Liz takes a break

"In the qualitative paradigm there is a range of positions, from the idealist belief that social and human reality are created, to the milder conviction that this reality is shaped by our minds. But, all the positions posit a degree of mind involvement with subject matter not acceptable to the quantitative, positivist, realist tradition. The idea that the process of investigation can be separated from what is being investigated is possible only within that realist perspective. In the realist view, an investigation is directed toward an external referent. In the ideal view, the process is external as well as internal, a part of the investigator's active participation in shaping the world."

No joke, this paragraph is in one of my textbooks, "Exploring Research in Music Education and Music Therapy." Pretty intense stuff, huh? So, I decided to take a break. My mind had exploded.

Now, in my undergrad years, I used to read for hours and hours on end, with no stopping. Eventually (by my fifth year - Liz can be a slow learner sometimes) I realized that if I read for an hour, and then took a 15 minute break, I came back ready to learn better. (duh. Slow learner.) So, what kind of break would I take? Watch Arrested Development on Hulu.com? Read my latest Christian fiction novel, "The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling"? (actually a great series, despite the silly title.) Or...implement something new.

I chose new. Inspired by Beth (go Beth!), I took a dance break in my room. Yep, a dance break. I turned up the tunes and rocked out to Cake's "Never There." Seriously.

3 minutes later, I came back to my reading refreshed, more awake, and a few calories lighter. It was enjoyable. I think I will continue this new break tradition. I encourage you to try it. You might be surprised. Beth, of course, already knows the value of the dance.