<p>You can probably buy them at Craft mania, mootmom. They're that elegant. :p</p>
<p>It wouldn't be cheating, as I'm sure your S earned them.</p>
<p>I like what our HS does. Besides the gold or white honor cord given to those with the appropriate GP avg., every graduate gets to wear a medallion with the school seal on it, on a green & gold ribbon. They look very spiffy with the robes.</p>
<p>AHEM, back when my #2 son graduated HS, I was doing a good bit of custom drapery work and happened to have on hand such items as cording, tassels etc amongst my "stock" of things in my work room. A couple of my sons friends were over having me "help" them do some minor alterations (I don't recall what) and they were bemoaning the fact that they were not going to get to wear any pretty tassels/honor cords at graduation. As a JOKE, I suggested they could wear some of mine from my work stock.....</p>
<p>Mind you, these were not goof-off kids. Just not top-of-the line honors students (and they had just missed graduating with "honors"). </p>
<p>So, you can indeed guess what they did.....</p>
<p>Nobody said a word. Of course, their graduating class was CRAZY huge, so I am sure few, if any noticed the odd maroon/gold cords and tassels they wore....</p>
<p>Inside the soft exterior of a slugg is a gooey core of slush. </p>
<p>Wrapped in the velvety deep-purple walls at Yoshi's last Saturday night (a jazz club in Jack London Square), I endured the pain of an uneven rattan chair on a concrete slab floor and listened to Bill Frisell play a dreamy version of Shanandoah. Shortly into it, I began to remember learning the song in Second Grade and how our 112-year old teacher used to pooch out her geriatric lips to form the perfect "O" in Shan-an-dOH-ah. Before I could get very far into this particular childhood buggbear, something gurgled.</p>
<p>I looked at SluggJr who was lost in space due to the exquisite talent on stage before us. Sluggdad, too, was mentally occupado, perhaps thinking about how he and Bill Frisell look alike, and therefore, must sound alike on the guitar. </p>
<p>I took another swig of Irish coffee and siphoned a glob of whipped cream with my skinny, black, ultracool jazz club straw. I scanned the room for anyone who looked like they might be responsible for the gurgle. All I could see were long ponytails and propped up bosoms, plus a guy who looked like Phil Lesh's younger cousin.</p>
<p>Look away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri :::gurgle:::<br>
I shifted uncomfortably and looked around to see if anyone else heard it. </p>
<p>Well, it's fare-thee-well, my dear,
I'm bound to leave you
Look away you rollin' river :::GURGLE:::
And, then I felt the muscular tube in my throat constrict and my sluggeyes start to sting. It wasn't the sushi I'd eaten earlier that night. It was the deep down realization that THIS was something I would miss when SluggJr goes away to college in the Fall. Damnit, damnit, damn-IT! I said I wouldn't do it! </p>
<p>There is a very long list of things I won't miss when we throw him out of the moving car next September somewhere near the cow pen at UC Davis. I won't miss the relentless drumming daily request to replace the automobile formerly known as our Volvo. I won't miss tripping over the black book bag planted for my benefit in the dark hallway on the way to my bedroom. (It's funny, though, when Sluggdad trips over it.) I won't miss the fur monster that lives behind the shower curtain in SluggJr's bathroom. </p>
<p>But, I will miss the music -- his music, a constant in this house since we gave him his first electric guitar the day he turned thirteen. It was the first thing he did every morning and the last thing he did at night. We have watched as the instruments evolved and morphed into cacophonies, he right along with them. </p>
