The downhill slide... Believe it or not, I am ready to go back to work. I have always looked forward to returning to my routine after a break. I definitely need the breaks, but I also like the structure of my job. And, I love my job! Music therapy is something that I enjoy. It is as simple as that statement. I like music therapy. I like everything about it. I like the songs, the behaviors, the discussions, and even the research that goes along with learning more about music therapy. My passion is working with persons with developmental disabilities, especially those persons with diagnoses on the autism spectrum. There is such simplicity in how music affects us and how we use music in our lives to motivate us, keep us moving, engage our attention, and calm our minds and spirits. It is time to go back to what I love. Only two more days of vacation. I am ready.
Posts
Aah...The Life of a Cat I wish I was a cat. There is nothing more relaxing or decadent than the life of a housecat. Mine - ha, as much as a cat can ever be claimed by a mere human - spends the majority of her time stretched out on her kitty condo, sleeping in the sunshine. If she isn't sleeping, she is eating or meowing to let me know that she commands my every waking moment. At some point, she decided that she was responsible for getting me up in the mornings. At 5am, rain or shine, she is walking on the pillow, yowling until I get up and accompany her into the kitchen. She does not get fed in the morning, so I presume that her jaunts to the kitchen simply function to get me out of my nice, comfy bed. She rules the apartment with an iron paw and will not let me forget it! The attitude of repose that comes when a cat is asleep is that of melted fluid. She simply places her skeletal structure aside and flows over every possible surface. I wish I could relax like that. The ultimate i...
Chipping Away... I'm slowly going through my apartment arranging, rearranging, and eliminating things from my life. I have only 5 days left of Spring Break and need to get busy, but I am borrowing a chapter from my friend's blog and am procrastinating. I have done lots this week, but there is much more to do before I am finished. I also have a trip to prepare for and several papers to write. Today's To-Do list: empty 5 boxes of crap and throw things out vacuum the hallway chase the cat outside two loads of laundry one load of dishes Progress will occur after I get off the computer. I wonder if music will make me go faster? Generally it does not...professional hazard, I guess.
Snow Days I love snow days. I go to work at the residential school where I am a music therapist, and we have a wonderful time! My friends who stay at home on school days do not understand why I continue to drive the 52 miles, one-way to my job when the weather is nasty, but I do. Here are some of the reasons: My boss does not mind if I come in later than usual - as long as I arrive safely Day students stay home, decreasing the case load by 20% No bus room! I get to see all students in half-hour sessions Classes are different, and students are in a state of shock at the change in routine The BEST reason is this... I get to take extra time off at Spring Break - 3 extra days! Today is a snow day for me. I got out of bed around 9 am, and then went to the store. I got home and napped with the cat. I'm getting ready to go to my part-time job, but I'm not in any hurry to get there. I did not have to work a 12-hour day yesterday or today. I did not have to go through the excruciating t...
Quiet and Peaceful Thoughts The cat is on the back porch, yowling because I will not let her in... I'm practicing tough love. The apartment is quiet except for her occasional calls/demands for the door to open. I love Saturdays. Saturdays are my only day to be alone. I work the rest of the time and need a day to be isolated from other people unless I need to shop. I really try not to shop. I'm going to keep cleaning, doing my laundry, and throwing things out of my life! Then there will be room for more stuff acquired through my adventures in shopping...Dollar Tree, here I come! Peace... Quiet... Saturday...
Personal Therapeutic Choices and Requirements I have come to the conclusion that I am a person who needs open spaces and blue skies to be completely happy. This realization has struck me in March after extremely changeable weather, where I have the opportunity for open spaces but not always for blue skies. This picture is from one of the few places where I am always refreshed and renewed - outside of Flagstaff, Arizona, near Winslow. The therapeutic aspect for me is the sense of being small in a vast space. This is unusual as I take up lots of space. Empty spaces and blue skies offer me the opportunity to spread out and feel completely clear of everyday things. There are no issues with personal space out here - there is plenty of room for everyone! I always feel the silence in places like this...an unusual craving for a music therapist perhaps, but one I experience none the less. My personal goal in life is to live somewhere where I have all the space I want to be completely happy. We ...
So, my firend, Tawnya - the only one I suspect of reading this blog - if there are others, please let me know, has been bugging me to write more. I have been busy and less inclined toward sitting at the computer for periods of time, so I have not been active lately. Sorry, Tawnya. Here goes the first March entry... February vs. March I hate the month of February for a variety of reasons. First, here in this state, the month is a very unorganized time frame that incorporates beautiful spring-like days in the 70's and then immediate winter-like days in the -10's. There is little to no indication of when these weather changes will occur, so you have to bring along your entire wardrobe to stay warm or cool. Second, the place where I work always goes loopy in February. People scoff when I say this, but eleven years of February trends do not lie! The kids are restless because the staff are restless, sick, overworked, fired or simply missing! This adds strain on the folks who actuall...