How I Entertained Myself During Hurricane Isaac

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard about the little storm we had down here in South Louisiana and Mississippi.  I grew up in this area so I'm accustomed to our crazy hurricane season at the end of every summer.  This one was no exception.  Tropical Storm Isaac eventually became a low category 1 hurricane and landed on the southeast Louisiana coast.  Normally, we don't worry too much about such "little storms" down here but Isaac stayed around too long and dumped tons of rain where it was not needed or welcomed.  The flooding that followed is still causing tragedy in many areas...including the small town that I live in.

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I live in Picayune, Miss., a small town about 50 miles northeast of New Orleans.  We are "high and dry" but still got soaked with wind driven rain.  Overall, we lost the daily convenience of electricity...mainly air conditioning and refrigeration.

I also lost my internet connection for almost three days!  I know that this is a "luxury" and I should really not be so selfish but I need my internet fix.  Every day!  I am addicted.  BAD!

So, I'm sitting in a house with no electricity...no tv, no internet, only the drone of the radio announcer repeating the same thing over and over.  Rain, wind, flood...rain, wind, flood.  I just had to do something!  Anything.  Then I saw it...an empty UPS Express mail box.  I could make something with that!  That's when I realized that I have another addiction...to cardboard boxes.  I'm not ashamed of it.  Empty cardboard boxes can be used for so many things!

I decided to make a laptop desk/organizer out the UPS box.  I needed something to set my laptop on when I held it in my lap to create a buffer between the heat of the computer and my lap.  The box was the perfect size for my 15.6" laptop.  I decided to turn it into a laptop desk organizer of sorts.  I'm not the most organized person in the world and I'm constantly loosing my "blog stuff".  You know, the calender, address book and little notepad to scribble on.  Then, of course, there is the pen.  I can never keep a pen handy!

So, this is what I did.  I wrapped the UPS box in the brown packing paper that was used to secure the items (medicine) during shipment.  I didn't want the box markings to show through the gift wrapping paper that I used to cover and "decorate" the box with.

I used some of my favorite Spring wrapping paper to cover it with.  I know it's September but this was one of those "use what you've got" kind of days.

I kept the end flap attached (from the open end of the box) but cut off the little side tabs that I did not need.  I glued (the long sides) of a piece of satin ribbon to make a pen holder.  Then, I glued a small piece of velcro to the flap and the end of the box so I could close the box while it was in my lap.

I have a "laptop cooling pad" that fits perfectly on top of the box to help the laptop from getting too hot.

Inside of the box, I keep my "blog supplies"....my "idea" notebook, an HTML cheat sheet, an internet address book and my blog organizer/calender notebook.

My little UPS box keeps me more organized when I blog.  Maybe Isaac's visit was good for something :)

Linking to:

Debbiedoo's Newbie Party with a Twist
Happy Hour Project's Happy Hour Friday
Heatherly Loves' Sunday Round Up
Life on Lakeshore Drive's Bouquet of Talent Sunday Linky Party