Day 3592: The scariest

For some people, the scariest month of the year is October because, duh, Halloween. For those people, there’s probably relief that we’re now in November.

For me, the scariest month is November because

• duh, Election Day,
• President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, and
• on that same day, I underwent my scariest heart surgery at age 10 to get my first cardiac pacemaker, which was scary enormous.

What’s the scariest is a matter of personal experience, perspective, and attitude. What’s the scariest image in today’s blog post?

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

Now I can breathe easier. Thanks to all who helped me create “The Scariest” post, including YOU.

Day 3591: Should I stay or should I go?

“Should I stay or should I go?” is a question I hear on social media and in real life. Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, I’ve been hearing it there.

“Should I stay or should I go?” can be a difficult question to answer because there are pros and cons to doing either. One might say that Hamlet’s soliloquy — “To Be or Not to Be” — is asking the question “Should I stay or should I go?”

Personally, I’ve asked the question “Should I stay or should I go?” about

• relationships,
• work,
• homes,
• organizations,
• the USA,
• Twitter,
• and — for a dark moment many years ago — life.

At this point, I’m staying for as long as I can, everywhere.

Here’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” by the Clash…

… and by “First Drafts of Rock” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Kevin Bacon.

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Is anyone asking “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” in my images for today?

Now I have to go to work, but I hope you stay and leave a comment, below.

Thanks to all who give me the courage to stay or go, including YOU.

Day 3590: Trust

In therapy, people work on trust. They ask, Who can I trust? Can I trust myself? What happens if I trust too much or trust too little?

I’ve been working in trust in therapy, too. If I have trouble trusting myself or others, I take a deep breath, slow down, and trust in my ability to move forward.

I trust there are trustworthy quotes about trust I can share with you, here and now.

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Is there trust in my images for today?

I trust in young people, including my son Aaron.

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

Thanks to all those I trust, including YOU.

Day 3589: Hideaway

I’ve been spending many hours thinking about how to remodel our upstairs shower, because I want that to be a hideaway.

I don’t want to hide away why that’s so important to me: When I was a child spending too much time alone in the hospital, the private bathroom with a tub, at the end of the long hallway, was really my only hideaway. The rest of the time, I was under the eyes of doctors and nurses, hooked up to a cardiac monitor that beeped out my unusual heartbeat, day and night.

Years ago in therapy, I gave myself the healing assignment of drawing a floor plan of that Children’s Hospital cardiac unit, and the room with the tub stood out as a precious and safe hideaway.

I’m also thinking of how Jerry Seinfeld described the shower as a hideaway:

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Do you see any hideaways in my images for today?

It’s such an amazing coincidence that I’m writing about hideaways on National Hermit Day!

Here’s “Hideaway” by the incredible Jacob Collier:

I can’t hide away my gratitude for all who help me share these daily posts, including YOU.

Day 2132: Judgment Day

It’s judgment day here at The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally.

Why?  Because I observed references to judgment day within the last two days, near the same spot.

Today is also judgment day because I’ll be singing a new original song at an Open Mic tonight, and someone is sure to be judging that.

Any judgment about these other recent photos?

 

Today —  as I have for the last two thousand, one hundred, and thirty-one days of blogging — I am going to invite myself and others to let go of judgment and just be in the moment.

Here’s A.J. Croce with “Judgement Day.”

If I’m late to work today, there will be judgment, so I’m going to quickly end this post with gratitude to all, including YOU!

 

 

 

Day 2128: When children are present

When children are present,

and even when they’re not, share your best.

Share your best, especially when the world seems dark and scary.

 

Find the beauty within and around you.

Look more closely for the small details that give you joy.

Say “hello,” tell people your name, and the magic will be totally real.

This is what comes up on YouTube when I search for “When children are present.”

Thanks to all who helped me create today’s blog post and to you — of course! — for being present.

Day 1765: Don’t Open It!!!!

If you saw or heard

Don’t Open It!!!

would you

• obey?
• rebel?
• be curious?
• be cautious?
• expect something scary (especially on Halloween)?

