Geeky Office Décor Series: Kristen Abell

This week we're featuring the awesome office of Kristen Abell, Web Coordinator at University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Here's what Kristen had to say about her space:

"Over the course of my career, I have moved offices several times and managed to accumulate my fair share of decorations. Admittedly, if you had come by one of my first couple of offices, you would have seen mostly bare walls with a few things here and there on the desk. My current cube is easily the most decorated one in our office.

One of the things I keep at work is my Wonder Woman collection. I do this for two reasons. The first is that I find it gives me personality. I’m an introvert by nature, so I am sometimes not the most talkative office mate. This gives my co-workers a glimpse into something I love and a topic we can easily discuss. I have a few Doctor Who items thrown in here, as well as some trinkets I’ve collected at previous universities or in my work with organizations. The second reason I keep this collection at work is because I simply have no idea where I would put it at home.

This cabinet and wall are a mishmash of geekery and family. You’ll see some of my son’s artwork and pictures of him and my husband, but you’ll also see Wonder Woman featured prominently there, as well as my Rosie the Riveter poster - because what feminist doesn’t need one of these? I also have the front of the book I edited - Committed - front and center because it is such an important piece of who I am. Finally, just in case you weren’t sure if I was into tech or anything as a web developer, I have an award presented to me by my NASPA regional advisory board claiming me as a “Techno Goddess.” One of the best awards, ever.

A lot of people neglect the space that is behind them when they decorate, but I find this to be almost as important as the space in front of me. When I do hangouts or video meetings, this is my backdrop. And without fail, it tends to impress people. I mean, who wouldn’t want Buffy fighting a demon behind them? Or Wonder Woman in many artistic forms? (By the way, if you look closely at the Wonder Woman image with the blue sky, you’ll recognize it from my blog header). There’s also a couple more pieces of art from my son in here proclaiming that his mom loves salad (he is so wrong about that) and is as pretty as a butterfly.

So welcome to my little corner of geekdom. I hope you've enjoyed your visit."

What I really enjoy about this space is that even with a cubicle, Kristen really fully decorates what she has and makes it her own. A lot of people might get discouraged by the lack of an actual office, but a cubicle can work just as well! Another neat point of interest is how Kristen intentionally covers her back wall since it is always going to be showcased during video calls (smart move!). I'm also a big fan of her plethora of Wonder Woman stuff. She is such a great, iconic character and I appreciate all the different little trinkets Kristen has embodying and representing the character.

Many thanks to Kristen for sharing her story and space with us!

Stay tuned for more awesome offices in the coming weeks.

Thanks for stopping by!

Geeky Office Décor Series: Dan McDowell

This week we're featuring the office of Dan McDowell, Residence Director at Stonehill College. Here's what Dan had to say about his office:

"I recently moved to my new office in June and slowly but surely I’ve been adding my own personal nerdy touch to it. It started with bringing a growing collection of Funko POPs from a variety of fandoms like Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and (my largest collection) The Avengers, including my recent additions of Miles Morales and the new Thor. Since they are the first thing students usually see when they walk into my office they are quick to ask questions about them or my interests. It’s been especially helpful during conduct hearings- particularly with students I haven’t sat with before. In one meeting I was able to spend a good 5 to 10 minutes discussing the upcoming Deadpool film with a student which I think humanized me and allowed the student to feel more comfortable and open throughout the remainder of the hearing.

They have also been a great tool connecting to RAs. It isn’t unusual for RAs from other areas to stop by and say hello when visiting friends or coworkers in the area. On one occasion an RA and I were able to chat about the comics we were both reading which led to a variety of other conversations involving shared interests and a stronger relationship. Finally, the latest additions to my office are my Star Wars Lego sets and decor. I had bought them over the summer just before moving and had intended to keep them in my apartment, but quickly discovered after moving I just didn’t have anywhere where they would be a good fit and so they came to my office. They have been a great conversation piece and allowed for me to share a bit more of my interest in science fiction with my residents and RAs as well.

Showing off my geekier interests in my office has been an incredible way to connect with students. Even something as small as my Game of Thrones-themed “Where’s the RD?” sign (not pictured) has residents stopping by to discuss their excitement over a shared interest and is able to jumpstart a conversation about any communities they’ve found on campus- whether friends or a club- that tie into these interests. It provides incredible leverage in breaking the ice with residents and helping them find new ways to get involved.

Now that I’ve started showing off my geeky side, I don’t think I’ll ever go back!"

