Working at a mental institution has it's hilarious points:
Me: "Are you involved with something called MHMR? Does that sound familiar to you?"
Kid: "No. What does MHMR stand for?"
Me: "Mental Health/Mental Retardation."
Kid: "I'M NOT RETARDED!!!"
Lady (while charging up to me): "I've just wet my pants!"
Me: "M'am, it looks like you should change your pants."
Lady: "No I won't! I'm PROUD of my pee pee!"
10.31.2008
10.30.2008
*gasp!*
I just found out that my cousin & Jason Mraz will be in St. Louis on November 23rd.
I WILL ALSO be in St. Louis November 23rd. That is in fact the evening of the morning I am presenting at the AMTA conference. I kind of want to go to the show again - is that weird?
I WILL ALSO be in St. Louis November 23rd. That is in fact the evening of the morning I am presenting at the AMTA conference. I kind of want to go to the show again - is that weird?
10.29.2008
spread too thin, again.
I know, I know - that's like saying, "Dude, did you notice the sky today? It's like, BLUE," or mentioning in passing that the Pope is Catholic. But whatever, I had a really good day. We threw an awesome Halloween festival for the kids, I got my face painted, and I set up a one to one session with a kid. I'm also on a high from the ridiculously cute song I wrote with one of my groups about the Fall and how everything changes (weather, our clothes, time) this time of year and how we take care of ourselves. Maybe I'm finally getting ahold of this dual diagnosis MHMR thing. Then of course the geriatric group right after me bombed. Live learn and mo'betta, as we used to say back when LHB was cool.
10.27.2008
Gobbledegook.
Sigh.
I have so much to say that I don't really know where to start. My mind/daily life lately seems to be lots of little blurs of activity. Work is really good - I have three more weeks 'til St. Louis and then the wedding and then the big fancy national music therapy conference where I just found out I'll be presenting to as many as 100 people (depending on if people want to get up early to check out my presentation but seeing as I apparently beat out a bunch of other multicultural MT presentations, I predict that all THOSE GUYS will be at it. At least, I hope so.) (was that too long for a parenthetical statement?)
Kyle keeps asking what I want to do while we're in StL and my thought is that we'll get there, party for the wedding, have a blast in the aftermath with family and friends and then I'll spend 6 solid days freaking out. THEN I can concentrate on things like Thanksgiving and...NOT graduating in December.
Oh yeah, that's a long story. The short of it is that working where I work is um, stressful. I really feel like I've thrown myself wholeheartedly into it and if I've procrastinated on my thesis, it's only because I've been doing things like hanging out with friends, which is a VERY GOOD THING for my sanity. Especially considering where I work. Besides, I can start studying for my orals NOW and get that over with in a timely manner as well as defend my paper (if that LADY will EVER give me my DATA) (or heck, even show up on time I mean, AT ALL, for the appointments we set) and plan a really good graduation/housewarming party. Maybe by then we'll have a new bathroom. K's really ready to be done with the summer camp bathroom we're currently tolerating.
At any rate, my advisor laughed out loud when I told her that I no longer have any pride - just do whatever it takes for me to get this dang paper written, rewritten, defended, whatever. I just want to get it done. When you start out writing a thesis you think it's your THING and then you realize along the way that it's just another flaming hoop (albeit a very small tricksy hoop that keeps changing on you) that you have to jump through. I've even second-guessed my brilliant scheme to write a thesis thinking to myself, "Is it too late to turn this into a professional paper?" (yes) and a good friend recently put it best when she said that she's leaning toward a ppaper because writing a thesis is more for if later you want to get your Ph.D. in which case you'd have to write an equivalent somewhere along the way and who's to say first off that she even WANTS to get her Ph.D. and second, if that happens it'll be pretty far down the line and how can she make a decision now on something she may not want down the line? As for me, I know that I want to be a professor, know that I want to get my Ph.D., know that it's going to be loads of work especially if I want to start up the ol' baby maker in the next 5 years.
Wow - getting that all out of my head was really therapeutic.
Speaking of therapeutic, the Jason Mraz show in Dallas was AMAAAAAAAZING and not just because our sweet tickets were 13th row. When I get the rest of my brain cells together, I'll write about it because it was probably one of the better shows I've been to.
