Yesterday, at work, I was surprised to see this:
Oh my Gawwd! I can’t believe that I’m still surprised by anything, after all the years and all the experiences I’ve been through.
Would it surprise you to know that I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about surprises lately?
For example, I am no longer surprised by actions and words from people that are completely consistent with what they’ve done and said before. There’s no element of surprise in my saying, over and over again, to anybody who will listen:
That’s just so-and-so being so-and-so.
I think I surprised somebody, yesterday, when he responded to my repeated request for help with, “That is SO low on my list of ….” and I pointed my finger at him and said, “Don’t finish that sentence!”
But that was just so-and-so being so-and-so.
Are there any elements of surprise in my other photos from yesterday?
There might be an element of surprise in my now posting my voice from a previous post, Day 811: Changing the Inner World.
I won’t be surprised if people are themselves in their comments, below.
Any element of surprise in my ending this post like so?
… to everyone who helps me create this blog and to you — of course! — for reading it.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
It would not surprise me to find that you have been thinking a lot about surprises lately, because you think a lot about a lot of things. But here is an element of mystery here, as to what surprises, specifically, you have been thinking about.
Has anything surprised you recently, Ann? If so, I hope they have been good surprises.
There is no element of surprise in your being the first to comment so thoughtfully and inquisitively, Maureen. That’s just you being you. Would it surprise you if I responded that recently everything and nothing surprises me ?
No, I would not be surprised if you said that recently everything and nothing surprises you. But that is not just you being you and not just me being me. It is you being YOU and me being ME, which is pretty awesome and surprising and not surprising in itself.
So much of the time, I wish I could figure out who ‘me’ is so that I could be better at being me, and so much of the time I wish I could figure out how not to be me so that I can be the person I want to be instead. But the person I want to be is really me, only less prone to mistakes that involve other people. I would not be surprised, though, if many people did not feel the same. This thing called being human is surprisingly omples these days.
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Cats are filled with surprises.
They are, Dawn! That’s just cats being cats!
I’m never surprised by your insight. That’s just Ann being Ann. ❤️
This is just Colleen being Colleen! ❤ ❤
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You have the best cartoons 🙂
There is no element of surprise in your kind and complimentary comment. That’s just Alex being Alex!
Where do you get them from? I might do a post on cat cartoons 🙂
I’m always on the lookout for them. There’s no surprise when I find them on greeting cards and near people’s desks at work.
A lovely fun post. 😁
A lovely fun comment, which is just you being you.
I want to thank YOU for this blog. Love the cat bed map, and the kitty karaoke!
This is just you being you, Sunny — grateful, expressive, and loving.
I am somewhat surprised how you continually find things to delight me, Ann Koplow. But I should not be by now.
This is just you, delightful Mark, being you.
Things that surprised me:
1. You did not share Tom Lehrer’s “Elements” song.
2. The element of Surprise has taken the place of Dubnium (element 105), reportedly first discovered in 1968–making Tom Lehrer’s “Elements” song, which only goes up to Lawrencium (element 103) out of date although Dubnium was not officially named until 1997.
3. “Stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts”. Not surprisingly that reminds me that a teacher gave me a useful mnemonic for spelling “dessert” correctly: a dessert has twice the sugar of a desert.
Something that did not surprise me:
Everyone responded enthusiastically and some even helped in your wonderful singing of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”.
Loving Tom Lehrer is just us being us, Chris. ❤
The element of surprise is always there, although one of the best things I can do is try to tone it down so it doesn’t “surprise” as much. This is an art.
Practicing the art of the wonderful comment is just you being you, Maria.
Love that element of surprise cartoon. It doesn’t surprise me to find something wonderful when I visit here
It doesn’t surprise me to find something wonderful, Lisa, when we visit each other.
I was surprised by the painting of the trees, which looks as though there’s a giant ice ball up in the sky with some leaping fish. That interpretation may be a surprise. But I may find a pointing finger and ‘don’t finish that sentence’ a useful response in the future. Thanks for that.
This is just you being you — surprising, delightful, and grateful. Thanks for that.
I liked the surprise I felt learning something new. I’m surprised anybody gives you a hard time. Need o practice your “Surprise!”” Laser stare.
I have a “Surprise!” laser stare: my son comments on it whenever I use it. I’d be surprised if anybody gives you a hard time. Thanks for being you!
This is just Ann being Ann. Not surprising. Just lovely 💛
This is just lovely Val being herself. Welcome back! ❤
This post made me smile and for that I thank you
When you’re being you, Joanne, you always make me smile. ❤
Oh how I LOVE your response “Don’t finish that sentence” .. Simple, powerful, and gets the job done. Simplify is always a wonderful surprise.
Oh how I LOVE this comment, which is just you being you! ❤
The older I get the more my surprises are confined to what doesn’t work any more 🙂
That’s just you being you, Derrick, and I thank you for that.
That cat map is hysterical. Brilliant post as always. I love your humour.
I love your brilliance, Julie! ❤
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