First Friday of Summer

This was a very long week, for many different reasons, and I am not in the mood to dwell on all that, so let's focus on something new...

Today, I have to record a video for the World Congress of Music Therapy. I also have to make a QR code for the presentation so folks can access the information that I've compiled for those who purchase video access to the World Congress. I tried to make the recording on Wednesday, but I coughed through it all making the talking part very difficult to do. Let's hope I do better today.

This is my first summer Friday which is a happy thought.

During the summers, we have three day weekends and this is the first of seven. I get so spoiled during the summer time with lots of time by myself. At one time, I tried to get a four ten-hour day schedule going but the school district refused to allow that change. I was disappointed at the time, but it seems that school districts are starting to think about those types of schedules these days, so I might have a chance at some point. We will see...

The expanse of 72 hours without having to work is a nice thought.

I am thinking about what will happen once I leave my current job and move into the next phase of my work life. I would enjoy working part time somewhere in order to have more time at home to do homey things. Next time I get a job, I want it to be something that I can do with less toll on my body, and I also want to do more of the things that I love.

It is interesting how a bit of time away from work can help me figure things out.

At the moment, I have the guts of another junk journal sitting on the floor waiting for a cover. I have the recording to finish up and send in. I have lots of things that I need to clean. I also need to call my new medical specialist to set up an appointment while attempting to breathe without coughing.

The best thing is that I can do this three times in a row - today, tomorrow, and Sunday. No work responsibilities other than those I want to take on. I love it all! Nothing much else happening here. See you tomorrow...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dear AMTA

Dear American Music Therapy Association: I am debating long and hard about remaining in this relationship. I have been in this relationship since college, and this is not a decision that I am taking lightly or without great cost.  I am not happy with what you are bringing to this relationship. Now, I have been a selfish partner over the past several years - mainly because I am not feeling like we share a common mission anymore. It is easy for me to place the blame on you, but I know that this is not all on me. I have tried to be invested in communication and support and understanding, but everyone comes to a time where enough is enough. I am trying very hard to decide if the benefits that you provide to me are worth the feelings that I have about where I think you and I are going. I am not sure that our destination is the same anymore, and this makes me sad. To be completely honest, I am only in this relationship these days for the music therapy interns. I don't think that is a hea...
Read more

Songwriting Sunday: Repetition

Image
One of the things that I find to be helpful with my client population (children, adolescents, and young adults with dual diagnoses) is repetition of phrases, lyrics, and music. As a result of 30+ years of working with this population in various iterations, I have found that my clients respond the most to songs with three repeated phrases to prime their responses with a different phrase to communicate the important part of the experience. DISCLAIMER: This is not a definite way to write music for clinical interactions. This is what seems to work well with my particular group of human beings. Don't go to your supervisors and tell them that I told you that this is the ONLY way to write music - It is NOT! You have to find what works for your clients and for their clinical goals. Since my clients respond well to this type of song, I tend to write songs in this format more than any other. What I have found is that my clients remember these songs more than the ones that I do in different f...
Read more

Being An Internship Director: On Hiatus

Image
It has been long enough since I have had an intern that I am seriously feeling like I have little to say on the subject. At the same time, I am currently writing Chapter 5 of my general internship handbook, so I am able to write about being an intern and what types of things to think about during this important time in our professional development. It is a strange place to be in, and it is one that is a bit challenging for me. Right now, I have had three vacant internship positions since the beginning of the calendar year. I will have a vacant position next month and that will be an entire year of rejected offers. In the past nine months, I have offered positions to three applicants who have declined. It is interesting how people complain that there aren't enough internship programs, but programs like mine are empty. I guess there aren't enough internship programs that pay large stipends (which mine cannot) out there. I get it. It is interesting to me how we have moved from an ...
Read more