M: Mentors and MAC Make-up

Mentor: advise, master, guide, preceptor.  A wise and trusted counselor or teacher.


Jenny and Mary Ann

One of the most famous examples of mentorship is in Star Wars. Obi Wan Kenoboi is the mentor.  He is Jedi Master to both Darth Vader (aka Anakin) and Luke Skywalker.

“When I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master.”
“Only a master of evil, Darth.”
At least one mentee listened to him, right?

I've been fortunate to have had a few Obi Wans in my nursing career.  People who over the years still encourage and teach me. Mary Ann was my clinical advisor at UTMB. She didn't just do the academic part of our education, but also gave advice, encouraged, and stood up for her students.  She was advisor in every sense of the word.  Jenny was a preceptor I had in Houma, Louisiana.  She demonstrated what rapport with people should be and has remained a friend to me over the past 12 years.  If Jenny and Mary Ann have been my Obi Wans, then Dr. McCanless is Yoda.  You just can't describe Dr. Mac.  He's practiced for 63 years and hasn't lost any of his wit and compassion despite all that he's seen.  I can only hope to be a little like him when I'm 87.  

 Because of this, I have a responsibility to pass it on.  This is why I love having students. I've had some pretty awesome ones.  As a preceptor you learn as much from your students as you teach them--at least that's been my experience.  Unfortunately I've also has a few Darth Vaders in my career.  You know, those who you look at and go "I didn't teach you that." Those are frustrating because I love all my padawans.  Being a mentor doesn't mean you're responsible for them after they become the master, but you feel like it!

Mentoring is fun and you meet so many awesome people.  Maybe you think "Yeah, in health care you have to mentor, but in my job  I don't have anything to offer." 

Not true!  Think about what you like.  Our book store has a knitting group that meets weekly.  I'm a member of Bayou Writer's Group.  There are instructors from Leisure Learning classes I still email and ask questions of.  Scouts, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, church groups:  the opportunities are all around us.  We all have something to offer: encouragement, friendship, life experience. Once you start sharing, you'll find you get as much as you give.

Do you have a mentor in your job or life?  Who can you be a mentor to?

MAC Makeup

Today is a two post day.  I really wasn't going to write about this but I think in work and life it's an important thing.  Not MAC make up specifically but appearances. 

I wrote about appearances with Letter  A.  This is a little different take on it. I recently discovered MAC at Dillard's.  Until then I wasn't interested in make up.  Different brands I'd tried had various allergy and irritation issues, making even the best not worth the expense. But MAC was different.  I talked to a consultant and was hooked. So, why write about it on a blog about professionalism?  Yesterday I was tired. I hadn't slept much.  Getting ready for work seemed like a chore.  I wasn't going to wear makeup but my AM routine for it is only about three minutes.  I'm not that lazy so I put it on for work. And, well after that I was like, hey, my make up looks good.  Maybe today's not so bad.

Why did I feel like that? Because my MAC is something that I feel good in.  You know, that one thing that just makes you feel fabulous.

My other fabulous is my Chevy Avalanche. When I drive it I want to say "Yeah, I'm a Southern Girl from Texas. You want to say something about it?"  I've had cars before, but I always go back to trucks.

We all need those one or two things that make us feel good even on the worst of days.  Children do it all the time:  pacifiers, blankets, stuffed animals.  Our special thing grows with us as adults. We use them as pick me ups, wear them to interviews, or on that first date.  Any time we need to feel empowered.

I know appearances aren't everything, but when you know you know you look good, it sure helps!

My favorite outfit? Blue jeans, t-shirt, old sandals, MAC makeup, and Chevy Truck.

What makes you feel fabulous?