What I Think

Controlling current chaos through containers

Posted by samantha on Aug 12, 2014 in What I Think

One of my flaws happens to be how I handle stress. For those around me, it’s nothing new, and they just let me do my thing, but for those who don’t see me on a day-to-day routine, it might seem that I’m a little crazy.

When I am really stressed out, I tend to clean, organize, rearrange and create a new space. It’s controlling behavior, really. I find a way to control one thing in my life while the rest is chaotic and up in the air.

After my time at the DNJ ended, I went from one end of our home to the other reorganizing, moving furniture, and purging tons of stuff that had been taking up space. In the end I created a much more open, comfortable living space with less clutter, but in the middle of the whirlwind I’m sure my husband thought I had lost my mind

But this is how I handle change and stress. I’m sure any supervisor would think I’m wasting time, or get stressed that I’m not going to get something done, but this is actually not the case.

This is one reason I loved Sandee Suitt at the DNJ. She let me be my creative, somewhat kooky, self. When I was working on a big project, she new that I was going to come in and redo my inspiration board at least once, that I’d clear out my filing drawers, and that I would probably move my computer from once side of my desk to the other. When the deadline was quickly approaching, my new perspective and nervous energy was gone, and I was able to focus on the job at hand, knock it out, and deliver a product I was confident about.

Recently I was getting myself worked up about a new project for Grandaddy’s Farm. It’s one of the bigger contracts I’ve taken on so far, and I wanted to make sure it was perfect. Poor James! He came home from rehearsal and I had reorganized our bathroom with new baskets and containers.

I love containers. They are the best way to control clutter. I’m not partial to any particular type; at least I don’t think so. I love baskets, filing cabinets, trays, storage totes, and tables or dressers with drawers for me to fill with essentials. I guess you can see why I’m constantly cleaning out clutter.

Because that is my other flaw: crafting and collecting crafting supplies. But that’s a story for another day.

Making cakes and eating them, too

Posted by samantha on Aug 2, 2014 in What I Think

After my position was eliminated last year, I decided to take advantage of the extra time on my hands by tackling something on my bucket list: cake decorating.

My mom was always a culinary genius when it came to baked goods, and my baby sister can whip up some extraordinary scrabbled eggs and tilapia dishes.

For years I’d wanted to take some classes and learn a few decorating techniques to add to my inherited baking skills. And with Michael’s craft stores offering classes half off, I really had no reason not to.

For 12 weeks I had a blast learning about making different types of icing, how to use them to create patterns, petals and more, and even got some work with fondant and gum paste.

What’s been really neat, though, is how I’ve been able to continue learning and practicing — and even making some spare change — through making cakes for friends and family.

Check out some of my sweet creations!

Word of the day

Posted by samantha on Jul 29, 2014 in What I Think

Is it unusual to wake up with a random word on your brain? I do this regularly, but I am not sure if others do the same or not.

About a week ago the word was “excoriate.” Before that I kept repeating the word “erudite” over and over. Days before that I enjoyed the word of “verbosity.”

Today’s word of the day is “preternaturally.”

There isn’t much rhyme or reason to which word pops into my head in the morning, but once it’s there it just sticks around until a new one replaces it. Often the word is one that I’ve heard before, rather than read, but not always. I usually know the meaning of the word, but again, not always, which provides the opportunity to grow my vocabulary.

My favorite words are discombobulating and neologism. The first one I love because of its pronunciation and meaning, and the second because of who I learned it from — Ms. Jimmie N. Ovington.

It was Ms. O who encouraged my writing when no one else did. And it was Ms. O who supported my application to American Mensa. It was on my bucket list for years, from the time I was about age 17, really. I asked Ms. O what she thought about me applying and learned that she was also a member. Not surprising because she is brilliant. It was a blessing having her as a teacher during some of the most difficult years of my life — middle school.

Thinking of her reminded me of a different word: Pedagogy. *Smile *

Football is almost here

Posted by samantha on Jul 17, 2014 in What I Think

I’m excited because I just realized that football season is approaching. In a few — okay, several — short weeks I’ll be going to the first Blue Raider game of the season! I’m practically bursting with excitement.

Time to get out my gear. Tickets should be arriving soon.

Let’s go Blue! Let’s go Blue!

What happens on the way to Vegas…

Posted by samantha on Jul 9, 2014 in What I Think

As I had posted earlier, I was preparing for a trip to Las Vegas as my husband James was going to compete at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Championship at the MGM Grand.

After weeks of preparation, saving, packing and all that goes with an extended trip, I thought I was ready to go. But no amount of weighing my baggage, double-checking my flight documents and checking in with my puppy-sitter was going to help with what happened.

The plan was this: Take two-and-a-half days to drive out to Las Vegas with my in-laws and fly back home so that my hubby and I could volunteer at Uncle Dave Macon Days, which was only a couple days after the end of the contest.

We were going to drive from Nashville, where we dropped off our car, to Oklahoma City on day one, and then to Phoenix on day two. In between we were going to take James’ dad to the airport in Albuquerque since he needed to be in Vegas a day ahead of us — he’s on the convention team and helps backstage at the contest.

Once in Phoenix, we would be picking up my sister-in-law Katie and her boyfriend Dan, who had flown out early to visit his grandmother in Arizona.

Yes, this is a convoluted plan, but it is typical of traveling with my husband’s family.

Anyway, none of that is really important when you consider that while stopping for breakfast at Hardee’s in Nashville the air conditioning in my in-law’s car goes out. Freon goes spewing in a fine mist out from under the hood.

Rather than go pick up our car, which is only a few miles away, “we” opt to pick up some Freon and continue on our way.

It rained from Arkansas on. That meant we had the windows up. It was steamy, uncomfortable, and made for a long day. I was ready for a shower and the cool sheets in the hotel room in Oklahoma City.

We left early the next morning to travel during the cooler morning hours. Good idea. And it wasn’t so bad until mid-day. But once we got to the desert, well, it was miserable. Even with the windows down it was ridiculously hot. All I could imagine were covered wagons crossing the country with women in petticoats and layers of clothes while I was dying in a tank top and inhaling water and PowerAde.

Luckily, in between trading off driving shifts, I slept quite a bit of the trip on day two. Even after picking up Katie and Dan that evening, I was too worn out to really care about being “sardined” into a small SUV with five adults.

On a positive note, the stars in the desert are really breathtaking.

As you can imagine, we were all a bit harried the next morning, and we didn’t leave as early, so the mid-day temperatures were upon our car sooner than the day before. I thought miserable was steamy and hot, but I was wrong. The air was arid, dusty, and there was nothing to look at for miles but cacti forestry. That was truly amazing: the hundreds of cacti across the sandy terrain.

Ever played the video game “Red Dead Redemption”? Yeah, it looked exactly like that area of Mexico.

By the time we did make it to Las Vegas, we were ready to kill each other, half-way delirious from dehydration, and exhausted easily from even attempting easy tasks like showering or eating.

Think a nice scenic drive through the Southwest would make a good bucket list item? I wouldn’t recommend it. Well, unless you have air conditioning anyway.

But the rest of the trip was exciting, even when I took a spill from falling on water in the elevator corridor at the Luxor. Apparently someone didn’t dry off too well after leaving the pool, so I ended up having a decidedly artistic bruise on my hip and behind.

Still, my husband’s chorus finished 7^th place in the world, so I’m pretty proud of him and the rest of the guys in Music City Chorus.