Posts Tagged With: Jacob Collier

Day 2069: Hopelessness

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Hopelessness showed up in a therapy group yesterday. Today, it shows up for the first time in this blog.

I hope you can see that hope showed up there, as well. Often, when I write topics on the white board during my therapy groups, I tell people that the opposites of the topics are also present. I hope that leaves room for all the reactions, thoughts, and feelings in the room.

Do you see hopelessness and/or hope in my other photos from yesterday?

What do you do with hopelessness? I try to accept hopelessness AND to leave room for whatever hope exists, no matter how small that hope might be.

Whenever I search YouTube by typing the title of my blog post, I hope something helpful will turn up.

These days, the brilliant or perfect musician Jacob Collier is helping me focus more on hope and less on hopelessness (here on YouTube).

I hope that you comment, below.

Gratitude reduces hopelessness and increases hope. Thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — to YOU.

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Balcony TV, coping and healing groups, Hajanga, Jacob Collier, LOL socks, Nick Vujicic, Overcoming hopelessness, Primitives by Kathy, Red Sox sock drive, Video Advice, Yogi Tea | 31 Comments

Day 2068: Brilliant or perfect?

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Ann Koplow

Four years ago (but who’s counting?), I wrote a blog post — Day 597: Brilliant — about how people in Edinburgh responded “Brilliant” to many things I said to them. (If you could visit that old post, that would be brilliant.)

In 2018, when I was back in Edinburgh for our usual August visit, people rarely told me I was brilliant. That didn’t damage my ego, however, because instead of “Brilliant,” I often heard “Perfect” in response to things I would do or say.

Actually, to be more perfect about that, I often heard this: “Perrrrrfect.”

Last week in Edinburgh, when I handed my ticket to a Festival Fringe employee and he said, “Perfect,” I commented to him how I’d noticed that “Perfect” was the new “Brilliant.” He laughed and replied, “Six years ago, it was ….” but I am neither brilliant nor perfect enough to remember the last word in his sentence.

Personally, I think it’s brilliant and perfect to be kind and complimentary to visitors. I wish I could witness more brilliant, perfect, and civil discourse in my own country, here and now.

Are any of my photos from yesterday brilliant or perfect?

I may not be brilliant or perfect, but I have fixed my photo-loading problems on WordPress, FOR NOW.

Here‘s what comes up on YouTube when I search for “brilliant or perfect.”

Believe it or not, that is one of THREE different videos on YouTube titled “Brilliant Tips on How to Select the Perfect Watermelon.” Unfortunately, I don’t see any videos on YouTube about how to be brilliant and perfect about anything else, so I’ll just share this brilliant tune from Jacob Collier, which made me perfectly happy when I heard it yesterday.

I will not pressure you to post brilliant, perfect, witty or thought-provoking comments today. I will do my best to express brilliant or perfect thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — to YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: acceptance, brilliant, Brilliant Tips on How to Select the Perfect Watermelon, civil discourse, Crab Cakes, Edinburgh Scotland, Hajanga, Jacob Collier, language, macaroni and cheese, perfect | 17 Comments

Day 1862: How worried should you be?

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Ann Koplow

How worried should you be about yesterday’s news, which included today’s post title?

How worried should you be about today’s new s, which included this headline:

Massive catastrophe may be imminent on Earth

How worried should you be about anything?

How worried should you be if I recommend that you not worry about anything, since worry doesn’t help?

How worried should you be about any of these recent photographs?

How worried should you be about Rob Gronkowski of The New England Patriots?

How worried should you be about your ability to rock?

How worried should you be about these two rocking versions of “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” by Stevie Wonder?

How worried should you be about

my forgetting to show the Super Supper Bowl Michael cooked last night (after I promised to do so in yesterday’s post),

leaving comments about today’s blog, or
my remembering to thank the Hingham Shipyard,Stevie Wonder, Jacob Collier, Rob Gronkowski, the New England Patriots, the Philadelphia Eagles, Michael, everybody else who helped me create today’s post, and — of course! — YOU?

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Bethlehem Steel, Earth Poles Switching?, Hingham Shipyard, Jacob Collier, Letting go of worry, Rob Gronkowski, Stevie Wonder, Super Bowl 2018, U.S. Economy | 31 Comments

Day 1763: Worry

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Ann Koplow

I’m sure I’ve written many blog posts about worry, but I’m not going to worry about that right now.

Last night, I saw this bumper sticker ….

… and I worried about what it meant.

Should we worry? Does worry do any good? I say that worry doesn’t help but I hear people insist that worry helps them plan and act.

My recent worries have included remembering to take my medication,

making sure the cats don’t get out and get eaten by coyotes,

and the world’s most sensitive dining room table (refinished once already in its short life and showing signs of distress after yesterday’s retreat).

Here’s my solution to the worry about the world’s most sensitive dining room table. I’m going to use that table the way I used my old, less sensitive dining room table, letting go of any worry about what might happen. If every-day use affects the table, I’m going to celebrate those changes. In other words, I’m looking at the table as a canvas — an ever-changing piece of art — that will record our enjoyment of it.

In the meantime, I’ll still

remember to take my pills,
try to prevent the cats from getting out, and
enjoy the views along the way.

I don’t worry about reusing this Jacob Collier rendition of “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”…

… or about getting comments on this post.

Thanks to all who helped me create this “Worry” post and — of course! — to you, no matter what your worries are.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing", Jacob Collier, Letting go of worry, medication, planning, reframe, the world's most sensitive dining room table, worry bumper sticker | 43 Comments

Day 1725: Just Right

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Ann Koplow

On the eighth day of my long blogging journey, I wrote a post titled “Too ____, too ____, or just right? (Thanks a lot, Goldilocks.)” Today, on the first anniversary of my open heart surgery AND the first day of the Jewish New Year, it’s just right to share this photo:

Yesterday, it was just right to discuss ‘Just Right” at a just-right therapy group. It’s just right that I share what I wrote about “Just Right” in that group.

It’s just right for me to show you my other photos from yesterday.

Are any of those photos just right for you?

My friend Dave, whom I met at just right Berklee School of Music in 1969 and whom I just recently reconnected with, has just right musical taste. He recommended I just listen to Jacob Collier, who is a just amazing singer, musician, arranger, etc. I think this song is just right for today’s post.

It would be just right if you left a comment, below.

Just right thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and to you — of course! — for being just right, exactly how you are.

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing", acceptance, awesome sweater, group therapy exercise, Jacob Collier, Jewish New Year, open heart surgery, PetSmart, recovering, Rosh Hashana, self acceptance | 26 Comments