Day 4101: First thoughts

My first thought when I wake up in the morning is often “What will I blog about today?”

My first thought is followed by a second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth (etc.) thought.

My first thought after writing that paragraph is that my thoughts never stop. Lately, I’m been observing my thoughts without getting too caught up with any one thought, because (1) I am not my thoughts and (2) another thought will always be coming along.

What are your first thoughts about my images for today?

My first thought about those images is that my ex-husband Leon (whom I talk to on Sundays along with our son Aaron and my husband Michael) is going to like them because there are so many pictures of Joan.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “first thoughts.”

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My first and subsequent thoughts often go to gratitude, so thanks to all who are having first etc. thoughts, including YOU!

Day 4100: Other people’s anger

Because I’ve been dealing with other people’s anger lately, I decided to finish and record my new song, “Other People’s Anger.”

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Throughout my life, other people’s anger has gotten too much of my attention. When I was in the hospital with a heart condition when I was very young, I was at the mercy of doctors and nurses, some of whom showed their anger and impatience. As a result, it’s been difficult for me to feel safe when I’ve encountered angry words, looks, or even tones.

Because of all the work I’ve done in therapy, other people’s anger doesn’t bother me as much these days, although I sometimes need to remind myself that “it’s safer than it feels” when somebody is angry at me.

Interestingly enough, other people’s anger doesn’t bother me in the therapy groups I facilitate. Instead, I see that as an opportunity for people to accept and understand anger better.

Do you see other people’s anger in my images for today?

My husband Michael thinks social workers should lurk in the cereal aisle at the supermarket, taking kids away from parents who buy cereal like this, which would definitely cause other people’s anger.

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What are your thoughts and feelings about other people’s anger?

Thanks to all who help me deal with other people’s anger, including YOU!

Day 4099: Sing Out

Yesterday, on Sing Out Day, I heard esperanza spalding sing out and play bass at a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert of Wayne Shorter music.

If you want to hear esperanza sing out with her voice, start at 12:11 of this Wayne Shorter tribute concert on YouTube:

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Joyful, talented, and creative people like esperanza spalding and Wayne Shorter make me want to sing out about humanity.

I also want to sing out my gratitude to my husband Michael for giving me the gift of that amazing concert.

Is there anything in today’s blog post that makes you want to sing out?

On Be Mad Day, I’m going to sing out my two “mad” songs: “I’m Mad About You” and “Other People’s Anger” (not yet on YouTube).

Feel free to sing out about anything in the comments section, below.

Thanks to all who help me sing out every day through this blog, including YOU!

Day 4098: Stuff

Here’s some stuff about stuff:

• In my groups (where I encourage people not to stuff their feelings), members have been talking about having too much stuff and wanting to get rid of stuff.
• People seem to focus on getting rid of stuff in the spring.
• The other day, there was so much stuff about stuff in group that I wrote this line: “How much stuff is enough?”
• I actually have enough stuff for my concerts in May and June, so I’m not planning on writing any more new stuff; instead, I’m going to focus on the old stuff.
• When you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about stuff, Tim Box (whose stuff appeared in yesterday’s blog post) suggests that you not get anxious about being anxious.
• I keep telling my husband Michael not to move my stuff, especially my medical stuff.
• People can get very territorial about their stuff.
• As Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest, “we are such stuff as dreams are made on.”
• I love stuff like that.

Here’s the rest of the stuff for today’s blog post:

I don’t know where and how they come up with that stuff for each day.

Here’s great stuff I found on YouTube:

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Thanks to George Carlin, William Shakespeare, Tim Box, Michael, The Daily Bitch, my friends on Twitter and Threads, the people in my groups, and everyone else who helps me deal with stuff, including YOU!

Day 4097: Already Anxious

I was already anxious when I saw this Harvard Gazette headline yesterday:

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Apparently, being already anxious can sometimes be an advantage.

I think some headline writers deliberately make people who aren’t already anxious, anxious.

As if I weren’t already anxious enough, now I’m more anxious about birdhouses, of all things.

