Summer daze

Summer daze in Maine are the best and I am looking forward to enjoying many more of them beginning August 1st ... and on my own time and in my own way. "Own" is the operative word.

Cleaning out my office is more of a major deal than I had anticipated. What I no longer need to keep is easy and can go in the recyling bin. It's the "other" that takes more thought and consideration. Do I pass this on to one of my staff or a colleague at another campus? Do I keep this for myself and if I do, what am I going to do with it? When that is my biggest concern of the day, we're doing good!

And, there are even more files to go through and clean out. Why do we keep so much "stuff"? ...because we think we will use it, and many times we do and as many times we don't. But, it is what we do.

I have not even given thought to cleaning out my email! That's a whole other matter for another time. In the meantime, it sits on my "to do " list.

And so it goes....

duplications...

I seem to duplicate most of the pictures I have posted. It is not done with intent, but these folks seem to be the friends and colleagues I think about often.

Anyway, here is a new guy - a Maine favorite. Joe and I have known each other for so long I cannot even remember when it was that we met. He is another from whom I have learned much. I need to pay a vist to his campus to have coffee and conversation. Another "to do" to add to the list and a pleasant "to do".

Creating Chaos

The photo shows two of my favorite guys. I love when I get to spend time with each of them which is not often enough. They are both very committed professionals. I have learned a lot from them.

I thought before my departure at the end of July, creating a little chaos for me and my staff might be in order. Chaos was created when five of my seven professional staff plus me changed offices. Why would we do that before I leave? It had to do with changes in responsibilities for some of my staff and it would work better to rearrange offices. So we did. What was I thinking! I moved to what will be our work study students' office! I have gone from a desk with seven drawers to a desk with two drawers! I have gone from an office with a series of picture windows looking out at the campus to a sliver of a window that looks out at a tree! Nonetheless, I am making this office "home" for the next six weeks.

The move was successful and we all still speaking to each other. The new office forces me to look at my "stuff" yet again and sort through it all - you know, the paper files we create because they are "important". Well, I am finding out just how" important" is and isn't! I must say that I have read a lot of articles and of course I thought I needed to keep a hard copy of each one. As a result, I am making a significant contribution to our recycling efforts.

There are "things" that I want to pass onto each of my staff and that is part of my sorting out. I also have "things" to pass on to some of my former students. Peter, one of our RAs, graduated last month with his bachelors degree and has been hired at a private college in New Hampshire as a Resident Director. He is very excited about his initial step into the profession. I found among my many books, a publication (ACPA or NASPA) entitled, "Guide for the New Professional". I want to mail this to Peter.

The sorting continues. I am on the hunt for what I call "my important papers" that are somewhere in one of the boxes that I have packed. My goal for today is to find them.

And so it goes...

Ooops

Apparently I misunderstood the method of selecting the font size in my last post published just a minute or two ago. Perhaps I thought your eyes needing testing. My apologies.

Since I am back in my blog, I thought I would add another picture of again good colleagues and friends whom I will miss a lot!

And so it goes...

Here are two of my favorite NASPA Region 1 colleagues. They have a great sense of humor, are two smart guys from whom I have learned a lot. It is overwhelming to me as to how I can let my colleagues know how very much they mean to me. I'm thinking that when I am retired, I will use the old method of letter writing - you know, the pen and paper kind- to tell them so.

I think about this blog often, but do not seem to get myself to sit still long enough to pen some thoughts about my impending retirement. I seem to be able to post something once a month and I would say that is a very slow blog! Oh, well.

My retirement was to begin July 1. As it turns out, it will begin August 1. It seems that my anniversary date when I began to work at the university is a significant date. If I work until my anniversary date, the university deposits more money into my retirement account and that is pretty significant...not the amount so much, but rather every little bit counts and what's another month - another full paycheck and being with people i like very much.

There is not much paperwork to retirement in terms of the process required by my university which is good as it is not one of my favorite things to do ... fill out forms. It seems impersonal. I would rather write a letter to the university saying some things like: thank you for this experience - well, for most of the time; I learned a lot; I met some great people; I liked the location; I feel like I made a contribution from time to time; I will miss you.

