After much deliberation (a full 20 minutes of it), I have decided upon the title for today’s post. And look! I already have a visual for it:
As regular readers of this blog might know, I love watches. As a matter of fact, 168 days ago (but who’s counting?) I wrote about another one of my favorite watches, here. And for those of you who don’t click on links (and I know you’re out there, people!), here’s the photo of that other watch:
If you want to read more about that watch (and the reasons why I’ve collected watches), you’re just going to have to click on that link.
So there!
Readers of this blog may notice that my writing has a certain “tone,” right now.
Although, you know what? I have no real idea whether people can tell my “tone”, my feelings, or my state of mind, right now (or at any point).
That’s the whole friggin’ problem with communicating through written words, isn’t it? We’re missing certain clues, to help us ascertain what somebody else is genuinely feeling or thinking.
However, given that we’re always guessing what other people think, what would you guess about how I’m feeling, right now? (And, yes, I am inviting people to indulge in the “cognitive distortion” of mind reading — something we do, as humans, every day).
So, how would you complete this sentence? As Ann is writing these words, she is __________.
Have you filled it in yet? If not, I’ll wait.
Time’s up!
Now, I’m going to do some mind reading of my own. That is, I’m going to guess how you might have filled in that sentence, as follows:
Playful
Annoyed
Annoying
Joyful
Worried
Confused
Hopeful
Impatient
Distracted
Focused
Accepting
Pissed
Okay, that last guess made me stop (although stopping so soon makes it unlikely I would have guessed what YOU thought). So why did I stop? Well, I know people are reading this blog all over the world, and I know that the word “pissed” means angry* to some people (including me) and drunk to others. So, I stopped, because I don’t want anybody to think I might be drunk in the morning or at any time while I’m writing these posts (because I’m not).
Hey! Wait a minute! Why do I care what you — or anybody else — thinks? Haven’t I written, throughout this year, about letting go of caring what other people think? (Yes, I have. And here’s an example of that**.)
But here’s the deal, people. I genuinely want people to know who I am. Authentically.
And genuinely and authentically, I am ALL*** of those things in that list. And more.****
As I assume you are (or have been), too.
Oh, no! Look at the time!
As therapists often (and genuinely) say …. We have to stop now.
Thanks to each and every one of you — with all your various parts, feelings, thoughts, guesses, etc. — for reading today.
* So why was I angry, at that point? Because here’s something I know about myself: I tend to get angry when I’m HUNGRY. And by the way, anger is okay. It’s just another human feeling. However, I do know a “cure” for feelings of anger related to hunger. Eating something. Which I did.
** Written way back, on Day 2.
*** Except for drunk, a possible misunderstanding which I believe I have cleared up sufficiently at this point.
**** Including, most likely, what YOU guessed (if it’s not already on that list).
As I’ve mentioned many times before, I’m a group therapist, so I see groups in most things, and I see most things as groups.
Not uncommon, wouldn’t you say? We tend to see, in the external world, a reflection of our internal experience. That which is important to you, you will see reflected back from the world around you.
I wish I had some cool examples or images of that to show you here — for example, motorcyclists seeing motorcycles everywhere, teachers seeing students everywhere, or something like this saying:
*
… but I’m eager to get to my next point. So I will let you fill in this space, with your own examples and images:
INSERT
YOUR IMAGE
(of seeing your interests, thoughts, assumptions, and experience reflected back from the world around you)
HERE
.
So, where was I? Oh yes, I see groups everywhere and I see these groups in terms of my personal experience and assumptions about leading groups.
And, for the groups I run, I allow people to join in and attend, whenever they choose. Which is not unlike the situation here, in my blog. That is, new people are constantly joining with veteran readers. Some people have been reading since Day 1, and each day, new people appear.
One thing I work on, as a group therapist, is helping new people come up to speed, while still meeting (some of) the needs of the long-timers. I don’t mean to brag (although I’ve been working on allowing myself to brag, this year) …. but THAT is NOT an easy thing to do well.
