Posts Tagged With: National Days

Day 3238: What’s something you’re looking forward to?

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Ann Koplow

Last night, when I was looking forward to my last day of work before my vacation, I posted this on Twitter:

I’m looking forward to facilitating a therapy group today and going to New York City on Monday with my son Aaron. I’m also looking forward to seeing the Sondheim musical Company and Late Night with Stephen Colbert in NYC.

I’m looking forward to sharing these images with you today.

Now I’m looking forward to pizza and chicken soup for the soul. What’s something you’re looking forward to?

I found this when I searched YouTube for “what’s something you’re looking forward to”:

I look forward to a day when I don’t worry so much about grammar.

I’m looking forward to your comment about this post!

I hope you look forward to my gratitude, because I really appreciate YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, grammar, gratitude, healing in groups, National Days, Neil Collins, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, trip to NYC, Twitter, vacation | 16 Comments

Day 3200: Transformative experiences

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Ann Koplow

We’ve all had transformative experiences — events that fundamentally change us.

Last month, I had a conversation about these transformative experiences with my son Aaron. He defined these experiences as demarcation points, where you know that you were different before and after they occurred. He could identify one transformative experience in his life so far and I could identify two in mine — one of which was his arrival on this earth 23 years ago. (The other was my first heart surgery at age 10 on November 22, 1963 — the day President Kennedy was assassinated.)

Apparently, I have provided a sort of transformative experience for some of my clients. My annual review, which I saw yesterday, quotes people saying that therapy with me has been “life changing.” That felt transformative to me.

I don’t expect that looking at the images in today’s blog will be a transformative experience, but who knows?

I think our new cat Joan’s arrival has been a transformative experience for Harley. Here’s Joan …

… still waiting for the transformative experience of being rid of that ?&&@!! cone!

Here’s something I find on YouTube when I search for “transformative experiences.”

Consider transforming this blog by leaving a comment about transformative experiences, below.

Gratitude always transforms my day into a better one, so thanks for sharing my experience, here and now.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: gratitude, Helpful sayings, living with a heart condition, National Days, Paul Parkin, sharing experiences, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The Transformative Nature of Empathy, transformations | 22 Comments

Day 3199: Find your happy place

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, when I was at a local mall, happy to be masked, fully vaccinated, and picking up my new replacement phone at the Apple store, I saw this:

I find my happy place at home, at work, on this blog, on Twitter, and, always, with people and other creatures I love.

Can you find happy places in my other images for today?

Believing that report about COVID from today’s New York Times helps me find my happy place.

Listening to this yesterday when I was taking my daily walk helped me find my happy place:

I hope you find your happy place in the comments section, below.

Gratitude always helps me find my happy place, so thanks to all who are visiting today’s happy blog post, including YOU!

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: accepting all feelings, “Backrow Politics”, cat cone, dealing with fear, good news, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, inspiring people, National Days, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston | 15 Comments

Day 3197: Giving yourself credit

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Ann Koplow

Often, in therapy sessions, I encourage people to give themselves credit. Many people aren’t accustomed to giving themselves credit, which can definitely take practice.

Last night, I encouraged people to give themselves credit on Twitter (and I’m giving myself credit for this tweet, here and now):

I can also give myself credit for all the photos in today’s blog.

I want to give my son Aaron credit for making those cookie ice cream sandwiches while we were watching the new “biscuits” episode of the latest season of the Great British Baking Show, in honor of National Homemade Cookie Day in the USA.

I can take credit for this other tweet …

… but I don’t think I can really take credit for the other images in today’s blog.

I definitely can’t give myself credit for coming up with the National Days, but I can give myself credit for naming this car …

… The Canary.

When I search YouTube for “giving yourself credit,” there are many things to choose from, so I’m giving myself credit for making a decision and sharing this:

Thanks to all who might give themselves credit (perhaps in the comments section, below?), including YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: fascinating creatures, gratitude, group therapy, National Days, Pam is Living, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The Great British Baking Show, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 8 Comments

Day 3196: Fascinating

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Ann Koplow

It’s fascinating to me how much it improves my mood to title today’s blog post “Fascinating” (rather than “Afraid to Look” or “Big Setbacks” or other more negative titles I was considering).

If I can approach life with curiosity and openness to how fascinating everything is, I feel stronger, more hopeful, and better equipped to meet the inevitable ups and downs of existence.

Which of today’s images do you find fascinating?

It’s fascinating to me that today is National Black Dog Day, National Hair Day, Fire Pup Day, National Homemade Cookies Day, National Manufacturing Day, National Body Language Day, AND World Smile Day.

Here’s Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm“ as performed by Jacob Collier…

… and my lyrics for “Fascinating Rhythm” — “Vaccinated Women.”

It’s fascinating to me that when I wrote that, seven months ago, I had no idea how controversial the COVID vaccines could be. It’s fascinating that I had no hesitation in getting the booster shot as soon as I could, and yet people I love and respect are refusing to get vaccinated at all.

What do you find fascinating? I look forward to reading your fascinating comments, below.

It’s fascinating how much gratitude helps, so thanks to all who read this blog, including fascinating YOU!

