Day 2370: Based on a true story

All my blog posts are based on a true story, so it’s true that I love starting today’s blog post with a true image from my true friend Barbara’s truly lovely home.

Yesterday, Barbara

• went with me to see guitarist Pat Metheny for Barbara’s first time,
• had the best fish dish of her entire life,
• took selfies of herself and her friend of sixty-three years (me),
• swapped amazing stories with her friend,
• admired the gorgeous concert venue in Rockport Massachusetts,
• experienced the wonder of synchronicity,
• was, as usual, a wonderful friend,
• enjoyed many adventures, and

these are all true stories!

We have proof that these stories are true, because of all these true photographs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barbara and I both agreed that we truly enjoyed Pat last night especially when he involved more instruments than just one solo guitar. I told her the true story of his development of his own incredible Orchestrion, of which he had a small sample on stage with him last night.  I also told her the true story of how I saw Pat play at the Orpheum theater in Boston a decade ago when his Orchestrion album came out, and how truly amazing that was.  She wished she could have seen more of that, so this is truly for you, Barbara:

 

I’m looking forward to all your true stories, below.

My gratitude is always based on true stories, so thanks to Barbara,  to true friendship, to Pat Metheny, to all who helped me create today’s true post and — truly! — to YOU.

 

 

Day 2369: Celebrating

On the two thousandth, three hundredth, and sixty-ninth consecutive day of this blog, I am celebrating the first use of the word “Celebrating” in a post title.

I am also celebrating

• the rich availability of relevant imagery all around me,
• seeing my guitar hero, Pat Metheny, with one of my friendship heroes later today,
• my son’s imminent arrival from Scotland on a newly-instituted direct flight from Edinburgh to Boston,
• the popularity of my Coping and Healing therapy groups at work,
• the resilience of the people I meet every day,
• my own resilience,
• the relative absence of carpenter ants in our home-by-the sea, Squanticello,
• visitors to my blog,
• Boston accents (deemed the second sexiest in the United States),
• different ideas,
• puns (and more “elevated” forms of humor),
• brains,
• hearts,
• guts,
• gifts,
• smiles,
• keepers,
• art,
• wishes,
• self-expression,
• baseball season,
• flowering trees and flowers,
• sunshine,
• freedom,
• deliberately and consciously leaving behind guilt, shame, and fear with every step, and
• whatever else I can find to celebrate, every precious moment.

I am celebrating all those things, and more, by sharing my images from yesterday.

I am also celebrating a new sidewalk, above,  which will prevent the kind of trips that landed me on the ground with a torn rotator cuff fifteen months ago.

I’m celebrating trees and Pat Metheny with this tune that was playing yesterday while I was walking that new, safer sidewalk to work.

What might you be celebrating, here and now?

As always, this blog celebrates the power of gratitude, every day.

 

Day 2317: Signs of spring

I’m often looking for signs, including signs of the advent of spring (my favorite season).

The “sign” post I  just linked to in that signature opening paragraph — Day 1319: Subtle signs — has subtle signs that I wrote that blog post shortly before two major life signposts: my open heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic and the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States.

Since the 2016 election, I’ve noticed signs that I — and the United States — have somehow changed.  I see signs of that in every blog post I’ve written since then.  Of course, everything changes and everything changes us, although this saying

The more things change, the more they stay the same

is a sign that perhaps I should change my mind about that, also.

Here are some other signs on my mind:

• The tears in my eyes, as I write this, are signs of some unresolved grief about past events.
• Older people often look for the signs of dementia in themselves and others.
• When I procrastinate doing something — like writing a Letter from the President for a newsletter — that’s a sign that I need more information or need to resolve some fear about the outcome.
• We tend to look for signs, in the present, that replicate our experiences as children, sometimes ignoring richer, more diverse signs of a wider range of possibilities.
• I am making a concerted effort to be open to signs that conflict with my expectations.
• I’ve dealt with signs that I’m catastrophizing more than most people by writing a song about that (included in yesterday’s blog post, here).
• I went looking for actual signs of spring, yesterday.

