Monthly Archives: November 2023

Day 3985: The Daily Bitch

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Ann Koplow

Here’s The Daily Bitch for November 30, 2023:

Yesterday, my friend Megan and I bitched to each other about people and organizations who have been saying “sorry, not sorry” (if not “fuck you”) to us. Having a daily bitch with a good caring friend can counteract the effect of all those people who don’t seem to care about you.

I’m hoping that this daily bitch with you, here and now, will help me regain my enthusiasm and confidence about giving a concert of my original songs in June.

This daily blogging bitch always includes a variety of images, so here they are:

This is my personal space to share a daily bitch with you, which helps keep me well, no matter where I am.

Here’s what I find when I search for “the daily bitch” on YouTube:

Thanks to all who support me in my daily bitch, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “F*ck That: An Honest Meditation”, Boston, cats, duck dish, gratitude, Jason Headley, Looking forward, November 30 2023, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 14 Comments

Day 3984: What does this mean?

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, when I was leaving a very long doctor’s appointment that ran late into the evening, I saw this on a display monitor in the hospital hallway and wondered, “What does this mean?”

My first thought was that it might be a Russian word. My second thought was “Why would a Boston hospital show a single Russian word on a display monitor?” My third thought was that it was some kind of error message.

What does this mean that I can’t figure this out? And what does this mean?

I do know what that means. It means that somebody wrote “STAY GOLDEN” on that sign in my doctor’s waiting room and then somebody else erased the “G” and the “EN.” What does this mean that I laughed out loud when I saw it?

What does this mean that I shot this video this way yesterday?

What does this mean that these are my other images for today?

What does this mean that in my search for a drum teacher yesterday I sang some of my song “Everybody’s Somebody’s Asshole” to a potential teacher and he said he was getting “definite Phoebe from Friends vibes?” What does this mean that I’ve never seen an episode of Friends so I don’t know what this means?

What does this mean?

What does this mean that I am always so grateful to YOU?

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Everybody's Somebody's Asshole", charities, doctor’s appointment at Tufts Medical Center, haddock dish, November 29 2023, pets, Phoebe from Friends, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Tik Tok, tin ceiling finished!, Twitter | 14 Comments

Day 3983: Feeling sorry for myself

Posted on November 28, 2023 by Ann Koplow

Because I sometimes, for moments, feel sorry for myself, I am not sorry to share today’s Daily Bitch Calendar.

Now I’m feeling sorry for myself because (1) sitting there feeling sorry for yourself does NOT burn calories, (2) my ankle is painful and swollen after walking long distances yesterday, (3) my jaw is still clicking, (4) I have a bruise on my finger because (I assume) I was holding the sticks incorrectly when playing the drums waiting for my teacher who never showed up on Sunday, and (5) I have to check my blood again this morning again because my INR was too low last time.

Okay! Time to stop feeling sorry for myself and share my other images for today.

On Make Your Own Head Day, I shall get out of my own head and stop feeling sorry for myself.

I’m sure Eric Johnson’s Ah Via Musicom album will help:

Thanks to all who help me stop feeling sorry for myself, including YOU!!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: accepting all feelings, Ah Via Musicom, cats, Eric Johnson, favorite Christmas movies, great guitar solos, INR, Make Your Own Head Day, November 28 2023, The Daily Bitch Calendar, tilapia dish | 9 Comments

Day 3982: Get started

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Ann Koplow

I’ll get started on today’s blog post with this sign I saw yesterday at the Guitar Center in Braintree, where I was supposed to get started learning how to play the drums.

I couldn’t get started yesterday because the drum teacher neither called nor showed up and I probably won’t get started with my four scheduled lessons next Sunday either because, as I found out yesterday, this drum teacher’s last day with the Braintree Guitar Center is Thursday.

I tried to get started learning to play drums yesterday by using the drum kits in the Braintree store and asking the store manager (who said he was a drummer) to show me how to hold the sticks. Now I need to get started trying to get a refund from Guitar Center.

Before I get started sharing my other photos for today’s blog post, I’d like to say that when I was a kid I was completely grossed out by the name “Braintree” because I visualized a tree with brains.

