In six weeks, my son will graduate elementary school, and my daughter will leave junior high. David is off to middle school, and Heloise into high school. We will have promotion rituals for each, and an end-of-the-year celebration. We are heading to graduation, and with it, a wave of parties and celebrations honoring the end of a season of a young person’s life. For people who live on academic calendars, as both my parents did, as my brother does, and as I did until I was 46, we are also approaching retirement party season. I was there for the 2002 celebration when daddy retired after 37 years at UC Santa Barbara, and for the dinner gala a year later, when mama stepped down at Monterey Peninsula College. When I was hired at Pasadena City College in 1993, I was the youngest person in the department. By the time I was unceremoniously forced out 20 years later, I had attended the retirement parties of dozens of those senior to me. I gave many farewell speeches.
Who Deserves a Farewell Party?
Who Deserves a Farewell Party?
Who Deserves a Farewell Party?
In six weeks, my son will graduate elementary school, and my daughter will leave junior high. David is off to middle school, and Heloise into high school. We will have promotion rituals for each, and an end-of-the-year celebration. We are heading to graduation, and with it, a wave of parties and celebrations honoring the end of a season of a young person’s life. For people who live on academic calendars, as both my parents did, as my brother does, and as I did until I was 46, we are also approaching retirement party season. I was there for the 2002 celebration when daddy retired after 37 years at UC Santa Barbara, and for the dinner gala a year later, when mama stepped down at Monterey Peninsula College. When I was hired at Pasadena City College in 1993, I was the youngest person in the department. By the time I was unceremoniously forced out 20 years later, I had attended the retirement parties of dozens of those senior to me. I gave many farewell speeches.