I’m already anxious about all the things I have to do to prepare for my concert/live album recording in a few months, but it helps to know I’ve got so much great support and good enough songs, including this one:

My son, who helps when I’m already anxious, thinks that “I’m Mad About You” might be my best song. And even though I was already anxious back then about calling myself “The Singing Therapist,” I’m no longer anxious about that.

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Yesterday, in my Coping and Healing group, I suggested to people who were already anxious that they hold their hand over their heart, sending comforting and loving energy to their heart space.

If you’re already anxious, I hope this post helps reduce that anxiety.

On Memory Day, I’m already anxious about my memory, but I guess it’s good enough for a 71 year old.

Here’s what I find when I search for “already anxious” on YouTube:

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Thanks to Tim Box, cats, and supportive people everywhere who help me when I’m already anxious, including YOU.

Day 4096: Fast and Furious

In these fast and furious times, I’m working on being slow and calm.

I used to be fast and furious in my single-minded dedication to my work until one day I realized that was bad for my physical and mental health. One of the wake-up calls for me was watching a scene in the movie Whiplash where the young drummer is so desperate, fast, and furious about getting to a performance on time that he risks life and limb, getting into a car accident. As he keeps going — fast, furious, and bleeding — I thought, that’s me. And while Andrew in Whiplash is mostly driven by his critical, cruel, and relentless teacher, I was driven by my relentless and cruel inner critical voice and perfectionism.

It’s taken years for me to change my fast and furious inner critic to one that is slower, calmer, kinder, forgiving, and more mature.

Do you see anything fast and furious in my images for today?

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On this International Day of Happiness, I’m happy that I can find moments of slow and calm in this fast and furious world.

Here’s what I find when I search for “fast and furious whiplash” on YouTube:

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Thanks to all who help me be less fast and furious, including YOU.

Day 4095: Awkward!

I’m sure I’ve already written an “Awkward!” blog post, but I don’t feel awkward about that.

I do feel awkward about

• asking for what I want,
• saying “no,”
• confronting people,
• expressing anger or disappointment,
• mistakes,
• keeping track of changing technology,
• forgetting things I used to be able to remember,
• revealing “too much” (whatever that is), and
• having incomplete lists.

Do you see anything awkward in today’s images?

I do feel a little awkward bragging that I’m a social worker on World Social Work Day.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “awkward!”

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I don’t feel particularly awkward asking for comments about this “Awkward!” post.

Thanks to all who help me feel less awkward, including YOU!

Day 4094: How to make life more enjoyable

Today’s Daily Bitch calendar has an idea about how to make life more enjoyable.

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Personally, I make life more enjoyable by (1) doing more enjoyable things and (2) spending more time with enjoyable creatures, which I hope is reflected in these images:

According to Dr. Dale Anderson (and others), acting happy can make life more enjoyable.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “how to make life more enjoyable.”

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Thanks to all who make my life more enjoyable, including YOU!

Day 4093: Better than expected

Because I always dread doing my taxes (and filling out forms in general), working on them yesterday went better than expected.

Maybe my experiences would be better than expected if I let go of expectations (but maybe that’s too much to expect).

Are any of today’s images better than expected?

On Doctor-Patient Trust Day, I realize that my trust for doctors now is better than expected, considering that I encountered a very untrustworthy and hurtful doctor in when I was a child in the hospital. Maybe that’s because my ability to make good decisions once I have the power to choose is better than I expected.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “better than expected.”

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I hope this blog post was better than expected and thanks to all who are here, now, including YOU!

Day 4092: Charming

Harley is very charming when he overcomes his usual fear of people.

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My charming husband Michael prefers the word “compelling” for Harley. “Charming” is the word Michael used for my latest original song.

I think that could be more charming and I’m working on that.

People on Twitter were very charming when I shared that video with them yesterday.

Do you find the rest of my images for today charming?

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Wouldn’t it be charming to believe that everything you do is right?

Thanks to all the charming creatures in my life, including YOU!