Monthly Archives: November 2018

Day 2140: I can’t even

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Ann Koplow

I can’t even express my enormous gratitude for my readers and for the comments on yesterday’s post, Day 2139: I Can’t/I Can. I can’t even resist repeating this photo from yesterday

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… and sharing this online definition of “I can’t even.”

About
“I Can’t Even”is an Internet slang expression used to indicate that the speaker is in a state of speechlessness, either as a result of feeling overjoyed or exasperated, depending on the context in which it is said. Due to its incomplete sentence structure, the adverb “even” in the expression can be interpreted as a substitute verb for “manage.” On Tumblr, the phrase is often used to caption reaction images in which the subject collapses in frustration or bewilderment.

Origin
The earliest known use of the incomplete phrase “I can’t even” was submitted to Urban Dictionary[1] by user JJFADS on January 7th, 2005, defining it as an expression used to indicate a “breaking point.”

I can’t even believe that I had to edit that online definition by adding an “even” to “I can’t” in the second paragraph.

I can’t even explain this coincidence: yesterday, in a therapy group, we discussed how people can become speechless and stunned when encountering thoughtless behaviors from others that are so different from what they would do in a similar situation.

I can’t even count the number of times I’m in a state of speechlessness, these days, when I look at what’s going on in the world.

I can’t even manage my photos because there are so many of them, including these:

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I can’t even say how much I love my sister Ellen, whose birthday is today. However, I could even text her that last photo yesterday.

I can’t even share all the YouTube videos there are about “I can’t even” including this one

… and this one.

I can’t even believe how that SNL skit literally focuses on how thoughtless people can be (as was discussed in my group yesterday).

I can’t even ask for more comments from my busy readers, but I will.

I can’t even express all my thanks to everyone who helped me create today’s post and to those who are reading it, including YOU!

Categories: definition, group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "I Can't Even" video, Levi Rand, Michael Malone, Michael Maloney, Michelle Obama socks, November 10 2018, Sam Tabor, Saturday Night Live, thoughtless behaviors | 13 Comments

Day 2139: I Can’t/I Can

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, in a therapy group, somebody talked about waking up thinking “I can’t” and turning that into “I can.”

Because I can, I suggested that people make a list of “I can’t” and “I can.”

I can show you my lists now.

I can’t be perfect, but I can correct mistakes. On my “I can’t” list, the 9th entry should read “be anybody else but myself” and on my “I can” list, the 13th entry should be “show up.”

I can share all my other photos from yesterday:

I can’t even make sense of all the gun violence in the United States.

I can share these videos (and you can find them here and here on YouTube):

I can go for some comments about this post.

I can also express my gratitude to all who helped me create this “I can’t/I can” post and — of course! — to YOU.

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "I Can't Go For That", Can/Can't, coping and healing groups, Daryl Hall and John Oates, group therapy exercise, I can ...., I can't ...., Maple Leaf Learning, Simple Skills, USA gun violence | 22 Comments

Day 2138: Masks

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Over two years ago, when I was in the hospital dealing with pneumonia and heart failure, I wrote a blog post titled “Masks“.

Yesterday, in a therapy group, people talked about the relationships between the masks they wear on the outside and how they feel inside. I keep the identify of my group members masked because of confidentiality; therefore I only show what I create in group, including this mask:

Do you see masks in my other photos from yesterday?

Here’s “Behind the Mask” by Michael Jackson:

Here’s the “Cuban Pete” song from The Mask:

I never mask my gratitude for those who help me create these blog posts and — of course! — YOU!

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Behind the Mask", coping and healing groups, Donald Trump, group exercise, masks, Michael Jackson, The Mask, what we feel inside, what we show, Whose Boat is This Boat? | 29 Comments

Day 2137: The House

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Ann Koplow

There are several news headlines about the House today, including:

Mid-term elections: Democrats win House in setback for Trump

Democrats win control of the House in 2018 midterms, CNN projects

Meet the New Agenda Setters in the House

Coincidentally, yesterday I started writing a new song, titled “I Left the House Before I Felt Ready”, which is my first original song based on my first original t-shirt …

… which was based on original blog posts (here, here, and here), which I wrote in the house.

Here are the lyrics, so far:

I Left the House Before I Felt Ready

I left the house before I felt ready,

So I’m wrinkled, distracted, and sort of bed-heady.

I don’t know where my phone is, my glove, or umbrella

And my water bottle’s probably somewhere in the cellar.

© Ann Koplow, 2018

Because my house is near Boston, those last two lines rhyme.

Only one of my photos from yesterday was taken in the house:

Here’s “House” by Elton John:

What are your thoughts and feelings about any of the houses here?

Thanks to all who helped me write today’s blog post at the house and — of course! — to YOU, for visiting my blogging house.

Categories: group therapy, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "House", "Left the House before I Felt Ready" t-shirt, Boston, Elton John, group therapy exercise, mid-term elections 2018, roles | 25 Comments

Day 2136: What are you going to do today?

Posted on November 6, 2018 by Ann Koplow

What are you going to do today?

Are you going to think about blue waves?

Are you going to bitch about things?

Are you going to live your life as if it actually mattered?

Are you going to watch USA election returns with your own eyes?

Are you going to be a flamingo in a world full of pigeons?

Are you going to eat food that’s good for you?

Today, I am going to do all those things AND I am going to VOTE! Who’s going to join me?

I’m also going to share VOTING — the latest opus by Randy Rainbow.

Are you going to comment on this post today?

