As Elvis Costello said, "Welcome to the Working Week!"

So, I graduated this weekend with my Masters in Museum Studies. Officially six months from now I will be required to pay back all of the gobs of money I borrowed to get this degree. Ironically, my degree assures that I will forever be in a non-profit cultural field and earn no money. Basically I'll be in debt for a while. Yay! Higher Education!

The graduation itself was alright. My parents came, which was awfully nice of them since they didn't pay for this degree. Andy Rooney was the speaker and the graduation was on the Ellipse between the White House and the Washington Monument. So that part was awesome. However, the immature undergraduates and the undergraduate centered ceremony, when it seemed like large part of the graduating class was masters or above, was a little grating. Especially since my People magazine only got me through part of the ceremony... Wish it had been a double-issue!

Graduating is nice. I am now "officially" qualified for the job I've already been doing for 3 years. Isn't it silly that often we have to get degrees to prove we can already do what we know? I'm applying for lots of jobs and am contracted at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History until November, which is a nice little cushion. I come home, read what I want, cook some dinner, actually spend time with my partner, and can watch TV without the pressing feelings of guilt. How wonderful. I'll be back to school for my Ph.D. in no time with a life like that! What's this "free time" you speak of? Where's the anxiety? The deadlines, the stress? How am I supposed to know what part of the year has gone by without buying school supplies and an Academic calender? You mean the "first of the year" is actually New Years Day? No! I thought it was the first week in September!

Anyhow, I'm done and it's great! Now I have to find something new to bitch about all of the time.

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