Posts Tagged With: expect the unexpected

Day 2165: Brace yourself …

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Brace yourself …

… for the unexpected, because it’s another day!

Yesterday, I braced myself for being late by foregoing my usual walk and jumping on a shuttle bus that runs between where I park and where I work. When the bus driver saw that I was bracing myself with my ukulele, she asked me to play for the passengers. I looked around and told people to brace themselves for my singing an original song called “Hidden Thoughts.” I braced myself for possible annoyance, disapproval, and/or lack of attention from the riders but, instead, the passengers looked up, smiled bracing smiles and even braced themselves to sing along! As more people got on the bus, I braced myself with more confidence and sang my latest song, “I Left the House Before I Felt Ready” (which I’ll be bracing myself to sing at an Open Mic in two days). The reactions seemed 100% positive, which helped me brace myself for the rest of the day.

Brace yourself for more photos from me:

Brace yourself for my final photo, which shows what we did when we ran out of Hanukkah candles yesterday (and were unable to find any replacements at our local store):

I’ll brace myself for your reactions to seeing birthday candles in that Menorah.

Brace yourself for the day’s musical selection, from Howie Day:

Brace yourself for more bracing thanks from me to all who help me brace myself for the new day by writing this blog and — of course! — to YOU, for reading it.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Brace Yourself", birthday candles in Menorah, broiled salmon, cell phone messages, Chanukah, expect the unexpected, Hanukkah, Howie Day, original songs, performing songs on a bus, Snowman Poop | 20 Comments

Day 1970: Unexpected Appearances

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, on my way to work, I encountered my first unexpected appearances.

I didn’t expect the appearance of geese on the sidewalk. Did you?

There were more unexpected appearances throughout my day.

The appearance of that duck in front of a local bakery was unexpected. Maybe that duck expects the appearance of bread crumbs.

Expect the unexpected and the appearance of two more photos today. Here’s the first of those now expected photos:

That cat made an unexpected appearance last night at a party where my old friend Lawry and his family made wonderful appearances. (I expect I’ll add links to Lawry’s appearances in previous posts after I publish this one.) (Like this one and this one.)

In two days, my son will be making an expected appearance back in Boston. I expect to appear very happy about that.

This video made an unexpected appearance when I searched YouTube for “unexpected appearances.”

I expect the appearances of unexpected comments about today’s post, below.

Finally, here’s the expected appearance of gratitude at the end of this blog post.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Blue Q socks, cameo appearances in movies, cat on fence, dog in car, duck in front of bakery, expect the unexpected, Fratelli's Bakery, friendship, geese on sidewalk, Keep calm and carry on, watchmojo.com | 16 Comments

Day 1851: The Unexpected

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Ann Koplow

I didn’t necessarily expect this, but yesterday’s therapy group wanted to focus on “The Unexpected.”

I wrote some expected questions about “The Unexpected” on the white board.

In some groups, it would be unexpected for the group facilitator to answer any of her own questions (like “What is your personal experience of the unexpected?” “What makes the unexpected more difficult?” “What helps you deal with the unexpected?”) In my groups, that’s expected.

It might be unexpected that I would change the famous saying “Man Plans, God Laughs” to “Ann Plans, God Laughs,” but, as several people said in the group yesterday,

Expect the unexpected.

I expect the unexpected whenever I check the news. Today, the unexpected news includes the following:

There’s also news today about sexual harassment and abuse of power, but that was not unexpected.

I have one more unexpected photo to show you.

And here‘s Elton John, singing after the unexpected death of Princess Diana in 1997.

I expect you might have some thoughts and feelings about the unexpected.

Is it unexpected that I would thank all who helped me create today’s post and you, too?

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Candle in the Wind", "Goodbye England's Rose", "Man Plans God Laughs", Elton John, expect the unexpected, graphics program, Princess Diana, the expected | 26 Comments

Day 1161: Prepare for the expected

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Ann Koplow

As expected, I wasn’t prepared, yesterday, for this:

I expect we seldom expect signs about preparing for the expected.

How would you prepare for the expected?

Prepare for the expected list in this daily blog.

When my son’s father, Leon, and I decided to stay together in 1980, I never expected we would separate or divorce.
I expected our son, Aaron, to grow up to be a fabulous young man.
These days, I expect all three of us to get along well, even when we’re working on the expectedly difficult and complicated, like financial applications to college.

Prepare for expected photographs.

As expected, WordPress presented those photos unexpectedly.

Were you prepared for the expected in this post? I’m prepared for both expected and unexpected comments.

Prepare for the expected thanks to Aaron, Leon, Target, PetSmart, Harley the cat, and all others who helped me create this expected post. Prepare for the expected special thanks to you — of course! — no matter what you expected today.

Categories: gratitude, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: always look on the bright side, divorced parents, expect the unexpected, prepare for the expected, prepare for the unexpected, preparing, preparing for college financially, the expected, the unexpected, you can't prepare perfectly | 42 Comments