Day 3173: Ampersands

Today is National Ampersand Day & the second day of Rosh Hashana & the day I go back to see the Ear Nose & Throat people at the hospital about my nosebleed caused by my anticoagulant medications & our new & adorable cat Joan trying to wake me up by scratching my nose & so much more.

Yesterday I started working again after my 2-week vacation & people were very glad to reconnect in an online therapy group & had a lot to say.

Today, as always, I want to welcome all thoughts & feelings including happiness & sadness & fear & anger & despair & hope & so on.

Here are photos & screen captures for today’s post.

How are you going to celebrate & otherwise mark this precious & unique day?

Last night, when we were eating this delicious & nutritious vegetarian chili …

… my husband & cook Michael & my son Aaron & I were talking about the many ways you can get chili in Cincinnati, including with cheese & beans & spaghetti.

Here’s “Ampersand” by They Might Be Giants (a band that Aaron & Michael & I saw in person years & years ago).

Thanks & more thanks to all who visit this blog, including you & you & you & YOU!

Day 2656: Waiting for other people to join

Yesterday morning, while I was waiting for other people to join a virtual work meeting, I snapped this photo of my computer screen:

These days, I’m waiting for other people to join

• together in global efforts to save ourselves and our planet,
• any safe, healthy, healing, and anxiety-reducing activities available to them,
• my Coping and Healing groups online,
• me in wishing  others a Happy Passover and Happy Easter this week,
• me in wishing my dear friend Jeanette a Happy Birthday,
• the present moment, rather than worrying about the future or regretting the past, and
• each other in looking at all my other photos from yesterday.

We’re waiting for other people to join us in a more typical Passover Seder next year. In the meantime, I couldn’t wait to partake of Michael’s amazing cooking last night.

Now I’m waiting for other people to join in watching this bit by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco about joining his first Passover Seder …

…  this “Happy Passover!” musical greeting from the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra …

… and this “Passover Songs Mashup – Dance Spectacular! with Elliot Dvorin and the Key Tov Orchestra from the days when it was possible for other people to join each other in public spaces :

I’m waiting, with other people like David Eisen, for a return to times like those.

David Eisen
3 days ago
I watch this every year to get into the Passover mood…5 years running strong! And, boy, do we need this uplifting spirit this year. God willing things will be back to normal in 2021/5781!

Now I’m waiting for other people to join in expressing their thoughts and feelings in comments, below.

Finally, waiting for other people to join me in being SO grateful for another day.

 

Day 2654: What I choose to see

There is so much to see, every day, that we all choose to see certain things.

During these times, I choose to see

• hope,
• the best in people,
• the light at the end of this dark, who-knows-how-long tunnel,
• signs of spring,
• the benefits of  my on-line therapy groups,
• helpful connections, and
• probable immunity to COVID-19 for me and Michael.

What do you choose to see in my photos from yesterday?

 

Did you choose to see the robin, the dog, the ducks, and the milk fish? What else did you see?

I choose to see one of my favorite songs — “I Can See Clearly Now”  by Johnny Nash — on YouTube.

As always, I choose to see gratitude, so thanks to all who are doing their best during these strange and difficult times (including YOU).

Day 2653: Signs of the Times

In the Times, yesterday, I saw an article about emotional store signs of a closed New York.

During the rest of the day, there were other signs of these strange times, including these:

I appreciate that particular sign of the times: let us be compassionate and kind to remove the sadness of the world.

Here is  “A Sign of the Times” by Petula Clark (from a long time ago):

It’s a sign of the times that I was concerned about the health of Petula Clark, who is eighty-seven years old.

It’s a sign of the times that Anna Jaworski —  who does the podcast “Heart to Heart to Anna”— asked me to appear on her show again, this time talking about the coronavirus and people with high risk heart conditions like me. Here‘s a link to my appearance on her show last year, and I’ll share the link for the new show when I get it.

It’s a sign of the times that I’m especially grateful for every day, here and now, with YOU.

Day 2652: What’s essential, anyway?

During another essential day, I noticed this online article in the Washington Post:

What’s essential, anyway? It all depends on who’s deciding.

Here and now, I’m deciding that what’s essential, anyway, is sharing my latest photos with you.

What’s essential, anyway, is my letting my Facebook friends know that I am “a face of the coronavirus (recovered)”

Here‘s an anyway essential song from the late Bill Withers:

Please lean on me by leaving a comment about what you think is essential, anyway.

What’s essential,  anyway and every day, is gratitude, so thanks to all who help me create this essential-to-my-sanity blog, including YOU!

Day 2651: Today is …

Today is …

• the two thousandth, six hundredth, and fifty-first day I’ve been blogging,
• a day when we are dreading the upcoming surge of COVID-19 cases,
• a day unlike any other,
• a day that feels like this:

• a day when I’m noticing the many prescient images I posted in this blog during the days of February and March 2020:

• a day when I remember that ID stands for Infectious Disease, and
• a day when I share all of the photos I took yesterday.

Today is a day I share all these songs about today (found here, here, here, here, here, and here today on YouTube):

Today is a day I am curious about your thoughts and feelings about today.

Today is a day, like every other day, that I express gratitude for all that I have, including YOU.

Day 2650: Doing new things

During times like these, we’re all doing new things.  Doing new things can be

• scary,
• intimidating,
• frustrating,
• exciting,
• challenging,
• annoying,
• exhausting, and
• enlightening.

