What does “be the bee” mean? Does it mean be busy? Be hard-working? Be sweet? Be a survivor? Be useful to others?
It means that I saw this yesterday on Twitter:
Let’s be the bee as we look at my other images for today.
Are you going to be watching this video I found on YouTube by searching “be the bee”?
Starting today, I’m going to be the bee and continue to be grateful for all the helpful people I meet, including YOU!
Here comes trouble in the form of yet another daily blog post from me, who likes to wear these socks:
Here comes trouble as my hometown of Boston gets rid of almost all mask mandates and social distancing rules today, which is troubling many people I know.
Here comes trouble because major changes in rules and routines, widespread distrust in the media and in political leaders, real and present dangers, and uncertainties about the future are all very troubling.
Here comes trouble as I share all my latest images with you.
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Here comes trouble: I’ve posted WAAYYY more than 70 days in a row. (Three thousand more, WordPress!)
Here and here come the two songs I mentioned as I was causing trouble on Twitter:
Consider causing some trouble in the comments section below.
Here comes gratitude from me to YOU!
Have you noticed that your opinion is not always shared by others, including family members and friends?
When opinions are different, my opinion is that people might
And those are just the D-words of what people might do!
What do you do when your opinion is different?
My opinion is that people might respond “that depends.”
Sometimes, other people’s opinions are disturbing (see today’s news for plenty of examples). However, different opinions can also be illuminating, instructive, and inspiring.
Today, I am interested in other people’s opinions about opinions AND about which video I should use of my song “Vaccine.”
In your opinion, is this one better …
or this one?
Also, what is your opinion about today’s images?
The opinions expressed by the Daily Bitch are her own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of she who creates and maintains The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally.
Thanks to you for reading my opinions, no matter what your opinion may be.
Yesterday, I watched Stephen Colbert ask Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and George Clooney the same set of interesting questions including “What’s the scariest animal?”
At first, I was thinking that the scariest animal would be a crocodile or a bear. Later that night, I realized that, to me, the scariest animal was something else.
Man.
What’s the scariest animal in my images for today?
Yep. For me, the scariest animal is man.
When I search YouTube for “What’s the scariest animal?” I find “10 Terrifying Animals That Are Actually Friendly.”
What’s the scariest animal to you?
Thanks to all the animals who helped me create today’s blog post and thanks to all the animals who are reading it, including YOU.
In the online groups I have been facilitating this week, I’ve been inviting people to share their worst fears and also what has been helping them deal with these.
My worst fear is that I won’t leave enough room for people to have all their feelings and what helps is my asking questions like that one.
Do you see any worst fears AND do you see anything that helps in my images from yesterday?
This interview with Dr. Fauci by Trevor Noah included worst fears and was also very helpful.
Please express worst fears AND what is helping you, in a comment below.
What helps me, every day, is finding and expressing gratitude wherever I am, so thanks to all (including YOU).
“You’re not going to die today” is
After yesterday’s post, I’m wondering if that feeds into denial.
Assuming we’re not going to die today, let’s look at my other photos from yesterday:
Here‘s “We Ain’t Gonna Die Today” by Atmosphere.
I’m wondering if you’re not going to leave a comment today.
Until the day I die, I have so much thanks for being alive and for you!
You matter to me, dear readers.
It also matters to me that six years ago, I wrote a blog post titled Day 133: Maybe anxiety means that something really matters to you. It matters to me to help explain anxiety to those who matter to me.
Michael, who matters to me, was matter-of-factly wearing this t-shirt yesterday:
“You matter to me” is a slogan at the hospital-based Primary Care Practice where I work. Patients matter to me — that’s why I’m so happy to be part of a Patient Experience Task Force there. One of the other members of that task force, who is a patient, came up with the slogan “You matter to me.”
Here and now, who and what matters to you?
I looked at my other photos from yesterday and realized that “You matter to me” applies to all of them.
It matters to me that Harley — our white and tiger kitty who is very shy — didn’t run away while I was taking matters (and my iPhone camera) into my own hands yesterday.
Someone I know once said she thought she mattered less to her family than the family’s cat. Family matters. We all matter, whether or not we know it.
It matters to me to repeat this photo from yesterday’s post:
Everything you think and feel matters, so consider sharing your thoughts and feelings about all these matters in a comment, below.
The musical Waitress — which includes the song “You Matter to Me” — matters to me.
Because you matter to me, it matters to me to express my gratitude to you.
There’s been a lot of desperation around here lately. Are you noticing desperation where you are?
Here’s one source of my desperation: I’m wondering if I control the universe with my anxiety. When I am anxious about something (like planning a dinner in Los Angeles, for example), things seem to go wrong.
I also have desperation about my inability to write something on this blog without using the word “thing.”
Michael has been experiencing desperation about charging his laptop — for days, he has had to anchor the charging cord in intricate ways to get any charge.
Yesterday, a replacement charging cord came in the mail and Michael said, “I’m going to keep that as an art installation called “Desperation.'”
Do you see desperation in my other photos from yesterday?
If you want to make a peep about desperation or anything else, please comment below.
Also, Dr. Matthew Salzler at Tufts Medical Center dispersed any desperation I might have about my healing rotator cuff, a year after my falling and tearing it.
