Day 3683: Stupid shit

When I try to do things when I’m running a high fever, I inevitably do some stupid shit. For example, last night I noticed that the incredible Manual Cinema, whose breath-taking productions I’ve seen at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, was coming to Boston soon with a short run of Frankenstein (which I missed when I was last in Edinburgh in 2019) and when I tried to buy a ticket in the middle of the night, I did this stupid shit: I bought it for the wrong performance. Rather than beat myself up about that (which is REALLY some stupid shit), I got another ticket for the performance I wanted and let go of any judgment about my mistake.

I assume I’ll be able to get rid of the other ticket and that I’m be over COVID by then because, yes, I have that stupid shit again and during my birthday week, no less, which is really some stupid shit.

Do you see any stupid shit in my images for today?

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This is what I find on YouTube when I search for “stupid shit.”

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Thanks to all who are reading this “stupid shit” post, here and now, including YOU.

Day 3614: Silly

If somebody called you “silly,” would you take it as a compliment or an insult?

Is that a silly question? I’ve heard somebody say that there are no silly questions, only silly answers.

Here’s an online definition of “silly.”

What nincompoop wrote that completely negative definition of “silly?” Let’s check some silly quotes for a wider perspective.

Maybe it’s silly to share a quote today about Spring, but maybe that’s not a bad thing.

I’m sure I have more silly images to share with you.

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Here’s “How Silly Can You Get?” from one of my favorite silly movies, Top Secret!

How silly can you get?

Thanks to all who visited today’s silly post, including YOU!

Day 2601: Please be considerate

Please be considerate and tell me which of these photos you like best and why.

Please be considerate and join me in paying homage, again, to one of my favorite musicians , the late great Lyle Mays.

Please be considerate and accept this short and simple post, because I am in the middle of considering so many obligations right now.

Please be considerate of how grateful I am for all who consider my blog worth visiting, including YOU.

Day 2501: Everything you’re handed

Everything you’re handed includes today’s blog and this image I captured with my hand  yesterday:

Ready to be handed my thoughts about that?

• Eeek!  A talking napkin!
• I appreciate statements that start with “Please.”
• I try to compost when I can and feel guilty when I don’t.
• Unless somebody hands me a napkin, I often forget to get one.
• Something I have in common with my teacher, friend, and  comedian’s comedian Ron Lynch is that napkins don’t like to stay in our laps.  During a restaurant meal, I often have to reach down with my hand and retrieve an escaped or escaping napkin.
• You have to hand it to me: I’m a creative name-dropper (and napkin-dropper).

My hands have now rewritten the title to this post several times …

Day 2537: Everything we hand you

Day 2537: Everything I hand you

Day 2537: Everything I’m handed

Day 2537: Compostable

Day 2537: Hand outs

Day 2537: Everything

… before returning to my original title.  As my fiancé Michael says,  “First guess, best guess.”

Now you’re going to be handed more images my hand, heart, and mind have chosen.

 

Sometimes, everything you’re handed can feel like too much. Please keep these thoughts at hand when you’re overwhelmed:

• Shame and self-judgment don’t help.
• This too shall pass.
• You are not alone.

Here‘s Marc Cohn with “The Things We’ve Handed Down.”

Now it’s time to hand you my gratitude for all who help me create these posts with my own two hands, every day.

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 2014: How do you stop catastrophizing?

When there are so many catastrophes around, how do you stop catastrophizing?

Do you share what you observe?

When the cupboard is bare, do you stock it?

Do you imagine a world without cancer?

Do you keep calm and carry on?

Do you get in touch with your strengths?

Do you change your life?

Do you try to see your way through all the clutter?

Do you let go of judgment and cognitive distortions, focusing on what helps?

Do you try meditation?

Do you turn to music?

Do you share your catastrophizing with other people?

Do you forgive yourself and others for mistakes? Do you gird yourself for the next catastrophe? Or, do you focus on gratitude?

