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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Office Move: Other People's Trash

I'm almost done prepping an office space for a move next week. I'm being moved into a space that measures six feet wide and ten feet long, with a window on one end and a door in the corner of the other. I have no budget, so I've been scrounging through the campus warehouses to find furniture. I have no time, so I'm making this fit in during Christmas Break. I'm unhappy with the move and the location, I'm reluctant to be in constant conflict with my boss, and I'm just generally feeling disrespected right now. I don't even have a chair for my desk.

I came in to find three filing boxes FULL of materials that my boss no longer wants to house in his filing system, but he expects me to keep. I went through the boxes today, and the majority of the materials fit into one of these categories:

  1. Samples of products from K-12 institutions (which are nothing like Universities...)
  2.  Out of date or rescinded documents and reference materials (seriously- like, pre-9/11 stuff)
  3. His hand-written notes, many of which relate to insurance (which I don't do) or hold his personal opinions and thoughts (awkwaaaard!)

There was only a tiny percentage of material that was relevant, current, and not full of personal remarks.  In addition, there was an entire box of books with titles like, "The Bullying Child" and "Security Risks for the 20th Century."  Again, not relevant to my work! I was baffled.  My space is less than half of his space. These materials are overwhelmingly personal and/or irrelevant to my job. Why would he think it was appropriate to dump this stuff on me?

My first instinct was to recycle anything I felt was not useful, both to address the complete lack of space in my office, and to support our initiatives to "be green" at work.  As part of the move, I had expected a handful of files to sort through, scan, and archive...and maybe a planning document or two to keep on the shelves. I hadn't expected to receive piles of his discarded personal property. I felt pretty comfortable recycling the out of date materials with no notes, but many of the documents were copies of work he did in a previous career- and while they don't apply to our current role or institution, they're probably still important to him.  I certainly don't feel empowered to recycle material with his personal notations.  I felt trapped...

...and angry! I'm not his secretary, or his maid, or his assistant. I am his employee, but I was hired to do a job, and nowhere in that job does it include cleaning up his mess. I may be sitting in the storage room of the suite, but I am not his storage facility.

So, went through the materials and I anything that fell into the categories above went back into the boxes. I then stacked them, neatly and out of the way, in his giant office.   I then set up a few drawers in the main room of the suite for general office filing.

My rational is this:

I went through the materials as instructed. I saved anything I thought could be helpful that wasn't also covered in his personal handwriting. Everything else still belongs to Joe. It is not appropriate for me to dispose of the items, and he needs to decide what to do with the material.  If he feels the material is important enough to retain in a department archive but not in his personal files, he can maintain them in the general filing.  If the material is really so vital that I need to maintain it, I find it reasonable to ask for a clean, unmarked copy. I deserve respect as a professional, a colleague, and an employee- my space is important and valid for my own materials, and I am capable of maintaining my own reference files.

We'll see how this conversation goes on Monday. In the meantime, I'm going to put some lotion on these papercuts and get back to work.


Saturday, July 4, 2015

Disneyland 2015 Countdown: Day 71

This week, I'm dreaming of Adventureland. On the final day of Week 11, I'm sharing my favorite ride memories of my favorite ride: Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye


So, this is the best ride I’ve ever ridden, ever. Period. Yeah, there’s the punchy puns of Jungle Cruise, the exhilarating magic of Peter Pan, and the zooming about recklessly of Big Thunder, and the stunning scenery of Radiator Springs, but at the end of the day, Indy will always have my heart. Honestly, you have to give props to an attraction where the line is as entertaining as the ride is. This is a good thing, of course, as the line can be oppressively long. It does feature a Single Riders line, though, so that can significantly shorten the wait. The last time I visited Disneyland, I was able to ride through twice in about twenty minutes. Considering the ride itself took up about half that time…not too shabby! Another plus of the single-riders line was seeing the ADA entrance area and elevator, but it caused me to miss some of the details in the regular queue. I would definitely recommend the single rider line for all but the wimpiest of riders. Another plus of the SRL is that you get to sit on the edge. That's not a plus in rides like, oh, Radiator Springs Racers, but for Indy? That is prime seating, folks!

