Weekly Plans

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Workbook(s)
  • Artwork
  • Read

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Workbook(s)
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Artwork
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Workbook(s)
  • Artwork
  • Read

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Therapy (appointment with therapist)
  • Appointment w/Employment Specialist
  • Workbook(s)
  • Artwork
  • Read

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Workbook(s)
  • Artwork
  • Read

Friday

(My Birthday)

  • Birthday breakfast in bed from my partner
  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning walk
  • Romantic day with partner as part of birthday present
  • Birthday dinner with partner and friends at Red Robin
  • Romantic evening with partner watching movies at home

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning Walk
  • Romantic day with partner as part of my birthday weekend.

A Fun Time w/Friends at Breakfast

Good Afternoon, World!!! It is 12:06 in the afternoon here in Seattle and I am back home from having breakfast with my friends. Two of my friends took me out to breakfast. They took me out to breakfast to one of my favorite restaurants called the Blue Star Cafe and Pub. It is in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle. In fact, it by the novelty shop Archie McPhee’s. Archie McPhee’s is a big deal here in Seattle. Anyway, my friends and I had a wonderful breakfast and thought the food was really yummy. We had a great time and had fun.

I do not have anything else to discuss or share or 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 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!!!

Feeling Emotional

Good Morning, World!!! It is seven twenty in the morning here in Seattle and I am feeling emotional. I am feeling emotional because I am missing my parents. Sadly, both of my parents died within two months of each other. My mom died of lung cancer and my dad died in hospice care from aspiration pneumonia. It has only been three months since my mom died and one month since my dad died. The grief is really intense at this moment in time. I wish both of them were still alive. I miss both of them very much.

The grief of losing both of my parents might be intense right now but I am grateful for the friends I have in my life. In fact, two of friends are taking me out to breakfast. They are taking me to breakfast at Blue Star Cafe and Pub in the Walingford neighborhood of Seattle. In fact, Blue Start Cafe and Pub is near the novelty store Archie McPhee’s which is a big deal here in Seattle. I have some amazing friends who care about me and willing to take me out to breakfast for no reason other than they care about me.

I do not have anything else to discuss or share or 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 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!!!

Up Too Early & Plan for the Day

Good Morning, World!!! It is four fourteen in the morning here in Seattle and I am up way too early. On that note I also ended up going to bed really early for me last night which explains why I am up way too early. I got a really good night of sleep for a change and that is a good thing for especially after my insomnia was acting up.

Two of my friends are planning on taking me out to breakfast later this morning. We are going to one of my favorite places to eat called Blue Star Cafe & Pub. It is in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle. In fact, it is near Archie McPhee’s which is a fun novelty shop which my friends and I might end up going to after breakfast. I am so very grateful that I have friends who care about me and like to treat me to meals especially my favorite meal of the day, breakfast.

I do not have anything else to discuss or share or 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 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

  • Morning walk
  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Monday

  • Morning walk
  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Appointment at the Social Security office
  • Work on a recovery related workbooks
  • Work on a continuing education course
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Morning walk
  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Work on a continuing education course
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Job interview
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Wednesday

  • Morning walk
  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm Walk
  • Work on a continuing education course
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Clean apartment
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Thursday

  • Morning walk
  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm Work
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Work on continuing education course
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Friday

  • Morning walk
  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Work on a continuing education course
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Attend movies with friends
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Saturday

  • Morning walk
  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • U-District farmer’s market
  • Movies with friends
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Friday Evening Plans

Happy Friday, World!!! I have had a pretty productive day so far today and I am proud of myself, and it is few minutes after one o’clock in the afternoon here in Seattle. I hope me saying that I am proud of myself for a productive day doesn’t sound like I am conceded or narcissistic. I volunteered this morning for Alley Cat Project, did an entire chapter in a recovery focused workbook and started a continuing education course that I am halfway through already. Oh yeah before I forget, I also did some artwork. I worked on some diamond art/painting as well as did some coloring. I not only feel like I was productive today, but I feel very accomplished.

