I finished another quarter at school and I am greatly enjoying the time I have. After last quarter I felt tired and unmotivated for a long time after the quarter ended. This time around I am hoping for the exact opposite. At the moment I am basking in the springtime sunshine. It may get warmer and it may get colder but right now the sun is shining and I am enjoying it.
Here's a pretty thing. When I'm writing papers I often enjoy music with no words. I'll look for ambient music and music mixes online and I've found some things I greatly enjoy. For instance Rob Viktum's album "Progress: An audio tribute to the Cambodian people." I know nothing of Rob Viktum other than he makes hip/hoppy type music but I found the songs pleasant and interesting and I think a tribute to the Cambodian people is a great way to make an album.
Without further ado here are two songs by Rob Viktum: "4/17/1975" and "Siem Pang"
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Until next time keep your progress audio...?
eO
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Music Monday/ This week in school...
The past two weeks have been full of fascinating conversation. Most notably has been a discussion of men's and women's strengths and weaknesses. This conversation stemming from the ideas of men and women from a "relational-cultural" perspective. Relational Cultural theory states that relationships are the primary source of development and remain so throughout life. Because of this Relational Cultural theory looks at both individual relationships and cultural influences as important to understanding the individual.
While I do not have time to go into great depth I wanted to post some important points that struck me in the past two weeks:
Men:
-Men suffer from disconnection from both other people and emotions. Early on sons are, consciously or subconsciously, encouraged to detach from their mothers (faster than girls) and displays of emotion begin to be discouraged. This socialization is the start of a pattern of detachment that remains for men throughout life.
-A consequence of this pattern of detachment is the difficulty men have with feeling or expressing emotion.
-A consequence of detachment from emotion is a tendency in men to confuse physical intimacy with emotional intimacy.
Women:
-Women are socialized to be objectified and sexualized by men. Because of this women are often viewed and judged through the eyes of men. This results in women having difficulty finding their own voice.
-Women are sexualized and yet when they are sexual it is seen negatively.
-Most research that has been done on humans in the past few centuries has been done on men and applied to women. As an example the idea of "fight or flight" is a reaction to stress that is displayed by men. Women's reaction to stress is to "tend and befriend" relationally. For example tests have shown that women are reported as more affectionate toward their children when they have had a bad day. In contrast men were reported as more distant upon experiencing a bad day.
-The "tend and befriend" response to stress also points to another reality for women, that they benefit greatly from relationships with other women. Unfortunately women are also the most critical of other women. It is suspected that this critical-ness is a sort of violence that women display in relationship as a response to objectification and voicelessness. From what I understand studies have shown that the more "patriarchal" (as apposed to egalitarian) a society is the more women display such violence.
An offshoot of this discussion in my head was the realization that women are objectified in our culture but I think that relationships are also objectified. Objectification is looking at something rather than looking through its subjective reality. We impose meaning on something rather than understanding the meaning of something in its context. Essentially we rob something of its personal story. We rob relationships of their story when we think that everything will end up "happily ever after."
One more thing I found extremely important in our discussions is the idea that men and women experience emotion differently and that instead of seeking understanding and sitting with emotion we are critical of the other gender. Women feel too much emotion while men "never" feel enough. Both genders experience emotion, both genders should be encouraged to experience emotion, and both genders should seek to empower each other to do so.
I think this music selection fits nicely with this theme. This is Sufjan Stevens in a collaborative concept concert about the planets with "Pluto"
Until next time, keep your moon fixed...
EDO
While I do not have time to go into great depth I wanted to post some important points that struck me in the past two weeks:
Men:
-Men suffer from disconnection from both other people and emotions. Early on sons are, consciously or subconsciously, encouraged to detach from their mothers (faster than girls) and displays of emotion begin to be discouraged. This socialization is the start of a pattern of detachment that remains for men throughout life.
-A consequence of this pattern of detachment is the difficulty men have with feeling or expressing emotion.
-A consequence of detachment from emotion is a tendency in men to confuse physical intimacy with emotional intimacy.
Women:
-Women are socialized to be objectified and sexualized by men. Because of this women are often viewed and judged through the eyes of men. This results in women having difficulty finding their own voice.
