tomorrow is commencement at penn. i will be walking, in full regalia, of course. i am more excited than i should be at the fancy, looooong hood with the royal blue velvet trim that phd's get, and more disappointed than i should be that i'll be wearing a regular mortarboard rather than a floppy velvet hat. i swear that half the reason i came to grad school was for the silly floppy velvet hat.

last year on commencement day, and two years ago on commencement day, and probably three years ago on commencement day, i was working in my office, in the middle of campus (34th and walnut for those of you (harriet and dandlioneyes) who are familiar with west philly), feeling ever more hopeless that i would ever be the one out there in the red and blue satin hood. this year i am, and boy is it ever a good feeling.

today is mother's day. last year on mother's day (which was may 8), karl asked me to marry him.