Six Things You Don't Know About Me - Wednesday 10/22/08

A Blogging Tag is going around. I haven't been tagged (because I'm new to the blogging realm), but I thought it was a neat idea, so I am going to add my personal info that you wouldn't know about me from reading my blog and then I'm going to tag a friend or two.

#1 - I was a gymnast. I actually competed in the United States Gymnastics Federation (USGF..renamed to USAG since then) for about 4 years. I actually made it to the State Finals once. Although I competed "All-Around", my specialities were Vault and Floor Exercise.

#2 - I ride horses. I've even owned a few in my lifetime. I started competing in Western Pleasure and Western Trail. I eventually learned English and Hunt Seat and loved jumping! My last horse was an off-the-track Thoroughbred racehorse. His racing name was Devious Diplomat, but I called him DeeVee. About 4 years ago, I traded in my horse for horsepower. I now only ride (in) a RX-8.

#3 - I play the piano. I started playing the piano when I was about 6 years old. I've competed in the International Federation of Pianists. I especially enjoy playing Jazz/Blues and Classical music.

#4 - I was accident prone as a child. I guess I was a risk-taker back in the day. It was not uncommon for people to see me to be in a full-leg cast (playing kickball)!

#5 - I love Nascar! Only a very few people know this about me. I don't like to admit this because people get the wrong idea of the type of person I am. I am NOT a redneck...but I have a secret desire for a need for speed. I'm a Risk Analyst, so this is my outlet. I don't have a problem when 42 other people drive almost 200 miles per hour!

#6 - If I could go back in time and redo my life, I would want to be a Volcanologist or Geologist. I am completely addicted to weather, climate, and earth changes. How many people do you know have alerts sent to their BlackBerry for earthquakes, tsunamis, and sink holes? I live in Florida, where there are absolutely NO fault lines! I guess the good thing is I don't receive alot of alerts.

Dear Editor - A Walk In Time - Wednesday 10/15/08

*Author's Note: I was recently going through my personal documents and found this letter. I submitted this to Management over 5 years ago in the hopes that it would be included in the official ITS Newsletter. IT Leadership had been asking for submissions for future content. IT took me 3 weeks, 8 drafts, and a lot of guts to turn this in. Three days after my submission, I was informed that the Newsletter had been officially retired. Coincidence? I think not.

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Letter to the Editor
04/18/2003

Dear Editor,


I admit it. My mind has been in the desert. Prior to March 20th, everything seemed quite normal. I went to work and I went home. I went to work and I went home. I had a problem. Work had become a daily battle and I’m not ashamed or afraid to admit it. Each one of us has experienced the feeling of being held hostage in the enemy camp, or on guard (with our arms drawn) against an attack, or feeling generally unmotivated to perform our job well. Everyone has bad days, but my bad days were coming day after day. The bad days were reflected in my motivation, determination, and loyalty.


One night, while watching the news-before our troops moved into Baghdad-it was reported that General Franks was leader-in-command of the largest military operation in U.S. history. General Franks and Central Command had some major obstacles to overcome in order to make good tactical decisions. He needed good communication, flexibility, men/women dedicated to the cause, and high morale. Without just one of these, the operation would most certainly fail. I thought to myself, “He’s never going to pull this thing off.” You have to be amazed at the enormity of this operation. If General Franks could lead 250,000 troops into insurmountable danger and succeed, then why can’t the ITS Department do the same?


Central Command has the ability to communicate by 2-way radio with troops across an area the size of California. Yet, we have difficulty communicating with each other and we are armed with telephones, intercoms, email, pagers, cell phones, and alpha pagers. Most, if not all, ITS staff recognizes this as a problem, but each team member, including Management, should be responsible to disseminate vital information to the troops in the field. Each person has experienced aggravation and frustration, so help out your fellow employee and lend some info. It’s not what you say; it’s what you don’t say.


General Frank’s plan must include a certain level of flexibility. Webster’s definition for flexibility is “characterized by a ready capability to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements”. That’s it in a nutshell. It is important to work toward a goal or follow the strategic plan that has been decided. Consider it a blueprint, if you will. I want to build a house, so I hire a contractor to build the house by my blueprint. Does this mean that the house will be built to perfect specification? No, probably not. We must have the ability to be flexible knowing that we can’t plan for everything. We should approach a project or a situation by the plan that was set forth, but have the ability to respond to a situation with a solution, without it bringing us to our knees. Like in Iraq, we must have a degree of flexibility.


Finally, here’s the meat of it: morale. When I listen to the news, I hear over and over, “The operation is difficult, but the morale is high.” Well, our operation is difficult and I find that our morale is low. Morale and dedication go hand-in-hand like bread and water. Morale is basically how we feel about our purpose for the present and for the future. How can we feel defeat and discouragement and be devoted to do it again tomorrow? It’s hard…but, each one of us has to pick up, dust off, and trust that it will be better tomorrow. Dear Management, we can’t do that alone. Give some praise, trust your employees, and inspire us. You might like what you see.