-Women are sexualized and yet when they are sexual it is seen negatively.
-Most research that has been done on humans in the past few centuries has been done on men and applied to women. As an example the idea of "fight or flight" is a reaction to stress that is displayed by men. Women's reaction to stress is to "tend and befriend" relationally. For example tests have shown that women are reported as more affectionate toward their children when they have had a bad day. In contrast men were reported as more distant upon experiencing a bad day.
-The "tend and befriend" response to stress also points to another reality for women, that they benefit greatly from relationships with other women. Unfortunately women are also the most critical of other women. It is suspected that this critical-ness is a sort of violence that women display in relationship as a response to objectification and voicelessness. From what I understand studies have shown that the more "patriarchal" (as apposed to egalitarian) a society is the more women display such violence.
An offshoot of this discussion in my head was the realization that women are objectified in our culture but I think that relationships are also objectified. Objectification is looking at something rather than looking through its subjective reality. We impose meaning on something rather than understanding the meaning of something in its context. Essentially we rob something of its personal story. We rob relationships of their story when we think that everything will end up "happily ever after."
One more thing I found extremely important in our discussions is the idea that men and women experience emotion differently and that instead of seeking understanding and sitting with emotion we are critical of the other gender. Women feel too much emotion while men "never" feel enough. Both genders experience emotion, both genders should be encouraged to experience emotion, and both genders should seek to empower each other to do so.
I think this music selection fits nicely with this theme. This is Sufjan Stevens in a collaborative concept concert about the planets with "Pluto"
Until next time, keep your moon fixed...
EDO
Monday, February 3, 2014
Music Monday
Remember the feeling of being completely overwhelmed with the amount of information you were receiving? I did not feel that this week. It was the week of residency for me which means I was in Vancouver and had classes from Wednesday to Sunday from 8am-5pm. That is a lot to pack in.
Here is a brief list of areas we talked about this week:
Freudian Theory of Ego and I (apparently there was a mistake translating what was supposed to be "I" into "Id").
Psyhoanalysis
The role of the counselor's "self" within therapy
Dealing with sexism, racism, ageism, etc.
Attachment Theory
The Primacy of Emotion in human lives
Vulnerability
Existential Psychology
One thing that really stuck with me is a description of anxiety. Anxiety is like an alarm bell going off inside of us but we do not know immediately what it is connected to, it is not as easy as a fire alarm. Often we are given the impression that anxiety or feeling anxious is a negative thing but the reality is that it has a purpose. It is telling us that something needs to change. It is this premise that has caused some people to say that anxiety requires creativity and courage. When we examine the cause of the alarm and we are creative in our response then the alarm usually goes away. If we try to ignore or numb the feeling the alarm will do its job by becoming louder.
This is the Mountain Goats with "Love love love"
Until next time do the things for love love love.
Here is a brief list of areas we talked about this week:
Freudian Theory of Ego and I (apparently there was a mistake translating what was supposed to be "I" into "Id").
Psyhoanalysis
The role of the counselor's "self" within therapy
Dealing with sexism, racism, ageism, etc.
Attachment Theory
The Primacy of Emotion in human lives
Vulnerability
Existential Psychology
One thing that really stuck with me is a description of anxiety. Anxiety is like an alarm bell going off inside of us but we do not know immediately what it is connected to, it is not as easy as a fire alarm. Often we are given the impression that anxiety or feeling anxious is a negative thing but the reality is that it has a purpose. It is telling us that something needs to change. It is this premise that has caused some people to say that anxiety requires creativity and courage. When we examine the cause of the alarm and we are creative in our response then the alarm usually goes away. If we try to ignore or numb the feeling the alarm will do its job by becoming louder.
This is the Mountain Goats with "Love love love"
Until next time do the things for love love love.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Music Monday
Another week has come again. This time around I am in Vancouver for coursework. I have friends who live very close to downtown. Today I am enjoying the sunshine and trying to get ahead in some homework.
