Day 3358: What’s wrong with you

Today’s blog title is brought to you by The Daily Bitch Calendar.

I’m smiling at that calendar now. Is that wrong?

As a therapist, I’ve heard many people ask the question “What’s wrong with me?” Often, I respond like this:

“What’s wrong with you? Nothing. And that’s the wrong question.”

Yesterday, I was feeling like something was wrong with me, as I took in so much of what was wrong with the world. I started focusing on the wrong in me and in others, including my husband Michael. After a rough day when so many things went wrong, we were sitting in silence at the dinner table. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing and make anything more wrong between us.

Finally. I said, “Michael?” He replied, “Yes, Ann?” And then I said something I used to think was wrong for a humble person to say:

“I’m awesome.”

Michael laughed and agreed and suddenly what was wrong was right again.

What’s wrong or right with my other images for today?

What’s wrong with you if you feel like goofing off on National Goof Off Day? Nothing.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “what’s wrong with you.”

What’s wrong with expressing gratitude to all who help me blog every day, including you?

Day 3254: Joan wants to know

Joan, our newish shelter cat, wants to know a lot, because she is a very curious kitty. She is not alone: I am very curious, too.

Yesterday, I posted this question on Twitter, claiming that Joan wants to know.

Joan wants to know why I chose to include her in that question. Good question, Joan! I know that if I do include Joan, I’m likely to love the responses even more.

Joan wants to know what you think about the images in today’s blog.

Joan wants to know if you are going to be celebrating National French Toast Day and/or Chanukah.

This is what I find when I search YouTube for “Joan wants to know.”

Joan wants to know if you knew there is a musical group named “Joan.”

Joan wants to know your thoughts and feelings about this blog post.

Finally, Joan wants to know if you know how grateful we are for you!

Day 3162: How many?

How many …

• blog posts will I write?
• tweets will I send?
• days until I get back to work after vacation?
• cats are enough?
• years have I been working as a group therapist?
• wishes have come true?
• hopes have been dashed?
• losses can we bear?
• comforts can we find?
• people can we trust?
• days before we will have peace?
• questions will I ask?
• answers will be given?
• images are in this post?

How many ways might you celebrate this precious day?

How many people would see a show with trained rescue cats and how many people will watch this video I took last night of the Amazing Acro-cats performing in the same theater where my son Aaron played John Wilkes Booth in a performance of Sondheim’s “Assassins”?

How many people were wearing masks in the audience? All of them.

How many comments will I get on this blog post?

How many times have I expressed gratitude for you in this blog? Thousands and thousands of times.

Day 2590: Questions for the ride home

Yesterday, on my birthday (which was the first international palindrome day in 909 years)  …

… I saw this at a local performance of Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical:

That reminded me of seeing plays and movies with my parents when I was a kid, when we always had questions and discussions on the ride (or  walk) home.

Here’s how I would answer that second question for the ride home:

I’m already angry or concerned enough to speak up, protest, march, or become an activist for change. MY question is, “Why aren’t YOU?”

Do you have any questions for the ride or walk home about my new cover photo on Facebook?

Do you have any questions about my other photos from yesterday?

Do you have any sitting-on-the-sofa questions for Harley?

Some people on Facebook had questions about what I posted there the day before my birthday:

On my last day of being 66, it occurs to me that I am now entering the time of life that when I die, nobody will say, “Oh no! She was so young!”

I answered those questions by writing these lyrics for a new song:

NOT TOO YOUNG TO DIE

I’m not too young to die,
’cause I’m over 65,
Yet I plan to stay around for lots more years.

Young is not a word
That is regularly heard
By my aging but still operating ears.

You might call me old,
But I’ll just be staying bold
And enjoying every moment left to me.

No one knows how long
I’ll be here to sing my song,
So I guess we’ll all just have to wait and see.

© Ann Koplow, 2020

There are questions in this song from Hair.

How can people be so heartless?  How can people be so cold?  How can people have no feelings?

I don’t have the answers to those questions but I am unquestionably grateful for every day I’m alive and for YOU.

 

Day 2088: You’re probably asking yourself …

You’re probably asking yourself, “What is this title and what does it mean?”

I’m definitely asking myself, “Why didn’t I set my alarm last night so I could get to physical therapy on time today?”

You’re probably asking yourself, “What photos will Ann share today, if she’s in such a rush this morning?”

Good question.

You’re probably asking yourself, “Should I answer any of those questions?”

