Dreams and Diplomas

Had another dream that was somewhat wedding related. Although the only link involved big cakes at a ballpark.

The beginning of the dream involved a desert/ranch/rocky area and teaching my mother how to take better pictures. It seemed like we were getting ready for senior pictures or engagement pictures, but it wasn't clear. Most of the picture session involved taking pictures close-up to make somewhat abstract shots. I ended up taking a shot of a little rock from low to make it appear larger, there was a horse ranch behind it, and then there was a donkey running around with a calico pattern in his fur and had balls like the ones obnoxious truckers hang off the back of their pickups-disturbing.

Anyways, eventually we made it to a ballpark and Mom and I talked with some event coordinator that was responsible for our cake order mix-up. Apparently we had ordered a four-tier cake but all they had to offer was a seven-tier cake with a fondant head of Amadeus Mozart on top. Not quite sure where the Mozart head came from, but it was odd.

After the cake ordeal we had to navigate the ballpark to get to Dad and the rest of the family, which wasn't normal itself-the ballpark was at least six-stories high and filled with conference rooms and playing kids. I had big heels on and had to avoid the kiddies and the balls they were playing with, and Mom was walking ahead really fast without any problems.

When I woke up we were watching the field from seats that reminded me of an old Shakespearean theatre, surrounded by dark wood and all the seats were layered on top of each other like apartments. I do know that we were there to watch the Mariners play ;o)

In other recent news, the fiance and I were down south for my sister and cousin's graduation from high school. It was interesting to attend a graduation ceremony as a non-student, I think I closed my eyes for a bit, but they had some great speakers and singers. The entire time I couldn't help thinking of an uncollege movement I've heard about on the radio.

There was a young man on NPR talking about college being overpriced and overvalued. A couple days later I heard this quote, "Experience is the best teacher." This correlated exactly to the uncollege movement and the concept of cultivating a workforce of students with skills and not simply degrees.

During the graduation I couldn't help but think of all the graduates who would go on to obtain degrees and still not be able to find work. Or worse, obtain degrees in subjects they resent in order to find work. So many go to college without thinking of their true reasons for attending, without a real goal in sight-simply a social norm, expectation, and a carrot on a stick. I hope more people can take the time to discover what they actually want from life and make the decisions appropriate for their life.

Another thought was that this graduation might be the most celebratory moment in some of those kids' lives. Coming from a small town with lots of sad stories, I could see the addicts, unwed mothers, and McDonald's regulars in the making. Of course, there are always success stories but I tend to find myself thinking of the lost souls.

I can empathize with the uncollege movement. I was catapulted through schooling with the vague notion that a college degree guarantees employment and I very nearly went straight into a graduate program after getting my BA. After some soul searching I realized that what I really wanted was to slow down and learn from life before returning to a classroom. I majored in English, but nowadays I'm contemplating more service-oriented vocations (counseling, nursing, social work, etc.) and while I know that I'll always nurture my love of words, I understand that that doesn't mean a master's degree is necessarily in my future.

In other news: The fiance's face is still peeling, but a layer of olive oil did help moisturize without searing pain and he his looking better each day. The cats are currently staring me down for a bit of string cheese and the fiance and I can't seem to agree if our cats are a good weight or overweight and whether our kibble dispensing is at the appropriate level. Either way, we know they're happy!