Commencement: Part II

Graduuuaaation!




The only other time in life that this many flowers are bestowed upon an individual is probably at a wedding...maybe the Olympics. Ni's second graduation took place on a warm sunny Sunday afternoon in the Greek Theatre. What a proud moment.

Here's the new grad herself! Sharply pulling off the robed look. If you follow my tweets you may have noticed that I commented that people in their graduating regalia look like HP wizards. Well, in that case, I saw a guy stroll through the library with his black gown over a collared shirt, slacks and a striped tie. Need I say more? Alas, I have no photograph of it.

But Ni's graduation was an exciting day. The weather cleared up beautifully as if had been overcast in the days prior. Mei Yee also flew into town for the occasion. The speeches were inspirational, the occasion joyful. What's not to enjoy! After the ceremony, we walked around campus finding the landmarks to take pics.


cheese, cheers, and congrats! with that marks the end of spring and the beginning of summer! :) ...read on!...

Commencements. Part I

I enjoy going to graduations. I've been to three so far and it hasn't gotten old just yet. I find them all to be especially inspiring. It's a rare moment for reflection and anticipation in our hectic lives. it's a moment that combines the past, present, and future and provides a summary of the knowledge one has accumulated both academically and personally.

Commencement ceremonies span two dimensions. The sea of people in black robes sends a message of unity. But it also overwhelms the existential mindset in that graduation doesn't really mean much at all. Hundreds of people graduate within a short span of two hours. So what. What makes the difference.

6 hours of graduation-fare and plenty more of post-grad celebration has showed me that the individual makes the difference. What the degree means to the person and what the person does with the degree is what matters. Most of the grads that I spoke to said that they didn't feel any different whether their tassel was on the left or on the right. That's because change is a gradual process, not an event. Graduation is just a marker of the change, not a signifier of the change itself.




So congrats Class of 2010!! I'm so proud of you and your journeys. People have told me that it doesn't matter where you start--it's where you end up that's important. But I've come to learn that each ending has a new beginning. So let this not mark and ending but a beginning of a new chapter in your lives. ...read on!...

Nearing the End

Let's see, the last two months were filled with conferences, ginger, and crazy class. But to sum it up in three short words I'd say: just toooo fast. In feeling, the time went by really quickly. But if I were to actually systematically think back to what has happened since March...a whole lot! Not only in events but also in the things that I've learned.



Hence the slide on Monte Carlo: the ultimate method to find order in randomness. It's just part of human nature to impress the notion of order or significance (p) in the idiosyncrasies of everyday life.

So what have I tried to systematize in my random life? Well for starters, I get a lot of stomachaches. Might be due to stress, might be due to internalizing issues that causes me to develop somatic complaints (loong strech but hey!) So I bought some delicious ginger syrup from Cost Plus World Market. I put it on EVERYTHING from toast to sandwiches to marinades for meat. Yum. :) and yay.

I also like to fidget with my hands when I'm a bit tense. so I also made turtle bolopaos. Forgot a couple of ingredients but at least they look cute. Melobelo liked them. But I think from now on, I'll leave the bolopao making to the professionals. The bakers in Chinatown (especially in SF) are phenomenal. It's a real art to be able to make bread. I admire those that can.

Oh and the conferences. Great for developing public speaking skills and great for learning new things. Ni and I both attended two separate ones in the last month.


Here's Ni telling kiddies how great Cal is. (and it is!)

I presented a poster. ...read on!...