Letters

May 05, 2002 18:33

The following are open letters to people who are stressing me out. I know it seems like I am and have been whining at lot, but I feel better. Hopefully, this will put me in a better mood.
(And, since they are not being sent to one person individually, I feel better about it and can just say what I feel rather than worrying about offending who I was going to send them to)

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Jason Wyckoff
ACD Best/Wise

Jason,

I have been writing this in my head for a long time. It has been almost two weeks, and I still feel the same way.

I am sorry if you cannot get over the fact that I put friendship with my fellow staff members over being a snitch. Perhaps it is because you never had that kind of bond with anyone you were on staff with. Perhaps it is because all the staffs you were on as an undergraduate were so perfect that you were never put in that situation. Perhaps you've never had a friendship with anyone that you felt that strongly about.

The fact remains, was I was on duty alone for approximately 2 hours on the night of April 13, 2002? Yes. Was there any problem or occurance in the building during that period of time for which I may have needed back-up? No. Had there been, is there any doubt in my mind that Carlie, Zohra, Jolene, and Dateesha could and would have been back to Wise within 2 minutes of my calling them? No. I had the utmost confidence in my ability to contact them in an emergency. Was there any doubt in my mind that, in the event of an emergency, I could contact the two staff members on duty in Best, as well as at least one other staff member in Best who was home at that time? No. I knew that I had support if I needed it.

My question for you is: Why was this not stressed in Staff Training if you feel it is so important? It was simply stated that there would be one person on duty Sunday-Wednesday and two on duty Thursday-Saturday. There was no emphasis placed on any reasoning behind this. And "because I said so" or "because Becky/Brian/Matt said so" are not answers. THey are excuses.

Honestly, I feel termination was WAY over the top for this incident. I can cite numerous occasions from both this year and past years and from both the Best/Wise complex and other complexes where the same type of incident has occured with nothing said or a simple verbal reprimand was issued. Thus, I can only view my termination as a personal, rather than professional, issue.

It is sad that you felt it was appropriate, but I honestly feel sadder for the staff and residents in the Best/Wise complex next year than even myself or you. This year's staff was amazing. We had fun and were close and bonded well. We looked out for each other, both personally and professionally. I can honestly say that the year overall FAR overshadowed the way it ended. Unfortunately, that will never happen again. Even the staff members who are returning next year agree. Anyone who knows about the events that occurred at the end of this year will be weary of you next year. You have broken the bonds between the staff. It will never be the same. Rather than looking out for each other, they will only be looking out for themselves. And that is a shame.

Do I feel that termination was justified? Absolutely not. Does it bother me? More than I thought, but still not a lot. I did the best damn job I could this year and I sure as hell didn't do it for you. I did it for 74 guys on my floor and for the other 275 people in Wise Hall. I did it for the people who stopped me to say that their first year wouldn't have been the same without me. I did it for the very good friends I made this year, both on staff and in the building. I did it for the support staff who commented to us that we were the best staff they had worked with since they had been at EMU. Did I look for your respect? Yes. Did it matter to me how you thought I was doing my job? Yes...to a point. But it mattered to me more how the residents of 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, and 339 thought I was doing my job.

I would say thank you for allowing me to finish out the year, but let's be honest: you needed me as much as I needed to stay. To fire 3 of the 5 RAs in the building would have screwed you royally as far as closing and checkouts go.

I'd love to say a whole bunch of mean, nasty things to you and about you. But I won't, because they would not come close to expressing how I feel. Instead, let's just leave it at: It was a good year with a really shitty end. Since you have said that you won't be back next year, I wish you luck in finding a position in which you will have a staff that is half as good as the one we had this year, before you fucked us up.

Kevin M. Brown

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Matt & Sue Brown
My Parents

Mom & Dad,

I am a different person than the person who moved to Ypsilanti a few years ago. You need to understand that. Once you do, we can all be happy.