What I really like about Dan's office (besides the Star Wars Legos and Marvel Funko POP! toys) is the simple, positive effect some small tweaks in his office had to change his interactions with students. I've had a similar experience, even with some staff members who pass by my office. I feel like there is no downside to bringing some of our authentic selves into our work spaces, it always gives the benefit of genuine connections to those around us.

Many thanks to Dan for sharing his story and space with us!

Stay tuned for more awesome offices in the coming weeks.

Thanks for stopping by!

Geeky Office Décor Series: Jon Bartlett

This week we're featuring the office of Jon Bartlett, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life at Texas Wesleyan University.

Here's what Jon has to say about his office:

"My Funko POP! collection started with a single Thor figure that my RA staff gave me for my birthday three years ago. Since then, it has become something of an obsession. I only buy ones that are in my geek wheelhouse, so to look at my collection is to get a quick glimpse into my interests. One look at my shelf will tell you that I obviously prefer Marvel over DC and am a huge fan of the Walking Dead. It tends to immediately put students at ease, especially when they are in my office for less-than-exciting reasons like a conduct meeting. All the geek decor also opens up points of connection with students, so conversations can begin naturally with something we both like rather than the difficult thing we are there to discuss. I really believe that everyone "geeks out" about something, so it's just a matter of figuring out what it is. Like the poster of the Wil Wheaton quote says, "It's not about what you love, it's about how you love it." It brings me a lot of joy to discover what students love and hear their passion come out in our conversation. All the geek stuff in my office definitely helps facilitate that. My boss is a geek too, so I'm thankful he lets me keep my office this way!"

I'm a huge fan of the Funko POP! figures myself, and I'm sure you saw many of mine from my office photos (I have more in my apartment). They're a fun way to showcase some of my favorite characters from my favorite shows, movies, and comics. I like how Jon makes a point of stating how we all geek out about something, which I've written about before and wholeheartedly agree with. It is so great to be able to help support and nourish our students' (and our own) hobbies and interests. It leads to such genuine connections which can lead to deep conversations and learning about ourselves as well as the world.

Appreciate Jon sharing his space with us!

Stay tuned for more offices in the coming weeks!

Thanks for stopping by!

Geeky Office Décor Series: Lynne Meyer

This week we're featuring the office of Lynne Marie Meyer, the Director of Spiritual Life and Diversity at Illinois Institute of Technology.

Here's what Lynne wrote about her office:

Here are some shots of my office. There's not a lot of overtly geeky stuff -- at least, not pop culture geeky anyway -- but my prize piece of geekery is the Yoda Buddha given to me by one of my students just before she graduated. That Yoda sits right next to a little Yoda magnet given to me years ago by a Jedi-identified colleague, who decided that I needed Jedi representation among my interfaith display of icons, statues, etc. -- which has also come to include things like Mexican paper flowers, origami cranes, and yes, even a nun with a baseball bat, "Sister Runnata" (I'm a huge Cubs fan, and I want to help give my guys in blue any and all divine support that I can). Many of the icons and statues were gifts from students and colleagues, including Mary, one Ganesha, one of the Buddhas, a Greek Orthodox icon, and Athena. You can also see that I the end of the cabinet facing out towards my door, there are items about the Golden Rule in various religions, my Safe Space sticker, and two Hekate magnets. As I'm a devotee of Hekate, and since statues of Her are/were traditionally placed at thresholds/doorways, I've placed Her as close to my door as I could.

Next to that cabinet, on the wall directly to my right as I sit as my desk, you'll see a different kind of a display. The two African masks I bought because they're beautiful and I loved that artists' statements about what they signify. The Buddha tapestry was given to me by a colleague. But for me, hands-down, the central item is the focus. It's a medicine shield made for my late first husband, Ken, many years ago. He was part Northern Cheyenne, and when he was in his 20s (he was 18 years older than me), a friend made the shield for him. It features a crow, because that was Ken's spirit animal. When Ken died in early 2007 from colon cancer at the age of 53, I didn't know what to do with the shield; when he was alive, Ken was very clear that no one other than him could touch it, as it contained powerful spiritual medicine for him alone. As it turned out, I got my job at Illinois Tech later in the same year, and so I decided to display it in my office, where it could be honored and also serve as a kind of spiritual and emotional support for me. It's visible to students and colleagues, but removed enough that no one touches it. I later added the small shield with the spider on it to represent me, after a spiritually significant series of experiences following Ken's passing which left me deeply connected to Spider teachings.

