Day 3061: Moving

My very good friend Megan, who has appeared in several moving blog posts (including here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here) is moving to Connecticut with her beautiful family. Yesterday, I got moving in my little yellow car to say goodbye to Megan in person.

Megan and I hugged each other twice yesterday, which was very moving after all these months of moving through this hugless and otherwise horrifying pandemic.

Megan and I are telling each other that her moving away doesn’t matter. We will stay friends no matter how life is moving us. We will be moving to other kinds of communication, including regular zooming.

I know that Megan and her family are moving on to better opportunities and I am truly happy for her. And yet, I had trouble moving through a sense of loss yesterday, knowing that Megan would be moving further away. As I said to her yesterday “It has helped so much knowing you’re nearby” and what’s always so moving to me is that Megan ALWAYS gets me. We both spoke about moving through and accepting all of our feelings about her moving. We said we were “happy sad” while moving through her neighborhood on a walk.

Now it’s time for me to be moving on to the other photos I took while I was moving through yesterday:

The Daily Bitch helps me as I’m moving through these moving days, especially when I’m feeling bitchy.

I didn’t snap a photo of Megan yesterday as we were moving through our feelings and her neighborhood, but I’m sure if I spend a little time moving through the almost 41,000 photos I have on my phone that I’ll find one to share with you now.

Megan told me yesterday that she and her family are moving next month to a new home within walking distance of a beach. After staying there for a year, they might be moving to another new home on the campus of the school where her husband Paul will be working. If they will be moving to that new home, they will need to host some parties for people during the year and also maintain that house’s skating pond, which means that I might be getting moving pictures in the future of Paul, Megan, and their two children moving around on a Zamboni.

If you don’t know what a Zamboni is, let me see if I can find one moving around on the internet.

Here‘s a moving rendition of “I Want to Drive the Zamboni” by Gear Daddies.

If you want to leave a comment on this “Moving” post, please be moving to the comments section below.

No matter where I and others are moving, I’m always expressing gratitude to those who are moving with me here, including YOU.

Day 3032: How are y’all feeling right now?

“How are y’all feeling right now?“ is a question I responded to yesterday on Twitter.

How are y’all feeling right now as you look at these other images?

Unlike the Daily Bitch, if I used either kale or vodka, I wouldn’t be feeling that great.

Here‘s “How Do You Feel Today” by Ryan Olmstead.

Please tell us how y’all are feeling right now in the comments section, below.

How am I feeling right now? I’m feeling thankful for all who help me create these daily blogs, including YOU.

Day 3013: Signs of Spring

Do you see signs of spring in these images that are springing out of my iPhone onto your screen?

Poets are a sign of spring, because April is National Poetry Month in the USA.

From now on, the amazing 1967 French musical The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) starring George Chakiris, Catherine Deneuve, her sister Françoise Dorléac, and GENE KELLY, directed by Jacques Demy, with music by Michel Legrand, is going to be a sign of spring for me, because I first discovered it in the spring of 2021.

Here’s the opening of The Young Girls of Rochefort:

Here are the sisters:

Gene Kelly always has a spring in his step, here and everywhere else:

If you make a comment, below, that will be another wonderful sign of spring for me.

I am always grateful for signs of spring and for all who help me create these daily posts, including YOU.

Day 3012: Time and tide

A long time ago, a wise man said this:

I thought of that quote yesterday when I wanted to inspect some new graffiti on a tower structure near where we live, but was stymied by high tide. While time and tide wait for no man, this woman waited for the time where she could explore and find what she was looking for.

No need to wait for me to share my images from yesterday, including the ones I snapped during high tide.

I thought I had spotted a heart on that tower and waited until tide and time allowed me to explore.

Time (and perhaps man) has changed a “TRUMP” and added a big heart to that tower.

Here are the other images I captured during the time of lower tide:

I don’t know what the tide was like during the times I captured the rest of these images because I was indoors at the time.

Time and tide wait for no man and Harley can’t wait for his breakfast.

Here‘s Basia with “Time and Tide.”

Time and tide wait for no man but I wait patiently for your comments.

Now it’s time for me to thank all who help me create these daily posts, including YOU.

Day 3008: Safe enough spaces

Yesterday, I mentioned safe enough spaces at the end of my post. I deliberately did not write “safe spaces” because no spaces are completely safe. In every space, we take risks if we expose our vulnerability and humanity. The more we do that, the more we make the space safe enough for others.

I try to make my Coping and Healing groups safe enough spaces, and yesterday people felt safe enough to share conflicting opinions about getting the COVID vaccines. We all survived our differences and people felt safe enough to stay connected with each other.

Later in the day, I felt safe enough to finally make it to the safe enough sand bar I can see from my home (and which I felt safe enough to write about earlier this week in this post).

Many times, I have tried to get to that safe enough sand bar by unsuccessfully trying to locate its starting point across the safe-enough bay. Yesterday, I had the brilliant and long-overdue idea to walk through some water during low tide and access the sand bar from its end point near me.

Instead of telling myself, “WHY DIDN’T YOU THINK OF THIS BEFORE?”, I made my mind a safe enough space by enjoying the experience, moment by moment.

I hope you feel safe enough to accompany me on this adventure through safe enough spaces.

I discovered that I had been SO CLOSE to discovering the beginning point of the sand bar on a previous exploration, but had turned back when I saw that “no trespassing sign, which made the space not safe enough.

If I had felt safe enough to keep exploring past that scary sign (which referred to something else), I would have discovered the beginning of the sand bar months ago. I feel safe enough to share, here and now, that I trust my process and am happy it happened exactly the way it did.