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Fascinating Rhythm", attitude adjustments, eggplant parmigiana, fascinating animals, infrastructure bill, Jacob Collier, National Days, remembering to breathe, The Daily Bitch Calendar, vaccinations | 10 Comments

Day 3194: Limericks

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Ann Koplow

We’re all dealing with challenging times,

Disheartening, arduous climbs,

With problems so deep,

Disrupting our sleep,

Take a break and please check out my rhymes:

A pretty young kitty named Joan,

Helps this writer feel safe, less alone.

She’s got talents galore

Which she’s getting known for,

Caught a mouse despite wearing this cone!

A therapist/blogger named Ann,

Shares what’s helpful as best as she can.

Photos, thoughts, songs, some tips,

Acceptance for slips,

And delish dishes cooked up by her man.

A calendar — The Daily Bitch,

Occupies an interesting niche.

With thoughts bold and sassy,

Funny, not classy,

For me, she makes every day rich.

Each day I think there’s a lot

To celebrate, cheerful or not.

On this precious day,

What’s coming my way

Is a Pfizer COVID booster shot!

Because the negative sticks,

Staying positive’s a challenging mix,

With a hug and a kiss

Here and now I’ll share this,

Michael Palin reading his limericks!

This blogger, whatever her mood,

Whether she’s cheered or she’s booed,

When it comes to the end

On her you can depend,

To express her sincere gratitude.

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: A Sackful of Limericks, booster shots, cat cone, gratitude, Michael Palin, National Days, The Daily Bitch Calendar, trout dish | 37 Comments

Day 3192: National Day of Forgiveness

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Ann Koplow

Today, according to the USA National Day Calendar, is the National Day of Forgiveness.

Not knowing this, I coincidentally tweeted this yesterday:

Forgive me for making up the word “Guiltmo,” which means a self-imposed prison of guilt.

Forgive me for hastily creating today’s blog post, as I need to leave soon for my one-day-a-week in-person psychotherapy work at a Boston medical center. Do you see forgiveness in any of my other images for today?

Please forgive me, Daily Bitch, for having a personal chef (my husband Michael). I’m forgiving myself for forgetting to take a picture of the delicious veggie stroganoff he made for us last night.

I find forgiveness in this beautiful music by Beethoven:

How are you going to celebrate this National Day of Forgiveness?

I am grateful for every day I get to celebrate with forgiving people, including YOU.

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: 99 Ranch supermarket, Beethoven’s 7th symphony 2nd movement, cat cone, Leonard Bernstein, letting go of old guilt, National Days, Stop & Shop, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 19 Comments

Day 3189: Unsolved mysteries

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Ann Koplow

Everywhere I look, I see unsolved mysteries. I assume I am not alone, so I asked a question about that last night on Twitter.

People shared many unsolved mysteries, some relatively trivial and others profound.

Do you see unsolved mysteries in my other images for today?

It’s a unsolved mystery to me how they choose all those National Days.

It’s also an unsolved mystery why many good people’s self talk is so negative and critical.

If it’s a unsolved mystery to anyone why I was listening to “High Maintenance” by Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, here it is:

What’s an unsolved mystery to you?

If it’s a mystery why I end each blog post with thanks, that’s easily solved: I’m very grateful to all who visit here, including YOU!

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “High Maintenance”, fish cakes, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, gratitude, Mysteries, National Days, self talk, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 16 Comments

Day 3177: A pat on the back

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Ann Koplow

I think we all deserve a pat on the back for getting through months of this pandemic, as well as other soul-sucking challenges that could easily break our backs.

Not to pat myself on the back too much, but my job as a group therapist for a major Boston medical center is important and also very stressful. I’m feeling more stressed than unusual today because I’ll be returning there in-person one day a week, starting tomorrow. In response to the stress, I’ve developed a new nervous habit — scratching myself on the back. This morning, I decided to transform that into a more adaptive habit: whenever I notice that I am scratching my back, I will consciously pat myself on the back instead.

Do you think I deserve a pat on the back for that helpful transformation or for any of the images I’m choosing to share today?

Patting oneself on the back takes practice, so I am now going to pat myself on the back for keeping several awesome friendships over the years.

Also, when I look at the National Days for today …

… I notice that several are related to giving pats on the back.

I’m also patting myself on the back for choosing to spend part of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 yesterday by listening to the uplifting score of Come From Away — the musical based on the true stories of the planes that were rerouted to remote Gander, Newfoundland after the Twin Tower attacks.

I think the creators of Come From Away should pat themselves on the back for transforming the pain of that day into such a deep, compelling, and healing work of art. Here’s a number from the show plus a recent interview on Good Morning America :

How can you pat yourself on the back, here and now?

Finally, I will pat myself on the back again for sharing my thoughts, feelings, and gratitude with wonderful people who have my back every day, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "Welcome to the Rock", 9/11, cats, Come From Away, National Days, nervous habits, self-care, the South Shore of Boston, transformations, Yogi Tea | 13 Comments

Day 3145: Headlines

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Ann Koplow

Sometimes, in my Coping and Healing groups, I ask people this question: if there were a 24-hour cable news network devoted to reporting about you, what would the headlines be?

For ANN (Ann Network News), the top headline would be “New Cat Joan Spectacular Addition to Home.”

Of course, if my imaginary cable news network were a typical one, the headline might be “New cat infiltration causes chaos and conflict. Old cat asks ‘Why?’” That deceptive one is much more likely to increase viewership and sell more products.

Do you see headlines in my other images for today?