Doing the lockdown lockstep

My wonderful colleague took this photo today as I was explaining some important matter during our New Faculty Orientation.

"You're dancing!" she said.

No, I'm teaching. Not that there's much difference between the two.

After spending the better part of two days interacting with the new hires, I'm delighted with the energy and talent they bring to the college, but I'm also worn out. The schedule had to be shuffled this morning when the entire campus was placed on lockdown after a crime spree broke out very close to campus. At first we heard that someone had robbed the local dry-cleaner and was heading toward campus, which made me wonder whether we should be on the lookout for a miscreant loaded down with freshly pressed shirts. Later, we learned that he had robbed a drugstore at gunpoint and could be anywhere.

But he didn't come here. The lockdown was cancelled just before noon, which was good because we thought we might need a police escort just to get out to lunch. All the new hires have now been thoroughly oriented and are ready to go and face the world of teaching.

Or dancing, as the case may be.