I’ll give you an example, of how that issue occurs for me, here. When I just looked at the first sentence of this post –“As I’ve mentioned many times before” — I considered rewriting that, because I thought, “Hmmmm. That doesn’t apply to new readers. How can I make that sentence work for everybody?” And my response to that question was:
I can’t. Oh, well. Now what?
…. which is not a bad answer to other questions, pertaining to the urge for perfection in difficult tasks.
Okay! Time Out!
**
I want to take a moment here and point out my state of mind while I’m blogging right now. Here are the relevant facts:
I didn’t get enough sleep last night.
It’s Sunday, so I have more space and time to blog.
Those can be a dangerous combination, when it comes to digressions, ramblings, and (to use a word my new reader, Brenda, used yesterday, in a comment here) … babbling.
Here’s another factor to add to this dangerous combination:
It snowed, quite a bit, overnight, so I’m feeling some anxiety, right now (because of some obligations, later today, that involve driving).
Therefore, this will be a digressive, rambling, and babbling post, today. There’s no getting around that.
Okay, I think I’ve done a good enough job, right now, managing people’s expectations about this post. Therefore, it’s time to move on to the “meat” of it.
In other words, what WAS the major point (as reflected in the post title and in all digressions, ramblings, and babblings up to now) that I wanted to make, today?
Here it is: I wanted to bring longer-term readers up to speed on some pre-existing issues, while still providing something for new people.
What were the issues I was thinking about? Two of them:
How our new cat, Harley, is doing, adjusting to his new home.
How I’m doing, adjusting to my new heart “condition” (that is, the October addition of atrial fibrillation AND my new need for daily anti-coagulant medication).
Actually, speaking of adjustments and How We Are Doing, I’m going to try to add another, more recent one, to that list of two: The First Major Snow of the Winter Season.
How am I going to tie all these things together AND provide something valuable for readers new and old?
Simple! A Photo Essay!
How We (Harley and I) Are Doing***
A Photo Essay
by Ann
Harley is doing quite well, thank you, adjusting to his new home. Here is some recent photographic proof:
Michael, my bf, took this photo last night. Actually, as much as I might admire Michael’s photographic sense of composition and emotional content, this does NOT prove that Harley is doing okay. To me, he looks totally freaked out. However, this is not an inaccurate representation: Harley still looks freaked out, a fair amount of the time. However, Harley looks (and acts) freaked out much less, these days (compared to how he was when we introduced him in October). And that’s getting better, every day in every way.
So, again, Harley is doing quite well, thank you.
And here’s proof that more often than not, Harley is not freaked out:
.
(Notice how I snuck in the presence of snow, in that photo)
(and also the presence of Michael, there).
One more photo of Harley, this morning, to show that he is doing quite well:
For those of you who are wondering about how (New Group Member) Harley is affecting (Old Group Member) Oscar, Oscar is also doing quite well:
… which I hope you can see, in another photo by Michael.
Okay! Now, what do I have to do, before I conclude this post? (As I mentioned before, I’m tired and a little anxious about the day, so I would like to end this post soon.)
Oh, yes! I was going to bring you up to speed on how I’m doing, too. I have to admit that, since the beginning of October (and the appearance of the atrial fibrillation and my need to take daily anti-coagulants), I have not been feeling as well as I was, before that. And that’s been difficult.
However, yesterday, when Michael and I were at the supermarket (stocking up for groceries for the predicted snowfall), I turned to him and said, “You know what? I’ve been feeling better lately. As a matter of fact, right now, I feel …. as good as I was feeling before.”
Now, I don’t feel that good, every day. But it was wonderful to feel that — and realize it — yesterday.
Yay!!!!
****
Despite my celebration, I will confess to you, dear readers, that I resent having to take medication every day, for the rest of my life. And I always am on the verge of forgetting to take my daily pill (although I’ve taken it every day so far).
