I'm Finally Gradumacated!

After being in the accelerated 6 year program at UCSD I finally gradumacated in Biology and Italian Literature. AHHHHH!!! The sigh of relief. I can honestly say that I am so glad to be done with that school. But before I go off on all of its failures I would like to describe the wonderful weekend that I had prior to said gradumacation. Friday night I went to a pinata party for a boy named Riccardo. The highlight was the pinata that never ended, they would just hang it up again all taped up and hit it some more.
Saturday I picked up Ruthie in the evening and we went to the best restaurant in town De Medici's. It's a great Italian place downtown and I ate the best meal I have ever eaten in my whole life. Honestly, the best. First of all we sat in one of the special booths that faces the steet and it was about a foot higher than every other table in the place. Everything was perfect, the lighting, the music, the service and the food. We had gnocchi with pesto and gorgonzola sauce and then their speciality plate. Grilled sol with lobster and crab stuffed in it. The arrangement was amazing with some spinach, carrots with cinnamon, asparagus and the best potatoes ever piped around the edge of the plate. A little bit of all and it made the perfect bite. I loved it. For dessert we had some cannoli. Sorry, I just had to get the Italian dessert.
Then on Sunday we picked up Erin from the airport. So Ruthel gets the great idea to go wearing nothing but bathing suits and sarongs, so we did. I just want to point out that it was her idea, not mine. Yeah, I felt like an idiot and completely naked, but the look on E$'s face was priceless. We hit La Jolla shores like all the other sunlovers and just hung out. My good friend Nate came as well to suffer through an interegation from Rufus and E. Then the hot tub and dinner at Steph and Jer's house.
It was nice to just relax.
Monday morning was the big moment. Truth and Steph made a lei with candy and money and Bruno bought me a flower one for me too. The ceremony wasn't too long or boring, but some highlights were:
1) One guy trying to do a funky dance across the stage and tripping and falling.
2) A girl named Tiffany Channel, I wonder where her mom shops?
3) The speaker with a baby voice telling a fable.
4) The chancellor having the parents stand up and saying "You are the wind beneath their wings." then the realeasing of white doves. Really lame.
5) Seeing all the chancellors and teachers wearing funky robes and hats like it was the next Harry Pothead movie.
6) Jamming out to Wilson Phillip's "Hold On" as post ceremony music, interesting choice of music
7) Listening to all the majors of the graduates. Science was 95% of the majors there.
Afterwards we had lunch at Anthony's on the bay and I ate some good mahi mahi, but not the best meal of my life. See above for the best meal of my life. I sent some boxes home with Bruno in prep for my relocation to Kentucky and then we watched Ocean's 13. Not my favorite Ocean but it was fun. Dropped the kids off at the airport and hit the gym. A perfect way to end the weekend. It was fun. I wasn't really too excited about the ceremony, but with everyone being here, it meant a lot to me and I had a great time. Great party and we'll do this again in 2 years, Appalachian style!!

Memorial Day Weekend with Bruno

Monday before Memorial Day weekend I get a call from my dad who has decided that it would be fun to go to Boise to see my cousin Ken's wedding. Having never been to all parts of Idaho except Boise I accepted his offer to pay for my plane ticket to Sacramento so that we could drive from there to Boise. I was in charge of a bridal shower, but was able to go setting it all up beforehand. (Side note: I first wrote "bridle shower" which made me laugh because that would have been one crazy party for the horses.) The drive wasn't bad and we did NOT get a ticket which is incredible for these two drivers. My favorite part is when my dad would tell ME to slow down, like he should talk at all on this subject. I think he has more tickets than I do years on this planet.
On the border between Nevada and Oregon(crazy to think we went to 4 states in one trip) there was an accident and the highway was shut down for hours, but we only had to wait for a while. But the crazy thing was when we drove by the accident the asphalt was burnt. A SUV hit a semi and burned. We got into town that morning at 2 and then the next day we explored the town.
I must say I was thoroughly impressed with Boise. It had some tall buildings and a nice downtown area. We stopped by the temple and also checked out the field at Boise State. They have blue astroturf, but a really weird blue. The stadium was locked up so we walked around and found a constuction site that had some holes in it. The field was crazy blue and I'm told they have problems with ducks landing on it in and dying, because they think that it's water.
That night we went to Ken's wedding. It was very nice and it was great to see some of the cousins whom I probably haven't seen in 10 years. Aunt Margaret is always a hoot to hang with and overall it was a very nice wedding. One thing I really liked was that they took polaroid pictures as you walked it and then they gave you a sheet to fill out for their scrapbook. Great idea, maybe you could use this Quickhands come November.
There is one picture of a new friend I made at the wedding. His name was Rod. We immediately hit it off and if he wasn't so busy with his band, I'm sure it would've worked out between us. He was a great date to the wedding and I will miss him a lot. Please notice the pink glove, its what I first loved about him.