My chemistry prof from a couple of semesters back, Dr.  Wainge, won the Distinguished Professor award.

In his beautiful speech (which, like everything else, was really hard to understand because of echo from the speakers), he recounted how after finishing his BS degree he had to wait four years, teaching science in high school, before he could start his PhD program in Physical Chemistry …  because, at the time, in Cameroon, there was no such program.

I don’t know if that’s what made him such a great Chem teacher (you guys, I got an A+ in his class with no prior chemistry classes and I did not burn down the Physical Sciences building during lab!).  It probably helps, at very least.

Anyway, as he wound to a close he told us, mid-analogy: “… And when you see a detour, be patient and follow it, because it may be the safest way to get where you are going  — or you might even find an even better destination than the one you had in mind.”

So yeah, that.   And everything else he said.

Also, when I got up to collect my honor cord, I got a totally unexpected whoop from someone out there in the audience on the opposite side of the auditorium from my family.   So, pretty cool stuff, and many thanks to whoever that was.   If you’re reading this, please know that it was a giant ego boost!  ^—^

That’s it for now.   Lovely weekend with the family, great roving packs of Dawsons getting along beautifully with Mom and Ray.  Too much awesome food because, well, Louisville.

Commencement tomorrow: the great Reading of All the Names.

And then?

Who knows.   But wherever we go, we’ll go there dancing.