Graduation Yesterday.

It's not hit me yet-if it hasn't, I get the feeling it might in September.

I had to grab a few last minute things yesterday (heel liners for my new heels; friction block stick, some knee highs and a mocha Frappacino thing) so I popped into work. Audrey was there, smiling at me. "Shouldn't you be at the arena already?"

"Well yeah, except I need a few things!"

picked up some chocolate ice cream from Blake's (oh num), ran back home, had Lindsay stick the liners into my heels while I rushed into my fancy clothes (sticking inhaler, friction stick and license into my pocket), cap, gown, heels and brushed teeth before going outside and posing for photos. That done, I was dropped off at the arena and headed round the back while everyone else headed round the front.

What a mess of people. There were tables to line up at to get your cards with your name and email on (with a blank space to put the phonetic spelling, which I did; everyone loves to butcher "Myriam" for some reason) and the honors you got. My face fell when I saw I only earned "cum laude" because of that stupid ass poetry teacher I had who gave me a C because apparently I didn't write the poetry paper to her satisfaction and had to rewrite it. I went to collect my gold tassel and switch it for the black one I had. Then there was a line a mile long for the bathrooms so I sat for that. Went outside, sat down again (because those bloody heels were KILLING even with the friction stick) and hung about. I saw Dillon and Rudine, waved to them and tried to find the L section of the Bachelors section of the School of Liberal Arts. It was a very loose alphabetical order; no one followed it at all. I found my approximate section, sat down and waited while they lined us up. The School of Continuing Education and Development were mostly Africans and African-American, so we were treated to rounds of gospel and African songs while we waited (think church choir style, with the swaying, clapping hands and stomping feet to keep the rhythm). That was really nice because many of them had beautiful voices. Victory cheers were done the minute we were walking inside. my first thought was "Ho crap 3000 people staring at me O_O". Marched in and waited in place in front of my seat for AGES while the other schools were announced. I saw Sam and everyone else and waved at them like an idiot.

We sat and listened to the national anthem, "God Bless America" and a prayer from Father Bruce Whatsisface. Then the speeches started. Doreen "Lupus Girl" Whatshername talked for ages about how happy she was to have her son with her and how strong she is and thank you mom for not pulling the plug when she was in a 36 hour coma and I have Lupus and it's soooooooooo difficult to earn a degree and on and on and on. The girl next to me was just as upset; moaning out "Oh my GOD". I couldn't help but think of Sam and Sarah. Sarah has lupus but she doesn't rabbit it about because she's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sick to work and whine whine whine. Sure, she calls out every so often, but she has that condition where the fallopian tubes are thin and blood leaks everywhere on her insides when she has her period. Sometimes her joints hurt, sometimes she has a rash; which is fine, but she doesn't rabbit it about how siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick she is and cry cry cry. She gets on with it; much like Sam does. Then there was a war veteran (omg democrat-Dad was surprised that a democrat could be a war hero: HA!), who spent 45 minutes blowing his own horn about his important job as the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia and on and on. I fell asleep during his speech, coming to long enough to catch the last ending bit.

Then the whole long procession started. Sam and Lindsay rushed down the stairs to take photographs of me. I was rushed into place behind the banner, given a fake diploma, told to smile, *FLASH* then run for it, up to the stage, hand over my card. For all of the other graduates, the announcers were announcing the honors that the person earned-"Jane Smith-Magna cum laude!". I get up there, expecting them to read out my honors-they said my name, and...silence. Cue me turning back to look a bit "O_o?" at the announcer but having to be rushed up the ramp and out. Sam wanted to get a picture of me with my diploma, but I was rushed out and back to my seat.

I fell asleep during the other reading of the names-about 950 were walking during this thing and it took AGES. I wish I had gotten the other announcer guy, very dramatic. I got the boring one. Oh well. Sam got a picture of me sleeping. Heehee. So when that was done, we were told to turn the tassels to the other side and that was it. No throwing of the caps like I really wanted to. Another benediction by Father Whatshisface and we left. It took a bit finding everyone but we came together in the end.

Sam's got pictures of the food at the Olive Garden-my plate's the one with the mussels. It was mussels, scallops, shrimp and linguine in a garlic/butter/wine sauce. There was salad, breadsticks (Sam ate 5 of them alone), and a Sicilian Spritzer for me-orange syrup, white grape juice and club soda, it was really nice. Sam had a peach and raspberry iced tea. Lindsay was being a bit off. She commented she wanted to sit between us and also remarked about handsome men. I slapped my hand on Sam's knee for that one, feeling my inner "my boyfriend! MINE!" bitch wanting to come out.

We got home, had some of that GIANT cake, sent some home with Cheryl and Al. I wasn't feeling too great after the pasta so I missed most of the time with Cheryl and Al. Lindsay hung about until 8:30. Sam and I were watching Princess and the Frog and Lindsay was singing along to it and saying the words along with the characters, it was a bit strange. Finally she went home and we went back to the hotel. While Sam was dealing with his dodgy stomach, Lindsay called me on my cell phone and spent $30 over 17 and a half minutes whining at me about how I should tell Sam to get off his phone and his ipad and how he doesn't make conversation and it's so impolite. Sam was upset; with reason!

We went to Caesario's, I had some Powerade and a heaping basket of good and salty fries; needed to keep my salt intake up because I suffered a bit after the pasta (to put it nicely). We were chatting a bit and Sam was talking about how the economic crisis happened over his salad, which he seemed to enjoy a lot! We went back to the hotel. It was interesting how the city is different on Saturday nights-more alcohol infused people wandering about, live music blaring out the Irish pubs, lots more douchebags and douchebag type cars, the ricer types decorated with spoilers, you know the type.

Sam put the TV on this morning while I was still sleeping and slept through it, which annoyed me a bit; I don't want to be startled awake by Cartoon Network at 8:30 in the morning on a Sunday! I had a shower and then made him get up and get moving too; shower, dress up and go (So nyah!) and we came to my place. Sam had a gargantuan steak all to himself (two feet by about 6 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick), mashed potato with dill cheddar and cotswald cheddar with onions and garlic; sweet corn on the cob and mixed green and yellow beans; and more cake with chocolate ice cream. We're relaxing in my rom at the moment. Probably later on today Sam'll have a swim and I'll be sitting on the edge with him. Let's hope there won't be lesbians in the hottub...