Another Trip Around the Sun

Yesterday was my birthday, and I spent it the way I hope to spend many more birthdays - quietly. It was a "work from home" day originally scheduled as an inservice day, so I had the opportunity to save some time and gasoline by remaining at home rather than heading to work. I didn't "work from home" much yesterday, but I will make up for that time in the next couple of days. I did spend some time making things in my craft room and then napping for a long, luxurious period. I had ice cream for dinner and then slept all night. It was a good day and hit some of the things that I love best about breaks from working.

I am a bit more ambitious about today.

This is the second day of my first summer break, and I want to get a start on some of the decluttering that I desperately need to continue. Spending time in my craft room yesterday demonstrated to me that I have too much stuff just sitting around that needs to be removed from my life without another thought. I get too attached to stuff and then it accumulates. It is time to get rid of some stuff. I hope I can find some places where I can donate some of this stuff, but I am not sure if folks are taking outside donations of craft materials at the moment. I have some magazines and yarn and other craft items that I will not use, so I may as well see if someone else can use it. I've thought about local long term care facilities and the Boys and Girls club in my town - any other suggestions? I want these things to be used as much as possible by people who will use them.

Anyway, I have spent lots of time in contemplation over the past year due to everything that has happened, and I have come to a couple of conclusions about myself. These conclusions seem to be fitting for this post as I start a new trip around the sun...

Here goes:

  • I am not all that goal-oriented these days. I am not sure if this has been influenced by COVID or just my own inherent lazy nature, but I am not really all that interested in setting goals that just sit there on paper without any real commitment from me. I seem to just make goals because other people make goals, so why am I continuing to do something that doesn't work for me?
  • I want to make things for other people. I enjoy the process of making things but I am not all that good about using the things that I make. I don't really frame my pictures or use the journals that I like to make. I just like making them. Realizing this has been a big mindshift for me. I am not all that interested in making money from what I make, but I will certainly take reimbursement for shipping...I think. I like the idea of someone out there using something that I made for them, and I like the idea of making it and then letting it leave my house even better!
  • I have lots to share with others. This isn't that much of a leap, but I want to actively share things more with my music therapy community. I want to explore some more discussions with music therapy students, interns, and professionals. I want to build my YouTube offerings and do some more topic productions. I want to talk to music therapists about how we do things and why we do things and about all the things.
These are some of the ideas that I have in my brain at the moment. I think I will heat up some Mexican food for breakfast and then head into the craft room to do some work on throwing things out. It is time. 

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