The other photo shows the opposite wall, which showcases my diplomas, a 370-degree photo of Harvard Yard, a diversity-related banner, a tapestry with a favorite Dalai Lama quote, and a cool (I think) map of religious diversity in the US. You can just see the Daffy Duck mug on my desk, next to my very favorite thing in the office: that lamp. My mother's aunt Esther was a Baptist missionary who focused her career on two things: improving race relations (she was doing this in the 50s and 60s), and resettling refugees. She traveled the world, and made friends everywhere she went. One such friend, years and years ago, gave her this lamp. I've heard many stories about who it represents, and I'm not entirely sure which is accurate. We think that he's one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism. Because of the scroll and large forehead, he seems to me to be associated with wisdom. But hey, if any of your readers can give me more info about him, I'd love it!

I love this wall -- and my office as a whole -- because it's colorful, provides a number of talking points for students and colleagues when they visit, and more importantly, gives them a very visible indication that this is a space for everyone. I want students to see something of themselves here. and know, too, that I'm a real person with lots of interests who's going to take an interest in them as well.

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What I really enjoy about Lynne's office is how she brings her genuine self to the space through items given to her by friends, family, and other loved ones. Every item has a story and a meaning. There is personality covering all the walls and students instantly know who Lynne is, can ask questions, and learn so much just by the way the space is decorated. It's an amazing office that really embodies the spirit behind my thinking for this series, which is why it feels like such a great way to kick everything off. I really appreciate Lynne sharing her story in such depth for you all.

Stay tuned for more awesome offices in the coming weeks!

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Review: A Year of Nothing New

I was really excited to check out the book, A Year of Nothing New, when the author, Kristin Skarie, sent me a copy recently. I interviewed her recently for The Student Affairs Collective podcast and we talked about the book and sustainability in higher education.

The book, as the title implies, follows Kristin's journey as she ventured on a year of nothing new. This took different shapes throughout the year, such as minimizing plastic, electricity usage, buying local goods and food, and trying to grow her own food. She shares the ups and downs of this endeavor, which was really refreshing that she was so candid about it. She acknowledged her privilege and authentically shared her failures.

I got some great insights from this book and even got some tips for things to buy to be more sustainable (like this set of "To-Go Ware" reusable utensils). The insights that were especially useful were how it is okay to not be perfect, how important it is to live your values, as well as that we can all have an impact on ourselves and the world around us.

With sustainability stuff, many people don't see the point since they themselves won't make much of a difference. The thing is, if we all did our part to waste and use less, we'd save money, be healthier, and save the planet all at the same time. While some of the things we all should be doing are a little less convenient, it's worth it in the end to do the right thing.

I'm a big fan of this book and I definitely think everyone should read it. You can check out more of Kristin continuing efforts as well as everything as she does at her blog and her site respectively.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mass Effect & Living With Our Choices

Mass Effect is probably my favorite video game series of all time. While many others come very close, Mass Effect has everything for me. It's an engaging, thought-provoking sci-fi action role-playing game where your choices matter. Characters live and die, planets are saved or left to ruin, and you personally benefit or sacrifice based on the decisions you make. With the fourth iteration in the franchise, Mass Effect: Andromeda, officially announced, I thought it proper to look back on the current trilogy and talk about making choices.

What I love about the Mass Effect series is how the choices you make starting in the first game carry over into each of the subsequent entries. Not a lot of other games do this. It heightens the stakes and forces you as the player to make tough choices. Just like in life, we have to make our choices and live with them, moving forward despite what we may have done before. It can be impossible to fully know what the ramifications of our choices will be so you have to do what seems best at the time and work with what you have in the future.

It can be paralyzing for people when faced with tough decisions. We can never really know what the "right" choice is, but we can make the most informed choices we can, and make them so that we can justify whatever we decided to do. We shouldn't make choices that we'd regret or that we don't fully believe in, or at the very least, can put forth reasoning for why we did what we did, perhaps being obligated to by work or family. As long as you feel they are valid reasons and you don't feel like you're being coerced or there is a large gap between your values and the values of whoever you're making your decision on behalf of, you can move forward with a clear conscience.

In Mass Effect, you can usually take a lot of time to choose your own path, but in real life, we have to make a lot of choices quickly, so we aren't afforded the luxury of infinite contemplation. The game taught me to go with my instincts, go with my heart, and to not overly obsess over what I should or could have done. I have to just do what I think is right at the time and learn from any mistakes I make along the way. I think those are some pretty valuable takeaways we can all use.

