Have you ever had that moment of clarity when you realize that you're doing something so super cool? For instance - when I pledged a sorority in college I remember thinking that the girls that were friends with the president of our chapter were SO COOL, and how I never thought that would be me, lounging on her bed in Massey Hall and gossiping. Fast forward three years... and that WAS me, lounging on one of my best friends' beds... who happened to be president of our Kappa Delta chapter (shout out, Jo! WHOOT!) It's not something I made happen, it just... happened. And when I realized it happened it didn't seem like it happened because it happened so organically.
I had another moment of clarity last Friday morning. I've had my FNJ (fancy new job) for just over a year now, and last year at one of the commencement ceremonies I remember watching the service and seeing my now work BFF, Beth Gladden, working behind the scene and thinking that she was so super cool and how cool would it be to be there and get to WORK at GRADUATION (note: I've worked 'graduation' before, but never on this scale! When I worked the Ringling graduation our commencement speaker was the guy who drew Mother Goose and Grimm, not Dolly Parton! Guy who drew Mother Goose and Grimm was a riot, BTW) and I never thought much about it after until Friday when I looked down and noticed....
this is my lap at graduation. if you will please note my staff lanyard. that's right... i got to work graduation. it's official: i'm cool. or else a really big nerd - take your pick, but i'm going with COOL.
Al Gore was our commencement speaker and we gave him an honorary doctorate degree. See?
I'm totes excited he's here. See?
this pic is terrible, but i don't care. when i was an undergrad i skipped class (ahem) to see his motorcade go by when he was sitting VP and visiting campus. i'm glad i did, because his motorcade stopped and he got out and shook hands with everyone - it was very exciting. glad i skipped class that day! you know the only other time i ever saw a presidential motorcade? president bush's motorcade on september 10, 2001 in sarasota. for realzies.
Bringing it back up!
Beth talked me into working graduation because it would improve my chances of meeting him. I did *not* get to meet him. Sigh. I did offer him a mint but either he didn't hear me or he ignored me. Well. He was meeting Acting UT President Dr. Jan Simek at the time BUT SO WHAT. I'm going with he didn't hear me.
This is as close as I got to meeting him:
beth let me take a photo of his robe after graduation. she would *not* let me take a picture of myself with it on, howevs. beth, you are MEAN. (kidding)
I decided to walk off my sorrows at not meeting Al Gore my taking a stroll around campus. Actually, I was really working - I have discovered that I get better results by actually showing up in people's offices instead of calling or emailing. Squeaky wheel! It's more fun anyway - I like getting away from my desk. Here are some of my favorite sculptures from around campus:
torchbearer!
europa and the bull!
And some of my not so favorite:
twirling fartknocker of opportunity
...... i don't even know what the hectate this is. whale bones? maybe?
Oh lookit - the CSA is going well - so far we've et up most everything! Here is who we get our veggies from:
that's adam of colvin family farm fame. he gives me my veggies every week.
Saturday night I went to an event and I was in charge of the centerpieces! It was for the Society of Professional Journalists so I decided to get creative and went with a Mad Men theme. Newspapers, fedoras with press passes, cigarettes and liquor. Now, being a cheap skate, I didn't want to BUY all that - so I only bought fedoras and a couple newspapers, bought CANDY cigs, dumpster dove for bottles and faked the liquor. Being an ex-bartender, I had an eye for what was necessary and I think I did pretty good!
yeah. none of it is real. i'm good.
When I walked into the venue Saturday night with my bottles the bartender there spotted me immediately. Being an ex-barkeep, I hastily explained that it was all fake so she had no worries. Upon investigating my wares, she complimented me on my abilities to match liquor color from memory. She was super totes impressed with my Captain Morgan likeness:
which is real and which is fake?
Here is what it looked like on the tables:
i thought it was totally cute
I should have made the public disclaimer that the centerpieces were all fake, but before I could do anything, Mama and Daddy broke into their table's fodder:
seriously, i can't take them anywhere
daddy trying to bogart the bottle while mama takes a drag
Then I told them it was all fake. They quickly sobered up and meekly went home. KIDDING. It was an awards ceremony and the highlight of the night was when I got to present my Dipsey Doodle with his award and plaque. He is the only award winner that night that got a smooch.
Other exciting attendants that night:
my blount today peeps, lance coleman and marty millsaps
That's all I got for now! Have a great week! MWAH!!
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