I’m back in Minnesota now. You betcha!

Since I can write about whatever I feel like, I think I will do so. First up: lettuce.

I was in SuperTarget (a Target with a built-in grocery store) today, casually meandering through the produce section. I used to work in a grocery store, so I appreciate the occasional wandering amongst foodstuffs. It was all I could do to hold back from reciting the code number for various fruits and vegetables: “Bananas! 4011!” Ug. But I digress. So I was walking around when I noticed what must be the bleeding edge in fresh produce one-upmanship: lettuce so fresh that it is still alive. Yes, they are now selling mass-produced lettuce with the roots intact. I guess it was a long time coming, considering the prevalence of live lobsters and such. Killing your own lettuce seems a logical next step. No word yet on whether or not the extra $$$ — uh, err, I mean freshness — makes the lettuce taste better.

While out shopping for backpacks today, something dawned on me: I used a bloody HUGE backpack for my books during high school and college. Based on an unscientific comparison between my new pack and my book pack, I’d say that my book pack has a capacity a healthy ways north of 3000 cubic inches — in other words, really big by book bag standards. Due to its size and numerous straps, I think that it’s actually a large day pack or maybe a small backpacking backpack. Anyhow, what’s the point? There are, in fact, two: a) It’s a shame that I’ve actually made use of all of my bag’s capacity on occasion while going to class and b) I think that kids would be better off if they used backpacks with “real” backpack features (namely, a waist strap).



Anyhow, that’s enough rambling for today.

Tonight marks the end of a chapter in my life. Tonight is my last night at the Pike house.

Time to turn the page…

Though I have heard a multitude of commencement speeches over the past few years, only two have gained permanent lodging in my mind. The first was in high school, when I was a junior watching the seniors graduate. The second was yesterday at my own college commencement.

I was sitting with the band, recovering from playing a gazillion choruses of “Pomp and Circumstance,” barely retaining consciousness while the endless parade of speakers droned on.

The only speech I remember from that high school commencement was given by a student. He was not the valedictorian or salutatorian (those people do not necessarily give speeches at my high school), but his wisdom needed no pedigree. As I was sitting, aware of my surroundings on only a subconscious level, I suddenly perked up. And I’m glad I did.

The speaker slowed his cadence and spoke closer to the microphone to hammer his point. “Shake the hand of your neighbor on your right,” he commanded the graduates. “Now shake your other neighbor’s hand.” He continued, “Take a good look at your classmates. This will probably be the last time many of you will ever see each other. It is appropriate that we have parted ways with a gesture of friendship.” So true.

I have not seen many of my high school friends since graduation. Likewise, I do not expect to see all of my college friends again. I’m not sure who I will see and who I will not; fate will decide that. However, I am making it a point to leave as friends with everybody I know. I am making certain to shake their hands and wish them luck in their endeavors. I know how way leads on to way, and I am not sure that we shall ever all be back at the same time. I made the best of the time I knew my friends, and they will always be such because of my investment.



Yesterday at my college commencement, I was sitting with my fellow graduates listening to our president, Dr. Samuel Hulbert, give the commencement address. I’ve heard Dr. Hulbert give numerous addresses over the years. They’ve all been memorable, but this one especially so. Sammy was obviously fraught with emotion as he gave his speech. It was his final one, of course: after 28 years as president of Rose-Hulman, he was retiring. The student body, the faculty, and the community deeply love Dr. Hulbert; and he, them. All of this made his speech more poignant. During several passages of the speech, Dr. Hulbert welled up and his voice quivered — out of character for a man of his stature, empathic though he is. It was wrenching and difficult not to be moved by his sentiment.



One such occasion occurred while he was talking about his childhood. He was reminiscing about how his family was quite poor but that his parents made it a point to get Christmas presents for the children of even poorer families. In his story, he talked about asking his mother why, with how little their own family had, they should be giving gifts to other children. Her response: “If we don’t, who else will?”

There, in those half-dozen words, was a summary heretofore unwritten of one of my central life tenets. It is the drive behind many of the things I do. I simply had never thought of putting it into words. That philosophy parallels a saying that I like to parlay: “Never be the last man to be the better man.” My big brother Kyle Allen used to say that phrase (origin unknown; maybe he first said it). I’ve always admired that maxim, much as I now do Sammy’s mother’s statement.

Make the world better. Don’t wait for somebody else to do it. Even if it’s somebody else’s responsibility, if it’s not getting done, step up to the challenge.

Do something. Force this to be the best of all possible worlds.

My couch has been moved out of my room, and today is my last day of work at the hospital. The end of school seems far more real now.

School is over. Seventeen years of formal education have finally culminated in this: my college degree.

People ask me how it feels to be done. Frankly, I feel today much as I did last week, and the week before that, and the week before that. I don’t think that the reality of my situation has set in yet. I imagine that it will finally dawn on me around the middle of October: summer will have ended but I won’t be in school.

I’ve immensely enjoyed the past four years, but it is time to move on.

I’m happy to say that I’m going out on top: for spring quarter (which included real classes, slaps), I pulled a 4.0. It’s interesting to note that my cumulative GPA has never varied more than +/- 0.04 since the autumn of my freshman year. In fact, my current (final) cumulative GPA is exactly the same as it was during my first quarter at Rose: 3.75. If nothing else, I’m consistent.

Last weekend was Pike Day. Good times. I missed the morning portion of it because I was working on a take-home exam, but the afternoon made up for it.

This week has been dubbed “Senior Week.” Since seniors don’t have any finals, we’re all doing pretty much whatever we want. Today we went canoeing, Thursday we’re hiring a karaoke outfit, and on Friday we’re going golfing. After that, our families will be in town, and it will be time for commencement.