Woot. 24 hours of blogging! Check out the RAINN website, great organization. I'm passing out now.
Edit:
So, I wound up giving up blogging on my computer to do mini updates from my BlackBerry. Given the 160 character limit on a text, I couldn't do the closing post I wanted to at 9 this morning. Better late than never though!
When I signed up for this blogathon, I didn't actually know what I was getting myself into. Lesson learned, read before signing up! haha I didn't realize I would have to post every half hour & that's a huge commitment, 49 blog posts.
I'm so glad that I did though. It was crazy to stay up & blog for 24-hours, but it was an experience. I hope that if anything you learned something from one of my posts. I think we all learned that I must be insane! But seriously, if something I posted shed light on a topic you didn't know about, I did something right.
Please share with me what you learned! It doesn't have to be a long comment or anything. You can leave it here if you remember, or go back to that post. All of the posts will be in the right side bar under my July entries, or you can access them through the blogathon label.
Also, it's not too late to sponsor me! You have another 2 days to do so if you wish. You can find me listed under "with a side of Whimsy" here.
Showing posts with label blogathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogathon. Show all posts
26 July 2009
Blogathon Tunes Post No. 3
I keep drifting off. I think this is my 8:30 post. Check out Rockin to the Beat by the Black Eyed Peas.
I'm easy to please
I'm easy to please. Friday my friend & I went to Target to get snacks for the movie. I was excited about a huge ass bottle of Smart Water for a dollar!
Projects around the house
We’ve been working to get the house on the market. My main project has been the grout of our slate floor downstairs. I’ve scrubbed the grout in both of the hallways & made a lot of progress using a whitening product on about 2/3 of the hallways. Now I have to finish whitening in the hall & then start the process over on the kitchen floor.
We also are working on the curb appeal of the house, so my mom & her boyfriend have taken out a bunch of terrible plants that were in the front & side yards. In the front, there’s now mulch. On the side, they’ve planted grass which now needs to be watered twice a day … that falls to me since I’m home.
Things are coming along & I think we’ll be able to put the house on the market at my mom’s expected date.
We also are working on the curb appeal of the house, so my mom & her boyfriend have taken out a bunch of terrible plants that were in the front & side yards. In the front, there’s now mulch. On the side, they’ve planted grass which now needs to be watered twice a day … that falls to me since I’m home.
Things are coming along & I think we’ll be able to put the house on the market at my mom’s expected date.
Blogathon Book Post No. 4
Time for another book recommendation! This is another book I read last summer.
I Am the Central Park Jogger by Trisha Meili.
It is an absolutely inspiring autobiography. Trisha was badly beaten & raped while jogging through Central Park. She suffered severe brain damage & had to go through intense physical & mental therapy. She beat all the odds & gives hope to others.
Check out her website.
I Am the Central Park Jogger by Trisha Meili.
It is an absolutely inspiring autobiography. Trisha was badly beaten & raped while jogging through Central Park. She suffered severe brain damage & had to go through intense physical & mental therapy. She beat all the odds & gives hope to others.
Check out her website.
Coping Mechanisms
Everyone needs a way to cope. Whether you’re a survivor, a secondary survivor, a counselor, or just a human being. We all get stressed & we all have our problems.
If there is a certain situation(s) which makes you anxious, nervous, scared, or sad … try to recognize it. Is there something that brings on these feelings? A certain time of day, or a song, or a scent? If you’ve experienced any kind of trauma, these are among some of the things that can be considered triggers.
When you find yourself in a stressful or uncomfortable situation, it’s helpful to have an idea of what you can do to calm down. Think about things that you enjoy doing. Perhaps knitting or playing with a pet. If you can, do one of these activities.
There are also some things that can help you stay in the moment. Count to 10, or 100, or see as high as you can go until you’re feeling better. List the things around you & if you still need more, go back & describe those object. For example: there is a desk. It is wooden with no drawers. It has a rack for a computer tower. The trim is black. These are called grounding techniques.
Make sure that you do something for yourself. Treat yourself to a massage, if you are comfortable with someone else touching you. Practice meditation. Have half an hour of “me time” while you’re at home, without interruption from anyone you may live with. Go for a walk. See if there are any (free or otherwise) classes that interest you. Read a good book. Whatever appeals to YOU.
It is important to take care of ourselves. With all the tasks that have to get done in a day & the other people in our lives we have to take care of, it can be easy to lose sight of that. The best way to get these things done, though, is to make sure we’re in top condition.