After having a productive and accomplished, I am planning to hang out with friends in an hour or two. My friends and I are going out for a late lunch. We are going to my favorite restaurant which is Red Robin. I love Red Robin and something many people do not know is that Red Robin started here In Seattle. Red Robin starting here in Seattle is not the reason why I love eating there so much. The reason I love Red Robin so much is because they have awesome food.

After dinner at Red Robin, I plan on coming back home and having a quiet evening at home with my cat, Billie. I plan on two main activities when I return home from Red Robin which are reading and doing some artwork. The book I am reading is the second book in a six-book series. It is a queer dark fantasy book as is the entire book series. As far as artwork goes, I most like will be doing a diamond art/painting. The diamond art/painting that I am currently doing is that of a tuxedo cat. Part of the reason why I chose to do a tuxedo cat is because my cat, Billie is a tuxedo cat.

I do not have anything else to discuss or 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 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 heart. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Check-In

Good Evening, World!!! It is that time again, where I do my weekly check-in. Sadly, the symptoms of my PTSD and depression have been acting up. My anxiety is also acting up. The various symptoms of multiple mental health diagnoses rearing their ugly heads, I have to keep my emotions in check. One of the main emotions I have to keep in check is my anger. For me, I tend to stuff my anger till I do one of two things which are emotionally explode by screaming, yelling and cussing or I self harm. Thankfully, I have not self harmed in over a year. Since my anger has been an issue I know I need to work on, I have been discussing it with my therapist. I had an appointment with my therapist this past Wednesday. I informed her that I feel like my anger has an extremely short fuse. We discussed how the journaling about my anger is helping. We also discussed what I call going back to basics which are eating regularly, staying hydrated and sleeping well. We discussed how challenging the basics can be and how doing the basics can help lengthen the fuse. I am grateful for the practical suggestions as well as the out of the box suggestions my therapist gives to help me with my mental health recovery.

Besides going to therapy this past week, I went to Red Robin with some friends several times this week. I enjoy spending time with friends and I love Red Robin as Red Robin is my favorite restaurant. One of the times I went to Red Robin this week was due to the fact that it was one of my closest friends birthdays and wanted to celebrate her on her birthday. It is always good to spend time with friends and create happy memories at places like Red Robin.

I, of course spent time with my cat, Billie. I love my cat so much and he helps me with my emotions. He is my Emotional Support Animal (ESA) for a reason. I am so grateful that he is my life.

I do not have much else to write about or discuss 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 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!!!

Nightmares = No Sleep In Seattle

Good Morning, World!!! It is a few minutes after three o’clock in the morning here in Seattle. I am sadly unable to sleep partly due to insomnia and partly due PTSD. It took me forever and a day to fall asleep and sadly got woken up by a nightmare once I was asleep. Having insomnia and PTSD sucks shit.

I had a challenging time falling asleep due to insomnia as well as some pretty intense trauma responses from PTSD symptoms. I am pretty sure that the trauma response from PTSD symptoms was due to the fact of the family drama last night that I wrote about in my last post.

Since the lack of sleep and waking up from a nightmare due to PTSD symptoms, I realized that I was angry about it all so I ended up journaling. It appears that the journaling is about my anger is helpful for me. I am glad I am taking my therapist’s suggestion regarding writing down my anger as well as calling friends afterwards. In fact, I called one of my closest friends and talked to her at length. I then called my partner, Junior who came over to my place and we talked at great length about everything. I am beyond grateful for my close friend as well as my partner.

In fact Junior is going to stay the rest of the night here at my place to give me moral support. He is helping me color my gigantic giant coloring poster. As we colored my cat, Billie was in my lap. In fact Billie is still in my lap as I write this particular blog post. After I am done writing this particular blog post, I will continue coloring with Junior as my cat, Billie sleeps in my lap.

