Because I’ve been feeling so out of tune with USA politics, I’ve been immersing myself in musicals. Within the last few days, I’ve watched Guys and Dolls, Passion, The Young Girls of Rochefort, a sing-along version of Hamilton, and the just-released and spectacular movie Wicked.
Since I was a little girl, I’ve wished that life could be more like a musical. Maybe that’s why I sometimes break out into song for no reason.
Last night, I asked this question about musicals:
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Do you see musicals in any of my other images for today?
It must be nice to have many people in one’s life like my beloved friend Megan, who talked to me yesterday about the phrase “it must be nice.” It must be nice to have a job coach like Megan has, who is helping her embrace and celebrate the joys in her life without fear about other people’s jealousy.
Before I spoke with Megan yesterday, I was thinking it must be nice for people to realize their dreams of writing a book, which I haven’t been able to do. It is more than nice that Megan and I agreed yesterday to write a book together about our experiences as psychotherapists.
It must be nice to be able to write a book on your own, but I think it’s nicer to have a writing companion.
It must be nice to have a new puppy like Megan has…
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… but I’m happy with all the blessings I have around me.
It must be nice to have a corvette to drive to work.
Here’s “It Must Be Nice” (actually “Washington on Your Side”) from Hamilton.
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It must be nice (and it is!) to have wonderful readers like YOU.
Yesterday, while I was rewatching Hamilton, I took special note of the word “unimaginable” in “It’s Quiet Uptown,” which shows family members dealing with an unimaginable loss.
I just found “It’s Quiet Uptown” on YouTube by searching for “unimaginable.”
When I was capturing the following images throughout the day, I hadn’t yet read some unimaginable news.
Then, right before I turned off the lights to go to sleep, I saw the unimaginable news: the death by suicide of the beloved Stephen “tWitch” Boss.
I don’t know why suicide is still unimaginable to me after all the years I’ve spent working with people’s emotional pain, physical pain, suicidal thoughts, and unimaginable traumas.
It’s still unimaginable to me that this man is gone.
For those who are dealing with unimaginable pain or loss, please call 988, Samaritans, 800-273-8255, or any suicide/crisis hotline.
Thanks to all who helped me create this unimaginable post, including you.
Is this blog turning into The Year(s) of Living Combatively?
I don’t think so, but I have noticed a lot of battles around me lately. Do you see evidence of that in these photos?
I fell asleep on the couch last night and missed the anticipated battle between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders at the latest debate of Democrat Presidential hopefuls.
That’s what effective, committed, and passionate healers and interventionists like Woody Geismann do — they facilitate people changing the narrative of their life stories for the better. Woody has a lot of experience changing the narrative of his own life — from the drummer of the Boston rock band the Del Fuegos to the founder of Right Turn and also from somebody who had a serious brain aneurysm in 2016 to a person who learned how to walk and talk again.
Do you see evidence of people changing the narrative in these photos?
That’s Cynthia (who as the new CEO of Right Turn is changing the narrative of the program while also preserving and expanding its power) sitting under a painting done by Woody, who changes narratives through music AND art. Cynthia and I had a great talk about how we’ve been changing the narratives of ourselves and others through different careers and through our experiences with different people.
Woody also changed my narrative of the Rolling Stones by telling me this story about them:
Ronnie and Keith were asked which of them was the better guitarist. Ronnie said, “Of course, it’s me!” Keith said, “Neither of us are particularly good guitarists, but together we create something special.” Keith is a very wise person.
I’m probably changing the narrative of Woody’s wonderful story, because I didn’t write down his exact words.
Now I’m changing the narrative of this post by sharing my other photos from yesterday:
Oscar is changing the narrative of who is interested in latkes on Chanukah.
Here’s today’s final example of changing the narrative:
Michael (who makes latkes that are almost as fabulous as my late mother‘s) and I will be changing the narrative of our lives when we get married this Friday.
