Day 3135: Having people over

For the first time since the world got Covid-19 (including me, in March 2020), we’re having people over today.

Yesterday, Michael brought the table and chairs up from the basement and put them out on the deck he recently redid.

I’m nervous and happy at the same time. I feel very out of practice.

I wonder if any of my images for the day will help me prepare for having people over.

The people I’m having over today love the Daily Bitch, and this is the first time they’ll be seeing her in person. (She’s also great on ZOOM.)

This is what I find on YouTube when I search for “having people over.”

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This showed up, too:

What are your thoughts and feelings about having people over?

As always, I’m grateful to be having you over here, now.

Day 3114: We all have questions.

We all have questions, especially during this time of changing rules and mixed messages about the pandemic.

Do you have questions about any of my images for today?

Do you have questions about my choice of music for today?

We all have questions and feel free to ask questions (or give answers) in the comments section, below.

There’s no question that I’m grateful for all who read my blog, including YOU!

Day 2979: Cheer the F*ck Up

In last night’s Coping and Healing group, as people discussed how to cheer the f*ck up during this f*cking pandemic, somebody shared this coloring book:

How do you cheer the f*ck up these days? People in my groups cheer the f*ck up by

• practicing mindfulness,
• venting,
• setting healthy boundaries,
• swearing,
• crying,
• laughing
• accepting all feelings, and
• realizing they are not alone.

Do any of today’s photos help you cheer the f*ck up?

After a long working day, I cheer the f*ck up with Michael’s cooking.

I find this when I search YouTube for “Cheer the f*ck up” …

… and this:

Gratitude helps me cheer the f*ck up, so thanks to all who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.

Day 2841: Is this anything?

“‘Is this anything?’,” writes Jerry Seinfeld in his new book Is This Anything?, “is what every comedian says to every other comedian about any new bit.”

When a man got out of a plain white van yesterday morning and handed me a brown box, I wondered, “Is this anything?” and it was.

All day, I asked myself “Is this anything?” as I took pictures of anything.

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Was that anything?

Here‘s Jerry Seinfeld talking about “Is This Anything?” on Good Morning America, which has many things I love, including cats.

If you hesitate to leave a comment by asking yourself, “Is this anything?” know that your comments are everything to me.

Is gratitude anything? The answer is YES!

Day 2611: LIVE TODAY LIKE

 

Live today like you’re getting fried tomorrow (or like you’re getting stir fry today).

Here’s Tim McGraw, live, telling us to live today like you’re getting fried tomorrow with “Live Like You Were Dying.”

 

Live today with gratitude that, most likely, you (and Harley) are not getting fried tomorrow.

Day 2604: Be your own hero.

No matter what is going on in your life right now, be your own hero.

Even when your blogging platform (a metaphor for LIFE) throws changes at you that you cannot control* which make things more confusing and difficult, be your own hero.

Even if your eye turns red frequently because you’re on anticoagulants …

… be your own hero.

Even when you have trouble remembering things, be your own hero.

Even when you have a strangely-shaped heart (or anything else that’s unique, different, or weird), be your own hero.

Even when you have to rush, be your own hero.

Even when you have all sorts of feelings …

… like when $&@^!!?&%£!! WordPress makes it MUCH harder and time consuming to add photos and is probably totally screwing up the formatting of this post, be your own hero.

Even when you can’t always be first class …

… be your own hero.

Even when you have trouble making decisions …

… be your own hero.

Even when you are planning a 50th high school reunion in an ageist culture, be your own hero.

Even when you have to rely on other heroes to get things done, be your own hero.

Even when you have no idea how people are going to receive what you send out into the world (like this blog post), be your own hero.

Day 2520: What’s so funny about 2019?

What’s so funny about 2019?

Esquire Magazine asked and now I’ve asked, too.

What’s so funny about these 2019 images?

What’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding?

What’s so funny about gratitude for all who helped me create this “What’s So Funny?” post in 2019?

What’s so funny about “Thanks a hole punch”?

Day 2499: Please don’t die

During both of my group therapy retreats this past weekend, people honored and remembered the amazing and beloved Deb Carmichael, past President of the Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy.

After the retreats — which involved some small talk but mostly medium and big talk — I was thinking about all the wonderful friends I have lost over the last few months and I remembered how I’ve been saying to people, “Please don’t die.”

Then, last night at our local supermarket, I saw this:

Please don’t die, all you people who are reading this. Or, at least, do your best to stay alive as long as possible.

Here are the other photos I took yesterday:

Please don’t die, Harley and Oscar.

Please don’t die, tigers and other wildlife.  Please don’t die, cousin Lani (who sends me great photos of tigers through snail mail, which is  apparently still alive).

Please don’t die and use whatever remedies that might help you stay alive.

Dwell in possibility (following the undying words of Emily Dickinson) and please don’t die.

Please don’t die and please celebrate every day that you are alive.  YAAAAY!

Please don’t die, no matter who you are, what you are, or how you say hello.  Just don’t say goodbye.

Here‘s “Please Don’t Die” by Father John Misty.

Please don’t die,  Josh Tillman (a/k/a Father John Misty).

Please leave your undying comments below and please accept my gratitude, which does not die.

 

Day 2491: Looking forward

“Looking forward” is something people often write and say about the future.  Today, I’m looking forward to

• seeing Democratic Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg in Boston on Tuesday,
• a Steely Dan concert on Friday, also in downtown Boston, and
• two retreats about group therapy on Saturday and Sunday.

While looking forward to events in the future can help one feel hope, it can also trigger worry and fears about that future, like “Is this too much?”  “Will all these activities next week interfere in my self care?” “Will the absence of the late Walter Becker get in the way of my really enjoying the Steely Dan concert?” “What’s the weather going to be like?” “Am I ready for November?”  and “Where the hell am I going to park?”

The cure for future-oriented fears is refocusing on the present moment. And in this moment, I have several new photos to share with you.

To make this my day, my way, I’d like to revisit and clarify one difficult-to-read photo above:

History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside.

— John Fitzgerald Kennedy

I’m looking forward to thoughtful and articulate future Presidents of the United States of America.

Finding this on YouTube is helping me look forward, even more, to the Steely Day concert on Friday:

I’m looking forward to knowing what you’re looking forward to. In other words, I’m looking forward to reading any comment you might leave, below.

I wonder if anybody is looking forward to my thanking everybody for all you do for me, every day, here at this blog.

Day 2479: What I’m letting in

I’ve been letting in my readers on my process of writing a new original song with the title “What’s Keeping Me Up Is What’s Going Down.”

I’m letting in additions to that song, like this:

What’s freaking me out is what I’m letting in.
I see no good reason to be wearing a grin.
Noises begin and reach a painful din.
What’s freaking me out is what I’m letting in.

© Ann Koplow, 2019

What I’m letting in, here and now, includes all these images from yesterday:

 

I’m letting in

• the good news that my INR is a perfect 3.0,
• the unusual structures of some hearts,
• more love,
• the challenges of being an adult,
• hope,
• pickleball paddles,
• global warming,
• my poor penmanship,
• animals,
• dirt cake, and
• the reality that Michael mistakenly set the alarm for 8 PM, so I need to run to get to work on time.

I’m letting in “I’m Letting in the Sunshine” by Piney Gir:

What are you letting in?  I hope you have room to let in my gratitude to you and to  all who help me create these posts.