Author Archives: Ann Koplow

About Ann Koplow

I'm a clinical social worker at a major teaching hospital, specializing in group therapy.

Day 5010: Overthinking

Posted on September 20, 2026 by Ann Koplow

I, like many others, have been overthinking the past and the future. I reduce this overthinking by staying in the current moment.

Overthinking also reflects fears about making the wrong decision. I do less overthinking when I trust my capacity for decision-making and realize that my “wrong” decisions are almost always reparable.

I won’t be overthinking the images I choose to share with you today.

I’m not overthinking the challenge of finding a list of the daily observations/holidays/celebrations that fit on one page.

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

I won’t be overthinking which video about overthinking I chose to share with you.

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

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, gratitude, How I Stopped Being an Overthinker, letting go of fear, National Overthinkers Day, September 20 2026, solo travel, Tally Feingold TED talk, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter and Bluesky, Via Cannuccia | 6 Comments

Day 5009: Who do you think you are?

Posted on September 19, 2026 by Ann Koplow

“Who do you think you are?” is

a challenging, judgmental question from an external or internal critic or
a genuinely curious question about identity and self-perception.

Who do I think I am? I am a lover of nature, a group therapist, an asker of questions, and a grateful recipient of another precious day on this earth.

Who do you think you are?

I think you are many things, including a reader of today’s blog with these images.

“Who do you think you are?” is a line from this song:

Who do you think you are? You’re someone I want to thank, here and now.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Mr. Big Stuff", cats, Fuji Sushi, identity, Jean Knight, our garden, rabbits, September 18 2026, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter and Bluesky | 6 Comments

Day 5008: Listening

Posted on September 18, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Lately, I’ve been less concerned about who is listening to me and my music.

Instead, I’ve been listening to

people in my Coping and Healing groups,
audio books,
those I love,
the sounds of nature, and
my intuition, which is telling me to share these images for today:

Here’s what I find when I search for “listening” on YouTube:

Thanks to all who are listening, here and now, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: audiobooks I’m listening to, cats, nourishment, September 18 2026, song writing contest, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the International Day of Listening, the power of listening, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter, William Ury TED talk | 7 Comments

Day 5007: Purpose

Posted on September 17, 2026 by Ann Koplow

I know, from my work as a group therapist, that people yearn for a purpose.

My purpose, here and now, is to purposefully share and invite thoughts and feelings about purpose.

Ready?

Here’s what I find when I search for “purpose” on YouTube:

Thanks to all who help me with my purpose of blogging every day, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, Corliss Rassyle TED talk, gratitude, lobster tails from Fratelli’s, pasta dish with homegrown tomatoes, September 17 2026, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter, Why “find your purpose” is wrong advice | 4 Comments

Day 5006: Ready

Posted on September 16, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Are you ready for several definitions of “ready”?

Regarding that last definition, I’m ready to say that I don’t ever feel like I am COMPLETELY prepared for anything, but I don’t let that interfere with my doing things anyway.

That’s why I wrote the song “I Left the House Before I Felt Ready.”

Because I am still jet lagged from my solo trip to Switzerland, I didn’t feel ready to attend this month’s Which Side protest song teach-out last night, but I went anyway.

On October 27, I probably won’t feel ready to perform my protest song “You Don’t Scare Me” and another protest song at the next Which Side, but I’m very excited that I’ll be up on that stage.

Ready to hear host James Sullivan include me in the list of next month’s performers?

I don’t know if I’ll ever feel ready to be on the same bill with Juliana Hatfield, et. al. but I will be there!

Thanks to the Happiness Engineer, Jeev, at WordPress, I’m ready to start fixing the glitches that are interfering with WordPress acknowledging my streak of 5000+ blogging days in a row.

Are you ready for my other images for today? Ready or not, here they come!

It seems like many people are ready for a particular funeral.

Ready for my gratitude for all the wonderful people who help me create this daily blog, including YOU?

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “You Don’t Scare Me”, cats, I Left the House Before I Felt Ready, James Sullivan, September 16 2026, the Back Room at the Burren, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter and Bluesky, Which Side?, Wordpress blogging streak | 5 Comments

Day 5005: Next Steps

Posted on September 15, 2026 by Ann Koplow

After taking so many new steps in Switzerland, it’s time for me to think about next steps.

Next steps for me include

Planning my next solo trip (Japan or Greece),
Preparing for my appearance in October on the protest song teach-out Which Side,
Realizing that I belong up on stages, mountains, and other high places,
Taking time every day to get my healing groups and music out there, and
Letting go of fear, guilt, and shame as soon as possible.

Do you see next steps in my images for today?

Here’s what I find when I look for “next steps” on YouTube.

My next step is to thank everyone who helped me create today’s blog post, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Boston Ferry, Cass McCrory TED talk, cats and other creatures, chocolate babka, Finding Your Best Next Step, healthy meals, September 15 2026, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter and Bluesky, WordPress posting streak | 8 Comments

Day 5004: Having it all

Posted on September 14, 2026 by Ann Koplow

For me, having it all means having my health, home, work, husband, son, cats, friends, original music, and travel opportunities.

Here’s the Daily Bitch’s perspective on having it all:

I do have the extra five pounds, a busy schedule, and anxiety and angst about the state of the USA, but I’m not having depression or debt right now.

Having it all also means I get to share the thoughts, feelings, and images I have with you every day.

Here’s what I find when I search for “having it all” on YouTube:

What does having it all mean to you?

Thanks to all who are here for this having-it-all post, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Anne-Marie Slaughter TED talk, cats, National Live Creative Day, September 14 2026, superstitions, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The Office, travel, tuna melt with salad, Twitter and Bluesky | 6 Comments

Day 5003: Encouraging

Posted on September 13, 2026 by Ann Koplow

While the human brain can often focus on what is discouraging, I am choosing, here and now, to focus on what is encouraging.

What’s encouraging to me is that I seem to be past my jet lag in time to return to the work I love facilitating therapy groups.

It was encouraging to me last night that a server at my favorite restaurant asked to see photos from my solo trip to Switzerland and I had these to show him.

It’s encouraging to me that I get to see the amazing baritone Thomas Hampson starring in the opera Nixon in China in Washington D.C. this November with my bff Jeanette.

It’s encouraging that there may be encouraging changes in Washington D.C. before I get there in November.

Let’s see if there is anything encouraging in my other images for today.