Posts Tagged With: Twitter and Bluesky

Day 5003: Encouraging

Posted on September 13, 2026 by Ann Koplow

While the human brain can often focus on what is discouraging, I am choosing, here and now, to focus on what is encouraging.

What’s encouraging to me is that I seem to be past my jet lag in time to return to the work I love facilitating therapy groups.

It was encouraging to me last night that a server at my favorite restaurant asked to see photos from my solo trip to Switzerland and I had these to show him.

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It’s encouraging to me that I get to see the amazing baritone Thomas Hampson starring in the opera Nixon in China in Washington D.C. this November with my bff Jeanette.

It’s encouraging that there may be encouraging changes in Washington D.C. before I get there in November.

Let’s see if there is anything encouraging in my other images for today.

It’s encouraging that the plumbers were able to replace the leaking fixture in the bathtub.
It’s encouraging that I can travel in different countries and maintain a healthy INR.
It’s encouraging that both Joan and I are back to our usual routines.
It’s encouraging that Joan has so much to say.

It’s encouraging that my Twitter friend Eric responded to my posting a video about Joan with his video about Joan:

https://x.com/yakeeric/status/2098824373989990423?s=46

It’s encouraging that you may be able to see Eric’s video by clicking on the above link.

It’s encouraging that my favorite local restaurant, Brassica Kitchen, has so many great dishes.
It’s encouraging that the tomatoes Michael planted this year are doing so well!
It’s encouraging that his other vegetables are doing well too.

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Here’s an encouraging song I wrote a few years ago.

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Thanks to all who stayed to the end of this encouraging post, including YOU!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Day 5001: Ideal Vacations

Posted on September 11, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Now that I’m back in my ideal home in Massachusetts, I can safely say that my recent solo adventure in Switzerland was one of my ideal vacations.

For me, what makes an ideal vacation?

  • Quality time with someone I love (in this case, me!).
  • Non-stop flights.
  • Traveling the country side.
  • Great views.
  • Beautiful sounds, including music.
  • Local animals.
  • Interesting architecture.
  • Art.
  • Quiet moments.
  • Yummy food.
  • Challenging old fears (like my fears of heights, getting lost, and shame).
  • Engaging with kind strangers.
  • No pressure.
  • Gaining new perspectives.
  • The freedom to come and go as I please.
  • Maintaining connections and routines that are important to me (like blogging).
  • An escape from non-stop news about despicable world leaders.
  • Not a lot of painful inclines or bugs!
  • Approaching new experiences with beginner’s mind.

Here is a brief video from my ideal vacation which I may not have shared here before.

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Do you see ideal vacations in my other images for today?

The food I have on my ideal vacations can’t beat my husband’s home-made masterpieces.

No matter what my ideal vacation, I always take the Daily Bitch along.

What is your ideal vacation?

Thanks to all who joined me for this ideal-vacations post, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Day 4992: Wonderful Days

Posted on September 2, 2026 by Ann Koplow

I’ve had many wonderful days in my long life but yesterday was especially wonderful. I walked around Lucerne, saw the Lion Monument, took an incredible trip across beautiful Lake Lucerne and up and down the spectacular Mt. Pilatus, and then attended an astonishing concert by the amazing pianist Hayato Sumino.

Can you see wonderful days in the images I’m sharing today?

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I wonder if my wonderful days in Grindelwald will include a refrigerator in my room.

I look forward to listening to Hayato Sumino during many wonderful days ahead.

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Many thanks to all who share wonderful days with me, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Day 4991: Things that make you smile

Posted on September 1, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Whether I’m new in town or old in town, I try to collect and share things that make you smile.

Yesterday, in Lucerne, Switzerland, I saw many things that I hope make you smile.

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Here’s what I find when I search for “things that make you smile in Lucerne.”

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Many thanks to those who make me smile, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Day 4988: Kind Words

Posted on August 29, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Today is Speak Kind Words Saturday!

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Yesterday, I went to Tufts Medical Center, hoping to find some kind words regarding my 3-year quest to ease the annoying and unkind staticky sounds I hear in my head when I speak. The doctors there shared some kind words about my reporting skills, my earrings, and a possible diagnosis.

