Anatomy of a Great Performance

I've been a part of the close to 30,000-member Sweet Adelines International organization for more than 17 years. Our focus is advancing the musical art form of four-part harmony through education, competition and performance. The local chapter to which I belong is Acappella Omaha. Our rehearsals are on Monday nights (see AcappellaOmaha.com for details) and this past Monday, we were discussing an upcoming performance we were scheduled to give at the Sarpy County Fair.

Structured Planning
During that discussion, we were going over the songs and what order our emcee Sandy Cornelison had chosen for them to be sung. In an attempt to shed light on why the order is important, our director Nancy Goldberg gave a brief explanation of the ebb and flow of a performance, talking about having a balance between uptunes and ballads so the audience doesn't get worn out or--worse yet--lose interest. It is for this reason I decided it would be interesting to do my next blog on what makes a great performance.

Acappella Omaha Chorus (Photo Credit: Sweet Adelines International) In Acappella Omaha, we hold locally written and produced musical-style shows each fall, and fashion style shows each spring as our main fundraisers, but we are also available for hire to sing at events. Earnings from these as well as membership dues allow us to purchase music, costumes, coaching sessions, educational opportunities, rehearsal-related fees, and basically cover the costs it takes to run such a 501(c)3 largely volunteer-based non-profit organization. The Aim of Entertainment

As a way to gather information for this blog, I've asked a few questions of a handful of emcee/entertainer type members of our chorus, as well as a cappella heavyweight Deke Sharon, and also explored some other references online which might be of interest. For example, I found one blog from Singing Expert Katrina Schmidt which says so much just in the title--The Secret to a Great Performance is Fun--and I recommend reading further as she has some pertinent insights!

Kathy Wozniak, a long-time Acappella Omaha member who is often a star actress in the fall shows and is also signed with two talent agencies (so does a lot of commercial work) has this to say regarding scripting: "...if the material appears boring or to lengthy to you, then it is. If the material moves you, then it will move the audience."

Pictured here is Kathy as Marilyn Monroe in Acappella Omaha's 2013 Fall Show "Wish Upon a Star", where all the members were dressed as movie stars in a role they played. Kathy gave a truly star performance!

Jackie Narduzzo played a terrific Auntie Mame in AOC's 2013 show and is pictured here (left) filling in for Baritone Maggie Reid with Our Choice Quartet members Deb Van Erdewyk, Dottie Heffernan and Carol Gates.

Jackie--who is a long-time member and current chorus manager, has held many positions in the group, emceed and acted in dozens of shows, attended numerous regional and international competitions, placed first in both quartet and chorus contests and even sang in a quartet with me for eight+ years--has much to say about planning shows, and I appreciate all her input!

You Got to Move it, Move it!
Jackie says: "[Use] a peppy opener that makes everyone in the audience wake up and listen...it is okay to slow down and let them hear you sing a lovely slower song in the 2nd spot...it is nice to have a theme, especially if you are doing a longer show!  Do not ramble on...the audience doesn't stay with the story if too long. I found it nice to tell the history of a song, say what movie it was from. It is nicer to use a variety of women [for emcees]...the audience likes variety, and it makes it more fun for them. Try to use notes sparingly...know your story, might have to glance at it, but try to tell it like it's very personal, not written for you to stare at. This is why it is easier to use more people, they can learn their part and talk as though they are familiar with the people in the experience you are telling about.  With two or three other emcees, the load is off one person having to carry it all.  If someone is ill or has other commitments and can't be at a performance, the main emcee has back up.  Also two people going to a mic to tell a story adds interest, as they can argue, or laugh and goof off and make people laugh, and the audience relaxes and wants to hear what they are talking about."

A Simple AND Complex Undertaking
I've also done my share of event planning, script writing, etc. and in my opinion, the formula is pretty simple--it's just the execution that can be challenging! In a nutshell:

- Have a plan.
- Rehearse the plan. Perform when you rehearse or you'll be rehearsing when you perform!
- Keep it moving.
- Avoid weak material. Stories, jokes and anecdotes need to be short and strong.
- Show some love by dropping VIP names from the audience if that fits.
- Roll with surprises fluidly and lightly.
- Keep it light, smile and emote the happy!
- Read your audience. Wrap it up early if that's what audience facial expressions are telling you.

