Tag Archives: Music

Everyday Inspiration; Day 9: Writing & Not Writing

Posted on by Gertie

Today’s  assignment is to discuss what I do when I am not writing. This easy for me to write about as the things I do outside of blogging is a form of self care for me.

I tend to be a strong advocate in my community. Not just the mental health community or the Peer community but the LGBTQ+ community. Being able to advocate in the communities I identify with helps be in the long wrong to be able to advocate for other communities that I don’t identify with but an ally.

I also volunteer at the Warm Line in my area. Which is something I have been doing for three and a half years now. Something I also love to do. I love to be able to be of support to those who may not have the support that I have.

Something, I do to help myself are self-help workbooks. I am currently doing two work books. One is one my gender identity and sexual orientation while the other is on mindfulness and meditation.

Reading is another thing I do besides reading. I love to read. My favorite genre’s are science fiction, fantasy and mystery. I also love to read text books. Yes, I know it sounds strange but its something I enjoy.

Another thing I enjoy besides reading is to do art. I love to paint, color and collage. Writing helps me process my emotions and feelings while are helps me express them.

Another way I express my emotions is by playing the flute or harmonica. Where words fail music speaks. I also love listening to music and have a ton of play list on Spotify.

Thank you for reading. Have a great day everyone. Peace Out, World!!!

 

Table For Two

Posted on by Gertie

Craft a story or scene about two people—or other nonhuman characters, if you prefer—from very different backgrounds sharing a meal together. What do they learn about each other that they weren’t expecting?

This is an easy one for me as Junior and I come from two completely different backgrounds. Junior is a well off Mexican American while I am an Irish American who is not all that well off. He is well over six feet tall and I am just barely over five feet tall. Junior is a successful firefighter while I am an unemployed Peer Specialist dealing with their mental health conditions.

Junior and I maybe completely different from each other especially when it comes to how we were raised yet we have a lot in common. We both play musical instruments. He plays the bag pipes, drums and trumpet while I play the flute and teaching myself the harmonica. We both are in the “helping” professions. We both have a sense of humor. Humor that gets us through rough patches as individuals and as a couple.

I think what Junior and I learned about each other is something that we weren’t expecting but not a surprise was our desire to advocate for those who do not have a voice. Especially those who don’t have a voice in the communities we most identify with. Another thing we were both surprised about is the love of sports we have.

Thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

 

Oh, How I Want To Sleep

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! All I want to do is right now is sleep. Right now as I blog, I am listening to some jazz music. Jazz music reaches my soul unlike any other genre of music.

Something else that I have been doing is reading. Tonight I have been reading a history text book and the part of history I am reading about happens to be the history of jazz. Kind of ironic that I am listening to jazz music. I have also been reading some Wonder Woman comic books. Wonder Woman is my favorite superhero. It appears that reading has been quite helpful for me the last few weeks especially the last few days since my grandma’s death.

I think I am going to go and read some more Wonder Woman while listening to some jazz music. Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Friday Morning Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is seven fifteen  in morning in my corner of the world. I didn’t get much sleep last night because two of my neighbors were arguing last night. When they weren’t arguing they were pounding on each other’s doors and just making it miserable for the rest of us who live on my floor.

I personally think I would have gotten more sleep if I my neighbors weren’t being jerks to each other. In fact, my neighbors yelling at each other severely triggered my PTSD. Almost severely enough to where it nearly put me into crisis mode.

Thankfully, I was able to prevent crisis mode by using my DBT Skills. If it weren’t for my skills I don’t know what I would be doing. I put on my headphones and listened to music to drown out my neighbors screaming while I read. Both of these skills helped me most of the night and didn’t put me into crisis mode.

Another skill that helps me is reading the news paper while drinking some hot tea. Like every day, there was only bad news. Apparently, there is suppose to be a storm coming to Seattle. Not sure if it’s going to happen as it appears that anytime a storm is expected it never happens.

Thank you for reading. Happy Friday!!! Peace Out, World!!!

