Hifh School Graduation

Another first!! It seems as if there have been a number of firsts in my life in the past few years. Actually, it has been awhile, but I was the first member of my family to graduate from a 2-year community college, back in 1998. There had been members of the family who had completed fire training, police training, auto mechanics school, food management courses, and Certified Nurses Assistant courses, but I was the first to complete a regular 2 year college course, with an Associate of Arts degree. That is since my Mother, who graduated from San Jose State (it was called San Jose Normal then) back around 1915. And it only took me 50 years to do it. Yes, I graduated from high school in 1948 and from Yuba Community College in 1998. Last year, I had three members of the family graduate from a school. My oldest daughter, Kathy, graduated from Yuba Com. College; my youngest grandson graduated from Marysville High School, and his sister (my youngest grandchild) graduated from grade school. Now, this year, my oldest GREAT-grandchild, the granddaughter of the daughter who graduated from College last year, graduated from Marysville High School. They're going to be keeping me busy with graduations for a few years. Next year, if things go right, I'll have two or three graduating from Yuba, and it's going to be that way now, for several years. My sister-in-law once said I got just as excited over the 5th or 6th or 10th grandchild as I did the first, and I think it will be the same with these graduations. Each one is such a major step in the life of that particular person, I can't help but be proud and excited.

Having a GREAT grandchild graduate from high school really made me realize that I am not a young person any more. My physical problems have shown that for several years, but last night, I really felt it in my senses. I didn't get all emotional, no tears or anything like that, but something that seems to have become common in these graduations, and which I do not care for at all, is the stunts the graduates themselves pull, and some of the things that happen at an event like this. I'm not sure how many graduates there were, but I'm sure it was well over 200, so, as has been a long standing thing with this high school, the ceremony was held in the football stadium. Well, out in the open like that, I guess certain things can be expected, but that doesn't make me like them any better. One thing last night, that I found to be very annoying to me personally, was people blowing the canned air horns. A lady sitting just behind and to the right of me, had one, and she really blasted it. Those things are LOUD. I asked her very nicely not to do it, and sure enough a few graduates further down the list, she did it again. Again, I asked her very politely to please not blow that thing anymore. She just ignored me, but, one of the security guards on duty did come along and confiscated four or five of the horns. Well, that just made it a game. When he would walk by, there was no sight of one, and as soon as the guard went by, someone would bring out a horn, blast it, and put it away before the guard could catch them. This became quite a game for some of the people, my own family included. Personally, I found it very offensive to the people sitting around who did not like it, and the fact that they were literally making fun of the guards. As the diplomas were presented and the graduates left the platform, some of them were doing tricks, turning handsprings, etc. I left as soon as my Grgranddaughter got her diploma so I could beat the crowds to the rest room so I missed some of the stunts the grads pulled. I understand they had beach-balls tucked under their clothes, and were blowing them up during the ceremony; some of them, mine included, had cans of crazy string didden in their clothes, etc. OK, now why don't I like things like this? Well, to me it ruins the effect - the solemnity of the ceremony, etc. That's what I mean - my age is telling on me. A graduation like this is supposed to me a major, serious, event in the life of the kids, and then such things as these stunts go on - not for me, sorry.

Well, I guess I have vented enough, so I will close for now. Have a nice summer, everyone, and

That's all folks!!