Oh....the weather is reason enough to celebrate!

As my first ever blog....in the stratosphere of the planet internet, I have to say that finding a singular jumping off point is hard to find. It is with great pleasure that I share my energy, excitement, and pride that one experiences here on these beautiful 330 acres that defines Vanderbilt.

As many of you know, this summer was one of the hottest on record. With over 4 1/2 weeks of no rain, 100* weather, and brown grass, I really did not know how to enjoy summer here in Nashville for the first time. Safe to say, this summer was "hopefully" an anomaly and is a part of a forgotten past. This brings me to my first blog topic.

"With weather like this, it is hard to focus and be productive." Nashville has the most enjoyable falls and for that matter winter and spring. (February is clearly forgotten about, just as August) It seemed that the Class of 2011 brought with them a fresh cool breeze with them from the vast regions of the globe from which they came from. Gone are those triple digit days. Currently, it is 66* and just a wonderful night. Today, I completely lost focus on planning the future Homecoming Celebration and had to break up my 2pm meeting to only move it to the patio of The Pub in Sarratt. We grab our event plans, laptops, cell phones, and cool glasses of soda and kicked our motivation into overdrive while overlooking Alumni lawn. With today's highs in the mid 80's, I couldn't help but envy those walking across the lawn to class, tossing the pig skin, and just laying in the cool grass keeping on top of their Latin American Studies (just taking a good guess at it). Hanging out on the patio was truly a stroke of genius-productivity reached 90% - 10% went to keeping a farmers tan.

"Work is work...that is why they don't call it fun." This simple phrase came from one of my student leaders that I have the privilege to work with daily. So, what does all this have to do with celebration?

You see life at Vanderbilt is one of a well balanced experience. No doubt, classes come first for students and for me...."event planning" make up my daily "curriculum." But with rays of sunshine like today, it is easy to witness everyone at play.

Nashville is a great place to be almost any time of year, and well days like this make you put a pep in your step. As the warm Tennessee sun shines, warms the face, and perpetuates those late summer tans, it makes us all smile wider and wake up a little easier. Celebration is a core value here and it shows. The Vanderbilt Programming Board (one of the major groups I help advise) has proudly announced the coming of Kanye West to headline this year's Homecoming Quake Concert. (October 13th-Tickets are still available) Since this announcement, I have never been so proud of my post nor have I ever experience such fan fare for a coming "celebration." VPB witness 3 hour waits for tickets, and sold out all floor seats in less than 3 hours. The buzz was.....historic. I wonder if the weather had anything to do with it.....hmm :)!

As my co-worker said to me today...."if we saw this many students show up to by tickets 2 hours prior to their release, I cannot imagine what it will look like in the cool afternoon hours 3 weeks from now." I'm sure if the weather holds...we will see people sleeping at the front door come Thursday priot. Quake will truly shake the campus....and I hope all students get tickets to see the momentous occasion.

I'll have details about more campus celebrations, Homecoming particularly, in the coming days. For now....stay outside and enjoy it, celebrate it......

Football team is 2-1 on the season, with a much needed week off. Look out Eastern Michigan.

Go 'Dores!

VC

post notes: be sure and read this one four months from now....when the weather is or isn't so great. If anything, it will motivate one to get ready for the warm weather that will sneak up on us at any time.