Graduation 2012

After what seemed like a long day gathered with all the English faculty doing a "common read" of freshmen essays for our yearly assessment project, we concluded at 4:00 (we had started at 11:00). We then all headed for our offices or our cars to get our caps, gowns, and all the academia regalia necessary to participate in the commencement ceremony.

Then a faculty reception started at 4:00 and would end at 5:15 as we lined-up for the procession onto the soccer field. Commencement was scheduled to begin at 6:00.

This is of course one of the "gala" moments of the school year; everyone is almost giddy with the realization that a season of "time off" awaits us at the Finish Line of graduation. During the reception, gifts and awards were presented to various ones and light snacks and refreshments were available. Mr. Fun met me there to capture a few photos and just to join in with this celebration moment.

A few colleagues did tell me that they still had some grading to do. I was glad to report that my grading is finished. All I have left to do is get online to enter semester grades. Then it will be time to hibernate and not answer student emails (because the only students who email after grades are posted are the ones who have messed around all semester and now can't believe that they are not earning a passing grade; after all, they did occasionally warm a chair in the classroom). Sheeeeeeesh!

The past two years the commencement ceremony has been held in the morning. Because we have three college in our district, each year the scheduled time rotates from college to college. The evening's ceremony was lots of fun. The crowd was contagious with excitement and the graduates were all tears and cheers.

Thankfully the professors are the first to exit the field when it is over. So I moved quickly to my car; Mr. Fun was already inside waiting for me. I started the engine and we were gone. The campus only has one road in and out, so the traffic can be horrendous. Mr. Fun had parked his car in a neighborhood behind the college so we drove through the residential streets to get to his car; he got in his vehicle and within moments we were home sitting on the patio comparing notes about all that we had seen and heard while each of us ate a delicious huge chocolate covered strawberry (see yesterday's blip for details).

Somewhere shortly after 8:00 p.m., summer arrived for Rosie! Woohoo!
Sigh! I am so tired.

Good night from Southern California.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol