Posts Tagged With: the Supreme Court of the United States

Day 3833: The power to change

Posted on July 1, 2023 by Ann Koplow

If I didn’t believe that people had the power to change, I wouldn’t be a psychotherapist. It’s also occurring to me, here and now, that “The Power to Change” might be a good title for the book my friend Megan and I are writing about our experiences as psychotherapists. Other possible book titles include …

“Psyched About Psychotherapy”
“All Healing is Mutual”
“You Have Options”
“It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Psychotherapy”

… all of which we have the power to change.

When I’m scared or overwhelmed, I can forget that I have the power to change things, including myself.

Do you see the power to change in my images for today?

On National Financial Freedom Day, too many Americans don’t have the power to change their financial situation to reach financial freedom, especially after the recent Supreme Court rulings.

I probably don’t have the power to change the person on Twitter who replied to my last question of the day with this: “One of the most sideways leftist tweets I’ve ever seen. Do you, Ann.”

However, I do have the power to change my reaction to that by replying, “Thanks. I will.”

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “the power to change.”

I’m happy to hear from Nat Kendall-Taylor that framing has the power to change the bias against old people.

Thanks to all who have the power to change, including YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: “How words change minds: The science of storytelling”, cats and dogs, July 1 2023, Nat Kendall-Taylor, National Financial Freedom Day, sushi, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the Kiki/Bouba effect, the Supreme Court of the United States, Twitter | 11 Comments

Day 3830: Too many

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, in my remote Coping and Healing group, people were talking about things they had too many of. I said that I had three nail files within reach …

… and more elsewhere, which is really too many mail files. People shared that they got too many of necessities (like bags of flour) because they lost track of how many they already had and didn’t want to run out.

Besides nail files, I have too many scissors, watches, fears about the future, and thoughts when I’m trying to fall asleep (which are NOT necessities).

Is there too many of anything in my other images for today?

DO YOU THINK THERE ARE TOO MANY CAPS LOCK DAYS?

There’s no caps lock on my phone (that I’m aware of), so I spend too many moments typing that last sentence.

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

You can never have too many expressions of gratitude and appreciation, so thanks for reading this too-many post!

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: books, cats, gratitude, June 28 2023, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the Supreme Court of the United States, Too Many Zooz, Twitter, UPPER CAPS DAY, Warriors | 12 Comments

Day 3453: I should have known better

Posted on June 25, 2022 by Ann Koplow

I didn’t think that hard-won rights for women in the United States would be taken away, but I should have known better.

I didn’t think that greedy and dishonest men would take control of major parts of our government, but I should have known better.

I didn’t think I would ever be writing this post when I started blogging in 2013, but I should have known better.

I didn’t think the Daily Bitch would give me the title for today’s post, but I should have known better.

I’ve encouraged people in my Coping and Healing groups, who want to feel better, to keep a journal of “what helps” and “what doesn’t help.” In my Coping and Healing journal, #1 on my list of “what doesn’t help” is “telling myself I should have known better.” I should tell you that I created that journal before 2016, the year that a toxic narcissist became one of the most powerful people in the world. I didn’t think that was possible and I should have known better. I should have known better, also, what chaos and destruction would ensue.

I should have known better that on days that I’m feeling despair that I would have very few images to share.

I should have known better that my wonderful son’s father, Leon, would have his own day. Also, I should have known better that Summersgiving doesn’t mean giving to a vitally important organization, but I feel better on this day starting a recurring contribution to Planned Parenthood. If you want to join me, click here.

I should have known better when I wrote this song about the Supreme Court back in 2018 how many times I would have the occasion to share it.

My son Aaron thinks that’s the best song I’ve written, which I didn’t know but maybe he knows better.

I should have known better that sharing my thoughts and feelings with you would help me feel a little better (as it always does), so many thanks for being here, now.

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "I'm Mad About You", “When Bad Things Happen To Good People”, coping and healing groups, National Days June 25 2022, Planned Parenthood, Roe v Wade overturned, SCOTUS, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the Supreme Court of the United States, Twitter | 18 Comments

Day 3403: Out on a ledge

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, I read the news about

the conservative U.S. Supreme Court’s intent to take away a woman’s right to choose (a right which a huge majority of citizens support),
how the SCOTUS decision will erode other rights,
the projected outcome of the U.S. midterm elections, with the Democrats losing the tenuous control they now have,
the war in Ukraine,
irreversible global warming,
greed,
fear,
etc…..

… and I felt very pessimistic, helpless, and hopeless. In other words, I felt like I was out on a ledge.

I decided to name those feelings on Twitter, assuming that other people might be feeling the same way. I got a lot of helpful and empathic responses, with some joining me on the ledge and others urging me to get off the ledge and fight for the rights and the future I want.

Are any of my images today out on a ledge?

The Daily Bitch often seems like she is out on a ledge.

When I’m out on a ledge, humor and music can get me off that ledge. Tonight, my son Aaron and I will be seeing “Weird Al” Yankovic in concert and yesterday this song cheered me up immeasurably:

Thanks to all those who help me whenever I’m out on a ledge, including YOU.

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, gratitude, Hardware Store, National Days May 6 2022, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the Supreme Court of the United States, Twitter, vegetarian meat loaf, Weird Al Yankovic | 15 Comments

Day 3400: I’m Mad About You

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Ann Koplow

During the Brett Kavanaugh U.S. Supreme Court nomination process in 2018, I dealt with how mad I was by writing and performing my original song “I’m Mad About You.”

Last night, when I couldn’t sleep because I was mad about the leaked draft of the Supreme Court’s vote (including Kavanaugh’s) to overturn Roe v Wade, I thought, “well, it’s time for me to make a better recording of ‘I’m Mad About You’.”

Here’s my performance of “I’m Mad About You” at a remote open mic in 2020 when I was mad about the hearings to rapidly replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg with the Trump-nominated Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court before the 2020 election.

My manager and son, Aaron, just said to me, “that’s a good song” and I’m mad about him, in a good way.

Are you mad about “I’m Mad About You” or about my images for today?