Octagonal Pegs Unite: Embrace Your Differences and Those of Others!

On May 4th, I'll officially be middle-aged, but I still like to kick, stretch and--kick! Times like these are good causes for reflecting on the past, taking stock of the present and exploring dreams for the future... 

It's Only a Number!

As I write this today however, my middle brother Lance is celebrating his birthday. He's a superintendent for Hawkins Construction and has worked on many impressive projects in his career. He's out of bed by 4 AM, so when something awakened me a little after that this morning, I got up and sent him my obnoxious Happy Birthday Vine. 

Our oldest sibling Loren--a talented musician, photographer, computer, creative type--had his birthday last week, so got that same Vine then--lucky him! Apparently my folks either had a once-a-year rule, or an especially fertile time of year as their three children have birthdays within two weeks of each other.

Paths of Independence

Loren, Lance and I have all been independent sorts from the get go. Our mother was an only child and our father was nine years old when his brother and only sibling was born, so both our folks were also independent children who learned to explore their own interests and entertain themselves at an early age. This is my mother's theory as to why we're all the way we are. The entire Winkler clan gets together two or three times a year and it is CRAZY FUN, but for the most part, we send warm wishes from afar and don't get into each other's lives too much. We also have very diverse passtimes, hobbies, interests, etc., which brings me to the subject of this blog--celebrating each others' differences.

Not Like the Other Girls

From my earliest memories, I knew I was unusual. Similar to a line from Michael Jackson's Thriller video, I have certainly been known to say, "I'm not like the other girls" (although let me say right now, I'm not a werewolf). When I was a kid, I could go from extreme tomboy behavior--like catching snakes, exploring sewers, molding mud into sculptures and collecting cigarette butts to smoke with buddies--to extreme girly-girl behavior--like playing dress-up, sewing dresses, knitting slippers and shopping for sparkling pretty things! 

Nowadays, I release my inner tomboy when I go digging without gloves in the garden, as I'm allergic to smoke and no longer am as interested in snakes and sewers...although I still might spin a pot or two someday. I also work on projects with my husband and love to visit hardware stores. I never quite outgrew my love for playing dress-up or creating things, but can often scratch those itches with costumes I make for Sweet Adelines shows and events. For example, Acappella Omaha just held its annual spring style show and I reworked an old 50's era dress of my mother's and made a fun hat to match as we had an old-fashioned garden party theme. I shared that last hat Vine link with the chorus in case helpful as they were getting their outfits together, and got a kick out of the fact I've apparently made up a word for this object nobody else seems to know (perhaps my Swedish is showing)...here's my logic: loofah + uffdah = loofdah, an object used like a loofah, but it's beauty is so overwhelming, it makes you say "uffdah!"...yeah, that works! 

People who know me from only one specific circle might be surprised or even shocked at other parts of my life, but they're all me. My interests have always been all over the place--I'm am octagonal peg which doesn't really fit in a square or round hole--and I've grown to be okay with that, even though I'm often made aware I'm not "normal". I've been blessed with strengths, skills and talents I strive to make use of wherever possible, whether it be to improve a company image, lead a group project, assist others in learning new skills or accomplish personal goals. I like to strive for excellence and have the most fun in those moments when I know I've actually achieved it. In the times I haven't, I do my best to learn from the experience and do better the next time. Sure, I get knocked down, but I get up again!

Letting People Be Who They Are
My most favorite people are the ones who let others be who they are, and I try my best to be that person to those around me as well. Isn't life more interesting when people really let us get to know them rather than some facade they feel they have to present? I'm not saying there isn't a time and place to learn to reign it in...in fact, my lifelong challenge has been to measure how much of my Mary Sunshine people can take. I've discovered not everybody wants to have much happy-happy-joy-joy shared with them, so I work on balancing that every day. It tickles me when I meet someone whose Mary Sunshine is mine x 10 and I think of folks I know who they could literally drive insane! 

Remembering What Makes Us Tick
While I find our differences fascinating, I've learned to put people in categories to remember best practices for them because--epecially with octagonal pegs--there is no one-size-fits-all. What works for the majority may not be successful with them, so categories are really helpful. For example, I had a CEO I thought highly of and wanted her to know all the details of whatever specific decision I had made. When I later learned she really only wanted me to give her "the baby, not the labor pains", I edited down to in-a-nutshell descriptions and everyone was happy. She was in the "trusts my decisions--just needs a quick update" category! I also really liked that she was able to disagree agreeably in those rare moments when we weren't on the same page. She really tried to listen and not be a my-way-or-the-highway type, and sometimes I could even sell her on my differing idea! That to me is a decent leader.