Also, in general, I have been feeling more anxious, especially as the snow and ice appear. Why? Here’s a direct quote from one of my cardiologists (regarding my being on anti-coagulants):
“Ann, please make sure NOT to fall on the ice, okay?
And my response to that (as with other doctors’ orders, in the past), was to say, “I’ll do the best I can” (while feeling, inside, a new anxiety).
But, like Harley, I’m doing better with that, too. Still freaked out, but a lot less frequently.
Here’s my penultimate image, for today:
Why am I choosing that photo? Lots of reasons:
It’s a group of objects, and as I said (way back in the beginning of this post), I tend to see things in terms of groups.
In the foreground of that photo is the fancy-shmancy pill-box I recently bought myself, to help myself feel better about having to take medication, every day.
My son put my glasses on that grapefruit yesterday, and that makes me happy.
There are some objects in that photo that I’ve been losing track of lately (including my keys) but that photo is proof that I keep finding them again, too.
The cat in the background looks a little like Harley, but it’s actually a computer screen cleaner I bought earlier this year (I like adding fun — or beauty — to things I don’t like to do, whenever possible).
The girl looking out the window is a dancing-hula-girl toy, which was a gift from the very nice owner of a nearby Chinese Restaurant (which we haven’t been to lately, so I’m letting go of guilt about THAT).
Okay, now that I’ve managed to let go of some guilt and anxiety (and to embrace some joy,too), it’s time for the final photo of this post. This photo is what the hula girl, in that previous picture, is seeing, right now:
That’s not so bad, is it? Actually, I believe I can add that to my lists of Things That Won’t Kill Me (those lists are here and here, in case you haven’t seen them yet).
I hope so, anyway.
Thanks to Michael (for shoveling off my car this morning, among other things), to anybody I forgot to thank (because of tiredness and anxiety), to group members old and new, and to you — of course! — for reading today.
*** NOTE: All these photos were taken within the last 12 hours, so they are pretty much “in the moment” (something that’s important to me).
**** Personally, I think we all need to hear applause sometimes, and cheering, too! Feel free to play that, for yourself, whenever you need it. And thanks to TheHalloweenHaunters, for posting the video on YouTube.
It’s Friday. Here’s what I’m looking at, for today:
For the second day in a row, I have to get into work earlier than usual (which leaves me limited time to blog);
I have too much to do today. I won’t be able to do it all. There’s no way.
So how am I feeling, in the moment? Rushed. Annoyed. And I’m having anticipatory guilt.
Anticipatory guilt? What the hell is that?
Well, I’m expecting that guilt will be on my plate today, because
I don’t like being annoyed.
I will have to prioritize and make decisions about what I do and what I don’t do.
I will probably question some of those decisions.
Some tasks will remain undone by the end of the day.
So, my dear readers, we’re looking at a Friday that is Fraught with Guilt Potential.
I’ve noticed that, these days, there are catchy names on the internet, for the days of the week. For example, I’m aware of Throwback Thursday.
I wonder if there are catchy names for Friday that involve the potential for guilt? Somehow, I doubt it. I think most characterizations about Fridays have to do with relief, not guilt.
For example, I’m aware of this one:
Thank God It’s Friday, often abbreviated to TGIF.
Personally, I’m looking at this kind of TGIF:
Try Guilt, It’s Friday
Arrghhhh!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t find guilt a helpful feeling. Like worry, guilt doesn’t do me any good these days.
So as I’m looking at my own Special of the Day — that offer of “Try Guilt, It’s Friday” — THIS is how I’m going to reply, right now:
Thanks, but no thanks. And, I would like to take this opportunity to change that TGIF to something else. How about these, instead?
Try Groaning, It’s Friday.
Try Griping, It’s Friday.
Try Grinning, It’s Friday.
Try Gratitude, It’s Friday.
Try Growing, It’s Friday.
