2010: The Year in Review

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The Year 2010 in ReviewWith just four days remaining of 2010, I’ve been thinking a lot about where this year has taken me — both professionally and personally speaking.  It seems like just yesterday I was writing my 2009 review!  But as quickly as 2010 flew, I packed a lot into the past 12 months.  I’ll post a “Top 12” list later in the week; today’s post is a reflection of the year as a whole.  Here goes.

Almost four years into my career as a music therapist, I have to say that I’m feeling more confident in my skills than ever.  At the beginning of 2010, I set out to accomplish a new professional goal: starting a music therapy internship and supervising my first intern.  I was successful in getting the internship up and running, and now my intern is halfway through her nine-month stint at The Hope Institute.  It has definitely been a wonderful learning experience, and I’m already beginning to tackle my next challenge: offering CMTE credits as a CBMT-approved provider.

I’ve also made more connections with colleagues in the professional world.  I was elected to the executive board of the Illinois Association for Music Therapy last December, and have loved becoming more involved with advocacy and continuing education in my state.  February saw the birth of the Music Therapy Round Table, a podcast with fellow music therapists Kimberly Sena Moore and Michelle Erfurt.  The three of us presented our first CMTE course this past November at AMTA’s national music therapy conference, and are already looking forward to doing it again.

Although I’ve been blogging here at Listen & Learn since 2008, this has been the year in which I feel like I’ve really hit my stride.  I ventured into the world of YouTube with my Sunday Singlong series, grew my premium membership base, and became a WordPress convert.  But there is definitely still room for growth, and I plan to explore many more avenues for Listen & Learn in 2011.

This coming year will bring some big changes.  I’m going to be stepping into some uncharted (for me, at least) territory, which I’ll share with you as the next few months unfold.  But for now, I’m looking forward to getting on with what has been a wonderful school year both in private practice and at The Hope Institute.

And personally?  2010 was a relatively low-key year in comparison with 2009.  We’ve been in our “new” house for almost two years now, and our dog Sadie is getting calmer with age (she’ll be 2 in March).  Zach and I are looking forward to traveling quite a bit in 2011, starting with our trip to south Florida in January.  We’re also excited about being in our best friends’ weddings this summer, and finding out what else the new year will bring :)

Friday Fave: Christmas is Here!

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Merry-Christmas-2010

Well, technically it’s Christmas Eve…but I don’t plan on spending any time with my computer (as much as I love it) tomorrow.  Today has been busy enough as it is, between friends and neighbors dropping by, baking cookies, cleaning, and getting ready for our family’s Christmas gathering tomorrow.

But the fun doesn’t stop there: tonight we’ll attend my church’s Christmas Eve service, in which my choir will perform the Christmas song my mom wrote (complete with a brass and wind ensemble and yours truly singing the solo).  After church, we’ll head to Zach’s parents’ house, and then on to my aunt and uncle’s for their yearly Christmas Eve party.

Tomorrow will be filled with more family and friends — plus presents!  Watching our nephew and niece open theirs (with a little help from their parents) will definitely be the highlight.  And I’m super excited to host my family at our house for the first time ever.  Luckily my parents are doing most of the cooking :)  What are your plans for Christmas 2010?

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Friday Fave: Shopping for My Studio

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Shopping bagsOn this day one week ago, I set out at 4 a.m. in search of the perfect Christmas gifts for my friends and family.  After 8 straight hours of shopping, I returned home with a trunkful of goodies…for my home studio.

Okay, so I did buy a few gifts, but picking out useful things for my favorite space was much easier :)  I just couldn’t resist all the Black Friday deals I came across, not to mention the Cyber Monday deals online.  Here’s the run-down on my discounted haul:

Shopping for Studio

  • Multi-Color Storage Cart: I’ve had my eye on this for awhile, as it’s perfect for storing all of the forms and worksheets I use with my students.  Luckily, it was one of the doorbusters at Shopko on Friday morning and I got 60% off.
  • Blank CD-Rs: This might sound like a silly thing to be excited about, but considering how many blank CD-Rs I go through each week, I couldn’t pass up packs of 100 for ten bucks.
  • Flip UltraHD Video Camera: I’ve been using this particular video camera for almost a year to record all of my Sunday Singalong videos, courtesy of my mom.  I gave it to her as a gift last Christmas, but loved it so much that I’ve been “borrowing” it ever since.  The Flip was on super-sale, so I decided it was time to invest in one for myself and give my mom’s back.
  • Shopping for Studio DealsCommotion in the Ocean: I’m always on the lookout for good singable stories, especially when they are on sale.  Amazon is my go-to place for new children’s books, and I found this one on sale (along with a few others) during Cyber Monday.
  • Flip Video Tripod: I’ve been rigging up my own tripods all year, but when I came across this legitimate one for cheap, I added it to my online shopping basket.
  • HP Ink Combo Pack: Another seemingly boring purchase that was actually quite exciting to me!  I go through a lot of ink printing visual aides and other resources for my students, and it definitely adds up.  So anytime I can get it for less, I take advantage of that opportunity.

There were a few other items for my studio that made their way into my cart (both in the stores and online), but these were the ones that made me most happy.  Did you buy anything work-related over the Thanksgiving holiday?  If so, please spill!

Thanksgiving Blessings

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Thanksgiving-Blessings-Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving!  I’m grateful all year long to everyone who visits Listen & Learn, especially to those of you who make it a regular habit.  Writing a Thanksgiving gratitude post has become a yearly tradition for me: my first was back in 2008, followed by 2009, and now here I am today with a much longer list.  My life has been blessed with so many amazing people, opportunities, and experiences that I could never cover them all…but I’ll make a good effort, anyway!

I’m thankful for my husband, Zach, who is the most patient, forgiving, driven, and kindhearted person I’ve ever met.

I’m thankful for my parents, who still fix meals for me from time to time (including today’s!) and make me feel like the most loved daughter in the world.

I’m thankful for my entire family, including my nieces and nephews who make me genuinely excited to have children of my own in the future.

I’m thankful for my puppy, Sadie — who will always be my “baby” even once I have children.

I’m thankful for my friends, who remind me that it doesn’t matter how often we talk on the phone or see each other in person…we’re in it for life.

I’m thankful for my beautiful house and all of the memories we’re making here.

I’m thankful for my music studio, which allows me to do much of my work without even getting in my car.

I’m thankful for my education, not only in the classroom but the fact that I continue to learn new things all the time.

I’m thankful for my career, which allows me to create, perform, and share music on a daily basis.

I’m thankful for my students, who inspire me every day.

I’m thankful for my little corner of the internet, which has connected me to countless wonderful people and given me another outlet for my creativity.

I’m thankful for the chance to reflect on all of the good things in my life, and for the fact that you’ve taken the time to read this!  I would like to know: what are YOU thankful for this year?

WDBR Cares for Kids, and So Do I!

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WDBR Cares for Kids Radiothon

Do you remember that scene in the movie That Thing You Do! when the band hears their song on the radio for the first time?  And they get out of their car (in the middle of the street) and jump around screaming and singing?  Well that was me last year when I heard my songs playing on my favorite radio station during the WDBR Cares for Kids Radiothon.

The Radiothon is a three day event during which money is raised for the Children’s Miracle Network and St. John’s Childrens’ Hospital, right in my hometown of Springfield, Illinois.  Throughout the radiothon, Dave & Dina (the awesome hosts of WBDR’s morning show) interview patients who have received treatment along with their families, and they play songs that accompany several childrens’ stories as they (or their parents) tell them in their own words.

Last year I had the huge privilege of writing two original songs to accompany the stories of Hollie and Sam, which you can hear right here.  I jumped at the chance to do it again; this time around I wrote songs for Will & Cookie, who talk about their brother Jack’s experience as a patient at St. John’s, and another song about the doctors from a patient’s perspective.

I will share my songs here at Listen & Learn after the radiothon is over…but until then, you can hear them either by tuning in to 103.7 WDBR (either on the radio if you’re in Springfield or streaming online).  The radiothon started yesterday and will go through tomorrow.  If you would like to make a donation, you can do so by calling 217-544-KIDS.  Last year, over $92,000 was raised, and I’m hoping that can be topped this year!

The bummer part is that I’m in Cleveland for the AMTA national music therapy conference until Sunday, so I won’t actually get to hear my songs played live on the radio.  But just knowing they are, and that they are part of such an awesome cause, makes up for it :)