Do you see safe enough spaces in the rest of my images today?

I assume that this is a safe enough space to share that I am Jewish and that I will start celebrating Passover in an unconventional way starting at sundown tonight.

The Israel Philharmonic was in a safe enough space to create this Passover greeting for 2021:

Contrast this with last year’s greeting from separate safe-enough spaces:

I invite you to leave a comment in the safe enough space, below.

I always feel safe enough to express gratitude to those who help me create these safe enough posts, including YOU!

Day 3000: Three Thousand Days of Blogging!

To celebrate my 3000th day of blogging, I am going to post a few typical photos.

A seascape near where I live.

A delicious and nutritious meal prepared by my husband Michael.

A cat!

The Daily Bitch Calendar for this momentous and precious day.

Here are links to some blog posts from those 3000 days:

Day 6: The Ascending Coil

Day 38: Reasons why I should move to Charleston, SC

Day 120: A walk down Boylston Street on April 29, 2013

Day 277: Very Unique

Day 377: Free-floating, re-sticking anxiety (The __ Metaphor)

Day 581: Ann’s Beauty Tips

Day 759: We go on

Day 783: Best supporting Oscars

Day 822: April Fools

Day 1000: A Thousand

Day 1358: In the clouds

Day 1367: What does “INR” stand for?

Day 1379: My boyfriend, Michael

Day 1505: The Year of the _______

Day 1818: Children

Day 2000: Two thousand days of blogging

Day 2292: A Year of No Worry

Day 2423: The Greatest Theatrical Event Ever

Day 2553: Why we love weddings

Day 2608: Fun with Phobias, Part 5

Day 2684: Oscar

Here‘s “I Love You 3000” with Stephanie Poetri & Jackson Wang:

No matter what numbered day it is, it is Day 1 of the rest of your life, so here‘s “On Day One” by Pat Metheny:

Three thousand thanks to all who have helped me blog over three thousand days, including YOU!

Day 2992: Is it normal?

“Is it normal?” is something therapists, like me, hear frequently. Normally, I reply

• what does “normal” even mean?
• what do you think?
• is it getting in the way for you or others? and/or
• yes

… to questions like “Is it normal to be…”

• bored?
• sad?
• scared?
• anxious?
• depressed?
• crying?
• laughing?
• emotional?
• sensitive?
• distracted?
• unmotivated?
• enthusiastic?
• numb?
• angry?
• serene?
• agitated?
• happy?
• confused?
• certain?
• panicky?
• proud?
• annoyed?
• insecure?
• secure?
• disappointed?
• celebrating?
• restless?
• calm?
• lost?
• found?
• pessimistic?
• optimistic?
• distrustful?
• trusting?
• comfortable?
• uncomfortable?
• active?
• passive?
• controlling?
• embarrassed?
• shy?
• hungry?
• upset about other people’s behaviors?
• upset about my own behaviors?
• caring more for others than I’m caring for myself?
• self-centered?
• sharing this?
• hiding this?
• despairing?
• hopeful?
• missing someone so long after they’re gone ?

Is it normal to take pictures and to hang out on Twitter during a pandemic?

Is it normal that I shared today’s Daily Bitch with my Coping and Healing group yesterday and people loved it?

Is it normal to dance to the song “Happy” when so many people are unhappy?

Is it normal to leave comments or not leave comments?

What do you think?

Is it normal to be grateful every day?

Day 2989: Happy International Women’s Day!

This international woman is happy that there is an international women’s day we can all celebrate together. I also have something else to celebrate today: the birthday of an international woman I have frequently featured in this blog — my life-long friend Barbara (recently appearing here with her brilliant thoughts about the importance of minor adjustments).

How do you plan to celebrate international women’s day? I am celebrating it by sharing these images captured by and featuring women:

Personally, I think women should brag more.

To celebrate international women’s day, here are Andra Day and Bonnie Raitt performing “Rise Up.”

Thanks to international women everywhere and to YOU!

Day 2980: Viral

I think about going viral, so here’s a viral definition:

Why would I want to go viral, especially during these viral times? Maybe it’s a natural human yearning to be heard, appreciated, and connected with others.

Here and now, I’m good with not going viral and happy to connect with others as best as I can.

Is there anything viral in today’s images?

I think our cat Harley and Michael’s cooking are more likely to go viral than I am.

I doubt that my new song “Vaccinated Women” (to the tune of “Fascinating Rhythm”) will go viral, but I’m still looking forward to performing it this Friday at an Open Mic.

I wouldn’t want that recording to go viral since (1) I just figured out the ukulele chords and (2) neither my voice nor my looks are at their best this early in the morning.

What are your thoughts and feelings about this “Viral” post?

Thanks to all who help me create this non-viral blog every day, including YOU!

Day 2978: I can’t get enough of …

I can’t get enough of conversations with my husband Michael, including our recent one about breakfast cereals, in which I told him that my favorite cereal jingle was “I can’t get enough of that Sugar Crisp” as sung by the cool and crooning Sugar Bear.

Because I used to work in advertising, I can’t get enough of those vintage commercials and how they reflect societal norms, priorities, assumptions, and technology.

I can’t get enough of my son Aaron and I can’t get enough of this incredible creation his cousin Victoria made for Aaron’s birthday:

I can’t get enough of anything that promotes self inoculation against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, including walks by the water, celebrating small victories and progress, education, Michael’s cooking, the Daily Bitch Calendar, fun conversations on Twitter, and cats.

I can’t get enough of your comments, so consider leaving one about what YOU can’t get enough of.

I can’t get enough of gratitude, so thanks to all who help me create these daily posts, including you!