Sentimental Sunday: Post #970 - a Free Song for You!!
I used to share entire TMEs on my blog on Tuesdays. This was my practice until a comment on Music Therapist Unite made me very angry. The comment was basically critical of any music therapist who dared to ask for payment for their intellectual property. The comment was not directed or in reference to me at all, but it made me angry. The attitude of the new music therapist was that she should get anything that she wanted from other music therapists because she was new and needed ideas from others. She was upset because other music therapists (like me) required payment for access to our ideas and work. That was the end of free ideas from me because I found the attitude of "gimme, gimme" to be very privileged and a bit snotty.
I find that writing songs and coming up with TMEs is something that I enjoy, but it is also something that takes time and energy. I find that asking others for about $3.00 for my time and energy is a huge devaluation of my time, but it is also a way to help out others. I will never make a living with my TPT store or my sing about songs series, but every little bit helps me out and offering things at low prices helps out other music therapists as well. My work and effort deserves some acknowledgement, and I think that's why the comment on MTU just rubbed me the wrong way!
The other aspect of life that made me reconsider sharing my TMEs with others was the concept that anyone could access my plans and then state that they were doing "music therapy" without having the education and training required to be a music therapist.
I now have a place where people can purchase my TMEs to use in their music therapy practice. In fact, I have several places where people can purchase my TMEs to use in their music therapy practice. I am also no longer part of Music Therapists Unite - that has been REALLY good for my professional identity - getting off that group.
Well, I am finished with my current topic - let's switch!
Yesterday, I received a long reach stapler in the mail and was able to finish a new junk journal. I decided not to stitch this one together - it had 10 different signatures, so I didn't want to spend all my time stitching pages into the book. I have 14 signatures left over, so I need to make a new cover for those signatures. I used my favorite papers - scrapbook papers with lots of colors and patterns - as part of each signature, so there is lots of variety in the pages. Perhaps I will use the leftover signatures as my next work journal. It would be a major change for me, but I could make a smaller cover and then add and remove signatures as needed during my journal use. I could use a journaling signature, an ideas signature, and a planning signature at a time. So, a new cover and place for four signatures would be a good size - not overwhelmingly large and intimidating... Each of the signatures has 24 page spaces for writing. Or, (and this is more likely) I will continue to use the books that I have stockpiled as my work journal. I have one that I was gifted a while back that includes coloring pages, so that might be my next work journal. Who knows??
I am getting ready for a new home journal. Mine last me for an entire year, and I start new ones in July. This format follows my work contract, so thinking about new year things in July is not too much of a stretch for me. The 2022-2023 home bullet journal started off as a Star Wars themed journal. I did a good job of finding out more about different characters for the first seven months of the contract year. In the past several months, I have not been as devoted to researching characters and making decorative spreads about those characters. For the past month, I have not done much in my journal at all. I am going to do something different for the 2023-2024 home journal - The Clone Wars.
If you don't know, I am a major fan of all things Star Wars. I recently started reading some of the Thrawn books as background for some upcoming television shows, so I am back into the universe where Star Wars takes place. I am going to focus this year on a series that happens in between movies 2 and 3 - the Clone Wars.
I have watched the Clone Wars series many times, but I always get confused by the story lines and what is happening throughout the episodes. I have decided to add watching two episodes of this series per week into my evening routine during the week - I want to focus my attention on what is going on each week through targeted watching two episodes. I figure that I can devote 40 minutes each week to watching a show that I know I enjoy.
I am currently trying to figure out a format for taking notes on each episode so I can keep track of things that happen. I have a couple of books that focus on characters, so I am hoping that I can find some fun and relaxation in watching, thinking, and focusing on this particular series. We will see if I can maintain this practice for the entire year. If I do, I will be almost through the series at this time next year. If not, then I have more to watch!!
Yesterday, I spent a bit of time setting up some shelving by my summer bedroom. I am using the shelves as storage for my bullet journals and the various materials that I like having nearby. It is nice to have those things within reach as I am winding down after my day.
I have already mapped out the first quarter in the new journal - the weekly spreads are colored in and ready to go. I am changing some things around while eliminating other things and adding new things. I am no longer including monthly calendar spreads because I never use them. Instead, I added a "future log" spread which incorporates my work calendar. I have a space to write down events and appointments. I've never really used one of these before, but I am willing to try it all! The important thing is to find something that works for me.
Wow - start with a song and end with a bullet journal. This has been a post of many different things...thanks for reading!
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