Be good to yourself.
Thank you!
A big thank you to "jeshyr" for sponsoring me! I don't know who you are, which makes your sponsorship even more amazing! RAINN is a wonderful cause & it makes me so happy to know that together we are helping them!
If anyone else is interested in sponsoring me, you can go here & find me listed under "with a side of Whimsy". Any amount is welcome!
And here is some information on how donations to RAINN are used.
If anyone else is interested in sponsoring me, you can go here & find me listed under "with a side of Whimsy". Any amount is welcome!
And here is some information on how donations to RAINN are used.
Double Whammy
I missed a post this afternoon while I was mowing the lawn, so I figured I would double up at some point. Now is as good as ever!
I'm also running on ... Mafia Wars.
I'm also running on ... Mafia Wars.
Left to my own devices
I don't even have my Google Reader to keep me entertained. Damn bloggers at BlogHer!
On Calling a Hotline
If a hotline is 24-hours, which most are, don't hesitate to call at any time. The people who are staffing the hotline have chosen that shift & are ready to take a call. Don't feel bad for calling.
I'll even give an experience I had ... At my center, we always have a back-up staffer on in case we have any questions, need support after a difficult call, have a call that needs more support, etc. One morning I was on the 6am-noon shift & I couldn't find the new number to check in with the answering service. So at 6am, so early on a Saturday morning, I had to call back-up. But I knew that the person had signed up for that shift & was "expecting" to field calls.
It takes a lot of courage to call a hotline, whether it's your first time or you've called before. Don't get down on yourself if you haven't been able to bring yourself to pick up the phone. You might not be ready yet. And when you are ready, someone will be there.
I'll even give an experience I had ... At my center, we always have a back-up staffer on in case we have any questions, need support after a difficult call, have a call that needs more support, etc. One morning I was on the 6am-noon shift & I couldn't find the new number to check in with the answering service. So at 6am, so early on a Saturday morning, I had to call back-up. But I knew that the person had signed up for that shift & was "expecting" to field calls.
It takes a lot of courage to call a hotline, whether it's your first time or you've called before. Don't get down on yourself if you haven't been able to bring yourself to pick up the phone. You might not be ready yet. And when you are ready, someone will be there.
The Random Post
O_O This is how my eyes are. Even though I'm exhausted. Or because I'm exhausted?
I know all my posts are random, but this one is truly a collection of random ... words. Not even thoughts. Words.
Um. I need to collect myself & plan out future posts.
I'm trying to think if there's anything I've done today that I HAVEN'T already shared. Probably not since I've been posting every half hour!
Oh. I'm reading this book called Losing my Religion: How I lost my Faith Reporting on Religion in America -- and Found Unexpected Peace by William Lobdell. It's really interesting!
I know all my posts are random, but this one is truly a collection of random ... words. Not even thoughts. Words.
Um. I need to collect myself & plan out future posts.
I'm trying to think if there's anything I've done today that I HAVEN'T already shared. Probably not since I've been posting every half hour!
Oh. I'm reading this book called Losing my Religion: How I lost my Faith Reporting on Religion in America -- and Found Unexpected Peace by William Lobdell. It's really interesting!
Sexual Assault & SVU
Right now I'm watching season 8 of SVU. I don't really feel weird about watching SVU while I'm doing a blogathon for RAINN. However, some people might think it's weird.
When I started training to become a rape crisis counselor, I found out that a lot of people who work at that center aren't fans of SVU. I understand their thinking, in part. They worry about people being triggered by episodes & that certainly happens.
I think that SVU brings to light the issue of rape. It's there, so why shouldn't it be present on TV? The show doesn't present a fair representation of rape, seeing as the most common perpetrator is someone the survivor knows, not a stranger. There are lots of representational discrepancies, but in the end the show is informative.
(And have I mentioned Mariska Hargitay is amazing?)
This is probably something that should be left for another time, when I can really write about how I feel. Maybe I'll still keep it on tap for a future entry.
Basically, I'm just sayin' that I'm watching SVU.
Oh! Also! Olivia Benson, the main female character on the show, was sexually assaulted during season 9 (2007-2008). The continuity can get a bit screwed up because sometimes episodes are filmed in one order & aired in another, but in season 10 they showed Olivia going to individual & group counseling & having flashbacks. Word is there might be more flashbacks in the up & coming season. It's nice (so not the right word, but you know what I mean) to see a continuing portrayal of a survivor on the show, instead of the glimpses there are during a case.