My new photos show us doing new things, including …

… using a beloved book in the remote versions of my Coping and Healing groups,

… trying a new fish we’ve never eaten before,

… Harley practicing LESS social distancing, and

… all of us here working hard to forgive ourselves and others.

I just learned new things about the Faroe Islands when I searched YouTube for “social distancing music” and found people doing new things here:

 

If you’ve never left a comment before, consider doing that new thing, here and now.

It also helps to do familiar things, like my expressing gratitude for all those who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.

 

Day 2649: Coping strategies during a pandemic

Yesterday, after I was sharing coping strategies with a Coping and Healing online group, I found this online article “How to look after your mental health during a pandemic.”

The coping strategies in that article include

• Coping with loneliness.
• Tools for coping with anxiety.
• Open communication and simple relaxation.

Here are some quotes from that article:

“Physical distancing and isolation measures, the closure of schools and workplaces, are particularly [challenging for] us, as they affect what we love to do, where we want to be, and who we want to be with.” —Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe

” Routine is very important for well-being, so … write a list of people and activities that lift your spirits; be sure to prioritize time for connecting with others and doing things you enjoy every day.”  —  Tania Diggory, founder of Calmer.”

… we can also reconnect with those hobbies and relaxation techniques that don’t require a screen — reading, taking a bath, gardening, listening to music, playing music, journaling, writing, arts and crafts, cooking new recipes, stroking your pet,  daydreaming … so much to savor and enjoy.” — Kat Hounsell, founder of everyday people.

“Personally, I’m sticking to what has worked for me in the past when I want to be calm — for example, learning and practicing simple relaxation techniques, like breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, mindfulness [and] meditation [which] can all be very helpful in alleviating mental distress.”  — Dr. Hans Kluge

Most of these issues and coping strategies came up in my Coping and Healing online group yesterday, which included one member theorizing that the pandemic was caused by a conspiracy of house cats, who want us to be home more.  Several cats were attending the group (including Oscar) and none of the cats denied it.

Do you see any coping strategies in my recent photos?

I think letting go of self-judgment, guilt, shame, and worry are important coping strategies, especially during a pandemic.

Music and dance are wonderful coping strategies, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater has posted this on YouTube:

For a limited time only, as part of Ailey All Access, you’re getting access to watch Alvin Ailey’s ‘Revelations’ in its in entirety from your own home. We hope this rare opportunity brings you a moment of joy during these uncertain times.

Please share your coping strategies during a pandemic in the comments section, below.

Gratitude is always a coping strategy for me, so thanks to all who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.

 

Day 2648: What the world needs now

One thousand, two hundred, and twenty-seven days ago, when it was a different world, I published another blog post with today’s title.  Now, more than ever, what the world needs now is love, sweet love.

Yesterday, people participating in the world of my online Coping and Healing groups shared that they enjoyed watching this video of Berklee students —  alone but together —   performing “What the World Needs Now.”

I really need that video and I need to share my new photos with the world, here and now:

Yesterday, I needed that delicious chicken dish, I needed Michael, I needed a walk outside, I needed the cats, and I needed to figure out how to make my new whiteboard work for my online groups.

What the world needs now is

• love, sweet love,
• any thoughts and feelings you choose to share in a comment, below. and
• gratitude, so thanks to all who are showing love during these difficult times (including YOU).

Day 2647: Alone

Over the years, I have written, while alone, these blog posts with “alone” in the title:

Day 163: Alone in the presence of others

Day 247: No one is alone

Day 289: Sometimes, it just helps to know you’re not alone

Day 839: Never worry alone

Day 908: You are not alone

Day 1028: Can’t do it alone

Day 1180: Alone

Day 1294: Alone/Connected

In the three years since I wrote that last “Alone” post,

• I had open heart surgery to get a mechanical valve,
• Trump was elected President,
• I became President of the Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy, and
• I have invited many people to realize that they are not alone, in Coping and Healing therapy groups and also here at WordPress.

This week, I’m going to conduct five Coping and Healing groups  and each one of us participating will be alone in a room because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I may wear this t-shirt while facilitating a Coping and Healing group this week:

I alone took all these other photos yesterday:

 

 

 

Michael alone makes amazing meals for me.

Here are some quotes about “alone”:

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.  — Helen Keller

I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone. — Lord Byron

It is far better to be alone, than to be in bad company. — George Washington

We are rarely proud when we are alone. — Voltaire

I want to be with those who know secret things or else alone. — Rainer Maria Rilke

I don’t want to be alone, I want to be left alone  — Audrey Hepburn

The only real progress lies in learning to be wrong all alone. — Albert Camus

Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work. — A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

If it’s true that our species is alone in the universe, then I’d have to say the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little. — George Carlin

We allow our ignorance to prevail upon us and make us think we can survive alone, alone in patches, alone in groups, alone in races, even alone in genders. — Maya Angelou

When the people you love are gone, you’re alone. — Keanu Reeves

To live alone is the fate of all great souls. — Arthur Schopenhauer

 

A year ago, when people were able to gather in groups,  Nat Shirley and I  performed this song which I did not write alone.

If you have thoughts and feelings about anything in this “Alone” post, you alone can express them in a comment, below.

I’m sure I’m not alone in my gratitude that we’re all alive, here and now.