Signs of spring remind me that I’ll be seeing Pat Metheny in concert this spring. Here‘s “Spring Ain’t Here” by the Pat Metheny Group.

 

I’ll be looking for signs of your reactions to this post in the comments section, below.

No matter what the season, you’ll always find signs of my gratitude — for those who help me write this daily blog and for readers like YOU — at the end of every post.

Day 2276: Take time to reflect

In the midst of all the action in yesterday’s petty post, there was this invitation to take time to reflect:

You may not have noticed that good advice from this good book:

because I was guilty of reflecting it on its side, like this:

I didn’t take time to reflect those two page  in their correct orientation yesterday, because there was so much petty information I wanted to share.

Like Wilma, I believe it is important to take time to reflect, even in the midst of emergencies and adventures.   Today, I have a day off from work because of Presidents Day, so I can take time to reflect.  My boyfriend Michael, who definitely takes time to reflect, asked me to reflect on who were my most favorite and least favorite U.S. Presidents.

If you take time to reflect, how would you answer Michael’s question?

I’m  going to take time to share something else Michael reflected: “These days everything seems sinister to me.”  I took time to reflect Michael’s feelings and then to ask him if I seemed sinister to him.  When he said no, I took time to reflect  that I AM sinister, because “sinister” means “left-handed” in Latin.

I take time to reflect my gratitude that there is less bias against left-handed people than there used to be.

Please take time to reflect on these recent, previously unreflected photos:

 

 

 

 

I take time to reflect when I drive and when I ride, especially when there’s snow on the ground.

I take time to reflect that a week from now I will be in Los Angeles, taking time to reflect with many other group therapists about the work we do.

Last night, I took time to reflect to Michael  how much I love this performance of “In France They Kiss on Main Street” with my favorites Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny,  Lyle Mays, and Jaco Pastorius.

I’m taking time to reflect that Pat and Lyle looked like that when I first saw them at the Paradise in Boston, decades ago.

Please take time to reflect your thoughts and feelings in a comment, below.

As usual, I take time at the end of each post to reflect gratitude towards all who help me create this reflective blog and — of course! — YOU.

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 2090: Circular Reasoning

1,560 days ago (but who’s counting?) I wrote another “Circular Reasoning” post.

Because many of my recent photos include circles, I’ve circled back to that title.

As I look around that previous post, there’s no definition of circular reasoning.

Circular Reasoning
circulus in demonstrando

(also known as: paradoxical thinking, circular argument, circular cause and consequence, reasoning in a circle)

Description: A type of reasoning in which the proposition is supported by the premises, which is supported by the proposition, creating a circle in reasoning where no useful information is being shared. This fallacy is often quite humorous.

Logical Form:

X is true because of Y.

Y is true because of X.

Example #1:

Pvt. Joe Bowers: What are these electrolytes? Do you even know?

Secretary of State: They’re… what they use to make Brawndo!

Pvt. Joe Bowers: But why do they use them to make Brawndo?

Secretary of Defense: [raises hand after a pause] Because Brawndo’s got electrolytes.

Explanation: This example is from a favorite movie of mine, Idiocracy, where Pvt. Joe Bowers (played by Luke Wilson) is dealing with a bunch of not-very-smart guys from the future. Joe is not getting any useful information about electrolytes, no matter how hard he tries.

.

.

.

Exception: Some philosophies state that we can never escape circular reasoning because the arguments always come back to axioms or first principles, but in those cases, the circles are very large and do manage to share useful information in determining the truth of the proposition.

Tip: Do your best to avoid circular arguments, as it will help you reason better because better reasoning is often a result of avoiding circular arguments.

If you circle over to logicallyfallacious,com, you’ll find that explanation of “Circular Reasoning.”

Have you noticed any circular reasoning from not-very-smart-guys in our present?

