glorious wisconsin summer

I was so busy this last semester I didn't even realize how happy I would be to have decent weather this summer.

It's been gorgeous lately.

REAL spring weather. 

Hot sun with a cool breeze.

The inside of the house is still a livable temperature. 

I go biking almost every day. 

I sit on the porch with a beer and my assigned readings.

Friends occasionally call me up and we go to fun spots in Milwaukee (like the marina above). 

Even though things will be busying up, it's still won't be as bad as this last semester.

I'm starting to settle into my new practicum schedule, though it will probably change here and there based on different cancer survivorship events that we attend. 

But it's just so nice to consolidate my hours and only have practicum 3 days a week. 

The days can feel a little long, but I'm getting used to it. 

I love my supervisor. 

And I'm starting to understand what it means to be an art therapist in a hospital. 

Quite different from my last practicum. 

I was introduced to the managers on the oncology floor this last Friday, and it looks like that unit is about to become my territory. 

Pretty excited to make connections with the staff and get to work. 

In other news, the kitties are wonderful.

And we've been having some fantastic self-care lately. 

Last night I took Ben to 2 of my favorite new spots in the Bayview neighborhood.

Classic Slice...a tasty pizza place.

And Bryant's....a bar with no menu. You just tell the bartender what drinks and flavors you like, and then he makes you a fancy drink from a list of over 450. 

The atmosphere is partially what makes it so wonderful.

Super dark lit with a big ol' fish tank and jazz/oldies music. 

Speaking of self-care, I got my hair trimmed.

FINALLY found a lady that I'll be sticking with. 

Thanks to one of the EYM staff for recommending the place. 

THEN I went to Banana Republic and took advantage of a sale + rewards coupon.

Have a new dress for Jen and Frank's wedding on June 21. 

THEN I went to Valentine Coffee Roasters to read some of my 175 assigned pages in a calm, quiet atmosphere with a well-made cup of coffee.

I love Collectivo, but it can be pretty chaotic in there. 

Valentine doesn't even play music...so it's actually perfect for studying purposes.

Went on a 45-minute bike ride.

Ben made steaks.

Then we made mac and cheese in our new camping stove...just to test it out....because we're actually going camping at Mirror Lake State Park this next weekend. 

SO EXCITED to get out of the city...

even though I'll probably be taking my psychopathology books with me. :)

dsm

My first DSM arrived and psychopathology starts on Wednesday.

That means that I'll be learning to diagnose this summer, which is a somewhat intimidating and scary thought.

But hopefully I will just learn a ton and then feel less intimidated about it afterwards. 

It's been quite a week.

Got through orientation and had my first 2 days of practicum at the hospital. 

It's a pretty independent and flexible internship (in terms of hours), which I'm excited for. 

We started off by putting together our art supply bags that we'll take around to waiting rooms and patient rooms. 

My supervisor is only there Mondays and Fridays, so we're pretty much on our own. 

Maralee, Annie, and I set up shop in same-day surgery waiting room and started making Hope Stones and Bottles of Hope. (I'll post a picture of those later.)

I got to practice my presentation of our these art therapy directives, but we didn't have too many takers.

Rejection in the waiting room does not really bother me. 

Some people just don't do art.

I also realized that I set up my presentation so that I wouldn't feel so rejected. 

I always say, "If you'd like to come join us, feel free." 

That way I leave it open-ended instead of being accepted or rejected with a yes or no question like, "Would you like to come join us?"

:)

Waiting rooms are just to get us feeling comfortable with the hospital and help us figure out how we're going to initiate art therapy with others. 

After a few weeks we'll start getting referrals and head into infusion rooms, which is where I mostly want to be.

I also get to start doing art therapy presentations for new employee orientation with another AT friend of mine this Tuesday.

Hopefully I will be a rock star at explaining art therapy by the time I leave this place. 

We also had our first open studio yesterday 2-7 pm. 

It's pretty exhausting to do that for 5 hours, but it was fun and I think I'll eventually become accustomed to the length.

I'm still used to my daily schedule of 2-3 hours of internship a day. 

I was at the hospital 8.5 hours yesterday!

Last night my professor's band had a gig in Riverwest so I met some friends there afterwards. 

Then I met Ben over at The Jazz Estate to hear another fabulous band that an EYM friend of mine plays in. 

I also got to say goodbye to Erin, who interned with me at EYM this last spring.

She graduated last week, packed up, and is moving to Louisville, Kentucky for an art therapy job.

I'm so happy for her because she is so deserving of it. 

She was such an important support for me this last semester. 

We're sad that we're not in Nebraska for the Harder reunion this weekend, but we'll definitely be making the most of our 3 day weekend. 

Time to clean, rest up, and prepare for Ben's last 2 weeks of school, as well as the start of my summer semester. 

practicum #2

Hi all,

Here are some one-sided thank you cards that I made for the staff from my first practicum.

