Commencement

This was the third time we've celebrated commencement at our campus, but it was the first time that we did so with the knowledge that we are now fully a college and not just a satelite campus of the Riverside College . . . and that's a big deal.

This was the first time in the 19 years that I've been involved with commencement that it was held in the morning. Thankfully we had an overcast sky; otherwise we would have melted! No kidding -- the couple times the clouds thinned this morning it got rather warm.

Because I forfeited graduating from high school because of marrying so young, and because of waiting so long to attend college, I have always had a fondness for graduation. So I get more goose-bumps than most folks and I find myself catching my breath and wiping tears as I see these students at a victory moment -- for some the journey has been long. I spoke about that 2 years ago when I had the privilege of being the faculty speaker at the very first commencement at our campus.

Today I was caught-up in the faces of the graduates as they paraded down the middle of the two lines of faculty who stood applauding for their former students. I also found the many "hats" of graduation most interesting. So my photo is entirely too cluttered with all that I want to remember a year or three or five from now. So forgive me for being a clutter-bug today.

Thanks too for looking in here. The two of us are okay when we are occupied with distractions and with things to do, but coming home is more than tough. This home feels so empty.

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