The good news and the bad news…

Bad news first: Today’s faculty/student representative meeting was really stressful and at the end I cried a little (in front of the entire dept) because I got frustrated and concerned that if I articulated anything poorly, the rest of the class would potentially pay for my mistake! Then, I came back, and was letting people know we’d be talking Monday, and somebody asked if I was ok, and I cried again. In front of the entire class. So literally, the entire department and the entire student body has now officially seen me cry. For the first time.

I am not normally a crier, at least not in public! Anyway, the faculty assured me I was doing fine and they understood.

I sometimes cry when I get frustrated enough and I’m trying really hard to work on it because I obviously know it’s not professional behavior…but I guess if crying in public is the worst thing I do, I’m not doing too poorly. And at least it wasn’t like I was sobbing hysterically or out of control or anything! And I think Samantha (co-VP of Academic Affairs in Chattanooga) and I overall presented it well…soo…yeah.

Good news: Allison and I made Episode 1 of “OT Student Videos” on the ACLS – (leather lacing). My memory card was practically full and nobody else was there as it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, so well, there are four “commercial breaks” (cough) as my memory card fills up and it shuts down. I pondered over waiting to put it up and just redoing it better, BUT, realistically, it won’t happen, AND, I really want to kick-off a nation-wide/world-wide movement of OT students (or educators) putting up mini Youtube or Google videos that show some kind of insight into OT life, and/or show an assessment, or who knows what…ANYTHING that has to do even remotely with occupational therapy! I also think professors should consider making it into a leadership project (for credit and/or volunteer hours) for their students – occupational therapy exposure through Web 2.0 technology…I know Merrolee is on the ball with that one in New Zealand, at least.

So…Episode 1 is poorly done (although Allison is amazing) – it’s up to you all to make future videos better. Get at it. I’m going to go work on finishing my pediatric final now. It is on multiple case studies – one kid with a TBI, one kid with Down’s, one kid with delays from parental neglect, one kid with CP trying to transition…some interesting stuff! Being a play therapist for over three years with a little girl is really making life a lot easier when it is time to imagine treatment activities!

I’ll probably write more later…I am meeting some friends for dinner who are making me CRAP (chicken rice and peas), but I plan to spend most of the night studying, so I’ll need breaks!!

I’ll put up the leather lacing video up soon!!! It’s over 700 mb so it may be a big pain to put up…