Bittersweet Symphony

Graduation was a lot of fun considering how long the ceremony was - luckily I went to college, so we only had maybe 1,000 grads from only 5 faculties, but university convocations can go on for days with thousands of robed monkeys waiting around to get a fake diploma. Maybe only my school did this, but the diploma they gave us on stage was a fake - we had to trade in our robe in order get our actual diploma, as if we were going to run off with them. My mom already got the real diploma framed.






















I wore the cutest vintage dress from Exile in Kensington ($30 + $25 alterations). When I got up on stage, some of the more fashion savvy teachers complimented me, which was nice and I got lots of hugs from my old teachers. It's so weird that some of them used to intimidate me. Nothing like a little time and perspective to show us how most teachers are full of shit. But good shit - well-meaning shit.






















Later that night, I went out with Ryan, Jonathan, Ashley and Jen for celebratory drinks. Enjoying cheap drinks at the Gladstone, Ashley and I did a deafening rendition of Ain't No Mountain High Enough, after which a 60 year old lady wearing a sequinced vest came up to me to compliment my dress.






















After eight rounds of beer (rum and coke for Ash) and two rounds of vodka shots, we were all acting a little crazy (except I was sober, but I'm used to being crazy all the time) so we went through McDonald's drive-in (defying our diets) and played Texas Hold-em til 3 a.m. while Scarface was on in the background. Ashley was kicking all our asses except in the final rounds when Ryan beat her three times in a row all on the river.






















This picture is the perfect snapshot of what Ryan and my relationship is all about!