~Kris Smith, ITS

I've Found A New Drug - Tuesday 10/12/08

Recently, I was once again reminded of how really far I've come. This is a picture (small and ugly as it is) taken of me a little over a year and a half ago. This night was an especially emotional one for me. I had recently separated from my ex-husband and this was the night that "Princess Pooh" and I had reunited. It's still difficult for me to look at this photo, because it reminds me just how emotionally raw I was. My spirit was broken. My heart was broken. At the least, I felt lonely, rejected, and afraid. I definitely couldn't see the "light at the end of the tunnel." I felt completely exposed and desperate. I was trying to understand what went wrong. I needed to know it wasn't "all my fault." I needed to know that I was still loveable, even valuable. Yet, this night, I felt completely unloved, unwanted, and hopeless. I felt like a failure as a wife, mother, and human being. I was torturing myself.


It's amazing how time truly heals. Like I said, it really is difficult for me to look at this picture (my kids want me to get rid of it, but I need to keep it for gauging sake), because I barely recognize this person. I recognize the pooch! That's why I know it's me! :-) Pooh and I took it one day at a time. During those difficult times, Pooh was my only diversion. I would go home after a long day at work and we would take long walks around the pond. Some nights we would sit on the bank and feed the ducks and other nights we would sit under the gazebo and look out at the dark water. We'd "talk" ... or, rather, I would talk to her about my thoughts. It was the only form of therapy I had.


That was 1 year and 7 months ago. Today, I feel like a different person. This is not to say that I don't have problems, worries, insecurities, or issues. But, it's how I "feel" about myself. Instead of torturing myself and living in a House of Mirrors, I've learned that I am unique! I shouldn't have to say, "I'm sorry" for everything that happens. I'm not responsible for everything. I have depth, value, compassion, passion, intelligence, and loyalty. I will always have things to work on, but that makes me NO different from anyone else in this world. What makes me a little different is that, at the least, I am continually working to improve myself. This isn't to say that I think there is a "Laundry List" of things to fix, but I enjoy spiritual and mental growth. How many people actually occupy space on this planet that refuse to acknowledge that they should try and change the way they do things (i.e., how we treat people, how we are available to people, how we can be more polite and/or unassuming).


To cite Huey Lewis, "I've Found A New Drug." My drug of choice is self-love: Falling in love with the person I am NOW, sustaining happiness, and developing this very complex character called TeddyB!

Halloween Treat - Sunday 10/12/08

I received my very first Halloween Treat yesterday (and I probably didn't deserve it!).

I had the wonderful duty of having to drive my daughter to Amelia Island. For those of you not familiar with my biweekly routine...my reality is that I am responsible for having to do a 2 hour roundtrip drive to and from Fernandina every other Friday and then again on Sunday. Needless to say, I really dread this trip!

Back to the story: I set out on my trip to Fernandina yesterday around 4pm. Normally, I would arrive right at 5pm. Curiously, 5 minutes before I was to arrive at the pre-destined meeting spot, my cell phone rang. It was DL. I instantly thought, "Uh. He knows that I won't be back for at least another hour. What the?" I was probably already frustrated by the traffic and the responsibility, so please excuse my attitude, because after answering the phone, our conversation kind of went like this:

Me: Hullo?
DL: Hey! Where you at?
Me: Heading to Fernandina (???).
DL: Are you there yet?
Me: No. Why? (Note my short answers)
DL: Well...is that pet store in Fernandina open?
Me: Which one?
DL: Uh...I don't know the name of it...you know...the one we stopped at that ONE time.
Me: I think so. Why?
DL: Because I need you to pick up something.
Me: *Long Pause* I thought you were going to the pet store while I was gone.
DL: I did. They didn't have what I was looking for.
Me: *Softening now* Oh. What do you need?
[Cell phone garble, garble, garble]
Me: What? You need a fish crate? I don't know what that is!
DL: Not a fish crate. A fish cave. You know...that thing you put on the bottom of the aquarium?
Me: OH! A fish cave. Gotcha.
DL: Also, would you mind picking up some plants to go in the bottom of the aquarium, also?
Me: I guess.
DL: OK. Love you. Drive safe and I'll see you when you get back.
Me: Love you too. Bye.

I just told you this...so I could tell you this: I was a victim of a "wild goose chase." Apparently, DL wanted to keep me busy for awhile because this super-great, big-hearted guy was trying to surprise me. . He wanted to make sure that I was busy so that he could set up the surprise.

**Flash Forward 2 hours**
I drove up into my parking place and looked up to my "Verandah." Big gasp and then giggle. There were Halloween decorations everywhere! There were cute little pumpkin lights strung around the bannister. There were 2 pumpkin candles carefully placed at each end of the railing. There was a scary, cheesecloth, glowing-eyed skeleton hanging from the rafters, and the finale'? A special blue-and-green glowing Haunted House with broom-flying witch right on my deck table (picture shown).

Ummm. Kris is feeling pretty speechless and utterly selfish at this moment and all I can utter is, "Oh my god. You must love me because that is the best present anyone has ever given me. I absolutely know you love me, because only you would know how happy the beautiful lights make me feel. You are SO sneaky!"

Donald Lee, thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting up with my "sometimes" bitchy self. You're the best!