Skip to main content

Risk and Power

 

When a massive storm swept through the Michiana area, I found myself facing a challenge I hadn't anticipated—power outages that threatened to disrupt finals week for my students. As a displaced federal employee and author of Life is a Project, I knew I had to act quickly to ensure they wouldn’t be negatively impacted.

Having recently moved from Arlington, VA, to Gary, IN, I hadn’t yet stocked up on emergency supplies. At first, I worked out of a local café and a McDonald’s, grading discussions and keeping up with my responsibilities. But as the outage stretched on, I realized I needed a more sustainable solution. Thinking strategically, I turned to my Marriott rewards—mindful of my strict budget—and booked a hotel with full-size refrigerator, allowing me to take my food from home and prevent it from spoiling while maintaining a functional workspace. Fortunately, I had already purchased a pink igloo cooler.

This experience reinforced everything I believe about life as a project—adaptability, problem-solving, and resourcefulness. Despite the unexpected nature of the crisis, I approached it the same way I would any project: assessing risks, identifying constraints, and executing a plan with confidence.

Now that I’ve navigated this firsthand, I’m considering how to create a structured emergency preparedness plan, ensuring that next time, I’m ready before the unexpected even happens.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

  Is Your Life a Project? Unpacking the Project Management of Daily Living Unlike in 2016 when I gave my TedX Talk on Life as a Project , there are a lot of thoughts about the concept now.  As I continue to try to balance launching a new book, DIYing my house, and gardening; I use my fundamental PM tools to get me through.  It is great to see that concept of Life as a Project out there getting talked about! Whether you agree or not, at least it is a conversation point. Ever feel like you're constantly juggling tasks, goals, and those curveballs life loves to throw your way? What if there was a secret weapon, a framework that could help you navigate it all more smoothly? It's called project management , and while it's usually reserved for the business world, an intriguing question is popping up: Can we actually apply these principles to our everyday lives? This isn't just a casual thought; it's sparked quite a lively debate, especially among the pros who live and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Life is a Project and so is New Home

 I wish I had posted more during my last DIY Home makeover, but this time I am determined to post more and share my adventures.  The good, the bad, the ugly of a move and home that needs some TLC. I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well on my house closing this Wednesday - please send positive energy my way.  For those that remember my last house it was a charming little brick cape cod in Arlington, VA built in 1939 with original hardwood floors and radiator heat.  My house in Gary, Indiana is a split level house that was built in 1968.  The home has great bones, but the carpets, kitchen, and bath might be original to the home, so lots of opportunities. As I prepare to move I have created a moving checklist and am putting items together based on what I currently have on hand, what I think is in my U-Haul boxes, and what I know I will need immediately on moving in.  The house does has not appliances, so planning on using a makeshift kitchen...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Bedroom to Bistro: Making Magic During My Kitchen Demo

  🏠 From Bedroom to Bistro: Making Magic During My Kitchen Demo Renovation Rule #1: Improvise with flair. When I decided to demo my kitchen and install new tile flooring in the main level of my house, I knew I'd be trading convenience for creativity. What I didn’t expect was how charmingly chaotic my workaround would become: I turned one of my upstairs bedrooms into a temporary kitchen.  Yes, a room that should be hosting guest beds and writing desks now hosts my coffee maker , microwave , and a small prep station that would make any food truck chef proud. Another key consideration is that it has been hot; on several days there have been heat warning days. Having a dedicated tiny refrigerator with sparking water, water filter pitcher , and having a table top icemaker has been great for all the water breaks I need when smashing soffit or prying up carpet strips. Grace and gratitude have also become essential.  With only my sister working on the project with me when sh...
Post a Comment
Read more