Yesterday,the social media and the news were filled with comments of how special and unique 11-11 was. Why don’t we view each day as special & unique? What would happen if we treasured more of our days in the same way? What would happen if we treasured a minute of each day?
I am currently listening to Victor Wooten‘s ” The Music Lesson” . Here is a “timely” quote which I listened to yesterday:
“Now listen here, son. How much of your precious little time is spent really becoming who you choose to be? Do you know? Actually all of it is, but you don’t know that it’s you doing the choosing. How much of that time is spent consciously making yo’self better? Not much. We can probably count that time in weeks, or even days…If you were to look back over yo’ Life, you could find time frames when yo’ actions did produce the outcome you were looking for. For example: you spent a few weeks learning how to walk, and you succeeded; you spent a few months learning how to talk, and you succeeded; you’ve spent years learning how to play the bass guitar, and you have succeeded. All the things that you’ve held yo’ mind to, you have accomplished, or will accomplish. You can believe that! And all of these time frames can be viewed as phrases.” pg 183
I challenge you to take moment every day and make it the best moment you can. Make is a snapshot worth moment! Find a way to record those moments – a photo, a journal entry. Cherish each day for the gift it is. Then, come back in a week and share how having a special moment each day has affected your life.
Until next week….
P.S. – This is a very thought provoking book. I recommend having both the audio & written versions. The audio shares some wonderful insights while the written format allows you to reflect in a different manner.
Yes, I was caught by my daughter in the act of reading “Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition” by Michael Stelzner. For a business book it is an easy, comfortable read. The book is divided into roughly five sections. Each chapter has an intro, detailed information and closes with a summary.
The first chapter is looks at marketing and introduces the main principle of the book. The second section provides a foundation of a new business system plan. (Guess what, SMART goals apply to business as well as therapy and education!) Click here to continue reading.
This is the last of my posts reviewing “In Praise of Slowness“. This final post will highlight some of the life applications from the book. While the list itself is rather long, I have selected six areas to highlight – food, driving, cities, medical, children, and multitasking. Now that I am only presenting highlighted impressions as many pages were devoted to each of these topics.
Food: The French gastronome Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said,
“The destiny of nations depends upon the manner in which they feed themselves.”
In general, the book promotes cooking at home, as much as one can from scratch. It also promotes sharing a meal with others while savoring the tastes and smells, the conversation, and the moment. I found it fascinating the word “companion” is from latin words meaning “with bread”.
Driving – So much is highlighted from the safety of slower speeds, increased gas saving, and insights into how few minutes you save for increased speed.
Cities – The book discusses many issues such as walkability, pedestrian friendly, ease of access to necessities, and housing. I encourage you to visit Slow Homes and The Restless Urbanist to learn more about these concepts.
Medicine – While some feel it takes too long to get in to see a doctor, that is not what this portion of the book highlights. Rather it is concepts of relationship, gathering of background information, treatment of the whole person rather than a diagnosis, and the role of alternative/holistic treatment. Things such as meditation are discussed.
Children – Research and information on various educational systems are presented. The overarching concept is allowing space for children to explore and to learn subjects at their own pace.
Multitasking – How one can increase effectiveness by not multitasking is presented. It seems as though multitasking doesn’t allow you to accomplish more at least not at a high quality.
I hope my thoughts on this book have invited you to ask questions of your own pace. Please share your thoughts on this book. I’d love to hear what jumped out for you.
“Man measures time, and time measures man” – Italian proverb
There are people who view time as exact, measured – that would be the paradigm in which I grew up. “If you are on time you’re late.” Honore ‘s book “In Praise of Slowness” shares other views of time – mostly ways to “govern the clock, not be governed by it.”
The book is not an effort to do away with calendars and clocks. Rather it promotes being in and appreciating the moment rather than counting the moments. It is quality over quantity.
As a musician, I know music occurs in time and is time ordered. I have also experienced how being in the music can alter perceptions of time. What an amazing feeling that can be! I have experienced similar feelings when visiting with friends or reading a book, the pleasure and the emotions of the moment structure it rather than time.
The author recommends seeking balance in our views on time. We need time measurements to know when we can approximately expect to board a plane or other form of communal transportation, yet we need to not be so locked into the time we rage when we are a minute or two later than expected. We need to find moments when time has less importance in the structure of our life.
Many years ago I stopped wearing a watch on the weekends I wasn’t at work. Now with my cell phone, I wear no watch. Rather I set alarms to alert me of can’t miss deadlines. I use timers for tasks like baking, or to limit my time in the sun weeding, or to put constraints to internet use.
Here are a few questions to consider:
Do you have tasks in which you lose a sense of time?
What are some periods in which you could limit your ties to clocks?
How could those be structured for you so as to not negatively impact your relations and life?
My next entry will be on slow exercise. Until then, share your thoughts on time in the comments below. If you don’t already do so, I challenge you to take off your watch for a portion of a day and see how it affects your view of various tasks.
Over the last year, I have tried to identify the correct pacing for my life — the hours I spend on business, exercise, self-development, housework, family life… As a person who enjoys home decorating and landscaping, one of the websites I have followed the past year is Slow Homes Studio. On this site, John Brown and Matthew North share their thoughts and ideas for slow homes:
“designed to be more personally satisfying, environmentally responsible, and economically reasonable than a fast house.”
