Interdisciplinary Psychology:

Jill Story

Positive Psychology Field Trip

Experience Music Project

This is my experience before, during, and after going to the Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle with my Positive Psychology class on February 23, 2008.  Before taking this trip I really had no idea what EMP was. I had no idea where EMP was even located. I go to Seattle often and regularly attend women’s Storm basketball games during the summer months.  I think it is great that there are women’s sports and that they have created the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). What I hadn’t realized was that every Storm game I have attended I walked right by the EMP. I always wondered what that building was. When I asked Lisa where the EMP was, she described the building and I knew exactly where it was.

So the day of the field trip arrived. I woke at 7 a.m., it was a beautiful day. (Happiness set point- beautiful day- circumstantial)  I went about my morning and Lisa picked me up at about 8:45 a.m. We stopped in DuPont on our way up to EMP and dropped off Lisa’s son, Riley, at his grandfather’s house to attend a gun show. Lisa, her daughter Marnie, and I proceeded to drive up to the EMP. Mount Rainier and the Olympics were eye catching. What a breathtaking day. (Character strength, appreciation of beauty and excellence.)

We arrived at EMP and gathered around outside conversing with the students while we waited on everyone else to arrive. Everyone arrived and we gathered around on the first floor and listened to Victor, an employee of EMP welcome our class and give us some ideas on what to see and do while we were there.

Lisa, Marnie, and I headed up to the third floor and immediately got in line to do the On Stage Performance. Marnie opted out, but we saw Brandon, Lauren, and Taurell and asked them to join us. Together we thought of a few different names for our band and when it came down to it we unanimously decided that our band should be called “Amygdala Hijack.” This was something that we had read about in our latest book, “The Resilience Factor.” (Character strengths: creativity, curiosity, love of learning, courage, zest and vitality.)

After our live band concert experience, we watched it on a screen and purchased a picture of our band in action. I really had a great time doing this. It was an experience I will never forget. After this we went into the hands on room, where we played guitars, keyboards, and recorded our voices. We carried on having a really good time. What I ultimately realized is that even though I don’t have any natural music talent, I still had a great time playing around with different instruments. (Character strengths: creativity, curiosity, team work, love of learning, courage, and vitality.)

After a bit, Lisa, Marnie, and I went over to the food court and grabbed a bite to eat. We all sat down to enjoy our lunch while watching a yo-yo competition, which was a very fun competition to watch. Those yo-yo’ers have a lot of talent. We also just sat around and people watched. So many things going on inside the food court, different cultures, families, children, and interactions. (The three pillars, character strengths: social intelligence, love, kindness, awe of excellence.)

After lunch we headed back to the EMP. We walked through the sound and vision gallery on the second floor and listened to several different recordings. Each recording told the artist’s history and how they became to be an artist. Right now EMP has over 500 in-depth, professionally produced interviews with many different genres and generations of artists. EMP’s thought is that not only are these people’s stories important, but that their visitor’s stories are too. They hope that this experience will inspire us to record our own story as well as family and friends.

I walked through the Northwest History section which brought back a few memories. Heart, this was my very first live concert.  Nirvana a band that I never really knew or followed until the lead singer, Kurt Cobain killed himself. Also, I saw a sign Off Ramp, this brought back memories of where I celebrated my 21^st birthday. This bar was a place where many bands started their careers and played over the years.

After this we walked over to the Science Fiction Museum. I am not a big sci-fi buff, but figured since we are here, we might as well see it all. Walking through and looking at everything I happen to glance up and see my nephew, Brad, from Spokane. You should have seen the expression on my face; you would have thought I won the lottery. The story is this. Brad flew over to Seattle on Friday night to meet his biological father, Steven, for the first time. Steven lives in Bend, Oregon, and had never met his son. Brad now 17, sought out his biological father, found him and Steven agreed to drive up to Seattle to meet Brad. But, what I didn’t know is where and what they had planned. I felt really lucky to have been there and been a part of that experience. (Character strengths: love, social intelligence, and curiosity.)

Overall the EMP field trip was a lot of fun. It didn’t seem like a school day, it seemed more like a vacation day. I will one day go back to EMP, and share this wonderful experience with other people who haven’t. Now, when I walk by EMP on my way to Storm basketball games, I will always remember the day our Positive Psychology class attended the EMP.