Day 2058: The Right Way

When I was walking the right way down an Edinburgh street yesterday, I observed this:

What IS the right way, dear readers, in these times of right OR left, us OR them, my way OR the highway?

For me, the right way includes loving yourself and others …

… being responsible for your tasks …

… thoughtful consumption of food and other resources …

… finding the wisdom in books and other people …

… being surprised by joy …

… communicating with others the best you can …

… finding the humor wherever you can …

… singing along, realizing that beauty is everywhere…

… even in your own body and soul, and recognizing that change is scary.

Also, the right way includes looking out for each other, especially when people fear change.

The right way to end this post is with gratitude for all who help me find the right way, every day, to create this blog and for YOU, who found your way here.

Day 2012: It’s Not Me

“It’s Not Me” says my t-shirt, made by me.

Yesterday, when I was wearing that t-shirt, somebody asked me, “Who is it?” and I didn’t have an answer.

Apparently, it’s not me this morning. My laptop computer is inexplicably dead, dead, dead and I am calm, calm, calm, despite my usual panic about such things.

If it’s not me, who is it? Perhaps it’s somebody who finally realizes that fear and panic solve nothing.

It’s not me in my other photos from yesterday.

It’s now me pointing out that my laptop was working perfectly well last night before we watched the Boston fireworks from our home.

It’s not me who can fix an Apple laptop, so I’ll be consulting some expert today.

It is me who is the expert on my own experience; it’s not me who is the expert on computer technology (even though I used to be a technical writer).

It’s not me who prefers to blog on my phone; it is me who overcomes obstacles to do what’s important to me.

It’s not me who is singing this …

… but it is me who will be performing my second original song at an Open Mic tomorrow night.

It’s not me who said “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life” but it is me who has gratitude, here and now, for all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — for YOU.

Day 2011: What’s your intent?

When I am confused by somebody’s actions or statements, I like to ask “What’s your intent?”

If I don’t ask, I assume what the intent is and I’m probably wrong.

If I knew the owner of this car …

… I would ask  “What’s your intent in having that license plate?”   Because I don’t know that person, I assume it’s a communication about disaster.  What kind of disaster?  Maybe living in Maine is a disaster for a lobster.

What’s my intent in taking and sharing these other photos?

My intent is to tell you that you are not alone. We’re all in this together.

Here‘s “Good Intent” from Kimbra.

What’s your intent in reading my blog today?  Please express your intent in a comment, below.

At the end of every post, my intent is to express thanks to all who helped me create it and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 1927: I’m so sick of …

I’m so sick of …

• winter weather,

• my fears,

• unpleasant surprises,

• worry,

• photos from my phone not loading on my laptop, like these:

• writing blog posts on my phone because that’s where the photos are,
• waking up  multiple times during the night,
• people who don’t listen,
• politicians who start a sentence with “What the American people want is …”,
• dishonesty,
• greed,
• name calling,
• injustice,
• racism,
• sexism,
• homophobia
• ageism, and
• physical therapy at 7:30 in the morning.

What are you so sick of?

I’m not sick of this Tom Petty song.

 

I hope you’re not so sick of my gratitude because I have lots of that for all those who helped me write this blog post and — of course! — for YOU.

Day 1913: What’s getting in the way?

When somebody (including me) is having trouble doing something, I like to ask, “What’s getting in the way?”

Within the past week, I’ve asked “What’s getting in the way?” about

• doing one’s taxes,
• being more assertive,
• joining an organization,
• exercising,
• eating better,
• sending an email,
• making a phone call,
• getting out of the house,
• attending a therapy session,
• stating a need,
• accepting compliments, and
• saying what’s left unsaid.

Is there something you’re having trouble doing, here and now? Take a moment and ask yourself, “What’s getting in the way?”

Is fear part of the answer?

What’s getting in the way of us getting fear out of the way?

What’s getting in the way of my sharing my photos today?   What’s getting in the way is my fear that I have only four new photos and 25% of of them include language that might get in the way.

