Day 3650: Changes over time

I’ve been contemplating changes over time because

• We’re approaching the end of another year,
• I’m approaching my 10th anniversary of daily blogging,
• I’m approaching my 70th birthday,
• My 24-year-old son (who has changed over time, of course) and I have been talking about changes over time,
• Plans for our shower remodel are FINALLY set after many changes over time, and
• There have been changes over time at Twitter (and everywhere else, actually).

Do you see changes over time in my images for today?

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Here’s what I find on National Tick Tock Day when I search YouTube for “changes over time.”

What are your thoughts and feelings about changes over time?

Timeless thanks to all who experience changes over time, including YOU.

Day 3560: Expectations

I don’t know what people’s expectations are about my blog, but you can usually expect to see the Daily Bitch calendar.

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It’s not unrealistic to expect that there are many quotes out there about expectations.

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I wonder if my other images for today will meet your expectations.

In a therapy group last night, several people expressed relief that the month of September is coming to a close, so my expectation is that some of my readers may feel the same way.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “expectations.”

I have no expectations about what comments people might make about this “expectations” post, but I’m still looking forward to them.

Any expectations about how I’m going to end this post?

Day 3527: Blessings

Yesterday, when I was walking around the town of Melrose with my friend Barbara (who has been a blessing to me for over 60 years), I saw this:

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Just now, I searched the Internet for more quotes about blessings.

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Can you see blessings (including the ripples of kind hearts) in my other images for today?

As always, there are many blessings in every day.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for blessings.

Also, I want to share the anxiety-reducing blessings of Marconi Union:

Thanks to all who are blessings to me, including YOU!

Day 3454: Belonging

As a group therapist and as a human being, I think a lot about belonging. Here’s a definition of belonging:

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Now I be longing for a longer definition, so here’s a definition of “belong.”

From what I’m reading and experiencing, more people, here and now, are feeling like they do not belong in the USA because of a vocal minority gaining more power over the majority. It’s difficult belonging to a country where gun rights are protected more than human rights.

Do you see belonging in my images for today?

My sense of belonging is all about being with those I love, so happy National Beautician’s day to Mia, the beloved beautician for my friend Barbara (pictured above), my friend Deb, and me!

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “belonging.”

I look forward to reading the comments, belonging below, about this belonging post.

Thanks to all belonging here, including YOU!

Day 3030: Your calm place

Last week, in a Coping and Healing group, I did a mindfulness exercise where I invited people to go to a calm place — remembered, imagined, or where they actually were in the moment. Most of the calm places involved water.

My calm place was exactly where I was: my son’s old room, in front of a computer screen filled with group members. Using mindfulness — focusing on your breath and doing your best to be in the moment, accepting all your thoughts and constantly redirecting your attention to the here and now, letting go of judgment — your calm place can be exactly where you are.

I’m in my calm place here and now, creating this blog post for you and me. Do you see calm places in today’s images?

I’m in my calm place whenever I’m watching British competition shows like “The Great British Bake Off” and “The Great Pottery Throw Down”. Those shows, despite the constant possibility of disastrous results for the contestants, are so much more calming than American competition shows.

Here‘s what I find when I search YouTube for “your calm place.”

It’s challenging to get to your calm place when there is so much to be vigilant about, these days. Please help make this blog a calm place by leaving a comment about your calm place, below.

Gratitude helps make every place a calm place, so thanks to all who help me create this daily blogging place, including YOU.

Day 2683: Don’t even talk to me unless …

Don’t even talk to me unless you are

• paying attention,
• thoughtful,
• honest,
• interested in others’ responses,
• open-minded,
• self-aware,
• authentic,
• friendly,
• committed to helping yourself and others survive,
• wearing a mask in public places and otherwise following social distancing orders,
• hopeful,
• realistic,
• able to laugh at yourself,
• able to laugh at me, and
• kind to animals.

DO even talk to me about what you see in this post.

I can’t even talk about how anxiety-provoking it is when an animal is sick, because they can’t even talk to you about how they’re feeling and I can’t talk to Oscar about the ultrasound he’s having today.