It is amazing. My first year away, I didn't like to come home becaue I hated fighting with Melissa. Melissa has changed. I love her to death now, but I knew that would happen. College changes people. Now, I don't like to come home because you two depress me. WHy can't you take after Uncle Rich and Aunt Mary? Go! You're free of children! Travel, do something! I understand you miss us. I can deal with you wanting to visit us when we are at school. I can deal with that. I miss you, too. But, I have a different life now. I had friends, I had a new "family" of sorts in some close friends and my staff.

While I am sorry that I can't be here every second of every day, I have other things to do. I have friends. I have class. I have work. I am more than happy to do things with you when I have time, but please do not try to make me feel guilty because I have other things to do.

In case you haven't noticed, since I moved to Ypsilanti at the beginning of my second year, I have slept at home exactly 5 times. I honestly think of Ypsilanti as home sometimes. That is not a shot at you at all. That is not a shot at Port Huron. It is a simple fact. Almost all my friends from high school that I still hang out with either live in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor or are spending the summer at school. There are exactly 2 people in Port Huron that I still even talk to on a semi-regular basis.

Will I miss you when I move to Oxford? Yes. Will I be glad to be out of Port Huron? Yes. Do I wish I was still in Ypsilanti? Absolutely. Is that anything against you? No. I just wish you would understand that.

Kevin

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Angelia Richmond
Selling Manager, Women's Shoes
Marshall Field's Briarwood

Angelia,

I am sorry I cannot be your full-time bitch this summer like I was last summer. Unfortunately, I am in Port Huron and headed to Oxford, OH in June. I am doing my best to give you hours, but I only have so much time in the day. And driving from Port Huron just for work, I have to make enough money to at least cover gas. If I don't, I am going to have to have you cut me back to just Tuesdays and Thursdays when I have to come in for class. Deal with it. I am not ashamed to say, I am one of the best people there. I do my job and get good B.E.S.T. scores. I meet my goals and open accounts. I will float to any department you want without complaining, even if it means not making what I would if I stayed in shoes. SOmetimes it is more, sometimes less and I am happy with that. But you have to make coming in worth my while. Give me some weekend time or something!

Kevin Brown
407197

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Tory Lindley, ATC
Head Athletic Trainer, Eastern Michigan University

Tory,

Stop hinting about applying for football. If you guys want to assign me to football, do it. I am not going to apply because you will give it to me. I put football as my third choice for a reason. I want to work Volleyball or Soccer. I only put football to prevent you from giving me something I could not possibly work without killing a few people (CC/Track-kill the sprinters and I'll take it, Crew-forget about it!, Gymnastics-little flippy people make me nervous...no one should be able to bend like that!) I am going to give 100% to whatever sport I get assigned, but I have made it clear what I want and what I will make do with. Understand that and stop sending me "I am still accepting applications for football" emails!

Thanks,
Kevin

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All of My Friends
Too far away :-(

Heidi, Kelly, Claire, Tiffany, Ben, Celia, Brian, Ashley, and anyone else I may have accidentally forgotten,

I am sorry for my mood over the past week. And for the way I have been acting.

It hurts ME to see you all hurting and knowing that there is nothing I can do about it. You are all so far away, and I can't be there to listen. I do my best to be there for all of you, to listen, to talk be it in person, over email, IM, or on the phone. I realize that you don't want to tell me everything, but know that I am here for you all.

In addition, I have always done my best to be open to everyone. To be the type of person anyone can tell anything. My goal is to have people tell me the truth. No matter how much it may hurt me or hurt them, in the long run it will make everyone feel better. I'll understand, I promise. I'd rather hear it from you now than have things not be all they can be in our group of friends. We should all be here for each other, individually and as a group.

I am very confused right now as I think about the fact that I will probably miss you all more than I miss my family while I am at Miami. But just to know that you'll all be there on IM and email and phone makes it better.

I love and miss you all!!

Kevin
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Well, I feel better already! :-) Hopefully the feeling lasts now that I have all this off my chest!
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