The Sonikcycle Syndicate

On Sunday, May 18, 2008, I followed the time-honored UVa tradition of walking the Lawn. I thoroughly enjoyed the pomp and circumstance as I reveled in the ritual of UVa’s Final Exercises. Admittedly, I didn’t have high hopes for the commencement speech, but Hunter R. Rawlings III came through with a well-crafted bit of oration befitting the occasion.

I particularly enjoyed the conferment ritual whereby the dean of each school presents the candidates to the university president who then orally confers the degree and challenges the candidates to do good in the world (he actually makes remarks relevant to each field, e.g. to the MBAs and Commerce grads he said, in essence, “be ethical and don’t steal”). There was something powerful in all of that, I think it has to do with the power of words. It’s one thing to receive a piece of paper that says one is now this, that, or the other, but when combined with the power vested in a verbal proclamation by UVa’s President and Board of Visitors, there’s simply more meaning, at least to me ;o)>>>

Without a doubt, pursuing a doctoral degree was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’m thankful to all who helped me achieve my goal, especially Dr. Who, a.k.a. Steve Whitaker who went well beyond the call of duty as co-chair of my committee!

I do not intend to pursue any more degrees, nor do I intend to blog about this subject ever again, cuz I’m DONE!!!

I just had a couple of those drop-everything-and-attend-to-a-forgotten-deadline days—the kind of days that drive the Type A, uber-organizers absolutely buggy, and makes those who sweat bureaucratic bullets most anxious like. The short end of a not-so-long story is that the day before my Application for Graduation was due, I noticed that I didn’t have enough dissertation credits to graduate! Last Spring, when I thought I had registered for 12 credit hours, I had in fact only signed up for 1. Since my Application packet included a transcript that shows I have fulfilled the coursework/credit requirements, something had to be done, namely drop everything, scurry about, fill out forms, track down professors, interrupt them for signatures, sign up for more credits, and then work the system and its caretakers.

I almost want to say that I live for such days, but I don’t, really. However, there is something about the thrill of making a “deadline” after successfully navigating unforeseen obstacles that suddenly emerge. It’s not like I set these situations up intentionally, but this happens frequently enough in my life that I’ve come to appreciate the game-like tenor of such activity. I think it might have something to do with the amount of focus required… There is something uniquely satisfying when everything but a single series of tasks falls away leaving nothing but a pure sense of primitive purpose.

I also think such activity somehow reaffirms my laid-back, loosey-goosey style—there’s a time and place for everything… if it needs to get done, then done it shall be!