<p>The piano that turned into an electric keyboard; the beginner bass that turned into a fretless bass that turned into a full upright acoustic bass. The birthday party maracas that turned into real grown-up maracas that opened the door for the ocarina, the concertina, the melodica, and several harmonicas that keep showing up in different rooms of the house. The ruby drum set bought from a drummer who transferred to the University of Colorado; the black gong shaped like a dragon; the tambourine; and the Koa wood ukulele. The snappy electric Fender; then the silver Jaguar for Christmas; then the vintage red Gibson from a shop in Las Vegas; then the Les Paul recording guitar; and the beautiful Fender acoustic once played by forest gnomes, now on involuntary loan from Sluggdad...these are some of the guitars that hang on the walls of his bedroom. </p>
<p>He is his music, and I will miss them both. For a second, maybe two. ;) </p>
<p>I'll have a Red Apple Sangria in a glass big enough to last me until Friday. Then, it's a champagne toast here in Sinner's Alley to the Class of 2006 grads and all of the parents. Party hats, honor cords, and Hawaiian leis for everybody! :)</p>
<p>Shenandoah--one of my favorites. Gives me chills. Gee, Slugg, after reading that, I'm going miss Sluggjr. too! </p>
<p>Glad I don't have anyone graduating this year. My D's boyfriend is graduating. I'll miss him I guess. I try not to get too attached to these people that my children go out with, but he is a real CUTIE. D says that a guy in her French class asks daily if she has decided to break up with the BF yet, since he is going to college now, LOL . . . She just got her SAT scores in the mail yesterday. The process is starting. Wish D had a clue about where she wants to go! She'll be at Davis for a summer program in July. I guess we can consider that a college visit!</p>
<p>And hey, CONGRATS to Jmmom and son! Great news!</p>
<p>I will buy the first round at our next IRL kaffee-klatch, mstee. Unless everyone from SA shows up :eek:.</p>
<p>:::ting::ting::ting::: I would personally like to thank the Dryads, the Ents, and the marmots for peeing in Evilneighbor's pool. Much appreciated. I shall return the favor someday. :)</p>
<p>I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.</p>
<p>Wow. That must be some pool....</p>
<p>Hey Slugg, I've been to Yoshis with my much younger son back during his jazz period...today he sent me an mp3 file of his latest composition played on a pipe organ that sounded like a "church period" in the making. It was rather soothing....congrats to everyone with graduations going on, changes going on and this too shall pass.</p>
<p>oh slugg,</p>
<p>It does creep up on a mom at the oddest times.</p>
<p>I miss the music too, my daughter singing in the house. It had been the background soundtrack of home for so many years.</p>
<p>My middle son has had 5 guitars so far: beginner acoustic, beginner electric, decent electric, vintage acoustic Martin, and now a bass. He has the most incredible taste in music and turns me on to really cool stuff. He breaks my heart too.</p>
<p>And littlest S? Yep, he's musical too. He sings himself to sleep most nights! Now that I have experienced the loss of D, I know enough to stand outside his door and listen... :)</p>
<p>The musical "soundtrack" in the cmm household is a varied one indeed. #2 son has a full-fledged band (of the indy-rock variety) that practices regularly in our NOT sound-proofed basment. I do love their music, which is a very good thing. Then, there is the soundtrack that is looping constantly in the cmm head which consists mainly of kids' choir songs and chancel choir weekly offertories.......quite an ecclectic soundtrack, let me assure you. John Williams, eat your heart out!</p>
<p>I have to be happy with digital files.....which happen to be church like music now but recently I have received indy-rock, orchestra pieces, folk, and various soundtracks.....it's better than nothing. Just lacks the interspersed whistling.</p>
<p>Aargh, Page Two obscurity! BUMP, I say!</p>
<p>Well my darling S has a different way with music. This guy's piano teacher told us when he was 8 or 9 that he was the most musically gifted kid she had taught in 30 years. However, he hated to practice and stopped even fooling around on the piano so after a couple of years we let him quit. Then he played the electric bass in a middle-school band. So cute. While the other boys got really into it and took lessons etc., S just stood there and played. Looking terribly terribly handsome. </p>
