Graduation 2011

Well, it came and went. And surprisingly, I didn't shed a tear. I went prepared for my faucets to leak, but in the end, I was just a proud mom who soaked it in instead of wanting to stop time. That was nice for a change.

This kid is as quirky as they come! The whole week before he kept saying things like "Why is this such a big deal?" "This really isn't going to be that fun." "You don't even need to come." . . . And then, the valedictorian not wearing gold tassels? "They are optional," says he. He tied the required medallion into his tie so that it was not very noticeable. And when he wasn't on the floor, it was either on Matt or in his pocket. This is the only picture I got with his medallion not covered up or tied up.

Had to hold my buttons on so they didn't burst when he was the first grad to walk in. . .

His cute face on the big screen.

The sly grin he flashed when he cracked a joke:

Cache is quite aglow in this shot, but it shows that others are enjoying his speech. Chandler leaned over to me during it and asked me why people weren't laughing (only snickering). Then he said, "'Cause the guy's hilarious. . . they just don't get him."

Comments he received after his speech were like unto these:

"You definitely didn't print that speech off the Internet!"

"I loved Cache's speech, only I needed him to slow down so I could soak up the humor and keep up with his intellect."

I know I'll not be very popular for posting this, but a family historian's got to do what a family historian got to do! Here's his 2 minute speech (perhaps if you don't mention I posted this, I'll be safe. . . ):

Greetings, fellow Earthlings.

Do you know what I think this world needs? More imagination. More creativity. More spaceships!

It seems to me that the world has come down with a bad case of conventionality. We are too ordinary. Liven up, people! And don't try to get out of it by saying that if everyone was extraordinary, then it would be ordinary to be extraordinary. I want to see some action.

We can start by thinking unconventionally. Sometimes we think that there are rules for thinking. The only rules for thinking are those we establish by predetermination. Rules such as these needn't necessarily be followed.

Albert Einstein broke the rules of conventional thinking. So did Pablo Picasso. Do you see the commonality of “genius”?

Challenge the traditional frame of mind. Push a few mental boundaries. Think something!

I guess I should probably work in the theme of our graduation. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Dreams and imagination are closely related, though I would imagine by marriage rather than by blood. Dreams are rather hazy, a product of the subconscious. But imagination is consciousness at its best.

Imagination breeds creativity. At this point, that would make creativity something like the nephew of dreams. But I digress.

The arts are often thought of as imaginative, and with good reason. They employ the creative brain, yes. I once read a bit from an author that I like. He said “The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

Isn't that nice?

What made Henry David Thoreau so revered by history? His remarkable method of thinking. It was something different, something fresh. He was somehow able to transcend the materialistic world and live contentedly in solitude. And it was impressive. Why? Because no one else was doing it.

If you find yourself using your imagination and you want some company, seek out those who share your same enthusiasm and form some sort of society. It could even be a secret. Something like “The Society for the Addition of The Element of Surprise to the Periodic Table.” Then make yourself an agenda.

The important thing to remember is this: In whichever direction your imagination takes you, it's probably as good as any.

Peace.

(Maybe you had to be there. . ?. . . ?. . . )

A few final shots. . . (the robe fresh out of the bag at the Marriott Center. . .didn't bother him to sport wrinkles) . . . Cache with his best friend, Matt Pockrus (I didn't take any with his whole group---oops).

And after it was all over, he said, "Well, I guess that wasn't all that bad." No. No it wasn't. I actually enjoyed it. Thanks for the awesome night, Cache.