I’ll probably do all of the above, at some point during today. And that’s fine, because those are all better than guilt.
I don’t know about you, but I feel better now.
What’s missing, before I end this post? A picture, of course! Haven’t you been paying attention???
(As I mentioned at the top of my post, I’m starting out this morning annoyed. And when I’m annoyed, I tend to get pissed off at certain things, including my sense that people aren’t paying attention. So don’t take it personally. It’s not you. It’s me.)
So where was I, before that digression in the parentheses?
Oh, yes. A picture. Let’s see what I have, on my iPhone ….
Here’s a photo I took yesterday, of something I have in my office:
It’s a gift I got, around this time last year– an action figure of one of my heroes, Carl Jung. I took that photo, yesterday, because I thought I might want to use it in today’s post.
I was right!* So let’s end with this one:
Try Goofiness, It’s Friday.
Gotta run! Thanks for reading, today.
________________________________
* I’m a good guesser. Here’s another guess of mine: I’m not going to be the only one who uses this title for a blog post today.
Yesterday, I posted about things that won’t kill me, and people seemed to enjoy that.
I guess that proves that people are glad to hear that I’m pretty safe. Also, I assume that people were glad to hear they had a good chance to survive the near future, also.
After I posted yesterday, I thought of lots more examples of things that won’t kill me (despite any fears to the contrary). So without further ado …
More Things That Won’t Kill Me*
by Ann
Being late with a bill payment.
Losing a glove (or hat, umbrella, or other protection from inclement weather).
Saying “no” to an invitation.
Running out of gas.
Losing a cell phone.
Forgetting to take my medication.
Taking my medication.
Mispronouncing, misspelling, or forgetting somebody’s name.
Somebody mispronouncing, misspelling, or forgetting my name.
Breaking unwritten rules.
Breaking written rules.
Taking a bad picture.
Asking for what I want (even if I don’t get it).
The word “love.”
Hurting somebody.
Being hurt.
Writing something mediocre.
Gaining weight.
Goodbyes.
Getting stuck in traffic.
Getting lost.
Having to wait.
Keeping somebody else waiting.
Bugs.
Not knowing the answer to a question.
A bad hair day.
Feeling over-confident.
Feeling under-confident.
Saying too much.
Saying too little.
Saying the wrong thing.
Repeating myself.
Getting too much attention.
Getting too little attention.
Getting older.
Again, some of those (especially that last one) might kill me, but not today.
Did you notice that sometimes I worry about the dire effects of opposite things? For example, #27/#28, #29/#30, #33/#34. That doesn’t really make sense, does it? I might as well skip those things, entirely.
Here’s another example of that: Yesterday, being late appeared on the list (which was especially appreciated by my faithful reader elizabeth2560) (and check out her comment, at the end of yesterday’s post, for some very good news about being late). However, sometimes I also worry about being TOO EARLY. And being early won’t kill me, either, which is good, because I’m going to publish this post much earlier than unusual (for reasons relating to my work schedule tomorrow).
So I would like to put this post and myself to bed, but I haven’t included an image yet. While that won’t kill me, either, I LIKE including photos in these posts.
So let’s see what’s on my trusty iPhone ….
Aha! Yet another thing that won’t kill me (or anybody else**):
Dust.
Thanks to elizabeth2560, those who are early and those who are late, neat and messy people everywhere, and to you — of course!! — for reading today.
* Unlike yesterday’s list, there are no links to previous blog posts, which won’t … well, you know.
** I actually did some fact-checking for this claim, and here it is.
(Note: I’ve linked everything on that list to a past post. Because I had so many choices and so little time, I may have made some mistakes. However, see #6, above.)
Obviously, that’s a partial list. However, I need to stop the list. (Setting limits won’t kill me either, apparently.)
Now, you might argue that some of the things on that list MIGHT kill me. Just to quell those disagreements (although disagreements are another thing that won’t kill me), let me change the title of the list to this:
Things That Won’t Kill Me, Today
Does anybody still want to argue?
