Graduation and summer

Well, I haven't done much knitting in the past few days due to fear of ladders and working and, oh -- graduating high school.  You know.

DID I MENTION I'M DONE WITH HIGH SCHOOL FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER?!?!?

Never again will I be forced to encounter huge masses of dumbasses.  Never again will I be forced to sit through a class which doesn't somehow pertain to my major.  Never again will I have to encounter narrow-minded approaches to education.  Hell, never again will I be forced to go to class.  In college, if I hate a class, I can just teach myself and show up for the exams.  Likewise, if I want to learn about something, I can crash lectures.  I won't be forced to adhere to conservative school principles or principals, nor will I be treated like a brain-dead delinquent.  I can get involved in the things I want to get involved in without fear of restrictions.  I can live on my own.  I can be freeeeee!

Commencement was actually a lot better than I thought it was going to be.  Mr. Zeck gave a good speech about not settling for some half-ass rate of yourself and achieving great things; he also managed to take a good spin on labels.  Taylor's speech was cute and personalized to our class and even though I don't like the guy very much, it made me smile.  I thought Mr. Kelly fucking up people's names was hilarious, though in retrospect it was pretty horrible.  These kids were graduating and he messed up their names, paused, held up the whole thing, and had to find the right name.  I probably only thought it was hilarious because I personally know Mr. Kelly.

After commencement was a little weird though, because I found my family immediately and found everyone I wanted to see immediately, and then after that I wanted to leave.  Here's everyone, hugging everybody and their mother, and then here's me, desperately wanting to leave because I really only like about 15 members of my graduating class.  I'm such a misanthrope.

Now, on with life.  I have a national debate tournament to attend, but after that, no obligations.  Now is the time that I can start being everything I want to be.  I've got all the time in the world, and I am damn excited.

To kick things off, yesterday I bought the Bhagavad Gita and the most kickass thermos I've ever seen.  These may seem like two very minor things, but this book will shape much of my life philosophy, and this thermos will hold my drinks wherever I go to read it.  The thermos will keep drinks cold for 4 hours, hot for 1 hour, is double insulated and has the best leak-seal protection I've ever seen.  Amazing amazing amazing.