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Movie Musings: Inside Out

I had the pleasure of finally seeing Inside Out in theaters this past week. It's been one I knew I wanted to see for a while now, even before it's release and positive buzz. The concept really intrigued me from the first teaser I saw and I was definitely not disappointed by the final product. It is a unique, fun, cute, and insightful film about emotions and growing up, which is something that is universally poignant.

The premise of movie follows a young girl, Riley, as she moves to San Francisco from her beloved Midwest home with her parents, and the struggles that come with that transition. We see the emotions play out inside her head throughout the story, which is obviously where a lot of the fun and heart comes from. The movie does a really good job setting up how the concept works with the different major emotions; anger, fear, joy, disgust, and sadness (as seen above from left to right). We see how memories are made, stored, and forgotten within the film's setup, which is very entertaining yet also very in depth and spot on. I'm not an expert on emotions and what not, but from what I understand (and have heard elsewhere) Inside Out takes the premise seriously and gets a lot of the science right.

While the movie is not as laugh out loud funny or heart-wrenching (at least for me) as some of the other Pixar movies, I appreciate it for its originality and insight. We could use a bit more empathy in our lives and this movie has a great message about that as well as how to process our own feelings and how to help others process theirs. A great moment in the movie showcases how sometimes we just need to feel our sadness and not just pretend it doesn't exist.

I definitely recommend seeing Inside Out if you get the chance before it is out of theaters. If not, it would absolutely be worth a rental. I'd also love to hear your thoughts if you saw it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Reflecting On All the Things I've Done

I have felt at some points in my life that I have had a tragically mundane, ordinary life that hasn't had much good or bad happen in it. It was a depressing thought to consider, especially in my darker moments, but recently, I've taken time to sit down and put my mental energy to work writing down all my "greatest hits" (just like with Charlie Pace in one my favorite television shows of all time, Lost). Moments in my life, big or small, that I'm proud of. They include the places I've traveled, the accomplishments I've achieved, and the small things we should all think of more. Here are some specific examples of what I'm talking about:

• Smiled so much my face hurt
• Presented at a national conference
• Visited Las Vegas, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC
• Gone to a comedy club
• Gave good lives to my pets

Some of these things are concrete experiences in my life that I am happy to have done. Even if they aren't that special to others, they're special to me. Others are things I look back and affirm for myself. People can have regrets, doubts, and think negatively about the experiences in their life, but I challenge myself to think positively. I can never know for certain if I gave a good life for my pets, they can't tell me, but I choose to believe that I did based on the memories I have and the things I did for my two wonderful dogs I had growing up.

I'm keeping a list of experiences I want to partake in before I turn 30 in a few years. I'm making intentional efforts to accomplish them and keep updating my list of "greatest hits". It will help me in my darker moments realize that I have lived a full life and have the ability to take actions to make change my life.

I encourage folks to do something similar to this to keep the positivity flowing in their lives. Things like this or a happiness journal can let us be more mindful of what happens around us each day, and what brings us joy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Geeking Out: “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

I have a problem. I’m borderline obsessed with the new Netflix series, “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” I am on my third round of watching the series and I am unapologetic. This has been incredibly easy to do since there are only 13, 30-minute episodes and the writing is so fast, and so funny, that it is easy to lose yourself in the series. Throw in the incredible Ellie Kemper in the lead role as Kimmy, amazing supporting characters, and the series being the brainchild of Tina Fey, and I was hooked.

There is so much to geek out about this little gem of a series. The pop culture references, the hilarious turn of Jon Hamm in the most unexpected of roles, Tina Fey doing a spot on impression of Marcia Clark (one of the lead attorneys from the OJ Simpson trial, for all of those people not of age in the 90s), plus Kimmy’s roommate Titus Andromedon being one of the most entertaining characters in recent history, the series makes for pure fun. The premise of the show puts Kimmy as one of four women who were locked in an underground bunker as part of a doomsday cult since 1990. We meet Kimmy and the other women as they are rescued from the bunker and attempt to start their lives after being without TV, internet, phone, magazines, or music from 1990-2015. As you can imagine, hilarity ensues with the “Indiana Mole Women.”

