Posts Tagged With: greeting cards

Day 4239: Ugh

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Ann Koplow

What do you think “ugh” means?

Here’s how I would use ugh:

Ugh! Our trip through Canada this month is being rerouted because of heartbreaking forest fires.

Ugh! I can’t believe that so many people in the USA support mean, selfish, greedy and vindictive leaders.

However, a lovely young person I know uses ugh differently, as you can see in this text message:

Yesterday, when I was scoping out a local selection of greeting cards (ugh! I do that so often), I saw this card:

Ugh! Maybe ugh now has two meanings.

However, when I search definitions of ugh online, I can’t find any double meanings.

I don’t think that my young friend is annoyed, disgusted or upset with my cats. Ugh! I happen to know she loves cats.

Ugh! I wonder if I should ask her about it?

Ugh! I’m so used to thinking that I might be doing the wrong thing, that I actually had the thought that my friend might say “ugh!” if she discovers this blog post! However, if she does, that might actually be a compliment.

Ugh! That reminds me how I have invited people to take EVERYTHING as a compliment, as a way to combat the negative messages in our heads.

Do any of my images today make you say “ugh”?

Ugh! I don’t like Duran Duran, I do love S’mores, and I can’t be lazy today because I’ll be working on my live album of original songs.

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

Ugh! I look forward to your comments, below.

Ugh! Imagine if I forgot to thank everyone who is here for these blog posts!

Ugh! They’re selling Thanksgiving cards in August!

Categories: 2024 USA elections, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: beloved books, Canada forest fires, cats, Friday Night Funkin’, greeting cards, rabbits, taking everything as a compliment, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Tim Walz, Twitter | 14 Comments

Day 4233: One day at a time

Posted on August 4, 2024 by Ann Koplow

When you’re stressed, it’s helpful to remember to take one day at a time.

If that pace doesn’t work for you, you can try one hour at a time or even one moment at a time.

In my blog posts, I try to present one day at a time.

On National Psychic Day, I’m no psychic, but I predict that I’ll keep trying to take one day at a time. If I do focus too much on the future, I’ll forgive myself on International Forgiveness Day.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “one day at a time.”

Thanks to all who are taking one day at a time with me, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: August 4 2024, cats, Divine Lotus Healing, greeting cards, International Forgiveness Day, National Psychic Day, summer activities, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The Lilypad, The School of Life’s “Taking It One Day at a Time”, Twitter | 9 Comments

Day 4211: New Conversations

Posted on July 13, 2024 by Ann Koplow

On New Conversations Day, which was yesterday, I had conversations with people about doing something new: staying off of others’ emotional roller coasters.

In these new conversations, I suggested to my empathic patients that instead of going along for the ride in the car with somebody else’s ups and downs, that instead they visualize standing on the ground beside that roller coaster with their feet on the ground while keeping track of the other person’s ride. That way, they could be present with the other person while also taking care of themselves. I also recommended this grounded technique for experiencing the constant up-and-down roller coaster of the news.

Do you see other new conversations in today’s blog post?

Maybe I’ll have some new conversations about baldness, barbershop music, and beans n’ franks today.

When I search for “new conversations” on YouTube, I am very happy to find that album by one of my favorite jazz pianists:

I look forward to new conversations in the comments section below.

Thanks to all who are open to new conversations, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: Bill Evans, empathy, greeting cards, helpful visualizations, July 13 2024, New Conversations Day, other people’s roller coasters, staying grounded, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 13 Comments

Day 3745: Difficult Times

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Ann Koplow

In difficult times,

realize that you are not alone,
be especially kind to yourself,
connect with people you love,
do things that comfort you,
try to avoid difficult people,
remember that you have made it through other difficult times before, and
breathe.

This blog post is dedicated to everyone who is going through difficult times.

The Daily Bitch and my inner bitch have helped me through many difficult times.

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

Thanks to all who deal with difficult times, including YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: April 3 2023, cats, Children's books, connections, existentialism, gratitude, greeting cards, self-care, The Best Way to Deal with Difficult Times, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The School of Life | 15 Comments

Day 3135: Having people over

Posted on August 1, 2021 by Ann Koplow

For the first time since the world got Covid-19 (including me, in March 2020), we’re having people over today.

Yesterday, Michael brought the table and chairs up from the basement and put them out on the deck he recently redid.

I’m nervous and happy at the same time. I feel very out of practice.

