This Time Last Year

Hi All!

While my cold is still a constant companion at this point in time, I am working through because I really don't have any other choice!

Good news - I probably only have another week of training and then I will be jobless again! I know it is bad to say during this time when people are looking for jobs but . . . I can't wait to be jobless!

This is what my life looked like about one year ago this weekend . . .

I was deeply involved in preparing for the Destination Imagination tournament. As the Instant Challenge Challenge Master I was responsible for getting everything ready to go. You can see that it was pretty much an all-consuming project!

This year I will once more be heading to the DI tournament tomorrow but NOT as the Challenge Master! I will only be an appraiser! Someone else did all the preparation and training and everything else that was needed. Me - I am just going to show up tomorrow and have a LONG but fun day! That is one stress that isn't in my life right now!

And it is very good that I don't have that particular stress in my life right now! I have enough going on with this class. Once more I am not prepared to talk about what is going on - it will just stress me out more!

Anyway - that is about it for today. I am getting ready to head to the lab to do some work for class. Fun, fun!

I hope you all have a super Friday!

Trisha

Voice Update: I am having my ups and downs but, overall, things are still pretty good with my voice. I need to really concentrate on my exercises but with everything else going on . . . I keep forgetting! That isn't good, is it?

I survived!

Hi All!

Well, Saturday is over and so is the Destination Imagination tournament. It was a LOOOOONG day but, I survived and actually had a little fun as well. The most fun was talking to the different teams as they registered for IC and then talking to some teams after they finished their challenge. I really enjoy kids.

Lugging all the materials upstairs was a bit of a trial but, luckily, there was an elevator and we were able to borrow a dolly! Score! Friday night, the night we got most stuff set up, I was very lucky to have some helpers. Hubby, another couple, and a young woman all helped get stuff in shape. It only took about 2 and a half hours!

Saturday morning started at 7:00 for me and, miracle of miracles, ALL of the appraisers showed up. Okay - one woman didn't come but her father was in the ICU and we expected her to be with him and not with us. She had an excellent reason and we all hope her father is doing better. Anyway, ALL of the appraisers showed up and, for the first time in the six years I have been doing this, I had more than enough appraisers in each room! It was quite a luxury for everyone involved. More appraisers means that the workload for each one is lower and that the stress levels are lower. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time and no one told me to take their name off the list for next year!

The day ended at about 5:00. The last team finished up at about 4:30 and then we had to take everything down - including a LOT of signs and caution tape (used to ensure that people didn't enter our area accidentally which is vital due to the confidentiality of the problems). Also, it was back down the elevator with all the stuff and out to the car. Happily, the boxes (six of them plus a laundry basket full of "extra" supplies just in case, were pretty much empty as the supplies had been used. A much lighter load on the way home! Again, we were able to borrow a dolly and away we went.

Hubby and I got home around 5:45 and fed the two piglets . . . I mean kitties, got the mail, and hauled everything into the house and/or garage. We discovered that my car had gotten biffed by another car in the parking lot (no note, of course!) but it isn't too bad - just one corner of the bumper scraped and smeared with paint. Then - after a phone call from the tournament directors about a team manager who talked about the Instant Challenge her team did - we both fell into bed for a "nap."

My nap lasted until about 7:15 this morning (taking into account the time change which just HAD to be this weekend, didn't it???).

Still feeling the effects of the long day in stiff legs and hurting feet, Hubby and I are both up and planning to head to church. Maybe I can convince him to take me to IHOP on the way home. That would be a nice treat.

Oh - I went off my "resisting sweets" run yesterday but am back on today. I just couldn't make it through the day without a gooey brownie and a few M&Ms!

Trisha

Voice Update: Going strong. It did well yesterday and I think I gave it enough rest throughout the event to keep it from going out on me. I didn't do my massage - too busy - but it is back to business now!

Fractious Friday

Hi All.

I am feeling grumpy. Grouchy. Fractious. Impatient. Irritated. Annoyed. You pick your favorite and we will go from there!

While most people look at Friday as the start of the weekend and the start of a "rest from work," I look at this particular Friday as the beginning of a marathon event for which I never feel prepared.

For as much fun as Destination Imagination is for everyone involved (including me), it can certainly be a pain in the neck (and back and legs) to get ready for. I have most of the supplies I need but still have the odd thing to pick up today. Also, I have about a ream of paperwork to sort through, stick labels on, and put into individual envelopes.

Doesn't that sound like fun?

Add onto that enjoyment the fact that Hubby has a foundation company coming to the house this afternoon to check out what the cost would be to fix our foundation- which the warranty company isn't covering - of course!

At 6:00 I will be at the Destination Imagination tournament site to set up the Instant Challenge area. That involves a lot of moving of desks and tables and putting up signs and walking back and forth and back and forth and back and forth . . . .

