Day 3248: November 22

On November 22, 1963, I had my first heart operation, got my first cardiac pacemaker, and got a promise from my mother that I could get my first cat.

Two days later, while I was dealing with many physical and emotional wounds, I found out that President John F. Kennedy, whom I loved and admired, had been assassinated on November 22.

Since that day, November 22 has always been an important anniversary for me. Often, I get depressed and anxious, and I’m relieved when the day is over.

Today, I’m just grateful to be alive and well, 58 years later.

Here are my images for November 22, 2021:

.

On my walk yesterday, I was listening to the sounds of nature and the music from Hadestown, which I’m still hearing in my head, here and now, on November 22.

What are your thoughts and feelings about November 22?

Thanks to all who have helped me make it to this November 22, including YOU.

Day 3125: A year ago today

A year ago today, we said goodbye to our amazing kitty Oscar, who was a wonderful presence in our lives and in this daily blog.

Oscar — who was chosen by my son Aaron from a shelter after a long search — was a loving and chill creature who was always RIGHT there, and we miss him very much.

Unlike Aaron, I usually choose shelter cats who are shy and scared, because I think they are less likely to get adopted. Case in point: our kitty Harley.

Now that my year of mourning Oscar is over, I’d like to get another shelter animal that won’t make Harley’s life a complete misery. We’ll see how that goes.

In the meantime, here are my images for July 22, 2021.

.

While I don’t love the way my voice sounds in this 2014 video where I’m singing along to Pat Metheny’s “Third Wind” (in the bathroom for the acoustics!), this shows how loyal and present Oscar always was, so I’m sharing this today.

And here’s a much older video that Aaron made — “Graduation Cat” — which again demonstrates Oscar’s sweet and patient nature.

____________________________

I’m grateful for all the years we had with Oscar, and thanks to all who are here with me on this precious day, including YOU.

Day 2861: What do you need?

Here and now, what do you need?

Do you need

• comfort?
• reassurance?
• good news?
• results?
• money?
• a drink?
• love?
• hope?
• peace?
• self esteem?
• time for yourself?
• social contact?
• justice?
• to know that you are not alone?

I need

• to take a breath,
• to be in the moment,
• to be grateful for all I have, and
• to do whatever I can to make this life better for myself and others.

I do NOT need to vote because I already have.

I need to share that ten years ago, on Halloween, I met my future husband, Michael. Michael needs no introduction to regular readers of this blog, but here’s a post I wrote about him four very long years ago.

I also need to share my latest photos with you.

If I’m being serious and honest, almost everybody I know needs therapy these days.

I also need to tell you that this …

… is my amazing son, Aaron, who is doing his last year at the University of Edinburgh from our basement here in the USA. Isn’t that a cool picture? Aaron and I both needed our winter coats last night because of the early snow.

I also need to tell you that even though my husband Michael needs his privacy and is camera shy, his presence is there in several of today’s photos.

I need to include a song about needs, so how about this one?

You don’t need to leave a comment, but it would be awesome if you did!

I need to thank everyone who helps me create a new blog post every day, including Michael, Aaron, Harley, the Beatles, the Daily Bitch Calendar, and YOU!

Day 2518: Mood swings

Yesterday was November 22, a day when I’ve often had mood swings.  Why? Because fifty-six years ago on that date, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and I had my first heart surgery to get my first cardiac pacemaker.

After I swung myself out of bed, I put on my “I have mood swings” socks, hoping that my mood swings that day would be manageable.

Thankfully, my mood swings yesterday were not remarkable. For example, when I noticed that Michael had removed stuff from two kitchen cabinets during the night, I thought, “That can’t be good.”

But my mood didn’t swing dramatically.

When I noticed a truck that reminded me of death on my way into work …

…. my mood didn’t swing that much.

Here are more things that caused negligible mood swings yesterday:

Did any of those photos swing your mood in any way?

Here‘s The Mood Swings Orchestra, an all-woman big band located in the Boston area:

I expect my mood will swing up when I read your comments about this “Mood Swings” post.  Thanks to all, including YOU.

Day 2517: Who is on your mind today?

Who is on your mind today?

Wonderful people?

Difficult people?

Shadows from the past?

People who are reassuring?

People who have a lot of nerve?  People you see during Thanksgiving?

People who come together when the feeling’s right?

People who make music?

You’re on my mind today, so

• please let me know who is on your mind today and
• accept my mindful gratitude on November 22, 2019.

Day 2495: Have a little faith

Yesterday, I appreciated seeing a sign that said “Have a little faith”.

The peace sign, whenever I see it,  also inspires me to have a little faith.

Last night, I had a little faith that the Washington Nationals (who appeared in this recent post about self care) would win the World Series, and they did!

Do my other photos from yesterday have a little faith?

 

I have a little faith that when I randomly and intuitively take photos every day, they will somehow fit together in my next blog post.