Another thing I’m going to do today: Thank everybody who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, politics | Tags: "Voting", Blue wave?, Haddock roulade, midterm elections, ocean waves, Randy Rainbow, The Daily Bitch, Vote! | 30 Comments

Day 2135: Healing factors

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Ann Koplow

A week ago Sunday, I attended a wonderful talk by J. Scott Rutan, a highly esteemed writer, teacher, and practitioner of group psychotherapy. During the talk — offered by the Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy — Scott handed out a list of healing factors, and invited everybody to rank the healing factors in order.

This was a difficult task, because all of those healing factors are very important. However, I had no difficulty identifying what healing factor I rely on the most: Hope.

I hope it’s okay if I quote from my first blog post with “hope” in the title, written almost exactly three years ago today:

I hope I can express, in my first post about hope, how important hope is for human beings who struggle, cope, bruise, and heal.

I hope you understand that I’m saying that hope is important to all of us.

Hope is:

a word that comes up in therapy, every day.

something I hold for every person I encounter.

according to Emily Dickinson, “the thing with feathers.”

I hope there’s hope in the three photos I took yesterday.

Michael loves raccoons, so I bought him this mug yesterday. I hoped that he’d like it and he did!

I hope we all survive the coming winter and don’t swallow too much snow.

I hope Scott Rutan, everyone else who helps me create these blog posts, and my readers know how thankful I am for them.

I hope this week brings good news to all who hold hope for the USA.

I hope you find hope in this:

I hope you comment about your own healing factors, below, and accept more thanks from me.

Categories: group psychotherapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: 2018 midterm elections, Emily Dickinson, healing factors in psychotherapy, hope, J. Scott Rutan, Marshall's, Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy, NSGP, raccoon mug, There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow! | 28 Comments

Day 2134: _____ your way to good health

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Last night, as I was window-shopping my way to good health, I saw this sign:

As I read my way to good health, I thought, “I haven’t gotten eight hours of sleep for decades!” But I didn’t want to worry my way to bad health about that.

Instead, I figured I would blog my way to good health today by filling in the blank of “______ your way to good health” in other ways, including:

Walk
Talk
Hope
Vote
Think
Feel
Share
Create
Smile
Laugh
Cry
Eat
Drink
Sing
Dance
Write
Read
Work
Rest
Socialize
Meditate
Exercise
Watch
Participate
Accept
Change
Move
Love
Live
Imagine
Express
Act
Believe
Picture

Do you see ways to good health in my other pictures from yesterday?

As I watch my back, I DO want to know how you’d fill in the blank of “_____ your way to good health.”

Watch your way to good health with these two videos (here and here on YouTube):

Please comment your way to good health, below.

It’s time for me to thank my way to good health, so here’s gratitude for all who helped me create today’s post and for YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Move Your Body", Beyonce, Clap Your Way to Good Help, Halloween sales, health, Pet Express, sleep, South Shore Plaza, Target, Vote!, Wheel of Fate | 24 Comments

Day 2133: A loud uprising

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, in a therapy group, we discussed this quote by Nikita Gill.

To love yourself should be no quiet affair, but a loud uprising. — Nikita Gill

About a month ago, when I watched a loud uprising of men’s and women’s anger about the USA’s latest Supreme Court Justice, I wrote a song — “I’m Mad About You” — which I debuted last night at an Open Mic.

In case those lyrics aren’t loud enough in that video, here they are, uprising:

I’m Mad About You

I’m mad about you.

You make me feel blue.

You make me so angry

And that isn’t new.

The things you do to enrage me,

Cage me and disengage me

Make me scream and dream of murdering you,

And I’m mad about you.

I’m mad about you.

You’re worse than the flu.

I’m pissed that you’re out there

And that’s always true.

You make me want to annoy you,

Toy with you and destroy you,

Yell and tell the horrible things that you do.

And I’m mad about you.

You may be curious

Why I’m so furious.

I’ll try to make things plain,

As I continue to womansplain.

The things you say to inflame me,

Shame me, blame me, and maim me

Should return, concern, and burn you-know who.

Because I’m mad about you.

I’m mad about you.

No, I’m not quite through.

You make me so bullshit,

I spit this at you.

I wish I could disappear you,

Never hear or be near you,

Oy, oh boy, the joy to be rid of you,

Because I’m mad, not sad, not glad, just mad about you.

© Ann Koplow, 2018

Two people yesterday told me they believe that song could go viral, which would be a loud uprising for me. Every loud uprising starts with a small sound (especially if you have only 11 subscribers on YouTube), so I’ve quietly posted that performance here.

Do you notice any loud uprisings in my other photos from yesterday?

The gentleman on the right in that last photo is Ben, who creates a loud and supportive uprising at the start of my performance of “I’m Mad About You”.

I’m looking forward to a loud uprising at the USA mid-term elections on Tuesday, November 6. I’m also looking forward to uprisings of any volume in the comments section, below.

Thanks to all who helped me create the loud uprisings in today’s post and — of course! — to YOU.

Categories: group therapy, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "I'm Mad About You", Bedside Rounds, Dr. Adam Rodman, Jam'n Java Open Mic, Kickstand Cafe, Nayirrah Waheed, Nikita Gill, Rupi Kaur, turkey hat | 24 Comments

Day 2132: Judgment Day

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Ann Koplow

It’s judgment day here at The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally.

Why? Because I observed references to judgment day within the last two days, near the same spot.

Today is also judgment day because I’ll be singing a new original song at an Open Mic tonight, and someone is sure to be judging that.

Any judgment about these other recent photos?

Today — as I have for the last two thousand, one hundred, and thirty-one days of blogging — I am going to invite myself and others to let go of judgment and just be in the moment.

Here’s A.J. Croce with “Judgement Day.”