The time of transition has begun. Given the budget situation at my campus, they are postponing a national search for my position for at least two years. (I may have said this already in my earlier blogs). We have promoted two of my staff to co-lead the department. It is an economical way to go and it will be an excellent experience for each of them. And, it makes it very easy for me because they are a known entity to me and me to them. I have begun to step back and to let them begin to take more of a lead.

A sunny day here in Maine..."The Way Life Should Be" (our state marketing motto!). My golf league has started. At this game, I am good when I do not expect to be and I"m not so good when I try to be. Hmmm...sounds like the making of a philosophy of student affairs.

And so it goes...

I am adding photos of good friends/colleagues as I am thinking a lot about them these days and trying to figure out how we will stay connected once I am out of picture so to speak. They are significant people to me. I will continue to be interested in their good work with students and in what is happening in their lives in general. Given all the readily available options in electronic communications, staying in touch is made easier perhaps.

Today is our last day of exams and our residence halls will close tomorrow morning...both of these events signal an end to the academic year. My staff is ready for it. They have grown weary.

I'm packing up one home to move to another home. I load up my car on week-ends to move "stuff" from one place to another. One home looks more empty while the other home fills up. How come we have soooo much "stuff".

Moving provides the opportunity for cleaning out and reorganizing - both in my home and at work. For cleaning out my office, I have saved the month of June. Once I start going through files and all the "stuff" I have collected and think necessary to hang on to, my organization skills will kick in readily.

In the meantime, we focus on finishing and cleaning up from another year. It's what we do.

And so it goes....

I want to share some photos of my friends/colleagues whom I've come to know as a result of our work in student affairs. I don't think they will mind. Great people!

Exams begin today and graduation is at the end of the week. We are racing to the finish line of another academic year.

People are asking me more and more if I am counting down the days. I say, "first things first". It's about wrapping up another semester, another academic year, another month of May. It's about getting the work done. Not much time to think of other things. It takes the month of May to finish up and bring closure to the work done in an academic year.

I am quietly attentive to each of my professional staff as I picture the good work they will continue to do. And, with the younger staff, I think how much further they are going to go. I learn a lot from my staff and the work we do together and I hope they have learned a thing or two from me as well.

Tonight is our end of the year banquet for my student hall staff. Another chicken-prepared-in-some-way dinner. I can't say that I am going to miss "chicken banquets". I have found that a staff of Resident Assistants gives one a window into student thinking and doing. Can be scary sometimes!

And so it goes...

The man in the photo is responsible for the timing of my retirement even though he did not know so at the time ! Currently, Brian is the VPSA at a private college in Massachusetts. I have known him since he was an 18 year old college freshman at another private college in Massachusetts where I was the Dean of Students. Brian was a student leader from the get go! He was a psychology major from NH, a class officer, an RA, on SGA, and the pub manager (back in the day when the drinking age was 18 and campus pubs were part of the norm for campus entertainment).

Since then, he has gone on to receive a masters degree and his Ed.D. He entered the field via residence life. Stopped out for a few years. Returned to student affairs with progressively more responsibilities that brought him to his VP position today.

We both have been very active in NASPA within our region. In 2006, Brian was electd our regional VP and he asked me to serve on his Advisory Board. My plan was to retire in 2006. When he asked me to serve on the board, I thought this would be a good way to bring a close to my career. He and I would work together as we had many years before when he was the student and I was the Dean. So, I postponed my retirement until he completed his term as regional VP. I don't regret one moment of it. It will be a time that I treasure.

On my campus, we are in our last week of classes (you an hear my staff cheering!). We are all pretty warn out by this time in the semester and are looking forward to students leaving for the summer and wishing our seniors all the best as they go on their ways.

The last round of banquets have almost wrapped up. It is amazing how many ways chicken can be prepared! I cannot say that I will miss the end of the year rush.

One thing for sure that I know about my first year of retirement, I will not join any committees, attend any meetings, or go to several banquets between late April and Early May.

Until next time....the closer I get!

