Guitar Circle Journals

7.30 Breakfast with the family, Mozart is there as well an welcomes me with his enthusiasm and joy.

8.30 Beginning of my working day in the KIZ, a day full of games and fun with our new client.

The highlight for me is a badminton game in the afternoon and the painting of a huge sign with acryl colors for the kitchen.

In the evening I drive to Maria Wörth, approximately one hour from the town where I live, following an invitation of Matthias. I feel tired and stressed before and while I go there, but, as I arrive, I know I’m at the right place. A welcoming atmosphere of friendship and freshly cooked food calms me down and makes me breath freely.

In the garden there is a huge campfire, Martin is playing on the guitar, and a meeting of various old friends in the house and around the campfire is going on.

It’s quite amazing to see how many of my old pals and friends from my school time took on various educational programs, to, finally, as myself, work as social workers, or in related fields.

On the way back to Spittal at 23.21

A full day of family, with all the preparation and work required to get two children to a Halloween party. On days like these, time for personal practice, or time for personal anything, is scarce. What little there is must be recognized, and used accordingly.

5.00 Rise

6.23 In the train, leaving Vienna, back to Carinthia. I make use of the 5h travel for personal practice, reading and making a mind map for coming friday.

13.00 At the KIZ, beginning of my working day. We have a new client and my job for this day is to make him relax into this new environment.

We make a trip to the Egelsee, walking around the lake and in the forest, than at home playing games, soccer and preparing dinner together.

21.30 back in the flat, soon ending the day.

Call from the ZID, last minute some new applications for the courses next week. I will need to hold them now.

It’s quite amazing for me to watch Thomas dealing with this. On the one hand, it is too much pressure for him, on the other hand, he was upset when the courses were canceled; now, there is something in between.

In any case, I am satisfied to some degree that I may test what I have learned in this new field of computer technology that I have been exploring for some 14 months now; before I abandoned anything technical so to say.

Friday in Vienna. Taking long walks along the danube, a lot of mailings coming in today, some connected to the past.

18.20, leaving the flat, meeting with friends for prayer. I feel calm and contained afterwards.

In the evening I book a wellness weekend in styria, my first “holiday” for years.

Then testing some new apps, “sreenflow” and a DVD authoring program (Open Source)

22.15 AAD – Personal Practice

Preparations for departure, then to bed.

Weary. I hate, hate, hate the mindset of “living for the weekend”, but I am very glad that today is the last day of the workweek.

My work today has been very closely focused. The iPod + noise cancellation headphones, playing loud & fast music, guarantee that I don’t hear anyone who isn’t serious about being heard. And that’s apparently how I missed the shouting match in the room next door.

Occasionally, I have a moment of seeing someone else’s blind spot. I’m sure others have seen mine. Seeing such a thing does not necessarily oblige us to point it out to the person – and not necessarily at the moment of seeing it.

One-handed typing=short entry.

Go OCG!

Teaching day. Lots of minor events, nothing too interesting. Took care with the last class to enter with my left foot. Habits of thought are the nastiest to change.

Made a new friend on FB. It’s surprising how value can be communicated through fact.

Insomnia and disturbing dreams, after but 2 hours of sleep. Reading Dramatic Universe v. 2 for awhile.

Counseling session at 11:00, which was useful. Grading until 3:30p. Then an upper body “massage” (canadian trained, very very good – stretches the muscles, very little manipulation of them), which frees up the hands, arms, shoulders, chest. So much to let go of in there.

More grading. Entering grades. Writing quizzes.

Guitar practice as a reward. Wow, the massage moved some blocks out.

Reading about page 70 to page 80 in the the Dramatic Universe volume 2, I feel a bit more hope.

Rainy day in the capital city.

morning, noon, afternoon, flying by today, hardly catching time to do the things I came here.

Due to the current situation at the university two courses I as assigned to hold are canceled; I expect December to be different. I am kind of glad, this gives me some extra time to find some open source apps that complement the programs I will be presenting.

Todays Lunch was “Martini Gansl” an austrian speciality prepared exclusively at the end of October and November.

Late AAD guitar practice focusing on vroom, great fun.

The day has asked for more patience from me than I am able to give it. Wisely, I took myself out of a hot situation and went do something useful. My parents have told me that when I was a child, I used to excuse myself and go to my room so I could have my tantrums in private. So, from an early age I determined (right or wrong; learned, inferred or assumed) that one’s extreme negative emotions ought not to be expressed in public.

At home, we’ve been giving ourselves permission to rest when possible, rather than complete the painting of the kitchen. One hint that we are making the right choice – as I look at the work that’s been so far in the kitchen I am getting a better sense of how to bring it up to the desired standard.