Jump to content
Registration Issues? Login Issues? Need General Assistance and can't access our onsite Help Desk? Shoot us an email at our email address: moderators@aftersilence.org ×
November Community Collaboration--This month's theme is: "My Survivor Bill of Rights Include..." ×
Followers 2
  • entries
    119
  • comments
    218
  • views
    22,011

About this blog

Random ramblings of a fellow chocolate lover, need I say more?

Entries in this blog

Blogs

The feeling-that-shall-not-be-named.

I believe that one of the most important 'maintenance' steps within one's healing journey is to allow ourselves periodic check-ins with ourselves.   It's entirely too easy to convince ourselves we are 'fine' whenever we are asked by others in passing.....you know?  They'll say, 'Hey, how's it going?' and we'll reply something like, 'It's good, how are you?'   The conversation usually goes in one or two directions from there.  It either ends, for that was the hello and goodbye you'll typical
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

3
Blogs

Just be.

Every day, if traffic and other circumstances permit, I arrive to work a few minutes early.  It’s not a lot of time; it’s maybe three or four minutes before I have to clock in.  This is time I spend in the car, just kind of sitting - trying to mentally prepare for the day to start, even though I’d already been awake for over an hour.  Let me be clear - I’m too fucking lazy to get a coffee on my commute, knowing that the coffee machine in the teacher’s lounge is there waiting for me is a comfort.
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

2
Blogs

Weathering the yearly fog…

I’ll start by saying that what you are about to read took much less time to type out than it did to come up with a title for today’s blog entry.  I just threw in what I did because at this point, the ability to come up with something clever has momentarily disappeared. Hoping you’re all having a good day, week, month, etc, etc.   I am, without a doubt, buried underneath work, family and dog obligations, doctor appointments, a messy house, financial burden, league bowling, postseason ba
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

2
Blogs

Reflecting back on the last year.

Hey, AS family and friends.   I know it's been a while.  Over a year since my last entry.  (I'm sorry.) I guess I just haven't made myself open to talking.  There's probably a lot that I could have filled everyone in on, but for some reason, I guess it was more appealing to stuff it in the 'maybe later' pile that resides in the back of my head.  That pile has since begun to overflow, scattering messiness everywhere.  I'm scattered lately.  Forgetful.  More irritable over the simplest t
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

5
Blogs

It's all connected.

I know I am good at writing about my feelings.  That’s always been the case with me.  Talking about them – not so much, but writing about them always enables me to explore them further in depth. Lately, I’ve had a lot on my mind and plate.  It shows at home the most, where I am constantly snapping - my daughter and I have been like snapping turtles lately, but we have gotten better at communicating as politely as possible whenever one of us is getting on the other's nerves.  It shows at work - I
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

4
Blogs

The Best Way We Know How

To anyone who needs to hear this…. ❤️   When we come face to face with trauma, Knowing what to do doesn’t exist. There are no answers as to why. There is no instruction manual or guidance. Some of us didn’t tell anyone. Some of us did. Some of us didn’t have a choice. Some were brave right from the start. Some of us took a while to get there. For some, trauma is new. For others, it is old but feels new. For some, danger still exists. But we all dealt with it
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

2
Blogs

She sure didn't get it from me!

I'm both proud and disgusted with myself this afternoon. My daughter, who is a couple months shy of seventeen, texted me this morning, letting me know that she ended her relationship with her boyfriend of over a year.  They got together at the very beginning of December, 2021, so it's been a while. A while of this young man coming to my house after school every day, walking in and out as he pleased, eating my food, drinking my sodas, coming along with us whenever we tried to do a 'family' t
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

3
Blogs

You, too? Or no, just me?

