This is real. I saw this real sign yesterday at Simmons College in Boston, during a group therapy conference titled “Getting Real: Vulnerability and Effective Group Leadership.”
During the real group therapy conference, these were real:
- My first real workshop for fellow real group therapists — about the real groups I really do four times a week — went real, real well.
- I really confronted somebody about a really critical comment made to me years ago that really made my self confidence reel — and that encounter went real, real well.
- Real people, all during the group therapy conference, were real — really showing and acknowledging all the real human feelings, including sadness, anger, shame, fear, and joy.
These were also real, yesterday:
This is real: I don’t care what that Sweet Scoops carton really says. Winter is NOT really the real season now, in Boston.
This is real: As I’m really writing this real post, I’m wearing a kind-of-blue, real hair extension.
Is this real hair extension real blue, kind of blue, or real teal? And what is the real reason I’ve felt like wearing really brightly colored real hair extensions, really recently? And will I feel real and/or nervous tomorrow night at an audition when I ask the real musical question “Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird, why is it you sing?”
I really learned this at the Getting Real group therapy conference: it’s really helpful to ask real questions and give real answers about real feelings, even if those feelings are uncomfortable or kind of blue.
This is a real musical segue: Kind of Blue by the real Miles Davis (and featuring the real John Coltrane, the real Bill Evans, and other real jazz giants) has really been my favorite album for over 45 real years.
This is a real 50th anniversary tribute to that real masterpiece, with real feelings:
Do you have any real feelings or real questions about anything in this post? This is real: I welcome all of them.
Real thanks to Simmons College, to all attending the Northeastern Society of Group Psychotherapy annual conference, to people open to repairing past experiences, to those who sing on steps or elsewhere, to Harriet Beecher Ashworth (for her sewing), to super markets and super hair extensions, to Stephen Sondheim (for asking the real musical question about caged birds singing), to Miles Davis, to John Coltrane, to Bill Evans, to Paul Chambers, to Cannonball Adderley, to Jimmy Cobb, and to you — of course! — for making this real, today.
Here are my real feelings about some of the things in your post-That quilt is amazing- a real message and real handwork- a work of art. I would say that is real blue as far as your hair extension goes, and I like it.
This is real, too: I like you and this comment, Lisa!
Really – I just realized how often I use the word real!! …. you’re speaking my language Ann. 🙂 Was the conference inspired by Susan Campbell’s Getting Real work? Love her!!
And you!!
You are both so real and less surreal.
You are so real, Val, it’s surreal. I’m not real familiar with Susan Campbell’s Getting Real work, but if you love her, I’d really like to know more. This heart is real: ❤
Thank you so much for keeping it real, and for reminding me of one of my pet peeves: the caption you sometimes see in commercials that says, “Real people, not actors.” Actors are real people. I know from experience that they can even be really nice people.
I know from experience, Christopher, that any comment from you is going to be (1) really nice and (2) really smart.
If I decided to wear teal blue extensions, my workmates
Yes? What would they really do?
Oops (as I was saying) my workmates would beat me up and throw me in a dumpster for real….
They sound really mean!
I thought your hair extention was purple!!!
It was!
Sorry! Extension…
Are you REALLY sorry, Jan?
Just to prove how really in tune we are, I point you to one I made earlier: http://derrickjknight.com/2015/04/11/kind-of-blue/
This is real: I am really stunned and really happy about that, Derrick.
This post is really a great extension of your normal expressive self, Ann. I sing your praises. No blues about the audition allowed. 🙂
I’m never blue whenever you extend yourself here, Mark.
One of your very real posts that I’ve missed for a while because I’ve been busy writing my book. I love the blue hair extension and hope it makes you feel good to wear it, I also love that quilt work and the lovely blue sky in one of your photos. Hope the audition goes really well tomorrow. 🙂
This is real: I’m really glad and I’m really proud of you for writing your book. Real thanks to you, Millie, for taking a break to really read my post and leave this really lovely comment.
Thank you for understanding, Ann.
This is real, there is that long shadow of Ann on a path to success! I finally read the lyrics of “Green Finch and Linnet Bird”. This is a beautiful song, and I found it in a clip of the movie Sweeny Todd:
I always feel sorry for caged birds though, and this is real.😕
Thanks for being so real, Maria. I really feel sorry for caged birds, too, and I hope to show that real feeling in my audition tomorrow,
So you’re singing that same song!
Enjoy, enjoy, that birds sing for you Ann, caged or not.👏
So many real things, real things are better then fake things but fake stuff have their place as well, thinking things like fake teeth very handy when you don’t have real ones…………..just a thought
Love your real thoughts and feelings, Joanne. Really.
I think it’s real important to keep it real in all facets of life and you’re a real good example of that Ann! ❤
Diana xo
It takes one real one to know another real one, Diana! ❤ ❤ xoxo