Loving Doesn't Mean Endorsing
Letting people be who they are doesn't mean necessarily endorsing their choices. You may have drug/alcohol/tobacco/gambling/cursing/fill-in-the-blank-addicted friends you wish would quit, and if you care about them, you can watch for those times God gives you a moment here and there to plant seeds, but generally, they have to make those decisions on their own. My mother's favorite counseling joke comes to mind: "How many counselors does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but the light bulb has to really want to change."

Looking for the Good
That's why letting people be who they are and complimenting them on what you really like about them--essentially reinforcing the possitive--helps them show more of that version of themselves to you. Again, everybody wins--YAY!

Octagonal pegs can be polite, respectful, hard-working, fun, confident, helpful and--best of all--creative problem solvers, artists and conversationalists! 

Whether you're octagonal, square, round--or heart-shaped--let's embrace our differences. The world is so much richer because we're ALL in it!

Today's Quote:
"Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another."
-- Marquis de Condorcet

10 Ways to Add Fun to a Musical Coaching Retreat

Acappella Omaha Chorus recently held a coaching retreat with a cappella heavyweight, Sweet Adelines Master 700 Director and long-time Vocal Performance Coach, Jim Arns of Chicago. The chorus holds such a retreat every year around this time, to get some final pointers before competing in Sweet Adelines International - Region 5 Convention, which this year falls two weeks following the coaching weekend.

To ensure an event-you-won't-want-to-miss reputation is maintained, Acappella Omaha always asks members for volunteers to host the retreat. Last year, when nobody had stepped up by the usual November-December timeframe, I halfheartedly told the president I had an idea and could take it on if nobody else seemed interested. I had just seen Pitch Perfect, learned the now famous Cups Song (When I'm Gone), and recorded it as a special musical project for my iWiNK Productions YouTube channel, so thought a rhythm related retreat theme would be fun. Thank goodness, someone else stepped up and I didn't have to follow through in what ended up being the busiest time in my job at that time.

However, this past fall--I had more flexible time as my position had been eliminated following a subsidiary merger--so I could more readily take on this additional volunteer project. I talked my quartet Firelight into helping me pick back up on this idea, and the rest of the flames graciously agreed to help assemble goodie bags and brainstorm on activities for the party portion of the weekend.

I thought it might be fun to put together a blog with ideas used in this particular retreat, in case anything is helpful to others looking to do something similar. Here are 10 Ways to Add Fun to a Musical Coaching Retreat:

1) Choose a fun musical theme. Our retreat theme was inspired by and named for the Gloria Estefan song The Rhythm is Gonna Getcha.

2) Create a fun-filled flyer to introduce the theme to members and begin creating the excitement in the months counting down to the retreat. We sent the flyer below to members about two months before the retreat. We also had a video possibility we were unable to record before our quartet's snowbird member left for the winter, but here's a link to the script in case of interest.

3) Ask members to contribute a piece of themselves to include in the decor. We asked members to provide three-to-five copies of a fun rhythm selfie--basically a picture of them with some kind of rhythm instrument like the one pictured.

4) Choose a fun related project attendees can work on learning in the countdown as they're looking forward to the event. Our fun related project for this rhythm weekend was learning the Cups Cadence. I made a How-to video and sent it to Acappella Omaha members about a month before the retreat.

5) Create a theme-relevant decor plan with a generous amount of eyecandy and interest that welcomes members the minute they enter the room, and continues to inject excitement for them--even when they're standing on the risers. At the entrance, we hung fabric strips with the rhythm selfies attached from the rafters which happened to be part of the architecture in the Mahoney Lodge Nebraska room, where the retreat was held.

6) Create goodie bags with as many things attendees might need for the weekend as possible. We gave everyone a cup for the Cups Cadence, plus various things a singer might need (tissues, water, throat lozenges, mints, gum, crackers, granola bars, etc.) and finally, a little rhythm shaker we made by putting Skittles in Easter eggs!

7) Send links to fun relevant videos in the countdown and--if possible--a customized teaser to the crazy fun weekend, helping ensure everyone's enthusiasm is at an all-time high when they arrive. We sent video links to different versions of The Cups Song and The Rhythm is Gonna Get You, and finally an iMovie video made with photoshopped slides including the rhythm selfies. It's set to royalty-free latin music and called Less Than 24 Hours to Our Rhythm Retreat. It served as a fun way to kick off the weekend.