Slow Homes encouraged me to read “In Praise of Slowness” by Carl Honore. Being a music therapist, it was wonderful to see the term “tempo giusto” applied to life. Tempo giusto means “at the correct speed”. This book defines slow as:
“…calm, careful, receptive, still, intuitive, unhurried, patient, reflective, quality-over-quantity. It is about making real and meaningful connections–with people, culture, work, food, everything. The parados is that Slow does not always mean slow.”
Honore sums up the slow philosophy with the word balance. Being at tempo giusto means being in control of our own life’s rhythm in any context. When I live at my tempo giusto, I feel “groovy”!
Over the next few posts, I hope to share more of my thoughts on this book. Given my tempo guisto, I may at times interject other topics while I seek ways to best share my reflections. Have you read the book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the concept of tempo guisto. If not, I would encourage you to add it to your reading list.
I just returned home from Kansas City where I attended the AMTA Midwestern Regional Conference. During the weekend I attended business meetings, sessions, and social opportunities. It was a weekend filled with learning and connecting that has spurred many ideas for ways to offer music therapy services in the Hays, KS area. Here are highlights from sessions I attended.
Things opened with a musical performance by “Forever Young” an intergenerational group of UMKC students and folks from Landon Center on Aging. It was easy to tell the members of the group enjoyed sharing their rock music with us and we enjoyed listening to them. Following a welcome and brief presentation of awards, Dr. Alicia Clair, MT-BC who spoke on “Change Points in the Progress of Greatness“. (Dr. Clair was one of my main professors during my college days. I still love learning from her.) One of Dr. Clair’s most Tweeted comments was “Innovative practitioners are reflective thinkers, courageous, competent, driven to succeed, & get “high” with success.
She defines innovators as “people who stand up on hammocks.” I like that definition!
My first session was Music and Play for Every Day presented by Anne Meeker Miller, Ph.D., MT-BC. Books and songs to assist young children in developing self-regulating skills were shared. While there were many take aways from this session, I learned a song I may add this fall to some of my Music Sparks groups: “Bright Light”.
My next session was by Melita Belgrave, Ph.D., MT-BC on one of my favorite topics – Intergenerational Music Therapy Programs! Benefits for children, older adults, families, and staff were highlighted; basics of success; and models of programs were shared. Areas of and for research were discussed. I even feel motivated to consider adding research to my work. (Thank you Melita!)
My Saturday morning started with a session led by Blythe LaGasse and Robin Edwards (both are MT-BC with Ph.D.s) on Maintaining an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP). The ultimate goal of EBP is the best outcome for a client based upon clinical expertise; client values, needs, and expectations; and best external evidence. These women provided data bases and tips for locating research using the internet. And, I am awaiting a template to assist me in systematically looked at the research. This will be key in keeping my work evidence based and especially if I do venture into researching.
My counseling skills were heightened by attending Stacey Patterson, LCPC, MT-BC’s presentation titled Deepening Therapeutic Relationships and Facilitating Change through Enhanced Verbal Counseling Skills.
Lunch included a fun look at Copyright laws by Donald Simon, an entertainer and intellectual property law attorney. Yes, law can be entertaining. To learn more, you can go to Soundscapes Music Therapy write-up on a previous presentation by Mr. Simon.
Krista Winter, MA, MT-BC presented on Creating a Music Therapy Program in a Rural Hospital. Administrator Rudy Snedigar, CEO attended sharing insights into why her supports having a full-time music therapist in a small hospital. This is something I would love to see catch one for the sake of patients.
Creativity and Dementia in Hospice Care was an interesting case study presented by Amy Wilson, MA, MT-BC; Tricia Brashear, RM; and Iesha Burnham, CAN. Tons of information was shared. If you question the power of music, the amazing change of a client with dementia organizing herself with drumming intervention reducing the time it took to assist her to bathe from two hours to twenty minutes.
Sunday morning, before hitting the road for Hays I attended Sing, Move and Learn! Sarah Niileksela, MT-BC and Michelle Gilbert, BS presented on a successful music and literacy event for three to five year olds and their families. The short report on this session is I am now armed with tons of ideas to enhance my existing program as well an idea for a program to start!
Of course, the best part is talking face to face with friends from college, Facebook, twitter, and past conference friends. Their support and encouragement have helped me in being a better music therapist than I would be otherwise. If you would like to know more about what music therapists learned at shared and if you are on Twitter, look at #mwamta11. Time for this music therapist to move onto another task…
One of my favorite music therapy post, The Music Therapy Tween, shared a get to know you post she found on another blog. It looked like a lot of fun & a great way to earn more about you, my readers. I’ve modified it a little. Simply copy and paste YOUR answers for each area on your blog. If you don’t have a blog, you can create one in Google Docs and share the link. Either way, be sure you post a link in the comments below!
Making: Lots of new connections on preps for upcoming sessions.
Cooking: Nothing right now, but dreaming of dinner prepared tonight by my husband.