Before I end this post, I would like to add one more thing to that list:
Compliments.
Why am I adding that to the list, now? Because I have new and exciting proof of the non-deadly-ness of compliments; namely, all the positive feedback I’ve been getting here.
Also, by adding “compliments,” I can introduce some photos I took yesterday, on my walk after work, past a construction site I pass all the time.
As I took those photos, I thought, “These words apply to a lot of people I know.”
Anybody want to own those for themselves, now?
After all, it won’t kill you.
Thanks to everybody who is still surviving (despite all the things that could kill us), including all of my wonderful readers today.
It’s helpful to focus on the present, letting go of regrets about the past (which we cannot change) and worries about the future (which we cannot control).
However, humans look into the future, as a way to prepare.
During certain times of the year, preparation seems more important. For example, if it’s cold and dark outside and we don’t prepare for that before we go out … we might be sorry. (I considered writing “WE MIGHT DIE!!!!”, but I didn’t want to alarm anybody.)
Also, during the Christmas season, people prepare in many different ways. They buy gifts. They often prepare to connect with family and friends.
I don’t know about you, but preparation can make me anxious. Why? Oh, probably because I think I need to do a great job at everything or …. dire results may occur. (I doubt that buying a bad gift will actually kill me, but who knows?)
Anyway, I got a little lost in my own catastrophizing there.
So what were my points, for this post today?
People worry about the future. It’s human. And certain situations increase our worry.
Agreed?
Speaking for myself, I am definitely thinking about next week, with some expectations and feelings. I’m wondering if any of you share that experience with me.
If so, I have some news about next week. Next week is going to be unlike any week we’ve ever experienced before.
Now, this may sound like fortune-telling, but I have proof. Yesterday, at work, I was talking to a doctor in her office, and she suddenly said, “Look! I’ve never seen THAT before.”
And she pointed at the calendar, on her desk. Here’s a picture of it:
I’ve never seen that before, either. And, I’m not sure how to interpret this data.
Maybe, if the 16th doesn’t go well for people, we get a “do-over” the next day.
So you may want to prepare for that.
Thanks to all the doctors I work with (for their vision and foresight), people preparing everywhere, and to you — of course!! — for reading today.
Yesterday, which was Saturday, I spent most of the day “doing nothing.”
And, yes, I had some judgment about that.
Isn’t that amazing? It’s friggin’ Day Three Hundred and Forty-Two in this Year of Living Non-Judgmentally, and I am STILL judging myself, when I have a day like that.
Geesh!
If I am still judging myself for such things, after so many days of working so hard on letting go of judgment, including writing a post EVERY FRIGGIN’ DAY in service of that, IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ME?
IS THERE?
Well, yes. I believe there is.
Why do I believe that? Lots of reasons, including:
I know that I will continue to judge, because judging is human.
Every day, I learn more about forgiving myself for that, and letting go of judgment (including judgment about my judgment).
I know that I’m not alone, in all of this.
Now that I have hope, I can move forward with this post.
So! Here’s how I spent my day yesterday, after writing my blog post in the morning:
I spent a lot of time online, reading other people’s words and checking to see if other people were reading my words.
I watched the very popular movie “The Avengers,” which is currently available to stream on Netflix.
My bf Michael and I walked to a nearby Indian Restaurant, to pick up some food.
Michael and I watched the highly recommended movie, “Shall We Dance,” which is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Inspired by that movie, we practiced Argentine Tango, for approximately three minutes.
I wrote somebody an email regarding ideas for Christmas presents and did a little research about those, for approximately five minutes.
Hmmm. Now that I’ve written that list, and I’ve gone back to re-read the beginning of this post, I realize this: I did NOT do nothing yesterday. I did, at least, eight things (including writing yesterday’s post).
Actually, I can add a 9th thing to that list, of things I did yesterday:
I thought about what I was NOT doing, which included:
Exercising more.
