The Are You Smarter Than the Surreal American Deal World

The precipice is upon us, or rather, we are upon it.
I know what you're thinking. Jeez, Blake's making a big deal out of this graduation thing, isn't he? Yeah, I am. I'm about to be like the thousands who have come before me, but I'm different, as is everyone, in that unique "we're all snowflakes" sense of grandeur. But, the picture speaks volumes.

I've gone farther than anyone else in my family. And now, I'm at that precipice that Robert and so many others have already crossed. It's been an almost Indiana Jones-like journey. I've had to steal idols from the booby-trapped desks of professors (not really). I've had to pass mutliple tests to prove my academic worth (really). And now I've made it to here. I've got to admit, this little rickety rope-bridge spanning the gap from college to the "real world" doesn't look too secure. I'm wondering if it's there to help you cross, or to hang yourself with.

I've changed over the last two semesters. I've changed a lot. Just since Valentine's Day I've lost nearly thirty pounds. I've gained loads of confidence in myself thanks to three very lovely women and a very large man with a goatee (no, Colin, you're not very large, I just used very to describe them, felt I should use it on you as well). These people have been instrumental in my change.

I've cruised this semester, taking only one class, the only class I need to graduate. I can feel it, now. It's just another date on the calendar, one that, for millions of people will go by without much fanfare, but for me, it's huge.

I've fought for years to get here. I've basically crossed mountains and rivers to find my way to a small stage in a not-very-big gymnasium on a Friday night in May. Two of the four people mentioned above will cross that stage with me. They're not English majors, but I've forgiven them for that. Then comes the summer...

Summer 2008 should be full of surprises. That whole new job hunt thing begins in earnest. And Robert's gonna say "I told you so.." but I am truly starting to consider grad school as a possible future. Although, I'm not sure exactly what I'd do. If I were to go after a teaching job, it would not be in my major, but rather my minor: History.

I still want to get into sports PR work, or even eventually have my own radio talk show. Who knows, I may even try out for Jeopardy?

I know one thing for certain: I'm not going to work at Hallmark or at a Pet Hospital. Robert, you know there's humor there... I'm also not going to work at Best Buy. I'm not saying I'm better than these jobs, but I think at college diploma says rather well that I am, in fact, better than these jobs. There's nothing wrong with working them, but they are not my career ambition.

Career ambition is really not something I've ever had, until these last few weeks. I think I want to make the Right Wing into a radio show, covering sports and politics. The mixture would work, as that is all talk radio is, essentially.



So change is coming, it can't be avoided. We all go through it. Robert survived, so did Grubbs, or at least we think he did. Now, I face the trial. Robert, you're prediction may come true. Grad school could be in the future, but right now, that's all it can be, the future. Change is coming.

Change is coming.