Tag Archives: Friends

Coming to Terms with the Reality but there is a Glimmer of Hope

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I’ve been absent from blogging due to finding out that the agency I work at will be be closing down according to the board of directors. On the hopeful side King County wants to keep my employer open. Open because we have been the longest opened Queer mental health agency in North America if not the world. It’s been open for 53 years. It’s been around longer than I have been a live. I know the reality is that it most likely will close but at least there is some hope from King County,

I trying work with some amazing colleagues who I have grown to love a family. I just hope they feel the same about me. My colleagues have become both friends and chosen family. I just hope a miracle from the universe or a hail Mary happens before the final decision is made. If it were up to the board of directors the agency would have been shout down by now.

Any way peoples cats and other pets have been keeping us entertaining during meetings as well as sessions with clients. I will miss seeing all the pet and animals my clients and colleagues have. Shutting down Seattle Counseling Services is not a good thing especially for the Queer community.

I don’t have much to say but I have a very slightly hope that my employer can stay open. I don’t have anything else to say except thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. If it wasn’t for you reading my blog, I wouldn’t be writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading m blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Not the not So Typical Weekly Plans Blog

Posted on by Gertie

This weeks, weekly plans are not going go as planned. I didn’t get much sleep because I ended up in the hospital because my depression and anxiety were acting up. Thankfully, I wasn’t in a suicide mode or self harm mode.

After a few hours of sleep I am going to my grandpa’s house to do laundry. So sleep and laundry are on the list for today.

Of course I will be working Monday through Friday this week. It will not be an easy week but at least my friends, family and colleagues are being supportive.

Weekly Check In

Posted on by Gertie

It is another Saturday night in Seattle. Of course I am spending it alone with my cat, Billie Dean. In fact Billie has been helping me with the depression and the anxiety. My friends and family have been helping as well, like my cat Billie as well as my colleagues. It feels great to feel loved by my pet cat as well as my friends, family and colleagues.

The best part of this week is that I will be there to the last day which is May 6th. I might even be there to September but that is not one hundred percent yet. At least there is somewhat of a date. I really love this job and feel like I have a niche at this job.

It is a sad day in a America when the longest queer mental health agency is closing down. My employer serves more than two thousand clients and it breaks my heart that the clients have to go to other agencies that has caused trauma to them.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end that you the reader, read my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Update About Layoffs

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, from Seattle. This hasn’t been the best couple of weeks regarding work as my employer is closing down. On the the plus side I will be there to the end which is May 6th. King County and my employer are trying to stay open so the interns can get their hours to graduate. The county is also trying to get my agency to merge with another agency. To me that is good news.

The heartbreaking news is not knowing if we are going to close or merge with another agency as a lot of clients have been traumatized by other agencies. I don’t want to retraumatize the clients my employer serves.

Another great news, my colleges, friends and family have all been supported of me and me of them. I am feeling the love from the people around me. I am happy that I have a job to at least May 6th and maybe till mid September.

As far as my cat goes, he has been loving on me and cuddling me. He seems to know something is wrong. Wrong with all the tears I have been crying.

I do not have much more to say in this particular post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog.. If it wasn’t for you reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Just About Rumblings

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!!! I went to work today via going to the office tomorrow. I love going into the office as it gives me more proactive ways to do to do some work. I love my job and am sad that my employer is going under which means everyone is getting laid off. I am concerned about my clients that my employer serves. The need the help they need in the queer community .

On that note I had to go to the hospital due to having an injury. I have some major bruisers and a broken finger. My boss says I could work from home due to my injury. I love my job and that y supervisor isn’t a micromanager. My servicer is awesome.

I am happy to be home with my cat and he is helping me with the grief of being laid off from my employer. I love the fact that he comforts me with the grief with the laid offs.

I do not have much ore to say about this particular blog post. I want to thank you for reading my blog.

Overall A Good Vacation Despite the Unknown of my Lay Off Date

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Despite finding out that my employer will be going our of business a week before my vacations and six days before my 43rd birthday, I had a good vacation and birthday. Granted it could have been better, I didn’t let it get me down.

I did not let it get it down because I had the love and support from friends, family, colleagues and of course my cat Billie Dean. I enjoyed my time in Bremerton and knowing that I have people and cats on my side supporting me. I am grateful that I had a vacation. I think I needed it so I can be the be I can be for my clients and my colleagues.

