つもり is a picture that hangs only in your head

Where the picture shows up in つもり

1. 1

   a picture of what's ahead

   明日、病院に行くつもりです。

   ashita, byōin ni iku tsumori desu

   I'm planning to go to the clinic tomorrow.

   A picture labelled 'tomorrow, the clinic' already hanging on the wall inside your head.

   Telling a boss your schedule, 予定です is safer than つもりです.

2. 2

   a picture never painted

   来年、国に帰るつもりはありません。

   rainen, kuni ni kaeru tsumori wa arimasen

   I have no plans to go back home next year.

   On that wall, the spot for 'going home' holds only a bare nail — no picture was ever hung there.

3. 3

   the picture you had then

   そんなつもりで言ったんじゃないんです。

   sonna tsumori de itta n ja nai n desu

   That's not how I meant it.

   You take down the picture that was hanging there at the time and hold it open for the other person to see.

4. 4

   done — in your head

   ちゃんと説明したつもりですが。

   chanto setsumei shita tsumori desu ga

   I thought I'd explained it properly.

   On your wall hangs a picture marked 'explained'; the wall inside their head is still blank.

   したつもり quietly admits the gap: you believe you did it, and it didn't land.

5. 5

   the picture your body denies

   まだ若いつもりでも、体は正直ですね。

   mada wakai tsumori demo, karada wa shōjiki desu ne

   I still think of myself as young, but the body doesn't lie.

   The wall in your head holds a picture of a young you, while the mirror reflects a different one.