Sliding Down Memory Lane

One of the benefits of ripping my CD collection onto my computer is that I have the opportunity to dive back into the music that I have used over my career so far and the music that I have acquired that I love. I am currently working on one of my soundtrack cases - I have a couple of these - and I am reminded of why I purchased specific songs for specific reasons as I look over my collection.

I have been taunted lately by a younger colleague (not at work, but a music therapist) for still having my CD collection. I admit, it is easy to stream music these days, but I still enjoy having the music available to hold. There is something more personal with CDs and records and cassettes. The convenience of streaming is wonderful until the wi-fi goes down, and then you feel pretty silly because you do not have alternatives. I will NEVER give up my CD collection!! I love it too much!!

So, call me old-fashioned or anachronistic, if you must, but I will continue to use my CDs.

I am just going to convert them into digital formats as well.

My music collection is an eclectic mix of genres, purposes, and memories. There are some CDs that I purchased simply because they contained music that my clients liked. I have quite a few of these CDs in my collection - the Now! That's What I Call Music collection features quite heavily this way. There are many others that I purchased because the music moved me in some way. Most of my soundtrack CDs fall into this category - I loved the music because I loved the movie - or vice versa...

Many of the CDs in my collection were purchased because they were offered through my music club - most of them cost me $1.99 and shipping costs. I was buying these CDs when I was in my lean years. To get new music, I had to budget very carefully. I remember those times, and that is one of the reasons that I try to keep the cost of my resources low for other music therapists at the start of their careers. It is not easy to get the music that you want or need for your clients when you are an entry-level therapist.

With my upcoming life change, I will be going back onto a stricter budget, so I am thinking about those times long ago when I had to choose between eating meat or buying instruments. I will not have those types of decisions before me - I have almost everything that I need to run my own music therapy business, if that is the way I end up going - but I will have to choose between other things - travel and housing, where I live, all that stuff. So, I am going to continue to offer materials and resources to other music therapists for low cost points. 

For now, I will continue to rip my CDs to my computer and then get ready to continue down my nostalgia pathway. This is the life, isn't it??


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Going on a Squeegee Hunt

One of the songs that I sang over and over and over again as a song leader in Girl Scouts was "Going on a Squeegee Hunt ." Now, you may be wondering what a "squeegee" is - good question! It is an imaginary creature that was probably invented by some obscure girl scout in Southern California many, MANY years ago! Anyway, similar to the traditional children's song of " Going on a Lion/Bear/Tiger Hunt ," the song takes you through a sequential process over, under, around, and through various obstacles towards a goal. Today, as I am sitting here writing, I am thinking about the poor squeegee being hunted. It is just in its cave, trying to do its squeegee things without interruption, when suddenly, BOOM! Some Girl Scout arrives to poke it! The poor squeegee does what it can - it jumps up and chases the Girl Scout all the way home!! This has not been a good work week. It is amazing how people will make mountains out of molehills. Here is the deal. I se...
Read more

Songwriting Sunday: Client Goals First and Foremost

Image
When I am writing music, I tend to do one of two things. I either start with a specific client in mind and write for that client's goals and objectives, or I start with an idea and let the idea grow regardless of the clients that I am serving at the time. I spend time with lots of hypothetical clients - thinking about the vast number of clients and their unique goals as I develop songs and therapeutic music experiences (TMEs). Today, though, I would like to start with the first focus - that of a specific client and his or her or their goals. Currently, I am sharing a wall with a class of students who are experiencing lots of life and school changes. Two students have transferred from residential care to home care and are now day students. One student is brand new to the classroom. Another student recently left the class. All of these changes have shifted the dynamics in the classroom group, and old behaviors of concern have reemerged as well as finding new behaviors to contribute. ...
Read more

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