The First Time I Saw a Therapist

May is the month dedicated to raising awareness about mental health. I’m going to try to raise awareness by blogging more concretely about my own experiences. Fittingly, I met my new therapist today. She seems nice and pleasant. I was a little anxious because I wanted to give her background information, but I had some […]

Do You Prize Your Peace of Mind?

What’s your most prized possession? GO! My most cherished possession is my peace of mind. The things I was tempted to list My great-grandmother’s rosary that survived the fire which took her life. My pets (legally, they are possessions.) My diploma from the School of Social Work (I don’t even know where it is.) My […]

If You Can’t Afford Tampons, What Do You Do?

Cathy's Closet Sister Supplies

This is a problem that I never thought about until I was 25 years old. While my family had financial struggles, I never lacked the items most women take for granted – pads and tampons. At 25, I met Shirley who gently educated me on the impact of poverty on our womanly ways. I learned […]

Ten Things You Can’t Buy With SNAP (Food Stamps)

Personal Care Closet Pittsburgh

  I was terrible in Home Ec (8th grade) because I had little appreciation for how practical the skills would be some day. I regret not being able to sew for sure – how much money can we save if we could even do basic sewing? I also regret not learning more about cooking. I […]

Help Me Distribute Personal Care Items With Dignity

Personal Care Closet Pittsburgh

While debates rage over people utilizing food stamps to purchase lobster and soda pop, there is little public discussion about the things SNAP can’t buy. Soap Toothpaste Deodorant You also cannot buy toilet paper, diapers or laundry detergent. Are any of these luxuries in your household? What would you sacrifice to pay for gas to […]

Memories Muscles

holiday giving charity festivus

What are the three most memorable moments — good or bad, happy or sad — in your life? Go! This is a difficult question for me because my memories are often distorted. Bad memories tend to always trump good memories. The good ones are there, but I have to put a lot more effort into […]

To Sleep Perchance Refreshed

What kind of sleeper are you? Do you drop off like a stone and awaken refreshed, or do you need pitch black and silence to drift off to dream? I go from one extreme to the other – I sleep like a rock (sometimes due to medication) or I am restless as all get out. […]

Forget the Glory Days – Make a New List

Glory Days Bucket Lists

What are your thoughts on aging? How will you stay young at heart as you get older? They say you are growing old (or dying) when you start creating bucket lists. So let’s give it a shot Five Things I Want To Do Before I Turn Fifty (in 6.5 years) See the Pacific Ocean in […]

The Scholarship I Almost Won Might Help Me Change The World

Tell us about a situation where you’d hoped against all hope, where the odds were completely stacked against you, yet you triumphed. In 2013, I was granted a partial scholarship to attend the Netroots Nation Conference in San Jose, California. However, I needed more because I have to bring Ledcat with me – traveling by […]

Five Random Housecleaning Links

Random Housekeeping Thoughts First, when I was working, we had a housecleaner come in every other week. It was a terrific investment to reduce stress and needless arguing. I highly recommend it, but urge you to hire someone who runs a business with liability insurance. Not only does that protect you from possible damage,  but […]