Getting out more.
Doing more, regarding Christmas shopping.
Finishing work I needed to bring home, which is due on Monday.
Here’s the deal, people: Whatever we choose to do, there are infinite things we are NOT doing. Infinite. That is NOT an exaggeration.
Therefore, I will spare you the complete list of What I Did Not Do, Yesterday.
When I came up with the title for this post, this morning, I was intending to write about something else (my lack of action, so far, in getting a sleep study, and how I plan to take the next step, regarding that).
I’ve decided not to write about that, today.
So I can add What I Did Not Write About Today to the list of Things I Am Not Doing Today. A list which will be infinite, as I hope I have proven, this fine morning.
So what should I do with THAT infinite list?
I choose to throw it away, in this magic wastepaper basket:
Feel free to throw away anything you aren’t finding useful, too.
Thanks to my old friend Peter (for recommending “Shall We Dance?”), IMDb, Netflix (even though I’m mad at them), magic wastepaper baskets, list-makers everywhere, those who are doing nothing and moving forward, and to you — especially — for reading today.
It’s the first day of December, which is the last month of the calendar I use.*
When I started this blog on January 1, 2013, I committed to blogging once daily for one year.
In my life, I am going through some endings (as we all do, all the time, of various sizes and importance).
I do group and individual therapy, so closure is my bread and butter.**
I just got lost in my own asterisks, at the end of this post. So, where was I?
Oh, yes. Closure.
What do I want to tell you about closure, today?
Closure is important, in order to move on.
There is no right or wrong way to do closure.
Closure is challenging, because it brings up old closures, which often relate to losses.
I like to use the term “ending the chapter”, when I talk to people about closure. Somebody, in my office, recently said that in their culture, they use the term “putting the period on the end of the sentence.” I like that, too.
Here are the punchlines of this post:
I want to put closure on The Year of Living Non-Judgmentally, in a way that honors my original commitment and intent.
However, I (selfishly) want to keep blogging every day. it helps me, tremendously.
So this is my commitment, for the month of December:
I will figure out a way, that’s good enough, to “put the period on the sentence” and “end the chapter” of this Blogging Year.
This will allow me to honor the old and embrace the new, as I move into my next phase of writing here (whatever that may be).
Closure.
Speaking of closure, something feels unfinished to me, here. What’s missing? Something besides all these words, words, words.
I need a picture, people.
I will now check that place I keep my photos, my calendar, and way too many other things (my smart phone, of course).
Hmmmmmmm ….. Voila!
It’s the dawn of a new day, looking back from where I live.
That’ll do.
Thanks to those who look back and forwards, smart phones and people everywhere, and to you — of course! — for reading today.
__________________
* Although, that’s not really true, since the calendar I use most frequently is on my smart phone. And while there’s a lot that confuses me about that calendar, I do know that there is neither ending nor beginning there.
Last night, I went for a walk with my boyfriend, Michael.
Michael and I talk a lot while we walk around and look at our surroundings.
To me, this is proof that
We both are quite coordinated.
We both have interesting things to say.
Here’s something we talked about last night:
How dread of something is worse than the reality.
We both had plenty of examples to support that thesis.
Last night, one proof of that theory was this:
It was friggin’ cold outside.
And if you have read many of my blog posts, you know how I feel about THAT. My posts show that I have been dreading the advent of the cold since ….. hmmmmm …… SEPTEMBER?
That’s right. And now that it’s almost December (tomorrow is December 1), that means that I have been dreading the cold for three months.
A quarter of the year. That’s a full season, right there.
I’ve been having a season of dread — the season of MY discontent.*
Now, the cold is here, and I am experiencing RELIEF.
Why? A lot of my dread is based on false assumptions.
During my season of dread, I was assuming that once the weather turned cold:
I would stay indoors all the time,
I wouldn’t go on walks, and
I wouldn’t see beauty around me.
