priorities

priorities

Today was a good day because physical therapy went really well. Last night I did about an hour and a half worth of exercises while my dad coached me. We worked mostly on trying to get my leg straight. During physical therapy today, my therapist & athletic trainer said they could tell I worked on it a lot last night. My knee was a little stiff today when I tried bending it since I focused mostly on straightening last night. That's not a big deal since straightening is more important than bending. I'm so close - I have another five degrees to go before my leg is straight. When I started physical therapy a couple weeks ago, I had fifteen degrees to go.

Despite all my progress in physical therapy, I kind of feel like a failure when I think about how I'm doing in school this semester. I know I shouldn't feel that way because I've been through a lot and it's understandable for me to have fallen behind. I guess I'm just used to thinking about my life in terms of how I'm doing in school. I took an incomplete in another class today because there is no way I'm going to be able to write five papers in the next week and a half. Now I only have one long paper to write, and a presentation to give, and then I'm done. Except that I'm not done; I have a whole lot of work to make up - I have to write those four papers and I have to finish my research project, which I also took an incomplete in. I totally forgot I was supposed to meet with Dr. Don today to talk about the progress I've made on my project. I haven't made any progress anyway. I emailed him last night and told him I'd forgotten and I wasn't prepared. I feel so unprofessional. But I explained that physical therapy is my top priority right now, and he agreed and told me to keep working hard at it. It's unfortunate that the most critical point in my physical therapy has to happen during the busiest time of the semester. It's hard to focus on therapy and not get stressed out by school, but I know that I only have this once chance to try and make a full recovery.

I'm pretty sore tonight and I can't concentrate enough to write well, but I'll fill out Tara's survey in an effort to be creative.

1. What brings you comfort?

Hot chocolate, stuffed animals & my many star-shaped pillows, my cats, friends & family, long bike rides, working out, hooded sweatshirts, locking myself in a practice room late at night and playing piano, relaxing with Raji and Ali, my futon, my patio, enjoying drinks at the GI with friends, spaghetti, Christmas

2. What is one quote that has left a profound impact on your life?

Well, I guess it changes often. A few that I am fond of right now:
"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." - Maya Angelou
"We need not destroy the past. It is gone." - John Cage
"If someone says 'can't,' that shows you what to do." - John Cage
I am pretty much obsessed with Cage and I could probably fill this blog with his quotes. He was an avant-garde composer who changed the way our society thinks of music. He was also a philosopher and an artist. Read his stuff sometime, it's profound and funny.

3. What are three things on your life-list (list of things you want to do in this lifetime)?

Hmmm, this is a hard one. Ask me next week and it will probably be different.
In no particular order, I want to: get a doctorate, travel to London again (with my family this time), and own a vibraphone.

I added a question:

4. What made you most happy this year?

My recital, celebrating after my recital, getting a big raise at work, enjoying my summer to the fullest, spending lots of time with my friends, realizing what I want to do after college (grad school), making new friends, living with Ali, working with the marching band, finding out so many people were okay after the accident, having so much support during my continuing recovery, and probably lots more things.