Day 893: Mood Changes

I wonder if this post will change your mood, or mine?

Here’s something that changed my mood yesterday, at Tufts Medical Center.

It was not that sign that changed  my mood. What changed my mood was Bob —

the great guy who has been checking my pacemakers for many years — and Dr. Mark Estes (not pictured), telling me that everything is good with my new Implantable Cardiac Device.

Here is some dialog, from yesterday, that changed my mood:

Dr. Estes: Ann, you look better than you have in years.
Me: Maybe that’s because of this (gesturing to my new blue hair extension).

Last night, at the Coping and Healing therapy group I facilitated, the group members chose “Mood Changes” as the the topic. Here’s something I created, at that group session:

Here are some other mood changers, from yesterday:

                  

 

               

Here are some potential mood changers, in my near future:

1. Today, before noon, I will find out whether I’ve been called back for the Concord Massachusetts Players production of the Sondheim musical “Follies.”
2. Tomorrow, I’ll be meeting fellow WordPresser Mark Bialczak and his lovely wife Karen.
3. In August, my 17-year-old son Aaron and I (and, perhaps, my excellente ex-sister-in-law Deborah) will be attending the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland.
4. In September, I’ll be going to my 45th high school reunion.

What mood changers are in your life, today?

Here‘s a mood-changing tune:

“Mood Indigo” by Duke Ellington is changing moods on YouTube, right now.

Thanks to all things that change my mood, including the people, creatures, places, and apparel in this post. And thanks to you — of course! — no matter what mood you’re in, today.

Day 676: Colors

Several years ago, I went into a store in the Boston area and noticed that people from a local radio station were there. One of the DJs announced to the shoppers:

A prize to the first person who can come up with eight musical groups with a color in the band’s name!

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this in any of my previous colorful or non-colorful blog posts, but I love

• CONTESTS and
• WINNING.

I wonder if people who are reading this know that about me, or whether they are finding this out for the first time, much like I discovered, just now, that I can use colored letters in WordPress.

Anyway, the radio guy in the store announced that contest, and my mind went to work.

I now interrupt this story to bring you this question:

What band names, with colors in them, can you think of, right now?

While you’re thinking of those, here’s some mood music, brought to you this morning from high (or medium) atop the Koplow Family & Friends Building in beautiful suburban Boston:

(YouTube video of Duke Ellington‘s “Mood Indigo” found here)

And in case you prefer a different kind of music, here’s another tune, with the same color in the title:

(I found “Indigo Passion” by the Atlanta Rhythm Section on YouTube, in this video created by DJ Bayonic)

Okay, ladies and gentleman! For my listening and viewing pleasure, please place your colorful, musical names in the comment section, directly below this post.

For your listening and viewing pleasure, here are the band names I came up with, back then:

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Green Day

Simply Red

Whitesnake

Black Sabbath

Deep Purple

Pink Floyd

The Moody Blues

Blue Cheer

I remember the radio D.J. doubting “Blue Cheer” as a real band name, but I must have convinced him (without anybody having access to the internet, back then), because:

Like I said, I love winning.

And I love colorful things, including these:

and these:

… which are the “Coping and Healing” group handout folders, that people get to choose from, before they join my therapy groups.

I also love shades of grey (which is an antidote to the unhelpful cognitive distortion of Black-and-White Thinking), as you can see by this still life in my office:

I like to point out the ever-present box of tissues to people in individual and group therapy, to let them know that all feelings are welcome. I like to point out that clock, too.

Speaking of feelings, time, color, and art, yesterday I got this email from my long-time friend and amazing artist Paul Nagano (previously appearing in posts here and here):

Dear Friends:                                

                    THE FINAL

                               OPEN STUDIO  

 

                 of PAUL NAGANO in Boston

Saturday and Sunday —     Nov. 15 and 16     —     11am to 5pm

                 This is a 

                             CLEARANCE SALE 

               because I will be leaving Boston and moving to Honolulu on December 19.

 

Almost EVERYTHING — 

art, frames, books, art materials, objects, kitchen utensils, tools, 

even a few pieces of furniture  —  will be available for sale.

 

You will also be able to view the original of my magnum opus from this past summer–

“PARINIRVANA in the Great Garden” —

 

 

 I look forward to seeing you for a fond farewell.

 

Please, as always, bring some canned goods or other non-perishable food items

to benefit our Annual Food Drive for the GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK.

 

 

Thanks.

  

lovanaloha,

P a u l — (after 47 years, leaving Boston on Dec. 19, to live in Hawaii 

                       …..and…….    arriving    there     on     Dec. 22)

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In response, I sent Paul this one-word email (even though I knew this move was coming):

 No!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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and Paul replied:

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Remember, Ann, CHANGE is GOOD!  –even when it’s bad, and a little sad.

lovanaloha,

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I’m going to let Paul have the last words, today, except for these:

THANKS TO EVERYONE !!!