Let's just say I am not looking forward to it.

Then tomorrow . .. I will be at the site between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning and will be on my feet all day until about 5:00. My poor feet and aching preemptively! Once home I will fall into a temporary coma as my body tries to recover from everything I have put it through in the past few weeks to prepare for this event. Then the clean up will begin. All of the bits and pieces left over from the tournament will need to be sorted and organized and stored. All of the paperwork leftover will need to be shredded (to maintain confidentiality) or recycled. *sigh*

Oh - I WON'T be blogging tomorrow but I will try to get you an update on Sunday.

Wish me well!

Trisha

Voice Update: Interestingly, Hubby is having a rough week with his voice due to congestion and drainage and all that wonderful stuff. Me, on the other hand, am doing well. My voice is strong and sounding good. I am a bit concerned about tomorrow though - there will be a lot of talking involved. . .

DI Disaster Zone

Hi All!

You wanted a DI update, didn't you? Well, here it is.


This is me nearing the end of my "bagging" for the day. Only one more group of bags to fill! Don't I look thrilled? I gathered material for about 120 teams and divided them into bags and then into 6 different boxes to go to the different rooms on tournament day.

It was pure chaos around me. I even chased poor Hubby off the couch with all of my stuff!

Skor had a blast hiding amongst my bags of supplies. Of course he also had a blast knocking them down and chewing on the pipe cleaners (politically correct name: chenille sticks). He also had a fascination with the foil. No chewing but a lot of pawing and walking on. Somewhere I read that cats don't like the sound or feel of walking on aluminum foil. Well, MY cat seems to enjoy it!

"What are you saying, Daddy? Stay out of Mommy's stuff? Okay. I will."

"Yeah, right. Who does he think he is talking to? I HAVE to get those last three craft sticks out of this box. Maybe putting my entire head inside will work!"

***Note: Skor got his head stuck in many things yesterday. This box, a brown paper bag, and a Wal Mart bag. Fun, fun! You would think he would learn!

Well, that is pretty much done with. Tomorrow I will focus on getting labels on papers and papers in envelopes. That isn't too bad if I can sit on the comfy couch and do it!

Today is classes - I am ready but next week is mid-terms. Is it just me or does everything always happen at once?

Oh - I do have a cohort in crime to help me with stuff for DI. She did all the copying. Bless her heart!

Trisha

Voice Update: Too tired to contemplate talking . . . I might let you know how things are going after a nap!

Veggie Chips and Destination Imagination (Again!)

Hi All!

As I am typing this, Skor is playing with a veggie chip under the desk. I don't know if he is trying to eat it or just licking the sea salt from it. He seems enthralled. Actually, I am enthralled with the veggie chips myself.

The color of the chips got washed out in this shot but here is what veggie chips are. They are dehydrated veggies - carrot, squash, sweet potato, green bean, and taro. These little buggers are crunchy and slightly sweet and sprinkled with sea salt to add another layer of flavor. I am addicted.

My local Kroger store sells these in the produce department and once I got the nerve to actually try them. . . I fell in love. These are healthier than potato chips and also satisfy my sweet tooth now that I am resisting the urge to eat sweets. They are perfect!

Who knew a green bean could be so sweet?

The Destination Imagination tournament is this coming Saturday and that means I am in the thick of preparations. Hubby was sweet enough to lug my boxes of supplies out of the closet and I spent a bit of time going through the boxes getting out what I will need this year. Today I will really get into things as I start portioning out supplies for each team and each room.

Here is my guest room at the present moment courtesy of DI.

Lovely, isn't it? Wouldn't you like to come and spend a night with us? I should mention that the dragon is always in the guest room. He is a hand puppet and is absolutely adorable. He is the companion to my wizard hand puppet who hangs out in the music room. Hmmmm - maybe the dragon needs to relocate!

Next to the windows you can see some of Hubby's golf balls. Anyone want some slightly used golf balls?

DI has also taken over our coffee table (and soon the entire living room!). Do you see the pile of brown envelopes peeking out at the left side of the table? I had to put labels on each of those and then divide them into 6 groups (there are six different rooms teams will be going through and certain teams go to certain rooms). Soon I will be labeling six sheets of paper for each of those envelopes.

On top of the pile is a file box filled with index cards - two for each of the 130 teams - which I had to hand write this year because the powers-that-be didn't deem fit to give me enough pre-printed labels! Now THAT was fun!

At least I have Gilmore Girls re-runs to watch during the drudgery!

Trisha

Voice Update: Still not feeling like talking too much. I DO but I don't feel like it. My voice is good but I am getting really phlemy so that isn't helping matters much. I hope I don't have a cold!