Out of desperation about not having any new ideas of how to celebrate my son’s birthday (he’s turning 21 today!) on this blog, I’m sharing, again, his misheard lyrics of “Louie Louie” on YouTube.
Here’s a comment from somebody who might have had some desperation looking for my son’s video until finally finding it:
Deku Tree
8 months ago
I finally found you this is a weird story so sit tightI was in a music class in elementary school and the teacher there wanted our next song we sang to be Louie Louie he then told us a story about how the song had weird misheard lyrics and showed the class this very video to show us what the misheard lyrics were and I finally found it when I was watching a video on YouTube for weird misheard lyrics throughout history and my mind thought about this video and I thought “I know the in’s and out’s of YouTube now I’ll try to find it.” and I did yes! It wasn’t even that hard to find I was just lazy back when I was a kid and didn’t look very hard now I have liked the video from my memory’s finally.
No desperation at the end of this blog post, just gratitude for all who helped me create it and — of course! — YOU.
Yesterday, in a therapy group where I notice connections among people, I did a mindfulness exercise using these mindfulness cards:
Most of the people in the room took their time noticing the different cards and choosing one they felt a connection with. The two people who were left-handed (including me) randomly chose a mindfulness card without looking. I noticed that connection and then noticed the card I had randomly pulled:
Then, I noticed color connections between that card and my water bottle:
I notice, here and now, that I’ve used the word “connections” only twice before in a blog title. If you want to make connections with those older blog posts (both written in my first year of making connections on WordPress), you can connect to them here and here. I also notice that the first blog post that popped up in my “connections” search was Day 1002: What makes anxiety worse? Because I notice that connections often reduce anxiety, I wonder what connections WordPress noticed there.
I notice connections between the word “older” (which you may notice I used in my previous paragraph) and negative judgments. I’m especially noticing that connection two days before I turn 66.
I also notice connections between my reading the news and my anxiety getting worse, so I am careful to notice news items that help restore and reconnect my faith in humankind, including this one:
Quincy Police rescue tiny owl from roadside
QUINCY — It appears as if Quincy Police has its very own Dr. Dolittle.
Officer Tim Kaes helped a rescue a small saw-whet owl Tuesday night on Victory Road just before 7 p.m. This is the third owl that Kaes has helped rescue.
A person found the injured owl and flagged down a police cruiser, according to Quincy Police Sgt. Karyn Barkas. With animal control off for the night, the officer called in Kaes who Barkas said loves animals.
The owl was brought to the New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth for treatment.
New England Wildlife Center Executive Director Katrina Bergman said that Kaes had just brought in an injured hawk last week that was trapped in the Quincy Center MBTA station. She called Kaes the “slighted animal hero of the South Shore.”
Bergman said the saw-whet appeared to have been hit by a car and has a severe concussion. The small owl, common to the area, was in a bird head trauma protocol, similar to one for humans. If the animal survives its injuries it will be released back into the wild.
The Audobon Society says the bird gets its name from the call it makes, which is supposed to sound like a saw being sharpened against a whetstone. The bird is one of the smallest owl species.
I notice connections with people like Quincy officer Tim Kaes and phrases like “the slighted animal hero of the South Shore.” I notice connections between expressed appreciation and being less slighted, so I hope Tim Kaes notices and connects to that news article.
Do you notice connections in any of my other recent photos?
I notice connections between being near the water and feeling better.
I notice many connections in the song “Connections” by OneRepublic (who notice connections between their music and the Beatles, U2, M83, and Prince).
I notice connections between gratitude and positive growth, so thanks to those who helped me notice the connections in this post and — of course! — to YOU, for all the connections you notice.
I’m very aware of the passage of time, as I took time to express in a therapy group exercise about time.
Are you very aware of the passage of time? Do you believe that you have all the time you need? Do you rush and get very anxious because of time? I’m very aware that the passage of time affects everybody.
I’m very aware of the passage of time in my other photos from yesterday.
I’m very aware that I notice more over the passage of time. What do you notice, during this very precious time?
I’m very aware of the passage of time that’s bringing me closer to the first Friday of the month, which means it’s time for me sing a new original song at a local Open Mic. I’m very aware that I need to choose between “Don’t Call Me” and “It’s Not Me.”
I’m very aware that I haven’t yet shared the lyrics of “It’s Not Me.” I will, after sharing this passage-of-time song:
I’m very aware of how much time passed before I found “Time Has Come Today” by the Chamber Brothers. Feel free to pass the time by sharing your favorite song about the passage of time, below.
Before any more passage of time, here are lyrics for “It’s Not Me.”‘
It’s Not Me
by me, Ann Koplow
It’s not me resenting
the mistakes of the past.
It’s not me presenting
why our love shouldn’t last.
It’s not me who’s judging,
It’s not me keeping score.
It’s not me begrudging
Saying “you should do more.”
It’s not me who’s hurting,
It’s not me feeling bad.
It’s not me deserting
All the good things we’ve had.
It’s not me complaining
From dusk until dawn.
It IS me explaining
That it’s me, moving on.
© Ann Koplow, 2018
I’m very aware of the passage of time as I ask for comments and express my thanks to all (including YOU!) who have helped me in my blogging passages, over time.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 