Posts Tagged With: Brassica Kitchen

Day 4919: Fictional Characters

As I have pondered my own identity, I’ve often thought about fictional characters I’ve loved.

For example, I’ve so identified with the fictional character Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice that I:

  • read the book multiple times,
  • wrote my undergraduate thesis about the novels of Jane Austen,
  • enjoyed all the depictions of her in film and TV adaptation, and
  • as recently as yesterday thought again about how Elizabeth cares not about her appearance when she walks to see her sister Jane who has taken ill on a visit to the Bingleys. Here is a passage about how the snobbish Bingley sisters see Elizabeth.

When dinner was over she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no taste, no beauty. Mrs. Hurst thought the same, and added — 

   “She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild.” 

   “She did indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance. Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair, so untidy, so blowsy!” 

   “Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain; and the gown which had been let down to hide it, not doing its office.”

.

I thought of that yesterday because I ended up six inches deep in mud on my walk and cared not for my appearance.

.

I also identify with the fictional character Indiana Jones, specifically this quote:

.

Making this up as I go, I asked a question last night about fictional characters on Twitter.

.

Do you see any fictional characters in my other images for today?

.

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

.

Thanks to all the fictional and non-fictional characters who help me create this daily blog, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Day 4891: The Things You Think Are Useless I Can’t Understand

“The things you think are useless I can’t understand” is a line from an early Steely Dan song.

.

I think about this line a lot because so many people seem to think that

  • empathy,
  • justice,
  • kindness,
  • logic,
  • diversity,
  • intelligence,
  • compassion,
  • speaking up,
  • integrity,
  • curiosity, and
  • openness

are useless, and I can’t understand.

I hope the things you think are useless don’t include today’s blog.

.

As always, thanks for your understanding!

Categories: Music, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Day 4842: Predictions

Because there are so many negative predictions about the future, I saw a psychic in Salem yesterday. Her predictions included the following:

  • I will travel to Europe.
  • It will be a safe journey.
  • My health will be good.
  • I will live many more years.
  • People will love my positive music if I work on it and stop having so much self doubt.
  • People at the hospital where I work will continue to like me very much.
  • I shouldn’t work so hard.
  • My husband (who is “a very good guy”) will continue to care about me.
  • Things in the USA will get better over the next year.

I like predictions like those.

Is anyone making predictions that there will be many interesting images in my blog post today?

This is Lori Bruno, the psychic who made all the great predictions.

.

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

.

Anyone making predictions about how I’ll end this post?

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Day 4821: Reframing

As I’m reframing my intentions for today’s blog post, here’s a definition of “reframing”:

.

Yesterday, I was working on reframing this old narrative of mine: When I put myself out there in a new and confident way, disaster results. The “evidence” I have for this old story includes:

  • Feeling happy, powerful, and confident at age 7; soon after spending years of emotional and physical pain in hospitals because of my rare heart condition.
  • Confidently sharing my song Everybody’s Somebody’s Asshole with strangers on a trip to Georgia; the next day landing on the hospital with a mini-stroke/TIA.
  • Feeling happy about my upcoming appearance on the podcast Therapist Uncensored; my next INR blood reading being inexplicably and dangerously low.

I work on reframing unhelpful, obsolete, and inaccurate narratives with myself and with my patients in therapy. These old narrative can be very sticky, so reframing can be a life-long practice.

Do you see reframing in my images for today?

.

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

.

Thanks to all who are here for my daily reframing, including YOU!

Categories: heart condition, original song, personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Day 4793: Groups

If you are part of the group of people who often read this blog, you know that I love my job working with groups.

Even on a weekend or vacation, I think about groups. I notice how people join groups, negotiate groups, replicate old family patterns in groups, leave groups, and change in groups. I notice that some groups are toxic and others promote healing. I realize that there are certain roles that exist in groups (like problem solver, rebel, peacemaker, outsider) and that if one person is not taking a role, another one will.

What groups do you see in my images for today?

.

Here’s what I find when I look for groups on YouTube:

.

Now, would you consider joining the group of people who comment on my blog?

Thanks to all who are part of my groups, including YOU!

Categories: group dynamics, group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Day 4779: Powerful

I saw this powerful pronouncement at the supermarket yesterday:

.

While this was an attempt by a powerful corporation to sell a product …

.

