Thoughtful Thursday: The Late Edition

Thoughtful Thursday 2022: Graphic includes a blue circle with a lightbulb on the right side of the circle. The circle includes the title, "Thoughtful Thursday," with additional text, "www.musictherapyworks.com" and "Thursday thoughts and musings."
I am still not into the idea of blogging after work, but I am enjoying the extra amount of time that I can take in the mornings to get my brain in gear. Who knows what will happen in the next several weeks - I might find some energy in the mornings again and blog at that time. All I know is that I enjoy writing and need an outlet. This blog is that outlet...

So, here goes the music therapy part of this blog...what to think about???

I am feeling significantly out of touch with other music therapists these days. This is mainly my fault. I have stopped doing some of the things that I was doing to foster community in several different groups of people because it ended up just being me, sitting there, watching myself on Zoom. All alone. Very sad. Feeling invisible. You get the picture. So, I stopped offering opportunities for others to join me. Perhaps it is time to do this again.

Anyway, I am just out of touch. I am trying really hard not to be one of those people that constantly counts down until retirement, but that is something that is on my mind. I am a bit scared of jumping into the unknown of not working at a place I have worked for just about forever, but at the same time, I need to plan on moving on. I also have to keep my body able to get to that point and then move on.

Enough dwelling on the future.

This week is Star Wars week in my music therapy room, and today is May the Fourth. I treated myself to a rewards point redemption today from my Disneys Insiders program - it should arrive in about two weeks. It will be a mystery bobble thingie from the Book of Boba Fett - I enjoy collecting things from my favorite fandoms, and Star Wars is definitely my first and most loved fandom of all times!

Star Wars is a bit like music therapy for me - I never tire of talking about either! I've loved Star Wars seven years longer than I have loved music therapy, so pretty much all my life for both. 

How does this transfer into a music therapy topic? When you find your passions in life, there is no reason not to experience and revel in them. I have R2-D2's in all parts of my life (except my car - that is an R2-free zone at the moment. I will have to change that somehow...). It is often an inside joke for me - other people rarely notice my love. I love being a music therapist as well. This week, we are using Boomwhackers as light sabers. We are chasing R2-D2 around the room, and I am playing my favorite music from my favorite composer. I love this week when my two passions collide into something that my clients talk about for the rest of their stay with us.

I spend most of the weeks of the year focused on what my clients want, need, and like. It is fun to take a week to let my geek flag fly!

Do you ever write songs or develop therapeutic music experiences just for your own edification and enjoyment? I do. I also keep specific songs that will always be mine and mine alone. I do not use them with clients because they mean too much to me to share. Do you ever have songs that you retire from use for one reason or another? Comment below.

Tomorrow is the end of Star Wars week in my music therapy room. After my last group tomorrow, I will pack up the droid that I am always looking for and revel in the wonderful brass lines of John Williams for the end of the day. I am looking forward to it.

May the Fourth be with you, always!

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