Is There a Doctor in the House?

The title of this post was repeated several times this past weekend as my family and I celebrated the culmination of the past 6 years - the earning of my Doctor of Pharmacy degree. This is apparently the new buzz word (if you would've attended the hooding ceremony, you would understand this). My name was called by a woman who looked like she escaped from the England section of Busch Gardens. Her robes rivaled only those of William Shakespeare. Her hat was slightly askew as if to say, "I've had one gin too many this morning." Nonetheless her dislike of pharmacy was evident. To her I say, kiss my doctor ass and it was I who screwed up your processional. Whoever thought of having the graduation ceremony outside should be shot. Under my gown and pharmacy hood, it was about 90 degrees. I decided after sitting in the sun from 11AM to 2:00PM, it was time for me to exit. I figured it was fitting for the Doctor of Pharmacy to follow the professors out of the ceremony. This apparently was not her design. Oops! For dinner, my entire family went to a chic place downtown. We ordered drinks for a toast, but forgot to toast. Then we ordered shots of "chocolate cake" (an interesting combination of Frangelica, Absolut Citron, and a lemon wedge). You know you're putting away drinks when the bar runs out of shot glasses. After dinner we had another round of shots, and at this point we did have a toast. We all then returned to my house for homemade sangria and more "chocolate cake." It was a great evening. It's been a long time since we all got together and laughed that hard. Very fun - and now I need a couple days to recouperate.

As far as my feelings about graduating and the "goodbyes" - I'm still a little torn. I'm not much for goodbyes, I usually run from them - but I didn't really get to say goodbye after graduation. Everyone just kind of disappeared. I met Ryan at the top of the steps and we hugged, but I'm not sure we said goodbye (he's pretty clear on my policy about goodbyes). Grafs and I found each other for one final cap & gown portrait. But everyone else just vanished. I'm still having a recurring dream, which I thought would finally end. Maybe with time it will eventually vanish as well. We'll see... But for now, the doctor is in - as are her allergies (again, the person who decided to have graduation outside under trees and in grass pollen should be shot). Pass the Sudafed.