Day 2332: You Call The Shots

Every day, in this blog, I call the shots.  That is, I decide

• what shots to take with my iPhone,
• what order to share them in,
• what words to write,
• what audio/video piece (usually involving music) fits the topic, and
• how to express my gratitude.

People with my Myers Briggs type (ENFP) like calling the shots and being independent. However, we don’t like calling the shots for other people or other people calling the shots for us.  Therefore, I don’t like when people tell me what to do and I don’t like telling other people what to do.  Rather, I prefer suggestion, invitation, and possibility — leaving room for me and others to decide what’s best.

Here and now, I suggest that you call the shots you like best in my photos from yesterday.

 

Sometimes I take shots of and take shots at things I just don’t understand.

Girls Aloud “Call the Shots” here:

 

Tonight I’ll be a girl aloud calling the shots at a new Open Mic, singing two of my original songs.

Now I invite you to call the shots in the comment section, below.

As usual, I’m calling the shots on how to express my gratitude to all who helped me create today’s blog post and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 2309: What I Don’t Want to Do Today

What I don’t want to do today includes:

• my taxes,
• reactions to the release of the Mueller report,
• anger,
• nothing,
• denial,
• desperation,
• cognitive distortions,
• too little or too much,
• dirty looks,
• pests,
• traffic,
• sexism,
• racism,
• ageism,
• homophobia,
• politics,
• judgment,
• robots,
• yesterday,
• tomorrow, or
• dying.

What I DO want to do today includes sharing my photos from yesterday …

… and this wonderful original creation by Jacob Collier.

What do you not want to do today?

I do want to thank Jacob Collier and everyone else who helped me do today’s blog and — of course! — YOU.

 

Day 2304: What do we value?

Today’s blog post, inspired by this photo …

… might seem like a logical extension of yesterday’s post, if logic is something you value.

I also value this opportunity to explore what we value and devalue in our culture, including older people.  During the  last few months, I have

• heard  and read many jokes about older people, focusing on lack of ability, attractiveness, and other things we value,
• defended the benefits of growing older to  groups of  younger people expressing nothing but fear about aging,
• been told by an otherwise culturally sensitive younger person that “people of my generation” think and act a certain way, and
• experienced my own internalized ageism, as I struggle against devaluing myself for looking and growing older.

What do I value about my photos from yesterday?

I value our home, so I took this photo yesterday of a water stain on the ceiling.  We want to watch that stain, so our home doesn’t decrease in value as we and our home age.

My friend Jenn values pugs and I value Jenn, so I take pug-related photos and send them to her.

I value cats, so I took this photo at the supermarket yesterday evening.  I also noticed a Life Magazine about Dogs and remarked to my valued boyfriend Michael that the Dogs Life Magazine cover did not promise a feature on “DOGS vs. CATS.”   Michael — who values dogs  and cats and who doesn’t value conflict — had nothing to say about that.

I took this photo because I value expressing joy,  and I assumed I would be able to use that image  very soon.  Sure enough, people I value shared some good news within the hour and I sent that image in an email.

I value great people and I value puns, so I knew I could use this in today’s blog post, no matter what the topic.

I value myself and other people, even when we’re procrastinating.  As is usual for me during this time of the year, I am procrastinating completing my taxes, because I value doing almost anything else more.

I value all the meals Michael makes for me, even leftovers, because they are so delicious!

I value this video I found on Youtube by searching for “what do we value ageism”:

… and this one:

 

What else do I value?  Your comments and expressing gratitude, here and now.

 

Day 2295: Reassuring

I find it reassuring that

• I’m pretty sure I know how to spell “reassuring,”
• so many people read and comment about my blog,
• I have life-long friends like Barbara, whose birthday was yesterday,
• even though my son, Aaron, tells me I need more reassuring than most people, I’m getting better and better at reassuring myself,
• I’m not freaking out about tax season this year,
• I’m not stressing about a presentation next week, and
• at two thousand two hundred and ninety-five consecutive blog posts, I can still find post titles I haven’t used before, like “Reassuring.”

What do you find reassuring?

Shall we see if there’s anything reassuring in my photos from yesterday?  Sure!

It’s reassuring to me and probably to her therapy patients that my co-worker Alice has so many stress balls in her office.

Here‘s a playlist  on YouTube titled “Hopeful Reassuring Songs.”

It’s reassuring that there are almost fifty songs on that playlist, including “All Will Be Well,” “There’s Nothing Wrong with You” and “Brave.”

It would be reassuring to me if you left a comment, but please do whatever is reassuring for you.

Reassuring thanks to all who helped me create this reassuring post and — of course! — to YOU.