8) Ask attendees to BYO snacks to share and plan fun theme-related skits, activities or presentations to help provide entertainment for the afterparty. We had two sets of roommates do skits (Baby Mamas sang a parody of Rhythm of the Rain called Rhythm Method Fails Again and Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris and Natasha (in disguise) give a stellar rhythm skit performance), one set did a Happy-and-You-Know-It team activity song, and we threw in a few additional activities to complete the fun (Cups Cadence, teaching Bim-Bum-Bittie clap-snap-pattycake song, and a shameless video-dancing finale). We hope everyone found something they liked about the evening!

9) Be generous with whatever decor items members can take back to their rooms or home with them as often the parties continue even after the coaching retreat party ends! This year, we had balloons, miscellaneous rhythm pictures and leftover snacks for members to take.

10) Create a final wrap-up message to ensure members know every effort they made to help in the weekend's success was much appreciated. We sent a faster-paced video using the aforementioned slides, with more of a fun ending-with-a-bang flavor. It includes a final "Catch the Fun" slide with Acappella Omaha's website and Twitter page URLs, in case members' friends see it on Facebook and want to take a closer look at the group.

There it is--10 Ways to Add Fun to a Musical Coaching Retreat. Hopefully, one or more of these suggestions will help in a project of yours one day. If you have any creative ideas for such a retreat to share, we'd love to hear from you. Happy planning!

Today's Quote:
"Vision is the true creative rhythm."
-- Robert Delaunay

How to Maximize Lost Doorway Space for a Giftwrap/Ironing Station

There are so many parts and pieces involved in giving a gift.  

Where Did I Put the Gift Tags?

Oftentimes, all but the gift needs to be stored somewhere. Where do you keep all your wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, gift bags, tissue paper, gift tags, scissors, tape and pens? If you're anything like my husband Bret and me, these items have grown to take up more real estate in your home than you ever imagined possible. 

A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place

Well today, I'm proud to say we have taken an under-maximized doorway in our home office, and made it into a giftwrapping and ironing station! While I've never actually Googled such, I thought this might be unique enough to share how we did it--in case helpful to others looking to solve similar challenges.  

The first step was to gather all the containers we had relating to gifting...and there were more than you might think. We had one 17" x 24" x 7" tall storage container each for gift bags, tissue, gift boxes, packing materials, and ribbons/bows/gift tags. Then we also had three 9" x 15" x 25" tall storage containers for rolls of wrapping paper. Yikes! There was not one place to fit all this stuff together, so we occasionally would buy more rolls of paper, gift bags or bows than we needed--simply because we never had a clear snapshot in our heads of what supplies we had and what needed restocking.  

Plus, all this was stored in the far reaches of our basement and not convenient at all, so a few of this and that had migrated upstairs to our guest bedroom for easy access. After nearly 25 years of marriage--and the natural sprawling of related elements which seems to occur when an ideal solution has not been found--this giftwrap storage challenge had become one which really needed to be addressed.  

The Initial Plan

As many ideas do, this one popped into my head when I was doing something totally unrelated in our office one day--looking for my dream job! As I write this, I'm currently between jobs after my position was eliminated following a subsidiary merger, so I spend my days sifting through dozens of job descriptions, filling out online applications, writing cover letters, sending out resumes, preparing for interviews, networking, reading articles, watching how-to videos, developing social media content, and learning all I can to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in my various areas of expertise. I often can be found at all hours of the day and night obsessing on this journey, so it's no wonder my subconscious needed a break and veered off to solve this household dilemma!  

As I sat at the computer, I looked at the closed door, remembered seeing a shutter on Pinterest re-purposed to hold magazines and thought, "Hey, we could do something like that to store our tissue paper behind that door."  

Our First Idea Wasn't the Last 

This was just the beginning of the idea waterfall, and not where we actually landed. I asked my husband to join me on a couple trips to Habitat for Humanity's local ReStores in Omaha, and we soon had a folding wooden door with blinds (in lieu of the shutter we never found), an old drawer, hinges, a cabinet door and a couple pieces of scrap wood. We ended up with the solution shown below, and the only thing I would change is I'd forget the shutter thing altogether. The door fell apart when we cut it, we spent too much time trying to match and glue slats back in, and it ended up only being used for a decorative facing piece.

Over the couple weekends we worked on this project, we later made hardware store runs for a matching drawer pull and two cabinet handles, a smooth cabinet handle to be use for a decorative foot, 12" of chain, a double spring hook, a banister spindle, and another small hinge. However, if you're thinking of doing this, you'll also need these items we happened to already have: 14 mug hooks, 15' of elastic, 2' of 1"-wide wood trim, glue, two rubber bands, a large loop-top screw, two smaller loop-top screws, four door hinges, caulk, padding, heat-tolerant upholstery fabric, staple gun and staples, several clear plastic collapsible containers, wood screws, washers, screwdrivers, clear zippered suit cover and a hanger.