 

 

Once Again, Sleepless in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is ten minutes after two in the morning in my corner of the world. It is the typical rainy Seattle weather as I sit here at my laptop blogging. I don’t have much new to say except once the Olympics are over with I will now longer have cable. It’s just not something that is needed and cost a shit load of money. Money that is not worth the customer service.

Not having television means that Netflix and Hulu will my consumer ship with T.V. shows and movies. Plus not having television will allow me to read more as well as do other enjoyable activities.

Activities such as art. I am looking forward to doing more art. Art that will help me express my emotions while reading will help me get myself out of my head.

Plus, I will be able to have an excuse to play my flute more. I am so looking forward to having time without television to play my flute.

I use television as an excuse to not do shit that is helpful such as reading, playing my flute, and so on.

I should get going and attempt to try and get some sleep. Peace Out, World!!!

Feeling Slightly Better

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I’m feeling slightly better than my last post. I owe it to taking a shower, eating and DBT skills. Skills that have helped me a lot the last fourteen and a half years.

One of the things I did after my shower was do some collaging. A collaged a couple of poems. So, I combined art and poetry into one skill or at least this time around. I love being able to combine my skills into one as it is quite helpful.

Another thing I did was read. I read the rest of the news paper that I didn’t finish reading this morning. I also read a little bit of the book that is taking me a long while to read. I am enjoying it though.

I did all these skill while listening to music. Music helps a great deal. I think after I am done blogging, I’m going to play the flute.

I hope everyone has a great night. Peace Out, World!!!!

Ugh!!! Frustration & Other Stuff

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It’s been a frustrating morning. I went to the social security office today and have to go back tomorrow. It’s difficult enough to go when you don’t have an anxiety disorder and/or PTSD but add one or both conditions it makes it that much more difficult.

As difficult as social security is for me to go to and to deal with them, dealing with the grief of my grandma being in hospice care is that much more difficult. Knowing my grandma is going to pass away sooner than later is painful and I don’t want that to happen yet I know it is a part of life. Death is painful to deal with yet when you are aware of someone about to pass away you tend to appreciate the person more as well as life in general.

Being more appreciative of my grandma now is a good thing and not taking her life for granted, I’m going to be visiting her. I’ll be taking some art supplies with me as well as music and books to keep me busy when my grandma sleeps. The art stuff I’ll be taking is collaging and coloring supplies as its the easy to travel with on the city bus and less messy for my grandparents home.

I should get going so I can go visit my grandma. I hope everyone has an awesome day. Peace Out, World

Bored at the Social Security Office

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am waiting at the social security office bored half out of my mind. I’ve been waiting for nine minutes and was first in line. I hope they start calling numbers here shortly or you will be reading a long and boring ass post. I am listening to some music on my phone as I sit here blogging.

Oh yeah!!! The called my number. I will post later. I hope everyone great day and peace out world!!!

12 Midnight (exactly), Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It is exactly twelve midnight in my corner of the world. I was able to fall asleep since my last post but unfortunately I woke up from a stupid ass nightmare. A nightmare about what I told Gilbert in our session today.

Trauma sucks shit and wish I didn’t have to deal with however I do. Something that helps me express my emotions what I am unable to process them is art. I am going to be painting and collaging as I listen to music. Music speaks when words fail.

Have a great night and peace out, world!!!

Monday Morning Rambling

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! If you read my first to blogs of the day, you would know that I had trouble sleeping. Hell, I got no sleep whatesoever but that didn’t stop be from trying to do what I needed to do to take care of myself.

Taking care of myself during sleepless nights looks different each night however there is some common ground; DBT skills. Using my DBT skills helps me with various things in my life such as not sleeping.

One of the skills of the things I did last night was read. I read a History text book. I am finding it quite interesting. I love history. It was one of my favorite subjects in school.

Another thing I did last night was some art. I painted. On some of my paintings I also did some collaging as well.

As I read and did art I listen to music which helped me. Music helped by soothing me. I love music.

Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!