Tag Archives: Volunteering

More Randomness With Some Oddities

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! It appears that I find myself at wits end with a bunch of randomness things to share with all of you. I have no clue why I am full of random stuff to share with you today but I do.

Let’s start with me getting an interview for a volunteer job at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). I am of course going to dress up in interview attire to make a good impression even though it is just for a volunteer position. I know it is just a volunteer job but I hope I get it as it will help me learn more about the arts as well as make me more of a well rounded person. Plus, it will look good on the resume’ as well.

As far as trying to get an interview for an actual paying job, that appears to be more challenging at the moment as I was informed that they would get back to me sometime today with an interview time. I know with job interviews that there always seems to be at least two if not three interviewers in the room and trying to get everyone’s schedule to get into sync with each others is difficult to do.  I just hope they get back to me today however it seems pretty unlikely at the moment even though its not even two forty-five in the afternoon yet.

I haven’t been watching much television as of lately. Actually, I have watched any at all today. I am not sure why. Maybe because there is usually nothing good on television to begin with. I haven’t even watched any movies or anything on HULU or Neflix. Maybe I am just enjoying the quite.

My mouth infection is still causing me some major pain. Thankfully, I see my doctor tomorrow morning. Hopefully, she will give me so stronger antibiotics for the infection. I am also hope she could give me something stronger than ibuprofen but it’s the stronger antibiotics that would be most helpful to me.

Thank you for reading yet another post on nothing but randomness. It appears that my post today have been quite random in nature. Again, thank you for reading. I hope you have great Thursday. Peace Out, World!!!

Random Shit On The Mind

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I know I keep blogging today however I have a lot of random shit on my mind at the moment. Some of the shit ain’t so random as I have posted it before especially today but it is still quite random.

At this very moment Lil Gertie, my cat, is sitting next to me staring at my laptop screen. I’m wondering if she wants to help and share her thought or is just figuring out what I am going to say next. I love my cat so much. If it wasn’t for support for the last three months I don’t know where I would be at the moment.

I have also discussed a great deal about working and not having a job. And trying to find creative ways to earn extra money while on Disability Checks. One way I have come up with a way to earn extra money though it is not much is having advertisements on my blog. I only make a few cents from it every time someone clicks on an advertisements and it is my hope that you my reader clicks on just one advertisement a day so the few cents can add up to dollars and so on.

Something that has come to mind for me is to start volunteering other places besides as group co-facilitator at peer run origination and a call taker on a help line.  I have thought about helping out with local politicians that are running in the mid-term elections. I figure it would help me with the job resume’ as well as build a community Another things I have done today that will both help the resume’ and build my own community is fill out volunteer application at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and Benaroya Hall which host the Seattle Symphony.

Lil Gertie still seems to be supervising me which mean she wants attention. I better give her some since I’ve been sleep and blogging most of the day. I hope you have the good rest of you Wednesday Evening. Peace Out, World!!!

Something To Think About

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World. I have a lot to think about as I continue to play email tag with a potential employer for an interview. Hell, I have been thinking about this for quite some time. I have been thinking about volunteering at more organizations as I continue to find a paying job.

One of things I am thinking about and have already started was volunteering for certain politicians as the mid term elections coming up in November. I don’t always use this particular volunteer experience in all my resume’s for good reasons but I do put them in other resumes’ If helps show a future employer that I am interested in the direction of what policies go into effect in our country then maybe it will be helpful with my career path. Plus, I get to build a community of new friends.

Something I did just today was put a volunteer application for both Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and Benaroya Hall which houses the Seattle Symphony and other events. I am doing to this help build my resume’ as well my community connections.

For me volunteering at places of interest isn’t always about building resume’s, its about building a community to call your own. Weather that be in Arts, Music or Politics. Finding common interest and common ground is what ultimately helps me with getting a job that I desire. It also looks good on the resume’. I hope that for me it builds more of community for me than my resume though it would be helpful to that as well.

I hope that as I end this post that I can give some hope to those who are feeling stuck in the job search like I am. Right now I am not giving up hope in find a place of employment nor a volunteer job.

Thank you for reading my post once again. I hope you continue to read my post. It means a lot to me. Have a great day. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! My weekly check in this week isn’t much as I don’t remember my week due to dissociation. Dissociation that caused me to not attend any groups nor appointments with my therapist. I do remember yesterday (Friday). I remember it and how I talked with my therapist and how concerned he was and is for me especially regarding the dissociation.  I have a session with him on Monday as well as my normal session on Thursday to make sure I am getting out of this particular dissociative episode.

As concerning as my dissociation is for me, I need to continue on with my structured activity as I would if I hadn’t dissociated. That includes me getting ready for my volunteer job for this evening. So that I means I am going to end this post for now. Sorry for the short check-in. Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Group facilitator training

Monday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Job interview
  • Art group
  • Workbooks

Tuesday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Hear voices group
  • Workbooks

Wednesday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Workbooks
  • Relax

Thursday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Therapy
  • Vocational Service’s Appointment
  • Workbooks

Friday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • DBT Group
  • Workbooks

Saturday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Workbooks
  • Volunteer

 

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!!!

 

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! This week has been one of hope and insight as well as I think some growth. My therapist says he has seen a lot of growth in me and he owes it to the hope and the insight I have.