Also, leaving this place is going to be really hard for me in a couple weeks - I've come to really love and enjoy my coworkers and it's going to be tough to leave them.
No promises that I'll write any time soon because I have to make boxes and peel grapes for the Fall Carnival on Wednesday and then it's back to Dallas on Friday!
I have so much to say that I don't really know where to start. My mind/daily life lately seems to be lots of little blurs of activity. Work is really good - I have three more weeks 'til St. Louis and then the wedding and then the big fancy national music therapy conference where I just found out I'll be presenting to as many as 100 people (depending on if people want to get up early to check out my presentation but seeing as I apparently beat out a bunch of other multicultural MT presentations, I predict that all THOSE GUYS will be at it. At least, I hope so.) (was that too long for a parenthetical statement?)
Kyle keeps asking what I want to do while we're in StL and my thought is that we'll get there, party for the wedding, have a blast in the aftermath with family and friends and then I'll spend 6 solid days freaking out. THEN I can concentrate on things like Thanksgiving and...NOT graduating in December.
Oh yeah, that's a long story. The short of it is that working where I work is um, stressful. I really feel like I've thrown myself wholeheartedly into it and if I've procrastinated on my thesis, it's only because I've been doing things like hanging out with friends, which is a VERY GOOD THING for my sanity. Especially considering where I work. Besides, I can start studying for my orals NOW and get that over with in a timely manner as well as defend my paper (if that LADY will EVER give me my DATA) (or heck, even show up on time I mean, AT ALL, for the appointments we set) and plan a really good graduation/housewarming party. Maybe by then we'll have a new bathroom. K's really ready to be done with the summer camp bathroom we're currently tolerating.
At any rate, my advisor laughed out loud when I told her that I no longer have any pride - just do whatever it takes for me to get this dang paper written, rewritten, defended, whatever. I just want to get it done. When you start out writing a thesis you think it's your THING and then you realize along the way that it's just another flaming hoop (albeit a very small tricksy hoop that keeps changing on you) that you have to jump through. I've even second-guessed my brilliant scheme to write a thesis thinking to myself, "Is it too late to turn this into a professional paper?" (yes) and a good friend recently put it best when she said that she's leaning toward a ppaper because writing a thesis is more for if later you want to get your Ph.D. in which case you'd have to write an equivalent somewhere along the way and who's to say first off that she even WANTS to get her Ph.D. and second, if that happens it'll be pretty far down the line and how can she make a decision now on something she may not want down the line? As for me, I know that I want to be a professor, know that I want to get my Ph.D., know that it's going to be loads of work especially if I want to start up the ol' baby maker in the next 5 years.
Wow - getting that all out of my head was really therapeutic.
Speaking of therapeutic, the Jason Mraz show in Dallas was AMAAAAAAAZING and not just because our sweet tickets were 13th row. When I get the rest of my brain cells together, I'll write about it because it was probably one of the better shows I've been to.
Also, leaving this place is going to be really hard for me in a couple weeks - I've come to really love and enjoy my coworkers and it's going to be tough to leave them.
No promises that I'll write any time soon because I have to make boxes and peel grapes for the Fall Carnival on Wednesday and then it's back to Dallas on Friday!
10.22.2008
Advice
So, Etsy friend(s): I'm thinking about selling my stuff on Etsy. How do I get started, what are the good/bad points of it, and how do you deal with payment/shipping/etc.
I also need a good name for my store if anyone has suggestions...
I also need a good name for my store if anyone has suggestions...
10.20.2008
Heck. NOW what?
There is a very serious potential buyer with his eye on the house I am currently staying at. The question is, if it sells, what the heck am I going to do for the next 4 weeks?
My first inclination is PRAY. Not for the house not to be sold (of course) but because I really really have no idea what I'm going to do. This would of course happen the very day after I write how warm and fuzzy and comfy I am here.
My first inclination is PRAY. Not for the house not to be sold (of course) but because I really really have no idea what I'm going to do. This would of course happen the very day after I write how warm and fuzzy and comfy I am here.