Day 1997: Showing Up

Showing up today, I notice that I wrote another post titled “Showing  Up”  at the beginning of this year.

I also notice there are twice as many likes showing up for that post than for my posts that have been showing up here lately. Much to my surprise, self-doubt and judgment are not showing up about that.

Here’s why this topic is showing up again today:

Yesterday, in a therapy group, the people who showed up expressed appreciation and gratitude for others showing up.

Let’s see what other photos have been showing up on my iPhone.

Beautiful sunsets keep showing up near where I live.

Because I have to keep showing up at Physical Therapy on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 AM, I only have time to thank you for showing up, here and now.

Day 1784: Judging You

One of the interns at work —  who knows I write a blog about letting go of judgment and who I hope is not judging me about that —  showed me this last week:

Are you judging those “judging you” socks?

When I talk to people about joining my “Coping and Healing”  groups, I sometimes say

Judging is something we humans do.   I won’t be judging you about that. Please pay attention to harsh self-judgment and try judging you less.

Right now, I’m judging you, Michael, for not emailing  me those photos for today’s blog, which included cupcakes that looked like dogs.  I’m letting go of judging you, Michael, and I’m also letting go of judging me for not taking my phone with me yesterday when we visited a craft show benefiting a local animal shelter.

Don’t judge me for finding this video when I searched for “Judging You” on YouTube:

 

While cats may be judging you, I’m still thankful for cats, for Michael, for Vivian the intern, and for this one photo I took yesterday evening.

 

Day 1719: Distractions

I will try to avoid and ignore distractions as I write this blog post on “Distractions.”

Actually, aren’t writing and also reading blog posts distractions themselves?

Last night, in a therapy group, people who were somewhat distracted focused on the topic of “Distractions.”

I wrote more, last night, about distractions, including compiling a distracting list of “bad” and “good” distractions.  I’m not too distracted to remember that my list of good distractions included taking photographs.

 

Phones appeared on most people’s descriptions of distractions.   I wrote that any “good” distraction can turn into a “bad”distraction if we can’t control it.

Music was also on my list of “good” distractions. When I walk to and from work, I distract myself by listening to music.  This distracting music showed up yesterday:

Distractions can help relieve AND also add to anxiety.  Sudden endings can be distractions, too.

Also, I tried to record the sounds and sights of the ocean last weekend and then was too distracted to share that brief clip.  I hope this is a good distraction.

If you’re not too distracted, consider sharing your thoughts and feelings about distractions below.

Nothing can distract me from thanking all who help me write these distracting blog posts and — of course! — YOU.

 

Day 1477: You are not a fool of the cosmos

Last night, when my car inexplicably would not start,  I momentarily felt like a fool of the cosmos.

However, while I was waiting for the tow truck to arrive, I picked up this book …

… and read the following quote:

“When I think about all the bad stuff in my life, I feel I’m just a goddam fool of the cosmos! It’s humiliating! On a sidewalk crowded with people, I’m the one who’s  stepped in the dog poop. No one else is as stupid or unlucky as I am. The problem is: how can I go forward, how can I trust the future if I feel I am this stupid unlucky guy?”

When I read that passage aloud to my boyfriend, Michael, I did not feel like a fool of the cosmos.

When the tow truck arrived  and my car started up IMMEDIATELY for that guy, I did not feel like a fool of the cosmos.

When I drive my car in to my local Honda dealership and explain what happened, I refuse to feel like a fool of the universe.

I am not a fool of the cosmos for  writing “fool of the universe,” above.   I know I did that because “fool” sounds like “fluke” and I remember the National Lampoon’s “Deteriorata”

… which is a spoof of the 1970’s spoken-word hit “Desiderata.”

 

I am not a fool of the cosmos for taking these photos yesterday.

Thanks to all the children of the universe who helped me create today’s post and to you — of course! — for being here and now in the cosmos, with me.