I graduated!

A month ago today I trotted across the field of the Ohio Stadium, my adviser threw a hood over my shoulders, I bolted up the stage, handed my name card to the dean of the Graduate School, glanced to my left to try and see President Bill Clinton and Senator John Glenn, shook hands with OSU President Karen Holbrook (w/my right hand, like we were taught), nabbed my diploma (w/my left hand, like we were taught), and booked it for... well, not the door. I just walked back to my seat.

Yup, that was graduation day. June 10, 2007. After five (!) years (!) of graduate school, including two years of the Master's with Beth, and then three more of the Ph.D. (with Beth as my sugar momma... just kidding she's wonderful and supported me through it all), I went through the above-mentioned ceremony with 6100 fellow graduates of THE Ohio State University. (So I've been permanently branded a Buckeye, I guess.)

I was most blessed by the presence of so many friends and family in the Stadium that day. I could hear them scream when the Dean read my name. I was and have been even more blessed by all the prayers and support throughout the years of graduate school, as well as all the cards and words of encouragement from those who weren't at graduation. A big thank you to everyone.

Like all graduation ceremonies, you sit for a long time and enjoy the proceedings, while your actual moment of glory is fleeting. But that's not bad. I tried to savor every moment of walking across the field, seeing my adviser smiling as he hooded me, shaking his hand, trotting up the stairs to the stage, hearing my name, and meeting President Holbrook ("Good luck!" she told me). It all happened so quickly.

Fortunately, our good friend Kurt "Red Meat" "Out Late" Olmsted, was there with our camera. He snapped enough pictures of the ceremony and the subsequent party that I assembled them into a simple slideshow on YouTube. He took enough just of me walking the field that it works as a small movie. (Thanks, Kurt!) Enjoy!