Wednesday, May 12, 2010

CTC held it's annual graduation ceremony last Friday morning.



here are my friends and I, sitting up in the front row of the faculty, decked out in all our fuferaw. That's Elke next to me, and then Dave (Lazarus), and then Mark. These are the folks I go to chili cook-offs with. They've all got their masters degrees now (Mark graduates this Friday), but I can remember when they were all taking my classes, just starting to work on finishing their Bachelors Degrees. I'm really proud of all of them.



The leading speaker at the graduation was a former commander of Ft. Hood, who's son was also among the graduates.



When the time came for his son to get his degree, Dad came down and handed it over. Pretty cool. I had the boy in class a few times. He did well.

I found out last week that a few of my old Florence kids were gonna do the walk, getting their Associates Degrees. A brother and sister... I'd had the sister in class first, and then the brother, after his big sister graduated.



I got this shot of the boy, Jeremie Rohr, when he got his degree. I missed the chance to get a shot of his sister. She zipped through there too quickly.



After it was all over, we had someone take this shot. As you can see, I ditched the formal gear as soon as it was all over. We all did. They're all rented. The rental folks just have us toss them in a box and we jet out of there as soon as we can.

After shaking a few hands and wishing folks like Rohr here all the luck in the world, I hit the road for Mom's house. Denise and I met up there (she had to help run the show at the graduation). Then, after a visit, it was back to the house, and back into the sack for a few hours nap. Exhausting, being all edumicated and official, it is. I was pooped.

Anyway, it's always a blast to see the folks I've had in class going through their matriculation. Makes me feel like I'm really doing something good in the world. Who knows?

This Friday, Mark will get his Masters Degree conveyed to him by Texas A&M, Central Texas, but I won't be able to be there. Denise and I are flying to Nashville Thursday afternoon and then driving to Bowling Green, Kentucky to see her youngest daughter Lynn get her Masters Degree from Western Kentucky University. It's gonna be a busy weekend. I hope they've got Nashville dried out by Thursday. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, I'll have stories to tell and pictures to show you when I get back. Have a great week, and congratulations to all the graduates out there. Get ready folks. You think you're done, but you're not. The journey continues. Onward and upward! Cheers!

5 comments:

BRUNO said...

Love that first shot---and the "tripod" you used to take it from!

(People all around you, muttering under their breath:"Damn, is this guy VAIN, or what?")

If you happen to die before ME, you take that damned CAMERA with you, an' e-mail us some pictures back, so's we know what to pack ahead of time.....!☺

FHB said...

Yea, it's good to have a six foot wing span, or there'd be damned few pictures of me around.

And yea, those pricks might think that, but I stopped worryin' what the main campus pricks thought of me a LONG time ago. And no, I'm not touchy about that at all.

And if I do kick it before you, those fuckin' chiggers will be the least of your worries, my brutha. And I expect nothing less from you.

Sarge Charlie said...

for some reason I could not comment yesterday so I am trying again, I just wanted to tip my hat to you mr fhb, you are changing peoples lives.

BRUNO said...

Well, YOU asked for it! Wearin' SHORTS, in the middle of a Bootheel-summer! You're lucky them chiggers got tired of hikin' thru those hairy tree-trunks you call LEGS, an' stopped at your knees!

But I'm ready for ya', if there's a next-time. Found some "stuff" that stops-'em first, an' treats the itch of the survivors, as well!

Not to mention I found some of the ol'-fashioned DEET, in the "piss-it-in-your-hand-an'-slap-it-on"-bottles---pretty-much the same shit that used to be tucked in the old helmet-bands.

Found it at the local Farm & Home, of all places. Now that's proof of how much a part of life it is around here...!

FHB said...

sarge - Thanks brother. I really appreciate that. I guess I do, somehow. At least they may come away from class having learned a thing or two.

Bruno - Dude, if I'd known you was infested, and I means INFESTED, I'd a brought my own Deet. I gets mine at REI. You're supposed to dilute it, but I just spritz it on like cologne. Works on critters, and most people.

And don't worry. There will be a next time. Road trip this year is lookin' like late July.