Life has proffered various bedevilments over the years. C'est la vie. Some of the more amusing (and predictable) include: unrequited love, smoking cessation, forays into the depths of madness, fishhook inadvertently stuck in hand, excessive alcohol consumption, and arguments with all and sundry. In retrospect, however, few of life's bedevilments have proven more consistently annoying than post-secondary education.
After several stabs at college, finally snagged a BA (which was BS, really) in East Asian Studies. Spent six semesters studying Chinese only to be fully unable to speak it in ordinary conversation. Well, whatever. Went to Japan, instead.
The acquisition of the BA led to a solemn pledge never to set foot in a university again... except maybe to use the toilet. That vow, uttered in earnest before the dear and fluffy lord and at least two fellow meat bags, held up for exactly three years. Then, it was off to grad school!
Contrary to expectations, grad school was actually pretty damned interesting. Learned some genuinely useful shit. Met some genuinely interesting folks. Also met a few dispicable chowderheads. Mostly interesting folks. Became painfully aware, though, how unsuitable the life of an academia nut is (at least for this carbon blob). While out at a restaurant with fellow grad students, one smarmy, pedantic little troll started blathering about going right on to get a doctorate. Immediately made a solemn vow before the dear and fluffy lord not to pursue any additional, additional schooling. Just can't do it. Gold stars on the fridge to those who can do it. Frankly, would rather use a hedgehog in lieu of toilet paper than get the third degree.
And speaking of paper: in the way back when, diplomas were printed on parchment, vellum, or sheepskin rather than paper. Some people still refer to diplomas as sheepskins. The practice continued here and there as a decadence. One of the last places in the United States of America to confer actual sheepskin diplomas was Rice University in Houston, Texas. They quit doing so in 2012, citing cost and handling problems. Figures. Electric lights made candles pretty goddamned expensive. Works that way for many things.
At any rate, got an official letter from the grad school t'other day saying that all the criteria for the masters program have been fulfilled. Iz grajuit. For realz. This diploma will be made from paper, and not snipped from ovine hindquarters.
That said, shall now make (yet) another pledge before the dear and fluffy lord and all who read this blog: this meat bag is done collecting sheepskins.
And speaking of paper: in the way back when, diplomas were printed on parchment, vellum, or sheepskin rather than paper. Some people still refer to diplomas as sheepskins. The practice continued here and there as a decadence. One of the last places in the United States of America to confer actual sheepskin diplomas was Rice University in Houston, Texas. They quit doing so in 2012, citing cost and handling problems. Figures. Electric lights made candles pretty goddamned expensive. Works that way for many things.
At any rate, got an official letter from the grad school t'other day saying that all the criteria for the masters program have been fulfilled. Iz grajuit. For realz. This diploma will be made from paper, and not snipped from ovine hindquarters.
That said, shall now make (yet) another pledge before the dear and fluffy lord and all who read this blog: this meat bag is done collecting sheepskins.
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