Day 3555: What’s trending

I don’t look for what’s trending, but that list automatically popped up when I was googling the National Days for June 2022, the currently trending month.

The only thing on that list that’s trending where I am is the coronavirus. Also trending here are:

• the recent Supreme Court decisions on guns and women’s rights,
• injustices,
• climate change,
• denial,
• the mid-term elections,
• inflation,
• George Carlin’s American Dream,
• group therapy,
• home repair, and
• every image I recently captured on my iPhone.

PTSD is definitely trending, which I’m very aware of as a psychotherapist.

Here’s what I find when I search for “what’s trending George Carlin.”

What’s trending where you are?

What’s always trending here — no matter what day it is — is gratitude, so thanks to all who help me create these blog posts, including YOU.

Day 3548: Unreal

So many things seem unreal to me these days, including:

• how facts don’t seem to matter,
• the level of denial about climate change,
• the resistance to enacting common sense gun laws in the USA,
• the power of greed,
• some people’s priorities,
• the daily news,
• the passage of time,
• reality shows, and
• my many blessings.

Let’s see if there’s anything unreal in my images for today.

It’s unreal how many excuses people have for being late. I can’t be late today because I’m on call at the hospital starting at 9 AM, but I have time to search YouTube for “unreal.”

It’s unreal how before today I had never heard of Roxette and the late Marie Fredrikkson.

It’s unreal how grateful I am to all those who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.

Day 3534: Pride

Do you see pride in my images for today?

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “pride.”

Here’s Randy Rainbow demonstrating pride:

Thanks to all those who helped me create this “pride” post, including YOU.

Day 3363: Responsible

I’m responsible for taking this photo yesterday.

That got me thinking: Who IS responsible for damage?

I’m responsible for having conflicting thoughts about this question.

If we focus on blame (which is also a cognitive distortion), that can get in the way of moving forward with next steps for solutions. But if we don’t take responsibility, we’re likely to remain stuck in old patterns.

Maybe we can be responsible for our own lives — mistakes and all — AND resist getting stuck in blame and finger-pointing.

Who’s responsible for the images in today’s post?

People sometimes ask me who’s responsible for those National and International Days, and the truth is that I don’t know. But I’m celebrating National Scribble Day by being responsible for this daily scribble of a blog.

When I search for “Responsible” I find this …

… and the original, “Le Responsable” by Jacques Dutronc.

I’m responsible for expressing my thanks to all who helped me create this post, including YOU.

Day 3356: Moments

Every day is filled with moments and I am trying my best to stay in the moment during these momentous times.

What moments do you see in my images for today?

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I usually love Spring and I hope there are moments to love in Spring 2022.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “moments.”

I look forward to the moments when I’ll be reading your comments on this “Moments” post.

I am grateful for all the moments I share with wonderful people, including YOU.

Day 3349: Good Places

Good places, for me, include:

• WordPress,
• Twitter,
• my home,
• my work,
• the TV show “The Good Place” (which Michael, Aaron, and I finished watching last night),
• the world of books, and
• any place where people can live and grow in relative peace.

It’s difficult to enjoy the good places when so many innocent people are in bad places on this planet.

Do you see any good places in my images for today?

Good Samaritans help make good places and this is a good place to share a YouTube video about good places.

Below this blog is a good place to leave a comment, if you choose.

I am grateful for all the good places and good people in my life, including YOU.

Day 3319: The day before

On the day before my 69th birthday, I’m sharing some images from the day before this one.

Soon it will be the night before my birthday, so here’s “The Night Before” by the Beatles.

I’m grateful I’ve reached the day before yet another birthday and I’m grateful for you!

Day 3304: Any questions?

Any questions about my images for today?

Any questions about what is the most important way to celebrate today?

If you have any questions, you can ask them in the comments section, below.

Any questions about how grateful I am that you visit this blog?

Day 3290: The story of us

The story of today’s blog post starts with this photo that I snapped yesterday at the supermarket:

I took that when my husband Michael and I (who recently had our second wedding anniversary) were doing our weekly food shopping. The story of us at that supermarket was our wearing N95 masks because of the Omnicron variant while many people (including those who worked at the supermarket) were not wearing any masks at all .

The story of us human beings has to include our working together to survive pandemics and global warming without destroying the stories of too many other species.

The story of us is a very anxiety-provoking story these days.

Do you see the story of us in my other images for today?

The story of us often includes our trying to read each other’s minds (a common human cognitive distortion, described here), but I cannot even try to read the minds of people who don’t wear masks in supermarkets.

Here’s “The Story of Us” by Taylor Swift.

The story of me today includes my going in to the hospital to listen to other people’s stories in therapy sessions. I’ll be doing my best to stay safe so I can continue the story of us in this daily blog.

The story of us always includes my gratitude for all who follow my story here, including YOU.

Day 3269: Do you want to have a conversation?

Yesterday, I asked our talkative cat Joan, “Do you want to have a conversation?”

According to the definition …

… maybe “conversation” is the wrong word. However, I seem to be having conversations with many non-people these days, including conversations like these:

Do you want to have a conversation about what it’s like to have those kinds of conversations for months and months? Or do you want to have a conversation about my other images for today?

Do you want to have a conversation about the conversation that the Daily Bitch is describing today? Or do you want to have a conversation about the Stephen Sondheim song I quoted in my Twitter conversation?

I love the way that Audra McDonald, Christine Baranski, and Meryl Streep are having conversations with each other and with Stephen Sondheim during his 90th birthday celebration in 2020.

Do you want to have a conversation with other people in this blog? If so, please leave a comment, below.

Do you want to have a conversation about gratitude? I do! Thanks to all who are reading this conversational blog post, including YOU.