Tag Archives: Volunteer

Thankful For Busy Day Ahead Online

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It snowed once again in Seattle last night. Last night’s snow was a lot more and sticking around. I am not a big fan of snow but at least I do not have to go out in it today despite how busy I am going to be today. Thankfully the busy day is all online.

I am currently doing a volunteer shift with the Alley Cat Project. I am on the incoming calls team which means, I return phone calls, emails and online submissions. All of this is done online and I call people back from my personal phone. I am just grateful I can do this volunteer job in the comfort of my own home with my own cat, Billie in my lap.

On that note I also have an online virtual group therapy session today. The group is for queer people like me. I am happy that the mental health agency I am a client at has a safe space for the queer community who seek services from them. I am so glad that it is virtual for many reasons especially today with the snow.

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!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Attend an in person 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Go to the DSHS office
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Attend a second online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Appointment with my employment specialist
  • Appointment with my peer specialist
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Appointment with psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Attend a second online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Go to the movies with my partner
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Go to the U-District Farmers Market
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Go to the movies (again) with my partner
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Attend a hybrid 12 step meeting
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online 12 step meeting
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails.
  • Attend a second online 12 step meeting
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online 12 step meeting
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Attend an online orientation to volunteer at the Seattle Aquarium
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online 12 step meeting
  • Appointment with my therapist
  • Lunch with my partner and some close friends at Red Robin
  • Attend a second online 12 step meeting
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online 12 step meeting
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning Walk
  • Attend an online 12 step meeting
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Dinner with my partner at Red Robin
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning Walk
  • U-District Farmer Market with one of my closest friends
  • Attend an online 12 step meeting
  • Lunch with a high school friend at Red Robin
  • Attend a second online 12 step meeting
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Read
  • Art (coloring and/or diamond art/painting)

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindful meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Dinner at Red Robin with friends
  • Do artwork (diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Monday

  • Mindful meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Clean apartment
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails
  • Do artwork (diamond art/paint)
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Mindful meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with partner
  • Appointment with peer specialist
  • Do artwork (diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Wednesday

  • Mindful meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning phone calls and emails
  • Dinner with friends at Red Robin
  • Do artwork (diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Thursday

  • Mindful meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Holiday lunch at Emerald House (a mental health club house)
  • Do artwork (diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Friday

  • Mindful meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning phone calls and emails
  • Dinner with friends at Red Robin
  • Do artwork (diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Saturday

  • Mindful meditation through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Brunch with partner
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)
  • Read

Feeling Like Sh!t & Haven’t Accomplished Much

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I haven’t been feeling well and sadly didn’t go in and volunteer at PAWS Cat City today. As far as volunteering at Alley Cat Project I haven’t done anything today due to sleeping most of the day. For my particular volunteer position with Alley Cat Project it is a remote position. I do have opportunities to help with other volunteer positions such as helping with cleaning and setting up kennels with where the cats are kept when in quarantine and/or awaiting medical care and/or an available foster home.

I just wish I felt well enough to do something. I am super tired but I really need to go to the grocery store to get some food to eat. I do have food here at home but it doesn’t sound too appetizing. I think I have enough energy to go to the grocery store and get some food.

I think after going grocery shopping that I will spend the rest of today and most if not all day tomorrow here at home cuddling with my cat Billie. I, of course am hoping to be able to read and do some art work at some point this evening as well as tomorrow. I do know spending time cuddling with my cat, Billie is something I will be doing.

I do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post except that I hope I feel better sooner than later. 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 wasn’t 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

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Breakfast with my partner, Junior
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Clean apartment with help
  • Shadow volunteer shift with Alley Cat Project
  • Evening walk
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Shadow volunteer shift with Alley Cat Project
  • Evening Walk
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Attend the Seattle Mariners Game
  • Evening walk
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Attend two virtual groups
  • Shadow volunteer shift with Alley Cat Project
  • Evening Walk
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Shadow volunteer shift with Alley Cat Project
  • Evening walk
  • Read
  • Art (color and/or rock painting)

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Spend day with Junior as a date day

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is Saturday evening here in Seattle and means it is time for my weekly check-in. Overall, I have had a good week despite some sleepless nights. I am grateful for the week I have had even when dealing with insomnia and PTSD symptoms.

