Spring Break
By Ernie Fowler – Nashville CHSD #99
efowler@nashville-k12.org
Spring break is upon us. Our students and teachers have six glorious days of time off.
Some folks will pack their bags and head off on vacation. Others will catch up on house work, yard work, and other chores that simply haven’t been completed due to time constraints.
There are many high school and college students who will make a pilgrimage to the sunny beaches of Florida.
I would advise any student who is heading to Panama City not to forget to pack your good sense with you. Remember, even the decisions you make on “break” may have consequences for the rest of your life. Be smart and be careful.
I have traveled to Panama City three times or so in my life. No, you won’t find me in the background of any “Girls Gone Wild” video. I purposely stayed out of Florida over spring break.
The first two trips to Panama City were very pleasant. There were several family things to do. I got to eat at my favorite restaurant called Pineapple Willy’s. We took our kids out on fan boats. One of my sons went hang gliding. I got to embarrass my kids by reenacting the opening scene of Baywatch. I ran down the beach with a boogie board in hand in the same fashion as David Hasselhoff. Those were great family vacations.
My last trip to Panama City, however, affirmed that it would be my last trip to Panama City.
Though it wasn’t spring break, college age young people had taken over the town. Our family no longer fit in. My definition of “fun” didn’t match what the throng of 22 year olds referred to as fun.
That was 13 years ago. As I looked out on the beach, I wondered where the folks who were my age went. Apparently, they went to Destin and I didn’t get the memo.
At 41 years old, I didn’t feel much like doing my Baywatch run with guys named “Biff” and girls named “Nikki” snickering and pointing at me.
They wore Speedos and skimpy little bikinis. They showed off their muscles and their other assets by covering as little of their bodies as possible. I wore a t-shirt and baggy swimming trunks.
They went up and down the 120 degree beach wearing flip flops or even bare foot. I wore tennis shoes. The black dress shoes with black socks wouldn’t happen until ten years later.
At any rate, spring break indicates that summer break is quickly approaching.
If my calculations are correct, there are roughly 35 days of school left. There are approximately 88 days until the first day of summer.
Oh, while we are figuring, it looks like ,in about 143 days, the 2016-17 school year will begin.
Enjoy break. Don’t worry. You won’t see me at the beach!