10.19.2008
breathe in, breathe out, wash, rinse, repeat
The thesis saga continues, unfortunately. I had asked the Administrator in charge at the school I did my work at if I could use the scores from a standardized test. Now, the test is comprised of several subtests, and if you were an Administrator, would you let your eager music therapy student know that not all of the subtests would be given? I hope if you're ever an Administrator, that you would, because they of course use tests A and B, while my prospectus was approved for the use of tests B and F.
This is of course along the same lines of me asking when the test is given and leaning on "at the end of the year" when in fact that meant APRIL. This thesis writing thing really is becoming a large test of my patience and perseverance. I am always ALWAYS learning that. If you're ever bored one day and think to yourself, "Hey Self, I wonder what God's teaching Christina today...humm...." It's PATIENCE. I guaran-freaking-tee you.
In other news, thanks to The Great Kate I am reading for pleasure again and it gives my brains a special kind of tingly feeling. I do believe that reading makes one smarter and find it freaky when people tell me they don't like to read. That's like, not liking babies or puppies. I also took myself on an impromptu date to JoAnn's fabrics which was probably a bad thing if you're asking the Hubs, but not if you're talking to my creativity. Between the reading and the crocheting and the Christmas-present-jewelry-making, I finally feel....rested here for the first time after moving up to Round Rock.
Other good things that are going on: My mom is finally out of the hospital - thanks for all the thoughts and prayers and wishes. Another good thing: Colt McCoy is looking like Heisman material. I think he deserves it more than Vince Young did because this year the whole team looks tight, amazing, like a machine that will not be stopped.
Oh and did I mention I got the sweet hook up for the Jason Mraz show this Thursday in Dallas? My family rocks my world.
This is of course along the same lines of me asking when the test is given and leaning on "at the end of the year" when in fact that meant APRIL. This thesis writing thing really is becoming a large test of my patience and perseverance. I am always ALWAYS learning that. If you're ever bored one day and think to yourself, "Hey Self, I wonder what God's teaching Christina today...humm...." It's PATIENCE. I guaran-freaking-tee you.
In other news, thanks to The Great Kate I am reading for pleasure again and it gives my brains a special kind of tingly feeling. I do believe that reading makes one smarter and find it freaky when people tell me they don't like to read. That's like, not liking babies or puppies. I also took myself on an impromptu date to JoAnn's fabrics which was probably a bad thing if you're asking the Hubs, but not if you're talking to my creativity. Between the reading and the crocheting and the Christmas-present-jewelry-making, I finally feel....rested here for the first time after moving up to Round Rock.
Other good things that are going on: My mom is finally out of the hospital - thanks for all the thoughts and prayers and wishes. Another good thing: Colt McCoy is looking like Heisman material. I think he deserves it more than Vince Young did because this year the whole team looks tight, amazing, like a machine that will not be stopped.
Oh and did I mention I got the sweet hook up for the Jason Mraz show this Thursday in Dallas? My family rocks my world.
10.14.2008
not funny ha-ha
After a taxing 24 hours and a 45-minute chat with my dear Maria about internships, I got this in my fortune cookie:
:I am always doing that which I cannot do in order to learn how to do it:
I think I am going to frame that in with a picture of my coworkers when I leave. Which is by the way in like 5 weeks. Time really does fly.
:I am always doing that which I cannot do in order to learn how to do it:
I think I am going to frame that in with a picture of my coworkers when I leave. Which is by the way in like 5 weeks. Time really does fly.
10.09.2008
Walking and Running
In other news, here's my playlist for tonight in order:
Margarita Stand - Bob Schneider 2:22
Friends In Low Places - Garth Brooks 4:20
*I'm Yours - Jason Mraz 4:03
The Heart of Life - John Mayer 3:18
Can't Stop - Ozomatli 2:56
**So What - P!nk 3:34
Snow (Hey Oh) - RHCP 5:35
Bombananza - The Scabs 4:36
No Baby Swings Like Mine - South Austin Jug Band 2:38
Hideaway - The Weepies 2:49
Wonderful Rainbow - Israel Kamikolawe (or whatever) 4:53
Sunrise - Norah Jones 3:21
Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright 4:09
Total Time: 48.4 minutes
* denotes song that I ran to. In hindsight I don't know that I'd pick a four-minute song right off the bat, maybe something shorter. Oh well, next week.
