Day 3287: My Best and Worst of 2021

Hello, best blog readers! It’s time for my personal best and worst of the year.

This was not the best of years nor the worst of years, personally. I did my best to compile my lists and here they are:

BEST

My son Aaron and all his wonderfulness.

My husband Michael and all his wonderfulness (including his delicious meals, taking care of our home, and making me laugh every day).

Good health for me and my loved ones.

My therapy groups.

My friends.

Adopting our new adorable cat Joan and our old adorable cat Harley adjusting so well to that.

Walks near the water.

Sustaining music, including songs from Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown.

Trip to NYC with Aaron, including the Sondheim musical Company and the Stephen Colbert Show!

Trip to Nashville on my own, including a very successful Open Mic and meeting fellow blogger Chris!

The book “Radical Acceptance.”

Connecting with people here and on Twitter.

WORST

Climate change.

COVID.

January 6 insurrection and other threats to democracy.

Pain, suffering, and deaths of good people.

Systemic injustices.

Toxic narcissists.

Gun violence in the USA.

Miscommunication and misinformation and the painful divisions those cause.

Extensive (and hidden) water damage to our home because of a leaking shower.

The nosebleed from hell (caused by a combo of Joan’s claws and my anticoagulant medication).

Joan’s medical problems which necessitated her being in a cone for MONTHS.

Stephen Sondheim (one of my musical heroes) leaving this earthly realm.

.

Do you see any bests or worsts in my images for today?

I celebrated Make Up Your Mind Day by making up my mind about what to include in my best and worst lists for 2021!

I think it’s best if I include my favorite song from Hadestown here.

What is your best and worst of 2021?

Thanks to all who made it to my best list, including YOU!

Day 3286: Hearts

For some reason, I woke up with a heavy heart today. As I connect with other hearts, though, my heart lightens.

What hearts can you see in my images for today?

If you have heartburn from bacon (or anything else), Happy Bicarbonate of Soda Day!

Here is “Hearts” by Marty Balin.

Heartfelt thanks to all who help me create this blog every day, including YOU!

Day 3285: Advice

I don’t like to give advice, but I’m happy to share other people’s thoughts about advice.

Do you see any advice in my other images for today?

.

Here’s “Good Advice” by Allan Sherman.

I don’t like to give advice, but I’m happy to read your thoughts and feelings about advice.

If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be this: let people know how much you appreciate them, every day!

Day 3284: Roads not taken

All of us have roads not taken. Some of us have regrets; some of us have reached a level of acceptance about the choices we’ve made.

Last night, I took the road of asking this question on Twitter:

My roads not taken include (1) finishing my thesis on the modern movie musical to get my Masters degree in Film Studies, (2) traveling more, (3) getting a dog, and (4) show biz. The first one I’m good with; the others still seem like possibilities to me.

Do you see roads not taken in my other images for today?

The roads I’ve taken include this: I’m revealing my Film Studies road-not-taken on National Short Film Day! Also, the rocky road to chocolate candy might not be taken by me today, even though there’s plenty of it around.

Here’s Robert Frost reciting his poem “The Road Not Taken.”

I’m going down the familiar road of including a Stephen Sondheim song in my blog posts.

The road not taken for me, up to this moment, includes sharing my attempt to do justice to a Stephen Sondheim song with my voice and my new ukulele.

Another road not taken for me includes doing a version of that I’m happy with, which might be further up the road.

As we move on to the end of this blog post road, I’ll take the opportunity to thank all who ease my way along the road of life, including YOU.

Day 3283: Appetites

As I look at my images for today, “appetites” seems like the best topic, so let’s start out with a definition.

.

I hope you have an appetite for quotes about appetites.

.

What appetites can you see in my images for today?

I think it’s funny that my husband Michael and I are celebrating our second wedding anniversary on National Fruitcake day. Does anybody have an appetite for fruitcake?

