Going 4.0 in a 20 Zone

At 11:45 this evening, surrounded by family and friends, I finally got the news. I am relieved, and (inordinately) proud of earning all As this semester. Some of you are thinking big deal, others are thinking of course he did. I'm thinking I earned those suckers, each for a different reason.

Let me be clear: I am not confusing this small achievement with any major life event, nor do I even claim that it has a whole lot of relevance to my educational and career goals. Nevertheless, those As represent something important to me: not that I can do it, but that I did do it. Semantics, yes, but there is a difference. I am a strong starter, often not so good at finishing. My 4.0 is a reminder to me of how very seriously I take this endeavor; it represents not only my desire to achieve and complete what I started so long ago, but to live the next forty years of my life with a clear vision of how I best contribute to the world through my work, and how I live the values that are important to me. The world would be better off if everyone was doing what is most fulfilling to them. By returning to school, I have promised myself not to let fear or shame or laziness or uncertainty determine my future. While I will not let myself get hung up on perfect grades for the next few years, it is important to me that this phase of my life be guided by excellence and hard work. Grades may be an arbitrary measure of learning, but damn, even at my age, straight As feel pretty good.

Writing past midnight is probably a bad idea. But you've hung with me this far; you may as well witness the saccharine along with the cynical. Thanks for hanging with me all semester: I couldn't have done it without your encouragement and good humor (your bad humor helped, too).