Tag Archives: Graduation

I Graduated, For Real

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Obligatory Family Graduation Portrait

Now, I know it seems like was in school forever.  If it didn’t seem that way to you, it certainly did to me.  Here’s how it worked out…

Graduated high school and should have had around 30 college credit hours including English, Algebra, Calculus, Physics, Government, Statistics, Foreign Language, Psychology, Computer Networking, Computer Information Systems and a few others.  Sadly, for reasons I still don’t understand, zero of those hours transferred to Mizzou.

I went to MU for two years and then left for California where I went to school for one year.  Leaving California for Columbia (again) I finished school with a bizarre collection of degrees (?) and minors (?), something we’re still trying to add up haha.  General Studies? Photography? Political Science? Women and Gender Studies? Fine Arts? A combination of some or all of the above? Probably.

What really matters is that on May 15th I walked across a stage. No seriously I did.  I even got a kiss from my Russian professor!

Walking the Stage and Getting a Kiss

After the graduation, seven years in the making, we had a blast celebrating the graduation itself as well as the closing of my first gallery show, which, by the way, sold three of the nine prints on the wall! That’s a pretty darn good debut!

I was honored to have some of my favorite people at my graduation party.

Eric, Laura and Ryan Hale

From my parents, brother, sister-in-law, grandmother, grandfather, Jenny and her boyfriend, Micheal, Corey, Josh, Akiko, Ben and Ryan Hale, Eric and Laura, Ryan, Sam, David… who else? Korrie, Maggie, Emily, Justin Rodier, Nicole and more that I know I’m missing. Looks like my graduation party was one of the bigger Tweetups Columbia has ever seen haha.

Perhaps the best part of the weekend though was my family seeing my photography shown in the gallery.  They have been so supportive of my art and encourage me to continue to explore my passion.  Seeing my photos on a computer screen or even printed 11×17 is one thing.  Seeing them 20×30 in a 28×38 frame with gallery lighting? Something else entirely.

My Brother Enjoying Some Art

In the end, it was a wonderful evening. Worth the seven years? Maybe… But definitely a wonderfully memorable night.

I’m Alive in the Lone Star State

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I’ve been busy working on my internship/job here in Texas.  Having a great time all the while but really missing home, Ryan, Mr. Belvedere and my friends.

Yeah, so working a lot, hanging with my grandparents who are fantastic and figuring out my future.

As of this moment, right now, as I lounge in bed watching Dead Like Me on Hulu… I’m trying to wrap my head around the fact that it is completely feasible that as of this December, I will be motherfucking done with the University of Missouri.

Now, I don’t hate the university or anything, it’s just that it kinda hates me.  I figure, it’s best for both of us for me to get out, asap.

Therefore, by the end of this summer, I will have completed 12 hours of summer school.  Yes, the limit by statute of the University is 9 hours and that’s only if you get permission to take over 7.  I worked my way into it.

So yes, maybe I graduate in December.  Then?  Oh crap, that’s where I start to freak out.  The plan of course is to move back to the golden hills of California.

Yes, the beautiful hills of California. They’re golden because they’re starving for water, not because they’re full of gold.  That’s so California 1849.

Soon I should hear back from my advisor who will tell me if I graduated in December or May.  Either way, I’m getting the hell out of Dodge and moving on with my life with Ryan.  We’ve even casually looked at some homes to buy in the city!  Exciting right?

But what will I do for work?  Continue my work for the Agency?  Start my own company?  Do I even THINK about photography much less graduate school at Stanford?

Life is so full of questions, obligations and unknowns.

But… Let’s worry about those as they happen.  Right now I need to get back to bed.  Busy day ahead of me!

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