So close....Yet so awesome

Next Friday I graduate from college.


For real.


Seven years of hard work will be behind me. I will walk away with my handful of degrees and certifications and never look back. I'm glad it's over. It's been stressful, expensive, emotionally draining and pointless (on most accounts).

To the shock of many, I am not attending Marshall University's graduation ceremony. I have no interest in sitting still for three hours, to be recognized for .32 seconds, then have to sit another two hours while people I have never heard of and will never see again prance across the stage, snatch their (fake) diploma (yes, they give you a fake diploma at graduation-you get the real one in the mail in June), and sit back down. Rinse and repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Parking is always a nightmare, it is always mass chaos downtown around the arena and there is no where to eat following the ceremony because everyone and their mother has to stampede to the (mediocre at best) MU Cafe for a celebratory lunch.

I'll pass.

Instead I will be attending the Marshall Community and Technical College's graduation ceremony. One hour, short, sweet and to the point. I still get my .32 seconds of recognition, but for the other 59 minutes, 54.68 seconds I will get to admire the amazingly beautiful Keith Albee Theater (website not available for some reason). Not only do I have a stronger bond with my friends in the community college program, I loved the program a thousand times more than I did either of the University programs I was in. The professors were better, the classes weren't a waste of my time and it was just an overall better experience for me personally.

But back to the Keith Albee. I wish you could see it in person. If you know me, you know I inherited a love of architecture (especially older buildings and houses) from my dad. This theater is the pinnacle of amazing buildings. They have done such an awesome job restoring this theater and keeping everything as close to original as they can. The ceiling is a huge dome, seriously, it is HUGE. The stage is bordered by gold sculptures. All the fixtures in the bathrooms are original-they even have the old school black and white checked tile in them. There is an organ that is played on occasion that is unreal. Even as I type I wish you could see it. Pictures mined from the Internet will have to do for now.









The blue that you see behind the theater stage stretches over the entire ceiling. It is unreal. When you stand in the center of the entire place, you feel like you are 1/2 inch tall.

So yea. I'm pumped to go back into the Albee. I know it will likely be the last time I am ever in there and I want to enjoy it (oh yea, and get my (fake) diploma). I would pee myself if they let me take some pictures while inside, but they have gotten pretty strict about it lately. Apparently some people took some pictures of the theater and then sold them, not giving any of the profits back to the theater and apparently that is a no-no. One bad apple ruins the whole bunch I suppose. The fact that I have a profession camera also doesn't help my case. Owell, I'll get them if I can.

W00T for being done with college!
Double W00T for graduating in such an awesome venue.


Hugs&Kisses




PS-Monday is my BIRTHDAY!