See the tutorial below for more detailed information.

Giftwrap/Ironing Station Step-by-Step
Step I:  Visit a local ReStore or Thrift Shop for a drawer and cabinet door in a size it can be used as a lid for the drawer.

Repurposing used goods keeps costs low!
 

Step II: If there are grooves in the cabinet door, you may choose to fill them with caulk, to ensure a smooth surface for covering.

Caulking cleans up easily with water and a pot scraper
.

Step III: Use three-to-five layers of cotton quilt batting and a thick heat-resistant fabric to cover the cabinet door.

Step IV: Make a plus shape set of two slits where the hinge will be placed, fold the fabric to the inside, insert and tighten the hinges.


Step V: Attach the cover to the drawer with cabinet hinges. If the cabinet door doesn’t quite fit, cut a piece of wood to shim and fill the difference, attach it first to the back of the drawer, then attach the hinges to complete the lid piece.


Step VI: Attach a drawer handle if one didn’t come with the drawer or a better aesthetic is preferred.
Step VII: Use door hinges to join a piece of wood the width and depth of the drawer side to which it will be attached. This will be attached to the wall and allow the drawer to fold out Murphy bed style. Since this will be the side seen when not in use, consider using a decorative shutter or other wood treatment for aesthetics.


Step VIII: Pre-drill holes and ensure at least one is going directly into a wall stud for stability and strength.

Three strong placements—plus a table leg yet to be added—helps ensure a strong safe table.


Step IX: Use O-screws, chain and trigger hooks (or whatever your preference) to attach folded up top side of drawer to the wall. Again, on the top as was done on the bottom, ensure at least one (preferably the center) O-screw is going directly into a wall stud for safety and strength.


Step X: Once the table is securely attached to the wall, fold out and use a level to begin placement of the table leg.


Step XI: Use a banister spindle or something similar for the leg. If the aesthetics of a table foot is appealing, consider using a flat-headed cabinet door knob which fits the bottom of the spindle. This will need to be attached before the final cutting measurement is taken.


Step XII:  Use leveling techniques on top of drawer and side of spindle to mark where spindle needs to be cut to fit.


Step XIII: Saw spindle to fit measurements.


Step XIV: Use a level to ensure the hinge attaching the spindle to the table is in the correct place. Attach spindle with another flat-folding hinge to the underside of the table.


Here’s how the table looks once the spindle leg is attached:


Step XV: Find a place to store iron near drawer for an easy ironing station.

Step XVI: Load finished drawer with tissue, bows, etc.


Suggestion: Store tissue, bows, etc. in separate containers to keep organized. Zippered plastic collapsible containers from blanket, curtain, bedding, etc. purchases work really well for this.


Maximizing the use of a space like this doesn’t need to be costly or an eyesore.

Step XVII: If covering the gap behind the door is preferred, look for creative solutions which fit the space. Example: since this is right next to a sewing closet and where a room heater sits, one aesthetic upgrade to consider is to cover the gap with a dressed-up dress form!

Step XVIII: A door stop can be used to ensure as open a walkway as possible. The best part is, a view from the hallway doesn’t reveal any of this project!


A once lost corner is now maximized!


We’d love to see how others have used corners like this or solved challenges like gift stations. Let us know what DIY projects you’ve been up to lately!

Today's Quote:
"For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned."
-- Anonymous

Want to Know Yourself Better? Try Pinterest!

Anyone who begins to explore Pinterest.com will quickly learn this platform is truly a road to self discovery.

How it Works
Pinterest began as a way to catalog bookmarks to web addresses users would like to be able to easily find again in the future. The concept is simple: there are boards (like digital bulletin boards) and pins (like digital thumbtacks). Users can enter an interest they'd like to explore into the Pinterest search engine and view options from there, or they can scroll through the opening page Pinterest provides, which has random pins. I used to think these were the most recent things people around the Pinterest world had pinned--because sometimes I see things like "such-and-so just pinnned this X minutes ago"--but now I think it's probably more of a mix of recent and relevant pins. Pinterest starts learning a user's interests after all, and can show them more of what they're into! When a user sees something they'd like to pin, they click on the pin button and choose what board makes sense for them to be able to find it again later.

I suspect Pinterest is gaining more and more popularity the bigger it gets just by the way it works. Users are adding pins every minute. This then creates more pins for other users to see and consider pinning onto their own boards, plus there's a button you can download to be able to push when you're at any web address, and it will create a new pin or give you choices of existing pins for that same place from which to choose.

