Monthly Archives: June 2025

Day 4553: Glitches

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Ann Koplow

As I’m writing this blog post, I’m encountering glitches.

As I’m uploading my original songs to various platforms, I’m running into glitches.

When I tried to conduct an individual therapy session online yesterday, we ran into glitches.

Here’s a glitch-y definition:

There are so many glitches, everywhere!

After we resolved the technical glitches in that remote therapy session yesterday, we talked about the stages of grief. I shared my thoughts about a different stage of grief that I’d like to add to the already documented stages of Shock/Disbelief, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Guilt, Depression, and Acceptance. The undocumented stage I’ve noticed is Hyper-Awareness of Mortality, which I see in my clients and in myself. I would try to add that grief stage to the literature but I anticipate glitches if I try to do so.

Do you see any glitches in my other images for today?

Like the Daily Bitch, I sometimes deal with glitches by inviting someone to help me with it.

I’m encountering many glitches as I try to upload my original songs on sharing platforms, which can be triggers for me.

What are your thoughts and feelings about glitches?

Thanks to all who help me deal with life’s glitches, including YOU!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: cats, dealing with disappointment, June 20 2025, macaroni dish, portable voice amp, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the stages of grief, triggers, Twitter | 7 Comments

Day 4552: Accepting all feelings

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Ann Koplow

For various reasons, many people have trouble accepting all feelings.

You can tell that someone isn’t accepting all feelings when they use the word “should” about feelings, as in “I know I shouldn’t be feeling this way” or “I should be happier.” To invite accepting all feelings, I often say, “There are no shoulds regarding feelings. They’re like the weather, so just let them come and go.”

This morning, I’m accepting all feelings, including hope, disappointment, confusion, curiosity, dread, relief, and love.

Can you see accepting all feelings in my images for today?

Here’s what I find when I search for “accepting all feelings” on YouTube:

I hope you are accepting all feelings, including my gratitude for YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: American Chop Suey, “How to Accept Negative Emtions” TED talk by Mary Ventura, cats, feelings chart, June 19 2025, Karen Read, splurges, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 7 Comments

Day 4551: Who should I ask?

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Ann Koplow

When I have a problem or question, I often wonder “who should I ask?” Who is likely to have the right answer? Who might help me quickly? Who won’t be bothered or annoyed by my need for answers?

Lately, the question has been “Who should I ask — a person or AI?”

This week , I’ve been asking ChatGPT questions, including unanswered ones I have about my long-time clicking/noises in my jaw/mouth when I speak.

Who should I ask about what they think about that and my images for today?

Who should I ask about diet and fitness: a human professional, the Noom app, or The Daily Bitch Calendar?

Here’s what I find when I search for “Who should I ask?” on YouTube.

Who should I ask for comments if not you?

Thanks to all who are here for this who-should-I-ask? post, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: annoying jaw-related noises, “The Art of Asking Questions” TED talk by Andrew Vincent, ChatGPT, gratitude, healthy meals, June 18 2025, Noom, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the news, Twitter, unresolved problems | 10 Comments

Day 4550: What’s wrong with me?

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Ann Koplow

When people ask the question “What’s wrong with me?” in therapy, I always reply “nothing.”

Of course, that doesn’t prevent me from asking the same question about myself.

Last night, I asked “What’s wrong with me?” when I realized that I had forgotten to take my medications on Sunday night. That’s the second time in a couple of months that I’ve forgotten. What’s wrong with that? I need to take my warfarin every day to maintain consistent blood clotting because of my mechanical valve.

Because it doesn’t help to ask “What’s wrong with me?” and it does help to take my warfarin every day, from now on I’m going to double check whether I’ve taken my pills every night before I go to bed.

Is there anything wrong with these images?

I also asked “What’s wrong with me?” last night when my song “Castrophizing” didn’t get much of a response from the Open Mic audience at the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge. Here’s a performance of “Catastrophizing” from last year, when I wasn’t asking “What’s wrong with me?”

Who else has ever asked themselves “What’s wrong with me?”

Repeat the answer with me: Nothing!

Thanks to all who are here for this what’s-wrong-with-me post, including YOU!

Categories: heart condition, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Cantab Lounge, Catastrophizing, June 17 2025, mechanical heart valve, The Daily Bitch Calendar, tuna with bok choy and peaches, Twitter, Warfarin | 16 Comments

Day 4549: Helpful phrases

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Ann Koplow

In therapy, I often encourage people to write helpful phrases on post-it notes that they can easily see.

Yesterday, on my walk, I saw several helpful phrases.

Yesterday, I also added helpful phrases (I hope!) to my latest song “What’s Wrong With Looking Older?” to complete the lyrics.

Any helpful phrases about the rest of my images for today?

I wonder if people will find helpful phrases in my song “Catastrophizing,” which I’ll be sharing at an Open Mic tonight.

