Sing, Sing a song*

I want to try something a little fun this year to inspire me to really get going with this blog. I anticipate that as I return to study, that is what will make up the bulk of what I have to say, but just for the meantime...

 I am a musician and music therapist and I'm studying in the fields of music therapy and community cultural development so I wanted to give my blog more of a musical feel.

Sooo..... Starting today, I will be attempting to use song lyrics as the titles for all my posts. I do not necessarily have to know the songs either, they just have to exist. I may also include songs that I have written that you will not know. Maybe if I feel so inspired I will record them for you who knows.

Is it a little crazy? Yes I think it is, but I want to have fun, so here I go. I feel more creative already!

Feel free to make suggestions for blog titles and I will see what I can do.

I had a lot of trouble deciding on what the title for this post would be!!

*Sing - The Carpenters. (A old favourite of mine)

Happy New Year*

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

May we all have a vision now and then

Of a world where every neighbour is a friend

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

May we all have our hopes, our will to try

If we don't we might as well lie down and die

You and I

                         *(Lyrics from Happy new Year, Abba)

It has been a quiet year so far, so I have started work on my list for the year. I am starting the year in a new way this year. I have decided to throw aside my usual modus operandi for life, which is let's see what happens and deal with it then.

This year, I am planning. I'm going to make a list of things I would like to achieve this year and plan accordingly.  In order to get me started, my lovely partner has gifted me a very special experience to kick off my year.

I have never done an ecourse before and am very excited about it. I think it will set me up perfectly to get on with my new plan of making plans for the year!

Of course I have yet to make any concrete plans, but they will unfold over the next few weeks, I am sure. It's a new year with new plans, and an exciting new ecourse to kick it off. I'm looking forward to  a great 2011. Hope yours is also.

 

Sporadic

 Sourced at google images

spo-rad-ic
[spuh-rad-ik]

 - adjective

1. appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time; occasional: sporadic renewals of enthusiasm.
2. appearing in scattered or isolated instances, as a disease.
3. isolated, as a single instance of something; being or occurring apart from others.
4. occurring singly or widely apart in locality: the sporadic growth of plants.        sourced from Dictionary.com

5. my blogging history.
6. how often I think about blogging.
7. how often I access the computer
8. something I hope to change next year.

I'm starting on my new years resolutions. I don't often make resolutions for the coming year, but this year I am strangely compelled to do some planning for the year ahead.

After an initial flurry of blogging, I then stopped for 4 months. I began again with renewed enthusiasm brought about by Blogtoberfest, then once again ceased for just over a month. One of the things I would like to accomplish next year is to blog more often. I hope that returning to becoming dr doc, and returning to my music ensemble - along with the promise of a new computer - will encourage me to share my stories more often.

It is my hope that next year is less of a struggle than the previous few have been and my plan is to plan more and make a better life for myself. I was only thinking the other day that in many ways I need to make my life more liveable. When you live with chronic illness, it is sometimes easy to get caught up in how difficult life is. This is not to downplay the difficult times, but things can be different.

I have a few things up my sleeve to ensure that I stick to my plan, beginning with a weekly plan that includes exercise, time for blogging, scheduled music practice time and study, as well as me time, time with my beautiful partner, and time for my friends and family.

 

Sourced at google images 

Keep an eye out for what lies ahead. The year is filled with promise!

There's a first time for everything

I went to the best funeral yesterday, something you don't hear very often I bet!

It was for one of my patients and I was asked to play some music, which was a privilege, and yet still, a difficult thing to do. Anyhow, it was a great party for a great kid.

It was held at the local footy oval, 

and there was a jumping castle, 

 a mobile zoo with a lamb, a calf, a shetland pony and numerous rabbits and guinea pigs. 

There was also equipment to play footy or cricket, along with a sausage sizzle, fairy bread and cupcakes. A great send off indeed, along with an antique fire engine and a harley hearse.

RIP Mack.

This was a fantastic example of community for me to witness also. The local community rallied around this family and provided lots of food, drinks and entertainment for the kids. It really showed how having a supportive community can pull together when things are tough. In our very individual lifestyles that many of us lead these days, we have lost that sense of community a bit. It is such a shame. 

One of the things that I will be sad about when we move is the loss of our little community in the street. We share the care and rewards of chooks, we share food when there is too much for one family, we share laughs in the street, and we know that we can count on our neighbours for help in times of need - such as the time our kitten got stuck down the drain and our wonderful neighbour came and helped us shift the drain cover.

Whether our needs are big - as in preparing for the perfect send off - or small - such as helping rescue our kitten - our community makes our lives happier. Whether it is a geographical community, a community of interest or any other type, it is always nice to belong and to feel both needed and supported.

Day Dreaming

 Of walking on a beach

Swimming in aqua blue water - that's not in a pool!

I am off to the pool now

Independence Day

This morning I took some time out of my day to witness first steps towards independence.

We were alerted to its presence by a visit from it's mother who alighted on the clothes line under cover of our deck. She has been a regular visitor of late. When she flew away we saw this beautiful baby magpie gingerly standing on the fence.

It went on to make numerous attempts to take off, by spreading one wing and then the other followed by some preening. It hopped along the fence from left to right and back again.

This wonderful creature finally flew off to the magnificent gum tree in our neighbours yard. Go you good thing! Welcome to the big scary world.

It was a magical experience to watch, and reminded me that we all have to continue to take our own individual steps towards independence. This may be as simple as taking a walk around the block, or realising a dream of living in Antarctica, or becoming a helicopter pilot. (A little insight into me!)

Whatever it is you need for your soul to take further steps to independence, remember it begins with one tiny little hop followed by mustering the courage to take off! Go on you can do it.

Horse Racing

Here in Melbourne, the first Tuesday in November is always a public holiday.

Flemington Race course. Sourced from google images

It is the day of the annual running of the Melbourne Cup. Yes we get a holiday for a horse race. This is just one of the things I love about Melbourne.

 Flemington Race course. Sourced from google images

I also love horse racing, so it's win, win here.

Flemington Race course. Sourced from google images