This the major theme was identity markers. What identity markers do you use to describe yourself and which ones have changed most over time? In my short lifetime I have identified as Caucasian, male, heterosexual, Christian, son, grandson, brother, friend, uncle, husband, child, adolescent, adult, student, employee, student again, fisherman, single, married, athlete, musician, writer, traveler... etc. etc. What is fascinating is that even if I describe myself using one of these identifies it is not very descriptive. My identity then rests in the interpretation of the individual I am describing myself to and their experiences with individuals who use similar identifiers. That, to me, means that when I identify as something I represent that group and that I am assuming the responsibility of representing that group fairly.
Another thing that stuck out to me about identity is how complex it is. There are identifiers that have changed greatly for me such as athlete, traveler, or uncle but there are identifiers that don't change about me such as Caucasian or male. However, even though these identifiers do not change about me they themselves change. Being male today is not the same as being male fifty years ago and it will not be the same fifty years from now. Identity development is a dynamic rather than static system because we cannot remain static. We are constantly changing and adapting to new situations in life. Our very thoughts can bring about change for us! I think that this is a marvelous part of life and I think without it I would get very bored.
A few weeks back I posted a full DJ set and I finally found one of the songs I was looking for. This is Bonobo with the song 'Cirrus'
Until next time, identify yourself!
EO
This the major theme was identity markers. What identity markers do you use to describe yourself and which ones have changed most over time? In my short lifetime I have identified as Caucasian, male, heterosexual, Christian, son, grandson, brother, friend, uncle, husband, child, adolescent, adult, student, employee, student again, fisherman, single, married, athlete, musician, writer, traveler... etc. etc. What is fascinating is that even if I describe myself using one of these identifies it is not very descriptive. My identity then rests in the interpretation of the individual I am describing myself to and their experiences with individuals who use similar identifiers. That, to me, means that when I identify as something I represent that group and that I am assuming the responsibility of representing that group fairly.
Another thing that stuck out to me about identity is how complex it is. There are identifiers that have changed greatly for me such as athlete, traveler, or uncle but there are identifiers that don't change about me such as Caucasian or male. However, even though these identifiers do not change about me they themselves change. Being male today is not the same as being male fifty years ago and it will not be the same fifty years from now. Identity development is a dynamic rather than static system because we cannot remain static. We are constantly changing and adapting to new situations in life. Our very thoughts can bring about change for us! I think that this is a marvelous part of life and I think without it I would get very bored.
A few weeks back I posted a full DJ set and I finally found one of the songs I was looking for. This is Bonobo with the song 'Cirrus'
Until next time, identify yourself!
EO
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Music Monday
Hi.
I have been late posting these for the past two months. That means it is time for a change. I will still attempt to post on Mondays but I have no time for anything other than studying and listening to music while studying. Therefor I will be changing Music Monday to more of a weekly summary format mostly focused on what I have been learning in my school program with a musical component. You may be able to guess my moods through the music I listen to if that is what you're interested in. Feel free to respond to any of the content. Let the discussions begin!
Here is the first weekly review:
This past week has been dominated by discussions of Freud's theories. We were challenged while reading not to "do battle with Freud" but to try to understand the context in which he was writing and find the value in this. The results were very positive. Freud's theories came at a time when renaissance thought of the "higher humanity" was mixing with the natural selection theories and the "instinctual humanity". His theories merged these two streams of thought into a practical and workable theory for the time. Moreover his intensive focus on sexual repression came from the Victorian age of morality where, put simply, sexuality was repressed.
Another idea of Freud's that is possibly most significant to counselors and therapists everywhere is the idea of transference and countertransference. This is idea is significant because it identifies that both client and therapist will bring their own opinions, beliefs, values, rules, emotions, etc into the therapeutic relationship. Transference happens when a client puts their emotions onto the counselor whether that is love or hate and countertransference occurs by the therapist as a result of this. This is useful for the therapist to be aware of as it can be a valuable clue as to what is happening for the other individual. I suggest that transference and counterstransference happens in every relationship and not just in therapy.
That being said this is Sparklehorse with their song "Apple Bed"
Until next time keep your horses sparkly
EO
I have been late posting these for the past two months. That means it is time for a change. I will still attempt to post on Mondays but I have no time for anything other than studying and listening to music while studying. Therefor I will be changing Music Monday to more of a weekly summary format mostly focused on what I have been learning in my school program with a musical component. You may be able to guess my moods through the music I listen to if that is what you're interested in. Feel free to respond to any of the content. Let the discussions begin!