There are lots of videos about “Changing the Narrative” on YouTube. Here‘s one of them:
That Canadian Beekeeper is changing the narrative by asking for help and support, which we all need to survive.
I like changing the narrative through music, so here is Eliza singing about changing the narrative in “Burn” from the musical Hamilton.
Now, you have the option of changing the narrative of this post by leaving a comment, below.
I’m not changing how I end every narrative in this blog. As always, I end with gratitude to all who helped me share all the narratives in today’s post and — of course! — to you, you, you.
I hope I have my readers’s permission to start this post with a definition:
per·mis·sion
/pərˈmiSHən/
noun
consent; authorization.
“they had entered the country without permission”
synonyms: authorization, consent, leave, authority, sanction, license, dispensation, assent, acquiescence, agreement, approval, seal of approval, approbation, endorsement, blessing, imprimatur, clearance, acceptance, allowance, tolerance, sufferance, empowerment, freedom, liberty
an official document giving authorization.
plural noun: permissions
“permissions to reproduce copyright material”
I hope I have your permission to wonder this about that definition: Why are so many people so focused on others entering countries without permission? Is that REALLY the worst problem the world is facing? Aren’t there other problems we should be erasing?
With or without permission, I’m going to state my position: we are all occupants of this planet, dammit! Why can’t we all come and go as we please, with more ease?
I know that if I were running for office in my home country with an attitude like that one, my quest for election would definitely be soon done.
Here’s my admission about why I’m focusing on permission:
I took that photo without anybody’s permission. That was my decision.
“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
“When you give yourself permission to communicate what matters to you in every situation you will have peace despite rejection or disapproval. Putting a voice to your soul helps you to let go of the negative energy of fear and regret.”
― Shannon L. Alder
“The more people you have to ask for permission, the more dangerous a project gets.”
― Alain de Botton
“When people change they do not ask your permission.”
― Jennifer Pierre
“Quiet the noise around you; soften its pitch. Our deepest stories are our best teachers. Let the weapons of the weak — the poison, the nagging, the gossip — burn themselves to ash. Cast them to the wind. Take back the permission to succeed. Make it yours.”
― Elissa Altman
“Stop looking for permission from other people to do what you know you are meant to do.”
― Adam Smith
“Do you really need permission? Still waiting for that invitation to your life? No one is going to give it to you…only you can do that.”
― Jennifer Ho-Dougatz
“When we give ourselves permission to go wherever our outlandish thoughts take us, we feel that rush of creativity and excitement.”
―Teresa R. Funke, Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life blog
Without a permit, here are other photos I’ll submit:
You can give yourself permission, my dear, to let go of future fear. Make a magic incantation without any hesitation.
Who gave me the permission to rhyme all this time? It’s inspired by listening to a rap musical sublime.
Whether Clark on Stage got permission to do this cover I don’t know. I’m still grateful that he gave it a go.
Whenever there’s a lot a stake, give yourself permission to take a break.
No matter what your position, you don’t need permission to make a comment submission.
Thanks to all who help me create, including my readers, who are GREAT.
What’s in the details of my photos from yesterday?
Here’s a detail about my creating my daily blog posts: I often spend a devil of a time on the details of my photo layouts.
My friend Deb noticed a detail in this sign at the Opera House yesterday:
Because we were at a matinee of Hamilton, which was during the day, the restrictions about “tonight’s performance” did not apply. However, if we had used our cell phones, photographed, or recorded, there would have been the devil to pay.
Here’s a detail about yesterday’s performance: when Hamilton and Lafayette sang “Immigrants — we get the job done!” the audience cheered.
When I look to YouTube for examples of that line, the details on many videos of Hamilton‘s” Yorktown” indicate that copyrights might prevent them from lasting in this post. I think the angels of the internet might allow these to stay (here and here on YouTube).
I look forward to the details in your comments.
Detailed thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — to YOU.
