Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles

[Note:  I got arrived home last night about 30 minutes late due to some thunderstorms moving through late afternoon Dallas, but safely.  It was a long, tiring day, but could have been much worse and I was happy to touch down on muggy Mississippi soil once more, as gorgeous as the Virginia hunt country is.  More tomorrow and the rest of the week as I unload pictures and "stuff," so stay tuned.  Dee]

This week’s interview is with Tina Allyn Seward of "Blogging by Tina."  Tina has written a good bit of fiction and is a talented writer, as well as full time mother and part-time night student in the field of court reporting. 

Tina probably doesn’t know this, but I admire her tremendously in her efforts in the many trials and tribulations she experiences with her autistic son, Matthew.  Tina works tirelessly to help Matthew overcome his struggles with things in life that we all take for granted.

Her interview is interesting and entertaining, so take the time to get to know Tina better and leave her some encouraging comments!

Part I – Basic Interview Questions

1.  What’s your favorite scripture. 

Hmm . . .Probably Romans 8:26:  "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."
     
2.  Vital Statistics: – Month, Day, (Year Optional) & Place you were born

October 16, 1963; Harlan, Kentucky

3.  Names of spouse & Children:

Frank (just turned 50 this year) and Matthew (turned 8 on February 11th).

4.  What brought you to where (the location) you are now?

Several things:  Frank and I moved from Miami, Florida, to the Atlanta area mainly because the church situation we were in was not working out.  We’d been in an independent house church for over five years and I was getting nothing out of it. 

Finally I told Frank, whom I was about to marry, that it was time to leave.  We decided we wanted to stay in the Southeast, picked Atlanta and/or Raleigh, NC as possible places to move, and decided that whoever got the first job, that’s where we’d go.  I was hired as a children’s librarian in the Fulton County public library system in 1994.

5.  Where all have you lived in your life?

1963-1968–Harlan, Kentucky; 1968-1981–St. Petersburg, Florida; 1981-1986–Tallahassee, Florida (as a college student, Go Noles!), 1987-1994–Miami, Florida; 1994–present, Atlanta area, Georgia.

6.  What kind of work do you do?

I am chief cook and bottle washer for the Seward family; I’m also a night school student studying court reporting. 

In a previous life, I was a librarian for the following types of libraries:  large university (University of Miami, Florida), community college (Miami-Dade Community College), school library (a high school where I lasted three months, long story there), small private college (Miami Institute of Psychology, now known as Albizu University) and children’s librarian (Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library.)  I also worked as a secretary/office manager from 2003 to 2007.  Like my resume?

7.  What do you love most about your work: 

School is something different in this phase of my life.  I enjoy learning something new.  In my "chief cook and bottle washer" job, I enjoy my family and like making changes to the house.

8.  What do you like least about your work:

It is hard trying to get time to practice on my court reporting machine.  It is also hard when the chores in the house need to be done over and over and over . .. 

9.  Who has been the most influential person in your life & briefly why:

Can I only answer one?   Probably my dad.  He’s the reason I’m a conservative Republican.  He taught me that the world does not owe you a living.  Tied for first place is my mom.  While my dad supposedly taught me how to read, my mother taught me how to like books because not only did she read to me, she read herself.  That’s why I went into a book field.

10.  Any hidden talents:

Let’s see . . . I’ve discovered in the last couple of years that I know how to build things!  So I’ve been building a lot of storage units for the house.  I’m also pretty decent at organizing things.  (People are another story . . . )

11.  Little known fact about me:

I attempted to drive a car at the age of four.  Wound up wrecking the car in a ditch.  I distinctly remember putting the car in gear and thinking that it wouldn’t move anywhere because the keys were not in the ignition.

 

Part 2 – Favorite Things

1.   Favorite Book (other than the Bible): 

Only ONE????  It’s a toss-up between Gone with the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Diary of Anne Frank, and the Love Comes Softly series by Janette Oke.

2.  Favorite Movie: 

At the moment, "Steel Magnolias."  This will probably change within the next few years.  My favorite movie depends on what mood I’m in at the time.

3.  Favorite Food:

Anything not good for me.  Hamburger, french fries, and chocolate.

4.  Favorite Kind of Music:

Soft rock and smooth jazz.

5.  Favorite musical group or performer:

  Chicago!!! The Rippingtons (smooth jazz group)

6.  Favorite song:

ack, can’t just pick one . . . love "Shout to the Lord" and "Listen To Our Hearts"  (Favorite Chicago song:  "Dialogue.")

7.  Favorite junk food:

Chips, potato or corn

8.  Favorite childhood memory:

Going to the beach with my family

Part 3 – Thought Questions

1.  What is the best meal you have ever eaten?

Ummmm . . . a spaghetti alla carbonara dish in the train station in Rome, Italy.  I remember being surprised that a train station would have such good food.

2.  Where would you most like to visit that you have never been to before? 

A toss-up between Ireland and New Zealand.  I’m supposedly part Irish and I would like to live in New Zea land (mostly because I’m sick of American politics!)

3.  What is your proudest moment? 

Leaving my last job in Miami having:  doubled the size of the library collection, started interlibrary loan services, and started regular online searching.

4.  What do you most regret?

Not marrying my husband sooner.  My father died right before I got married and I would have liked for him to have seen my wedding.

5.  If money, health, etc. were no concern, what would you do with your time?

Be a professional writer/researcher while traveling in an RV.

6.   What is your favorite book in the Bible and why?

Again, only one??  I love Ruth.  I love her story of coming as a foreigner and being "redeemed" in a sense.  In the NT–probably Galatians; states very clearly that grace and ANY type of law CANNOT be mixed.  A lesson that I have a hard time learning in my own life!!