Friday Fave: Twitter

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It’s just about quitting time, but I wanted to get in one last post before I tear myself away from the computer for the weekend. I haven’t done a Friday Fave in a while, so I decided that today’s would be dedicated to a little website you may have heard of: Twitter. What’s not to love about a site that’s all about networking, staying up-to-date with friends, and talking about yourself, all in 140 characters or less?

You may have noticed the Twitter icon I’m sporting in my left sidebar. If you’re not following me already, you should be! I’m a little ashamed to say that “tweeting” has become one of my favorite online activities…time that could be better spent writing and recording new songs. I’m sure the novelty will wear off soon, but for now I’m enjoying making connections with other music therapists, educators, and parents all over the country.

So to sum up: find me on Twitter, introduce yourself, and we’ll share in the fun together :) Other than that, enjoy your weekend! New songs coming next week!!

Friday Fave: Graduation

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Today is another special day at the Hope Institute…graduation day! Several students from the senior classes will be taking the next step in their lives after the time they’ve spent at Hope, whether that is moving back home to be close to family, being placed in a development-appropriate job, or joining an assisted living community. It’s a proud time not only for the students themselves, but also for the parents and teachers who have helped them get here. It’s always a bittersweet day, though – many of the students who graduate have spent years at Hope, making it hard for us to say goodbye.

My first experience at Hope was actually at the 2007 graduation, right before I became an employee. My principal asked me to sing a couple of songs, and I have been the official graduation day singer ever since. It’s a nice job to have :)

Today I’ll be singing “You Raise Me Up”, a Josh Groban song that I think perfectly embodies the spirit of this day.

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life – no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

Friday Fave: Sadie!

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This is our new little bundle of joy! Sadie was born on March 28, and we finally got to bring her home yesterday. She had a fun first night in her new home: she got to meet all of her grandparents, take a walk around the neighborhood, and play with all of her toys. She definitely wore us out…and she wore herself out too! We were expecting a lot more crying throughout the night, but she only woke us up once to take her outside. Not bad at all!

I have a couple new songs I’m looking forward to posting, but they’ll have to wait until the weekend. You can probably guess that I have been a little preoccupied for the last couple days, but I can’t wait to share the songs I have in store for you. In the meantime, maybe Sadie will inspire me to write a song about puppies :) Have a great Friday, and a wonderful holiday weekend!

Friday Fave: You!

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Today I want to talk all about you, my wonderful readers. I used to feel a little lonely, being the only music therapist in my city. In fact, that was one of the motivating factors in starting this blog. I needed a place to share my ideas, receive feedback on my songs, and just communicate with people who have similar experience and background.

And communicate I have. It is such a great feeling to find an email from a reader waiting for me, whether he/she is asking a question, commenting on a song, or sharing an idea with me. Not only do I have new email buddies, but I have gotten to know many of you via Twitter and Facebook, too.

I am thrilled to have so many new connections in the music therapy community, but it hasn’t stopped there. Music educators, classroom teachers, and parents make up a big part of my readership, and those that I have talked with are advocates of music therapy and the difference music can make in a child’s life.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making Listen & Learn one of your regular stops on the web. Thank you for your emails, comments, and overall support, whether it is sending the link to a friend, making a donation, or purchasing a CD. Or all three, in many cases :)

Happy Friday to you. I hope that knowing you are my “fave” makes your day a little brighter!

Friday Fave: Warm Weather Has Arrived!

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

Finally…and I think it’s here to stay. We are in for two 80-degree days, and then a string of 70s, which is more than okay with me! It feels so good to be able to go outside without a jacket. And in honor of the beautiful warm weather, here is my “Warm Day” song, which I’ve been waiting to share for a couple weeks now:

Well it’s not too cold and it’s not too hot,
It’s warm, it’s warm.
Don’t need a coat, won’t sweat a lot,
It’s warm, it’s warm, it’s warm.

It’s warm outside, right in between
Spring is here, the trees are green
And so today we’ll play outside
Hop on our bikes, and take a ride
It’s warm, it’s warm, it’s warm.

Well it’s not too cold and it’s not too hot,
It’s warm, it’s warm.
Don’t need a coat, won’t sweat a lot,
It’s warm, it’s warm, it’s
Warm, not hot, not cold, just right.
Enjoy the day, it’s shining bright.
It’s warm, it’s warm, it’s warm.

I can’t wait to get out and ride my bike, walk our soon-to-arrive puppy, and just enjoy the spring. Unfortunately, I won’t have much time to do so this weekend, however. Tomorrow is my dad’s 50th birthday, which we’ll be celebrating in the afternoon. Then tomorrow evening, I am singing in a gala fundraiser for the Child Advocacy Center. Church Mice, a music group for little ones I lead, begins its spring session on Sunday afternoon, and then the weekend will be over! Have a great weekend yourselves – hopefully it will be more relaxing than mine :)