MT Nerd Alert

I just finished a couple of books and wanted to write a little something about them:


The Way of Music - Kalani
Kalani is a colleague and music therapist friend. We went through school around the same time at different schools. He developed a book on improvisation techniques and exercises. He draws from other sources of improvisation (Bruscia, Gardstrom, Wigram, Nordoff-Robbins, Victor Wooten) as well as his own experience as a percussionist and therapist. With each technique he explains, he offers exercises to try. Many of the techniques include both intra- and inter-personal exercises to practice and apply the techniques. I think its well written and explains things quite well. It looks a little more user friendly than Models of Improvisational Music Therapy and is closer in style to Gardstrom's book on techniques for group improvisation facilitation. I also really liked his distinction between improvisation and clinical improvisation.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Won't Stop Talking - Susan Cain
I loved reading this book. Its a hefty read, but I blew through it because it was so interesting. Only an introvert would by a book about introversion in order to have some alone time to think deeply about being introverted. It was lovely AND it helped me understand a bit more about how I function. She touches on topics like the neuroscience of introversion, intro- and extro-verts in business practices and leadership (and the strengths and weaknesses of both), and communicating with people of different types.
What I found most interesting was a chapter on when to act more extroverted than you really are. I was thinking about how I love the 5 days of go-go-go at conferences - the networking, the learning, the staying up late and getting up early feeling amazing, the music making and relationship building- and the thankful feeling that conferences only happen twice a year. I get so much out of each trip, but need a significant chunk of time to recharge when I return. I am social and a (fairly skilled) networker when needed, but then feel absolutely depleted of my energy afterwards.  This chapter also helped me prepare for meetings regarding contracts, new clients and my midyear board meeting because I picked up some great ideas on how to organize my thoughts. I don't always speak out in meetings because they move too fast. By the time I have thought about the topics or agenda items, we have moved on. I did "my homework" to free up my thinking power for more in the moment discussions. It helped.

I could go on and on about this book, so I'll stop here. 


Both titles are a bit of a far cry from 50 Shades of Grey, but I enjoyed them both. Thanks for nerd-ing out with me.