Ok definitely need an update!

Last Thurs: This was the first day we kind of needed to be back at MHC... Things were actually planned for us. In the morning, I went with Alex to Laura's brunch get together. We had a little trouble finding the bed and breakfast, but all was well once we got there. And the mimosa definitely helped relieve the symptoms of a cold or allergies (couldn't figure it out). I decided to drop the canoe sing activity, since I didn't want to be totally overbooked. So I went home and slept... Then got ready for the senior bbq in the backyard of the president's house. It was a beautiful day... we sat at a patio table, and then moved into the sun for dessert. Beer & ice cream... don't really go together. Loved hanging out with my neighbors & friends again -- as time was winding down, I was getting progressively sadder about leaving MHC.

Afterwards, I hung out with Karuna & Susan until Final Lecture... which was entertaining, although the first speaker had a serious speech for us, that didn't mesh with the latter two, or the purpose of the event. Luckily it didn't last much beyond a half hour, because I had to rush home to see the season finale of the OC! (Which was awesome!) Jen came down with wine and we drank and yelled at the tv. Jen was ready to leave with all the violence.

I was planning on hanging out with Mom and Tim in the evening, but they have the same bad luck with airplanes as I do. True to form, the airlines screwed up and had delays at both PDX & Chicago. They really can't get their s*#! together. But it turned out to be for the best, as I went with Karuna & Susan to D Becky's wine & cheese party. The bunny was in good form, and I got some funny pictures. We ate... and drank... and watched ER. Got to bed rather late, but tried not to worry too much!

Friday morning was a long ass graduation rehearsal. First of all, I couldn't figure out why they had people speaking to us (some from the CDC). It seemed to be a time filler while we completed surveys on our experience at MHC and our future plans. I didn't appreciate my time being wasted when I wanted to sleep and rest up for a very busy day. Then, they had every single person who wasn't happy with how their name was announced stand in ONE LINE and correct the prof. reading. Which is fine -- if they want to wait in a line instead of filling out the form given to us way back in Sept, that should be their waste of time. But to make ALL OF US wait, when they could have just done the corrections at the conclusion of the rehearsal after letting the rest of us GO (who either have easy to pronounce names, or sent in the form as asked), was frankly inconsiderate and ridiculous. Kathleen and I were literally lying down trying to fall asleep on the small carpeted area of the field house. Argh! Even I filled out a form, and my name is ridiculously common in this country.

Luckily, Mom and Tim didn't head over to MHC right away that morning. I grabbed lunch at Blanchard (amidst confused alums), and headed up to the Delles. I went toward the front of the building, thinking that perhaps I'd intercept Mom and Tim somehow. Lo and behold, there they were, chatting with other parents, right in front of the Delles! So I showed them around, we took a walk all over campus & ate, went through the million dollar garden & looked at bullfrogs in the smaller pond, walked toward upper lake, and then decided to go to Amherst in the later afternoon.

First, though, Tim had some unfinished business to attend to -- he decided to arrange with FM to make a sign with the MHC stencil on it. Amazingly, in the time it took Mom and I to do some errands, Tim had gotten this sign made. It'll look cool later, I'm thinking in my stable with two horses... =) Afterwards, we got food and ate on the Amherst green. It was getting a tad chilly... we headed back to MHC.

In the evening, Andrew got there just in time to walk with us over to Abbey Chapel. It was great. They played Havah Nagilah, and Karuna had a beautiful solo! Mom & Tim decided to go back to the hotel, and Andrew & I stayed in.

Saturday was busy, busy... Bright and early, we headed over to Abbey/ Buck in our white for the laurel parade. I really wanted to carry the laurel, which nearly backfired later on when alums were yelling at me to catch up before the laurel broke! But before that, we had like 40 minutes of sitting there in the cold. Luckily Mum bought me a white cardigan, so I wasn't totally freezing. I stepped on a worm, which scared me because I didn't notice till I'd basically cut it in two. We finally started, marching with the other alums, and then marching between them to the grave. They had lots of great signs, and everyone was in their class colors. We did our weaving around the grave, getting a bit unwielding in formation, and then sang a rather disjointed version of Bread and Roses. Difficult to find people afterwards!!

