Melbourne beach weekend

Melbourne Beach

“To escape and sit quietly on the beach—that’s my idea of paradise”.

(Emily Wiskstead)

My Walk into the Future continues to provide unlimited adventures for me daily.

The beach is a major adventure for me, and some would say my happy place.  Love to sit on the beach to relax, read and just enjoy the sound of the waves.  My move to Fort Pierce puts me closer to beaches and I try to take advantage of this proximity as much as possible.

One of my favorite places to sit on the beach happens to be Melbourne, Florida.  There are multiple beach towns in this area but the one I prefer is Indialantic Beach.  Small area but it provides the best beach experience for me.

Made the 55-minute trek north on I-95 last weekend for a day at the beach.  Did not realize it has been 3 years since I have been in the Melbourne area.  A lot of my beach travel while in Tallahassee was a drive over to Jacksonville or Neptune beaches.  Love that area too and it was a shorter drive than venturing all the way down to Melbourne.  Decided to take a day trip and get back to an area I love to visit and hangout.

Outlet mall

COVID-19 has caused a lot of life disruptions.  One of these for me was not being able to get to outlet malls.  I know my outlet mall shopping is not a huge deal considering the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic, but I had to drive by the Vero Beach outlet mall on my way to Melbourne.  Many of the stores were still closed when I visited but was able to get some nice deals at the Van Heusen store.  Yes, I wore a mask while shopping.

The Van Heusen outlet store had some great mark downs and I may have purchased more than I need.  The in-store prices are a lot less than what they were selling for on-line. I have never been a fan of buying clothes on-line since different brands have their own unique cuts.  My normal size in one store does not translate all the time to another.  Buying pants online is a major headache for me since I need clothes for an athletic body. Also, needed to restock my work wardrobe since I have a day job again. 😊

Patrick AFB

Always make a point to visit Patrick Air Force Base when I am in Melbourne.  Did not need anything but it always feels like going home when I am on the base.  Spent 20 years in the Air Force and love being back on the base.  Ended up just rambling around the Base Exchange and Commissary looking around and enjoying being back around the Air Force family.  Got a few things but nothing major at either stop.

Crowne Plaza

The major attraction for me to visit the Indialantic beach is the Crowne Plaza hotel.  Yes, I went up for a day trip, but the Crowne Plaza has a huge beach deck with a Tiki vibe and outside bar.

They allow beachgoers to utilize the deck, bar, and restrooms without being a hotel guest.  Always thought that was a great feature and it keeps people coming back.  I bring my own water and beer but routinely get a cold tropical drink (or two) at the bar.  They have a great food menu so really do not need to go anywhere else once you get there.

There is live music most Saturdays and Sundays and that draws a decent crowd too.  I normally walk further down the beach to get away from crowds but the music travels well.  My day on the beach was spent reading, listening to music, and taking a bunch a naps.  Nothing strenuous but wanted to visit the beach and relax—mission accomplished.

https://www.google.com/search?q=crowne+plaza+melbourne+fl+pictures&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS857US857&sxsrf=ALeKk00P5m-KQpG-NeMjKPXrrjOmlJlDWg:1590778740929&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=YVZCzuNcCXbIsM%253A%252C28LbZ-YA3Bc7sM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSIiMzmjPA7dY62D4InWst3DNgkgg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMiJPO4NnpAhUJT98KHSVwAMgQ9QEwAnoECAoQDg#imgrc=YVZCzuNcCXbIsM:

Took the scenic route back to Fort Pierce on A1A.  Normally go I-95 but did not have to rush back so took in the sights and enjoyed the views.  Will try to get to Melbourne monthly for a beach getaway—may stay overnight next time since there are a lot of new shopping options in the area.  Always looking for a good deal! 😊

What is your favorite beach or place?  When will you visit again?

 

“The waves on the sea help me get back to me”.

(Jill Davis)

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Zoom into the Future

zoom

(Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay)

“When in doubt, zoom out”.

(Reggie Watts)

I like starting Walk into the Future articles with a quote to inspire my thought process and get me going.  Well, the quote above is the best I could find with zoom in it but has nothing really to do with this article.  Forgive me but thought it was funny and had the appropriate word (zoom) I needed to move forward.

The last several months have been productive, exciting, and frustrating (COVID-19) but progress has been made daily.  The Zoom application has become a popular way for the workforce to keep making positive things happen considering the COVID-19 pandemic.  More people are using this platform to ensure daily operations and tasks are completed in this new way to go to work.

Zoom interview

My first foray using the Zoom application came back in February when I was introduced to it for a first-round interview.  I have used Skype to interview for past positions and to interview candidates for openings on my team.  Did not know much about Zoom but found the process a lot more seamless than the Skype application.  Simply receive an email with a link, click on the link at the appropriate time and you are meeting with the folks on the distant end.  Zoom provides the capability to host multiple people in multiple locations so this appears to make getting a team together to interview candidates a bit easier than Skype.  I am sure there are still uses for the Skype platform but thought Zoom took pressure off me as the candidates since I did not have to test my computer/software as in the past.

Zoom team meeting

Leveraged my newfound appreciation for Zoom by hosting my first team meeting with my new team at Indian River State College prior to starting work.  Again, COVID-19 has most organizations working remotely to avoid large meetings and practicing physical distancing.  I wanted to get a head start on teambuilding prior to moving to Fort Pierce and Zoom was the perfect application.  We were able to host 10 people in 5 different locations (physical distancing) and build a team foundation to help us find ways to ensure students, faculty/staff and employers continue to receive world class customer service.  I have talked with tree branches who are using Zoom but found it to be an even better platform than described.

Zoom work process (onboarding, team meetings, teambuilding)

Realize there are several who will read this article who have been using Zoom for a while.  I am just getting my feet wet and see so many useful ways to use this platform even after we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Staff on satellite campuses can continue to participate in meetings, workshops, and teambuilding activities without having to drive to the main campus.  There will be times when they need/want to be present, but Zoom can save time and driving to and from the main campus.  Also, see the benefits of conducting one-on-one sessions with distant students, employers, and staff.  Just getting my thoughts together but I am sure I will leverage Zoom to find ways to ensure our students have the best employment opportunities available.  Zoom appears to be setting the pace for a new world order!  Stay tuned as I will continue to share how I am zooming into the future. 😊

 How does your organization use the Zoom platform?  Do you have tricks of the trade you can share?  Thanks!

NOTE:  Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Blackboard Collaborate are three platforms I am actively using at work.  The three platforms are easy to navigate and provides similar functionality.

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