“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that “individuality” is the key to success.”
Today is sweatshirt weather: cold, dreary and damp. I’m watching World Cup soccer-Ghana versus Serbia. I’m not a soccer fan, but I’ll cheer on Ghana. I remember I had been there just a day or two when I saw shoeless young boys in khaki school uniforms playing soccer on a rock strewn field. I watched a while and took a few pictures. It would be the first of many football games I watched when I was in Ghana.
Yesterday I did deck duty. I cleaned the bird bath, the fountain, a couple of feeders and the grill. A squirrel had used the grill to store food. It was filled with empty shells and parts of pine cones. That was the dirtiest of all the jobs, but the deck is now ready for summer. I’m just waiting on the weather.
Yesterday was graduation for the high school from which I graduated and where I worked for thirty three years. Reading about it brought to mind my own high school graduation. It was outside, in front of the school, and the first ever to be held outside. We sat on chairs set on risers with our backs to the front door. Over our heads was a wooden sign painted green with white letters: Class of 1965. We sort of matched the sign. The boys wore green, the girls white. In front of us was the crowd of proud parents and grandparents. I could see my parents from where I sat. My mother waved when she saw me looking. They gave out scholarships that day and my name was called. I remember looking at my father and reading his lips. He wanted to know how much. I ignored him. The guest speaker was from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and he was boring. We whispered to each other to pass the time. There must have been a constant hum from the graduates. At some point during the ceremony the sign fell. It hit one of my classmates who was knocked off his seat to the ground. We all knew what had happened. The news was whispered and passed from graduate to graduate. No one but his seatmates saw him fall so no one checked. Eventually my classmate got up and took his seat. Because he was tall, the victim, was one of the last names called to get a diploma. By then he was fine.
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June 13, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Ghana were fantastic. The joy in the stands was mirrored in my living room by a young friend who had to leave Kosovo.
June 13, 2010 at 1:13 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I was glued to the game, even stopped reading the paper to watch. I loved the views of the Ghanaian fans who were exuberant and who proudly wore the colors of their flag.
I cheered when they scored. How proud they must be: the first African team ever to advance in the World Cup.
June 13, 2010 at 1:22 pm
It was quite warm and nice until around two pm, then rain and thunder came and it brought cold weather with it. I had just finished mowing the lawn, so I didn´t mind. I got inside and watched a dvd instead.
Our graduation day is a bit different than Yours. We all get our grades in our class room and lots of tears are shed. Then we listens to the head master in the big assembly hall, usually a short speach since no one listens 🙂 After that all classes goes out and sing a song by the entrence to the school. When I graduated my class had to sing last of all and by then it had started to snow heavily 🙂 🙂 🙂 The rest of the summer was really hot however 🙂
I´m waiting for Denmark to play, but I don´t know when they are playing 🙂 But I did see some of the USA against England yesterday. I do hope the US goes far in this world cup. They did make a great start by playing 1-1 towards one of the best teams in the world!
Have a great day now!
Christer.
June 13, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Christer – Its the first game on Monday against the Netherlands – enjoy
June 13, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Christer,
I didn’t go out except to buy cream for my coffee and that was a quick trip. The rest of the day was spent staying comfy and warm as it was damp and dank all day.
It was an amazing game. They didn’t win on the boards but it was a moral victory of sorts as it had been so long since they scored on England.
June 13, 2010 at 7:05 pm
Kat – If you are interested in Steeleye Span (and who isn’t) there is a very nice offer at http://www.amazon.co.uk, the British website of amazon.
You can purchase “A Parcel of Steeleye Span : Their First Five Chrysalis Albums 1972 – 1975)” for 6 pounds plus shipping. Its the 2009 remaster on 3 discs and awfully good value. Mine is on the way to Michigan 🙂
June 13, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Thank you, My dear Hedley
It’s on order!
June 13, 2010 at 8:53 pm
“It was dark and dank all day.”
Hmmph. Got to 91.5F here in Mathis with bright sun. We were VERY thankful for the air conditioning during worship service at the Methodist church. Wife, Patti, sang an a capella version of the old hymn, “Tis the Gift to Be Simple” as a part of her sermon. Rousing applause.
‘Tis the gift to be simple,
’tis the gift to be free,
’tis the gift to come down
where we ought to be,
and when we find ourselves in the place just right,
’twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
to bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed,
to turn, turn, will be our delight
till by turning, turning we come round right.
I think all graduates should be exposed to those words. They provide a positive spin (pun intended) for how to live one’s life.
June 13, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Rick,
The day never changed. It is chilly now.
That is one of my favorite hymns and it is best sung a capella. I wish I had heard your wife Patti sing.
June 14, 2010 at 2:47 am
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7cjfAyz9Zk
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miEtrQCnNN0
Cheers
June 14, 2010 at 9:22 am
Minicapt,
The first was good but the second was amazing-played it twice. Thanks!
June 14, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Kat –
What a funny story about graduation! The thought of your Dad mouthing the words out makes me giggle!
When I graduated in 1988 from Seton Hall University in New Jersey, the best they could do as a guest speaker was the president of Mexico – -I mean, yeesh, that was their idea of a celebrity?
Anywho, as I sat with the other Communications graduates in the Meadowlands Arena and listened to this guy go on and on and on, I heard someone in front of me say (quite seriously, I think):
“Hey, this guy is from the same country that gave us MENUDO!!!
What is your graduation day if you cannot have a good laugh?
Be well – –
June 14, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Coleen,
It’s true-a good laugh is a necessity at any graduation. The ceremonies are so long and boring they need a bit of light diversion.
I don’t even remember who spoke at my college graduation. I do know some hotel magnate got an honorary degree. I couldn’t see my father at that one, but I did hear him cough!