Well, this move to Hilo is now a reality…for sure. Today I filled the last box of …? …. What? Treasures, Memories, References, Honors, Humorous looks at Nursing and Education, Practical Tools of the Trade, and just plain One of a Kind “things.” What in the world could all this stuff be that has been gathering dust in my ACC office since 1985 and, more importantly, why was it kept for all these years?
Hummmm!! Let me think….
Pens, Pencils, Markers, Highlighters:
Apparently as a child I was deprived of writing utensils, and as a direct result of that abuse and degradation among my peers, I seem to attract and retain writing utensils of every ilk. Some advertise companies, hospitals, physician groups, organizations; some are the same make and model but in extremely diverse colors. Purple pens are the dominant ones, but then that is my signature ink color for care plan grading, therefore generous students have kept me well supplied over the years. Markers have taken more of a back seat in the classroom presentation of late, due to my growing ….dare I say, expertise with PowerPoint. But the day existed when illustrations were part of my normal style. With horrible drawing skills, I just told students that I was considering a career in art when I retired, and asked their opinion on that. It was always good for a relaxing moment of laughter in the midst of complex topics. But, how many pens does a lady really need??? That is the question! Hundreds if I am any example.
Death Themed ‘Stuff’:
Some would say that my interest in and long time teaching about death and dying, grief and loss is macabre or maybe that it is just sad. But that love of the subject content and my willingness to discuss hard topics has been a pivotal part of who I am as an Educator. Well, Janene, what exactly DID you have in that office regarding The Long Sleep? Fair question! I’ll start with one of my favorite excuses for a party: Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. It is a wonderful Mexican cultural celebration about family and friends who have died. During this time in late November parties abound around cemeteries, town squares, homes, and any other place it seems right to honor ancestors. I have calendars, posters, magnets, and knick knacks all illustrating the theme which is illustrated by skeletons dressed as every day folk. If you aren’t familiar with this festival, google it, and google images for a fascinating perspective on Mexico. Additionally, I have beanie babies of ghosts, skeletons, Tombstone S&P shakers, a bumper sticker posted with magnets that says “I break for old cemeteries”. And last, but not least, I have photos that I have taken in these ‘old cemeteries’ around Central Texas, especially many with Bluebonnets! I’m looking forward to adding Hawaiian cemeteries to my collection.
Pictures Galore:
Speaking of photo’s, there is also my obligatory photos of Alisa and Kathleen…..a veritable scrapbook of them at different ages and doing different things. One is a wonderful photo of Alisa carrying the Olympic Torch for the Salt Lake City games in 2002. Another is of the three of us in nice casual clothes but wearing white hard hats that was taken just before we toured the still under construction Eastview Campus building where Nursing moved in Fall of 2003. Besides lots of pictures of the four paws family members, I also have the only picture that has survived from 1969 and confirms my completion of TCU’s Harris College of Nursing. It shows me in my blue striped dress uniform with an overlaying white pinafore and, of course, my unique TCU Nursing Cap. I am standing beside my, at that time, future husband, Kirke, in front of my dorm. It’s a great shot of me when I weighed…..less than I do now….HA, thought I’d give that number away, did you???
Evidence of Personal Beliefs and Interests,
Lastly, we packed up symbols and items that reflected the Janene outside of ACC. The ties to TCU, Univ. of Texas and Univ. of Nebraska are obvious. There has been a prominently displayed sign saying “TCU Parking – All Others Will Be TOAD”…a little play on the horned toad mascot there. A Christian cross or two are visible to those who actually look at my office. Over my desk hangs a framed copy of a large poster from an art gallery in Honolulu. It has hung over my desk in every office at ACC that I’ve had since 1990 when I was a participant in the Great Teaching Workshop near Hilo. It shows a view from lower down in a crater with vivid colored flowers and the rim and mountains of the surface higher than the viewer. A four hour walk with others from the workshop took us down into the dormant Kileua crater, and looked remarkably like this picture. There are also plaques that attest to my commitment to nursing and education, such as my Teaching Excellence Award from the college, and my certification as a Thanatologist. Additionally, there has been a sticker of the logo for the Human Rights Campaign in view on the file cabinet. It has been instrumental in helping some students realize they had a safe place to go if they needed to talk. And lastly, an old wrinkled and frayed poster of a really cute kitten perched on a stack of old books and giving the viewer a quizzical look. The caption reads “Test? What test?”
So why would the therapeutic activity of cleaning up and throwing out the detritus of a quarter of a century of my life be so emotional? I think that it’s a matter of resurrecting many wonderful memories of students, colleagues who are now friends, and even the growth in my own teaching skill. While leaving ACC closes one extremely large door in my professional and personal life, it also reinforces the sometimes scary recognition that another door has been opened. The only thing now left for me to do, is to walk through that new door. I won’t be taking my ACC office with me, but will begin the evolution of a new office at Hawaii Community College. I firmly believe it will be as rewarding as these past 25 years at ACC have been.
Aloha,
Janene
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