Are these two people even talking to each other?

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Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda can really talk about friendship.

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Don’t even talk to me unless you accept my appreciation and thanks that you showed up today, exactly the way you are.

Day 2455: What helps?

What helps you?

What helps me is blogging every morning.  What helps me is sharing my experience.

Today, I’ll be sharing my experience at my college reunion in a five-minute speech about living with my very unusual heart. It’ll help if I can record it, so I’ll do my best. If I can’t record it, I’ll help you experience the speech by sharing the full text here, tomorrow.

Yesterday, it helped for me to facilitate a Coping and Healing group at work and then to spend the day at my reunion with my long-time friend Lawry.

It helps to have friends. Here’s part of today’s speech:

So as I tell my story to you today, I wonder, perhaps along with you, what has allowed me to survive, so intact, through all this? What has helped me pick up the pieces, over and over again? As when I was a child — the love of my family and friends sustain me. Also, seven years ago I expanded my network of friends by starting a daily blog. Every morning, including today, I’ve written about my heart, my son, my passion for the healing power of groups, my song-writing, my cats, my hopes, my fears, this speech — whatever helps gird me and prepare me for the day ahead. The day after my heart valve surgery was the only day I needed a substitute blogger — my boyfriend Michael let my thousands of followers know I had survived the complicated procedure. Their comments included “Fantastic news! I’m in public but I’m dancing all the same,” and “’She’s going to be alright guys’ is the best line ever!”

In other words, I get by with a little help from my friends, including YOU!

 

Day 1970: Unexpected Appearances

Yesterday, on my way to work, I encountered my first unexpected appearances.

I didn’t expect the appearance of geese on the sidewalk. Did you?

There were more unexpected appearances throughout my day.

The appearance of that duck in front of a local bakery was unexpected. Maybe that duck expects the appearance of bread crumbs.

Expect the unexpected and the appearance of two more photos today. Here’s the first of those now expected photos:

That cat made an unexpected appearance last night at a party where my old friend Lawry and his family made wonderful appearances. (I expect I’ll add links to Lawry’s appearances in previous posts after I publish this one.) (Like this one and this one.)

In two days, my son will be making an expected appearance back in Boston. I expect to appear very happy about that.

This video made an unexpected appearance when I searched YouTube for “unexpected appearances.”

I expect the appearances of unexpected comments about today’s post, below.

Finally, here’s the expected appearance of gratitude at the end of this blog post.

Day 1696: The key to happiness

One of my keys to happiness is learning about the experience of others. So I am happy to ask you, here and now, about your keys to happiness.

Another key to happiness, for me, is sharing my thoughts and photos in this daily blog.

That’s the key to our hotel in Edinburgh, lying on a table at Petit Paris, a French restaurant we always visit here. Travel and great food are other keys to happiness, I think.

Do you see more keys to happiness in my other photos from yesterday?

 

It’s not imaginary that another key to happiness is associating with good humans, like my ex-sister-in-law’s husband Joe …

… and comedian Ron Lynch (who was playing in several unrecognizable keys on stage yesterday).

Here’s another Key to Happiness in recognizable keys, on YouTube.

Thanks to all who gave me every key to happiness I needed to create today’s post and to my readers (including you!)  who are more keys to my happiness.

 

 

Day 1424: Fantastic Thanks and Where to Find Them

On Thanksgiving Day 2016, you can find fantastic thanks here for …

• our inner rock stars,

• good radio stations,

• signs beyond my understanding,
• Boston,

• great movies,

• the future,

• achieving the impossible,

• the universe,

• Wonder Women,

• Batman,
• the freedom to be myself,

• helpful directions,
• popcorn,
• butter,

• most people,
• fortunes,
• schools,

• my son Aaron,

• my boyfriend Michael,

• my sister Ellen,

• friends,

• cats,

• trust,

• my late parents,

• time,

• my very unusual heart,

• my medical team,

• delicious food,

• the New England Countryside,
• wonderful music, and

• YOU, my amazing readers!!!