Do your best to see circles in my photos because seeing circles in my photos will help you do your best.

 

OOOO!  I get to share one of my favorite circle tunes: Pat Metheny’s “First Circle.”

I’ll circle back later and see if there are any circular comments.

Circular thanks to all who helped me create today’s “Circular Reasoning” post and — of course! — toooooo  yoooooooou!

 

Day 2005: Here are the questions …

If you’re searching for the answer behind today’s title, here it is:

Here are the questions …

• Who is welcome?
• Where are the safe places?
• How should we enter?
• What is the next step forward?
• Why don’t more people vote?
• What will they vote for next?
• Who’s in charge?
• What is justice?
• Who are the justices?
• Who is corrupt?
• Who is fighting for the rights of the people?
• Why should we build walls?
• What would make you happy?
• What endures?
• What does it mean to be strong?
• When will strong women no longer be called “bitchy”?
• Why should I smile today?
• Who  listens to radio?
• What are people listening to?
• Why can’t I get to sleep after checking the news?
• What important questions are missing here?
• What other photos did I take yesterday?

Where is there a space reserved for your comments?  Below.

Here are questions and answers by Pat Metheny:

 

Who is grateful for all who helped me create this questionable post and for all who are reading it? Ann is.

Day 1678: What makes you anxious?

What makes me anxious?  In the past, I’ve answered that question as follows:

• heights,
• flying,
• the fear of failure,
• mistakes that might have dire consequences,
• stupid people in positions of power,
• heart surgery,
• pain,
• people leaving,
• getting a sore throat, and
• singing in front of people.

Last night, I sang in front of people at an Open Mic in Arlington, Massachusetts, with almost no anxiety.

Will it make you anxious to watch that performance?

Sharing pictures on WordPress sometimes makes me anxious, but not today.

What makes you anxious?

Calm thanks to all who helped me create this non-anxious post and to you — of course! — no matter what makes you anxious.

 

Day 1676: The gate to happiness

Tea is one of my gates to happiness. Yesterday’s teabag told me the gate to happiness is …

… self-compassion. 

My gates to happiness also include:

• significant relationships,
• therapy groups, and 
• observing what’s around me. 

A gate to happiness for me and Oscar would be a child-proof gate for those deck stairs going down to the street. 

What are your gates to happiness?

Another gate to happiness, for me, is singing songs I love. I plan to sing along to Pat Metheny playing “A Lot of Livin’ To Do” tomorrow night at an Open Mic. 

I’ll let you know on Saturday whether I made it out of the starting gate. 

Happy thanks to all who helped me create this Gate-to-Happiness post and to you — of course! — for entering this blogging gate today. 

Day 1625: Vitality

Yesterday, when I was on Cape Cod visiting fellow blogger Mark Bialczak, his lovely and dear wife Karen, and their filled-with-vitality dog Ellie B. (a/k/a Dogamous Pyle),  I noticed this:

Mark and Karen both told me I had more vitality than the last time they saw me, two years ago. I said that was probably due to my heart valve replacement last September.   I told Mark  he seemed much happier than when I had seen him last and he agreed, with vitality.

Spending time with wonderful people, like Mark and Karen, is very good for my vitality.

Do you see vitality in my other photos from yesterday?

 

 

 

Personally, I think that last photo has the most vitality.

As I face a lot of vital changes — including selling a home, buying a home, moving near the water, and returning to work full time next month — I need to preserve my vitality.

What helps preserve my vitality?

• Self care.
• Caring for others.
• Spending time with great people.
• Getting enough sleep (working on that).
• Eating right.
• Good vacations (so I’ll be visiting Scotland with my son in August).
• Letting go of worry.
• Blogging.
• Listening to music.

Pat Metheny playing “Song for Bilbao” during a second encore Sunday night  improved my vitality,  big time.

What improves your vitality? I hope you know your comments are excellent for my vitality.

Vital thanks to all who helped me create today’s blog post and to you — of course! — for the vitality you bring here, now.