Graduating Class of '05

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Today was the graduation ceremony for our high school. I'm still a little bummed that I was not able to return my cap and gown for a refund. I discovered Derrick's shinny gold gown hanging in his closet. It was the only thing still left in their and it looked as pristine as the day he wore it last about 5 years ago. I suppose I should be grateful I kept mine, who know someday I might want it. It could make a decent Halloween costume; with a little make up I could be like a zombie-high-school-graduate. Or not. I'll probably end up using it to wax my car in three years. That hat looks cooler on than it does when you're actually wearing it. I can see now why so many throw theirs.

I changed into my cap and gown and Mom drove me over to the Exposition Center and I wandered around for a few minutes until I realized that only the spectators were supposed to go in through the entrance up the giant steps. I went back outside, down the steps and reenter the cavernous room where all of the graduates were lining up. We were all issued numbers based upon alphabetical order, but since I was late getting in I didn't have time to find my proper place, so I just slipped into the line behind Jason.

I was concerned that as they called the seniors up to the stage to receive their diploma that when they called my name I wouldn't be able to get to the front in time because they were going row by row. Luckily I realized before they got to my name that I was not the only one out of place, so to compensate the faculty was listing the names of all the students in the rows just prior to being called foreword. A saw Dad later in the day and he told me that he came and had the opportunity to see me get my faux diploma but he didn't stay to meet me afterwards; probably because he was afraid he'd bump into Mom there. Weak.
When it was my turn I went up to the stage and got some type of certificate for redeeming my diploma at a later time. For whatever reasons the official documents had been kept at the school's counseling center and office. So once again, I'm forced to go back to the school sometime this summer and pick it up. Told you I couldn't escape.

Escaping the parking lot turned out to be a challenge as well. I saw a lot of people with nice new cars, some probably as graduation gifts. It kind of pissed me off that a few of my classmates were getting scholarships to prestigious schools as well as shinny new cars, but I forgot about it later when we got to McDonalds and I was able to enjoy some chicken selects. I bet no one else got to do that.....
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I took quite a few pictures with my digital camera today; eventually I'll get around to posting a select few of them.