Abby's Graduation

Rolling into Kenan Stadium

Abby crossing the stage

The Family

Yours truly

Mitch, Mom, Dad, and I drove up on Saturday for a party at Abby's house with all her lovely housemates.  They're seven of them and they call themselves the seven wonders and live at seven davie. They're just beautiful and they're house seems always brimming. The stories they told of Santa Claus's on the Bell Tower and playing True American made me laugh and wish I had been there.

On Sunday morning, mother's day, we drove to Abby's house, to see her dash off, then walk ourselves through campus to Kenan Stadium for the graduation. We saw all the graduates file in, all in their new robes (so much better than mine!), and Dad found Abby through the zoom of his camera lens.

Our chancellor, Holden Thorp, led the ceremony, giving 5 honorary doctorates, the last to Mike Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, who was to give the graduate address. He was an excellent public speaker, filling in jokes and rubbing up to Carolina pride.  At moments it felt like he was giving a campaign speech, and I didn't agree with everything he said, like telling the graduates to use their elbows to get ahead (such a Yankee thing to say!), but he was clever and funny.

We couldn't find Abby after the large ceremony, so we headed directly to the newly refurbished Carmichael Stadium (under construction my entire time there!) for the J School Graduation.  We saw Abby cross the stage, and as she did so, Mitchell made the loudest commotion, something to the tune of "THAT'S MY SISTER" which made us all laugh. We took a brief family photo and then hustled off to our favorite, and ever appropriate Singaporean restaurant where we revisited our best loved dishes from our time there. Then we saw Abby off, who had class in the morning to finish up her Global Studies major, and piled in the car to head home.

Sadly, I don't have any solo shots of Abby. We should have got them of her directly after the large ceremony, but cell phone service was down and no one could connect with their graduate! She was beaming and proud and ready to be done.

I've attached two videos. I don't recommend looking at either, but rather listening. The first should be Mark Bloomberg at the end of his speech.  The second should be the Cleff Hangers, who sang Carolina on my mind, along with our Chancellor Holden Thorp. It was so good to bang those bleachers and sing the alma mater, and if I'm not careful, may turn out to be my only party trick if I'm not rigidly on my guard. Very proud of Abby and wish there was more of her here.

Mike Bloomberg

Cleff Hangers "Carolina on my Mind"