It is difficult to identify any one“thing” that makes this my favorite ride. Certainly, the theme is helpful, because I do love me some Indiana Jones. That theme song! (Bum-da-bum-BUM! Bum-da-bummm! Good luck getting that out of your head now.) The ride itself is thrilling- the perfect combination of speed, banks, and bouncing, but with no heart-lurching drops. The effects are also pretty spectacular…the illusion of the rolling ball hurtling towards the trucks will forever amaze me. Each ride experience is both familiar enough to fulfill expectations and nostalgia, and unique enough to keep the ride interesting and exciting. This is the first real "thrill" ride I ever enjoyed, which definitely adds to the love. Any ride that makes me feel brave and fearless is a plus. This is also the only ride I've ever seen my brother be afraid of* and as the bossy older sister, I must consider that a plus.  I'm pretty sure that if I lived in southern Cali, and had an annual visitor's pass, I would go after work and just ride Indy, over and over again.  Seriously....best...ride...ever.


*I have been asked to clarify. He isn't afraid of the ride, he is afraid of the "giant-ass cobra that tries to eat the person in the last seat on the right, as any rational and reasonable human being would be." So, snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?

Friday, July 3, 2015

Disneyland 2015 Countdown: Day 72

This week, I'm counting down to Disneyland 2015 with memories and anticipation of Adventureland. Today, we're visiting The Jungle Cruise.


I don't remember the Jungle Cruise from 1997. I do, however, remember our visit in 2007. Here’s a rough approximation of how it went:

(Family boards the boat, named something clever like Candy Cane Connie, because it was Christmas.) Hey folks, welcome to The Jungle Cruise- I’ll be your stripper- I mean skipper- today! So, how many of you are riding the Jungle Cruise for the first time? Great so am I! (Family laughs politely.) Let's take a quick poll here. Raise your hand if you were born on your birthday! (Cassandra laughs audibly in the awkward silence of the other passengers, and the skipper gets an evil glint in his eye.)  Okay, well, great! Now hold on to those hats and glasses folks. Cause this here is the WILDEST RIDE IN THE WILDERNESS! (Wait…that’s a joke! Cassandra laughs harder and the family prepares for the worst.) Over there is what we call the Indiana Jones Adventure and the Temple of the Four-Hour Line. (Truth in advertising! Cassandra collapses against her sister, overcome with laughter. Encouraged, the skipper begins targeting puns directly at Cassandra’s family.)  And now, we're approaching the beautiful Schweitzer Falls, named after that famous African explorer, Dr. Albert Falls. (It’s funny because his last name is Schweitzer! Also, because its a waterfall! Now other people on the boat are staring uncomfortably at Cassandra.) This is the backside of Schweitzer Falls, which is a little something I like to call…O-2-H. (Cassandra laughs so hard she falls out of the boat.) Well folks, that concludes our tour! As we approach, please notice that there's a dock on the left, and a dock on the right.  But don't let it confuse you.  It's a paradox. (Cassandra, now back in the boat, continues to laugh in a sopping wet heap on the floorOther passengers disembark, thankful to be away from that crazypants.) 

The Jungle Cruise, to me, is the perfect example of how Disneyland rolls with the punches, and keeps being amazing. One of the original attractions present at the Disneyland Grand Opening, the ride was initially intended to be educational and informative. The animatronics were installed after zoologists convinced Walt Disney that real animals were a bad idea. (Too bad they missed that memo for Animal Kingdom, and I right?? Anybody?) Anyway. The ride was quickly outdated and surpassed by other higher-tech rides with more flash and appeal. So, rather than removing one of the staples of the park’s history, Disneyland rolled with the punches, and turned the ride into a pun-infested laugh fest, poking fun at themselves.  The ride is one of the few places where cast members break the wall, and acknowledge events from outside Adventureland and poke fun at the Disney Company itself.  It is on my Top Ten Favorite Rides EVER list and definitely a must-hit for 2015.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Disneyland 2015 Countdown: Day 73

This week, I'm counting down to Disneyland 2015 by exploring Adventureland! Today's stop: The Enchanted Tiki Room


In…the…tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki, Tiki Room! In the tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki, Tiki Room! All the birds sing words and the flowers croon- in the tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki, Tiki Room.

