Outlines, Outlines, Outlines

I have lots of work to do, and I am going to get started on it all. 

Here's the deal. I have work to do for another organization, but I also have lots of ideas for my own organization, so I'm getting myself ready to buckle down and knuckle under to get some stuff finished today. In addition, I have family members within driving distance (that NEVER happens to me!), so I am getting ready to head out to see them during the last part of their art retreat. Things always seem to happen when I have lots on my plate, so I get used to bursts of important things to do and then periods of doldrums and nothing to keep me going. 

This is one of those burst times.

Yesterday (I think it was), I shared that I had a burst of brainstorming for a new continuing music therapy education (CMTE) course that I want to offer. In order to do that course development, I will start with some outline brainstorming. I already have some topic areas, now I will start to flesh them out with resources and activities and ideas.

In between thinking times, I'll be finishing up the work that other people said that they would do. Sigh. This always happens.

So, what will I be outlining? Well, that's top-secret at this point since it seems that once I announce my intentions on this blog someone else announces their own version (I hope it's just coincidence, but it happens more often than not...once bitten, and all that). Let's just say that I think I've found my niche in the world of CMTE providers, and I'm going to build on that idea. The Midwestern region conference was very good for my thinking process, and the other part of this is that the AMTA deadline is passed so I no longer have a twinge behind my ears to suck it up and get that presenter pin this year my sending in proposals. Nope. Can't happen now, even if I want it to! There you go.

So, I am going to start my outlines.

This is a tool I use with everything that I do (except for this blog - this is just a stream of consciousness thing). I outline my points. I find that this helps me cover a topic as completely as possible and offers a structure for powerpoint presentations or videos or TMEs - in fact, if you look at my TME plans, you can see that outline structure lurking underneath the rest of the information. 

This simple tool helps me organize my thoughts. I even have a program that allows me to do this tool in a mind cloud format. If you are a long-time reader of this blog, then you've seen some of my graphic organizers - they come from that program. It is a wonderful tool for someone who likes visual information.

As you can see, these outlines are ways to organize. I like organizing things into easily understood information (at least, I can understand them easily - I know that others do not, but this works for me!).

So, I will be outlining some of my newest course modules this weekend, in between going to see family members and doing the work that others said that they would do but have given away to me. I'll also be getting ready for some time off this next weekend. The time off is supposed to be dedicated to my business, but it looks like the work for others will take over (unless I do everything possible to resist that guilt that lurks when I am not doing what needs to be done. The others don't feel that guilt, so why do I? One of the perplexing mysteries of my universe.).

So, it is time to finish up, make my to-do outline, start my thought outlines, and get ready to go see my family!!

Happy Saturday. I hope that you get to do something for you this weekend.