When I graduated from college, I actually had a hand in choosing the speaker. I did my work placement at École Jacques-Cartier school in Kapuskasing and asked the principal of the school, Yvon Côté, to be our speaker. He hesitated but gracefully accepted. I was very thankful for his presence and great speech. He was happy with the graduates of Northern College and said to send him more.
Bill, I think you may have missed the point of "plastic". It got a big laugh from a college audience when it first came out. The idea is that plastic is, well. . .plastic. It's shallow. Phony. Trite. The character is struggling with a world in which he finds no meaning. So to tell him to embrace plastic is the height of irony. At that time, college kids were rejecting everything that seemed plastic. It shows how out of step the older generation was in the movie. It was a movie that made perfect sense to young, counterculture people. At that age, you don't always have a clue as to what you want to do with your life, and that's okay. But whatever it was in 1969, it sure wasn't plastics.
Irene Goodman and Bill: I have been thinking about that remark in the movie. NOW, we have the problem of too much plastic in our oceans! That adds another layer of irony ... at the time of the movie, we were at the beginning of "plastics". Dustin Hoffman 's character's dad's partner's generation took that seriously...I mean, from their point of view, that WAS good advice! It wasn't helpful to the graduate, AND, now we are realizing the negative aspect of that advice.
I am an expat, living in Belgium. We could always bring our recycling to the Container Park. Now, Our town has recently begun collecting, at our door, ALL TYPES of plastics AND metals separately in a BLUE plastic bag. To be recycled. Everything else goes either in a compostable bag or a normal bag. The blue bags now take MOST of our garbage, leaving practically NOTHING in the "normal garbage" bag!!!
EFFORT - Not a cool word, but I think a lot of things we push become irrelevant. I did not graduate from college. I have worked in the real word however since I was 13ish and I'm now 65. I am not rich, but I am very successful. I was gifted 24 acres of land out in the middle of nowhere. I lived in the city 170 miles away. I worked hard at a ' job ' my whole life. I worked hard my whole life doing little improvements on my country acreage with my 2 sons. They watched me cut grass from their playpen and later became active participants in the hard labor. That is how I raised them. I now own two homes, one close city conveniences, one for fun with a bass pond, a firing range, walking trails, deer, berries, fruit trees, etc. How many people do you know that pay for an expensive fitness membership and then pay someone else to cut their grass. I still work a ' job' but I make more than most college graduates I know. And here is the kicker..I'm happy. My husband is happy. My children are successful and happy. Secret to success: EFFORT !
I graduated from NC State University in May 1994. Our sparker was Senator Elizabeth Dole who is a native to North Carolina. The ceremony was in the football stadium which was extremely hot. I do not remember much of what she said because a fellow graduate in front of me peeled of his gown to his birthday suit jumped on to the field and ran across the stage in front of her before being tackled and arrested. She made some funny comment about it and kept going.
In terms of advice to new graduates. I have 2 reccomendations.
1. Select a job in something you like/passionate about.
2. Save at least 30% of your paycheck each time you are paid. You will 100% need it.
I don't remember my graduation speeches (1970 and 1980's). I did listen to McRaven's Make Your Bed speech on the internet. I actually DO think of it every morning because since that speech I make a CONCERTED effort to make my bed FIRST thing in the morning. It actually is a great speech. I seem to recall he gave it at University of Texas, his alma mater. I think there is a book he wrote with the same title. (I have been meaning to ask you Bill. A good topic for us on Understandably might be "what book are you current reading???).
“Change”. Be open to constant change. Adapt quickly to change. Be / create the change. If you don’t adapt or change quickly to the world you will be left behind.
Do your research before proclaiming your stance. Be aware of both sides of an argument. If you’re unsure of the facts of an argument, remain silent, then do your research. - notes from a former librarian
"“I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed.” -Lloyd Dobbler " Say Anything"
One word. The “environment”. Everything for the foreseeable future will need to be dealing with the health of the planet and humanity’s relationships with the it.
Not exactly a quote from a speaker but a moment that still sits with me today.
I graduated with a class of 550 students. We had all been together since 6th grade. One of the class members had Down syndrome, his name was Adam and everyone was his friend, I mean everyone! He was in all of our normal classes (with an aide) and walked the halls just as every other kid. Adam was not suppose to live as far as he had let alone walk the stage at graduation. When Adam walked on stage every single one of the graduates and their family’s stood in praise with loud cheers and a long lasting applause. Adams last name started with the letter “M” as you can imagine, no one after him received such a cheer. (Mine starts with “P” haha!)
Sadly, Adam passed away a few years ago, 6 years after we had been out of high school. He was married and live a full and happy life. It’s simply wonderful knowing he was able to beat the odds that we’re put against him, and the biggest take away for me was never let anyone tell you you can’t or won’t be able do anything!