<p>In high school he took up the saxophone and played it in the band. Again, completely refused to practice. Wound up playing the trombone parts because they didn't have trombonist (small school:):.</p>
<p>He sings too. Although only at his computer.</p>
<p>He quit the band as of now. Hates the new band teacher.</p>
<p>So for me, the music of the S is his iTunes collection. Gnarls Barkely, Ray Charles, The Ojays, I can't even think of the names. For me the music of the S is sitting in the car with him, discussing why the GooGoo Dolls and Rob Thomas are parallel opposites, i.e. the GooGoo Dolls as the ultimate in bad pop rock and Rob Thomas and Matchbox 20 as the ultimate in good rock pop. For me the music of the S is one of the odd windows into his large brain. And also one of the ways in which his little self briefly shows itself amongst the ever-growing gawky body of the teenager.</p>
<p>Can you tell I am liking him today:)?</p>
<p>Oh fond memories of the days when son #1 became old enough to drive himself to school. But then, I would have to drive said #1 son's instrument (a tuba) to school....he had to park accross the stree from the school and walk a long, long way and could NOT lug the thing over the river and through the woods, la, la, la, ....so. I would show up some time during first period and take the thing to the band room...</p>
<p>Well, the things we do.</p>
<p>Oh yeah the things we do.
How many times have I driven back to the school to deliver DS's lunch, forgotten on the kitchen counter (he's at the stage where he will expire if without food for more than 20 minutes)...and he can't buy cafeteria food, oh no.."they don't wear gloves", "Josh found a 6" long hair in his Lasagne", "it's made of grease and salt...I'll break out"....
:eek:</p>
<p>Happy Graduation to Us! :)
Happy Grad-u-a-tion to Us! :)
Happy GRAD-U-A-TION to Uhhh-Ussss, :)
Happy Graduation to Us! :cool: </p>
<p>Taahhh-Daaahhhh! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a shiny new graduate. </p>
<p>I know that doddsdad keeps a roll of Saran Wrap behind the bar for special occasions...on the bottom shelf, next to the duct tape. Would someone toss it over here? I want to preserve Sluggboy in his burgundy and gold cap and gown, looking all happy and handsome with his Ti leaf and white orchid Maile-style lei. </p>
<p>After the ceremony, I saw the elusive little certificate that has given us all insomnia and high blood pressure over the past four years try to fling itself out of his grasp and onto the Astroturf. I saw the evil glint in its "i." It was making one last attempt to evade capture. I have to admit, the phone call from SluggJr's concerned teacher the day before graduation telling me that he had missed his AP Econ/Gov final --a graduation requirement-- was a brilliant maneuver. </p>
<p>SluggJr: "Final? What final? I didn't know we had a FINAL!" </p>
<p>He went in an hour later and took the final. </p>
<p>The diploma has settled nicely into its new home in the center of the kitchen table where we have built a graduation shrine. The 7-foot long graduation banner will stay attached to the garage door for another day, or two. The festivities continue this afternoon when we suck the remaining helium from the deflating balloon bouquet and talk like ducks. You're all invited to join us! :)</p>
<p>Oh Slugg,</p>
<p>
[quote]
Taahhh-Daaahhhh! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a shiny new graduate
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Ohhhh.... sooooooo PRETTY. You know how we love bright shiny objects. </p>
<p>{{{{{{{{{{Big Hugs}}}}}}}}}} and Congratulations to SluggJr.</p>
<p>
[quote]
"Final? What final? I didn't know we had a FINAL!"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What's life if SluggJr. could not jsut get one last one in before putting high school behind him? </p>
<p>So lets drink something really nice and tropical for the occassion.</p>
<p>Why am I convinced Slugg Junior will wind up on the cover of "People"?</p>
<p>A final in an AP class? Never heard of such a ridiculous thing. After AP tests they should be DONE.</p>
<p>Our school gives out yard signs (made by a committee of moms) for the seniors w/their name, school Class of 2006--they usually stay proudly posted all summer.</p>