life in the USA

Day 4801: Anxiety

Posted on February 23, 2026 by Ann Koplow

I’m experiencing anxiety about today’s “massive” nor’easter, the massive damage being done to my country by the current administration, and my non-massive music career.

Like any other mother, I have felt some anxiety about my child. Thankfully, I’m not feeling any anxiety about him today — his 28th birthday. I also have no anxiety about continuing my tradition of posting this old video of his on February 23.

Do you have any anxiety about my images for today?

Here’s a song I wrote about anxiety:

Thanks to all who help me deal with my anxiety, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: February 23 2026, February 23 blizzard, key aspects of anxiety, quotes about anxiety, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The Misheard Lyrics of "Louie Louie", Twitter and Bluesky, veggie burger and bean salad, what makes people anxious | 17 Comments

Day 4790: Jobs

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Ann Koplow

My jobs include group therapist, individual therapist, mother, singer/songwriter, blogger, and political activist.

What jobs do you see in my images for today?

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

I’m grateful that my blogging job includes watching and sharing videos every day.

Thanks to all who are here for this jobs report, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: American Chop Suey, Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeon, February 12 2026, Fredrik Fornes TED talk, How to land a job and master corporate bs, ideal jobs, Massachusetts research cuts, South Huntington St in Boston, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter and Bluesky | 5 Comments

Day 4789: Extraterrestrials

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Because yesterday was Extraterrestrial Culture Day AND Extraterrestrial Visitor Day, I asked people what their thoughts were about extraterrestrials. This was my favorite answer:

One of my group members says he thinks I am an extraterrestrial because of the weird clicking noises I hear whenever I speak. Tomorrow I am seeing yet another terrestrial expert, hoping to get rid of those extra noises.

Do you see extraterrestrials in my other images for today?

Here’s what I find when I search for extraterrestrials on YouTube.

Thanks to all the terrestrials who are here for this extraterrestrials post, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, Don’t Be Afraid of Messaging Extraterrestrial, Douglas Vakoch Ted Talk, Extraterrestrial Culture Day, humans, my daily dose of vitamin K, predators, salmon dish, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 5 Comments

Day 4782: Mind reading

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Mind reading is one of the most common cognitive distortions.

This morning, I had a conversation with ChatGPT about some mind reading I’ve been doing.

Do you see mind reading in my other images for today?

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

Is anyone mind reading me right now?

Categories: cognitive behavioral therapy, life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: ChatGPT, February 4 2026, healthy meals, pets, Steiff puppets, TED Talk by Chin-Teng Lin, The Mind-reading Potential of AI, Twitter and Bluesky, whose mind would you like to read? | 7 Comments

Day 4777: Curmudgeons

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Ann Koplow

It’s hard not to be a curmudgeon during these dark days of cold and ICE.

I’m especially an old curmudgeon and I’ll be older very soon, on Groundhog’s Day.

Do you see curmudgeons in my images for today?

Here’s the new protest song from that wonderful curmudgeon Bruce Springsteen.

Thanks to all who help me feel less like curmudgeon during these dark times, including YOU.

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “The Streets of Minneapolis”, Bruce Springsteen protest song, Dr Tsay acupuncturist, emotion wheel, favorite curmudgeons, January 30 2026, Phillips Candy, strikes, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter and Bluesky | 8 Comments

Day 4776: Creepy

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Ann Koplow

I hope people don’t mind if my blog post is creepy today.

Is it creepy to be a curmudgeon on National Curmudgeons Day?

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

Stephen Miller was creepy even when he was young.

It’s creepy that I can’t find the creepy footage of creepy Stephen Miller refusing to leave the podium after his high school speech, disrupting the speech of the young woman who is next.

We are living through very creepy times, when creeps like Stephen Miller have so much power.

Thanks to all the non-creeps who for this creepy post, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Charles Gould, Curmudgeons Day, January 29 2026, Lessons from a terrified horror researcher, Stephen Miller, Stephen Miller high school, TED talk by Mathias Clasen, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter and Bluesky | 11 Comments

Day 4772: The USA

Posted on January 25, 2026 by Ann Koplow

The USA is becoming more dangerous for more people, every day.

Last night I asked a question about what to do about the USA.

Let us bear witness to the horrific shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, USA — and the despicable response from the USA government — with the official statement from his family.

I captured these images in the USA yesterday before looking at the awful news.

On Opposite Day, I wish the USA government would do the opposite of what they’re doing now. In the meantime, we in the USA and around the world need to oppose them.

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

Thanks to all who help me deal with living in the USA, including YOU.

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: bearing witness, Boston mayor Michelle Wu, Comfort Kitchen, January 25 2026, krispykarim, Opposite Day, statement by Alex Pretti’s family, taking action, the killing of Alex Pretti, Twitter and Bluesky | 6 Comments

Day 4770: What’s wrong with people?

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Because I know people often focus on what’s wrong with people, I asked the members of my groups yesterday to do a mindfulness exercise where they focused on the positives about themselves.

Because of yesterday’s Daily Bitch calendar and because of the news, I asked “What’s wrong with people?” last night on social media.

What’s wrong with people who ask ChatGPT “what’s wrong with people?”

What’s wrong with people who share their daily experiences with others?

On National King Day, I’m wondering: What’s wrong with people who support and enable the current US president — a toxic narcissist who acts like he should be King?

Here’s what I find when I search YouTube for “what’s wrong with people?”

Here’s another part of Sebastian Maniscalco’s What’s Wrong With People?

Thanks to all who help me deal with what’s wrong with people, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, ChatGPT, coping and healing groups, January 23 2026, National King Day, Sebastian Maniscalco, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter and Bluesky, yesterday’s meals | 11 Comments

Day 4769: Come in from the cold

Posted on January 22, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Today is National Come in from the Cold Day.

I wish I lived in a nation where everybody could come in from the cold. Because of the cold people running this nation, it’s getting even more difficult to come in from the cold.

I hope this blogging space affords people an opportunity to come in from the cold.

Here’s what I find when I search for “come in from the cold” on YouTube.

Thanks to all who help me come in from the cold, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: awards, cats, Come in from the Cold Day, January 22 2026, Joni Mitchell, salmon dish, socks, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The Singing Therapist, Twitter and Bluesky | 10 Comments

Day 4766: Obligations

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Fulfilling my daily obligation of blogging for over thirteen years, I’m pretty sure I’ve written about obligations before.

Now I feel an obligation to check that out.

Yes! Here is a previous post on obligations, from my third year of blogging.

I feel an obligation to tell you to click on the link in the paragraph above if you want to access that blog post, which highlights a group therapy session. Another obligation I just fulfilled was checking my math to make sure that the post was really from my third year of blogging.

Obligations that take a moment to fulfill are very different than those that take hours. And because I’m very aware of my own mortality, I often consider getting out of those more time-consuming obligations. My sense of obligation is so strong, though, that I spend a lot of time going back on forth about what to do about those obligations.

What’s an obligated person to do? Happily fulfill my obligation of sharing today’s images.

Here’s an obligation I am honored to fulfill today — sharing this appearance of Dr. Martin Luther King on Meet the Press in 1965, which includes a discussion of moral obligations.

There is no obligation to comment on this blog post, but I hope you do.

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

Categories: definition, life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, different types of obligations, fish chowder, January 19 2026, Martin Luther King Day, Martin Luther King on Meet the Press, moral obligations, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter and Bluesky | 6 Comments