I wonder if any of my images for the day will help me prepare for having people over.

The people I’m having over today love the Daily Bitch, and this is the first time they’ll be seeing her in person. (She’s also great on ZOOM.)

This is what I find on YouTube when I search for “having people over.”

This showed up, too:

What are your thoughts and feelings about having people over?

As always, I’m grateful to be having you over here, now.

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: August 2021, Chris Fleming, COMPANY IS COMING, Doorbell, gratitude, greeting cards, Sebastian Maniscalco, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 17 Comments

Day 3114: We all have questions.

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Ann Koplow

We all have questions, especially during this time of changing rules and mixed messages about the pandemic.

Do you have questions about any of my images for today?

Do you have questions about my choice of music for today?

We all have questions and feel free to ask questions (or give answers) in the comments section, below.

There’s no question that I’m grateful for all who read my blog, including YOU!

Categories: inspiration, life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: a swan in Squantum, “Starman”, bunnies, cats, confidence, David Bowie, don’t be afraid to ask questions, greeting cards, the South Shore of Boston | 18 Comments

Day 2979: Cheer the F*ck Up

Posted on February 26, 2021 by Ann Koplow

In last night’s Coping and Healing group, as people discussed how to cheer the f*ck up during this f*cking pandemic, somebody shared this coloring book:

How do you cheer the f*ck up these days? People in my groups cheer the f*ck up by

practicing mindfulness,
venting,
setting healthy boundaries,
swearing,
crying,
laughing
accepting all feelings, and
realizing they are not alone.

Do any of today’s photos help you cheer the f*ck up?

After a long working day, I cheer the f*ck up with Michael’s cooking.

I find this when I search YouTube for “Cheer the f*ck up” …

… and this:

Gratitude helps me cheer the f*ck up, so thanks to all who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.

Categories: group therapy, life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: atlas - a letter to my freshman self, cheer the f*ck up coloring book, chill the fuck out meditations, coping and healing groups, CVS, Flounder dish, gratitude, greeting cards, the South Shore of Boston | 15 Comments

Day 2841: Is this anything?

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Ann Koplow

“‘Is this anything?’,” writes Jerry Seinfeld in his new book Is This Anything?, “is what every comedian says to every other comedian about any new bit.”

When a man got out of a plain white van yesterday morning and handed me a brown box, I wondered, “Is this anything?” and it was.

All day, I asked myself “Is this anything?” as I took pictures of anything.

Was that anything?

Here‘s Jerry Seinfeld talking about “Is This Anything?” on Good Morning America, which has many things I love, including cats.

If you hesitate to leave a comment by asking yourself, “Is this anything?” know that your comments are everything to me.

Is gratitude anything? The answer is YES!

Categories: 2020 U.S. Election, 2020 U.S. Presidential election, life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism, Trump stickers | Tags: "Is This Anything?", Good Morning America, greeting cards, Jerry Seinfeld, October 2020, voting by mail, Whole Foods Market, Wollaston Beach | 21 Comments

Day 2611: LIVE TODAY LIKE

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Ann Koplow

Live today like you’re getting fried tomorrow (or like you’re getting stir fry today).

Here’s Tim McGraw, live, telling us to live today like you’re getting fried tomorrow with “Live Like You Were Dying.”

Live today with gratitude that, most likely, you (and Harley) are not getting fried tomorrow.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Live Like You Were Dying", 99 Ranch supermarket, gratitude, greeting cards, NYC death row cats, South Shore of Boston, Stop & Shop supermarket, Tim McGraw, Vegetable Stir Fry | 20 Comments

Day 2604: Be your own hero.

Posted on February 17, 2020 by Ann Koplow

No matter what is going on in your life right now, be your own hero.

Even when your blogging platform (a metaphor for LIFE) throws changes at you that you cannot control* which make things more confusing and difficult, be your own hero.

Even if your eye turns red frequently because you’re on anticoagulants …

… be your own hero.

Even when you have trouble remembering things, be your own hero.

Even when you have a strangely-shaped heart (or anything else that’s unique, different, or weird), be your own hero.

Even when you have to rush, be your own hero.

Even when you have all sorts of feelings …

… like when $&@^!!?&%£!! WordPress makes it MUCH harder and time consuming to add photos and is probably totally screwing up the formatting of this post, be your own hero.

Even when you can’t always be first class …