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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.



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