I don't remember my parents at the actual ceremony, my Uncle was also there. No memory of what restaurant we went to. At my graduation/pinning ceremony from X-ray Technology at NE Deaconess Hospital, there are also pictures from the party afterwards. Still, the whole ceremony, even where it took place, has left the file drawer in my mind. I will have to check with my former roommate to see if she remembers. We are both 82, so cut us some slack. Thanks for a great read.
Enjoyed your podcast re: Gameday Experience. An extremely minor pet peeve, but why don’t the Cardinals play a catchy Chuck Berry tune in the 8th? Fans can sing “Go! Go!” to Johnny B Goode, or “All over Saint Looooie” to Sweet Little Sixteen. Boston has Sweet Caroline, Colorado has Hey Baby…the Cardinals should do the same with their greatest hometown rock n roller.
I loved your description of graduation week in Athens. We lived there for 15 years before returning to California. You’re right about the confused parents, the graduates soaking up their last moments of college life before setting off to conquer the world. The crazy parties and all the confusion. If you’re lucky, it all happens as it should. And it is sad and beautiful at the same time. You’re pretty much fired as a parent after, hopefully, excelling at your job and eventually you get to be friends on a different level. I missed graduating with my class because I dropped out and got married. I did eventually finish my undergraduate degree but it was so hard and took a long time. Even harder to earn two additional Masters degrees. My parents were older by the time I finished my Masters programs and I was working full time so there were no big celebrations. All those things were my choices, so, no regrets but kind of special to see it all through from grade school to college graduation. Continuity.
But do you remember if anyone in your family, on graduation weekend, put their hand on your shoulder and said, “I have one word for you: Plastics”? This happened to me, and George Bush spoke at the ceremony. My friends and I boycotted it, thinking he was the worst politician ever. What a joke.
I love your observation that “it’s a long process” and that we do return to our parents and end up talking to them more than we talk to college friends. Your description of that woman walking in front of your car, standing in the middle of the street and then LOOKING AT HER PHONE--instead of apologizing profusely and getting out of the way?!—is enraging. It IS sweet that your son thought of helping such an annoying person. I know you're right, all these parents are tripping because their child is graduating and because they are not in familiar surroundings. Yet it’s crazy-making just hearing about it. Your mom is a badass! I bet she has high expectations of you. Blessing and a curse.
Today’s 8th graders love Metallica. Our grandson Thomas, who is about to graduate 8th grade at Coile, can play many Metallica songs on guitar . His favorites are “the unforgiven” , “Fade to Black” and, of course, “Nothing else matters “. He was at Pearl Jam in Atl and will see Metallica June 3.
We were fortunate our daughter went to a great small college less than 30 minutes from home. Graduation was a day trip and a quick lunch before we let her go to be with her friends. We had them all over the week before for a cookout and sent them back to campus with the alcohol we intentionally over bought. I loved it because my experience was much like yours except I was the last of 8 to graduate. So a similar but different big deal that I wanted none of because I had a whole era of my life to wrap up.
Second, I heard Breadfan ONCE in high school and fucking loved it. But I never had a copy of it: it was a b-side, hard to find in rural Wisconsin, and I pined for it forever. When it came out on Garage Inc in 1998 or so you better believe I bought it first thing.
Oh god, Garage Inc’s release was a massive day for all the teenage Metallica nerds like me who hunted for those b-sides like the holy grail, haha. I had a cassette tape going of when they’d play some of the real elusive stuff on my local radio station’s Mandatory Metallica segment (98 Rock Baltimore) and I’d scurry to record it, but I was all too glad to get all of them on one disc.
First, GREAT writing about the graduation week experience. I remember my 1990s graduation from college just like you do. “Nice to see you Mom, Dad, grandmas, grandpas…no go to your hotel so I can get drunk with my pals.” (I got one hour of sleep that night and collapsed in tears and exhaustion after the ceremony cuz I was sad and tired.)
I don't remember my parents at the actual ceremony, my Uncle was also there. No memory of what restaurant we went to. At my graduation/pinning ceremony from X-ray Technology at NE Deaconess Hospital, there are also pictures from the party afterwards. Still, the whole ceremony, even where it took place, has left the file drawer in my mind. I will have to check with my former roommate to see if she remembers. We are both 82, so cut us some slack. Thanks for a great read.
The Pope's brother explained it this way "Mom was from the North Side, she was the Cubs fan. We grew up White Sox fans."
