The To-Do List

Are you a list-maker?

I am.

I absolutely have to make lists in order to do what I need to do, ESPECIALLY at times like this when there are lots of different things happening in the next several weeks. Without my lists, I forget essential things.

Right now, my list is long and is getting longer. Not only do I have a list, but it is divided up into which days I can do which part of the list. There are different categories, different priority levels, and different people I have to talk to about things. It's quite a list.

Today, the focus is finishing my AMTA preparations.

I have two CMTEs and a concurrent presentation to prepare. In all honesty, one of the CMTEs and the concurrent presentation are things that I have done before and am only one of the presenters for, so there is less to do for those than the other CMTE (my first solo attempt at a CMTE!!), but there are still things to do and prepare. The other CMTE is taking over lots of my time, but I think I've got a handle on what I want to publish and what I want to present (I think...). It's essential that I get these handouts finished now so I can print them next week.

I also have a BUNCH of reading for a series of meetings that I have to go to at AMTA. I think there are about 10 papers, 2 chapters, and and entire book to read before I go to my first meeting on Friday. Fortunately, I love to read, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I am always a bit less excited to read professional stuff than any and all fiction. Sigh. The things I do for music therapy. {Any sympathy out there? Anyone??}

Next I will try to finish up some tasks for the Online Conference for Music Therapy. This event is an online conference for international music therapists and happens in February most years. If you haven't heard about it, check it out at http://onlineconferenceformusictherapy.com/. It really provides me with an interesting perspective to be here in the United States and get to interact with music therapists in India and Bahrain. Anyway, the tasks for OCMT will be next on the list for this weekend.

So, that's the weekend. Oh, I also tried on my professional clothing to see if ANY of it still fit me (IT DID!!), so I don't have to go shopping, but I do need to pack some things. I also need to arrange for the sitter and buy candy for CMTE attendees (yep, I BRIBE my participants!).

So, now I am doing my laundry and cleaning up the kitchen so I can make some meatloaf and eat for the next week. I am also getting all my AMTA ducks in a row so I can focus on doing music therapy sessions for my clients next week. I've been very distracted by all these things to do and have had some less than stellar sessions lately. That will change. We will spend time focusing on the basics - rhythm, tempo, social engagement - next week. Oh! I am also starting to move my stuff into the cabinets of my new music room (squealing quietly so as not to disturb the cat). I hope to be able to do music therapy in the new room when AMTA is over (if not just before!).

I'm going to go before I start to think of other things to put on my to-do list.

See you soon?