Posts Tagged With: Belmont Massachusetts

Day 3785: What makes me happy

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Ann Koplow

What makes me happy includes

my family,
getting to do work I love,
living near the water,
being healthy and pain-free at my age, and
friends like Barbara.

Yesterday, it made me happy to spend the day with Barbara in my old stomping grounds of Belmont, Massachusetts. Barbara and I shared what makes us happy — including our both making it to age 70, realizing it’s okay for us to coast after working so hard in our lives, and appreciating that we are both in each other’s inner circle of important connections after over 65 years of friendship!

Can you see what makes me happy in my other images for today?

Migratory birds make me happy, including snowy egrets.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “what makes me happy.”

What makes you happy?

Thanks to all those who make me happy, including YOU!

Categories: friendship, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: age, “What Makes You Happy: 0 - 100”, Belmont Massachusetts, International Migratory Bird Day, May 13 2023, pets, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, Westcott Mercantile | 12 Comments

Day 3129: Be a Good Human

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, while I was trying to be a good human on National Ice Cream Sundae Day, I saw this in our old neighborhood of Belmont:

It struck me that the sellers of those signs believed that I would be a good human, because their outdoor display depended entirely on the honor system.

What do you think it takes to be a good human? Do you see any evidence of that in my other images from yesterday?

On National All or Nothing Day, here’s a great song about how to be a good human from the musical “Catch Me If You Can.”

Because I’m a good human, I’m also going to share the wonderful dancing from “Don’t Break the Rules.”

I try to be a good human every day by expressing my thanks and appreciation for all good humans everywhere, including YOU!

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “Don’t Break the Rules”, Belmont Massachusetts, Catch Me If You Can, David Letterman Show, Norbert Leo Butz, rancatore's ice cream, Signs of Hope, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 14 Comments

Day 2479: What I’m letting in

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Ann Koplow

I’ve been letting in my readers on my process of writing a new original song with the title “What’s Keeping Me Up Is What’s Going Down.”

I’m letting in additions to that song, like this:

What’s freaking me out is what I’m letting in.
I see no good reason to be wearing a grin.
Noises begin and reach a painful din.
What’s freaking me out is what I’m letting in.

© Ann Koplow, 2019

What I’m letting in, here and now, includes all these images from yesterday:

I’m letting in

the good news that my INR is a perfect 3.0,
the unusual structures of some hearts,
more love,
the challenges of being an adult,
hope,
pickleball paddles,
global warming,
my poor penmanship,
animals,
dirt cake, and
the reality that Michael mistakenly set the alarm for 8 PM, so I need to run to get to work on time.

I’m letting in “I’m Letting in the Sunshine” by Piney Gir:

What are you letting in? I hope you have room to let in my gratitude to you and to all who help me create these posts.

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "I'm Letting in the Sunshine", Belmont Massachusetts, Champions Sporting Goods, global warming, gratitude, greeting cards, hope, INR, Piney Gir | 25 Comments

Day 2442: Learning how to be brave

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, when I was brave enough to visit the Broken Tail Rescue cat adoption center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I noticed this description of two of the kitties there:

Luna is learning how to be brave by following her brother’s lead, says the description.

I think Luna is learning a lot — she’s up front and seems fearless. I also think her brother, Ray, is learning from her.

I’ve been learning how to be brave my whole life, which I’ll be describing in a 5-minute talk at my 45th college reunion in two weeks. Learning how to be brave includes:

following good role models,
feeling the fear and doing it anyway,
letting go of harsh judgments,
having faith in your process,
accepting all your feelings,
being kind to yourself and others,
carrying supportive people in your heart and mind,
committing to the here and now,
learning from everything, and
telling your story authentically.

I’ll be using those “Learning how to be brave” guidelines when I’m bravely telling my story authentically in front of hundreds of people, soon.

I was learning how to be brave when I took these other photos yesterday:

Harley is learning to be brave by being up off the floor.

What can we learn from Harry Potter: How to be Brave?

How are you learning to be brave?

Thanks to all the brave and learning ones who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — to you, my brave reader.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Harry Potter: How to be Brave, being in the here and now, Belmont Massachusetts, BlueQ socks, bravery, Broken tail rescue, Fresh Pond Shopping Center, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Monarch butterflies, pangolins, the South Shore of Boston | 25 Comments

Day 2400: Girls never quit

Posted on July 28, 2019 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, after spending time with a wise girl in her 70s who just won’t quit and who recently received a new diagnosis of a chronic illness, I saw this:

The girl writing this blog will never quit

appreciating others,
observing,
stopping to smell the flowers,
healing,
hoping,
loving,
connecting,
renewing,
revealing,
looking for the beauty in every moment,
knowing that life is good,
putting herself out there,
believing in the power of groups, and
taking pictures.

Those last three photos show my boyfriend who won’t quit until he dismantles and gets rid of that hot tub.

This girl never quits looking for videos that won’t quit, like this one by a girl who never gives up:

I hope you never quit accepting all your feelings, which you are welcome to express in a comment, below.

This girl never quits expressing gratitude, so thanks to all who help me continue creating this blog and — of course! — to YOU.

