by 
These notes on the wall at the recently closed St. Vincent’s Hospital are so sad! This is an “end of an era” thing, and it’s all kinds of sad.
History is turning a page. Every one of these page turns is like saying goodbye to an old friend. I have to say, it’s also sad because it feels like we’re one page closer to when the page is turned on me.
But it’s been that kind of week for me. Red Burns, the chair of the Interactive Communications Program at NYU (where I went to grad school) just announced that she is stepping down and Dan O’Sullivan is the new chair. I adore Red Burns. I want her to be running ITP forever. (Dan is a great guy though, and the perfect choice.)
I think for that reason I was drawn to read what people are saying on the wall at St. Vincent’s. I don’t like goodbyes. I want to see how other people handle them.
This one reminded me of the signs all around the hospital after 9/11. Just seeing the picture of someone there, it was like the pictures of the missing. Thankfully, this one is just the opposite.
Sigh.
It’s been that kind of week for me, too. Late Thursday afternoon, after the rest of us had left the office, my boss was called into her boss’s office & let go. The 10 of us loved her & aren’t quite sure what things will be like without her. Feels like there’s been a death.
Very sad, too, about St. Vincent’s closing. I remember during coverage of the September 11th attacks, seeing staff lined up outside the hospital with gurneys (sp?) and wheelchairs, waiting for all the injured, few of whom ever arrived.
Oh Nora, that is sad (and your poor boss).
The effects of this economy are heartbreaking. These notes – and the affection people had for this hospital – just kill me.