Tag Archives: Seattle

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is Saturday evening here in Seattle and that means it is that time of the week where I give you my weekly check in. A check where I tell you what has happened for me during the past week. A week that doesn’t always as planned.

I started this week by attending an online twelve step meeting. A meeting that had a focus of step one and will continue to focus on step one for the next three to four weeks so folks can work on the step and not feel rushed doing it. I really connected with this group and let my sponsor know that. She will “attend” with me tomorrow as she has another sponsee that is doing step one plus my sponsor will be in attendance to support me.

Besides attending online twelve step meetings, I returned back to work. I am happy to be back to work despite having a corrective action plan (CAP) looming over my head. I also found out that I will be having my CAP meeting this Monday. I don’t think most of the CAP is fair but I will take responsibility for the parts that I know is fair like missing too many days even though I have medical reasons for missing too many days. As far as the adaptability part, I know I have issues with it however it is disability related and feel like I am in trouble due to my disability. I am also getting a CAP due to how my annual review went but that was done three and half months early which is why I am fighting the CAP. I don’t understand why I wasn’t informed sooner about what I need to work on.

I also had therapy this week. My therapist and I discussed many different things including work. We discussed coping skills around work as well as the mental health symptoms that I deal with on the daily basis. We talked about how attending twelve step meetings is “helpful” for me and my recovery. We also discussed how my symptoms are not as severe due to me doing daily mindfulness meditation practices at least twice daily. My therapist is awesome and I appreciate the fact that she not only points out what I need to work on but points out what I am doing well on.

I do not have much more to discuss in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Caturday with Billie

Posted on by Gertie

It is time of week where I share a picture or two of cats. This week is one picture of my beloved cat, Billie.

Billie observing from up high.

Tired in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is officially Saturday morning here in Seattle and I sadly did not sleep well once again. I did not sleep well last night due to the fact that my building fire alarm system decided to malfunction once again. Needless to say I am not the only one who is pissed off about this.

Since I was not able to sleep very well last night, I did what I could to control my emotions regarding the fire alarm malfunctioning. One of the things I did to help myself was do a couple of mindfulness meditation practices. Mindfulness meditation practice helps me realize what I need to do.

One of the things I did last night in between evacuating my apartment building multiple times was read. I am reading Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. So far I am enjoying the book and I think it is worth reading so I recommend reading it.

Another thing I did last night was some arts and crafts. The type of art I did was color a gigantic poster I got from Stuff2Color.com. I really enjoy coloring. I also did some crafting by doing some cross stitching. I am hoping to finish a cross stitching project in time to give my mom a pillowcase for Christmas.

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, read 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 heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Fighting My Way Through A Depressive Moment

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am feeling very depressed at the moment. I really don’t like being depressed and I wish it would just go away. I know my depression will not go away especially this time of year when it usually gets worse due to the days getting shorter and the weather getting yuckier.

As depressed as I am, I am grateful that I am not suicidal. I am doing my various skills be to prevent myself from getting suicidal as being suicidal is no fund for anyone involved. One way I will help myself through this depressive moment is to do some artwork through coloring. I am coloring a couple of gigantic posters I bought from Stuff2Color.

Another way I am helping myself is reading while Billie, my cat, lays on my lap. I am in the middle of reading two different books. The one I am reading is Abraham Lincoln; Vampire Hunter, by Seth Grahame-Smith. So far I am enjoying the book. I love reading especially when my cat is on my lap.

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 was not for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be writing my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Mid-Week Update

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! So far it has been one of them weeks for me and the week is not over yet. It’s been one of them weeks because it is my first week back to work from my second medical leave since a trauma happened to me back on July 31st. Anyway, I am still waiting on my corrective action plan (CAP) meeting and what I have to do to “pass it” which I am hoping I can do.

As far as the weather goes regarding my job as an outreach worker as a peer specialist has not been fun at all due to the rain. My feet get wet and I cannot afford water proof or water resistant shoes at the moment. Thankfully, I do have two pairs of shoes. One pair is for walking and the other pair is to make sure when I am inside my feet are not wet or cold so I don’t have to be a cranky bucket with my clients or colleagues.

Since the weather has been yucky and grey as well as it getting dark earlier and staying dark later, I have been using my happy light quite regularly. The happy light is helping a great deal with my depression and surprisingly helping with my anxiety and PTSD.

One of the things that have been helping me a great deal with depression, anxiety and PTSD besides the happy light is doing mindfulness meditation practices. Doing mindfulness meditation practices on a daily basis has proven to me that I am more productive with my day as well as being able to get better sleep.