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Belmont Massachusetts, dismantling a hot tub, Edinburgh Free Fringe 2019, gratitude, Group Therapy with Ann, living with chronic illness, Never Give Up, Newton Massachusetts, Sia, South Shore of Boston | 22 Comments

Day 2379: Weirdness

Posted on July 7, 2019 by Ann Koplow

When I search for “weirdness” in this blog, Weird WordPress tells me that weirdness exists in 2 out of my 2378-odd posts, a weirdness percentage of only 0.08%.

Since I look for weirdness (in addition to looking for love), I would have expected a much higher weirdness percentage. Nevertheless, as always, the weirdness in me honors the weirdness in you.

Today, we’re looking for love AND weirdness in my photos from yesterday.

I took that last photo because of this weirdness:

“Narcissist Foundation Stick” and
Mascara is listed under “face” instead of “eyes.”

And is non-vegan arugula even a thing? Weirdness.

Here’s “AMAZING VIDEO WEIRDNESS” compiled by CDTcrew.

Here’s some weirdness from the comments for that video:

christian style swag on god
5 years ago
This video is the reason I haven’t killed myself yet.

Anton Sinner
5 years ago
You’re doing god’s work.

Guetto Con Botas
6 years ago
Like if U are a disco dancer (Y)

gred cz
6 years ago
80s and 90s were awesome…i want them back…

Daniel Etheridge
6 years ago
Thats enough internet for today.

Moshugaani
7 years ago
To think of all the phantastical things contained on this Earth…

VideoVast
7 years ago
No one brought me here

I’m looking forward to the weirdness in your comments.

I’m very grateful for the weirdness in me and in others (including YOU).

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Abraham Lincoln Quote, acceptance, Belmont Massachusetts, CDTcrew, Euripides, Liam Linisong, Marilyn Monroe, Mark Twain quote, The First Church in Belmont, W3LL PEOPLE, Whole Foods Market | 22 Comments

Day 2344: The goods

Posted on June 2, 2019 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, as I was looking for

a good haircut,
good people,
good conversation,
good animals,
good gifts,
good places to hang,
good books,
good reflections,
good walks,
good advice,
good neighbors,
good memories,
good homes,
good puns,
good food,
good weather,
good material for this blog,
and other goods,

I encountered the word “good” (and other good words) several times. Can you find the goods in the good amount of photos that I took yesterday?

Did you spot the goods?

Good people who have been reading this blog for a good many years might have recognized our good neighbor Karen and her good dog, Faxy, among all the other good images.

Also, I took two good shots of this good mural …

… during a good walk through the good Neponset River Reservation because my good son and good boyfriend were trying to guess what was on the missing panel (in the upper left corner next to the good bee). What would be your good guess?

What would be a good song to include in this post?

Gratitude is always good, so thanks to all who helped me create today’s good enough blog post and — of course! — to YOU, my good readers.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Good Vibrations", Belmont Books, Belmont Massachusetts, Carlos Ruiz Zafón quote, Corrie Ten Boom quote, Dr. Seuss, MiAlisa Salon, Neponset River Reservation, PetSmart, The Beach Boys, Tony's Clam Shoppe | 30 Comments

Day 2184: What’s going on

Posted on December 24, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, when I was going on with my son to buy last-minute Christmas presents and cat food, this sign was going on inside the Fresh Pond PetSmart in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA:

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What’s going on with you, dear readers?

Could it be the holidays?

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What’s going on in my other photos from yesterday?

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What’s going on as I end up this Christmas Eve post, with happiness about my almost six years of blogging about what’s going on?

Animals singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” ….

… and lots of gratitude to all who help me capture what’s going on in these daily posts and — of course! — YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: 12 Days of Christmas, Belmont Massachusetts, Cambridge Massachusetts, Christmas Eve 2018, PetSmart, rancatore's ice cream, refrigerator chess, Talking Animals, Terra Firma, Trader Joe's | 32 Comments

Day 1812: Not a fan

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Ann Koplow

I am not a fan of

traffic,
filling out forms,
loud noises,
the cold,
the dark,
cages,
cubicles,
the new U.S. tax bill,
people who abuse power,
worry,
loneliness,
illness,
poverty,
war, and
harsh judgments.

I am a fan of

family,
friends,
cats,
chocolate,
cheese,
peace,
kindness,
comedy,
colors,
warmth,
light,
windows,
freedom,
walking,
blogging,
visiting old familiar places, and
sharing photos.

Are you not a fan of any of those photos? Are you not a fan of this song by Ben Folds?

I am a fan of

comments (whether you are or are not a fan) and
expressing my thanks to all who help me create these posts and — of course! — to you.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Not a Fan", Belmont Massachusetts, Ben Folds, Broken tail rescue, Cambridge Massachusetts, Christmas lights, Elf on the Shelf, Mensch on the Bench, Ted Kooser, U.S. Tax Bill, Whole Foods Market | 32 Comments

Day 1513: What’s in your heart?

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Ann Koplow

What’s in your heart as you’re reading this?

What’s in my heart as I’m writing this?

Love.
Hope.
Fear.
Acceptance.
Anticipation.
Curiosity.
Blood.
Muscle.
A mechanical valve.
Wires from a 1966 cardiac pacemaker.
Wires from a 1987 cardiac pacemaker.
Arteries.
Veins.
Everything I experienced yesterday, including this big heart in the heart of Belmont, Massachusetts: