SWITCHING GEARS
A new year is upon us. All the trappings and trimmings of the holidays have been packed away (maybe), and thoughts have turned to all the things we will and will not do (maybe) in the coming year. In our house, there was no Christmas tree to take down and haul away. We didn’t make the trek to the tree farm to labor over the decision of which conifer was the perfect size, shape and color. We never put one up at all, in fact. Our living room is in a state of semi-chaos, a rather lengthy one resulting from an enduring remodel-in-the-works. So, we made the most of the situation. My daughter Chloe recently turned 13, and part of the celebration of such a momentous occasion was a slumber party, where she and her friends Maya, Clare and Holly painted a Christmas tree on one wall of the living room, complete with decorations and presents underneath. Why not? After all, the wall will eventually be repainted when the remodeling project is complete. Maybe. There’s nothing wrong with shaking up the routine. In this issue, you’ll meet four locals who shook up their own routines, taking big detours from their chosen paths and embarking on new adventures. The payoff, it seems, often far outweighs a little fear and trepidation. We also take a look at some of the projects that have altered our city’s cultural landscape – many that made it better, a few that can’t quite get off the ground and others that hold promise for the future. All things change, and we change with them. And so we arrive at the dawn of a new year, taking stock of what is behind us and what lies ahead. We seek to correct mistakes, but will likely repeat a few, and to undertake new endeavors – large and small – that will make life better for ourselves and those around us. As you embark on your journey, we at Slice wish you peace, love and laughter in the coming year. May your approach be unique and your confidence unwavering. You never know what’s just around the bend.
A new year is upon us. All the trappings and trimmings of the holidays have
been packed away (maybe), and thoughts have turned to all the things we
will and will not do (maybe) in the coming year.
In our house, there was no Christmas tree to take down and haul away.
We didn’t make the trek to the tree farm to labor over the decision of which
conifer was the perfect size, shape and color. We never put one up at all, in
fact. Our living room is in a state of semi-chaos, a rather lengthy one resulting
from an enduring remodel-in-the-works. So, we made the most of the situation.
My daughter Chloe recently turned 13, and part of the celebration of such
a momentous occasion was a slumber party, where she and her friends Maya,
Clare and Holly painted a Christmas tree on one wall of the living room, complete
with decorations and presents underneath. Why not? After all, the wall
will eventually be repainted when the remodeling project is complete. Maybe.
There’s nothing wrong with shaking up the routine.
In this issue, you’ll meet four locals who shook up their own routines, taking
big detours from their chosen paths and embarking on new adventures.
The payoff, it seems, often far outweighs a little fear and trepidation. We also
take a look at some of the projects that have altered our city’s cultural landscape
– many that made it better, a few that can’t quite get off the ground and others
that hold promise for the future.
All things change, and we change with them. And so we arrive at the dawn
of a new year, taking stock of what is behind us and what lies ahead. We seek to
correct mistakes, but will likely repeat a few, and to undertake new endeavors
– large and small – that will make life better for ourselves and those around us.
As you embark on your journey, we at Slice wish you peace, love and laughter
in the coming year. May your approach be unique and your confidence
unwavering. You never know what’s just around the bend.
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“<br />
Now it’s my time. I get to do<br />
what I am passionate about. ”<br />
LYNN MALLETT<br />
INSTRUCTING YOUTH TO EXPRESSING THE SOUL<br />
As a kid, Lynn Mallett says she hated school. In fact, she used to hop on<br />
an oversized tricycle at recess and ride off to her grandmother’s house.<br />
“I hated school so much, I told my parents I wanted to be a maid,”<br />
Lynn says with a laugh. “I remember asking my mom if I would have<br />
to go to school for that. She said<br />
she didn’t think so; that’s when<br />
I decided my goal was to be a<br />
maid in the White House. I had<br />
high aspirations.”<br />
Ironically, in spite of her<br />
disdain for school, she chose<br />
teaching as her profession. It<br />
was only a few years ago she<br />
decided to get back to her roots<br />
and follow her true calling.<br />
“When I was a kid, if we<br />
were going on a trip, my sister<br />
would always take toys along to play with. Me, I always took drawing<br />
pads. I loved art, and it came naturally,” Lynn said. “I went to<br />
college but dropped out after a couple of years. I was taking art<br />
classes, and as much as I love art, it was never any fun having to<br />
finish a project on someone else’s schedule.<br />
“So I regrouped and thought about how I could make a living. I<br />
went back to college and believe it or not, I chose to teach elementary<br />
school. I ended up teaching in Oklahoma City Public Schools<br />
for 26 years. Some of the schools I worked in were made up of lowfor<br />
the NBA finals. I worked on a film with a major movie studio.<br />
But it all pales in comparison to being home, connecting with family<br />
and old friends and having my kids experience what I experienced<br />
growing up in this great state.<br />
“I had been at the Sheraton about five years when I began taking<br />
a look at my life and my career,” he adds. “Up to that point I<br />
had reached all my goals and had been blessed to work in many<br />
different disciplines of the hotel world. So I began talking things<br />
over with my wife and knew it was time for a change.”<br />
A mid-life career shift was just what he needed, he says, and<br />
apprehension or nerves never really came into play.<br />
“I was excited about my next move,” Matt says. “The allure<br />
of a challenge and exercising my vertical learning curve were<br />
the main incentives. Make no mistake; it was a decision I did<br />
not take lightly. The goal was to do something I hadn’t done yet,<br />
something new. What could I contribute to a company or organization<br />
in the latter part of my career, yet still grow myself It was<br />
quite a mission!”<br />
Fast-forward two years and Matt is now settled in a new career.<br />
Together with his wife, he manages a retail pharmacy in his hometown<br />
of Guthrie.<br />
“My commute is around five minutes, and I am blessed to work<br />
with a family of owners who have a vision to grow their existing<br />
business model to other markets. My goal is to contribute to that<br />
mission using the skills and infrastructure I’ve learned throughout<br />
my career.<br />
“It’s just amazing that we each possess attributes that can<br />
transition and contribute to other fields,” Matt says. “The key is<br />
you just have to find out what it is.”<br />
JANUARY 2015 // SLICE 33
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