Would you assume that “it” meant

• a closed item?
• a sensitive subject?
• something belonging to somebody else?
• a Pandora’s box?
• a door?
• a package?
• a phishing email ?
• a suspicious website?
• something scary or disgusting?

I didn’t open it. But I did open my eyes to all these things yesterday:

Seven years ago today I met someone who loves me for who I am and literally cooks the best meals ever.

If you don’t want a Flintstones Happy Anniversary,  don’t open it!!!

This blog is now open for comments.

Open thanks to all who helped me create this post and to all who opened it, here and now.

Day 1746: Appropriate

Is it appropriate for me to tell you that I’ve never written a blog post with the word “appropriate” in the title before? It is appropriate to reveal the inspiration for today’s title?

That’s a sign for a parking lot where I work. I don’t park there. Does that mean I’m not appropriate?

When I read the news these days, I see a lot of inappropriate behavior, which contributes to my  sense of chaos. Is it appropriate to ask whether we can agree on what behaviors are appropriate?

Are these photos appropriate?

 

Is it appropriate to discuss stool/poop in mixed company? Is it appropriate to use the term “mixed company”?  Was it appropriate for Michael and I to both wear that cat head at Target and then not buy it? Is it appropriate for me to share what I write during group therapy sessions about topics like self esteem? Is it appropriate for me to reveal that one of the group members talked about “dumb asses” before I wrote down some thoughts about self esteem?

Is it appropriate for me to bombard my readers with so many questions?

Is it appropriate for me to use this photo to introduce today’s music?

Please leave an appropriate comment below.

Can we agree that gratitude is an appropriate way to end all of my daily blog posts?

 

Day 1739: Facial Expressions

One thousand, two hundred and forty-five days ago, I wrote another blog post titled “Facial Expressions.”  My facial expression would be happy if you read that blog post.  Heck, my facial expression would be happy if you read any of my blog posts.

Yesterday, I drew this  facial expression:

Pointing to the bottom face, I asked my boyfriend Michael if he knew who that was.   His first tentative guess was “Me?”  My facial expression, in response to that, was probably disbelief, because I have never seen that expression on Michael’s face. His second guess, which was correct,  was somebody we both know.

How would you describe that facial expression?  It’s the  expression I most dread seeing on other people’s faces.

I wonder what expressions were  on my face, just now, when I realized that most of my other photos from yesterday show facial expressions.

 

To improve my facial expressions recently, I’ve been listening to the score of “Merrily We Roll Along” by Stephen Sondheim (whose facial expression can be found here).  Here‘s a “Merrily We Roll Along” YouTube video that shows many facial expressions.

Those were the facial expressions I saw TWICE on the stage of the Huntington Theater in Boston.  Now you know.

I hope you know that all expressions are welcomed, below.

My facial expression, here and now, is gratitude for all who helped me create this post and — of course! — for YOU.

Day 1395: The Choice is Clear

Yesterday, the choice was clear that I needed to take this picture:

It’s clear that nobody should choose to try to clear that  barbed wire fence.  Also,  the choice is clear in the upcoming vote of the next U.S. president.  But is the choice ALWAYS clear?

As I chose to write yesterday, when the choice is NOT clear, that can be painful. This morning, I choose to believe that unclear choices, over time, will become clear enough for me to choose well enough.

The choice is clear! I clearly need to trust my ability to choose, even if it takes me some time to clear my way to the better choice.

If I asked you to choose a favorite from the 30-something other photos I chose to take yesterday, would the choice be clear? And if the choice isn’t clear, what will  you do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, the choice was clear for me to post that last photo on Facebook with this caption:  “Scarred for life and happy about it.”

Because I’m going to see An American in Paris  in a Boston theater tonight with my friend Barbara, my musical choice is clear today:

 

If you’ve chosen to read my blog before, it’s clear that I choose to end each post with thanks to all  who help me create it  and to you — of course! — for choosing to join me, here and now.