Commencement

Today was that annual Spring rite of baccalaureate, undergraduate commencement, and graduate commencement, and all went about as expected. We sang the same two hymns we always sing at baccalaureate. A sitting US Senator jokingly warned us about politicians making long boring speeches, then commenced to make a long boring speech. The university organist conducted his twice-yearly battle with the Widor Tocatta. One of the soloists had to test the waters a bit before reaching an agreement with the orchestra on the key for The Star-Spangled Banner. A bunch of us lunched at a local Chinese restaurant where the associate dean consumed enough alcohol to become somewhat merrier than usual. More than one student asked if there was anything that could be done to improve the grades that Southern Man had just turned in to the Registrar (preferred response: build a time machine, go back four months, and work harder. Also, bring a CD of four months of stock market activity.) And now the semester is officially over.

Yippee!