Have a little faith that Michael’s cooking tastes even better than it looks. When I first met Michael, exactly nine years ago today, I had a little faith that we were meant for each other.

Speaking of anniversaries, yesterday was an anniversary of the big success of “Faith” by George Michael.

I have a little faith that you will leave a comment, below.

Have a little faith that I’ll end this post with gratitude for all, including YOU!

 

Day 2490: More self-care bingo

Today is the wedding anniversary of my late, great parents, so I definitely need more self-care bingo.

Luckily, in a Coping and Healing group yesterday we added more squares to our self-care bingo cards.

My new squares are

1. created something new,
2. laughed with somebody,
3. expressed my feelings,
4. took a walk,
5. ate something delicious,
6. spent time with an animal,
7. danced,
8. listened to music I love,
9. improved the moment,
10. observed just noticed,
11. acknowledged progress,
12. looked at something beautiful,
13. gave somebody a hug,
14. accessed a good memory,
15. was playful,
16. returned an email,
17. made a helpful call,
18. set a limit,
19. smiled at a stranger, and
20. expressed gratitude.

Bingo!

Here’s #14 (accessed a good memory):

Adding more photos to today’s post qualifies as #1 (created something new).  Are any of these photos examples of self-care bingo?

Part of my self care has been watching this video of the Washington Nationals (up 2-1 in the World Series) spreading “Baby Shark” fever.

Here’s #20 (expressed gratitude):

 

Day 1731: The Beet Goes On

Yesterday, beets went on my salad at lunch.

Then, I posted that photo on Facebook:

This is what I’m having for lunch on the 7th anniversary of my first contact with Michael, which was a message about how we both disliked beets.

Here’s the first message I sent to my boyfriend Michael seven years ago after I saw his OkCupid profile, which was hilarious and adorable and quirky and  mentioned his dislike of beets.

I also hate beets.  You actually didn’t use the word “hate.” You were much more diplomatic.

Ann

Michael didn’t miss a beat and wrote back:

Well, you have to be diplomatic in public forums. I mean, you never know who’ll have a disturbing passion for beets or something and send you psychotic messages for the next seven months. Between you and me, I detest beets.

Since then, we’ve grown fonder of beets and of each other.

Let’s celebrate our anniversary to the beat of some music and photos!

 

 

I’m looking forward to many more beets, beats, delicious meals, sunrises, and sunsets in the future.

Thanks to Michael and everyone else who contributed to every beat and beet of this post and thanks to YOU — of course! —  for staying to celebrate our anniversary.

 

Day 1400: Pick me!

Thank you for picking me and my blog, today.

Why did I pick “Pick me!” for this post’s  title?

Lots of reasons to pick from, including this photo I took yesterday:

It looks like that pumpkin’s assertiveness is helping it get picked by that picky ghost. If I were going to pick a lesson from that, I’d say it’s good to ask to be picked. Why? Because you deserve to be picked, so why not ask for it?

I’m now picking this moment to cite another reason why this picky blogger picked  “Pick me!” for today’s title.  It’s the 6th anniversary of the day my boyfriend Michael and I picked to meet each other in person, after we had corresponded daily for over a month. I’m not sure why we both picked Halloween 2010 for our first date, but I’m so glad that he picked me and I picked him.

If you had to pick any of my other photos from yesterday, which ones say “Pick me!” to you?

 

 

That last photo I picked, above, shows Michael, the picky guy I picked six years ago,  picking corn chowder as the recipe to share via cell phone with my son Aaron, who recently picked the University of Edinburgh as his college and residence.

What music should I pick for this “Pick me!” post?

I’m picking a song from The Spinners album Pick of the Litter — “Just as Long as We Have Love.“

If you’re thinking of leaving a comment for a blogger, pick me!

I’m glad I picked all those who helped me create today’s post and I’m very glad you picked this blog today.

Day 1176: Picture this

Picture this:

1. It’s spring and there’s lots of snow on the ground in Boston this morning.
2. I need to get to work in two hours to be available all day  for anybody who needs emotional and psychological support in an enormous primary care practice at a major Boston teaching hospital.
3. I feel like I need some emotional and psychological support because of #1 and #2, directly above.
4. My friend  Kathy Tarantola (who has appeared in this previous post) is an amazing photographer who is helping me decorate my new office in Newton with her pictures.
5. Today is the 19th anniversary of my father’s death. I often picture how much he and my 18-year-old son would have enjoyed each other if they had ever met.
6. Before I met up with Kathy and her boyfriend Michael yesterday to hang three of Kathy’s beautiful pictures in my office, Kathy sent me an old picture in an email that said, “two cuties!” Picture my face when I saw this adorable photo of Kathy’s nephew Matthew and my son Aaron:

You don’t need to picture anything else in this post, because I have all these pictures I took yesterday:

 

Picture this:  I’m here in my temporarily snow-bound home thanking all who helped me create this  pictured post. I’m also thanking  you — of course! — for picturing whatever you’re picturing, here and now.