“Number Five…. Is alive!”
What does that mean? I couldn’t tell you… but when I was on a recent nostalgic tour of rewatching old science fiction films, that was supposedly the tagline for the 1987 film “Short Circuit”. Like, yeah, Five is the name of the robot character in the film, but I’ve seen cheesier taglines in clothing stores that sell dairy products.
Well, that’s a mystery for another day. The reason for that opening detour is because of how it leads to our topic for today: Power Outages! This is all stemming from a recent question I was given, which is as follows:
What does that mean? I couldn’t tell you… but when I was on a recent nostalgic tour of rewatching old science fiction films, that was supposedly the tagline for the 1987 film “Short Circuit”. Like, yeah, Five is the name of the robot character in the film, but I’ve seen cheesier taglines in clothing stores that sell dairy products.
Well, that’s a mystery for another day. The reason for that opening detour is because of how it leads to our topic for today: Power Outages! This is all stemming from a recent question I was given, which is as follows:
What’s the most bizarre thing that’s happened so far in this school year?
You’d think that would be an impossible question to answer, given how early into the year we are, but MICC never lets us down! Our story begins with a twinge of environmental horror...
It was a bright and not-so stormy night… The sweat made everyone shiny… the humidity was visible among the horizon… and you could hear the sounds of crying adults, at the mercy of their AC units tripling their electricity bill like a Banana Republic. That’s right… It was the hottest day of the year, and was showing no signs of slowing down!
At this time, we were all so innocent… “We’ll be in cooled apartments!” we’d say. “We can just sleep through it!” we’d say. Unfortunately, Mother Minnesota’s thoughts were contrary, and she’s the one person you can never win an argument with.
In what felt like a time where the very air itself was turning torrid, with the sun setting as a scorching moon would rise to take its place, the unexpected happened…
*Bzzzzrr….*
All at once, the fans stopped rotating, and the cries of students could be heard echoing through the dorms. Yes, the dreaded power outage… became real.
Unfortunately for the Nature’s Wrath, MICC had its own sin they’d send to the fight: Pride! Gluttony was too busy stockpiling Cherry Pepsi for me, so the underdog was chosen for the task.
The Students gathered together, and scavenged everything they could to withstand the heat. The strategy was simple: A swift kick of morale, imagination, and resilience.
They say you need a roof over your head to protect yourself from the rain, but you don’t need a tent to tell stories: This became a great opportunity to gather around, and share stories to pass the time. Some were fun, some were scary, and some were completely insane (like this one!), but it kept the spirits high, and led to other activities. The staff saw the craze and gave their support to the cause– Those few that dared to do so, went outside to throw around water balloons supplied by the staff. Those who stayed indoors kept the momentum with weird board games, snacks, and the cancellation of evening classes. With all of these little things together, it blew up into a wild event of social activity and bonding from a seemingly hopeless night.
The power would not turn back on until that morning, but the social engagement kept the students satisfied with the night, and with the help of some keen and creative staff members, they were able to overcome the evil trickeries that were plotted from beyond their control. And just like a Banana Republic, there are, ironically, no second bananas, so the heat was forced to concede and subside.
We’ve not had a power outage since, as the next one is likely waiting to perform catastrophic results, but the lesson here is that the young adults around here know a thing or two about handling sudden shake-ups. The next time our anxieties huddle together for safety, take a look at the big picture, because the solution might just be around the perimeter.
This has been the Mentone Mentour; I’ll see all of you next time!
At this time, we were all so innocent… “We’ll be in cooled apartments!” we’d say. “We can just sleep through it!” we’d say. Unfortunately, Mother Minnesota’s thoughts were contrary, and she’s the one person you can never win an argument with.
In what felt like a time where the very air itself was turning torrid, with the sun setting as a scorching moon would rise to take its place, the unexpected happened…
*Bzzzzrr….*
All at once, the fans stopped rotating, and the cries of students could be heard echoing through the dorms. Yes, the dreaded power outage… became real.
Unfortunately for the Nature’s Wrath, MICC had its own sin they’d send to the fight: Pride! Gluttony was too busy stockpiling Cherry Pepsi for me, so the underdog was chosen for the task.
The Students gathered together, and scavenged everything they could to withstand the heat. The strategy was simple: A swift kick of morale, imagination, and resilience.
They say you need a roof over your head to protect yourself from the rain, but you don’t need a tent to tell stories: This became a great opportunity to gather around, and share stories to pass the time. Some were fun, some were scary, and some were completely insane (like this one!), but it kept the spirits high, and led to other activities. The staff saw the craze and gave their support to the cause– Those few that dared to do so, went outside to throw around water balloons supplied by the staff. Those who stayed indoors kept the momentum with weird board games, snacks, and the cancellation of evening classes. With all of these little things together, it blew up into a wild event of social activity and bonding from a seemingly hopeless night.
The power would not turn back on until that morning, but the social engagement kept the students satisfied with the night, and with the help of some keen and creative staff members, they were able to overcome the evil trickeries that were plotted from beyond their control. And just like a Banana Republic, there are, ironically, no second bananas, so the heat was forced to concede and subside.
We’ve not had a power outage since, as the next one is likely waiting to perform catastrophic results, but the lesson here is that the young adults around here know a thing or two about handling sudden shake-ups. The next time our anxieties huddle together for safety, take a look at the big picture, because the solution might just be around the perimeter.
This has been the Mentone Mentour; I’ll see all of you next time!
|
Madeline M.Madeline is currently a senior in MICC's College Program, working towards her Hospitality certificate. Her creativity is as broad and crazy as her curls - creating entertaining stories and unique perspectives which become instantly memorable and cherished. Despite her wits and ways of forming words, she is constantly challenging herself by developing new skills and leaving a third eye open to anything that's piqued her curiosity. Whether you find her writing, drawing, music making, golfing, sailing, gaming, programming, or drinking too much Cherry Pepsi, you'll discover a character that you won't find anywhere else! |
Minnesota Independence College and Community is a 501(c)3 nonprofit vocational and life skills training program for young adults with autism and learning differences. Since our founding in 1996, MICC has remained dedicated to helping participants make successful transitions towards independent living and self-sufficiency.
RSS Feed