… I choose to take it as a powerful reminder that I am powerful. And I need to use what power I have to help remove powerful and awful people from their positions of power.

What is the most powerful image in my blog today?

.

There are several powerful observances on the list today. I love that powerful resistance is manifesting in Texas on Texas Day.

.

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

.

Thanks to all the powerful people who are here for this powerful post, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Day 4748: A New Year

It’s a new year and I’ve already gotten locked out of this blogging place simply because I tried to like somebody else’s post.

It’s a new year and my friend and fellow blogger Chris has posted for the first time in months. Yay!

It’s a new year and these are these images I choose to share with you today.

In a new year, Jeanette, Janet, Ray, and I will be planning the perfect Spain vacation.
In a new year, Michael and I will return to our favorite restaurant, Brassica Kitchen.
In the new year, I hope more people will be abandoning Trump.

.

It’s a new year and I plan to listen to more music by Bill Wurtz, who my son Aaron introduced me to last night.

.

It’s a new year and I plan to keep on keeping on even when I’m scared.

Thanks to all who are still here in a new year, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Day 4737: Choices

Yesterday, I made many choices while using GarageBand to record my new “Holiday Song.” So far, my choices include a vocal track and a ukulele track. Today, I’ll make other choices to create other tracks before I release the single.

One of my choices yesterday was to perform the song and post it on TikTok:

.

I hope people’s choices include sharing that song as best they can, because it supports whatever choices people make about holidays.

In the evening, I ran into my dear friend Barbara’s dear friend Amy because we had both made similar choices about where to dine, which was my favorite restaurant, Brassica Kitchen. Every day, Amy makes the choice to read this blog, so Hello, Amy!!!

What choices do you notice in my images for today?

I am making the choice of captioning my food photos today in honor of Amy. This is a hamachi crudo.
Dried beef dumplings.
Usually we don’t have the choice of ordering grouper and this brand new dish was soooo delish!
Mussels!
Duck with béarnaise sauce, Michael’s favorite.
Amy’s choices and our choices for dinner differed because she doesn’t like flan.

.

My reading and TV-watching choices lately have included the author and activist Lindy West:

.

Thanks to all whose choices include visiting this blog, including YOU!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Day 4688: Favorite memories

My memory tells me that studies indicate that we are constantly changing our memories when we access them but I still enjoy many favorite memories.

I’ve spent almost a dozen years sharing favorite memories here every day so why not share some more today?

.

One of my favorite memories is performing my original songs at the Lilypad on June 1, 2024.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2jquX5MTakvlpm5zw7Lzfh?si=RWOyDYTETvKC6Jv4l4yL0Q

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-singing-therapist-live-at-the-lilypad/1832060396

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_my0XosIEWOgSc6rqaL2UwcFyeGTTzQ-Q8&si=AlwNqqSSViqnnCIj

.

Thanks to all who help me create favorite memories, including YOU!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Day 4667: Community

Since I joined the blogging community 14 years ago, I’ve writing several blog posts about community, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever shared this definition.

.

Community has been life-sustaining for me, from the hospital community that helped me and my parents go through my childhood cardiac issues, through my communities of friends and neighbors, to my work communities where I have built healing communities of therapy groups.

What communities do you see in my photos for today?

I went to my community Urgent Care clinic to investigate my oddly blue finger.
I actually proposed this theory to the perplexed community doctor.
I enjoy seeing the community of humans and animals at pet stores.
Phyllis and Brian are now part of my community of neighbors, friends, and fans because I sang “Everybody’s Somebody’s Asshole” for them!
Joan loves to go outside and explore our community.
I saw this written on a wall in the community where we find my favorite restaurant, Brassica Kitchen.
Brassica has just moved to a new location in the same community.
My husband and I are honored to be part of the community of Brassica’s friends and family.
Josh, who is an amazing server AND an artist, is part of the wonderful Brassica community.
We took a photo to show our membership in the Brassica community.
Every night, I ask a question for my Twitter community.
Every day, I share holidays and observances with this community and others.

.

Today, on October 12, I am going to join the community of people bereaved by the loss of beloved group leader and teacher Eleanor Counselman in a memorial service.

Here’s Eleanor addressing a community of group therapists.

.

What are your thoughts and feelings about community?

Thanks to all the people in my community, including YOU.

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Powered by WordPress.com.