Not true.
I was amazed to remember and realize, last night, that I still go on walks during the winter, probably as much as I do any other time of the year.
I had forgotten about that, during my season of dread.
I had forgotten about that, even though:
have a very good memory** and
I have lived through many cold winters.
However, during my season of dread, I still forgot these important facts.
I believe this proves that dread is NOT good for the memory. I hope I remember better, next year (whatever I name that year).
As usual, I want to end this post with some images. However, I didn’t take any photos last night. (I guess the conversation was too interesting.) (Or, I’m not THAT coordinated.) Therefore, I will turn to Google, for some images of the kind of beauty we saw last night (and which I expect to see more of, soon):
****
*****
And while we didn’t see anything quite as amazing as this:
******
… I think that captures my feelings, right now.
Thanks to William Shakespeare, those who dread, those who wonder, and — of course! — those who read this blog.
____________________
* This is a reference to Shakespeare’s Richard III, He, apparently, had opinions about the seasons, too.
** I know this is bragging, but Lumosity tells me that I am in the 99.9th percentile in memory, not only compared to my age group, but to EVERY OTHER FRIGGIN’ AGE GROUP.***
The title of this post refers to Thanksgivukkah* — which is both Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah.
In case you haven’t heard, both of these holidays occurring on the same day is verrry unusual.
Just now, I did a Google Image search on “Thanksgivukkah” and found lots and lots of treasures.
And, did you guess? I’m going to share some of those with you, now, along with some of my thoughts. And as I like to tell people, “We’re all human, so our thoughts can go lots of different places.”
*
There we go! It’s the title of my post AND the date. I like starting out with “just the facts.”
**
Isn’t that cute? Here are some other thoughts I have about that photo:
That baby looks very happy.
Am I the only one who is thinking “Boy, this sure points out that this baby is going to die!”
What’s the expression on that turkey’s face?
Does he know his tail is on fire?
***
My thoughts:
Wow! Does this mean this once-in-a-lifetime holiday has made it to the cover of The New Yorker?
Wait. No, it doesn’t.
I guess this proves that I should start reading the New Yorker again, so I don’t make mistakes like that.
Does that turkey know his tail is on fire?
****
Speaking of my mistakes, this t-shirt illustrates a mistake I made about Thanksgivikkuh (in addition to misspelling it) yesterday. I assumed that Thanksgivvikuh occurs once every 70,0000 years. Nope! It occurred 125 years ago, the last time — in 1888. The 70,000 year-gap applies to the NEXT time it comes around.
Some thoughts:
I wonder how they celebrated it in 1888?
I’m pretty sure it didn’t involve t-shirts.
Or the New Yorker.
The guy wearing that t-shirt is expressing an interesting hope about his future.
I wonder when Thanksgivvikuh will fall next? 81,181? 160,099? Or a different year entirely?
Whenever it is, will that guy be seeing me then, too?
The Jewish Calendar makes no friggin’ sense.
Hmmmmm. Since that last photo involved some math, this post is taking longer than I expected.
Maybe I should wrap this up. I want to celebrate my only chance at this once-in-a-lifetime event.
But there are soooo many images, out there.
How about this? I’ll show you some more, and you can supply your own thoughts:
*****
******
*******
********
**********
***********
***********
I especially like that last image, because now I know I’m not alone in my spelling mistakes.
In my image search, I also ran across some videos, and I want to to include one. It’s difficult to choose, but here it is, from my home town (and thanksgivukkahboston.com):
Before I end this post, just one more thing.
My title — A Once in a Lifetime Day — doesn’t just apply to today.
It applies to all our days.
I give many thanks today, for my family, for my friends, for my home, and for all my readers.
___________________________
* I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
** I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
*** I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
**** I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
***** I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
****** I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
******* I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
******** I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
********* I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
********** I found this image here, for which I give thanks.
*********** I found this image here, for which I give …. you know.