A Surprising Revelation
What I've found most interesting about Pinterest so far is there are the interests I already know I have--and mine are all over the place to begin with (46 boards and 1,624 pins to date and I'm a relative newcomer)--but then there are nuggets of inspiration that pop up and I think, "Ooh, I've got to pin that somewhere."

Suddenly I have a board started on something in which I never knew I had an interest! Judging by the funny Pinterest cartoons which occasionally pop up regarding such, I find I am far from alone in this epiphany.

Try it--but Beware!
I find--with any Social Media platforms--I become obsessed for a time while I'm learning it, then my habits settle down and I can appreciate it without living it 24/7. With Pinterest, I'm still in the guilty pleasure stage. Whenever a new topic comes up which I haven't yet explored, I find myself counting the hours until I can get back to a computer where I can access my Pinterest account and look it up. 

If you haven't tried it yet, be forewarned, you'll most likely LOVE it and may need to set some time aside where it won't annoy others around for you to be on the computer awhile. 

Something for Everyone
I recently overheard a man telling another man Pinterest wasn't for men, and I thought to myself, "Wow, that is so wrong!"

First of all, I've seen men's names who have repinned my pins (users get a notice whenever this happens), so I know there are already men taking advantage of what Pinterest has to offer. 

Second, I've bumped into all kinds of things my husband would enjoy reading, music he'd enjoy listening to, humorous cartoons he'd enjoy seeing, artwork he'd appreciate, landscaping ideas and other DIY projects he'd really dig, animal shots he'd love, quotes and data he could use in staff presentations (he's a school principal), etc. My money's on his making full use of this medium at some point in the near future, and I know he'll be glad he did! 

You're Always at Home on Your Pinterest Page
I'd be more inclined to think a lot of men wouldn't be very interested in some of the other social media platforms, where the gift of gab, a penchant for scrapbooking and an interest in keeping up with a multitude of friends all at once are more the skills involved. With Pinterest, every time a user returns to their home page, it really is like coming home because it's everything they've pinned themselves--things they love, things about which they want to learn more, things pinned solely by them for them! I know--when I open up to my Pinterest page--I really do feel at home. I can't name another platform to which I've been so tickled to return day after day. We'll see if this lasts longer than the others I've explored, but I really feel it's a different adventure altogether, and will be something to which I will continue to refer others in the future.

Speaking of which...the next time you find something online you'd like to be able to access again, try pinning it--I'll bet you'll be glad you did and I'd love to hear your story if you get a chance to comment below.

If you're already taking advantage of Pinterest, good for you and you'll no doubt get the reference in Today's Quote below.
Happy pinning!

Today's Quote:
"Keep Calm and Pin Something."
-- SociallySorted.com.au

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

It may be due to my being between jobs...the holiday season...too many friends' Heavenly ascents this past year...taking more steps toward settling my grandmother's estate, etc., but I've been especially emotional this season--not like my usual logic-based optimistic upbeat self. I have intended to write a message of thanksgiving ever since--well--Thanksgiving, but illness, job searching, holiday events and general busyness have kept me otherwise occupied. 

Thanks Don Moen!

Today, however, I've had Don Moen's Give Thanks lyrics running through my head, and that's usually how God talks to me--through music--so...I think it's time for a blog! If you don't know the song, it's really lovely, and we sing it on occasion at West Hills Church, as other congregations might. There are several YouTube videos made with it, such as this one: tinyurl.com/lypmvmq. As in most praise songs (which I've always assumed are designed in a repetitious fashion to allow your heart and mind to receive God's messages), the lyrics are simple:

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son (repeat)

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us" (repeat)

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son (repeat)

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us" (repeat)

Give thanks

Give Thanks Especially in Challenging Times

As I pray you feel is true for you, I have many things for which to be thankful this season, and those times when life's especially challenging are often the perfect times to remind ourselves of all life's blessings. 

I mentioned West Hills Church and I feel moved to share a practice this church has, the power of which I never fully appreciated until I was a recipient. We have what is called a pager ministry. A pager is given to a different person each week, and the pager holder's name as well as suggestions for what congregants could pray for them is published in the weekly bulletin. The general practice is: once you've prayed for the pager holder, you call the number, dial in a code and hang up. The pager holder receives a buzz and knows someone has just prayed for them.