What Does the "Father of Contemporary A Cappella" say?

I was a fan of Deke Sharon's work even before I knew who he was. He produces The Sing-Off worldwide (USA, Netherlands, China), which had the highest ratings of any new, unscripted television show in the US in 2009, and was the third highest rated show on NBC in 2010. He also served as arranger, on-site music director and vocal producer for Universal's Pitch Perfect starring Anna Kendrick (2012), and now the much-anticipated Pitch Perfect II is coming out in May of 2015. These are two of my most favorite franchises!

Deke Sharon is heralded as the "Father of Contemporary A Cappella", having developed the dense vocal-instrumental (full band) sound in college as founder of the House Jacks, and has been spreading this terrific artform around the world ever since--making contemporary a cappella more popular than ever. He has also done some instruction/advising work within the Sweet Adelines International network, is a prolific arranger (over 2,000 songs), and Acappella Omaha is currently singing his version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. For these reasons, I've had brief visits with him on social media platforms and have enjoyed his illuminating sense of humor on a few of his videos, so was moved to ask if he might take a few moments to share what makes a great performance. I was delighted to hear back so promptly and truly appreciate his wisdom on the subject. Here is Deke's reply:

"Say Something.

YouTube is bringing us closer to Andy Warhol's "Fifteen minutes of fame" for everyone which has allowed for the democratization of fame to some extent, but it has also diluted what it means to perform.

Performing should not be an empty call for attention. "Look at me" isn't enough. Yes, attractive people and talented people will be able to draw viewers with their beauty and skill, but it is not enough to sustain attention nor is it enough to touch someone's life or make a lasting difference. To do this, you need to say something. Something real.

What does this mean? How do you do this? First, you need to make sure that behind each thing you create, each performance, is truth. Do the lyrics have meaning for you? Are you speaking from experience? To make a song or a role your own, you need to dig deep and find how you relate to your art, and how you can deliver it with honesty and veracity and meaning. A joyful song needs to be joyful, not just seem joyful. People will usually be able to tell if what you do isn't real.

This isn't easy to do and it isn't easy to sustain but being a performer isn't easy. Anyone can have a good night, a good performance; A true professional performer finds a way to bring the truth every day, every night, so that every performance grabs, holds, and speaks directly to the audience in a way that is real, powerful, and memorable."

Check out this fun National Public Radio interview with Deke Sharon.

What's Your Opinion?
I would also love to know what you think is entertaining in any of the shows or anything you've seen. We can all learn from other's views and--even in an office setting or business presentation--don't we all want to be as engaging and interesting as we can be when we're communicating to others? Please use the Comments section below to let us know what you think makes a great performance!

Today's Quote:

"I really don't think of myself as a singer. I think of myself as an entertainer, and the best place I do it is onstage."

-- Cher

Vignettes a Great Way to Add Interest in a Garden

l love flower gardens--especially when they have beautiful drifts* of color and foliage, plus just the right amount of whimsy to give a feeling of warmth or even a chuckle to visitors who spot whatever scene or vignette the gardener has created. One of my favorite things about gardening personally is finding fun ways to sprinkle in something which might be inspiring to others, such as the nearly hidden words in the Ghost Weigela bush below (you can click to stop it when you spot the message):

I

Less is More

Now this may seem a simple task--toss a bauble here or there--but to me, the art of adding stories, artistic structures and/or hardscaping to the garden is a fine one indeed. Too much of anything can be just...too much, and I can certainly point to things which really work and things I'm needing to re-work in our own garden--even after nearly 25 years--so I feel this challenge must just be a constant part of the gardening hobby, and I've learned to simply enjoy the journey.

No Pink Flamingos in Nebraska
I remember a past coworker of mine--who knew I was into gardening--saying something about imagining pink flamingos all over the place. I laughed and thought "that would not be my taste at all--what about me says 'pink flamingo'?" 

Okay, there is that one thing...but this comment had been made to me several years before I played FiFi Flamingo in an Acappella Omaha show...hmmm...maybe it's the actual reason I picked a flamingo out of all the options we were given in the exZOOberance script (I can't back that up--it really just occurred to me as I was writing this--but maybe that flamingo was buried in my psyche and stepped out for an appearance)!