As many of you know I had two job interviews this week. Interviews that went extremely well. One went so well, that I am already on the short list and they weren’t even done interviewing yet.

My grandma went into hospice care this past week and it was extremely difficult yet she is doing quite well. She is still funny as hell.

I also volunteered at the Warm Line tonight. It’s always nice to help others and see my fellow volunteers. It was a difficult night because I ended up dealing with two callers who were suicidal. I got through it and now I’m at home relaxing. I left early due to the suicide calls and am doing good self-care.

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

A Long Yet Productive Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It’s been a long yet productive day. I started off the day with blogging my weekly check-in before heading to the Women’s March. I, of course got to the start of the march early. So, I read.

I am reading the Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. In fact Ms. Hobb is from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and still lives in the Washington State. So far I am enjoying the book. I’m only on chapter six but so far so good. I hope to be able to do a book review on Ship of Magic however I can’t promise I will because I might forget to do so.

The march went well. As far as I know there weren’t any issues here in Seattle. I saw many people I know including extended family I hadn’t seen in years. I marched with my dad’s cousin, his friends as well as a number of my friends, and former colleagues. It felt good marching with people from all aspects of my life.

After the march I went and volunteered at the Warm Line. I was the only one on tonight and was “encouraged” to go home early by one of the supervisors of the Crisis Line so I did. It felt good being able to help others even though I was by myself. Being to help others always makes me feel happy and good about myself.

Everything I did today was helpful to my recovery and mental health symptoms despite it being a long ass day. I don’t regret doing anything I did today. In fact when it comes to regrets my the quote I live by is: “When I look back on life, I rather regret the things I did than the things I didn’t do.” I’m not sure who said that but I try to live by it.

As always, I appreciate all of you reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great evening. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am doing my weekly check-in early today because I’m going to be busy today and I have no clue how tired I may or may not be when I get home tonight.

It’s going to be a busy day for me because I’m going to be going to the women’s march again this year. I went last year and enjoyed myself and was happy that I went. This year I expect the same thing expect the weather is not as nice as last year. I will be marching for a multitude of reasons that I may share in a later post.

After the march I will be volunteering. I’m looking forward to this as I missed the last two weeks of volunteering due to being in the hospital as well as just barely out of the hospital.

As many of you who live the United States (U.S) know, it appears that the government is going to shut down once again. The Democrats are blaming the Republicans while the Republicans are blaming the Democrats. I’m blaming both parties as they are both to blame for not working together. I am unable to comprehend why politicians still get paid if the government shuts down while many other government employees do not get paid.

As many of you know this past week I start a workbook on resiliency regarding my gender identity as being gender nonconforming as well as few other things I identify with regarding gender. The resiliency part of the workbook regarding gender and being queer can play a major part of other aspects of our lives. Which is a part of why I’m going to be marching today; resiliency. If it wasn’t for my resiliency with my mental health recovery I don’t think I would be marching today much less working on the workbook.

I also did a lot of art this week. I painted and collaged a great deal as well as colored. Art appears to be quite helpful for me as it helps me relax and is a great distraction. I wish I started painting earlier in my life however I am beyond grateful that I am doing it now.

Thank you for reading. I really appreciate that I have people who regularly read my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader I don’t know if I would have continued my blog. Have a wonderful weekend as well as a great Saturday. If you plan on marching today please keep it peaceful as if it is not then our voices won’t be heard like we would like it to be heard. Peace Out, World.

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! The last few weeks hasn’t been the easiest for me especially since therapy services was abruptly pulled from my mental health treatment. Which is something many people on my treatment team are “not too thrilled about.” Yes, it’s been two and a half since therapy services were abruptly pulled from my mental health treatment yet my case manager, her supervisor, my group leaders have been giving me the support I need through this. In fact my case manager’s supervisor is now seeing me three times a week for an hour each time I see him. Granted, it’s not exactly the therapy I need however, I think he realizes with the rest of my treatment team that what the program manager did was unethical and in my opinion he is trying to smooth things over. He does appear to care.

Speaking of caring he suggested that I take the advice of some of my friends (and fellow peers) in getting a recovery coach at local peer run community center. So, I did. I met with my recovery coach for the first time this past week. I will be meeting with my recovery coach weekly for about six months. It’s a time limited service which is a good thing or at least I think its a good thing.

The same place I get the recovery coach from does an annual fund raising event by selling Christmas Trees. This peer run origination ask for folks to volunteer at the Christmas Tree lot so, I’ve decided I would volunteer at the lot as I think it will be helpful to my recovery. Especially to my recovery regarding trauma around the holidays; specifically, Christmas.  I did my first volunteer shift at the Christmas Tree lot yesterday evening. I really enjoyed myself despite having wet, cold feet at the end of my volunteer shift.

I informed Mama Bear about me volunteering at the Christmas Tree lot and she stated that she is “proud” of me. She also gave me a much need reality check. A reality check I desperately needed regarding my recovery. Having friends like Mama Bear in my life is a blessing for me. A much needed blessing. Friends who are able to tell you like it is and keeps it real is something everyone in this world needs.

Speaking of needs, I need to get going so I can get ready for my volunteer job at a help line. A volunteer job I’ve been at for just over three years now and love with a passion.

I hope to blog again in the next few days to let you all know how things are going.  I hope you all have a wonderful day. Peace Out!!!