Kimmy moves to New York City to start her life again. She is 30 years old, has missed everything from the past 15 years, and has to unlearn so many things about how the world works, but her positivity never wanes. Kimmy has a lot to be angry, resentful, and depressed about after being locked away for 15 years. She missed the Clinton era, Hurricane Katrina, *NSYNC, purple ketchup, and more. She thinks her boss’ MacBook was a giant iPhone, calls hashtags “hashbrowns,” and is thrilled that her closet of a room has a window.

If you haven’t seen the series, all you may know about the show is the catchy as hell theme song that [fair warning!] will be stuck in your head for weeks. While the jokes are funny and storylines are ridiculous, the best part of the series for me is Kimmy’s unbreakable spirit. She is positive, in the face of horrific circumstances, and that is what makes her simultaneously relatable and aspirational.

I have found my professional home in student affairs, particularly within residence life. There are lots of things that I love about my work, but there are so many things that are hard, jarring, depressing, and life-altering about the work of supporting students. On a typical day, we deal with physical altercations, or students who come to our campuses with severe psychological issues that only intensify once the added stress of classes and independent living descends. Students come to us experiencing gender-based violence, extreme financial stress, unrealistic family expectations, citizenship challenges, food and housing insecurity, and varying levels of parental involvement, ranging from suffocating to non-existent. And, on our worst days, we comfort families and friends in their shock and grief when members of our communities pass away.

Meeting students in some of their hardest moments takes a toll. It can be hard to find anything positive in a hard day, and yet, very much like Kimmy, student affairs has the opportunity to be unbreakable. It seems like every day there is another expose, talking head, or article pointing to the demise of higher education. Where the hell are we supposed to start? The ballooning student debt crisis? The rampant racism running throughout campuses? Gender-based violence finally seeing the light of day? Those in the academy who blame student affairs administration for the financial bloat which is contributing to these problems? It’s overwhelming.

And yet, I find myself enjoying my work. Having fun, laughing, taking moments to appreciate the moments of change and challenge. Does this make me a Pollyanna? An ostrich with her head in the sand? Hopelessly naive? Or does this make me like Kimmy, albeit it on a smaller scale? Could it actually be possible to hold both of those concepts simultaneously, that awful things happen on our campuses every single day, but we still have the choice, and perhaps the responsibility to approach our work with a positive attitude?

In one of my favorite episodes, Kimmy stands in her truth, fully aware of her traumatic history, in the middle of Times Square, and says to her roommate, “Life beats you up. You can either curl up in a ball and die or you can stand up and say, ‘We’re different and you can’t break us.’” Student affairs, take a lesson from this Indiana Mole Women: Let’s be unbreakable.

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Marci Walton is a student affairs professional interested in residence life, social justice, service, and the intersectionality of identity. Passionately curious about social media, women’s leadership and finding the perfect spot to admire the Pacific. Current Californian, but a Buckeye through and through. Connect with her on Twitter and at her blog.

Figuring Out What is Truly Important

* This posted was originally featured on The Student Affairs Collective.

My decision to move to Maine last year to continue being close to my partner was a simple one, but it has had major implications for our lives together. 

I've talked about my job search story before, so I won't go to much into that part of my journey. The choice to move up to my home state and be close to my partner was an intentional one on my part. I picked up and moved (after having also moved a short distance for graduate school just two years before) leaving behind a lot of things I enjoyed about being in the Mid-Atlantic region. Delaware was where I grew up and could envision my self settling down in the future. Nevertheless, I couldn't see myself being happy being far away from my partner (someone I see myself spending the rest of my life with). I wanted to be able to help her feel supported in a stressful time in her life as she began graduate school. It was also a nice chance to live in my home state for the first time (I've visited often but never lived here) and be closer to my extended family than I've ever been before.

My decision making during my own anxiety ridden job search felt easier when I gave serious thought to what I truly wanted and what was important to me. My relationship trumped all other things since even if everything else was going wrong, I'd have my partner to support me and spend time with. While there are times we both wish we were back in New Jersey, we're glad to be here in Maine together exploring a new area and meeting new people. We've been able to spend a lot quality time together and become closer than ever before. Our relationship would have been strained if we ended up hours apart and I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to support her and continued to strengthen our bond.

As we all move forward in our lives and careers, I encourage you all to give mindful consideration to what you really want. Family, region, significant others, functional area, or any other reasons are all valid as long as they're your own reasons, not someone else's or what you think you're "supposed" to be doing. Do what you want and do whatever is best for you. I did, and I would never have chosen differently.