Hi, AS Family! I miss journaling.  I really do.  I’m first of all, thankful that there is some downtime at work where I can do some writing.  Today is such a day and I’ve had a few somethings to ponder, lately. I often read posts that leave me nodding my head in agreement or in silent understanding.  Or, of course, feeling as if I could have written these words, myself.  While it’s kinda daunting at times, it’s also one of the many benefits of group healing. How validating it is, to be
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

6
Blogs

People-Pleasing and Boundaries

Hey, AS family! How're you all doing? I'd like to first preface this journal entry by making clear that I am in NO WAY blaming any of you for the traumatic experiences you've endured at the hands of others.  THEY are the ones responsible - not you.  THEY chose to harm you - therefore, THEY are one hundred percent at fault.  This journal entry is one of my rare emotion-dumps that may or may not make sense, given the hour.  It will make sense later, though, I promise.  We have a snow day
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

14
Blogs

26 years!

Today marks 26 years since my rape.  It's surreal that this much time has gone by while sometimes, it feels as if it were only yesterday. Thank you to those of you who reached out with hugs and words of support and encouragement today - as well as the days leading up to today. I loathe 10/4 with every fiber of my being but knowing you're all thinking of me does help. I just want you all to know that I am doing all right. The last few weeks have been cloudy, and I expect I will remain in a
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

2
Blogs

Teenage girls....ayyy yi yi yi!!

Just checking in with y'all to clarify that my daughter is miserable and it's all my fault.  At least, that's what I'm getting from her latest tirade. It's my fault that my daughter has a cold. It's my fault that she has her period right now. It's my fault that she's large-chested and complains that her back hurts because of it. It's my fault that she's a GIRL, and that she exists! EVERYTHING is my fault. I probably should backtrack, right? 😉  I've been sick si
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

0
Blogs

Update time!

Hi, all!  I just wanted to pass by with a quick (maybe?) update, for I know that I have been extremely neglectful to my blog lately.  I've been around on the site, though - that is unchanging.  Even so, I don't like feeling so disconnected from my blog.  It's always been a place I would come to write things out and process - a place to share things I've had on my mind, a place to gain feedback and support.  I confess that lately, I've not known what to say about anything, so in turn, I've n
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

4
Blogs

25

So...today is twenty-five years.  A quarter of a century.  Which one sounds better?  Or worse?  Especially when something that happened twenty-five years ago is still fresh in one’s mind?   Three years ago, I wrote a letter to my rapist and posted it as a blog entry.  I found myself reading it again the other day.  Why?  I don’t know.  Nothing’s changed.  I still stand by all of what I managed to say to him, knowing that he’d never read the letter.  I guess it’s different when you know that
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

5
Blogs

Crawling out from under the debris....

Well, folks… It’s been a minute?  Or two?  Or…like…six months?   I have returned to this blog many times over the last six months with an itch to write.  To vent, to yell, scream and cry on paper/screen.  But, then, I’d close it out following an exasperated, ‘never mind.’  This is typical me, though.  I tend to let things build up and then to sit down and write about it all will feel like a more daunting task because by then, there’s a lot that’s piled up and I’m more likely to be sayi
Capulet

Capulet in Blogs

3

That moment when...

...you realize that you ARE Raymond from that TV show, "Everybody Loves Raymond." In short, the show's about an average guy.  Married, a few kids, a nice house.  And a mother who's a pushy, nosy, meddling, annoying pain-in-the-ass busybody.  Said character was perfectly played by the late Doris Roberts.  We all knew Marie Barone.  And we all LOVED Marie Barone because - well - let's admit it.  She made us laugh.  She was that mother we were all glad we didn't have.  Some of us might have wa
Capulet

Capulet

3

I found it!

I'm on a roll, it seems, with these blogs.  I simply have too much time to think these days.  It seems it's all I do.  When something baffles me - this is my drawing board.  I'm reminded of the evidence room whiteboard with scribbled notes and pictures and the strings connecting one to the other....that is an accurate assessment of my brain right now.  There's all this information, all these images.  I know there's more to it, and so I'm constantly and obsessively going over it.  Over, and over
Capulet

Capulet

2

Light bulb!

Another blog entry?  So soon?    Even for me, this is odd...  Though it's a bit untraditional of me to post two days in a row, I'm hearing my brain say, 'just run with it, Cappy.  Just write.' So, I guess, I will.  Maybe this is the way to make peace with what I've been feeling and what's needed for me to altogether snap out of it.  Perhaps in order to put this year's 'traumaversary period' to rest, I am needing to understand what exactly happened this year.  I can't deny that it felt
Capulet

Capulet

7

Proceed with caution...

