Saturday Speculations

First of all, I LOVE thesaurus.com. I now have an "S" word for "thought" when I was unable to find one using my own brain. Second, yesterday's park event was not as bad as I thought, and my wish for rain almost manifested! We all huddled around the shelter, wrapped in blankets, while the principal grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for us. After that, we had an egg hunt and were released for self-care. I took a long nap for my version of self-care. It was wonderful!

This is the first year since 1998 that I do not have Easter duties. I am up and down about that, but I am feeling much better about not being part of the church right now. I think I dodged a bullet in that situation, and I do feel much happier without Sunday School duties! I miss the ceremony and tradition, but not the people determined to stab my in the back.

Okay, for my own health, I am going to stop this train of thought and go with other things.

Today is reserved for going to the pharmacy to pick up some medications for my ear infection and then arriving back home to do some cooking. I need to make a grocery order, but I am not sure what I need so there has to be some investigating my pantry. I also want to make something today, but I am hindered by the layers of things that I need to wade through to get to my craft desk. I bought a new cutting board, so I am going to work on some display cases for my home and tschokes. I want to make something from cardboard for every room to store the things that are important or that match the theme of the room. So, a place for my mother's gifts over the years - probably in the office area, and another place for my music doo-dads in the music room. I have a wasted space under a window in the library where nature things could live. There you go. I have big plans. I also need to get going on those plans.

Next week in the music therapy room is leisure-focused. I will be asking my clients to select games and materials to use that are not screen-related. So many of my students are unable to keep themselves occupied when there isn't a screen involved and also have severe behaviors of concern when screens are taken away. I am trying to offer them options for filling time when a screen is not an option. We will probably not have the easiest of weeks, but it will not be for want of trying.

Leisure skills are something that just don't happen naturally for many of the clients that I use. Imagination is often an abstract concept and skill that my students do not develop. I have learned that it is not something that can be forced, but it is something that can be nurtured.

When doing group music therapy, it is often difficult to engage with each student in a way that allows me to incorporate their interests into our treatment sessions. These leisure sessions help me get to know them as individuals rather than as part of their group. Sometimes we play hot potato or monkey in the middle. Sometimes we play card games. Other times, we just hold sensory items and chit-chat.

As I sit in my home, surrounded by things that I do during my own leisure hours, I am reminded just how important these things are. I have all sorts of crafts and arts and movies and books and television shows and music recordings and instruments and toys to occupy my time. I have options, but I still reach for a screen most of the time.

It is easier to grab the Kindle than it is to clear off my desk and start a project. I want to be more mindful of this situation.

I have been focusing on reading lately for my leisure pursuits. It is almost time to turn in my last three library books before a brief hiatus from using the library. I have tons of books in my To Be Read pile, so I am going to focus on those rather than navigating downtown finals traffic in my college town. So, I will go back to the library when May is over, and when I have Fridays completely off for leisure activities. Going downtown is much easier during the summer when students have left and no longer want to party downtown.

It is time to get going on my day. Shower, pharmacy, and a grocery pick-up is on the list of things to do. I also want to do some clearing out down here and maybe start a craft project. I will also make some breakfast food for breakfast time. After all that, I will keep reading and watching something on a screen. See you all soon.

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