There are close to 20 people...so I had to make something that could be replicated easily. 

Kind of nice because I can say thank you and give them a little art to remember me by.

Though I told them that I'm not really saying goodbye because they and their organization are too inspiring to leave.

I plan on stopping by when I can. 

Hopefully I'll be running a group in the fall and spring. 

Going to make for a REALLY busy fall semester, but I'm going to work very, very hard to make that a reality.  

I had orientation at the hospital this morning.
One more full day of orientation and then I'll hit the waiting rooms on Thursday, followed by my first supervision and then open studio on Friday. 

Can't wait to really get the ball rolling and become accustomed to my new "home" for the next 7 months. 

I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm quite grateful that I don't have to transition to another practicum after this one. 

You have to do at least 2. Some people do 3, but I'm choosing to just do 2. 

Ben gave the sermon at church on Sunday. 

He did a lovely job. 

Lots of good feedback from our little congregation. 

I'm trying to enjoy my one week of "vacation"(meaning no class),

 but there's plenty to do...

and it's kind of now or...

wait until the end of the summer semester. 

Regardless, here's to resting my brain!

fuel

Here are some pictures of our fabulous set for our fuel-themed performance.

It was exhausting and stressful, but amazingly fun and fulfilling work. 

And of course, I had a sinus infection throughout the week, but I made it through!

And I somehow didn't lose my voice until the after-party. 

And then I somehow got a mild case of food poisoning at the after-party.

And my stomach/appetite just hasn't been the same for the past 5 days, but now it's totally getting back to normal!

And amazingly, my sinuses didn't hurt at all after I got food poisoning.

Nothing like your body totally giving up on you at the end of a grueling semester.

If you ever need a positive spin on a really crappy situation, just call me. 

I just finished my final 4-page paper for addictions class. Just needs a little editing.

Final addictions class is tomorrow. 

Closing up 2 groups today, last supervision meeting tomorrow, final group on Friday. 

Then I start my new practicum at the hospital on Saturday, but we're actually headed to a Catholic retirement home in Manitowoc for a day of art therapy. I will report back.

Just ordered all of my books for summer and fall semesters.
I'll have to take a picture of all of the books I've bought for grad school thus far.
Only one more semester to buy for, but quite a ways to go before I can even think about that.

I'm looking forward to this little 2 week break from classes.
And I actually only start 2 classes at the end of May...Psychopathology (all about diagnosing mental illness) and Supervision (supervising for my practicum site).
Research class won't start until June 23.
I hope that I'm not too burnt out by the end of summer when I have to dive right back into fall.
There will be another small 2 week break starting on August 11 before the fall semester.

Lots to look forward to this summer though!
I am ready to welcome it. 

transitions

Here's a commissioned piece that I made for a friend in Freeman.

I'm pretty pleased with it.

I'm intending to make a website to start displaying my work so people can choose from specific styles for commissioned pieces...but like I have time for that?

Maybe in a week.

Just finished up Group Dynamics class this afternoon and my Supervision paper is all ready to turn in on Wednesday.

That means one more Addictions Counseling reflection paper for the semester!

THAT IS SO EXCITING!

The big show is on Thursday. Can't believe it!

I'm already preparing for my transition to the oncology counseling unit.

I'll be at my current practicum until May 15...

and then I'll start at the hospital on May 17. 

So much for a break. 

rehearsal

Greetings!

So many wonderful things have been accomplished and I am so close to the end of this semester!

Two reflection papers and a final! 

And I even have time to write those papers and prepare for that final!

Who knew I would ever have time for such things again!?

I remember getting to Monday and thinking..."Ugh, only Monday."

But all of a sudden it's Friday!

I turned my final techniques paper on Tuesday night...which meant we didn't have class on Wednesday morning. So instead, I spent the whole morning working on a commissioned piece while watching Dexter. Then I went to my Supervision class and spent a decent portion of it working on the painting you see above. That was a great day of art making, and I really needed it. You haven't seen it in awhile. It's changed quite a bit. It's a response piece for our practicum - so we paint every week in response to what is happening to us at practicum. I actually don't think it's done...but it's done enough to write a paper about it. 

Yesterday I spent a large portion of the day cleaning the studio with my supervisor because we had a studio rehearsal for our big show coming up next Thursday. I can't wait. An American Idol finalist and a gal from STOMP are helping us out with the show. They're super-nice ladies, and I'm excited to see how they're going to be involved... dancing and singing, basically. I wish everyone could see the show. I'll try to get Ben to take some good photos/videos. 

I have about 266 hours of my required 300 for the semester, but I have no worries about getting those last hours in during the next two weeks. Going to be busy, busy, busy.

It has rained and been cloudy in Milwaukee EVERY DAY THIS WEEK!

I hope next week looks better, but we'll see. 

Happy Weekend!