These three little words are certainly ones to live by - especially if you're me. Starting at the end of last month, these have been words I'd wake up to.  Was I ready for another day of feeling disconnected from everyone including myself?  Another day of contending with that unwelcome feeling of impending doom?  Another day of cloudiness, and feeling as if I'm surrounded by a fog?  Another 24 hours of reminders that fall is in full swing, now?   I'd tell myself as I pull myself out of
Capulet

Capulet

0

Do you smell that?

I was walking the dog in the front yard yesterday afternoon.   The Daughter, who's been attending school remotely 3x per week (the other two days, she is IN the actual brick-and-mortar school) came out and said she was finished with her last class (it was about 2:45pm) and in a sing-songy voice, she says, "it's the weeeeeeeeekend!" I suppose it is.  TGIF? At the time I started writing this, it was still Friday. She then tilted her head towards the heavens, and smiled.  "I can smel
Capulet

Capulet

0

Like a fish out of water...

Hi friends!! I know it's been a while....I sincerely apologize for not taking the time (and there's been plenty of it) to fill everyone in on the happenings of my life.   It seems that any accompanying promise to try to be better at updating my blog is one that's become harder to keep, so I'll simply not promise - I will, however, try to re-embrace writing as a means of release.  Those of you who have gotten to know me over some time also know that writing is my biggest means of processing
Capulet

Capulet

2

There's been a casualty - my mother's sanity.

Hello from me in isolation - how's everyone doing?  It's the first time I'm blogging whilst in quarantine - you'd think I have all the time in the world, but even I'm having trouble getting used to a routine that I have no choice but to conform to for the time being. We are amid some very hard times, friends.  Very uncertain and very unsettling times.  I've taken several steps back from Facebook and only check my feed once or twice a day - all of the COVID-19 jokes are starting to become an
Capulet

Capulet

0

In the brain's back pocket...

It's been a rough, ROUGH few weeks.  I'm not really wanting to rehash on things and put too many details here, but I did want to let everyone know that things have been stressful and difficult as of late.  I'm still around, though, no worries!!!  It seems that no matter what's happening in my life, this remains my safe space, the place where I feel most comfortable, and where I 'escape.'   I know I've been extremely neglectful to my blog, my and to my kitchen sink, among other things.  I've
Capulet

Capulet

2

Mel & Quill vs. Nerves - who shall prevail?

So, let's assume that Ny-Quil and Melatonin have teamed up with one very important mission in mind - 'twas the night before Spring semester started, and someone (let's call her, 'Cap') needed to undo six weeks' worth of habitual going-to-bed-at-3am-every-night damage.  And let's also assume that EVEN this late at night, it takes Cap roughly an hour to FALL asleep and then STAY asleep for more than three or four hours at a time.  It has also been pre-determined that neither member of Team Sleep A
Capulet

Capulet

2

That pebble in your shoe...

Friends, The motivation for this entry has come from several different directions.  There is much I've seen, heard, and felt in the past week.  I debated whether this should be a motivational post or a blog entry, but it's possible it'll be both.  I'm undecided for the moment, so figured I'd at least write it out, first. Most of us envision healing as a non-linear path we take on foot; a muddied, beaten, track that is not without obstacles and hinderances along the way.  'One foot in f
Capulet

Capulet

3

Enter catchy title here...because I'm drawing blanks.

Hello, all. Did you all enjoy NOT hearing about my schoolwork?  I hope so, because I HAVE enjoyed not bitching about certain classes and papers that I really didn't want to write.  Of course, these were for the 'required' classes not pertaining to my social work major and it would only be natural for me to complain about those.  I will say though, that when I return to campus in a couple weeks, I'll be TRYING to refrain from giving my (former) Government professor a glare for giving me the
Capulet

Capulet

11
Followers 2
×
×
  • Create New...