I’m looking forward to helpful phrases in the comments section, below.

Here’s a helpful phrase to end this post:

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: “What’s Wrong with Looking Older?”, Catastrophizing, June 16 2025, nature, nature photography, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 8 Comments

Day 4548: No Kings

Posted on June 15, 2025 by Ann Koplow

I went to two No Kings protests in Massachusetts yesterday that were very well attended, despite the rain.

Here is a quote from an Axios article about yesterday’s No Kings protests throughout the USA:

At both No Kings protests I attended we stood at intersections with our signs and there was so much horn honking in solidarity that it was difficult for people to hear my protest song “You Don’t Scare Me.” No kings and no noise will ever stop me; people who could hear my song liked it and even sang along. Somebody at my second No Kings protest told me, “I asked AI to write a protest song last night and it was pretty good but yours is better!”

Here are the images I collected on No Kings Saturday.

Here’s what I find when I search for “No Kings“ on YouTube:

Thanks to all who are here for this No Kings blog post, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “You Don’t Scare Me”, Brookline, connections, June 15 2025, Newton, No Kings protests on June 14, protest signs, protest song, realizing you’re not alone, Twitter | 15 Comments

Day 4547: Blame

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Blame is one of the cognitive distortions that human minds automatically do.

I’m to blame for this description of blaming:

I’m also to blame for this song parody, which I might sing at a No Kings protest today.

Do you see blame in my other images for today?

Here’s what I find when I search for blame on YouTube:

Thank to Brené Brown, my friends on Twitter, cool cats everywhere, peaceful protesters, and everyone who is here for this blame post, including YOU.

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Brené Brown, cats, cognitive distortions, June 14 2025, No Kings protests, The Age of Nefarious, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, turkeys, Twitter | 11 Comments

Day 4546: Planning

Posted on June 13, 2025 by Ann Koplow

I wasn’t planning to do this today, but here are some quotes about planning.

I am not planning to get punched in the mouth but I am planning to go to two No Kings protests tomorrow with my ukulele and a sign.

As I’m planning my campaign to introduce my original songs to the world, I’m looking into creating a home studio, investigating local recording studios, and finding a producer/engineer. Planning something new can be so daunting and confusing!

Do you see planning in my other images for today?

Here’s a song I’m planning to unleash on the world (and planning to sing at an Open Mic on Monday).

Even if you weren’t planning to, consider leaving a comment below.

Thanks to all who are here for this planning post, including YOU!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism, quotes | Tags: "I Don't Like You", cats, June 13 2025, Marina Bay, meatloaf with cherries, No Kings protests, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the music business, Twitter | 6 Comments

Day 4545: Exaggerating

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Ann Koplow

I try to avoid exaggerating because I value authenticity and honesty.

Exaggerating can make a better story, but I hope I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve done that very few times.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I will be going to more than one protest on Saturday and that I hope to sing my protest song “You Don’t Scare Me.”

I’m also not exaggerating when I say that I usually have trouble spelling “exaggerating” because I think different letters should be doubled.

Because I dislike exaggerating, I just rewrote the last sentence, changing “always” to “usually.”

I’m also not exaggerating when I point out that humans tend to think in all-or-nothing ways (“always” and “never” rather than “usually”).

Do you see exaggerating in my photos for today?

I’m not exaggerating about this: I submitted this to a songwriting contest yesterday even though I know it’s very unlikely to win.

I don’t think I’m exaggerating my talent as a songwriter. I believe a lot of people downplay their own talents for fear of being seen as exaggerating (and conceited).

I’m not exaggerating about this: almost all the people I work with are terrified of overestimating their worthiness while they have no problem underestimating that — exaggerating their flaws to an excessive degree.

What are your thoughts and feelings about exaggerating?

I’m never exaggerating when I write that I am deeply grateful for YOU.

Categories: life in the USA, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “You Don’t Scare Me”, cats, cognitive distortions, I’d like to win the Grammy for best new artist, June 12 2025, National Make Life More Beautiful Day”, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The Singing Therapist, Twitter | 10 Comments

Day 4544: Managing Expectations

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Ann Koplow

I have found that managing expectations — mine and others — really works. Otherwise, my head is filled with assumptions about what I should or shouldn’t do.

When I was a Social Work intern, I witnessed a seasoned clinician naming what he would and wouldn’t do, very effectively managing expectations.

Here’s how I’ll be managing expectations for today’s blog: I will include my Twitter questions from yesterday, but no responses. Also, I don’t have many photos to share because I was too busy working and getting used to my new phone.

Today, I am dictating this blog for the first time rather than typing it, and I’m managing expectations about how that’s going to go.

I think I’ve done enough managing expectations for now, so here are my images for today.

Did anybody expect that the Daily Bitch would be managing expectations?

Now I’ll be managing expectations about this performance of my original song “Artificial Intelligence” — the sound and video quality are not professional (but they might be good enough).