I really do not have much of 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 writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Three Nights of Good Sleep in a Row

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is just barely after five o’clock in the morning here in Seattle and I am happy as a freaking clam. I am happy as a clam because I have received my third night in a row of good sleep. The best part of it all is I have not needed to use my sleep medicine to help me sleep the last three nights. I am beyond grateful that I have gotten three really good nights of sleep and not needing my sleeping medicine.

I really do think one of the things that has been helpful for any good night of sleep especially three nights in a row without any meds is doing at least two mindfulness meditation practices on the daily basis. I do one in the morning which helps me with my day ahead and one before bed which ultimately helps me with my sleep. I do, do mindfulness meditation practices when I think I need them as well.

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

Two Nights In a Row of Good Nights Sleep

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is five o’clock in the morning and I had my second night of good sleep in a row. I am so happy to have one night of good sleep however I am beyond thrilled to have two nights in a row of a good nights sleep.

I am pretty sure that mindfulness meditation practices I do at least twice daily are helping me with my sleep. The mindfulness meditation practice has ultimately been helping my sleep as well as with my recovery with the mental health challenges I deal with on a daily basis.

Mindfulness meditation practice even helps me at work. In fact the Calm App has some mindfulness meditation practices that focus on work. Mindfulness practice helps me focus at work and even though I will be getting a corrective action plan (CAP) at some point my supervisor as well as the team lead both of informed me that since starting mindfulness meditation practice started back my “focus has gotten better.” I am glad they noticed.

Speaking of work I need to get ready for work. For me getting ready for work consists of a shower, getting dressed, eating some sort of breakfast, reading the newspaper as I drink a nice cup of hot tea and cuddling with my cat. I am a person who needs some form of routine in the morning to be able to function the rest of the day.

One of those routines in the morning is when I am on my way to work. I take public transportation and when I go to work, I like to read. I carry two to three books with me in my backpack so I can have a choice on what to read. Reading on the way to work helps me relax and not worry about what the day will bring me which includes the clients I have on my caseload that might be in crisis.

I do not have anything else 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. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Evening Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It has been a day at work. In fact I am still technically working but I am finishing up some work at home. I am grateful to be finishing up my day at home doing not so fun paperwork. I just want to update you on my corrective action plan (CAP). I did not have the meeting today due to my union representative not being able to attend. I am sad it didn’t happen because I just want it done and over with. I am thankful it didn’t happen because it was my first day back from my second medical leave after the recent trauma I experienced.

The weather today here in Seattle is typical weather for the time of year which is yucky. The weather being yucky means making sure I have an extra pair of shoes and some extra socks with me. The reason being is my shoes tend to get soaking wet especially since my job requires me to do most of my work outreaching clients and I take public transportation.

After I am done doing work paperwork from home, I am going to continue cuddling with my cat, Billie and read. I am going to first read and work on the first step of the twelve step program I am in. I am then going to read Pet Cemetery by Stephen King. I am also reading another book but I am putting that one on hold for the moment.

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 writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Awake Way Too Early

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is just after three o’clock in the morning here in Seattle and I am away way too early. I don’t have to be up until nine o’clock in the morning to work at twelve noon. I am awake partly due to a nightmare related to PTSD. I am also partly awake due to insomnia. Both suck.

Since I am unable to sleep, I have decided I am going to keep myself busy by doing various things. One of those things I am going to be doing is listening to a podcast on philosophy as I do some form of arts and crafts. The type of artwork I am planning on doing is coloring a gigantic post I bought from Stuff2Color.com. I also plan on doing some crafting. The crafting I plan on doing is doing some form of cross stitching. I am grateful to be able to do something with my hands as I listen to something and in this case is listening to a podcast about philosophy.

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 writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Feeling Down

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! The weather is sorta of yucky here in Seattle which is not unusual for this time of year. Even though the weather could be a lot more yuckier it still is not helping with my depression symptoms. Since it has been cloudy most of the day and it is getting darker earlier, I have had my happy light on most of the day which has been quite helpful.

Something I have been doing most of the day is some form of arts and crafts project while listening to a podcast. I am listening to a podcast about philosophy. The philosophy podcast that I am listening to is called Philosophize This. I really enjoy listening to this podcast. As I listened to the podcast I did some artwork as well as some crafting. The artwork I did was coloring. The crafting I did was some cross stitching.

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 were not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!