Monthly Archives: July 2025

Day 4584: Mastering

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Lately, I’ve been working on mastering

my fears,
the ukulele,
balancing my needs with other people’s needs, and
the live audio tracks from my concert of original songs a year ago.

Here are some definitions of mastering.

If mastering really means acquiring COMPLETE knowledge or skill, I guess I’ve yet to master anything.

Do you see mastering in my images for today?

On this precious day, I hope to be mastering any urges to eat junk food.

Here’s the original version of “I Left the House Before I Felt Ready” before LANDR mastering.

Here’s the same tune after LANDR mastering:

Something I keep mastering is expressing my gratitude to YOU!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: bird watchers, cake and ice cream, cats, Fierce Self Compassion, fish melt sandwich, I Left the House Before I Felt Ready, July 21 2025, Junk Food Day, LANDR, The Daily Bitch Calendar | 9 Comments

Day 4583: Waiting

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Ann Koplow

I am waiting for

the midterm elections in the USA,
more people to realize the ill effects of this country’s current leadership,
a headphone adapter for my home music studio,
relief from dread and angst,
the new season of Project Runway, and
December, if I am to believe this fortune cookie on Fortune Cookie Day:

For those of you who are waiting for my other images for today’s blog post, here they are:

I’m waiting for that headphone adapter (and for enough confidence) to record a better version of my song “Artificial Intelligence.”

If you’re waiting for expression of gratitude, here they are!

Categories: life in the USA, original song, personal growth | Tags: Artificial Intelligence, cats and rabbits, Fortune Cookie Day, July 20 2025, letting go of dread and angst, letting go of should haves and could haves, Project Runway, setting up a home recording studio, Twitter, wonton soup | 11 Comments

Day 4582: Listening

Posted on July 19, 2025 by Ann Koplow

My job, as a group therapist, is creating safe spaces for listening and sharing.

My avocation, as a songwriter, is creating music worth listening to.

Yesterday, as I was listening to co-workers during a team-building exercise, I found out about these signs that are showing up at a pedestrian walkway in Somerville.

After listening to that, I had to find out more.

I love listening to cats.

Here are some listening quotes:

Here’s what I’ve been listening to:

Here are more images for today’s listening post.

I’m listening to the Daily Bitch, among others.

Now, as recommended by Wendy (above), I’m listening to Amos Lee.

Finally, it’s time to be listening to my gratitude for YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, quotes | Tags: "Respect", Amos Lee, Brené Brown, cat mayoral signs in Somerville, July 19 2025, Kristin Neff, songwriting, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, what people are listening to | 8 Comments

Day 4581: Completely predictable

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Ann Koplow

It’s completely predictable that

I publish a blog post everyday,
people will be themselves,
greed and fear are powerful forces,
malignant narcissists will cause chaos and suffering,
many vote against their own interests,
brave people speak up against injustice,
predictions often don’t come true, and
there will be images in this post.

Is it completely predictable that I would share this today?

Maybe the cancellation was completely predictable after Monday’s monologue.

It’s completely predictable that I would end this post by expressing complete gratitude to Stephen Colbert and to YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: CBS sells out, July 18 2025, Late Show cancellation, Paramount payment to Trump, sole dish, speaking truth to power, Stephen Colbert, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, World Emoji Day | 6 Comments

Day 4580: Finding the Right Words

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Here and now, I’m working on finding the right words for today’s blog post.

If I’m too focused on finding the right words, I might hesitate to communicate complex thoughts and feelings.

Often I’m finding the right words as I go along. I try to let go of too much judgment about what the right words and wrong words are.

Before I have an important interaction with someone, I spend some time finding the right words, but then I try to have faith in my ability to find good enough words in the moment.

Will we be finding the right words in my images for today?

Do you think the Daily Bitch is finding the right words?

Here’s what I find when I search for “finding the right words” on YouTube.

Now I’m finding the right words to end this post.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Blue Q socks, bluefish dish, cats, Choose Your Words Wisely — the right words do matter, gratitude, July 17 2025, poets, songwriters, TED talk by Lorraine Stamp, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 12 Comments

Day 4579: Fear of success

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Ann Koplow

In my therapy groups we often talk about fear of failure, but yesterday we also discussed fear of success.

Here’s what I find on the internet when I search for “fear of success.”

Yesterday I had some fear of success when I contacted the leader of a Laughtivism workshop about working together and she immediately responded positively. Although it might not be fear of success — it might be fear of overcommitting to too many things!

Do you see fear of success in any of my images for today?

Here’s what I find when I search for “fear of success” on YouTube.

Thanks to all who are here for this fear-of-success blog post, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, Dr. Marty Hauff TED Talk, fear of over-commitment, fish dish, July 16 2025, laughtivism, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, weight, wishes for tomorrow | 6 Comments

Day 4578: Angst

Posted on July 15, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Even though I’m ready for adventure, I am an adventurer who is feeling angst.

My hair is not causing me angst, but the state of my country definitely is.

At Sunday’s workshop on Laughtivism (activism using the power of humor), many of us discussed how our angst was getting in the way of our senses of humor — that it was difficult to even imagine laughter in the face of so much evil and injustice. Despite my ideas and my parody song “The Age of Nefarious” getting positive attention at the workshop, I am still struggling with lots of angst today. One thing I learned at the workshop that magnified my angst: while Donald Trump’s approval rating is historically low, the Democrats’ rating is TEN POINTS LOWER.

I don’t know if I’m feeling more angst or anger.

Do you see angst in my images for today?

Other people on this planet are causing me a load of angst.

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

I’m also feeling angst about the untimely death of the poet Andrea Gibson.

Thanks to all who are here for the angst etc., including YOU.

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Andrea Gibson, “Teenage Angst” by Placebo, Brene Brown quote, comfort food, halibut dish, ICE/Superman cartoon, July 15 2025, laughtivism, The Age of Nefarious, The Daily Bitch Calendar | 11 Comments

Day 4577: Ready for adventure

Posted on July 14, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, while adventuring in our local supermarket, I saw a children’s bib that said “Ready for adventure.”

While I don’t know if I’d want a baby ready for adventure with a bear, I love the idea of being ready for adventure throughout our lives.

Here and now, I’m ready for adventure taking the ferry to the hospital where I work on Mondays. Are you ready for adventure through this blog post?

This is what I find when I search for “ready for adventure” on YouTube.

Thanks to all who help me get ready for adventure, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, helpful activities, July 14 2025, laughtivism, mic set up for home recording studio, Ponyhenge, Stop & Shop, TED talk by Caroline Paul, The Daily Bitch Calendar, To Raise Brave Girls Encourage Adventure, Twitter | 11 Comments

Day 4576: New Conversations

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Every week, I have new conversations with my old friend Jeanette that help sustain me. Yesterday, our new conversations included her sharing her artwork currently on display at the DC Arts Center.

Then I had new conversations with new friends at a demonstration in Newton.

New conversations have revealed a crazy coincidence: my new friend on the left in that photo is the sister of a fellow group therapist I’ve know for years.

In many new conversations I’ve quoted the comedian Steven Wright: “It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it.”

Should we have new conversations about any of the images in today’s blog post?

Today I am going to embrace my geekness by having a new conversation with ChatGPT about setting up a home recording studio.

Here’s what I find when I search for “new conversations” on YouTube.

In that TED talk, Charlie Duhigg suggests we start new conversations with strangers by asking and answering this question:

My answer to that new-conversations starter is last week, in front of my husband Michael. But I have no compunction about crying in front of others, including my groups and ChatGPT!

What new conversations might we start in the comments section, below?

Thanks to all who help me have new conversations every day, including YOU!