The title of today’s post is inspired by this pair of photos, which I took yesterday:
Photo #1:
Photo #2:
My next thought about “What’s Underneath?” is this: That’s a therapeutic technique I’ve witnessed, to encourage people to go deeper and get a better understanding of their thoughts and feelings. For example, if somebody expresses a feeling or experience, such as:
I am confused
… the question “What’s underneath?” is repeated, like so:
I am confused.
What’s underneath?
Not knowing a lot of things about the future.
What’s underneath?
Fear that things won’t turn out well.
What’s underneath?
Unhappiness about feeling ill.
What’s underneath?
An expectation that I should be feeling better.
What’s underneath?
Hunger.
What’s underneath?
Hey! What’s with all these questions? I need to go get breakfast!
Geesh. Some people just don’t know when to stop questioning.
But, I think that gives you an idea of that technique, which people can find quite useful.
What else do I want to show you, today?
How about some more photos from yesterday?
Question: What’s underneath those cows?
Answer: An elevator door, in a parking lot where I had left my car, last month, when I was a patient in the hospital. Yesterday, my son and I were waiting for the elevator to take us to see Eddie Izzard.
At this point in the post, you may be thinking
I am confused
… but I think I can clear that up. The parking lot is attached to the hospital where I receive my medical care AND it’s located in Boston’s theater district.
Here’s another photo:
Question: What’s underneath that?
Answer: My son, me, and many, many other people, going into the theater to see Eddie Izzard.
At this point in the post, some of you may be asking a different question:
How was Eddie Izzard, Ann?
He was brilliant.
Thanks to cats, questioners, answerers, sons, Tufts Medical Center parking lot, the Citi Center, Eddie Izzard, and (is there any question?) you, for reading today.
I thought the cows were on a refrigerator door, awaiting a trip to a gallon of milk.
OK, I must be totally out of it, and I should have researched yesterday after his first appearance, and well, I didn’t, but:
Who is Eddie Izzard, Ann?
I do not want to look underneath my failure to google the famous gentleman, nor this blind spot in my popular culture awarneness.
Happy Saturday. I am happy to note that you took your son to the theater last night to see the gentleman who sings?dances?lectures?all of the above?none of the above?
Aha, Mark! You did not click on my several links for Eddie Izzard, in yesterday’s and today’s posts. You are going to make me work for this, huh? Well, I’m going to reply with the opening from the Wikipedia page:
“Edward John ‘Eddie’ Izzard (born 7 February 1962) is an English stand-up comedian, actor and writer. His comedy style takes the form of rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime.”
Strangely enough, Mr. Izzard kept referring to Wikipedia as his main research resource, last night.
Happy Saturday to you, also, Mark.
I see. Now I should go back and click. Thank you for doing my initial work for me, Ann.
“I should go back and click.” I don’t mean to be rewriting you, but here’s a possible rephrasing of that;
I could go back and click.
I choose to ….
Whatever you do, Mark, you are okay with me.
Point taken, Ann.
Hey, Mark! Here I am, a day later, posting a YouTube clip from Eddie Izzard.
Perhaps I will click and watch Mr. Izzard, Ann!
Clicking is part of that routine, Mark!
Yes, funny man. But I am wary of agreeing to the terms and conditions …
But if you don’t agree, Mark, what can happen?
I suppose they jam up the works even worse, Ann. Of course I always click agree. I do not want to find the real answer to your question!
It’s all about root causes.. What caused the symptom..
Yes! Thank you.
Yes, did deeper to find the particulars. I love Eddie Izzard and am sure you had a great evening watching this talented lad. Besides his stand-up comedy, he is a serious dramatic actor who was once nominated for a Tony award.
Yes, indeed. So glad to see you, and thanks for this helpful comment.
😀 nice cat! I know he/she was underneath the cover 🙂
You are a good guesser, Niko! And that nice cat is Oscar; he likes doing that.
I like Oscar, he looks meek 🙂 .. at least when sleeping ! 😀
Oscar is VERY sweet (asleep and awake).
Goooooood 🙂 a hug to Oscar, too
I read somewhere that people with depression tend to live in the past and people with anxiety tend to live in the future. Having started my own company and having worked on some projects already, I sometimes get anxious about them as soon as I hit send on the email and if a response is a long time coming, I get more and more anxious as time goes by. What’s my point, you ask? Well recently, I’ve employed a kind of ‘what’s underneath’ approach. I ask myself what I’m feeling? Then why I’m feeling that? then did I work hard and do my best? Yes. I’m I qualified? Yes. And then my anxiety goes away. Worst case scenario? They don’t like it and I listen and modify. 🙂
Diana xo
Many xx’s and oo’s for this wise and helpful comment and for you, Diana.
Ha! I guessed right!
You’re a good guesser! Great to see you here.
It’s always good to come for a visit!
“What’s underneath?” is definitely a metaphor for life… or feeding your curiosity and creativity for that matter. What lies at the root of what you are looking at? Could it be good or bad?
Now you have my mind generating.
It’s great to witness your mind generating, Christopher. Thanks for looking at what’s underneath today.
What’s underneath?
Everything.
I’m glad you let us look with you.It helps me know that looking is even an option. And when we find the cat, the cows, the Eddie Izzard, what then? I don’t know what to do with that, but I’m glad you’re out there looking.
Whether you find cherry blossoms or cats or sunflower seeds or people smiling at you in parks, I see the marks you are etching on the compass. I’m not even sure you know when you’re making them, but I chart them anyway. Your words and photos are a map you don’t even know you are making. But it’s a pretty amazing map.
It IS an amazing map, which becomes even more amazing, because you see it as such. For which I am always grateful.
Hah! We have five cats and I guessed “cat”! The cows were harder – figured they were on a flat surface, just didn’t know what type. Have heard of Izzard from a Brit friend, that’s all I know, didn’t click though (on the link, not re the friend, lol). I find your entries enjoyable. Cheers!
And, I find your comments enjoyable, too. Cheers back at you!
Love the CAT!
Love the COMMENT!
LOVE the REPLY!
Love Eddie Izzard. Such a bad lad. What’s underneath?
Heart and soul…
Val x
Ahhh, yes. What’s underneath Val’s comment? Her heart, soul, humor, insight, love, etc.
We are mirrors 🙂
And good ones, too!
yes … we do have great reflections!
Love that!!
I love that technique! A hypnotherapist used it with me one day (not in hypnosis) when I was working on something. It was very enlightening. (She also worked for years as a therapist). And, as soon as I saw the blanket, I thought a cat was underneath it- and I was right! Fun.
Thank you for this lovely, enlightening comment, and good job guessing what was underneath!
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