An Expensive Day Off
Yesterday, I really did try to write something on this blog, but nothing really felt right to me. As a result, I did what I give myself permission to do - walk away without writing ANYTHING (but no more than once per week, unless I can't be at the computer). I didn't post anything yesterday because I had nothing of value to write about - I saved my other thoughts for my pen/pencil journal and did write there, but not online.
Today, however, I am inspired to write about what happened yesterday. It all started with going outside to check the mail. I received a coupon from a teacher supply store that stated that EVERYTHING in the store was 20% off! Even Clearance Items!! If there is one thing that I love, it is a SALE!
I got into the car and headed out to the great unknown.
Now, this teacher supply store is one that I visit whenever I am in California visiting my family. They opened one in my state about two years ago, but I have never been there (until yesterday). The convergence of a wonderful sale, coupons, a more stable financial state, and the restless feelings that come at the end of a vacation led me into the great unknown to shop.
I turned on the GPS function on my phone and headed off towards the east. An hour (and only one wrong turn later), I ended up at my desired endpoint. I then spent money. Then, I went to another store that I visit about once or twice a year, and spent more money.
Boy, did I spend money. In my defense, everything was 20% off, but there were some impulse buys in there. I ended up getting lots of stuff, and I already have ideas about how to use it all in my music therapy clinic. I just don't know when I will have the time to put it all together.
Some of the things were utilitarian - dry erase markers, pencil bags (sturdy enough to withstand handling by my very strong and prone to over use clientele), headphones for a listening center that I wanted to put together for a long time. Other things were just for fun - animal stickers, star borders and die cuts, music note die cuts. I got one thing that I really like, but I haven't quite decided how to use it yet - the Really Big Library Pockets (center left on the picture). I might use these in the binders that I am putting together for my clients to use. With this haul, I can spend lots of time making things look coordinated in my music therapy clinical space.
Every year, my teacher sister (she teaches second grade) puts together her room theme. It is often purple, green, and black (and very overwhelming to me) and has small chandeliers, bead garlands, and fancy letters for her signs. My music therapy clinic has never been that fancy - by necessity. This year, however, I have a chance to use the wall space that I have for a variety of visual displays, so I am going for it!
My theme will not be as fancy as my sister's. She has less people tromping through her space. It will, however, be more coordinated than it has been in the past. I am going to use stars as my theme.
Many people don't know this about me, but a star is my favorite shape. There is something about it that just makes me happy. I was the one who suggested that we use STARS as our PBIS theme. Our corporate logo includes a hand reaching for a star, so it was an easy sell to folks. I can now use my favorite shape to reinforce our school theme, and make it relevant to everything we do in music therapy.
I have now lived in my music therapy space long enough to have some ideas about what I want to do to make my room look different. I will still have most of the clients facing towards me and a plain cabinet to decrease the possibility of visual distraction, but there are plenty of other corners where I can unleash my inner frustrated classroom decorator and decorate!
My expensive day off has renewed some of my creative thought. For that, I am grateful and am stepping into the next part of our Extended School Year with a bit more enthusiasm than usual.
(By the way, that Teacher's Plan Book in the picture? I'm going to make a video about how I am going to transform that into my work bullet journal/session strategy planner. Check out the website for that video sometime this next week!)
Today, however, I am inspired to write about what happened yesterday. It all started with going outside to check the mail. I received a coupon from a teacher supply store that stated that EVERYTHING in the store was 20% off! Even Clearance Items!! If there is one thing that I love, it is a SALE!
I got into the car and headed out to the great unknown.
Now, this teacher supply store is one that I visit whenever I am in California visiting my family. They opened one in my state about two years ago, but I have never been there (until yesterday). The convergence of a wonderful sale, coupons, a more stable financial state, and the restless feelings that come at the end of a vacation led me into the great unknown to shop.
I turned on the GPS function on my phone and headed off towards the east. An hour (and only one wrong turn later), I ended up at my desired endpoint. I then spent money. Then, I went to another store that I visit about once or twice a year, and spent more money.
Some of the things were utilitarian - dry erase markers, pencil bags (sturdy enough to withstand handling by my very strong and prone to over use clientele), headphones for a listening center that I wanted to put together for a long time. Other things were just for fun - animal stickers, star borders and die cuts, music note die cuts. I got one thing that I really like, but I haven't quite decided how to use it yet - the Really Big Library Pockets (center left on the picture). I might use these in the binders that I am putting together for my clients to use. With this haul, I can spend lots of time making things look coordinated in my music therapy clinical space.
Every year, my teacher sister (she teaches second grade) puts together her room theme. It is often purple, green, and black (and very overwhelming to me) and has small chandeliers, bead garlands, and fancy letters for her signs. My music therapy clinic has never been that fancy - by necessity. This year, however, I have a chance to use the wall space that I have for a variety of visual displays, so I am going for it!
My theme will not be as fancy as my sister's. She has less people tromping through her space. It will, however, be more coordinated than it has been in the past. I am going to use stars as my theme.
Many people don't know this about me, but a star is my favorite shape. There is something about it that just makes me happy. I was the one who suggested that we use STARS as our PBIS theme. Our corporate logo includes a hand reaching for a star, so it was an easy sell to folks. I can now use my favorite shape to reinforce our school theme, and make it relevant to everything we do in music therapy.
I have now lived in my music therapy space long enough to have some ideas about what I want to do to make my room look different. I will still have most of the clients facing towards me and a plain cabinet to decrease the possibility of visual distraction, but there are plenty of other corners where I can unleash my inner frustrated classroom decorator and decorate!
My expensive day off has renewed some of my creative thought. For that, I am grateful and am stepping into the next part of our Extended School Year with a bit more enthusiasm than usual.
(By the way, that Teacher's Plan Book in the picture? I'm going to make a video about how I am going to transform that into my work bullet journal/session strategy planner. Check out the website for that video sometime this next week!)
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