My parents came to my home in the late morning, and we went to the ceremony together.
Mom and me (Dad learns to use my camera)
For the ceremony, they had us candidates line up in corrals and wait around for a while. Dad had my camera, so I didn't get pictures of this particular part of the process. Then we marched in...
The ceremony is fun, with the faculty fashion show (different styles of academic regalia), and Jay Keyser reading the names (I know Jay from linguistics classes, as well as the jazz band and Senior House). He did a double take when he got to my name, and slapped my arm with a big smile.
Me getting hooded, way in the middle
Me marching back to seat, with my new hood
The ceremony didn't take too long, but it was hot, so we were happy to be done...
Me, milling around as we're breaking up
I met my parents there, and Lyman too, and we swung by the reception afterwards on Steinbrenner field, grabbed a brownie and a cup of lemonade. We also managed to meet Jay Keyser and check in with him, caught up a little.
Next stop was Ashdown House, my grad dorm. We took advantage of the photo opportunity at the front steps.
Shot in front of Ashdown House
From the rear, showing the hood
The Ashdown housemasters, Beth and Vernon Ingram, hosted a little social hour. They had a melon platter, tiny bite-size quiches and finger rolls, and champagne. This was all very much appreciated, after the heat and chaos outside, and we all had an excellent time chatting and hanging out, the Ingrams are so nice. They came to Ashdown House as housemasters in the fall of 1985, right when I arrived there, and now they're leaving it, just when I'm leaving.
With the Ingrams, in their suite
Finally my parents treated me to a sumptuous dinner at the Bay Tower (at Faneuil Hall, 60 State St, 33rd floor), featuring a commanding view of the waterfront, inner harbor, and East Boston. We got to watch sailboat races in the harbor, with an occasional freighter blundering through, and the setting sun lighting up the Custom House tower while gulls and falcons swoop around.
I don't usually eat food this fancy, so the selections stick in my mind ... Wine: a very tart pinot noir. Appetizer: ostrich and golden raisin sausages, chipotle, mango, pistachios, and fried polenta. Entree: peanut crusted mahimahi, basmati rice, slivered snow pea pods, fava beans. Dessert: chocolate orange mousse cake with raspberries and orange glaze, and a snifter of Courvoisier. Everything was fantastic.
And to top it all off, when I got home in the deepening twilight, there were fireworks going on to the west (about four miles away, by the time delay), like a little celebration for me.
Me with the guy in front of me in line
Me with the woman behind me in line
The procession took us around the athletic field, going through a couple of checkpoints to confirm who's there, and along Mass Ave and Memorial Drive to the great court.
Processing along Memorial Drive
The commencement ceremony was nice, with a good inclusive invocation and the main address by Daniel Goldin, director of NASA.
Address by Goldin, you can just barely see him
Learning my lesson from yesterday, I had provided myself with a bag lunch, snacks, water bottles, and a book to read, so I had a very pleasant time occupying myself while the names were read. At one point, a batch of mylar NASA balloons were launched, floated up over the audience, and dropped a bunch of parachutes with little stuffed beavers (I think, I didn't get to see one up close).
Balloon dropping beavers with parachutes
I was close to the end of the procession and the presentation. After I got my diploma [PICTURES COMING], I spotted my folks and left the student section to join them.
I took my parents up to my office, to relax a bit, enjoy a small bottle of wine (which was brewed for Eurospeech 99), and spend a little time with Ken Stevens, my thesis advisor. But after all these festivities, I was about commenced out, so we split pretty soon and I went home, to take a shower and relax a bit before the party.
The party was a lot of fun, not too many people, just a nice size of gathering. Lyman picked up a platter of Vietnamese spring rolls, and we picked fresh strawberries from my garden, and we had several different kinds of good craft beer.
Sally and Lyman chillin in the kitchen
Carl tries on my mortarboard, with Jen
Carl tries on my glasses, with Dave
As the party went on into the evening, the quality of photography deteriorated a bit!
Mood shot of beer and Vietnamese spring rolls
Ted in profile, Linda in background
Ted in profile, Anat in background
Ted tasting scotch (nice shirt)
Thanks to everyone who's helped me through the doctoral experience!
This page maintained by Wil Howitt
