The Hiatus

It is an all-consuming, all-incompassing, all-hands-on-deck event on our campus.  Everyone pitches in for it.  Everyone.  Every department on campus is either represented in some way or plays a critical role in preparing for or presenting it.  Every facility is referenced or used during it.  It is truly a team effort.  It is the 2010 summer orientation program.  And now, "it" is over!  The last of four sessions finished Tuesday of this week at Meridian Community College.  Now, for about three days we can all exhale....

For the rest of the week, we are on a hiatus of sorts.  We will spend the rest of week not thinking, at all, about orientation.  Ironically enough, our post-orientation afterglow will not include recanting fun-loving antedotes about our new arrivals.  We will not speak fondly of the wide-eyed, bright-smiled, bushy-tailed freshmen who invaded our campus through late spring and all summer.  We will not share tales of how at the ninth hour MCC advisors were able to perform heroic feats by helping students create perfect fall class schedules with only a few keystrokes! We will not reflect on long lines, short treks, hot sun, and cold water bottles.

We will not reflect on our panic-stricken moments where seemingly great peril loomed because of minor technical difficulties, "brown-outs", no-shows, mis-steps, oversights, overestimations, underestimations, misdirections, mis-ques, losts, or founds.  No one will relish in the sighs of relief, smiles, the accolades, the hugs, the pats-on-the-back, the "thank-you's", the "job-well-done's", the "atta-boys" and "way-ta-go's".  We will not tally attendance, surveys, nor discuss outcomes, make projections, neither note points of improvement nor best practices.  No looking back..."We will do none of this because summer orientation is over and we are on hiatus," she said ironically.

Thank you Class of 2010!  We are excited you have chosen Meridian Community College.  Home of the Eagles!  (http://www.meridiancc.edu/) MCC is the place where you can expect us all to give you the best that we've got...

Spa Rules

Larry was long gone to begin his conference agenda.  This left me by myself.  So after finishing an oversized, overpriced, over-caloried, flakey, and deliciously-buttery crossiant, a fragrant cup of cream-filled coffee, a tall icy glass of water and the crisp pages of the Money section of Monday's USA Today, it was time to leave the peace of my room's terrance to stroll across the foliage-filled atrium of the Gaylord Texan Resort to the outdoor pool.  It was a beautiful sunny late-spring Texas morning and I was determined to do nothing and to fully enjoy the peaceful surroundings offered up by the hospitable folks at the Gaylord.

After a short jaunt,  I swang open the frosted-glass double doors to the outdoor pool to find rows of perfectly aligned pool-side lounges each dotted with a fresh white beach towel and each spot offering limited solitude.  However at 8am, there was not another soul in sight, total solitude. Amidst the backdrop of silence only the sweet rumblings of jet sprays from the warm alluring waters of the hot tub spa.  So gliding pass the lounge chairs each adorned with a neatly rolled and particularly placed towel, gliding pass the 3-ft, then 4-ft, and then 5-ft crystal  blue waters of the pool reflecting Texas sunlight, gliding pass the cabanas, I found my destination pristine.  Now, off with my swim suit cover to a quick spray under the pool-side shower and two steps later, I sank quickly into engulfing spa waters to continue on my morning quest to do nothing, ALONE.  To be sure I (or anyone) will have every opportunity to do nothing, the Gaylord conspiciously posts the following Spa Rules and I found them to be easiest rules I never broke:

1.  No food, drink, glass or animals in spa or on spa deck. (Just finished my breakfast - left dog back home in MS)
2.  Max. Bathing Load: 6 Persons (Uh, by myself)
3.  Spa Hours: 7am 12 midnight (8:20am, I'm good)
4.  Shower Before Entering (Done)
5.  NO GLASS CONTAINERS ALLOWED IN POOL AREA. (Check)
6.  Maximum safe water temperature is 104 - check water temperature before each use. (Check)
7.  Children under twelve must have adult supervision (School's out; its 8:20am, this is not a problem)
8.  Do not use spa under influence alcohol, narcotics or other drugs that can cause sleepiness, drowsiness, or raise/lower blood pressure.(Is heavily-creamed coffee a narcotic?)
9.  Pregnant women, small children, and people with health problems should  not use spa without consulting a physician. (I'm going to be noncommittal here)
10.  Maximum use 15 minutes. (This might actually be a problem)
11.  No lifeguard on duty. (I'm good with this)

12.  No running. (No problem)

13.  No diving (Noooooooooo problem) 

14.  Keep all electrical appliances away from the spa. (No problem)

15.  Do not use the spa during stormy weather or if lightning is visible. (Check)

16.  Report any unsafe conditions to management (Would I have to get out of the spa?)

17.  Adress:  1501 Gaylord Trail, Building I, Grapevine, TX  76051 (Helpful if needed)

18.  In case of emergency DIAL 911 (Hopefully not needed)

19.  Nearest phone located at Towel Hut.(I took the Spa Rules photo with my cell; I think I'm good)

20.  NO DIVING (Again, noooooooooo problem)

Don't break your own Spa Rules and visit the Gaylord Texan at:  www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-texan/ where they seem to go out of their way at giving you the best that they've got...