As I get started for the trip to my Monday in-person work at a Boston hospital, I’m getting a virtual pie in the face as I’m learning, here and now, about subway stop closures. As you listen to this “Get Started” song, I’m going to get started rethinking my plans for how to get in to work today.

Thanks to all who help me get started every morning, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “Let’s Get it Started”, Braintree Guitar Center, cakes, drum lessons, green line closures, November 27 2023, PetSmart, Pie in the Face Day, The Black Eyed Peas, The Daily Bitch Calendar, tin ceiling finished! | 15 Comments

Day 3981: Change

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Ann Koplow

Every time I change my haircut at MiAlisa Salon, I see this sign about change:

I like the way the nearby magazine is also about change; that’s why I didn’t change the framing of that shot.

Here are some quotes about change that I also wouldn’t change.

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I have a sense of melancholy; what helps me change my attitude is writing this blog.

Do you see change in my other images for today?

The only day that didn’t change between those two lists is National Cake Day.

Here’s what I find when I look for change on YouTube.

Thanks to all who deal with change, including YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, Maya Shankar, MiAlisa Salon, My Name is Barbra, National Cake Day, November 26 2023, quotes about change, tin ceiling, Twitter, what people are reading, Why Change Is So Scary — and How to Unlock Its Potential | 9 Comments

Day 3980: Unique talents

Posted on November 25, 2023 by Ann Koplow

My unique talent is connecting with groups, so I enjoyed asking a question about unique talents to a unique group last night.

Do you appreciate and share your unique talents? Or does that feel awkward, uncomfortable, or presumptuous to you?

We all have unique talents, even if we have trouble recognizing or owning them. For example, many people blog, but I’m the only one who blogs like this!

What is the Daily Bitch’s unique talent?

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

What are your unique thoughts about this unique talents post?

Thanks to all who have unique talents, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Aldous Huxley quote, Barbra Streisand, Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day, Hurkle-durkling, November 25 2023, owning and expressing your talents, People Are Awesome, Quincy cafes, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, Weird Talents & Strange Skills | 10 Comments

Day 3979: Why is everyone so grumpy?

Posted on November 24, 2023 by Ann Koplow

“Why is everyone so grumpy?” is the headline of a recent article in The New York Times.

I’m too grumpy to read that article, especially because The New York Times makes me so grumpy lately.

I can think of many reasons why everyone is so grumpy, including

the news,
the way the media covers the news,
rapid changes we cannot control,
physical pain,
emotional pain,
disconnection,
overwhelming responsibilities and experiences,
trauma,
fears about the future,
regrets about the past,
miscommunication,
grumpy strangers, friends, and family members, and
the natural proclivity to focus on the negative.

What can we do when everyone is so grumpy? Let’s see if there are any answers in my other images for today.

The Daily Bitch is always grumpy and here’s what I find when I search YouTube for “why is everyone so grumpy?”

Many thanks to Dr. Tracey Marks, kind creatures everywhere, and all those who help me feel less grumpy, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Always Angry? Try This Technique Before The Next Blow Up, cats, Dorchester, Dr. Tracey Marks, made-up holidays, November 24 2023, Thanksgiving, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the New York Times, Twitter, why people are grumpy | 7 Comments

Day 3978: Happy

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Ann Koplow

As always, I’m happy to be alive and to share the Daily Bitch Calendar with you today.

Are there other standards of happy in this blog post?

No matter what day it is, this song always makes me happy:

I’m happy to tell you that I have so much to be grateful for, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, giving thanks, happier countries, Happy Thanksgiving, November 23 2023, Pharrell Williams, Start Your Own Country Day, The Daily Bitch Calendar, tin ceiling, tortellini, Twitter | 9 Comments

Day 3977: What day is it?

Posted on November 22, 2023 by Ann Koplow

What day is it? It’s November 22, a very momentous day for me — the anniversary of my first pacemaker surgery on the day of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

It’s a day when I’m remembering giving a speech about that at my 45th college reunion, here.

It’s a day when I’ll be facilitating an online group therapy session from home and thinking about the concert I’m planning around the time of my 50th reunion.

What day is it? It’s a day when I blog and share my images with you, as usual.