I finally turned in my thesis to the English Dept., changed clothes, and went to the alum meeting in the amphitheater, which was scorching in the sun. Then we had the community picnic, which was decent... drank wine... sat kind of lazily for the Phi Beta Kappa induction... ran back in the now drizzling weather to put away the certificate, then suddenly the sun was out again, and hurried over the English dept. at home. Yummy carrot cake =) Very cool introducing Mum & Tim to Corinne & Quillian and everyone... Hugged Bev, talked with Laura... ahh such fun! Then I think Mom and Tim were ready to go (Prof. A. was later wondering where they were)... after Corinne had them reading my thesis!! Ack. I walked back to the dorm with Andrew & Laura.

Dinner was the Under the Stars theme, under the huge tent on Skinner Green. We sat with Laura and Kathleen, both of whom my mother LOVED. She said they both had elements of a girlfriend she had way back when. I had lots of chocolate mousse, and it soon became apparent that I have no table manners =) Then, in the drizzle, we had the baccheloreate ceremony. Emily C. had a speech, JoJo, a chaplain, Profs. Renda & Chen (I think?)... and singing... and then it was suddenly over. Rather strangely spiritual sending off. Standing out gathering everyone up, Korisha's mother (who is incredibly cool, I fell in love with her in the like combined 15 minutes I was around her) was about ready to bring me back with them. Had a little encounter with a public safety officer, who was offering to see her home or something... odd! But the evening wasn't over... Andrew and I caught the very end of the canoe sing (unfortuately we didn't get there till late because we were getting ready to be out at the party). Then we wandered around... and I wished we had gotten right to the canoe sing and THEN gotten ready, instead of missing so much of it. Eventually perked up again with some beer at the party. Ran into Karuna & Susan & Jen & Janet (and her brother!) & Andrew's friends. Merry was about ready to keep me partying till 4 am. Luckily she let me go! =)

Sunday morning, tired and sleepy, I was off after a quick breakfast to line up for commencement. It was inside, unfortunately. Lots of marching to bagpipes and running to catch up in line and sitting. Nina Totenberg's speech was OK, except for the "girls' school" slip up. Claudia's speech was awesome though! Walking across the stage was strangely anticlimatic. I think my exact thoughts were "step step OK shake, get the paper packet, don't fall down, get going, down the stairs, should I pause here for pictures?" Yeah not so exciting. Afterwards, I had a teary goodbye with Corinne, and hung out with Beth, Korisha, and Liz. Ahh... sadness. Leaving is so sad =(

After the reception (yum cheesecake and fudge), Mom and Tim went to Brinfield antiquing, while Andrew and I packed up my room. We dropped stuff off at Salvation Army, ate one last time at Osaka, got ice cream to go from Herrell's, got cake & cookies for Mum and Tim, & got coffee from Rao's for Andrew (that along with the fudge sauce from Herrell's was his taste of the valley birthday present... wish I had thought of that earlier!) Back at the Delles, Mum & Tim had dessert and I finished up packing. They left to sleep (before their trips to Mystic & Newport the next day) while Andrew and I got everything together, had a last fun conversation with Claudia, Karuna, and Craig, and then drove back to Boston. We got in around 1 am... Luckily Andrew slept in the next day and just went to work late. I was so tired I started falling down in the shower... staying up till 3 am after a busy commencement weekend is so not a good idea!

Monday I just slept, basically. And watched TV. And went food shopping. Yum mango fried rice! Same with Tuesday. I watched movies... some Young Frankenstein, Snake Pit, Dolores Claiborne, Princess Bride, etc. Weds. I went to work at W2K... loved seeing everyone! But the office was FREEZING. The management CLEVERLY turned off the heating system on May 15th, and even in light of record setting low "highs" in the 40's, couldn't be bothered to turn it back on. Or even to turn off the autopilot AC, for that matter. Warmed up with buffalo chicken for dinner!

Thurs. I went in to work again, this time armed with three sweaters and a blanket. No joke. People were seriously walking around with blankets wrapped around them. Arggghh! Oh I finally experienced the cafe food a bit. Usually I avoid that. But the chocolate cookies are oh so yummy. Kinda sad to leave the office for the last time. I spent so much time there last summer... Said goodbye's to the other interns & Charlene. On the way home, we picked out Andrew's glasses... And then had our last dinner at 9 Tastes. More mango fried rice! Last night we also watched Kinsey, which was good, but not as good as I'd hoped.

Today I've just been watching TV & packing for my flight tomorrow... so nice to just relax finally!