You are looking at Camden Harbor (ME) taken in the month of July. When I look at this, I think about how great this firs Summer in retirment will be . And, when I think about Summer, I think about how I am going to be able to enjoy the Fall season so much more in retirement than when I was working.

I have a beautiful view outside my office window. It seems like Fall arrives overnight and the leaves on the trees outside my window have changed from green to shades of yellows and reds. And before I know it the leaves are gone and the tree is bare.

This Fall will be different. I will be looking out windows that are not my office. I can actually have time to be out and about looking at the beautiful foliage that Maine has to offer.

In the meantime and back to reality, we are moving into our last week of classes followed by exam days and graduation on May 16th. There is much to do in the next couple of weeks which makes Fall seem a long ways away.

April 28

Last week, my university was on Spring Break. We align our two "vacation" weeks in the second semester with the public school vacation schedule for Maine.

I spent two nights and three days at a spa retreat at the Cliff House in Ogunquit, ME. (see photo) I've been doing this for the past three years with a good friend and colleague. It is an annual event that I look forward to. A hot stone massage gives one a different perspective on things - momentarily, at least!

Today I have a meeting with a rep from TIAA-CREF. I want to review (once again!) my income options. Seems like this should be an easy decision, but I can complicate it pretty good. Given the current state of our economy, the choice of an income option becomes a bit more complicated than say a year ago.

I continually seek the advice of my financial team which is composed of my financial adviser, my accountant, and whichever TIAA-CREF rep comes to campus. I think the bottom line for me is to not lock myself into any options that I cannot change in the future.

We are looking more spring-like here in this part of Maine. The temperatures have greatly improved...we'll be in the the low 70's today. Days like this make it easy to think about the fun parts of retirement...kayaking and playing golf, in particular

Stay tuned.

It is the day after tax day and the sun is shining and the sky is a cloudless blue morning. The temperature in this part of Maine is 35 degrees (and that's above zero!). This time of year in Maine, we say it is warming up. Whereas if this was FAll, we would say that Winter is knocking on our door!

Our room selection processes finished up two days ago. I have signed my last room and board license of my career and I must admit that I have no regrets about that!

Human Resources has sent me paperwork - not too bad, only four pages to fill out. This is the institutional path to retirement. Woo Hoo!

I have several vacation days available to use before July 1. I had thought that I would use up this time by taking Fridays off. And becasue I have so many days, i.e. 29 and counting, I thought an occasional mid week afternoon away from the campus to play golf would be a good idea as well. What I had not figured in was the workload that is typical this time of year and into the early part of the summer to wrap up an academic year. I do not want to be a slacker just because I am about to retire. All of which is to say, my plan is back on the drawing board...not my plan for retirement but a plan for using my vacation time. Stay tuned.

catching up!

I have been away from this blog for too long. Sadly, I have been attending funerals and calling hours of good friends, colleagues, and family who have lost a loved one. Sometimes we kind of have an opportunity to prepare for a loved one's death, e.g. cancer. Other times, the preparation is zero, e.g. an auto accident. In all cases, the loss is a loss and our hearts are bruised.

On a brighter note, the snow is finally beginning to melt here in Maine...and it can be a slow melt right into April. it is probably easier now to recall the beauty that winter brings such as the photo of the view I have from my desk in my office.

Here is a little know fact about Maine. There are six New England States - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. You can fit five of the states into the state of Maine and have lots of room left over!

I'll get back in the saddle from this point forward...I'm hoping.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Hmmmm....retirement. Most importantly, it hardly seems possible that I can be at this point in my life where not only can I think about retirement but I can do it. Retirement for me means bringing an end to my career in Student Affairs.

In case you may not know who Larry Bird is, he was #33 of the Boston Celtics and played for Boston from 1979 to 1992. You never heard Larry complain about anything,the game, his contract, his fellow teammates. He played basketball for the love of the game and he was good at it. He knew when to retire from the Celtics and did so when he still loved the game and still could play the game. I always said that I wanted to do the Larry-Bird, i.e. retire when I still loved the work and could still do the work. That time is now and I will step away from my game on the first of July - about four months from now!