and have stayed up all night doing so. I love to read and love the fact that I can lose myself in stories I cannot fathom but enjoy getting wrapped up in the books I read.

Another activity I lose myself in is artwork. Specifically coloring or rock painting. I can spend hours doing both. I love doing both especially when I listen to music or a podcast. Losing myself in artwork while listening to music or a podcast is something I tend to do when the weather is bad outside.

Weekly Check-In

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

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