I do not have anything else to discuss or 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 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!!!

Family Drama + PTSD = A Sh!tty Trauma Response

Hello, World!!! I am currently dealing with some shitty and intense trauma response due to family drama and PTSD symptoms. I am pretty sure the family drama with my aunt is what caused the PTSD symptoms and ultimately the trauma response that I had.

This will be a long post due to it being a long story. As I have posted before, my mom died two days before Thanksgiving Day here in the United States. It’s been extremely challenging for me for many reasons. Sadly, I posted an angry and pain filled post on my Facebook wall under my given name which started some family drama. I apologized many times to many people in my life especially my family. I know I hurt many people and most understand and have forgiven me or at least started to forgive me in their own time and own way except one aunt. That one aunt is the person I offered to pay for their train ticket from Seattle to where my mom’s funeral is going to be which is Olympia at the end of this month. I offered to pay for her train ticket due to her having car issues as well as having some financial issues and wanted to be helpful. My aunt lives in the Bremerton area and could easily take the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle and take the train. So, I have to text back and forth with her a handful of times regarding tickets which leads to the drama this evening.

I texted my aunt about the train tickets close to 8:30 this evening Seattle time. She informed me that she doesn’t need me to pay for her tickets and is unsure if she is going to take the train if she does she will pay for her own. She also stated that she doesn’t respond to phone calls or text after 7:30 unless it is urgent. I texted an apology and let her know that I usually text people after 8:00 due to peoples bedtime routines and that I won’t do it again. She then texted me to next her again tonight which I wasn’t going to do nor will I do now that I know her boundaries. Anyway, this aunt then calls me up and screams at me and has mentioned every thing I have done wrong in her eyes that she heard through the “grapevine” or witnessed yet she hasn’t been in my life very much for various reasons. She brought up so painful shit that I experienced which caused some anger in me as well as an anxiety attack or two. I ended up hanging up on her and blocking her phone number temporarily for my own sanity.

Since my aunt caused so much anger I did what my therapist had suggested and wrote out my anger. I wrote my anger and anxiety in my journal I bought myself for Christmas. So, I wrote six pages in my journal regarding my anger and trauma response regarding my aunt calling and screaming at me. After journaling I reached out to some of my natural support system of friends like my therapist suggested in therapy. I reached out to two friends who were happy to talk with me and I am so grateful for their listening ear.

After journaling and talking with two friends I of course cuddled with my cat, Billie and as I am writing this particular blog post Billie my cat is still cuddling with me. I think after I am done with this particular blog post I will color as I love to color.

I know my mom wouldn’t want all this drama after her death or regarding her funeral. I just wish she was still alive. I miss my mom so very much. I hope she knew how much I loved her even though we didn’t get along at times.

I do not have much more to write about or discuss in this particular blog post except to say I am sorry for posting about my family drama and my anger. 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!!!

Daily Prompt; How Do You Use Social Media?

Daily writing prompt
How do you use social media?

I primarily use social media via Facebook under my given name. I also use Linkedin under my given name for employment purposes. As far as my pseudo name (and childhood nickname), Gertie, I use Facebook and WordPress as well as LinkedIn. Yes, I consider WordPress as a form of social media.Of course I use WordPress to blog. I use Facebook and LinkedIn for my blog to help spread the awareness I hope regarding mental health. Also, it helps with having more readers and followers. I hope that doesn’t sound selfish.

As far as Facebook and LinkedIn under my given name I seem to use it more often especially Facebook. I use Facebook under my given name to help stay connected with people I might not otherwise be connected with. Also, it is a way for me to maintain friendships with people especially those who do not live in the same area as I do. Like I stated in my last paragraph I use LinkedIn under my given name for employment purposes.

As far as other social media sites, I don’t use it as I don’t have the desire to nor the time to do so. Plus, I don’t need to be that connected to other people. Also, I don’t want to have to remember more passwords which majorly sucks.