Graduation

Okay, last year at graduation I got a little emotional. Everyone was so happy and I was just thinking how this would be me next year. Dr. Robbins even made a good speech last year that was nice and inspirational. Except that this year it wasn't really that emotional for me. It was more boring. Reyes and Gaines didn't speak which was frustrating because they would have been good speakers. Instead we had really boring speeches. But the video was nice. I was expecting everyone to cheer really loudly when the last kid went up to get his diploma, but considering we couldn't even tell he was the last kid, everyone was just sort of confused. The most exciting part was when we flipped our tassels and everyone started throwing their hats in the air. I got hit in the shoulder with the corner of a hat, btw. That kinda sucked. After the hats started getting thrown around, I ran up to the choir (who I think cheered for me when I got called...they cheered for all the Chamber Choir people who got called..I'm gonna miss them so much) to sing the weird alma-mater. As soon as that was done I grabbed people or was grabbed for hugs. I remember being lifted into the air at least once. And I got a trademark Ian hug which was getting grabbed and shaken a bit. After that, it was back to the seats and out the door to get my real diploma instead of just the case. I'm kinda glad it was Mrs. Hershey who gave me my actual diploma instead of some random Board of Ed person. Mrs. Hershey's my favorite teacher ever and I think getting the diploma from her made it more special than the whole ceremony had seemed. After I found Matt and found my family, my whole family ran off to my house for dinner.

I really got a lot for graduation, it's awesome: My aunt and uncle from Indiana got me a color PDA that takes pictures and can play MP3's. I have to get a special thing for MP3's, though.

My parents got me luggage (Matt says it's because they're trying to get rid of me...booo). A big three piece thing which will be really helpful for college and for when I'm going to visit other people.

My aunt/uncle/maybe grandmother too? got me stationary with my name on the top.

Got a bunch of money.

And these are the ones I liked best: My mom spent months making me this scrapbook of stuff from when I was little and my friends now and my family. I love it. She did a really good job and it's just so sweet. I'm gonna miss my mommy :-(.

My grandmother gave me all these little knick-knack type things of my grandfather's. I really wanted stuff like that for awhile. The best thing she gave me was a gavel he had when he was president of some comittee at the college he taught at. I'm gonna put it on my desk at college for good luck. Right now it's on our mantle. She also gave me some of his really nice cufflinks that I can make into jewelry if I want and a ring that he had given to her. I really appreciate that stuff. I especially like the gavel 'cause it really seemed to fit him, he was always really fair and smart and everything. My poor Grandma's not dealing so well lately. I hope she'll be okay.

After dinner with the family was midnight madness which, for me, was truly awful. I got horribly, horribly sick and once again embarassed myself much like at the Parnassian show. Must get over that someday. Anyway, I was so sick I had to leave early and my parents had somehow managed to leave their phone off the hook. The Gilman's, who were our emergency people, were on vacation and I didn't know who else we could call. Finally Matt thought up to call his parents and his mom ended up coming to get me at like 1 in the morning. I'm SOOOO SOOO SOOOOOOO grateful to her for that. And to Mrs. Kellner who kept me from completely flipping out. And to Matt who was just being sweet. And to all my friends who were concerned for me. But I feel very embarassed as usual. I never want people to see me like that ever.

So the past couple of days I've spent recovering and hanging out with family and Matt and that's been nice. Sucks about Midnight Madness, but at least I got a cute caricature of me and Matt out of it. And no, I'm not trying to get away from him in the picture...my boobs are simply to huge and are pushing me off the side (the woman drew me with enormous boobs and kinda weird hair).

Now it is time to go do other things that are not updating my blog. Adios.