** denotes song that you can really get your powerful woman strut on to.
Margarita Stand - Bob Schneider 2:22
Friends In Low Places - Garth Brooks 4:20
*I'm Yours - Jason Mraz 4:03
The Heart of Life - John Mayer 3:18
Can't Stop - Ozomatli 2:56
**So What - P!nk 3:34
Snow (Hey Oh) - RHCP 5:35
Bombananza - The Scabs 4:36
No Baby Swings Like Mine - South Austin Jug Band 2:38
Hideaway - The Weepies 2:49
Wonderful Rainbow - Israel Kamikolawe (or whatever) 4:53
Sunrise - Norah Jones 3:21
Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright 4:09
Total Time: 48.4 minutes
* denotes song that I ran to. In hindsight I don't know that I'd pick a four-minute song right off the bat, maybe something shorter. Oh well, next week.
** denotes song that you can really get your powerful woman strut on to.
Cancer Sucks.
Today I was reminded of why I started this whole crazy idea of triathlons in the first place.
My beautiful and driven roommate in college Sarah started UT's Colleges Against Cancer in affiliation with the American Cancer Society and for some insane reason implored scatterbrained, flaky, undergrad me to head up her entertainment chair. I think I was supposed to delegate but not sure I did, but anyway, one of the first meetings, Sarah asked all the chair people why we were involved in CAC. I of course was running late and didn't know I'd be saying anything at the meeting, so I just started talking about the people I knew who had dealt with cancer - my paternal grandmother had just passed away from lung and colon cancer, my maternal step-grandfather died from pancreatic cancer when I was in high school, my dad and paternal grandfather both had bouts with skin cancer, my friends Chris and Joanna were diagnosed the same summer and then my dear Kelli had a scare as well later, and most importantly my mom, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when I was born and because of treatment wasn't able to breastfeed me.
Just this summer I've had two dear friends and mentors diagnosed with some form of cancer, as well as a scare in Kyle's family. A friend at work is having abnormal tests show up and is waiting on the results and earlier this week one of my newest, dearest friends just informed me that she's going in for surgery before the end of October.
People, to be honest this stuff scares the shit out of me. There are no more words at the moment.
My beautiful and driven roommate in college Sarah started UT's Colleges Against Cancer in affiliation with the American Cancer Society and for some insane reason implored scatterbrained, flaky, undergrad me to head up her entertainment chair. I think I was supposed to delegate but not sure I did, but anyway, one of the first meetings, Sarah asked all the chair people why we were involved in CAC. I of course was running late and didn't know I'd be saying anything at the meeting, so I just started talking about the people I knew who had dealt with cancer - my paternal grandmother had just passed away from lung and colon cancer, my maternal step-grandfather died from pancreatic cancer when I was in high school, my dad and paternal grandfather both had bouts with skin cancer, my friends Chris and Joanna were diagnosed the same summer and then my dear Kelli had a scare as well later, and most importantly my mom, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when I was born and because of treatment wasn't able to breastfeed me.
Just this summer I've had two dear friends and mentors diagnosed with some form of cancer, as well as a scare in Kyle's family. A friend at work is having abnormal tests show up and is waiting on the results and earlier this week one of my newest, dearest friends just informed me that she's going in for surgery before the end of October.
People, to be honest this stuff scares the shit out of me. There are no more words at the moment.
10.08.2008
Still A Very Good Day :)
I had planned to go walk/run today but am going to postpone it to tomorrow - I instead went on a crazy goose chase for a pottery painting place with my dear Kate and we FINALLY ended up at one, after TWO were found to be closed and we drove to a place that was pretty much a professional clay-throwing type place. So, instead of running, I painted, had some (more) fabulous chili leftover from today's birthday potluck at work and had a beer. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will run.