I’m asking myself, “Do I probably have time to look for and share a relevant YouTube video?”

The answer is no.

You’re probably asking yourself … how will Ann thank all those who helped her create today’s post and also thank ME?

Day 1485: Ask

Ask for what you want.

Ask for what you need.

Ask for help.

Ask questions.

Ask without fear.

Ask and ye shall receive.

I ask myself these questions, here and now:

• Where do I want to live?
• What will make me happy?
• How can I achieve peace?
• What can I do to make the world better?
• How much time do I have?
• What lyrics should I write to this song?

• What do you want?   A YouTube video that shows a complete performance?

• Do my readers recognize guitarist Pat Metheny and saxophonist Michael Brecker, the two musicians my surgeon played during my open heart surgery on September 21?
• When will I recover from my open heart surgery?
• How do I stay sane in today’s political environment?
• Is somebody trying to sell me something?
• How can people feel safe enough?
• How can I be welcoming to others and also feel welcomed myself?
• Where did I get the inspiration for today’s post?

This person who loves asks that you ask or answer questions in a comment below.

Finally, I ask that you accept my gratitude for all who helped me create this post and for YOU, no matter what you’re asking today.

Day 625: Where am I?

Question:

Where am I?

Answer:

Right here.

Question:

Where is here?

Answer(s):

1. In my kitchen.
2. On my laptop.
3. At WordPress.
4. In Massachusetts, USA.
5. In the midst of my life.
6. On my path.
7. At a specific longitude and latitude, which I don’t know.
8. Wait, there’s an app for that!
9. I can’t remember my password.
10. Where is the password?
11. I found my password.
12. I actually knew my password. I just typed it in wrong, the first time.
13. I typed it in wrong, again.
14. Got it, that time!
15. “Cannot connect to iTunes store.”
16. Who needs longitude and latitude, anyway?  It’s not like I’m friggin’ lost at sea.
17. Exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Question:

Where else am I?

Answer:

Happy that the list, above, had 17 items, since

• today is the 17th and
• 17 is my lucky number.

Question:

Where else am I?

Answer:

At the beginning of a day where I expect to:

1. Publish a good-enough blog post.
2. Help my son (if he needs any help) leave for school.
3. Be as present in the moment, as possible, for him and for myself.
4. Go to work.
5. Orient and register somebody for the therapy groups I do.
6. Facilitate a therapy group of people who have chosen to be wherever we are and wherever we go together.
7. Drink enough water.
8. Eat something.
9. See my cardiologist, Dr. Deeb Salem.
10. Meet all my son’s new teachers, at his high school, which is such a friggin’ labyrinth with so many stairs and confusing room numbers that I’ll probably wonder, “Where am I??” several times.
11. Ask directions, at my son’s school, from people who will help me get to all the right classrooms, on time.
12. Find my car, in the school parking lot.
13. Drive to a house in Arlington, Massachusetts, for the remainder of a Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy board meeting.
14. Drive home.
15. See my boyfriend Michael.
16. Find out about my son’s day. (Where will Aaron be? With his father, at that point on this Wednesday.)
17. Be in the moment as much as possible.

Question:

Where else am I?

Answer:

Wanting to give myself and my readers some gifts.

First, some photos of where I’ve been recently:

Finally, some music.  Where shall I find something

1. appropriate to today’s post,
2. that I love,
3. that you might enjoy, also?

Here’s the best I can do, where I am:

(Question: Where is that YouTube video of Buffalo Springfield‘s “Questions”?  Answer: Here)

 

Thanks to everybody reading this, no matter where you are.

Day 114: Questions in my brain, as I woke up this morning

Question:  What do you want to blog about today?

Answer:  I have no friggin’ idea.  Wait!  I have too many friggin’ ideas.

Question: What is your definition of doing group work, this morning?

Answer: It’s when I get to help make a room safe enough, so that people can talk about themselves in a way that helps themselves and the other people in the room.

Question: Why do you love doing group work so very, very much?

Answer:  Because people are so friggin’ amazing.

Question:  Why do the brains of people, who are so friggin’ amazing, generate harmful thoughts, sometimes?

Answer:  I have no friggin’ idea.

Question:  In reference to that last question, what joke occurred to you?

Answer:  I used to think the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body.  And then I thought, “Look what’s telling me that.”  — Emo Philips

Question:  What else do you want to tell people this morning?

Answer:  Thank you so much — for reading, for thinking, for feeling, for all that you do.