Saturday, June 16, 2007

Social Animal's Graduation


Here is Social Animal looking proud and handsome in his cap and gown Thursday evening. He and his class of almost 700 graduated in an outdoor stadium on a very hot evening. Still they do have the process down to a science and the entire ceremony lasted only a little over an hour! Afterward, the family all came back to the house for dinner. I didn't have the time or inclination to cook, so we had El Pollo Loco and the many desserts we had left from Girlie Girl's graduation the night before. Social Animal made out like a bandit and now has a fine little stash of cash to add to his moving out fund. Please don't think me hard hearted for speaking of his moving out so casually. I feel lucky that he will only be going a few blocks away. Also, he has prepared me well, as he has always been an extremely self-sufficient and resourceful person.
Okay! So, both of the graduations are over! Everything went very well and I probably don't have to consider graduation ceremonies again for another few years.

I graduated from high school 27 years ago. Egads. Yet, still, I have recollections of that evening. I had broken up with a boyfriend not too long before and I remember how he came up to me afterward and asked me how I was feeling. I said, "Sort of lost." He gave me his wise, older man look (he had graduated the year before) and said, "Just wait until about a year from now and you will really know how it feels to be lost." Very deep. Chiding me about breaking up with him at my graduation! And out of anything my family might have done for me on that special occasion, that conversation is what I remember most about graduating. Just goes to show you, doesn't it.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Graduation was not a big deal to me. I felt like I got out on parole if anything.

I went to a Catholic school and the ceremony itself lasted 2 and a half hours due to the attached church service. The actual graduation ceremony took another hour and by that time, I just wanted my little diploma thing and to go and eat. No real motivating or memorable words jump to mind. My folks were happy, though.

Churlita said...

Oh, how I miss El Pollo Loco.

Congrats to your son. How weird to think that our kids will be out on their own someday.

Mrs. Hairy Woman said...

Congrats to Handsome Lad.. It's nice to know there are kids out there that are willing to work hard and become self sufficient.. Good For Him....

Tara said...

My high school graduation was really fun, because I was graduating with my best friend and we spent most of the time stifling our laughs during the ceremony, because she was joking about different things. I don't remember crying at the ceremony, but I cried after my last choir concert, cuz I knew I'd miss it.

Congratulations on Social Animal's graduation!

laura b. said...

Evil-E: I imagine many students feel that same way. I loved high school!

Churlita: My oldest son is on his own. It is strange and the time goes scary fast.

BabyBull: Thanks! He was a handful when he was little, but I guess it paid off in drive and motivation as a bigger kid :-)

Tara: Seems like I never sat by anyone I was great pals with for any of those alphabetical order things, so you were lucky!

MrManuel said...

Congrats to Social Animal! I had such a good time at my HS graduation. 11 years ago this month...