Day 3683: Stupid shit

When I try to do things when I’m running a high fever, I inevitably do some stupid shit. For example, last night I noticed that the incredible Manual Cinema, whose breath-taking productions I’ve seen at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, was coming to Boston soon with a short run of Frankenstein (which I missed when I was last in Edinburgh in 2019) and when I tried to buy a ticket in the middle of the night, I did this stupid shit: I bought it for the wrong performance. Rather than beat myself up about that (which is REALLY some stupid shit), I got another ticket for the performance I wanted and let go of any judgment about my mistake.

I assume I’ll be able to get rid of the other ticket and that I’m be over COVID by then because, yes, I have that stupid shit again and during my birthday week, no less, which is really some stupid shit.

Do you see any stupid shit in my images for today?

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This is what I find on YouTube when I search for “stupid shit.”

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Thanks to all who are reading this “stupid shit” post, here and now, including YOU.

Day 2053: Peace & Quiet

In an Iceland hotel, instead of demanding “Do Not Disturb,” one politely asks for “Peace & Quiet.”

I think we all deserve some Peace & Quiet these days, especially with all the noise in the news.

Do you see any Peace and/or Quiet in my other photos from yesterday?

I’m off for another day of Peace, Quiet, & Dramatic Scenery in Iceland.

Peace, Quiet, & Thanks to all who helped me create today’s blog post and — of course! — to you.

Day 1026: Unfamiliar Territory

This title represents unfamiliar territory for this blog — I’ve never written about “Unfamiliar Territory” before.

However, this topic is familiar territory for me and for the people who see me for individual or group therapy.

People often choose to venture into the unfamiliar territory of psychotherapy when they  encounter:

• the loss of somebody important,
• a change in financial circumstances,
• a new job situation,
• an illness, and
• other unfamiliar territory in their lives.

My job is to make the unfamiliar territory of psychotherapy as safe as possible, so people can explore and move through these unfamiliar and unexpected territories.

How else might we explore the unfamiliar territory of this post?

Here’s some unfamiliar territory I captured yesterday, on my iPhone.

I  saw that unfamiliar license plate as I drove through familiar territory a week before Halloween. Sometimes, unfamiliar territory yields unexpected treats.

Some people, when in unfamiliar territory, label themselves “selfish,”  entering the familiar territory of shame.  I often suggest that people leave that familiar territory and enter the unfamiliar territory of Self Care.

This peanut butter substitute is very familiar to me — it lives in the familiar territory of my office. Healthy nourishment can sustain us through unfamiliar territory.

I drew the familiar covers of some  books,  during a therapy group that focused on escaping from and into unfamiliar territory.

I rapidly snapped my Carl Jung action figure — which was unfamiliar territory for some people in my office yesterday — because somebody said,  “There should be an Ann Koplow action figure!”  Compliments can be unfamiliar territory for people, but they are definitely worth exploring.

Here’s some probably unfamiliar musical territory, which is very familiar to me:

Stephen Stills and Eric Clapton newly explore the familiar territory of home in “Go Back Home.”

Here’s some familiar territory for me: I wonder if I’d be invited into the unfamiliar territory of “Freshly Pressed” on WordPress if I stopped including musical territories in my posts?

Please make the unfamiliar territory below this post more familiar, by sharing any thoughts you might have about “Unfamiliar Territory.”

Those of you familiar with this blog know I end each unfamiliar post with gratitude to those who helped me create it and to you — of course! — for reading, here and now.