pep talk

The official start of the 2009 hurricane season is about 10 days away. I think folks everywhere are surprised at how fast this date came upon us again. Areas are busy reviewing their plans anew, wondering what they might have learned from Ike, what they might do different the next time, hoping to all heaven there isn’t a “next time.” I’m an advocate of good planning and preparation, but there’s one thing I’ve come to count on: expect the unexpected. Whatever we anticipate, experienced in the past, feared or counted as a blessing, Mama Nature will do her own thing, and it will bring with it surprises. At best, we can stockpile options, have a  plan b and a plan c, and hope for the few lucky breaks that seem to accompany the occassional crisis (like a cool front on the heels of a hurricane). The most important factor for successfully navigating an emergency? Good people. On that front, I’m happy to report we’re well prepared.

This past Tuesday I found myself planted in Levin Hall, watching President Callender at the recent Town Hall. There were about 200 people in attendance, more watching online, but my sense is the meeting and the messages may have slipped under a lot of people’s radar. It was really an informative meeting, and if you’re interested in what’s on the likely horizon for us, spend a few minutes scanning his presentation or  watching the video. My friends and former co-workers in Public Affairs have posted the info online…

Our blog server is recording a bunch of errors, and we’re working to figure out why. We set up “pep talk” as a working web laboratory, so we’re testing a few fixes here. The new template is helping us narrow down a few possible causes. I’ll be back with a real post, and a new photo, later this week.