On this here diploma...
Oh, hey, didn't see you there...
It's been a while, LJ. But I thought I could use a little bit of a clearinghouse for the last few months. Maybe even the last few years. I'm laying on an air mattress with my old futon thrown on it for extra fluff. In Texas. In the same room I moved into sixteen years ago when my family moved from Lago Vista to Georgetown. The first new thing about it, however?
The diploma next to me. The black leather case emblazoned with the Pacific University seal dated 1849 and the motto PRO CHRISTO ET REGNO EJUS (“For Christ and His Kingdom”). It's not a religious college now, by the way, and I doubt you could find any colleges in the USA older than a hundred years that don't have a religious origin. Little known fact: alumni include the lead singer of HEART, Nancy Wilson, and the creator of Erector sets. Man, I loved both those as a kid. The diploma within notifies that the University Board of Trustees conferred the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) upon me. It does not note the History minor I achieved or the copious number of Japanese language and culture classes I sprinkled in or my attempts at Taiko and Eisa performance or...
Well, you can't detail an entire academic story on one sheet of paper with all the fancy signatures and seals.
I did it. I mortgaged a hell of a lot of future earnings on loans, worked for scholarships and grants, spent two years working in the library for Federal Work Study, did other odd jobs, enjoyed the fact that Oregon DOES invest in its academic future by extending food stamp benefits to starving college students, and spent many a late night perfecting essays and stories.
And what's really quite cool? The diploma doesn't mention all of that, but it does note I graduated Summa Cum Laude, the highest academic honor offered. I made it out with a 3.910 GPA. I like that. I earned that. And it will help later.
So, I got this shiny new diploma. Excuse me, I haven't really had a chance to properly gush until now. I only now realize so.
Huh.
More later.