Day 2192: Sunny skies

On this first day of 2019, there are sunny skies in Boston.

There were also sunny skies on the last day of 2018, when I noticed this:

“Sunny skies” is the name of the pen my boyfriend Michael gave me for Christmas.

Have you ever noticed that when you look for sunny skies, you can find them, even when you’re indoors?

 

 

An attitude of gratitude brings opportunities to see sunny skies wherever you go.

While I had an attitude of gratitude about Michael’s gift of the sunny skies pen, I couldn’t resist sending him this video, featuring  John Cusack under some unsunny skies in Say Anything… and Grosse Pointe Blank. (Warning: contains a scene of pen-related violence.)

 

There are also  sunny skies in this video that automatically started playing after that one  — “Top 10 Unexpected Dance Scenes in Non-Dance Movies.”  Dance scenes help me feel sunny, no matter what the weather.

 

There are also sunny skies in this forecast for our upcoming trip to Disney World, sent yesterday by my sunny niece Laura.

More sunny skies: these four photos always pop up first whenever I try to access my latest images on my laptop.  I don’t know why, but I’m glad to share them with you today.

Again, an attitude of gratitude brings sunny skies, so sunny thanks to all who helped me create this first-of -2019 blog post and — of course! — to YOU.

 

 

 

Day 2191: Personal 10 Best and Worst of 2018

Because I think New Year’s resolutions can be the worst, my best way of  marking the New Year is to compile my personal 10 Best and 10 Worst lists for the year.  What’s best about that ritual is that it allows me to look back over the past year in a useful way, getting some closure as we move into the brand new year.

Because I don’t want to dwell on the worst, I think it’s best that I share only my personal 10 Best of 2018 (in alphabetical order):

Aaron

Blogging

Friends

Groups

Health of those I love

Home near the ocean

Iceland/Edinburgh trip

Michael

Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy (inc. becoming President)

Original songs

There were so many bests this year,  the cats didn’t even make it on the list.  Although, maybe it’s best that I include them in the “Health of those I love” or in “Friends.”

Here are my best and worst photos from yesterday:

If you can’t read any of those photos, it’s best that you click on them to enlarge.

My son Aaron thinks that the first song I wrote is still my best.  Here it is:

I don’t know if I agree that “I Don’t Like You” is my best, but it’s certainly not my worst.

If you want to share your personal  best and/or worst of 2018, it’s best you do so in the comments section, below.

Every time I post, I do my best to thank all who help me blog every day and — of course! — YOU.  Happy New Year!

Day 1827: How do I look?

How do I look?

If I want to see clearly, I look with glasses.

How do these possible new avatars look?

 

 

How do I look?  If I want to see something interesting, I look around me.

 

How do I look at that torn leg on that beautiful tiger? The same way I look at my own scars  and the scars of others.

With compassion.

How do you look? Do you look happy for the new year?

How do I look at that last photo? With the realization that we need to look at the dark and the light to see it all.

How do I look when I sing, nervous but not afraid?

 

My New Year’s resolution:  not to worry so much about how I look.

How do I look for comments?  Below each post.

How do I look for gratitude? Everywhere.

 

 

Day 1826: Be nervous but don’t be afraid.

I’m nervous but I won’t be afraid of pointing out that this is my second blog post in a row where I’m telling my readers how to be. Yesterday, I quoted the sign “Be Visible” and today I’m quoting this, by graphic designer and artist Sam Lee.

On this last day of 2017, I’m doing my best to be nervous but not afraid of 2018.

Be nervous but don’t be afraid of today’s other photos.

A Zen cat I know (my son Aaron) recently told me: “Don’t be afraid of using more words in your posts, instead of relying so much on your photos.”  Every morning, I nervously resolve to write more words here but, somehow, my photos seem to say so much.   For example, I am nervous but not afraid of

• IDs,
• traffic,
• running,
• being extraordinary,
• being chicken,
• unlikely friendships, and
• cats peeing on things.

For five years, this daily blog has helped me be nervous but not afraid of many challenges of life, including getting a mechanical heart valve

and moving to a new home by the sea.

Be nervous but don’t be afraid of expressing your thoughts and feelings in a comment, if you choose.

As usual, I’m nervous but not afraid of expressing how grateful I am to all those who help me create this blog and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 1462: A cup of kindness

For auld lang syne and for new times ahead, let’s take a cup of kindness, dears.

Here‘s Auld Lang Syne, with cups of kindness from Scandinavian Soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø:

 

Any cups or kindness in my other photos from yesterday?

In case anybody was wondering, there will be another sequel to The Year of Living Non-Judgmentally. That is, I’ll be blogging daily in 2017, sharing cups of kindness with you all.

For all your support since my first post on January 1, 2013, thanks from the bottom of my heart.