Best advice - “Wear Sunscreen”. One word for the next generation - “Batteries”
When I graduated from college, I actually had a hand in choosing the speaker. I did my work placement at École Jacques-Cartier school in Kapuskasing and asked the principal of the school, Yvon Côté, to be our speaker. He hesitated but gracefully accepted. I was very thankful for his presence and great speech. He was happy with the graduates of Northern College and said to send him more.
Education is vital. College is optional
Bill, I think you may have missed the point of "plastic". It got a big laugh from a college audience when it first came out. The idea is that plastic is, well. . .plastic. It's shallow. Phony. Trite. The character is struggling with a world in which he finds no meaning. So to tell him to embrace plastic is the height of irony. At that time, college kids were rejecting everything that seemed plastic. It shows how out of step the older generation was in the movie. It was a movie that made perfect sense to young, counterculture people. At that age, you don't always have a clue as to what you want to do with your life, and that's okay. But whatever it was in 1969, it sure wasn't plastics.
Any chance we could get an update on Eva in the next few days?
Irene Goodman and Bill: I have been thinking about that remark in the movie. NOW, we have the problem of too much plastic in our oceans! That adds another layer of irony ... at the time of the movie, we were at the beginning of "plastics". Dustin Hoffman 's character's dad's partner's generation took that seriously...I mean, from their point of view, that WAS good advice! It wasn't helpful to the graduate, AND, now we are realizing the negative aspect of that advice.
I am an expat, living in Belgium. We could always bring our recycling to the Container Park. Now, Our town has recently begun collecting, at our door, ALL TYPES of plastics AND metals separately in a BLUE plastic bag. To be recycled. Everything else goes either in a compostable bag or a normal bag. The blue bags now take MOST of our garbage, leaving practically NOTHING in the "normal garbage" bag!!!
One word? listen!
EFFORT - Not a cool word, but I think a lot of things we push become irrelevant. I did not graduate from college. I have worked in the real word however since I was 13ish and I'm now 65. I am not rich, but I am very successful. I was gifted 24 acres of land out in the middle of nowhere. I lived in the city 170 miles away. I worked hard at a ' job ' my whole life. I worked hard my whole life doing little improvements on my country acreage with my 2 sons. They watched me cut grass from their playpen and later became active participants in the hard labor. That is how I raised them. I now own two homes, one close city conveniences, one for fun with a bass pond, a firing range, walking trails, deer, berries, fruit trees, etc. How many people do you know that pay for an expensive fitness membership and then pay someone else to cut their grass. I still work a ' job' but I make more than most college graduates I know. And here is the kicker..I'm happy. My husband is happy. My children are successful and happy. Secret to success: EFFORT !
I graduated from NC State University in May 1994. Our sparker was Senator Elizabeth Dole who is a native to North Carolina. The ceremony was in the football stadium which was extremely hot. I do not remember much of what she said because a fellow graduate in front of me peeled of his gown to his birthday suit jumped on to the field and ran across the stage in front of her before being tackled and arrested. She made some funny comment about it and kept going.
In terms of advice to new graduates. I have 2 reccomendations.
1. Select a job in something you like/passionate about.
2. Save at least 30% of your paycheck each time you are paid. You will 100% need it.
I don't remember my graduation speeches (1970 and 1980's). I did listen to McRaven's Make Your Bed speech on the internet. I actually DO think of it every morning because since that speech I make a CONCERTED effort to make my bed FIRST thing in the morning. It actually is a great speech. I seem to recall he gave it at University of Texas, his alma mater. I think there is a book he wrote with the same title. (I have been meaning to ask you Bill. A good topic for us on Understandably might be "what book are you current reading???).
One word advice, actually 2, either or, AI & Logistics.
“Change”. Be open to constant change. Adapt quickly to change. Be / create the change. If you don’t adapt or change quickly to the world you will be left behind.
Do your research before proclaiming your stance. Be aware of both sides of an argument. If you’re unsure of the facts of an argument, remain silent, then do your research. - notes from a former librarian
"“I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed.” -Lloyd Dobbler " Say Anything"
One word. The “environment”. Everything for the foreseeable future will need to be dealing with the health of the planet and humanity’s relationships with the it.
Not exactly a quote from a speaker but a moment that still sits with me today.
I graduated with a class of 550 students. We had all been together since 6th grade. One of the class members had Down syndrome, his name was Adam and everyone was his friend, I mean everyone! He was in all of our normal classes (with an aide) and walked the halls just as every other kid. Adam was not suppose to live as far as he had let alone walk the stage at graduation. When Adam walked on stage every single one of the graduates and their family’s stood in praise with loud cheers and a long lasting applause. Adams last name started with the letter “M” as you can imagine, no one after him received such a cheer. (Mine starts with “P” haha!)
Sadly, Adam passed away a few years ago, 6 years after we had been out of high school. He was married and live a full and happy life. It’s simply wonderful knowing he was able to beat the odds that we’re put against him, and the biggest take away for me was never let anyone tell you you can’t or won’t be able do anything!