Yeah, now that’s an earworm! I don’t know about you, but “The Tiki Room” gets stuck in my head more easily and persistently than “It’s a Small World.” Which is good, because The Enchanted Tiki Room is one of my favorite attractions at Disneyland.  It is a silly little show, but it is indoors, and dark, and cold, and you can enjoy a Dole Whip while you watch the show. This attraction, which opened in 1963, marked the first time that Disneyland used Audio-Animatronics Technology. Though the attraction was heavily upgraded and refurbished in the 1990s, and is a lot shorter (about 12 minutes instead of nearly 18 minutes,) I have to think the same sense of awe and wonder that entranced the early visitors to the show remain today. I’m particularly fond of the Hawaiian War Chant sequence at the end, and the lovely nod to Snow White as guests leave.  Also, the Tiki Room, along with the Jungle Cruise, are the inspiration for my favorite dining experience at Disneyland…but more on that later! (Look for tag, Trader Sams.)
You'd think an Audio-Animatronic show of singing flowers and vaguely racist birds would get old. You would be wrong. We watched the show three times in Disney World. Okay, maybe that had something to do with being an air conditioned space, but it was also because the show is genuinely entertaining! I’ve enjoyed the Tiki Room on every visit to Disneyland, and I’m looking forward to relaxing and enjoying a sing-along with Jose, Pierre, Michael, and Fritz.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Disneyland 2015 Countdown: Day 74

This week, I'm focusing on my memories of Adventureland, and what I'm looking forward to for Disneyland 2015! Today's feature: Tarzan’s Tree House


Soooo, I have a confession to make. I haven’t been in Tarzan’s Tree House.  I’m just going to let that settle in for a moment. Seriously, though- the Tree house is on the list for 2015. How did I miss the homage to my favorite Phil Collins-Scored-Film? Easy. I’m also a HUGE fan of the classic Disney movie Swiss Family Robinson. During our first visit to Disneyland (1997), I adored the Swiss Family Tree House! All of the fascinating elements from the movie, brought to life? The dream is real?? I was hooked. The ornate tree house built to reflect the comforts of a “modern” household fit right into my childhood imagination. I spent countless hours in our front lawn playing "house" under the aspen trees...pretty much any time I wasn't pretending to be Ariel, I was pretending to be Laura Ingalls Wilder and/or Anne Shirley. Clearly, all of these ladies would appreciate the Swiss Family Tree house. So back in 1997, I climbed, I clambered, I touched, I crooned, I reminisced, and just generally gave myself over to the experience, and it featured heavily in my make-believe sessions for many years.

So, when we returned in 2007, I hit a wall of nostalgia overload. A lot can change in ten years, and by the time we hit Adventureland, I was all “updated” out. I refused to walk through the tree house on the  flimsy grounds that ‘Change Sucks.’  How lame of me, right?  When I went back in 2014, I’d intended to take some quality exploratory time, and some quality selfies with the character statues in the tree, but I was distracted by the Great Disneyland Bank Robbery. (That’s a different story, and just to be clear, Disneyland wasn’t involved in the robbery at all.) Frankly, I just missed out. I was sorry, but not so sorry I was willing to force myself to walk even one step further, so I put it on the list of "next time."

Hopefully, "next time" is "this time!" One of the things I love most about Disneyland is the ability to step into a world previously only available in cartoons.  The attention to detail, and the inclusion of sly jokes and easter eggs to reward the careful observer, are hugely fascinating. Plus, I’m pretty sure they never have a real Tarzan available for photo ops at Disneyland. (Pout.) So, this year? Into the trees!

Also: spell check keeps forcing me to make "Treehouse" into "Tree House." Shut up, spell check!

Monday, June 29, 2015

Disneyland 2015 Countdown: Day 75

Wow, only 75 days to go until Disneyland 2015! That means only 11 weeks to go! Once you hit the point that counting in days is easier than weeks you know it is time to get excited!

Today, I'm dreaming of Adventureland. 

Let’s face it: Adventureland packs the biggest ride punch for its size compared to the rest of the park. The footprint available to guests for walking is pretty small- about 400 feet long- but packed along this sidewalk are three of the best attractions in Disneyland, two signature dinining locations, and a bazaar filled with all of the Indy-themed merchandise a fangirl could want.  Adventureland is one of the original lands present during the grand opening of Disneyland in 1955, and features one of the original park attractions: The Jungle Cruise, in addition to the beloved Tiki Room, Tarzan’s Treehouse, and the King of Rides: Indiana Jones. Happy Sigh…I love Adventureland. I thought I'd spend this week reminiscing about the awesomeness of Adventureland rides. 

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Carpets of Flowers

Today's Moment of Awe occurred, as so many have, near the Grotto of the Virgin at Gonzaga University.  I like to take a few quiet minutes there every day to enjoy the sun, the sound of the water feature, and to sometimes light a candle or say a prayer.

