Today is the birthday of my ex-husband, Leon, and some people might think it peculiar that we are such good friends and that he reads my blog. He has a peculiar habit of sometimes looking at only the pictures so he might miss this: “Happy Birthday, Leon!”
What’s peculiar about the rest of my images for today?
Is that a peculiar way of managing stress?
Thanks to all who visit this peculiar blog, including YOU!
Our new cat, Joan, and our old cat, Harley, are getting more comfortable with each other.
That, and the fact that Joan’s skin problem is not dangerous and is resolving, makes me more comfortable.
I am very comfortable sharing my latest images with you.
I am comfortable telling you that 8/8/21 is also my 10th year work anniversary! I’m also comfortable telling you it’s my dream job, where I get to facilitate as many therapy groups as I want.
Do you feel comfortable celebrating this precious day with a dance?
I hope you’re comfortable leaving a comment, below.
As always, I’m comfortable expressing my gratitude to all who help me blog every day, including YOU!
Yesterday, in my Coping and Healing group, people spoke about doing things for the first time, like taking a trip alone.
Then, I noticed that my tweet about being blocked for the first time on Twitter got a kashmillion responses and hundreds of new followers, also for the first time.
Well, as my mother used to say, there’s a first time for everything.
What helps us deal with things we are encountering for the first time? Things that are new to us, even those things we might want, invariably cause some stress.
I hope you enjoy seeing these images for the first time.
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It’s not the first time I’ve shared “Ain’t That Peculiar” here and it’s probably not the last either!
Actually, it IS the first time I’ve seen and shared that fabulous video.
What are your thoughts and feelings about this first-time post?
For neither the first nor the last time, thanks to all who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.
Every morning, for me, includes searching for words for my daily blog post that are anti-stress. These searches help me face each new day, because it’s so difficult to find anti-stress words anywhere else.
Before I join my training group this morning on Developing Resilient Group Leadership (which will probably include some anti-stress word searches), let’s search for anti-stress words and images together.
Every day, I search for words, images, and also music that are anti-stress. If you search the words in this post, you’ll find this …
According to the Wikipedia page about “Ain’t That Peculiar,” the song is “about the torment of a painful relationship.”
The painful relationship I am most aware of — right now, in my life — is the relationship between me and
my fears,
doubts, and
too-harsh inner critic.
This is on my mind, at the moment, because one of my patients got turned down by an insurance company for long-term disability, even though she cannot work, due to her depression. I’ve heard that initial turn-downs are a matter-of-course, these days. I have to believe that our appeal will be successful. But I just found out, yesterday, that all her treaters, including me, have to submit all supporting arguments by this Friday, or her appeal will be denied.
Ain’t that peculiar? It is to me.
This situation affected my sleep last night. Right now, I am afraid that the other treaters (the medical doctor and the medication prescriber) might not be available to help me document our case well enough, before Friday.
Ain’t that peculiar? Both of them, most likely, will be able — and eager — to help. However, they haven’t responded to my email from yesterday yet, so I am expecting the worst.
Ain’t that peculiar?
The treater who prescribes the anti-depressant medication is somebody I know pretty well and respect a lot. When we first spoke about the disability turn-down, I discovered that we both, automatically, blamed ourselves, because we each felt our documenting notes could have been better.
Ain’t that peculiar? Anything anybody writes could be better, including medical notes. We are not to blame for the disability turn-down. We can (and will) provide more evidence. And we both hope we will do a good enough job, with the appeal.
I am really focusing, this morning, on worst-case scenarios, about this disability case. Therapists specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) might say that I’m catastrophizing about it. These therapists might say that I am blaming, minimizing/maximizing, negative filtering, fortune-telling, mind-reading, comparing, personalizing, name-calling, and experiencing every other CBT distortion on this list.
Ain’t that Peculiar? I AM a therapist who uses CBT in my work. And, there are many good things for me to focus on this morning, including:
More and more people coming to my therapy groups,
My patients expressing gratitude for what they are getting,
My feeling much healthier these days, after some scary medical experiences this year, and
Lots of positive and hopeful developments, in my personal and work life.
And yet, I am focusing, this morning, on worry about this woman and her getting turned down for an extension of her long-term disability, by an insurance company that might initially turn down most disability requests.
Ain’t That Peculiar?
Yesterday, besides thinking about these things, I also took several photos, which is not so peculiar.
Do you see any peculiarities here?
Last night, when my son and I were waiting for a stand-up comedy show to start, I showed him the photos I had taken that day. I asked him if he found anything peculiar about them. Some he did, some he didn’t.
Ain’t that peculiar?
Then, I took these photos:
At this point, I don’t even know what is and isn’t peculiar, myself. I just know I have to get ready for work.
Thanks to Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, people I work with, my son, Cheers, and to you — of course! — for any peculiarities you might bring with you, today.
NOTE added at 2 PM, the same day: I spoke with the insurance company and found out that I had been misinformed. We have more time to appeal. Ain’t that peculiar?