I don’t have much more to say in thing particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It it greatly appreciated that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Late Birthday Post While on Vacation & Getting Laid Off +Supportive People in My Life

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Early Friday, Morning!!! This past Monday (March 7th), I turned 43 years old and was and still am on vacation. Sadly, I found out on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 that my employer is closing its doors. The doors to the longest running queer mental health agency in the United States. Some say the world but I’m not sure about the world thing.

On that a note I did go on my vacation to Bremerton, Washington. I am glad I went because it helped me clear my head. I was able to to see friends over in Bremerton which is always good thing. While I was in Bremerton my grandpa took take of my cat at his place in Lynnwood.

I appreciate all the people who have been supporting me. I feel loved and supported by my by friend, family, colleagues, and of course my cat Billie Dean. I love my cat, Billie so much.

Despite the news of being laid off with an unknown date, I am one lucky person. I live in a country where I don’t have to flee from due to war.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you the blogger reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Wish me luck on finding a new job once I get laid off from my current employer. Peace Out, World!!!

A gRaTiTuDe & CoMpLaInInG pOsT

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!!! It has been a week and two days since I last blogged. I found out that my employer will be no longer a mental health agency much longer. The board let us know on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. It came to a surprise to everyone including to the CEO. Needless to say we are all going through grief especially for our clients. I am still in shock one week and two days later. On top of that I found out six days before my birthday and my vacation.

On to the gratitude part of this post is at least I’ve had the support of my friends, family and colleague who have become family. I think all this has brought my colleagues closer together. As far as the clients go most of them are taking better than I thought they would. I am grateful for my colleagues and clients. They are the reason I do what I do and be a peer support specialist. I will miss working with my clients and colleagues. Oh, the supervisors are amazing.

I do not not have much more to say in this blog post. I do want to thank you for reading 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 reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end. Peace Out, World!!!

Still Struggling but Doing Better

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World. It is almost ten o’clock on a Sunday night here in rainy Seattle. I feel like the rain fits my current mood of being depressed. On that note, it feel like the depression is lifting a little bit which is a really good thing.

Sadly, I did not go to my volunteer job at PAWS Cat City this morning because I did not get much sleep last night. It felt like I didn’t getting any sleep but I’m sure I got some sleep; sort of like cat naps or I would have most likely slept all day today if I got absolutely no sleep last night.

I’ve been lucky today as I had some of my support system help me out today. My uncle and grandpa came over with some breakfast. After we ate breakfast, my uncle and grandpa helped me a little bit with cleaning my apartment. It’s still a disaster area but at least you can tell there is some improvement.

After my family helped me with my apartment, I decided to turn on my music and play it very loudly. So, loud I will be surprised if one of my neighbor don’t complain to the apartment management. On that note, while having my music on full blast, decided to do some art work. The type of art work I did was coloring. I love to color and was able to finish the piece I was coloring to give to a friend who is a neighbor and live in my apartment building.

So, I went up to my friends apartment who is a neighbor and gave him my finished coloring piece I colored for him. In fact his music was on blast as well. He was also doing some art work except he was painting. In fact he allowed me to add to his painting which I found cool that he let me help him with this painting.

When I came back from my friends apartment, I decided to binge watch a couple of television shows on Netflix and Hulu. Of course, Billie Dean, my cat sat on my lap as I binged watched television shows. I love my cat so very much. He is a very sweet and loving kitty. He is also very much a lap kitty which is great especially when my depression is acting up.

As far as the Everyday Inspiration course I am taking through WordPress, I plan on continuing the course where I last left off. I really enjoy taking this course. It helps me stay focused on blogging. It also helps me keep you the reader more interested in my blog or at least that is my hope in what it does.

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, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Everyday Inspiration; Day 11: A Cup of Coffee

Posted on by Gertie

If we were to go out for cup of coffee, I would not be drinking coffee as I do not like the taste of coffee. I do love the smell of coffee but highly dislike the taste of coffee. Yes, I realize that is weird considering that I have lived in Seattle over 25 years.

In fact when I go out to “coffee” with friends, I usually get hot chocolate or some hot tea. In fact it depends on the time of year as well as the time of day on what I get. If it is in the morning, I normally get some tea. When it is the holiday season I most likely will get hot chocolate unless it is first thing in the morning. The rest of the day and/or year it depends on how am feeling at the moment. I am grateful that my friend who are originally from the Seattle area don’t give me a hard time about not drinking coffee.