This weekend we took a vacation to attend commencement at Caltech. This marked the formal end of my Ph.D. program. Some people don’t feel compelled to attend such events. After all, my degree requirements were completed 6 months ago and the degree would have been conferred in my absence. However, this ceremony was important to me. Ceremonies are the mile markers in our biographical highways indicating important spots to exit for a stroll down memory lane.
I read a book in college titled Raising a Modern Day Knight that argued that ceremonies are vital to establishing our sense of manhood (this book was about raising boys). These days the line of demarcation between childhood and adulthood is very blurry. Celebrating events of significance defines the path to maturity. My graduation is the latest event on my road to manhood. I still don’t feel as though I have arrived (you might agree if you caught me playing Xbox late at night). But I will celebrate this moment and store it away.
By the way, the Caltech commencement ceremony can be viewed as a streaming video here.
Well,
Here is a formal congrats to you. After any big accomplishment like this you derserve the right to be recognized for it. You should just go by “The Doctor” now like a certain show on Scifi.
Mike
i agree with “the doctor” idea. felicidades, smart friend! i’m glad you were able to make it to the ceremony, and i’m glad you used a cool metaphor to talk about it. 🙂
HOORAY FOR YOU (and Megan and the boys!) AND THE DOCTORATE! I’m glad you made it to California to celebrate your well-deserved ceremony. The victory of your many hours of work is worth remembering.
Congrats dude! Denise found your blog thingy and sent me the link. Hope all is well with you in Houston. Call me and we’ll catch up soon. As for your new name, I’m thinking some sort of superhero inspired something, and you need to start wearing a pink silk suit and referring to yourself in the third person.