My week started out my week with volunteering PAWS Cat City and I of course enjoyed myself. I love helping people and cats find the purrfect match. Seeing cats find their furrever home is priceless especially since I have been able to give cats their furrever home.

After volunteering at PAWS Cat City I hung out with some friends and we ended up going to Red Robin. I love Red Robin especially when I go with friends. In fact I went to Red Robin three times this week with friends. I am one lucky person. I always get the same thing as I know what I love and I am a creature of habit. I enjoy spending time with friends especially with some good food.

The biggest thing that has happened this week is that I am a volunteer in training with the Alley Cat Project. I became a volunteer in training after one of the volunteers who helped me trap a stray cat suggested that I apply to be one. Little did I know I would become one so quickly. It took less than two weeks which surprised the hell out of me and I am so looking forward to volunteering.

That is it for my weekly check-in. I hope you all have a good rest of your weekend. Peace Out, World!!!

Another Sleepless In Seattle Type Of Night

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is just after two o’clock in the morning here in Seattle. I am unable to sleep due to insomnia. Since I am unable to sleep I have been cuddling with my cat Billie as well as doing some mindfulness meditation through the Calm App. The mindfulness meditation has been quite helpful to quiet my mind.

Not only have I been doing some online training for Alley Cat Project (ACP) as I applied to be a volunteer two weeks ago and found out this past Tuesday that I am now a volunteer in training. Alley Cat Project (ACP) helps trap stray cats to return them back to their human or get them a new home as well as neuter and spay feral cats and if needed stray cats. That being said, people call their message line in which someone returns that call. From there coordination happens depending on the situations. Most of the time it is with the trapping team and from there the trapping team takes over. So, I will be on the incoming calls team that helps with coordination with helping the cat in need of help. So, I am really excited about this volunteer opportunity especially since Alley Cat Project helped me trap a stray cat and I am incredibly impressed with them which is why I want to volunteer for them.

I do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post except I really want to finish this part of my training so I can get my next training as I am really excited about volunteering at Alley Cat Project (ACP). 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!!!

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Overall, this week has been an okay week with some challenges. Challenges that suck at times but I am grateful for the support I have from other people in my life including my therapist. In fact one of the things I did this week was see my therapist for our regular appointment as well as a phone check in. Both of the phone check ins as well as my regular appointment with my therapist went well. My regular appointment is normally an hour but we were able to do an hour and a half due to my therapist’s next appointment cancelling. It was a hard session but I am so grateful for being able to receive mental health treatment as well as have an amazing therapist.

As far as volunteering is going, it is going great. I volunteered my regular shift on Sunday as well as doing two additional shifts. One on Wednesday after my session with my therapist and earlier this evening. The extra shift I did this evening was unexpected and I am grateful that I live near PAWS Cat City and was available to help out. I love volunteering at PAWS Cat City.

Another thing I did this week was hang out with some friends I have not seen in years. They are here in the Seattle area for vacation and it was good to see them. We had some awesome meals at local restaurants here in Seattle that my friends were impressed with. My friends are now camping and I will see them before they head back home to California. I am always happy to see old friends.

I do not have much more to talk 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!!!

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is Saturday evening which means it is that time of the week to do my weekly check-in. I guess I will start from the beginning of the week. I started the week by volunteering at PAWS Cat City. It was a typical opening shift for a Sunday. The best part was helping with getting a very shy cat to get adopted. I love it when any cat gets adopted but even that much special when a shy or spicy cat gets adopted.

The other major thing is that I attended both group therapy and individual therapy this past week. Group therapy is okay and I am enjoying one of the groups I am in. As far as individual therapy goes, I had a tough session with my therapist but it was a good session. Therapy is tough but well worth it.

Now on to earlier today as I played kickball. Sadly, my team lost but at least we didn’t lose to the mercy rule which is great for my team. I love playing kickball and enjoy it greatly. Kickball gives me a sense of community as well as some much needed exercise.

I do not have much more to discuss in this particular weekly check-in. I 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!!!