Today, the grass looked like a million tiny flowers had sprouted up through the stems. The flowers are so tiny and delicate, in a gorgeous white and fuchsia color. They remind me of an exotic flower like a hibiscus.  They smell lovely as well- a faint and whispery smell. The flowers are actually from the trees above, but there are so many of them it seems impossible they didn't sprout up from the ground. Looking around, the dirt of the gardens around the trees is so heavily coated in these flowers that it looks like bark or mulch in the photographs.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Oklahoma City - 20 Years Later

Twenty years ago, I remember the morning of April 19th very clearly. I was waiting for the bus, shivering in the early spring morning, listening to the birds in the Darrah's garden, aware that something horrible had happened someplace where my grandmother's family lived, but unsure what was going on. The adults had talked in quiet voices to one another, over our heads both literally and figuratively. To us children, the adults, both parents and teachers, explained that evil people had done something awful, but that we shouldn't be afraid.  My parents told me a little more about what happened- about the bomb, and the building collapsing, and the deaths- and they asked me not to scare my siblings, and instead come to them, my parents, with my questions or my fears.

I remember the front page of the Rocky Mountain News the next morning- the picture of the firefighter carrying away a tiny, broken body from the debris. I remember the news coverage of the building's broken shell as search and recovery efforts continued forward, and of reading the short biographies of the victims...and how so many of them were far, far too short. I remember my friends collecting pennies at school to send to the city in a childish gesture of love.  I also remember feeling relieved above all that my mother's cousins and aunts and uncles were alive, and thus, in my innocence, believing their lives had been shadowed sparingly by the tragedy. Though I know better know, I am thankful I had that comfort to cling to while trying to understand how anyone could do something so terrible.

I remember our visit to Oklahoma City early the next year, and our pilgrimage to the site. The chain-link fence, which seemed to stretch for miles, was stuffed full of ribbons and toys and signs, of photos and candles and flowers. I remember the sound of the wind between the memorial items, whispering a quiet requiem that smelled of sunshine and dust.

We watched the building come down on the news, and we learned about terrorism for the first time in school.  When Timothy McVeigh was tried in Denver, I confronted my ethical stance on the death penalty for the first time. I remember that I wanted him to be spared, locked in a tiny room surrounded by the photos of those he killed and injured and hurt, to spend his life haunted by his guilt.  I remember hating him for making me think it might be okay to wish someone was dead.

I remember my first visit to the finished memorial site.  Now an adult, and working to combat terrorism as a career and having studied the findings of the bombing extensively, I thought the museum would be an interesting academic voyage.  I wasn't expecting the flood of memories and emotions it would bring.  Outside is a field of chairs, placed to represent the location of each victim at the time of their death. They marched along in lines, some far apart and some clustered together, but each a precise and disciplined soldier keeping vigil over a legacy.  It was Christmastime, so they were adorned with red wreathes. The Survivor's Tree- complete with the scars from the bomb- furled out its branches to the sky, a tangible legacy of survival, endurance, patience, and time.  The reflecting pool- filling the space where the blast left a crater eight feed deep- rippled peacefully in the prairie wind, bracketed in each side by doorways.  Inside, the exhibits left me breathless and aching with
tears. The cases of watches and shoes and keys reminded me of the Holocaust museums in Berlin and London. The timeline of events put perspective and history on my childhood memories, and helped connect those impressions I gathered as a young girl with my knowledge as an adult homeland security professional.

People in my field often cite the events of September 11, 2001 as the starting point or motivation for their career choice. Almost everyone over thirty has a war story about 9/11, and it crops up as the image or video or story of choice in almost every major terrorism-themed lecture, film, or class I've seen in the last ten years.  For me, though...that moment is a dual-toned memory. I remember that photograph, and the realization that a person- an American- willingly caused so much hurt and suffering to innocent people. I remember the fear, the sorrow, and the anger. I remember my gut wrenching and my throat closing as I stood looking at the watches, all stopped at 8:02 am, piled together in a curator's case.

Twenty years is a long time. I've grown up, gone to college (twice), fallen in and out and back in love, moved across the country, and chased down several fantastic jobs. I've watched my siblings grow into adults, and kissed most of my grandparents goodbye for the last time. I've been given a wonderful gift, because I've been here to see my world change and grow, which is as it should be...so today, I say to those whose lives stopped more than half my lifetime ago, and for those who continued on without them: Thank you for your lessons. Thank you for your lives. I remember you.