Tag Archives: Reading

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!!!

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.

Daily Prompt; What Books Do You Want to Read?

Posted on by Gertie
Bloganuary writing prompt
What books do you want to read?
View all responses

I really enjoy reading and have many books that I would love to read for various reasons. I also really enjoy reading book series so what I have to list will be book series as well as the authors.

  • The Music City Rollers Series by Elicia Hyder
  • The Journey Durant Novels (which is a series) by Elicia Hyder
  • Fire & Brimstone Scrolls (which is a series) by Nikole Knight
  • The Homecoming Saga (which is a series) by Orson Scott Card

Daily Prompt; List Five Things You Do For Fun?

Posted on by Gertie
Bloganuary writing prompt
List five things you do for fun.
View all responses

Five things I like to do for fun and why.

  1. Reading – Reading helps me get out of my head as well as gives something to do when the real world gets too hard to cope with.
  2.  Watch Movies – Same reason as reading. It is also something I can do with friends and family as well as socialize.
  3. Art – I love to do art work especially coloring. It is pretty much an escape from reality like movies and reading are for me.
  4. Play on a Dodgeball Team – I love playing on a dodgeball team and playing against others. The team I am on may not be the best but I love it.
  5. Spending Time with Friends – Who doesn’t enjoy spending time with their friends? I know I do.

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is that time of week where I do my weekly check-in. This past week has had its ups and downs but if I really look at the week, it has had more ups than downs despite the challenging aspects of the week.

One of the many good aspects of this week has been spending it with some good friends as well as my partner. I have had dinner with a group of my friends twice this week and we all had a blast. As far as spending time with my partner, it is always time well spent. We spent most of last night (Friday) watching movies at my place eating a bunch of junk food. I don’t know what I did right to deserve the awesome friends and the love of my partner but I am grateful for them.

Besides spending much needed time with my partner and friends, I spent time with my cat, Billie. The last few days it has been quite freezing in Seattle so I stayed in as much as possible especially since there is currently snow on the ground in my Seattle neighborhood. Of course Billie my cat was and is happy that I am spending more time at home with him. While being home with my kitty, Billie, I have started reading a book and I am half way through it. I am not sure what to think of it yet or if I am going to read the next book in the series. I also have been doing some art work as I have been a hermit. The type of art work that I have been doing is coloring. I am coloring a giant poster and it feels like I am not getting anywhere with it but I am as you can tell by looking at it. I love to color.

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

Too Cold For My Liking Especially Here In Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Friday and Good Morning, World!!! The snow in my neighborhood didn’t last long as it was just a dusting. Despite the dusting of snow yesterday evening I am glad I made the decision to not attend the University of Washington men’s basketball game as I would have been extremely cold as I walk to and from the light rail station. I am not a big fan of the cold and as much as I dislike the snow, if it is going to be this cold, I just wish it would just snow. I really don’t like it being in the low twenties (Fahrenheit) especially without the snow.

I have decided to not go to Emerald House today and it has nothing to do with freezing weather outside here in Seattle. It is my plan to stay home with my cat, Billie, and cuddle with him most of the day if he is up for it. I also am planning on doing some reading as I enjoy it and I have decided to read a book series as I prefer book series. I am not sure what book series it is yet but I know it is going to be a book series.

Not only will I be reading but I will be doing some art work. Specifically, I will be coloring. I will be coloring a giant poster I bought from Stuff2Color.com. The giant poster that I am coloring will be for my therapist to show her my appreciation that I have for her. Not only that, coloring is self-soothing for me as well as it being a form of mindfulness for me. I just hope my therapist likes it.

Speaking of my therapist, I have an appointment with her that I plan on attending. Thankfully, it is a virtual appointment as I really don’t want to go out in this freaking cold. Plus, some suburbs of Seattle got snow so I have no clue if my therapist got snow or not since I don’t know where she lives. In fact I think it would be weird (and creepy) to know where your therapist lives.

I do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post except I would really like rain and forty-five degrees (Fahrenheit) weather back here in Seattle. 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!!!

Goals for 2024

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I know I am posting this almost two weeks into the New Year of 2024 but I thought you would be interested in what my goals for this year are.

My goals are as follows:

~ Clean my apartment and keep it clean. (My apartment is a disaster area and gets the way it does due to the fact that I struggle with the upkeep of my apartment when my depression acts up.)

~ Get a job in the social service field, preferably as a peer specialist. (Yes, I know I am currently unemployed by choice to focus on my recovery however working will help once I am a little bit more stable on my feet.)

~ Continue volunteering at PAWS Cat City. (This is a no brainer as I really love volunteering with cats.)

~ Start and complete at least three workbooks regarding my recovery. (This is to not to take the place of attending therapy on the regular basis but to help with my recovery as well as help aid on what I need to work on in therapy.)

~ Read at least four books. (I really enjoy reading and want to do my best to incorporate reading on the regular basis and into my daily life.)

~ Learn about Tarot and practice it. (I just feel like this could help me with my everyday life as well as my recovery with mental health challenges.)

~ Continue practicing mindfulness on a daily basis. (This is to also help me with my everyday life as well as my recovery with mental health challenges.)

~ Continue morning walks. (Of course there are many benefits to walking and I really enjoy it.)

~ Continue regular sessions with my therapist. (Another no brainer especially since I want to continue to work on my recovery with mental health challenges.)

~ Continue regular appointments with my psychiatric nurse practitioner. (Again, another no brainer especially regarding my mental health recovery.)

~ Continue paying off credit cards. (Who doesn’t want to be debt free?)

~ Do one logic puzzle a week. (To help keep my brain active.)

~ Color two regular posters and one giant poster. (Creativity is always a good thing.)

So Far It’s Been A Productive Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! It is just after twelve noon, Seattle time and I feel like it has been a productive day so far. I am beyond grateful that I have done a great deal. In fact the day is barely half over and I still have a few more things to accomplish today.

I started off my day cleaning for about an hour which surprised the hell out of me as I normally clean about fifteen minutes at a time. I then worked on a workbook to finish up the first chapter which I am happy to announce that I did. I read a couple of chapters in a book followed by attending an online group. After the online group I worked on an art project I am doing for my therapist. The art project I am doing is that I am coloring a giant poster for my therapist as an appreciation gift for all of her help.

I do not have much else to write about in this particular blog post and have other things I would like to accomplish today. 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 on my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!