Member Of The Week: KELLI LAIR!!

Well, it is NOT pretty anymore...I have to work on this some more.  After doing research, I found that to convert Word to Blog you have to convert it...and I found a place to do that.  However, sadly, it took away all of our cool formatting, all of our pretty colors, etc.  SO...for now, here is Kelli's answers to the questions.  DREW...you are next...but before I send you the questions to work on, I am going to see if we can find a better way to do this, but at least this will keep you all busy reading the awesome answers to the awesome questions :)


1. Name:Kelli Lair

2. Age: 18

3. Hometown AND State: Lake Mills, IA

4. Sheltered Reality Practice Site: Top of Iowa, but I spend just about as much
time at Rochester, MN practices.

5. How long have you been in the group? A year and a half

6. There is no actual question here so I will just tell you that I plan on going to
Augusta College in Sioux Falls, SD or Wartburg College in Waverly, IA next year to
double major in Music Education and Music Therapy

7. Were you a drummer BEFORE Sheltered Reality? Just on Rock Band and
messing around in the band room when my director wasn’t in there during pep
band.

8. How many HOURS per week (on average) do you play the drums, practice SR
beats and songs, or just jam for fun? Lately it has been about 7-9 hours
because we have had many snow days and early dismissals, but I would guess
anywhere from 1-3 (not counting rocking on the steering wheel with my fingers
while driving.)

9. How many HOURS per week (on average) do you work on Turbo Jam, work on
SR choreography, or just work out? Maybe one…

10.If you do your own work-outs, what do you like to do? Dance Party!!!!!

11.How many HOURS per week (on average) do you work on SR mission related
things OR your own missions to change the world? 2-3ish

12.___ Once again no question…But I would have to say my favorite memory of
just hanging out with people from SR would have to be with Alex S, Sam L, Trisha
E, and Megan T at Megan’s house and going zombie hunting at 3 in the morning
with and “interesting car ride…” 

13.What is your favorite show you have performed in OR seen from the audience?
Why is this your favorite? I would have to say my favorite show would be the
one we did at the Mason City Salvation Army Adult Day Care this past December.
Most of the audience had mental illnesses that didn’t allow them to understand
what was going on or remember that they just played a song with us, but when
they were guest drumming their faces lit up and I could tell they were having fun
and having memories of past experiences. It was just really neat and I hope we
can do it again.

14.If you could thank one person for something they did in your life at this point
in time, who would it be and how would you thank them? I’m sure most
people would say their parents or something like that, but I can think of way to
many people that I want to thank. I guess I will say Alex because he has been
there for me for some pretty hard stuff and he tells me like it is. I have been able
to go to him to vent and he just listened and understood that is what I needed.
He has become like a brother I have never had. I have no idea how I would thank
him…other than telling him I guess, so thanks Alex!

15.If you had to tell a random stranger, who has never played drums or any
musical instrument, what Sheltered Reality is and stands for, what would you
say? That’s a tough one…I guess I would say, “Sheltered Reality is a faith
based drumming group who play drums to pre-recorded music. We now have
seven steps to success that we tell our audiences and try to apply to our daily
lives. This group goes beyond the music and has changed many lives, including
my own. Sheltered Reality has given people of all ages a support system of
people that care about them, friends, and a place to belong.”

16.What is something that nobody knows about you? I enjoy primitive camping.
This includes building fires to cook over, walking over a mile to get water, sawing
down dead firewood, digging holes in the ground for toilets, and lashing wood
together to make stuff. I have lashed a twin size bed, a twin size bunk bed, toilet
seats, and multiple other things. I was named the lashing queen on my last prim
experience.

17.If you were to make a bucket list, what would be top of the list? I think it
would be to visit ever continent.

18.What three things are always in your refrigerator? Apples, string cheese,
and a water bottle.

19.What is your favorite group/artist? Musical genre (pop, country, Christian
contemporary, etc)? Well up until this past December it was Casting Crowns,
but now thanks to Steve I would have to go with Cobra Starship. I am hoping to
go to their tour concert in Des Moines the week before graduation!

20.What do you think people believe of you that is not true? People seem to
think that I have lived a perfect life, when in fact I seemed to have lived anything
but. I have things I regret, and there is a part of me that many people don’t
actually know about because I was great at hiding it.

21.What is your favorite beat? The tick-tock beat

22.If you were King/Queen of the world, what would you change? To be honest
I have absolutely no idea! Hmmmmm…I guess I would try to get people to
understand that we are all different and there is no reason that we should act
different or treat them different. Too many people get hurt today because people
feel the need to put others down because they are different.

23.How do you hope to apply the lessons learned from SR later in life? I hope
to always use the steps of success to overcome any obstacle in the way so that I
don’t go back to my past.

24.Pick one of the Steps of Success and tell of a time where it has paid off for
you. I think being willing to do whatever it takes has helped me to succeed
at getting the top of Iowa site off the ground after not being in the group very
long. I had no idea what I was doing, let alone be able to teach songs. I
practiced long hours, went to other sites practices so I could learn more, and
used all of the resources I could think of.

25.What is your favorite Color? Why is it your favorite color? Purple! I have no
idea why, but I have four different shades of it painted on my walls, and one day
at speech I was coordination to the max! I had a purple shirt, my purple purse, a
purple phone, plus a purple streak in my hair.

26.Do you have a favorite Sport and or a favorite Sports Team? I would have
to say my favorite high school sport is golf, but as college or professional levels
go I would have to say Iowa/Packers.

27.Who or what has been the biggest Influence in your life? I have many people
that have influenced me throughout my life and I don’t think I could name anyone
as more important than any other.

28.Do you like your Personality? Do you wish you were stronger, braver, or
bolder? If you like it, why? If you do not like it, what would you change? Does
anyone? I am who I am and that’s not going to change. Yes, I wish I was
different, but I just have to accept me as myself just the way I am today.

29.Have you ever stood up for what you believe, even when it was very hard?
Actually, I do it quite often.

30.What is your favorite subject in school? It isn’t a single subject but all
my music classes. Half of my day is music!!! I am a teacher’s assistant in
elementary and middle school music, I’m in band and chorus, and I am doing an
honors project researching music and how it affects people (music therapy.)

31.Are you the person you want to be? Not always. I know there are ways to
make me a better person in everyday life, but like I said before I am who I am and
that is not going to change. I have my good days and my bad days just like
everyone else. I also have done things that I’m not proud of. The past is the past
and I can’t do anything about it, but the past is what has made me what I am
today.

32.If you never joined SR, or never heard of SR would you be the same person you
are now? Why or why not? I know I wouldn’t be! I would have never met
Amanda who is basically my sister or any of my other amazing friends. I don’t
know what I would be doing for sure, but I may have been more involved with
FCCLA, Girl Scouts, and other school activities. Plus, I wouldn’t have had as
many travel opportunities. I still would have gone to Nashville this past summer,
but not places such as North Platte, NE or the MN state fair!

33.What are five things that you have in your room that you love? My rubber
duck collection, my flamingos (Peter, my travel buddy, my 30 inch animated
unnamed one, and multiple miniatures), my door of pictures, my bed, and the
puzzle piece that Allyn made for me (I absolutely LOVE it Allyn!!! <3)

34.Can you play any other Instrument other than the drums? Do you wish/want to
play another instrument? If so, what? Yes, I play trumpet (I’m actually at an
honor band as I type this,) French horn, and a little piano that AI have taught
myself how to play. I also sing.

35.Do you do the SOS (Steps of Success) daily? How many times do you think you
use it in a week? Most defiantly. I find myself telling people to use it all that
time as school! It all depends on the week, but it could be anywhere from 7-50 or
more!

36.What is your favorite movie of all time? Why? I’m going to have to say
“Drumline”, “August Rush”, and “The Soloist” are all tied. I am a huge fan of
movies with music as a main part (I’m sort of a music nut.)

37.What is your favorite television show and/or shows? I don’t get to watch much
television, but I do love me some “Red Dwarf” and those good cartoons I grew up
with if I can ever find them on when I actually have time to watch.

38.What movie do you want to see really badly but didn’t get the chance to?
I have a list of about fifty. I don’t really have time to go see many movies and
when I get a break off of school it is bad weather or I am sick, so it doesn’t make
sense to go to them. There isn’t one in particular that sticks out at all though.

39.What is your favorite saying that you say? Pre-blog I would always say
“mur.” After joining SR “mur” caught on at my original site, however, now that
this blog has been created and I have been introduced to Dee I find myself says
“woot” much more.

40.What's your favorite Step of Success and why? I can’t choose just one! I
guess I would say the new one just because it encompasses so much.

41.What are you most proud of about your life? I guess I am most proud of that
fact that I have been able to get up in front of my peers as a state officer and
work for nearly 3,000 Iowa FCCLA members.

42.What is your favorite theme song? I like “Red Dwarf’s” them, but I also
like the theme from the “Pink Panther.”

43.What is your favorite mission project, and how did it impact you? The last one
Top of Iowa did! We went to the retirement home in Northwood and got to play
bells with the residents. This was music therapy in action and I loved every
minute of it! I got to be with two of the residents who were amazing. They told
me stories and we had a good chat even after the program. They were the last
two residents to leave the room and had a great time. It was so good to see the
smiles that lit up their faces as they played. I would love to do this again very
soon.

44.Why did you originally join SR, and what are your reasons for staying? I had
been thinking about it for a while. It was more spontaneous though. To be
honest, I don’t think I ever actually told my parents I had signed up…oops! I liked
the message and the day I signed up was actually the last day for a kid from my
school. He was moving to California and wasn’t very well liked by anyone in the
school. We weren’t really friends, but I had heard him talk about the group and
how much he loved it so I decided “why not???” We are still in contact today,
only now the tables have turned and I’m keeping him informed about how
everything is going.

45.If you were all of a sudden out of the group what is one thing you have learned
that you would take with you the rest of your life? I would take with me the
fact that I have a HUGE support system of friends and people that care about me
all over the country and I never have to face anything alone. They remind me on
a daily basis and I know even if I were to flee the country for some reason they
would still be here for me (okay they would be rather concerned as to why I’m
fleeing the country first, and then they would be there for me!)

46.What makes you, you? I’m basically a three year old in an 18 year olds
body. I’m extremely accident prone *cough cough* and fairly random. Music
makes my world spin and I have a tendency to find myself in the music
department unless I actually have a class in school. My friends are my daily
source of laughter, smiles, and the occasional joke or two. I absolutely LOVE to
travel. I’ve learned to deal with things in my own special kind of way. And my
past has majorly made me into what I am today.

47.How is your friendship different with SR friend and non SR friends? How are
people in SR at your site/in the country different than people you go to school
and/or work with? With people in SR I am myself no matter what. Many
friends outside of the group wouldn’t expect me to be zombie hunting in the
middle of nowhere at 3 in the morning of falling off beds onto saxophone cases.
They know me as a speechie who can be quiet, unless there is a trumpet in my
hand, then they don’t want to be anywhere in front of me or they may lose their
hearing. There aren’t as many of them that know the completely real me. In
school it seems we always have to be putting on a face, however, I think senior
year now I am starting to get out of that and am starting to show my real colors,
as scary as they may be.

48.If you had to move, would you try to stay in contact with Steve and Jordan and
your site?Ummm…YES! I would go insane without talking to them. Even moving
from site to site I can’t imagine not staying in contact with people. I have made
way to many friends in this group to just completely lose contact, besides no
matter where I go I ALWAYS seem to find someone I know, therefore I would
never be able to even try to get away!

49.If this blog was never created do you think we would be as close as we are
now? Absolutely not! For one, I wouldn’t have ever been in contact with Dee
or Colleen and I probably wouldn’t know Sonja until next week. This blog has
given us all the chance to nor only learn about what Steve and Jordan go through
on all of their travels, but we have been able to learn different sites and how they
work. I also don’t think I would be as excited for Mt. Rushmore or have the urge
to randomly show up in Ohio some day.

50.What is your favorite part about the blog? I like the fact that we are able
to meet members we might not have been able to before and start creating
friendships even if we haven’t met each other in perso0n. Besides just meeting
members we are able to interact with each other and have fun! I feel I have
learned more about members that I already know (cough Jovanna, cough CIA, I
meant what?) and have a fun time doing it.

51.What other activities/organizations are you involved in? Student council,
FCCLA, band, chorus, speech, Girl Scouts, color guard, Team Caution, volleyball
manager, jazz band, musical, all-school play, softball, basketball, SIAC
Committee, and the TAG Program.

52.What size drumsticks do you play with? 7A’s, but I have a tendency to
break a lot of sticks so I usually have a hodge-podge of them, however, I have
them color coded to keep me sane!

53.What are the first three things you do when you get home from
school/work/traveling? Lie on my bed, get online via my iPod, and read.

54.Who do you choose from the Blog Followers to be the NEXT Member of the
Week?? Drew from Faith, SD