Day 2129: An aura of light and love

Yesterday, I saw how to create an aura of light and love.

“Live righteously and love everyone; you will build up around you an aura of light and love.”

I don’t know if I always live righteously and love everyone, but I am capable of seeing an aura of light and love, even when it’s raining.

 

 

Great baseball players, dogs dressed up in Halloween costumes, and giving sorrow words can all build up an aura of light and love, as can “Tears of Rain” by Pat Metheny and the late Charlie Haden.

Gratitude also creates an aura of light and love, so many thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — to 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 2122: Spooky

These days, many things seem spooky to me, especially politics.

Do you see anything spooky in my photos from yesterday?

 

 

 

Oops!  Who knew that Boston Cream Pie was spooky?

This song is spooky.

I look forward to spooky comments, below.

No matter how spooky things are, I can still find gratitude, so thanks to all who helped me create this spooky post and — Boo! — to YOU.

Day 2115: That’s a Bad Sign

Yesterday, when I saw this …

… in front of this …

I thought, “That’s a bad sign.”  And sure enough, the giant Sony TV that came with our house is dead.

Considering what’s been on that big old TV and how it’s been affecting me, I think I’ll be better off not watching TV.  That’s a bad sign.

Do any of my other photos make you think, “That’s a bad sign”?

 

 

 

Today, I’ve been asked to perform my original song “Triggers” — which has a lot of verbs — at a team meeting at work. That’s probably a bad sign and a good sign.

Is it a bad sign that this comes up on YouTube right after my song “Triggers” or that all these songs use the same four chords?

Is it a bad sign that Axis of Awesome broke up two months ago?

I also looked for good signs yesterday, like this one:

Thank you for reading all the signs in this post!!!

 

Day 2109: Breaking

Breaking: I keep getting emails and seeing headlines that start out with “Breaking”.

What’s breaking out there? Is it news? Norms? Records? Hearts? Rules? Wills? Wind?  Spirits? Words? Bread? Bones? Bad? Dreams? Fevers? Expectations? Bonds? Barriers? The bank?  Ranks?  Connections? Contact? Contracts? Legs? Eggs? Promises? The dawn? Silence?

What’s breaking for you?

Breaking: Here are some photos, which I’ve been taking without breaking a sweat.

 

I was breaking into a smile while taking one of those pictures,  while other things were breaking.

Here‘s how things were Breakin’ in 1984:

 

I’ll be breaking my you-know-what trying to get to Physical Therapy, work, and medical appointments on time today.

 

Breaking: I’m grateful to all those who helped  me create this breaking blog post and — of course! — to YOU.

 

Day 2108: What’s scaring you?

What’s scaring you, these days?

The air?

New  ideas?

History?

Large animals?

Spiders?  Prices?

 

Bones?

Evil? Things that are missing?  Trying things?

China?

Resets? Progress?

Being seen? All that you’re seeing?

What you can’t see?

Looks?

Witches?  Witch hunts? Not knowing which way to go?

Invitations?  Bites?

Carbohydrates?

Mythical creatures?

Real creatures?

What’s at your window?

 

The wolf at the door?

Nobody?

Ladders?  Getting caught? Falling?

 

The fall?

Living?

Dying?

 

 

Messes?

Seeing the light?

Scary music?

 

What you want to say?

Just wanted to say thanks to all who helped me create this “What’s scaring you?” post and — of course! — to yoU.

 

 

Day 2107: Insanely calm

In the midst of insanely upsetting local and global news, it might seem insane to be calm.

Nevertheless, that is my goal: to remain insanely calm.

Taking photos helps me stay insanely calm.

I wonder what the best solution for Person Anxiety is. In other words,  what helps you be insanely calm?

Here are the rest of my insanely calm photos for today:

Tea helps me be insanely calm and so do sayings like “Experience will give you the power and confidence to be you” even when my photos are insanely unfocused.

I was drinking delicious and calming Yogi tea last night while Michael and I watched The Phantom Thread, which — now that I calmly think about it — featured people being insanely calm.

Here is some insanely calm music from The Phantom Thread, by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead:

I look forward to insanely calm comments from my insanely loyal readers.

Finally, some insanely calm gratitude for all who helped me create this insanely calm post and — OF COURSE — for you.

 

Day 2106: I’m Mad About You

Yesterday, when I was mad/angry/furious, I wrote a new song entitled “I’m Mad About You.”

I’m mad/crazy/nuts about jazz standards and I hope I have the mad/superior/unexpected skills to evoke that musical sound in my latest original tune.

Are you mad about my opening and ending lyrics?

I’m mad about you.

You make me feel blue.

You make me so angry.

And that isn’t new.

.

.

I’m wish I could disappear you.

Never hear or be near you.

Oy, oh boy, the joy to be rid of you.

Because I’m mad, not glad, not sad, just mad about you.

© Ann Koplow 2018

 

Are you mad about any of my many photos from yesterday, when my madly loved Michael and I visited the Adams National Historical Park and downtown Quincy, Massachusetts, USA?

If you were particularly mad about any of those smaller photos, please click to enlarge.

Did you notice any of the mad connections among those photos, like this one?

 

I’m mad about the music and singer of this jazz standard and I’m madly thinking about the lyrics.

 

I’m mad about my readers and hope to get some mad comments on this post.

Mad gratitude to all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 2100: A Child’s View

If you’ve viewed my blog before, you might know that I often find my title and my theme from something I’ve viewed the day before.

“A Child’s View” reminds me of the concept of Beginner’s Mind, which I wrote about here, five and a half years ago.

I like using a child’s view and beginner’s mind, which help me get in touch with wonder, openness,  optimism, eagerness, and non-judgment.  Do you see any of those in my views from yesterday? (If you need a better view of anything, just click on it.)

As I view the week and the new month ahead, I try to keep a child’s view and beginner’s mind. I shall also remind the inner child in myself and in others to let go of fear and to be open to whatever happens.

“Searching” from Child’s View by Nobukazu Takemura  has a surprisingly low number of views on YouTube.

What’s your view of today’s post?

It’s time to view my thanks to all who helped me create this post and to you — of course! — for viewing it.