Jun 25, 2005 | Graduation

Graduation was truly memorable, if not an utterly tedious affair. Perhaps more memorable was the hours preceding graduation, where I spent a couple of hours with Alkisti, her mum, and a friend Despina's company. We climbed up two floors of the Tour Eiffel (something I hadn't done before) and then all the way up, where we could see miles around (and graffiti on the supports and fish around for old coins). Truly splendid sight. Once back on terra firma we went towards Trocadero to get soaked in the fountains there (yet again something I hadn't done before) and bask in the sunshine. Unfortunately the sunshine gave way to ominous clouds as we sat for lunner (lunch + dinner) at a nearby cafe, and by the time I had arrived home it was hailing.

Mind you, it was the 23rd of June.

And it was hailing.

Yes, hailing.

And raining like someone had poured a truckload of water over your head. It kinda flooded around the lower-inclined areas, so I felt truly miserable by the time I arrived at Cercle des Armees for my graduation ceremony.

But all went well.

We had to rehearse a bit, step hold, step hold like machines on a conveyor belt, two by two, step hold... until we reached the stage and sat down. The gowns were relatively blueish blue (not as dark as navy, not as bright as baby blue), and we dressed beneath the stage in a fitness room, all 20 of us. Speeches were relatively brief (a blessing in this heat) and we had our own respective speeches done before we filed out to the reception, two floors above. A typical indoors graduation ceremony, if you will. Still very memorable. No tears though.

Lots of picture-taking, bumpingintootherpeople, tripping, woops I'm in your photo but I shouldn't be.

Also written on this day..

• 2008: KISS, Audio Engineering
• 2006: A bit of a reality check
• 2005: Movie Awards!