At the moment I am actually walking a lot more than I am running and that's because I'm starting to train WAY ahead for an olympic triathlon next year. As in, next summer. The plan is to train for the olympic and DO the Danskin (a sprint) and to start on the whole running workout thing REALLY early so as to build up strength and lose some weight along the way (which helps with everything). I don't really like the run 1 minute, walk 1 minute plans that only go for 30 minutes that I've found. Since I am so ridiculously motivated by music, my goal was to walk for one hour x3 last week, which I did (woohoo!) and then this week, run one song (I'm Yours by Jason Mraz) and then walk the rest of the hour, and add an extra day of walking. It doesn't matter when I do these things, as long as the run/walks are 3x a week. Walking is supposed to be a good, restorative exercise so it'll be good to intersperse my progressively longer runs with walks. So yay, triathaloning again. It really does help to think of even these little walking excursions as "training for a triathlon" because it makes me stick with it more.
I also had a really amazing day at work that was fueled by some serious motivation that has been lacking in my thesis work and in my group-preparation-creativity. I love my job, love that I get to go to work every day and make music and change people's lives.
At the moment I am actually walking a lot more than I am running and that's because I'm starting to train WAY ahead for an olympic triathlon next year. As in, next summer. The plan is to train for the olympic and DO the Danskin (a sprint) and to start on the whole running workout thing REALLY early so as to build up strength and lose some weight along the way (which helps with everything). I don't really like the run 1 minute, walk 1 minute plans that only go for 30 minutes that I've found. Since I am so ridiculously motivated by music, my goal was to walk for one hour x3 last week, which I did (woohoo!) and then this week, run one song (I'm Yours by Jason Mraz) and then walk the rest of the hour, and add an extra day of walking. It doesn't matter when I do these things, as long as the run/walks are 3x a week. Walking is supposed to be a good, restorative exercise so it'll be good to intersperse my progressively longer runs with walks. So yay, triathaloning again. It really does help to think of even these little walking excursions as "training for a triathlon" because it makes me stick with it more.
I also had a really amazing day at work that was fueled by some serious motivation that has been lacking in my thesis work and in my group-preparation-creativity. I love my job, love that I get to go to work every day and make music and change people's lives.
10.06.2008
Irritated.
On NPR this morning they were talking about Liberty University, a fundamentalist Baptist university in Virginia. The issue is that they're trying to keep Virginia a Republican state and therefore are working really hard to get all 10,000 students to vote because 80-90% of them are Republican and while they cannot say "vote for McCain" they can say that it's important to vote, cancel class, and hold a results viewing party. Two soundbites that stuck out to me the most were these:
Interviewer to an Obama supporter: "So when they find out you support Obama, what is the first question they ask?"
Obama supporter: "Well the first thing they ask is if I'm a Christian."
Second was a girl talking about how McCain has lived his whole life in sacrifice and under Christian values and that's something that all Christians should consider when voting. (Um, you'd think she'd be voting for the man who's stayed faithful to his wife and family his whole life and NOT a man who cheated on his wife and then left her after she was disfigured in a car wreck.)
Interviewer to an Obama supporter: "So when they find out you support Obama, what is the first question they ask?"
Obama supporter: "Well the first thing they ask is if I'm a Christian."
Second was a girl talking about how McCain has lived his whole life in sacrifice and under Christian values and that's something that all Christians should consider when voting. (Um, you'd think she'd be voting for the man who's stayed faithful to his wife and family his whole life and NOT a man who cheated on his wife and then left her after she was disfigured in a car wreck.)
10.05.2008
Pretty sure I'm not normal.
I really think I have some sort of social anxiety. It's not that I so much care about what other people think about me, it's that I know I'm going to say something weird or silly (by whose standards? maybe I do care?) and then It will show up...It being that Awkward Pause. I am not It's biggest fan. Sometimes I wish that I had some sort of excuse or could have a few minutes to explain the awkwardness, but I don't ever get it. I don't always ever get myself so how can I expect someone else to? I usually just walk away and try to laugh about it. I wish I could be tactful and suave and awesome but no, I'm just that girl laughing at inappropriate moments because I'm really, really nervous.