If you're a fan of the pink plastic flamingo, I get the goofy humor (especially in Nebraska, where there are no pink flamingos actually living here) and I appreciate the history, but a gardener has to make choices in lawn decor--as in any decor--and, especially at that time, I was very anti-colorful-characters-for-the-garden. I wanted all the color to be coming from the flowers. That said, I've since found plenty of whimsy to sprinkle throughout our pathways, but my eye is usually drawn more to unique artistic works over kitschy characters or junk sculptures...but I'm not gonna lie--we do have a few fairies in a moss green patina and a couple gnomes/cottage fronts in a rustic brown patina. Somehow the muted tones make these characters less...loud! The fun part about these tiny sculptures is they help set the scenes where stories of the garden's playful inhabitants can be imagined by passersby (insert pixie dust here). 

A Passing Whim

When plants are young or just leafing out in the spring, it's easy to overdo the whimsy. My recommendation is not to put everything out at once. As plants mature, there are more opportunities to have a fanciful fairy peeking out from under some perennial or--like we just did--back a gnome and his home into a bush and act like he's the caretaker of the northeast garden, where his cottage can be found--this year. That's the other thing about whimsy or any type of moveable garden decor. It can be used as a filler for areas which didn't bounce back as fast as others from our cold Nebraska winters, so these little characters might move around from year to year...maybe even from spring to fall. 

Many times, I'll also use potted annuals to brighten up places which look dead, need height variety or are not coming back as fast as other surrounding plants. I've had some years where I've put out almost every container I could get my hands on, and others where several planters don't even get used for one reason or another. 

Know When to Fold 'Em
While we gardeners often get attached to certain pieces, it's always good to remember less is more.  A person doesn't need to put out--or even keep--everything they've ever gotten for their yard.

Occasionally, my husband Bret and I will go through our storage shed and donate several things we haven't been using, so others might have a chance to enjoy them. This is another way to avoid having too much stuff in the garden.

When you really need it, however, it's great to have a healthy selection of possible decor solutions, so donating old pieces is also a chance to pick out something new to refresh a floral walkway.

What Will Your Stories Be?

I've added an example here to help spark ideas, but it really boils down to personal choices anyway, so as you're looking through garden stores, art fairs or garage sales this summer, think of what eye-pleasing or storytelling vignette you might be able to create with some treasure(s) you've found. Imagine how it might delight a friend or family member who stumbles upon it as they're walking down your garden path, and please feel free to share your pictures of such below. After all, gardening is the most fun when it brings joy to others as well as the gardener! 

Today's Quote:

(excerpt from God's Garden)

"The kiss of the sun for pardon,

  The song of the birds for mirth--

  One is nearer God's heart in a garden 

  than anywhere else on earth."

  -- Dorothy Frances Gurney

*Beginning gardeners often plant one of everything or have a circus of different varieties (cultivars) of a particular species--like five different sizes/types of coral bells, daylilies, hosta or fill-in-the-blank which don't particularly complement each other. My recommendation is to plant no less than three identical perennials in a drift and--depending on how big they get--five, seven or nine would probably be better. Once things start growing and flourishing in their new environment, it's truly worth the initial investment.

What Excellence Looks Like...and What it Doesn't

As I write what was supposed to be May's blog, many life lessons are coming to mind. First, I'll share I missed my deadline! For many reasons, this past month has flown by and these past few days, I kept saying to my husband Bret, "Don't let me forget to write my blog." 

Always Look for the Lessons

Life Lesson #1: asking others to help us remember things is not the best idea. They are rarely invested in whatever we're needing to remember and rather than saying "No, you need to come up with a better solution than to count on me for this", they often politely agree and hope you'll remember it despite their forgetting to remind you...or they'll remind you once--like the minute after you've asked them--and feel the favor you've asked of them has been fulfilled! 

Life Lesson #2: stick with what works. While I was lamenting forgetting to at least start a blog yesterday--to ensure it showed up under the month of May--I reminded my husband that when he asked me earlier in the week to help him remember something, I promptly called home and left a reminder message on our answering machine. When we got home, there was the reminder and he did it right away. Why didn't either one of us think to leave a message-to-self in this particular case? Aaack--the frustrations of being human!

