Friday, February 4, 2011

Cancellations

I am here in Lake Bluff, IL and I'm looking out my hotel window at 10 am (central time) and I am seeing the mounds of snow piled up and thinking, "Yeah, it would be hard to get inside the schools today." and understanding why school was cancelled for the third day in the row. Understand, folks, here outside of Chi-town - that just doesn't happen! Down south where I am, well, we would have closed before the snow had ever come - just the mere thought. And this much snow on the ground would have still been covering our streets. Here, you can drive well on all highways, and most major roads. The side roads vary from passable to "how will we ever get out?" The sidewalks are non-existent. I told my contact person at Woodland MIddle School, Gurnee, IL, that they probably would lose some of the sixth graders that had to walk because the piles of snow on the side are so deep.

But in this business - cancellations, delays and postponements happen. This is actually more of a postponement than a cancellation. I even have a bad weather clause in my Agreement Letter - "Bad Weather Exception: If the program is cancelled due to bad weather, then the lodging, meals and transportation will be paid for the day, but the programming cost will be refunded or not charged. Further, if the program is cancelled due to bad weather, another date for the presentation will be negotiated between Performer and Schools. There will be no additional cost if the programming date can be done within a month (or other specified time) of date. Any programming after that date will incur lodging, meals and transportation costs." The hardest part is how to deal with the additional costs added to coming back, but it always seems to work out.

However, today's cancellation, as for all changes, is always a blessing. I'm not certain what that blessing might be right now (except I got to sleep in late), but I will take advantage of finishing up e-mails and making adjustments to my detailed Winter Schedule. Here's one thing I've learned about the "suprises" in my job - never see it as a negative, but trust that God has got a plan and move accordingly. Peace and stay safe, my friends.

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