Those poor boys. The only thing worse would be if they had season tickets for the Rockies.
Both teams have won one World Series in our lifetimes.
Yes. The Sox in 2005 and the Cubs in 2016.
I am a Knicks fan and it feels weird to have any meaningful playoff stakes at all.
Enjoyed your podcast re: Gameday Experience. An extremely minor pet peeve, but why don’t the Cardinals play a catchy Chuck Berry tune in the 8th? Fans can sing “Go! Go!” to Johnny B Goode, or “All over Saint Looooie” to Sweet Little Sixteen. Boston has Sweet Caroline, Colorado has Hey Baby…the Cardinals should do the same with their greatest hometown rock n roller.
So, who is the blonde girl in the cap and gown standing to your right in the picture on the quad? Are you still in touch with her?
I loved your description of graduation week in Athens. We lived there for 15 years before returning to California. You’re right about the confused parents, the graduates soaking up their last moments of college life before setting off to conquer the world. The crazy parties and all the confusion. If you’re lucky, it all happens as it should. And it is sad and beautiful at the same time. You’re pretty much fired as a parent after, hopefully, excelling at your job and eventually you get to be friends on a different level. I missed graduating with my class because I dropped out and got married. I did eventually finish my undergraduate degree but it was so hard and took a long time. Even harder to earn two additional Masters degrees. My parents were older by the time I finished my Masters programs and I was working full time so there were no big celebrations. All those things were my choices, so, no regrets but kind of special to see it all through from grade school to college graduation. Continuity.
But do you remember if anyone in your family, on graduation weekend, put their hand on your shoulder and said, “I have one word for you: Plastics”? This happened to me, and George Bush spoke at the ceremony. My friends and I boycotted it, thinking he was the worst politician ever. What a joke.
I love your observation that “it’s a long process” and that we do return to our parents and end up talking to them more than we talk to college friends. Your description of that woman walking in front of your car, standing in the middle of the street and then LOOKING AT HER PHONE--instead of apologizing profusely and getting out of the way?!—is enraging. It IS sweet that your son thought of helping such an annoying person. I know you're right, all these parents are tripping because their child is graduating and because they are not in familiar surroundings. Yet it’s crazy-making just hearing about it. Your mom is a badass! I bet she has high expectations of you. Blessing and a curse.
Not sure there was a more sure thing in the world than Boston scorching the nets again.
The best thing about the Chicago Pope was delivered by whichever anonymous internet genius made this
AAANND NOW..
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1VfMjkWvmv/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Your grad-week description is spot on, bless their hearts! And "Baseball Pope!" Thanks for sharing that!
Today’s 8th graders love Metallica. Our grandson Thomas, who is about to graduate 8th grade at Coile, can play many Metallica songs on guitar . His favorites are “the unforgiven” , “Fade to Black” and, of course, “Nothing else matters “. He was at Pearl Jam in Atl and will see Metallica June 3.
Were you in Winterville this morning?
Lewis
Winterville
We were fortunate our daughter went to a great small college less than 30 minutes from home. Graduation was a day trip and a quick lunch before we let her go to be with her friends. We had them all over the week before for a cookout and sent them back to campus with the alcohol we intentionally over bought. I loved it because my experience was much like yours except I was the last of 8 to graduate. So a similar but different big deal that I wanted none of because I had a whole era of my life to wrap up.
Second, I heard Breadfan ONCE in high school and fucking loved it. But I never had a copy of it: it was a b-side, hard to find in rural Wisconsin, and I pined for it forever. When it came out on Garage Inc in 1998 or so you better believe I bought it first thing.
Oh god, Garage Inc’s release was a massive day for all the teenage Metallica nerds like me who hunted for those b-sides like the holy grail, haha. I had a cassette tape going of when they’d play some of the real elusive stuff on my local radio station’s Mandatory Metallica segment (98 Rock Baltimore) and I’d scurry to record it, but I was all too glad to get all of them on one disc.
Yes! This exactly! I had dubbed copies of dubbed copies of some of the other ones. But Breadfan and The Prince were elusive in those years.
First, GREAT writing about the graduation week experience. I remember my 1990s graduation from college just like you do. “Nice to see you Mom, Dad, grandmas, grandpas…no go to your hotel so I can get drunk with my pals.” (I got one hour of sleep that night and collapsed in tears and exhaustion after the ceremony cuz I was sad and tired.)