Day 3148: What’s in a name?

I’ve been thinking about names because of our new cat.

This adorable, wonderful, sweet, chill, loving kitty was named Ginger by the adoption agency that rescued her, her sisters, and their many kittens from the street.

My husband, whose name is Michael, said he wanted an unusual name for a cat, so Ginger was out. Michael strongly suggested the name Meredith, but my son, whose name is Aaron, and I both thought that would be too hard to say.

Michael then came up with other girls’ names he thought would be unusual for a cat, including Phyllis. Aaron and I suggested other names we thought would be unusual for a cat, including Blanche. Michael vetoed all of our suggestions according to some secret knowledge of common and uncommon cat names that will remain nameless.

When Michael came up with Joan, Aaron and I agreed that would be a fine and unusual name for a cat, and easy to say. Michael warned us that if we called her “Joanie,” he would add an “ie” to our names, too.

I don’t like being called “Annie,” so I have complied with Michael’s request.

Michael was right about the name Joan being unusual for a cat. Every time I tell people her name, they react. Usually, they say, “JOAN?!” Sometimes, they add something positive, like “I love that.”

I love puns and Michael and Aaron do not, so they don’t know that I sometimes add the name “Clawford” when I’m talking to and about Joan. Also, Michael’s brother’s full name is Martin Sloane Malone, so I sometimes call Joan “Joan Sloane Malone.” Michael has no problem with that.

In the meantime, Joan, by any other name, would be as sweet.

I asked this question on Twitter last night:

While some people have responded with “my parents!”, others have told interesting stories about the origin of their names.

How did you get your name?

When I search YouTube for “Joan,” I find another reason to love that name. One of my favorite TED talks — “Emotional Mastery: The Gifted Wisdom of Unpleasant Feelings” — is by Dr. Joan Rosenberg.

My name is Ann Judith, I was named after my grandfathers Abraham and George, and I am grateful to you, no matter what your name is.

Day 2935: The New Culinary Classics

Classic readers of this blog might assume that this post is about new culinary classics created by my husband Michael, including dinner from last night.

.

However, today’s post is inspired by my classic friend Peter, who sent me this yesterday …

… with the wonderful addition “Finnegan’s Cake.”

Here are my new culinary classics:

• The House of Seven Bagels
• The Turn of the Stew
• Moby Duck
• Leek House
• The Rind of the Ancient Marinara
• The Old Man and the Sea Bass
• Mushroom with a View
• Gone with the Wine
• Tom Soy-sauce
• A Knish Before Dying
• The Bun Also Rises
• The Right Stuffing
• Travels with Barley
• The Mosquito Toast
• The Black Scallion
• Ketchup in the Rye

I look forward to seeing more new culinary classics in the comments section, below.

To help you think, here is music from Mushroom I mean A Room with a View.

Thanks to Peter, Lorie Ransom, and all the other classic and classy people who help me write these posts, including YOU.

Day 2572: My readers

Yesterday, one of my readers (my bass-playing dentist Dr. Del Castillo) sent me this “for your blog”:

 

Speaking of mugging, another one of my readers (my long-time friend Deb) sent me this wedding gift, which arrived yesterday:

 

What do my readers understand about my other photos for today?

 

 

 

 

 

Those last two photos are for my readers who like dogs.

I believe it would help my readers to change this very unhelpful thought …

… to these thoughts instead:

Another one of my readers sent me this, hoping it would help people:

 

I hope my readers will enjoy what I’m listening to, right now.

 

I don’t know what I would do without my readers, including YOU.

Day 2387: It’s YOU day!

Yesterday, when I was looking for a birthday card for my long-time friend and ex-co-worker Debbie T., I saw this:

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if YOU could believe that every day was YOU day?

YOU might be interested to know that yesterday was  Debbie T.’s  birthday celebration day, as well as a day filled with other excitement.  Actually, I was so excited to see Debbie in person after many years and also her beeeooootifull home, that I took very few pictures at the birthday party.

YOU, Debbie (because I know YOU read this blog), were the perfect host yesterday.  Thank YOU for introducing me to everybody at YOUr party (who all obviously love YOU) and for being so excited about my upcoming show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival!

I’m not sure if YOU heard all the puns being thrown around yesterday, including this one:

Have YOU heard about the new corduroy pillows?  They’re making headlines.

What do YOU see in all the pictures that I did take yesterday? Let’s see if YOU can spot any unusual creatures (YOU might have to look closely).