When I started training to become a rape crisis counselor, I found out that a lot of people who work at that center aren't fans of SVU. I understand their thinking, in part. They worry about people being triggered by episodes & that certainly happens.
I think that SVU brings to light the issue of rape. It's there, so why shouldn't it be present on TV? The show doesn't present a fair representation of rape, seeing as the most common perpetrator is someone the survivor knows, not a stranger. There are lots of representational discrepancies, but in the end the show is informative.
(And have I mentioned Mariska Hargitay is amazing?)
This is probably something that should be left for another time, when I can really write about how I feel. Maybe I'll still keep it on tap for a future entry.
Basically, I'm just sayin' that I'm watching SVU.
Oh! Also! Olivia Benson, the main female character on the show, was sexually assaulted during season 9 (2007-2008). The continuity can get a bit screwed up because sometimes episodes are filmed in one order & aired in another, but in season 10 they showed Olivia going to individual & group counseling & having flashbacks. Word is there might be more flashbacks in the up & coming season. It's nice (so not the right word, but you know what I mean) to see a continuing portrayal of a survivor on the show, instead of the glimpses there are during a case.
The Proposal -- in full
Oh. My. Goodness. So, in case you didn’t read my “preview” to my reaction: FUNNIEST MOVIE! GO SEE IT!
So, here’s the story. My friend & I had a date night. We went out to dinner, shopped around a little bit, & went to a movie. I had suggested The Proposal the day before because we both LOVE Sandra Bullock. She texted me yesterday while she was still at work & said she’d also like to see The Ugly Truth. There are so many movies out right now that I want to see, so I told her she could pick.
We were incredibly indecisive about what movie to see. Finally we just needed to pick because there was a half hour difference between the showings. I don’t know why, but I suggested we do rock paper scissor, me being The Proposal & her being The Ugly Truth. Why didn’t we think of flipping a coin? We did, just after rock paper scissor.
The Proposal won – during the third round of rock paper scissor because we kept throwing the same thing -- & we were both SO glad it did in the end.
IT. IS. HILARIOUS!
Hysterical laughter. Doubled over. Crying. Couldn’t stop.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so hard at a movie. I don’t know if I ever have! It just kept coming. Even the parts that were shown in commercials were funny! (Funnier than in the commercials.)
If you need a laugh, go see it.
Just go see it!
Sandra Bullock comedies are always funny, but this one is the tops. This is one of those movies where you know while you’re still watching it that you’re going to have to buy it when it comes out on DVD.
At one point I was laughing so hard & I just couldn’t stop. Every time I tried, I thought about the line & burst out laughing again. Believe me, I tried thinking about the Dalai Lama*, it didn’t work. Then during another part my friend had that problem & she set me off laughing again.
Once the movie ended & the bit during the credits was over, we just sat there still laughing. We both had to make a pit stop – because of all the laughing! – & when we were drying our hands I was trying to tell her what the funniest part was & I couldn’t. I started laughing so hard I started to cry again.
And we laughed the whole drive home.
*Do you get the Miss Congeniality reference? Aren’t I so clever?! ;)
What I Always Fear
I always have this (seemingly) irrational fear that I'm going to send a personal communication (be it a text, IM, direct message, e-mail, etc.) to the wrong person. I'm so paranoid that I tend to double check before sending things.
Well, it's happened. It was bound to happen eventually. And if it was going to happen, at least this is how it went down.
I sent a text to a friend about something while she was at work & didn't hear back from her. I didn't think much of it, went on living life. Tonight I got a text from this friend. Well, I got a text from a number. When my phone buzzed I assumed it was going to be one of two people. I checked my phone & low & behold, I put the first mentioned friend's number in my phone ONE DIGIT OFF! when I got my BlackBerry.
So, I sent a personal message to some stranger. At least it was a stranger as opposed to accidentally sending it to someone else in my address book!
Well, it's happened. It was bound to happen eventually. And if it was going to happen, at least this is how it went down.
I sent a text to a friend about something while she was at work & didn't hear back from her. I didn't think much of it, went on living life. Tonight I got a text from this friend. Well, I got a text from a number. When my phone buzzed I assumed it was going to be one of two people. I checked my phone & low & behold, I put the first mentioned friend's number in my phone ONE DIGIT OFF! when I got my BlackBerry.
So, I sent a personal message to some stranger. At least it was a stranger as opposed to accidentally sending it to someone else in my address book!
The Nannyyy
This is how I'm staying awake. Actually, this is just part of a normal night for me. Hahaha
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