Craving a Different Kind of Buzz

I found out it was suggested I carry a pager by a family friend and work associate of my husband's, Chris Moats, and I am forever grateful to her for this wonderful expression of love and support. The bulletin stated I'd be carrying the pager that week (October 20-26, 2013) and would appreciate prayers for my job search. My first day, Chris gave me the pager following the 11 AM service, and the pages soon followed. My husband Bret and I were both getting so excited by all the prayers people were sending, we both seemed to need to count the buzzes (if you're familiar with StrengthsFinder, we both have Achiever in our top five!): 272 between noon and 10 PM (when I turned it off for the night)--WOW! I was so tickled anyone would think of me. I'm so used to being independent and self reliant, I didn't know how much this would move me.

Feeling the Power of Prayer

The rest of the week, I was able to let go of the tabulating and really enjoy the fact I could literally feel prayers being said for me! It also served as a bit of a witness as I had it going off when I was in meetings and other gatherings with others, so I would explain what was going on and the idea was positively received, which was cool! It was truly a moving experience and I had a job possibility surface that week which I'm still pursuing...I'm anticipating what's next in my life with new ferver...God is good!

West Hills Church also gave us an exercise the Sunday before Thanksgiving of jotting down things for which we are thankful. Here's what came pouring out those couple of minutes (I could've written even more!):

Others Need to Hear it Too

I feel like I walk through life with a grateful heart...thanking God for every little thing..."thanks for the beautiful sunrise, God...thanks for the parking space, God......thanks for my husband's disarming sense of humor, God...thanks for such fun family members, God...thanks for the magical sunset, God"...but we can really never show enough gratitude to God and to those in our lives. Sometimes those we love need to hear it and be reminded--even if we think we show it in other ways.

Speaking of others, it's also fun to see and enjoy how God has blessed others around us...that is one positive thing I can see in regard to social media. We can give instant pats on the back when we see someone has shared something for which they are grateful. I have been pouring myself into several avenues of social media to learn all I can before the next job, and find I really enjoy Twitter! Who would've thought that one would end up a favorite, but the fact I can tweet to folks I admire and sometimes hear back is fascinating to me--AND great fun! If you Tweet, come visit me @iWiNKRandoms and tell me what you're thankful for this season. I can relish in your blessings just as easily as I can my own! 

I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year this holiday season!

Today's Quote:
"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses."
-- Alphonse Karr 

"Getcher Giggle On"--Sending Best Wishes to Sweet Adelines International Competitors

This week marks the 67th Annual Sweet Adelines International (SAI) Convention and Competition, being held in beautiful Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii beginning tomorrow, November 5th, and running through Saturday, November 9th, 2013.

A Cast of Thousands
Thousands of a cappella chorus and quartet competitors from across the globe are already in Hawaii today, rehearsing, making last minute tweaks to ensure peak performances and--of course--shopping at the Harmony Bazaar as soon as it opens! If you've never been, vendors from far and wide set up their elaborate booths, which together fill an entire convention space, selling all kinds of music, entertainment and glamour-related wares. It's like nothing you've ever seen and great fun to experience--even for the men who end up at these conventions, whether they're directors, husbands or other a cappella family members. Yes, I've dragged my husband Bret to one of these (in Las Vegas), and I've never even had the honor of competing on the International stage!

Attend if You Can, Watch if You Can't

Many Sweet Adelines attend these conventions on an annual basis--even if they're not competing themselves. We have a group of past and present members from our Acappella Omaha Chorus (AOC) who have been attending for many years, and I was in a quartet with two of them--current AOC Director Nancy Goldberg and AOC Manager Jackie Narduzzo--so I attended a few with them during the 8+ years we sang together. It was great fun and I hope to go back again sometime as there is just nothing like experiencing this competition LIVE ONSITE!

In the meantime however, I am delighted at the organization's forward-thinking leaders who several years ago began making it possible for the thousands of us at home to watch the competition by way of a live webcast--thank you--thank you--THANK YOU! By the way, I just looked and this link is currently showing videos, so those of us planning to watch online can test our connections and be ready for tomorrow's live competition performances.

Many of us take days off work to be able to watch these webcasts, but this year--at least in the United States (click here for a timezone converter)--we're several hours ahead of Hawaii and will be able to watch in the evenings. I'm hosting a webcast party Friday night, for the quartet finals--it should be great fun...Getcher Giggle on Gals!

Remembering Jo Kraut

Sweet Adelines members who have had the honor of being coached by the late Jo Kraut may recognize the "giggle" reference. Jo was all about smiling, twinkling, giggling--whatever it took to ensure a lifted open resonant sound. I have memories of her coaching Acappella Omaha and saying "giggle" just before we would start to sing. I'll never forget her own smiling-twinkling-giggling example...in fact, every time I think of her, she's smiling! She spent many years as director of the high-ranking Kansas City Chorus and was sought after as a coach by choruses all over the world. She is sorely missed, but I'm sure doing wonderful things for a giggling heavenly chorus somewhere beyond...