Nothing is getting in the way of my finding two “Gettin’ in the Way” songs on YouTube (here and here).

What’s getting in the way of your leaving a comment?

Nothing is getting in the way of my expressing my thanks to all who helped me get out of my own way to create today’s blog post and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 1860: Love Never Dies

“Love Never Dies” is

• the title of today’s blog post,
• the name of the musical I’m seeing today with my ex-sister-in-law, Deborah (whom I love), and
• true, because even when we die, love lives on.

I have undying love for the people who made my 65th birthday so wonderful, including

Megan.  I love Megan. Yesterday, Megan and I expressed an undying wish that, before we die, we let go of worry, anxiety, overthinking, harsh self-judgments, and fears about the future. I know that love never dies, but I hope that painful and unhelpful thoughts will die (or at least become less strong).

Photos on the internet never die, so here are more photos from yesterday:

 

My love never dies for chocolate, my boyfriend Michael (who bought me that yummy dessert), my son Aaron, my family, my friends, my work, and my blogging community.

Here’s “Love Never Dies” from Love Never Dies:

If you make a comment on the internet, it never dies.

My gratitude never dies for all who help me create these posts and — of course! — for YOU.

 

Day 1847: The fear of making things worse

I hope I don’t make this blog worse with today’s topic.

I hear people talking about the fear of making things worse with action AND with inaction.

The fear of making things worse can lead to

• hesitation,
• paralysis,
• second guessing,
• sleeplessness,
• indecision,
• self-judgment,
• wheel spinning,
• worry,
• guilt,
• anxiety,
• over-thinking,
• stress,
• shame,
• blame, and
• all sorts of emotional pain.

Cures for the fear of making things worse include

• “Just do it!”
• “Just don’t do it!”
• “It might get worse but that’s not the end of the story.”
• “Most things are NOT irrevocable.”
• “Things will get worse then better then worse then better, no matter what you do or don’t do.”

Yesterday, my boyfriend Michael  did not make things worse with this story about his twin brother, Steve.  When people complain and worry, Steve tells them, “Don’t worry about this! This is nothing! Guaranteed,  something MUCH WORSE is coming along.” I heard that as an unusual invitation to enjoy and appreciate the present, and it made me smile.

Let’s see if any of my recent photos make things worse:

Janis Joplin makes things better with  “Hesitation Blues.”

If you have any fear of making things worse with a comment, please let that go.

I have no fear of making things worse by expressing gratitude and affection for all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — for YOU.

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 1783: The world’s scariest places

Last night, when I was at an American supermarket (which was one of the world’s scariest places in the Robin Williams movie “Moscow on the Hudson”), I saw this:

I don’t know what’s included in that magazine of the world’s scariest places. Perhaps it includes places where there’s

• genocide,
• prejudice,
• sexual abuse,
• physical abuse and/or
• emotional abuse.

What do you think are the world’s scariest places?

Are there any scary places here?

Hospitals can be some of the world’s scariest places, so I’m glad that the hospital where I work has a string quartet playing near the entrance.

There are so many “World’s Scariest Places” videos on YouTube that it’s scaring me, so here’s that scene from “Moscow on the Hudson.”

I hope the comments section here is not a scary place and that you’ll place a comment, below.

Thanks to Robin Williams, the hospital where I work, magazines, supermarkets and every other place, person, and thing that helped me write this world’s-scariest-places post. And thanks to you — of course! — for helping to make this blog one of the safest places I know.

Day 1778: Love what is

I love what is on the hallway wall of Jane Hoffmann.

Do you love what is on Jane’s wall?

Shall we love what is in the rest of today’s post?

What might  help us love what is the most difficult day of the week to love? How about this?

I love what is on that card.

Oops!  I love what is a mistake, imperfection, or oversight, especially if I can correct it. I almost forgot to include a song for today.

I love what is in that YouTube video of Matt Corby singing “Monday.”

Love what is your reaction to today’s blog.

I love what is the latest way I’m expressing gratitude to all who help me create these posts and to those who read them — including YOU.