 

Hugs to all of YOU and can YOU guess which card I gave Debbie? Which picture did YOU like best?  Also, did YOU spot that dog-like creature  being dive-bombed by snowy egrets on the marsh near my home?    I thought it was a fox, but somebody told me it was too big to be a fox. What do YOU think it was?

YOUtube wants me to share  “It’s YOU” by Ali Gatie with YOU.

Since it’s YOU day, would YOU like to comment, below?

Happy YOU day and, as always, thanks to YOU for spending a little part of YOU day with me.

 

 

Day 2333: Celebrating

On the two thousandth, three hundredth, and thirty-third 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 2141: Who needs a smile today?

Who needs a smile today, besides me?

Let me know if any of these photos — which I needed to take yesterday — give you a smile.

 

Who needs a perky turkey hat today?

I also needed a smile nine days ago, so I took that photo of somebody at my hospital who needed that hat that day (and I shared it in this blog post).

My search on YouTube for “who needs a smile today” found this today:

In order to smile, I need to hear words like “Hospitality and cordiality are very sincere here” (at :36 in that video).

Who needs to share a comment today?

As always, I need to express my thanks today to all who helped me create this post today and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 1916: Time Matzahs On

“Time matzahs on” is something my late father used to say during Passover, which started last night.

Here are some timely and matzah-related images from last night’s seder at my sister Ellen’s.

 

It’s time for two versions of that song — the original and one with matzah.

As time matzahs on, I’ve had a ball at many seders and many baseball games at Fenway park in Boston.

I look forward to your comments, with or without matzahs or puns.

So matzah thanks to Ellen, her spouse Linda, my cousin Lani, Michael, my late father,  my late mother, dramaramasam,  everybody else who helped me write this “Time Matzahs On” post and — of course! — everybody who matzahs over to this blog to read it, including YOU.

Day 1909: Reasons Not to Read This Blog

While I appreciate every reader who visits this blog, here are some reasons not to read it.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques make you angry.

• You dislike cats and/or dogs.

• Water views make you squeamish.

• You avoid puns.

• You are in therapy with me. If that is the case, there might be Too Much Information in this blog, which could interfere with the important work we are doing together.  If you are in individual and/or group therapy with me, I strongly recommend we have a conversation about this.

 

• You don’t like music videos.

 

• You find gratitude annoying.

Warmest thanks to all who help me create this daily blog and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 1612: Aficionado

Any aficionado of this blog knows that I often start by defining my terms.

a·fi·ci·o·na·do
əˌfiSHəˈnädō,əˌfisyəˈnädō
noun
a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.
“aficionados of the finest wines”
synonyms: connoisseur, expert, authority, specialist, pundit, cognoscente

Yesterday, when we were eating salmon for dinner (prepared by cooking aficionado Michael) …

I announced that Oscar …

… was a fish-ionado.  My son, Aaron, who is a comedy aficionado, thought that was a good one.  Michael, who is irritated by puns, gave me the fish eye.

I don’t see myself as a photography aficionado, but that doesn’t stop me from taking pictures of other aficionados.

 

Later today, I am seeing a tooth aficionado (who reads this blog) for some dental work. Tonight, I’m meeting a building aficionado at our new home by the water to discuss some possible remodeling.

My sister Ellen, who is an aficionado of fun videos, showed me this last week:

I assume the talent aficionados appreciated that.

I am an aficionado of blog comments and expect to be seeing some great ones soon.

I hope you’re an aficionado of gratitude and know I am sincerely grateful for all the aficionados who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — for you.

Day 1368: Good, better, best

Today’s post title is inspired by this equipment from the Mayo Clinic, designed to prevent pneumonia after major surgery:

It would be good, according to my health team, if I breathe into that plastic instrument once every hour I’m awake. I’m doing a much better job than I expected following their instructions. It’s best if I don’t tell you how often I’m REALLY using it.

Here are some photos I’ve recently taken, now that I’m home recovering from open heart surgery  a week ago:

 

 

Are there any images you thought were good, better or best?

People seem to think this blog is good enough no  matter what I post. They seem to like it better if I show photos and best if I include music. So here‘s music from one of the best movies I’ve ever seen — The Crying Game. (Please click on “here” in the previous sentence to hear that music.)

 

It’s good that I feel well enough to create another blog post so easily and so soon after my very recent valve replacement surgery.  It would be better if you left a comment with your thoughts about good, better, and best.  It’s best if I publish this post now and take a rest.

Thanks to all those who helped me create this good, better, best post and thanks to all my readers, who are the BEST!