When I search YouTube for “appetites” I find this:

As I often tell people who struggle with overeating, our appetites are programmed to eat all the sweets and fats in our immediate vicinity. Those appetites allowed our ancestors to survive when fats and sugars were in short supply. These days, the best way to deal with insatiable appetites for junk food is to get it out of your home.

I have an insatiable appetite for your comments, so please leave one below.

I hope you have appetites for gratitude, because here are many thanks coming from me to you.

Day 3282: ‘Twas The Day After Christmas

‘Twas the day after Christmas,

And all through the house

This creature was stirring

And chasing a mouse.

The presents were present, ‘twas so nice they were there,

It’s a good thing I love chocolate because there’s plenty to share.

‘Twas the day after Christmas and these National Days:

I’ll choose whining ‘cause my stomach lining is acting up in some ways.

‘Twas the day after Christmas, and I hope that you stay

To answer this latest last question of the day:

“Twas the Day after Christmas” was an episode of M*A*S*H

Which I’m now adding to my gladdening “What to Watch” stash.

‘Twas the day after Christmas and as I pass out of view,

I’m exclaiming and reframing a hearty THANK YOU!

Day 3281: The best present ever

The best present ever, I think, is waking up to another day with people I love. It looks like I’m getting the best present ever again today.

Do you see the best present ever as I present today’s images to you?

It’s a present to me that I’m just now seeing that today is No “L” Day (which I’m presently realizing is a pun). If I had seen that before I started writing today’s blog, I might have felt compelled to leave L’s the hell out.

Instead, I’m leisurely going to lounge around and share the present of this lovely melody on No L day.

Last night I had the best present ever of singing that song together again with family and friends.

I have so much gratitude, here and now, for all the best presents ever, including YOU.

Day 3280: How are you going to celebrate this precious day?

For months, I’ve been asking the question “How are you going to celebrate this precious day?” on Twitter, every day.

Today, I know the answer for many, many people.

Growing up in an Orthodox Jewish home, I didn’t celebrate Christmas Eve back then, but I do now. Indeed, the older I get, the more I celebrate.

How are you going to celebrate this precious day? I hope my latest photos and images help you celebrate.

Because I was born with a very rare heart condition, I’ve known since I was young that we all have limited time. That seems to be my deepest and oldest wisdom — that we should celebrate every day as best we can.

I am going to celebrate this precious day by sharing this video of the ballet dancer Marianela Nunez.

I am also going to celebrate this precious day by thanking everyone who helps me create this daily blog, including YOU.

Day 3279: Better than expected

If this blog post is going to be better than expected, I’d better start adding some interesting elements, like my last question yesterday on Twitter:

That question turned out better than expected: it already has over 200 answers. And the answers were better than expected: many people answered with “my life.”

Are any of my other images for today better than expected?

Those images came together better than I expected. Sometimes I think one secret of life is having low expectations or, better yet, letting go of expectations.

When I search YouTube for “better than expected,” I find this …

… which unexpectedly made me want to see “Free Guy,” which I expect I’ll watch once it’s free for me.

What’s something that turned out better than you expected? I expect I’ll see some comments, below.

If you’re expecting gratitude from me, here it comes!

Day 3278: Is this a scam?

Is this a scam to ask if you worry about scams?

Personally, when I (1) receive anxiety-provoking emails, (2) encounter salespeople, or (3) need some sort of repair service, I can easily ask myself “Is this a scam?” It’s not a scam for me to tell you that I think about scams often and with increasing frequency.

On the other hand, some people seem to wonder if I am a scam. I notice that especially on social media.

Well, with all the confusion, distrust, and lack of control we are experiencing these days, if you wonder “Is this a scam?” you are definitely not alone.

Is this a scam for me to share these images with you today?

People might wonder “Is this a scam?” about those National Days. For example, is somebody trying to sell me date nut bread today?

If you search YouTube for “Is this a scam?” you’ll find many videos, including this one:

It’s not a scam for me to ask for comments, below, or for me to express gratitude to you!