Day 3608: The proper response

As a therapist, I often think about the proper response to what people share in groups and individual therapy. In the therapy biz, we call that “an intervention.” Sometimes, focusing too much on the proper response or the “perfect” intervention can get in the way of being present in the moment with people.

Because I’ll be offering groups to the doctors at the hospital where I work, I just joined The American Balint Society and signed up for their online training program, so I can give the proper response when I facilitate Balint groups for the first time.

The Daily Bitch Calendar today is all about the proper response.

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Do you see the proper response in any of my other images for today?

I don’t know what the proper response is to those National Days, especially since I’m trying to lose a little weight before my trip in September.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “the proper response.”

I hope you know that any comment you choose to leave is the proper response to this post.

The proper response at the end of my blogs is always gratitude for YOU.

Day 3607: Untold stories

Because I’m a group therapist, I am privileged to witness the healing power of untold stories being told.

Yesterday, after listening to previously untold and moving stories in a group, I noticed this sign at the Public Gardens in Boston:

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Do you find any untold stories in my other images for today?

There are often untold stories behind the National Days.

Here’s an untold story about the National Days and me: Periodically somebody on Twitter gets mad about the frivolity of my tweeting the National Days list every morning. From now on, I’m responding with this:

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “untold stories”:

I look forward to your untold stories, below.

Thanks to all who share and witness previously untold stories, including YOU.

Day 3606: Great endings

Last night, after watching a great ending for a favorite TV series, I tweeted this question about great endings:

It’s great that the answer works for real life and the great TV series, too.

Let’s see if there are any great endings in my photos for today.

I’m celebrating National Massachusetts Day because that great state is where I had my beginning and plan to have my ending (which I hope will be great).

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “great endings.”

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I’m thinking my blog posts have great endings because I end with gratitude for YOU.

Day 3605: Message in a Bottle

Yesterday, I saw this “Message in a Bottle” at a public art installation near the hospital where I work:

Here’s the description of “Message in a Bottle” by Janet Kawada and Bette Ann Libby:

For centuries, bottles have been used for preservation and as vessels to carry thoughts and memories. They have the capacity to last much longer than we anticipate. Finding an unexpected relic of a bygone time gives the discoverer a moment to consider. WHO left it, WHAT was that person doing here and WHERE did they come from? Yearning for peace, love, a better future, frightened, hopeful, adventurous or all of the above. Did we welcome them? Maya Angelou states, The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

In a way, every blog post is a message in a bottle from me — yearning for peace, love, a better future, frightened, hopeful, etc. Also, my photos often try to capture a message in a bottle from somebody else.

What message in a bottle do you notice here, now?

Because it’s National Tell a Joke Day, here are some “message in a bottle” jokes.

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Here’s “Message in a Bottle” by the Police:

I look forward to your message in the comments bottle, below.

Thanks to all who have sent or received a message in a bottle, including YOU.

Day 3604: Energized

Because I’m only slightly extroverted (according to the Myers-Briggs test), I am energized both by being around people and by being by myself. I’m most energized by an even balance of social interaction and alone time.

I’m also energized by love, nature, group therapy, cats, humor, music, kindness, creativity, curiosity, and (perhaps most importantly) hope.

I hope you are energized by my images for today.

I’m also energized by memories of riding my moped to work, relaxation, and realizing that I don’t have to be right all the time.

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

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Thanks to all who help me stay energized, including YOU!

Day 3603: Life stages

As a therapist and a human being who has lived a long life, I’m very interested in life stages. Because my current life stage involves taking many photos and sharing them here, I took this yesterday at a local supermarket:

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Here are some quotes I just found online about life stages:

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Do you see life stages in any of my other images for today?

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I’m in a life stage where I really notice synchronicity and coincidences, like my taking this photo yesterday and sharing it on National Spirit of ‘45 Day:

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Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “life stages”:

I’ve reached the stage of today’s post where I ask for comments and also express my gratitude for all whom I’ve encountered during my life stages, including YOU!

Day 3602: Showing up

If you’ve been showing up for this blog for years, you might remember I’ve learned that the secret of life is three things:

1. Show up.
2. Be gentle (with others and yourself).
3. Tell the truth.

That simple wisdom keeps showing up for me. Now, let’s see what images are showing up on my iPhone.

Those National Days will be showing up on Twitter soon, posted by this left hander.

Here’s a song that was showing up for me on my walk yesterday:

Here’s another version showing up on YouTube:

Thanks to all strangers and friends showing up here and now, including YOU.

Day 3601: What’s new

What’s new is

• this day,
• unprecedented happenings all around the globe,
• New Jersey, New Zealand, the New York Times, etc. and
• these images appearing in this blog:

Those National Days are new to me.

Here’s “What’s New” sung by Ella Fitzgerald…

… by Linda Ronstadt …

… and “What’s New” by Megan Thee Stallion:

What’s new with you?

Thanks to all who help me write a new post every day, including YOU.

Day 3600: PLEASE NO LECTURES

PLEASE NO LECTURES about how there should be a comma between “PLEASE” and “NO” in today’s title and on the button I made for a client and for myself.

PLEASE NO LECTURES about all capital letters, also.

PLEASE NO LECTURES about my hesitancy to respond to what I experience as lectures on Twitter with a photo of my PLEASE NO LECTURES button. PLEASE NO LECTURES about my similar hesitancy to call out mansplaining.

PLEASE NO LECTURES. My harsh inner critic gives me way too many lectures already. I’m not going to give a lecture about the harsh inner critic because I suspect you probably know about it.

PLEASE NO LECTURES about my images for today.

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PLEASE NO LECTURES about the National Days or about this Presidential joke:

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “PLEASE NO LECTURES.”

Thanks to all who helped me create this PLEASE NO LECTURES post, including you!

Day 3599: Throwaways

When I was walking around my neighborhood on trash and recycling Tuesday, I noticed several throwaways:

I took that throwaway shot of my favorite building in the neighborhood because demolition trucks were parked outside, and I’m afraid it’s going to become a throwaway.

Last night, I asked this question on Twitter:

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Personally, I would never throw away

• books,
• musical instruments,
• confidential documents (without shredding them first),
• interesting architecture,
• my values,
• people, and
• cats.

Because I’m trying to throw away a few pounds, I saved part of that latest culinary masterpiece by Michael for today’s lunch.

Here’s a throwaway definition,

… a few more throwaway lines,

… and the song “Throwaway” by SG Lewis and Clairo:

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I look forward to your comments on this throwaway post.

Thanks to all who choose to throw away some of their valuable time on this blog, including YOU!