Every Step is a Good Step

Two feet in the sand at the ocean
The way I figure it, each time I start something, I am making a step forward towards my personal and professional goals. Right now, the personal goals are taking over all things professional, so this post will probably focus more on moving things than on learning things about music therapy. Be forewarned.

I have just finished an hour in my craft room, boxing and bagging up stuff and then shoving the boxed stuff to the walls to make some more space in the craft room. I bagged up the old bottles of acrylic paint that I've kept over the years to take to work for my art therapist friend. My students will probably appreciate some different paints, and I know the therapist will use them rather than having them sit in boxes until I need them at my new house. I am looking around to see if there are other things that can be given away.

Back to the title of this post - I am trying very hard to make sure that I do some packing every day. This morning went well. I sat on the floor of my craft room, turned on my old television, and watched The Good Witch while I packed up three of my paper craft shelving units. I put buttons into baggies, moved paper into boxes, and got my slides from my first solo trip in 1984 into a baggie. I filled four boxes and then was able to take things off the wall and shove a stack of full totes against the wall, opening up more carpet! That's the part that I really need - more space for activities (packing activities). I've thought about finding a storage space, but I can't be picking up the things that are already packed - they are WAY too heavy for my creaky tendons at the moment. 

I was supposed to get some medication for my tendons to help with the pain, but the insurance company will not fund it. They probably think that my work habits have something to do with it, but this is just how my body is at the moment. Work is not exacerbating it at the moment - it hurts exactly the same on weekends. There is no clear event that strained both of my tendons at the same time that I can remember. In addition, I have been on lots of medication in my past that affects tendons - and that was all for gut stuff, NOT work related! I am furious that the insurance company is keeping me from something that might help me do what I need to get done! Anyway, the medication is not authorized through my insurance yet. Stupid insurance company!

Back to topic...

Any step that I make right now as I am moving towards actually moving is a good one. I am throwing out disposable plastic containers after I use them, so I will not be moving those things. I am trying to remember where I have packed the things that I need - because, inevitably, what I need is in the box I just taped up and stacked against the wall. I have bagged all my clothing up - well, except for the three loads that I just laundered. Those need to be folded and bagged up as well. Once I get that finished, I will be done with the clothing and can shove all that back into the closet that I have almost emptied. I plan on moving that over to the new house on my own - no reason to have the movers pick up bags and take my clothing when I can do it in one trip. I have a suitcase that has one week's worth of clothing, so I will keep that here until after the movers take everything else. I will also take over the food and as many of the bookshelves as I can muscle over so I can unpack things when the boxes arrive at my new house!

I am excited and still so very overwhelmed by all the stuff that I have accumulated since my last move. Seventeen years is a long time to stay in one place, and I can tell that I have been here a long time based on the stuff that I keep uncovering. I might need to schedule in a move every five years to just give myself the motivation to clear things out - but...

It is almost time to get my body into the shower and get ready for today's groups. I have three today (we are down one classroom) and one individual session to prepare. I am toying with something about Veteran's Day, but I am not exactly sure what I will do with my clients. Maybe something on the Promethean Board? I wonder if I can get my documentation done quickly in order to make something... I have some file folders that have the different military and community service types on them for some of my clients. I could use the anthems for each of the services and then encourage conversation about veterans in some way. I will be fleshing that out on my drive to work - an hour of uninterrupted time in the car with nothing to do but drive and think and think and drive. I'll finish up my day and then come back home for my Monthly Music Therapy Meet. I should be able to finish the laundry fold and bagging and do some work on my bookshelves before the Meet starts. After that, I'll head to bed and get ready for another long day.

Every step is a good step. 

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