Here is the first weekly review:
This past week has been dominated by discussions of Freud's theories. We were challenged while reading not to "do battle with Freud" but to try to understand the context in which he was writing and find the value in this. The results were very positive. Freud's theories came at a time when renaissance thought of the "higher humanity" was mixing with the natural selection theories and the "instinctual humanity". His theories merged these two streams of thought into a practical and workable theory for the time. Moreover his intensive focus on sexual repression came from the Victorian age of morality where, put simply, sexuality was repressed.
Another idea of Freud's that is possibly most significant to counselors and therapists everywhere is the idea of transference and countertransference. This is idea is significant because it identifies that both client and therapist will bring their own opinions, beliefs, values, rules, emotions, etc into the therapeutic relationship. Transference happens when a client puts their emotions onto the counselor whether that is love or hate and countertransference occurs by the therapist as a result of this. This is useful for the therapist to be aware of as it can be a valuable clue as to what is happening for the other individual. I suggest that transference and counterstransference happens in every relationship and not just in therapy.
That being said this is Sparklehorse with their song "Apple Bed"
Until next time keep your horses sparkly
EO
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Music Monday
Its Monday enough people.
I don't have much time to post as school is now in full swing and I get to spend my days reading and writing other things.
So far I have been learning a lot about Freud and his world. I found that it is too easy to bash Freud for having some nutty ideas but after reading about the context he lived in I find him to be interesting. The truth of the matter is that Freud didn't really have a lot of data to back up his theories and the reason for this is that there was no data. He theorized the best he could with what he had paving the way for others to do more work in the field (although he thought his theory was definitive). His theories were also a response to the culture. His theory suggested that there must be a meeting place between the higher man from the Renaissance and the man driven by instinct from Darwin's theory of natural selection.
For music today we have a heavy hitter from Music Monday's past. In fact I posted one of these fellow's songs before it was even called Music Monday. This is Beirut with their song Nantes.
Until next time, resolve your Oedipus complex's
EDO
I don't have much time to post as school is now in full swing and I get to spend my days reading and writing other things.
So far I have been learning a lot about Freud and his world. I found that it is too easy to bash Freud for having some nutty ideas but after reading about the context he lived in I find him to be interesting. The truth of the matter is that Freud didn't really have a lot of data to back up his theories and the reason for this is that there was no data. He theorized the best he could with what he had paving the way for others to do more work in the field (although he thought his theory was definitive). His theories were also a response to the culture. His theory suggested that there must be a meeting place between the higher man from the Renaissance and the man driven by instinct from Darwin's theory of natural selection.
For music today we have a heavy hitter from Music Monday's past. In fact I posted one of these fellow's songs before it was even called Music Monday. This is Beirut with their song Nantes.
Until next time, resolve your Oedipus complex's
EDO
Monday, January 6, 2014
Music Monday
Happy new year!
Now that it is January we can move on to a new year of Music Monday. To tell you the truth I have not been listening to much music lately. I've been enjoying the quiet without any music on. Because of this I don't have anything new to present but I do have an oldie for you. One of my favorite songs.
Words (Between the lines of age) from Neil Young's Harvest album. The first time I heard this song I was hooked, I couldn't stop listening. The swinging rhythm, the raw and gritty electric guitar and raucous solos, the beautiful slide guitar, and of course Neil's signature falsetto are all features of this song that stick out to my ear. The lyrics don't really paint a clear picture of a story but are more like a reflective surface to think upon.
This is Words by Neil Young:
Until next time read between the lines.
EO
Now that it is January we can move on to a new year of Music Monday. To tell you the truth I have not been listening to much music lately. I've been enjoying the quiet without any music on. Because of this I don't have anything new to present but I do have an oldie for you. One of my favorite songs.
Words (Between the lines of age) from Neil Young's Harvest album. The first time I heard this song I was hooked, I couldn't stop listening. The swinging rhythm, the raw and gritty electric guitar and raucous solos, the beautiful slide guitar, and of course Neil's signature falsetto are all features of this song that stick out to my ear. The lyrics don't really paint a clear picture of a story but are more like a reflective surface to think upon.
This is Words by Neil Young:
Until next time read between the lines.
EO
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