80% Done

Well, I'm almost done with this whole graduate school thing. I gave my capstone presentation last week to a class of community development students. It involved a 20 minute ice breaker (called Jet Fighter), a 30 minute presentation and then 15 minutes of Q&A. I was required to give this presentation in order to complete the first half of my final graduation requirement. The other part is to turn in a capstone paper.

What is a capstone? It's sort of like a thesis, but instead of dealing exclusively with theory, it's a reflection of my recent year-long internship. I took the opportunity to address an issue that I felt Mikva was beginning to realize existed but hadn't quite started to fully address. My capstone dealt with Mikva Challenge's need to create a long-term evaluation framework in order to judge its impact and certify that it was meeting its mission statement.

Well, now that the presentation part is done, I now have to turn in the paper. And now that I'm not working, that should happen anyday. Or maybe next week. Sometime anyway. No, seriously, it's 80% done according to my advisor. Just need to retool some paragraphs and update some things. So, here's to the final 20%!!!! Wish me luck.

Welcome to Adulthood!!!!

Ah, Graduation!! The moment you stop becoming a child and start becoming an adult. Fireworks, bands play and the clouds part with a shaft of light that reveals all the truths of adulthood. Sorry, was watching Shrek there for a minute.

Anyway, as some of you might have read earlier, this past weekend was a special one for our family: My sister, Jessica’s college graduation from Hamline University in St. Paul. It was a special moment as she is the final one to graduate, so now everyone is off into adulthood. Well, at least she is. She’s been more mature, adult-acting than I probably am now, or at least when I graduated.

Well, sit back, put your feet up and enjoy the pictures.

It's OVER!!!!!




The 'Rents are so happy. No more Loans!!!!


And so are the brothers!

The tugboat we all stayed on for the weekend. So awesome, you have to try it sometime.


The whole family together for a dinner, pre-graduation, at Il Vesca Vino (The Bishop's Wine), where Jessica was a waitress. Amazing dinner and great wine!!!! Maybe a little too good for some people.


Grandpa trying to figure out where the power button is.





















Are we finished yet?
















And now the party can start!!!



Let's play some Bocce!!
























And show off our muscles. Which way to the beach baby!!






















Great form Sis!




















And we're out!!!