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I appreciate the hope in those kind words.

Do you see kind words in my other images for today?

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Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for kind words.

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Thanks to all who share kind words, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Day 4987: Fictional Characters

Posted on August 28, 2026 by Ann Koplow

When I was a young girl dealing with heart problems and multiple hospitalizations, I took great solace in fictional characters. I learned about resilience, resourcefulness, adaptability, integrity, grit, kindness, and humor from my parents but also from fictional characters.

Yesterday I had two conversations with the fictional character ChatGPT about fictional characters.

One conversation was about losing my perfectionism about my upcoming trip to Switzerland. I told ChatGPT that it helped me to think I would survive even if I showed up in a foreign land like Marcus Brody did in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Here’s what ChatGPT said about that:

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The second conversation was about which fictional characters I resembled. I told ChatGPT I hoped I was like Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice but wondered what other ones it might suggest.

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What fictional characters do you relate to in my other images for today?

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I really relate to the fictional character of The Daily Bitch.

Thanks to all the wonderful nonfictional characters who are here for this blog about fictional characters, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Day 4986: Luck

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, on Make Your Own Luck Day, I had all kinds of luck.

I had the luck to have a short work day, so I could leave the house to do errands for my upcoming trip to Switzerland.

I had the luck to head back into my office at 5 PM to have a Zoom call with a colleague and friend.

I had the luck to walk to the back of the office to retrieve my off-work laptop and to step into some water on the floor, which caused me to look up at the ceiling and see a huge stain and slowly leaking water.

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After freaking out about my bad luck, I had the luck to find a plumber who showed up at night.

Eddy has had the luck to look like Pierce Brosnan now and like Tom Cruise when he was younger.

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Eddy also had the luck to live in Venice for many years, which I had the luck to visit in 2025.

With some luck and lots of skill, Eddy figured out the source of the leak and stopped it for the night. (Before Eddy showed up, we had turned off all the water in the house but we didn’t have the luck to stop the leak.)

We’ve now got a fan blowing on the damaged part of the ceiling …

… and with luck we’ll be able to repair that easily.

Michael and I have been discussing the luck of this happening at this particular time before I leave for Switzerland, since he never goes into that room when I’m not here.

Do you see luck in my other images for today?

With any luck, the plumbing and ceiling repairs will not cost millions of dollars.

When I went to YouTube just now, I had the luck to immediately find this:

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I also have the amazingly good luck to have wonderful readers like YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Day 4985: Make Your Own Luck Day

Posted on August 26, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Today is Make Your Own Luck Day.

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On Make Your Own Luck Day, I’m resolving to make my own luck in Switzerland, no matter what the weather is.

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Here are my other images for Make Your Own Luck Day.

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Here’s what I find when I search for “make your own luck” on YouTube.

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I also want to honor the late, great Dolly Parton, with whom we were lucky to share this earth for many years.

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Many thanks to Dolly Parton and to all those who are here on Make Your Luck Day, including YOU.

Categories: in memoriam, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Day 4984: Hard to Believe

Posted on August 25, 2026 by Ann Koplow

It’s hard to believe that

  • there are so many stupid people in positions of power,
  • I’ve been blogging for so long,
  • I’ve made it to age 73 with my very unusual heart, and
  • I’ll be traveling to Switzerland by myself in less than a week.

What’s hard to believe in my images for today?

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It’s hard to believe how somebody I’ve know all my life isn’t willing to kiss and make up.

Here’s what I find when I search for “hard to believe” on YouTube:

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It’s hard to believe that I have so many great followers like YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Day 4983: Traveling

Posted on August 24, 2026 by Ann Koplow

This morning, I’ll be traveling into work at the hospital via ferry, foot, and subway. In less than a week, I’ll be traveling to Switzerland alone via airplane.

I experience anxiety and excitement whenever, wherever, and however I’m traveling.

Are you ready to be traveling through my images for today?

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On Weather Complaint Day, I’m deciding to not complain about the weather when I’m traveling, as you can see in this exchange with ChatGPT.

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Here’s what I find about traveling to Switzerland on YouTube:

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Thanks to all who are traveling with me, here and now, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

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