Vocal Production
It may be doubtful an actual competitor is reading this (as they're understandably very busy this week!), but when I think of where they might currently be focused, here are a few things they--and anyone who sings in a group--might do to give their best performance:
- Pant or beatbox on a "puh" several times to ensure the diaphragm is engaged properly.
- Create a ping in the sound (which leads to ringing chords) by having a focus in the mask area...bubbling a phrase, then singing a phrase is a good exercise for this.
- Keep moving the body to ensure a freer sound.
- Have a common vowel target for mouth shapes and ringing chords by thinking of a consonant at the end of the vowel. For example, if singing "Once Upon a Time", and holding the "ah" vowel on "time", think of the word "tot" (or something similar the whole group has agreed upon), until it's time to turn the diphthong to "ee" and finish the word.
- Listen and blend, listen and blend, listen and blend!  ;oD

Be My Tweep and I'll Be Yours!
Can you think of others? Please list them below--I love this stuff and might tweet it @AcappellaOmaha or @iWiNKRandoms with a shout out to you on Twitter.com! 

If you're still a Twitter-fearing Sweet, I encourage you to take the leap. It's my very favorite platform as you can follow all kinds of folks and learn TONS! You don't have to tweet yourself if you don't want to...you don't have to read everything from everyone you're following if you don't want to...but the microblogging option is so cool--nobody can have more than 140 characters, so messages are short and to the point. You'll be surprised at how many people-->peeps-->tweeps you can follow and keep up with! You'll find lots of good music advice and links to spectacular music videos, among whatever other interests you might pursue. I highly recommend it--and this is coming from a gal who a year ago could barely be found online (click here for that story)!

By the way, you can follow @AcappellaOmaha on Twitter to watch/hear a cappella videos from groups across the a cappella spectrum and let us know what other a cappella groups we should be following. @iWiNKRandoms is my personal page and more "random", but often musical as well--with a little broader range. 

BBShop Doesn't Have to Be Nerdy
Speaking of which, I'm putting my vote in now for some beatboxing in our Sweet future! We need to evolve and think outside the box (or in BBShop, the square!) to attract more young members who are our future, and we could really transform and bring this artform into the 21st Century with this simple inclusion. The way I see it, there could be a beatboxing team in a chorus, so the beat could be passed around and not tire out any one person. 

When I heard from one of our assistant directors and showmanship judge candidate--Annette Wallace--that SAI had brought in a cappella heavyweight Deke Sharon for something, I was very excited at what this might mean for our future as an organization--YAY US! I look forward to more information on this soon and am a willing learner if we get this ball rolling...maybe there will be a beatboxing track in future education symposiums...MAYBE we'll even see some beats already sprinkled into some competition performance packages yet this week...watch for it, I feel it coming! ;oD

Best wishes to all the competitors--your sisters in harmony are really looking forward to seeing you strut your stuff--"Hey sistas, go sistas, soul sistas, flow sistas"...but on the stage--not the street!  ;oD

Today's Quote: 
"Perform when you rehearse or you'll be rehearsing when you perform."   
-- Anonymous

Updates:
Congratulations to our new 2014 Sweet Adelines International Queens of Harmony: 
Love Notes Quartet..."You're a star"!

Congratulations to our new 2014 Sweet Adelines International First Place Chorus Champion: Rönninge Show Chorus..."You're a Winner"!

The Struggle of Keeping Everyone Happy

To think there is a way to keep everyone happy at all times--in any group where there is more than one person--is a delusion, plain and simple...but many of us strive for it every day. I highly respect these people. I sometimes try to emulate these people, but I am the first to admit I'm more naturally wired to shine light on challenges--in hopes of uncovering solutions--rather than pretend they don't exist. 

Let's Agree to Disagree Agreeably
Problem-solving seems to be a part of my nature, which must be why differing opinions don't devastate me. We certainly want to try to be as civil and kind as possible when we're expressing what may be an opposing view--and that's a challenge in itself--but to some people, any conflict is devastating. To me, it's a way to find out what's important to everyone involved in a particular project or situation, and to strive toward a solution to address as many of those values as possible. This can be a fun undertaking if we let it--I often find it fascinating how differently we all think--but so often, someone's feelings are hurt because someone else didn't appear to like their ideas, or worse, someone feels they are in a position to pull the weakest leader tactic: "It's my way or the highway!"