Drinking: Water
Reading: The Help by Kathryn Stockett and In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore
Wanting: To get into the garden.
Looking: At the sun!
Playing: Nothing.
Wasting: Time because there’s always something more productive I could be doing. (I like Michelle’s answer.)
Wishing: That my MT friends have safe travels.
Enjoying: Listening to the birds chirping outside.
Waiting: For my hubby to finish his judging trip.
Liking: The way the living room is decorated.
Wondering: Who I’ll meet at Midwest Regional AMTA conference.
Loving: A slower paced morning.
Hoping: That more people find my blogs here and at Music Sparks informative and helpful.
Marveling: At the beautiful weather.
Needing: Nothing right now!
Smelling: Nothing.
Wearing: PJ’s.
Following: Along with all AMTA regional conference tweets.
Noticing: My daughter’s music.
Knowing: I am loved.
Thinking: After this post, I should shower.
Opening: Soon… my washing machine of clean clothes.
This week is Brain Awareness Week! It is a campaign to increase “public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research.” While I don’t know when this week started, I love the idea. So much of what I learned over 30 years ago in college has changed due to research efforts. I encourage you to take some time this week to learn something new about this important piece of matter that resides between your ears. Here is a video that describes the brain and is set to music. I hope it inspires you to learn more. Please share your insights in the comments!
This past weekend I took part in OCMT 2011: On-line Conference for Music Therapy 2011. It was a great way to attend a conference – no travel, no hotels, lots of interaction, and lots of opportunities to learn. Just like most conferences, I didn’t “attend” all the sessions but unlike most conferences I will be able to listen to recordings of those I missed. We also were able to write comments, questions,and resources with each other during the presentations.
Using Elluminate, presenters shared slides, audio clips, videos and spoke to the group. Learning technology is a process. I know it will go even better in future online conferences given the improvements as we learned to use what was available to us.
Here are a few of the items I learned:
There are an amazing number of music therapist around the world. Though our training,certification, and cultures may vary, we all use the wonderful modality of music to assist those with whom we work.
I had a wonderful refresher on music and movement in child development.
Multi-tasking with computers, listening, and taking notes is a little more difficult after this many years out of the classroom. Yet, I still love to learn and have information refreshed. Maybe I can open a score take notes, and listen to a music excerpt like I did in college, but that’s okay. I know like other things, it just takes practice.
My reading list (books & journal articles) to further my knowledge grew by leaps and bounds. Now I need to find the time to DO more reading.
I gained the perspective of viewing music therapy as the meeting of math, arts, behavioral/social sciences, and natural science.
I was exposed to the concept of chakras each have a rhythmic pulsation. In theory this is part of why music can help when a deficit or weakness presents.
Skyping and other technological means of connecting are being explored for appropriateness and efficacy as treatment options with some clients and other related fields such as speech therapy.
Took part in a lively discussion regarding the role of specialization in Music Therapy.
Learned the average lifetime costs for treatment and care for Autism in the US is $3.5 to $5 million.
I gained useful information about Augmenative and Alternative Communication devices. What was considered “high-tech” when I went to college is now “low tech”.
Rachelle Norman provided a definition for “clinification”. I imagine it is an issue for many creative arts therapist and educators. (As an aside, if you are interested in more information on music therapy & seniors, I encourage you to visit her blog: Soundscape Music Therapy. Rachelle has some great entries.)
I had a refresher & reminders about the Web & social media in my work.
I now have better insights of the process music therapy plays in hospice.
For me the highlight of the conference was connecting with others across the globe. My follow list for Twitter and blogs has increased as have my Facebook friends. Having an increased circle of colleagues to enrich my knowledge, to share resources, and to bounce ideas, enhances what I am able to share with my clients.
If you have an opportunity to participate in an online conference, I recommend giving it a try.
What kind of questions have you asked today? Hang around a child and you will hear a litany of questions. “Why? How come? Are we there yet? When?”
No, the topic for this blog didn’t come from me spending time around a child. For some reason, a particular question song popped into my head today: “How Deep is the Ocean?” . It came to me after a week filled with my asking a lot of personal and professional questions of myself.
There are different types of questions. There are closed questions that have a set answer like “What is 2 + 2?”. And, there are open questions, with no set answer such as “Which came first the chicken or the egg?”. Researching the area of questions results as many ways to classify questions as there are people.
Asking questions isn’t innately good or bad. It is the why of our asking and what we do with them that is important for me. If I ask a question to spur my creativity, that can be good. If I don’t then act on it, asking the question served no purpose. To make an inquiry because I want to know something can only help me to learn if I search for the answer. Yes, there are come questions like many in the song “How Deep is the Ocean?” that have no simple answer, yet theses questions can still serve a purpose. They can open us to exploration. They allow us to see into ourselves. They can raise other questions.
Often my questions serve a purpose and surround my work as a music therapist. – What music would best elicit a desired response from a group, what instruments should I utilize, is there sufficient material for the allotted time. My questions of myself often spur learning or involve self exploration. – Why are so many people interested in that book? How can I spend less time looking for things?
I imagine I will keep asking questions of myself and others as long as I have breath including “How deep is the ocean?”.
Musical Gems 
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