Life Lesson #3: learn to let it go--especially if it's only important to you. I do realize, in the scheme of things, this is VERY minor. I don't get paid for this blog. I have no idea who reads it. I hope it's amusing, informative, or somehow helpful to whoever takes the time to look it over. It's really an exercise in keeping my writing and editing brain intact while I'm between jobs looking for where I'm meant to be next. However, I do include my blog link among other online project links in a lot of my correspondence regarding employment, so this inconsistency in my blogging is sure to be discovered--bummer! Waa-waa--poor me...okay, now I'm done!

Life Lesson #4: beat the deadline if possible. When I was a kid, I remember my mother saying she was always afraid to put anything off because she might get sick and not get it done. This is how she taught me procrastination can be harmful. I've read that procrastination comes from the fear of not doing something perfectly. I've had that disease, but have learned over the years it works better to do the best I can in the time allotted and then the deadline ends the project. When it's something like this blog, I must admit, I don't allow a lot of time between starting it and when it needs to be finished...usually a day--especially at this time, when I'm needing to be diligent about the way I'm spending my time. However--noting how missing this deadline has affected me--perhaps I need to rethink my current mode of operation!

The Irony is Not Lost

The funniest part is, I had planned to write my blog on what excellence looks like...it doesn't look like this, but sometimes I like to think I hit it--so when I don't, I try to learn whatever lessons God's trying to teach me through my failure.

In the Presence of Excellence
What prompted this particular subject is my husband Bret and I just attended a congratulations party for one of his staff members--Jay Beyer--a top-notch third grade teacher who recently was named one of the 2014 Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award winners. This is a prestigious honor which includes a $10,000 check among other things, so no small feat--congratulations Jay (Pictured L to R: Omaha Public School Superintendent Mark Evans, Jay Beyer, Investor Warren Buffett).

Bret and I are very tickled to have such recognition come to a teacher at Wilson Focus School, where Bret is principal, and Jay has many qualities of excellence he shares with students every day. When I asked Bret what excellence looks like in relation to Jay Beyer's teaching techniques, he shared a few strong habits:

1) He holds all students accountable no matter what their background might be. 

2) He has strong procedures and routines.

3) He works hard at always being a positive role model and encourages active participation using songs, quotes, affirmations, etc. 

4) He plans affective lessons to achieve curriculum goals and uses collaborative techniques for student engagement. 

5) He uses data to help ensure they all succeed.

Excellence Often Begets Excellence

Bret added that many of the teachers at Wilson Focus School share such qualities of excellence, and he is very proud of what this first focus school in the state of Nebraska has accomplished in its six years of existence...which brings me to another question: what does excellence look like in relation to Wilson Focus School? Here are just a few accomplishments to note:

1) It has longer school days and a year-round calendar to avoid the loss of instruction which can occur with the more typical extended summer breaks.

2) It has a strong after school Enrichment Program which offers students supplemental education with various academic, career-related and/or high interest courses from which to choose.

3) It has a S.T.E.A.M. emphasis, enlisting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math curriculum to enhance the Leadership, Technology and Communication focus of the school.

4) It is the only elementary school in the Omaha Public School (OPS) system with full AdvancEd accreditation, a level of excellence for school improvement in which Wilson received the top "exemplary" status in all seven areas of measurement.

5) It offers a 1:1 ratio of students to technology, and they are able to use digital tools to find solutions to challenges in a real world way.

6) It has been nationally recognized as an Apple Outstanding Program school.

7) It uses numerous positive behavior supports throughout the school decor, curriculum and relationship-building strategies to create a successful learning environment.

8) One Nation, Indivisible--a research group from Harvard University--has recognized Wilson Focus School as a national model for promoting socio-economic diversity in a positive way.

Lessons Learned

What does excellence look like? In these cases, it seems that studying best practices, using them consistently, and working to serve others in a way to benefit all parties involved helps create excellence. 

What doesn't excellence look like? I'd say it doesn't look like missed deadlines, displaced responsibility and procrastination, so I have obviously not "hit it" this month! That said, I hope missing a self-imposed deadline for a personal project is the worst thing I can blame myself for this year! If you're still reading at this point, I'd love to hear a story of yours where you either hit or missed excellence. We can all learn from both!

Today's Quote:

"Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better."

Pat Riley

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