What's really happening is we can't all have our way all of the time, and since no two people will ever agree on everything, concessions need to be made--especially in a marriage or an equal partnership--like a he-gets-to-pick-the-movie-this-time-and-I-get-to-pick-it-next-time sort of thing. Managers can have big challenges in this area if they are perceived as unwilling to hear others' ideas. 

A Manager Does Not a Leader Make
My husband Bret has studied leadership for as long as I can remember. We've been married 24 years this month, and I can truly profess his number one pastime for many years has been reading books about leadership. He's been a school principal for more than 15 years and runs Wilson Focus School in Omaha, Nebraska, where the focus is 'leadership through technology and communication', so he does know a few things... ;oD 

One of the books Bret's currently reading is called The Championship Formula, by Jack Stark, and he was reading to me about Stark's findings that only the top one percent of all leaders are good, but--even worse than that--only the top one-tenth of one percent (one in a thousand) are great. How sad. 

I've been in several leadership positions in my life and have found the biggest challenge is to make everyone feel they've been heard and considered. This is a strong need in our human existence--to feel we matter and are needed. In subordinate roles, I personally have found, once I've shared my thoughts, ideas and suggestions on a particular situation, I'm okay if it still goes another direction--at least I've been allowed to share and I do appreciate that (score points for my supervisor). 

On the flip side, I get it when a leader doesn't necessarily have time to go through the buy-in process, but I always appreciate their sharing the logic in how they arrived at a decision on what direction to take. That to me is at least an attempt to recognize there could be better practices out there, but in the time allotted (and respecting the supervisor is the one who ultimately makes the call), this was the best direction uncovered with deadlines looming.

Praise the Good, Ignore the Bad
I first heard the idea of focusing on what you want and not focusing on what you don't want from one of my favorite bosses, but have since heard it in several circles of thought--including dog training! ;oD With my tendency to try to find solutions and fix things, I have to work on "ignoring" every day! Not everyone wants a solution or not everything is important enough to spend energy correcting, and those are the decisions we each must make daily. I see people (I call "me-times-10"), who are highly detailed to the point of focusing on things that really don't matter to anyone else. I've watched those people drive other people nuts, and it reminds me to be diligent about what I'm moved to address and what I need to let go. 

As far as how I deal with other people who may be challenging to me, I'm not a hater, I just put people in categories--it's been a healthy and quick way to move on and not stew about whatever words, tone, attitude or fill-in-the-blank I may have perceived, and just try to get to the meat of their message and address it where I can.

A Solution that Works
We all come from different backgrounds and have different expectations of ourselves. I, for example, was raised by educators, am married to an educator, have educator in-laws and educator friends, so I might value education more than the average Joe, and when tasked with writing or speaking, I probably have a higher expectation of myself in this area than others might. Whatever your interests, there is one tool the world of education has been focused on in recent years from which we could all benefit. It maximizes people's strengths rather than focuses on all the weaknesses they may think they need to work on: The Clifton StrengthsFinder.  

If you know about StrengthsFinder, you can appreciate the fact that if something is a strength, we can grow it to the top of the heap, but if something is a weakness--no matter how many hours a day we work on it--it can never be improved more than minimally. If you've taken the StrengthFinder survey, hopefully you've delved into it or been coached on it enough to see how truly beneficial it is for appreciating other people's views--no matter how different they may be from yours--and finding ways to maximize what everyone brings to the table. 

My top five themes of talent in the StrengthsFinder are communication, achiever, relator, maximizer and strategic. My strategic--the "what if" person--explains a lot about why I question things. I'm really not trying to be a Negative Nellie, I just want to have all ends covered. Strategic can be perceived as getting in the way of a "ready...fire...aim" activator, for example, so I would need to keep my "what ifs" in check a little more with a person with activator in their top five.

Cherish the Differences
If you haven't taken StrengthsFinder, it's well worth the time. In the case of the last person with whom I compared strengths, I knew exactly how we could help each other, and exactly what to curb or look out for (where we might drive each other coo-coo).  It's fun and helpful to know these things...cuz All God's Creatures Got a Place in the Choir!  ;oD To ostracize or campaign against anyone just because they don't agree with us is simply not okay. Let's make an effort to cherish our differences.

The next time someone's stepping on your last nerve, my suggestion is to stop and put them in a category--even if it's the category of "has a keen ability to push my buttons". Once they're in a category, you can make one decision to let them be who they are, and a second decision not to be annoyed by them. They may not even be trying to push your buttons--but if they are, you have the power to render that button "out of order". 

Today's Quote: 
"Most folks are as happy as they make their minds up to be."   
-- Abraham Lincoln