In other news, we saw Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and it was way warm and fuzzy-ness inducing. Loved it. Also, we went to IKEA and found an overhead light for the entryway and I'm seriously going to throw a party because this is the culmination of spending MONTHS looking for one. We also got some fabric to make into a shower curtain for the guest bath, which will be worked on next weekend and pics posted accordingly :)
In other news, we saw Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and it was way warm and fuzzy-ness inducing. Loved it. Also, we went to IKEA and found an overhead light for the entryway and I'm seriously going to throw a party because this is the culmination of spending MONTHS looking for one. We also got some fabric to make into a shower curtain for the guest bath, which will be worked on next weekend and pics posted accordingly :)
10.01.2008
Falling for Fall
After much debate with myself, I've decided that Fall wins for my favorite season. here's 15 reasons why:
1. Football
2. Chili weather
3. Sweaters!
4. Camping
5. Oktoberfest brews
6. Wurstfest!!!
7. Fun new veggies and flowers in the garden
8. Trading in the quilts for the duvets
9. Leaving the windows open at night
10. Beautiful, lush colors in fashion like greens and berries and orangey reds
11. My insatiable need to knit and/or crochet
12. All things pumpkin: pumpkin infused vodka, pumpkin patches, pumpkin carving, pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, homemade pumpkin swirl cheesecake!
13. The dressing up, decorating and the excitement around Halloween :)
14. Days when it is both sunny and cool.
15. Because fall leads to winter and winter means GRADUATION!
1. Football
2. Chili weather
3. Sweaters!
4. Camping
5. Oktoberfest brews
6. Wurstfest!!!
7. Fun new veggies and flowers in the garden
8. Trading in the quilts for the duvets
9. Leaving the windows open at night
10. Beautiful, lush colors in fashion like greens and berries and orangey reds
11. My insatiable need to knit and/or crochet
12. All things pumpkin: pumpkin infused vodka, pumpkin patches, pumpkin carving, pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, homemade pumpkin swirl cheesecake!
13. The dressing up, decorating and the excitement around Halloween :)
14. Days when it is both sunny and cool.
15. Because fall leads to winter and winter means GRADUATION!
the Drumist
The most challenging patient (pt) I've had so far is one who is really interested in drumming but the last few weeks has not been attending school and therefore has been restricted to the unit. Two weeks ago I moved an entire drum set to the unit and used it as motivation for the pt to go to school. Last week we didn't have a session because the pt again didn't go to school. But Monday the pt went, and I got hopeful, and the pt went yesterday also. AND the pt went today!
Today was the first day the pt got to drum, and it was really incredible. The pt has issues with emotional regulation, so I had the pt play different emotions, like happy, sad, and we finally landed on angry. We talked about the things that induced the pt's anger and then talked about what it felt like when the pt was in control of their emotions, then had the pt play that. THEN, I had the pt start on angry and move to in control. Not surprsingly, we had to do this a couple times, but the pt was really starting to get the hang of it.
This session was a nice reminder of why I do what I do. In this instance I was able to give a pt a place to express their feelings freely, and also talk about where the pt would like to go in the future. I introduced the pt to the concept of DCI and we even did some visualizing of what it would be like for the pt to be the center snare of a drumline, then I had the pt play what that would feel like. The pt had this huge grin on their face and said that it would be "totally badass." I think that this kid could totally be famous one day, and the pt is going to request a drumset from their mom when released. I promised to try and find a music therapist in the pt's area because hopefully the pt can keep this in their life as a positive motivator.
The pt even said that when they get famous, that I get free backstage passes to all the band's shows, which is of course, another reason why I do what I do.
Today was the first day the pt got to drum, and it was really incredible. The pt has issues with emotional regulation, so I had the pt play different emotions, like happy, sad, and we finally landed on angry. We talked about the things that induced the pt's anger and then talked about what it felt like when the pt was in control of their emotions, then had the pt play that. THEN, I had the pt start on angry and move to in control. Not surprsingly, we had to do this a couple times, but the pt was really starting to get the hang of it.
This session was a nice reminder of why I do what I do. In this instance I was able to give a pt a place to express their feelings freely, and also talk about where the pt would like to go in the future. I introduced the pt to the concept of DCI and we even did some visualizing of what it would be like for the pt to be the center snare of a drumline, then I had the pt play what that would feel like. The pt had this huge grin on their face and said that it would be "totally badass." I think that this kid could totally be famous one day, and the pt is going to request a drumset from their mom when released. I promised to try and find a music therapist in the pt's area because hopefully the pt can keep this in their life as a positive motivator.
The pt even said that when they get famous, that I get free backstage passes to all the band's shows, which is of course, another reason why I do what I do.
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