Posts Tagged With: category theory

Day 4948: How Things Work

Posted on July 20, 2026 by Ann Koplow

As I’m writing this, I’m listening to a recording of my son giving a talk on how things work in category theory. I don’t understand how things work at that level of mathematics, but I do know how things work in comedy, and my son is actually getting laughs as well as enthusiastic applause.

This is how things work when you’re a parent: your child does things beyond your abilities of comprehension, so you may as well enjoy the ride.

You might know how things work in this blog: I introduce a theme and then include a lot of images without much explanation.

Can you see how things work in my images for today?

Considering how things work on social media, I’ll probably ask a question about favorite cakes tonight.

Here’s what I find when I search for “how things work” on YouTube:

Here’s what I find when I search for “how things work in category theory” on YouTube:

Here’s how things work at the end of my blog posts: I express my gratitude to YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: A Sensible Introduction to Category Theory, books I’m reading/listening to, category theory, cats, food, International Cake Day, July 20 2026, Know How Things Work, parenting, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston | 6 Comments

Day 4592: Sense of humor

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Ann Koplow

When the world seems senseless, I especially appreciate a sense of humor.

Yesterday morning, on my way into work, I listened to the late Tom Lehrer, who was an early influence on my sense of humor.

Do you see a sense of humor in my images for today?

I love my son’s sense of humor, which came through in his standup comedy and which shows up even when he’s presenting about Category Theory at a Quantum Physics and Logic conference in Bulgaria.

I’m very proud.

Thanks to all who have a sense of humor, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth | Tags: category theory, cats, different types of nourishment, Dragons Love to Read by Dawn Evans Scaltreto, July 29 2025, my wonderful son Aaron, Studios Without Walls, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Tom Lehrer, Twitter | 8 Comments

Day 2793: Picture this

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Ann Koplow

Picture this: one thousand, six hundred and fifty-four days ago (can you picture who is counting?), I published another blog post “Picture this” including pictures of

my son Aaron as a little boy and
my old office in Newton, Massachusetts, USA with pictures on the wall by my friend, the talented photographer Kathy Tarantola, who has taken pictures of Mitt Romney and his family, as well as not-so-famous people like me and my good friend/ex-business-partner Jonathan Stark (pictured in previous posts here, here, and here).

Picture this: Jonathan thought we should be pictured in a Gap print ad in the 1990s, using a great picture by Kathy Tarantola.

Picture this: I haven’t yet revealed why the title of today’s blog post is “Picture This.” Yesterday, I discovered a free phone app “PictureThis” which identifies plants and flowers. Can you picture how that affected the pictures I took yesterday?

Picture this: I’m on vacation from my job, so I’m letting someone else do it this week and next.

Here‘s a YouTube video about PictureThis:

Here‘s “Picture This” by Blondie:

Here‘s “Picture This” by Kero Kero Bonito:

Can you picture being at a live concert with crowds again? Picture this: I will be at a live concert again, I just don’t know when.

I am now picturing the comments I’m going to get on this “Picture This” post.

Whenever possible, I take pictures of gratitude, so that you can picture my thanks to all who help me take pictures to create these daily posts, including PictureThis and YOU!

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Picture This", Blondie, category theory, eggplant dish, Jonathan Stark, Kathy Tarantola Photography, Kero Kero Bonita, PictureThis app, plants on the South Shore of Boston, rock garden, The Daily Bitch Calendar | 35 Comments

Day 2792: Achievable next steps

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Ann Koplow

In therapy, I often ask people to think about achievable next steps, especially if they feel overwhelmed, powerless, and uncertain about the future. (Sound familiar, anybody?) Identifying an achievable next step can promote a sense of control and hope.

Here and now, my achievable next steps include

asking for more help in planning a high school reunion on Zoom,
going for a socially distanced walk on Day 2 of my 17-day staycation, and
writing my next blog post.

Do you see any achievable next steps in my photos from yesterday?

Those last four photos show my son Aaron taking some initial steps to explain category theory to me. He took some prior steps of describing category theory while we were stepping out on a neighborhood walk (pictured above).

My comprehending category theory

will take many next steps over my staycation and
is definitely achievable, because my son is an excellent teacher.

An achievable next step is to choose a YouTube video for today’s post. Here‘s one explaining John Coltrane‘s Giant Steps, “the most feared song in jazz history.”

Here‘s Giant Steps with somebody taking steps to add animated sheet music (but not for the piano solo):

People took the achievable steps of posting these comments on that YouTube video:

luis Bazan
5 years ago
It looks like I was watching a Tom and Jerry chase sequence, I like it

.
Skippy the Magnificent
1 year ago
“What key is this in?”
“Yes.”

Does leaving a comment here feel like a giant step or an achievable next step to you?

Expressing gratitude is always an achievable next step, so thanks to all (including YOU!) who helped me take achievable next steps to complete this achievable next blog post.

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: category theory, Giant Steps, John Coltrane, staycation, the South Shore of Boston, Veggie Burger, Vox Earworm, Whole Foods Market | 21 Comments