Graduation

Tomorrow morning at 0900 I graduate from MIOBC. While the graduation has nowhere near the level of anticipation and excitment of my West Point graduation, it has brought about a tiny bit of emotion on my part. Mainly the emotion is due to having to say goodbye to friends, some of whom I've known for four years, and some who I have only known for four months. I'll also miss AZ in a tiny way, though it is tiny. Once the weather started cooling down a bit to where I could get away with wearing a sweatshirt at night I started to enjoy AZ much more, especially the evening and night sky. Having grown up in the tree-covered north, it has been a new experiance to be able to see for miles with out any trees to get in the way. The sky also appears much larger here since the terrain is so open around here. The mountains are different than the ones at West Point, and I will miss them in their own way. I'll also miss the comfort of having some sort of daily routine, although it took me about a month to settle in here and I'm sure I'll eventually settle into a new one where ever I end up next.

I've spent the past two weeks outprocessing and spending time with friends. Last week on Tuesday my class went bowling together during the day, and then on t Wednesday Rachel, Vivian, Natalie and I went to see the Moscow Ballet perform the Nutcracker. Over the weekend I baked treats for my class at the Munsey's house as well as Vivian and Natalie's apartment. On Monday I went on a tour of Kartchner Caverns with Rachel and her parents, and then Kate and Jordan threw a graduation dinner for me at Jared's house and Jared grilled steak, salmon, and vegetables for us. (On a side note, what is the normal way to core a head of lettuce? Jordan and I think the smashing method is normal, but Kate, Jared, and Matt(?) had never heard of it before and thought we were crazy.)

As a graduation gift Jordan gave me, among other things, a little black book. It actualy has sheets of graph paper in it instead of address lines, but she told me that it was the only little black book she could find and said that after I write down someone it in, I can call her and Kate up and keep them informed. Somehow I can't see myself being able to actually write very many, if any, names in it, although had she given it to me at the beginning of OBC I'd have one name in it already, although it would be crossed out by now. Yes, I did go on a few dates with a guy here, but it was only a short time before we both agreed that we were not the right person for each other.

On that note, it's getting late and I have to get up ealier tomorrow than I have in about 2.5 weeks (6am). As I've been alluding to, life's been pretty easy here the past two weeks.