Graduation: No aliens so far

[Fireand'chutes77]

Blow the canopy and warm up the booster rockets; I'm pulling the go lever tonight at 7 and ejecting from High School for GOOD!



Hopefully, the thick roof of the local college's sports arena will slow down the Warlordians.

======================





Early one morning a young boy stood at a trailhead. Before him rose a mighty mountain, which seemed all the mightier when compared to his smallness. A trail led to the mountain and twisted up it to incredible heights before vanishing into the clouds.

On this trail the boy could see other boys and young men, some of whom turned and beckoned him to follow.

The boy began to climb, perhaps refusing to believe that he ever could, or would, reach the top. At first the trail rose gently, and the boy had many companions.

But soon he began to sweat and breathe heavily as the trail ratcheted upward, and many of his companions turned away.

And still the boy climbed.

At times he climbed quickly. At times he climbed slowly. At times he had to go down a little way to find another path or stop a while to catch his breath. But still he climbed. The trail became steeper, the air thinner, but the climber scarcely noticed, for he had, along the way, become stronger of body and hardier of spirit.

And still he climbed.

Finally, in the cool peace of eveningtime, he stood alone at the top of the world and looked around him. To his left he saw a fiery golden sunset. Above him spread an edge-to-edge dome of silky-black night sky; brilliant, razor-clear diamonds exploded across the blackness, brighter and clearer and more real than anything he’d ever seen before.

Behind him, he saw the trail that he had followed. He could see other hikers far below, tiny from such height, scrambling over the rocks and following in the footsteps he had made in the untouched dirt.

Below him, he beheld a murky carpet of clouds forming a solid layer spreading from him to the horizon, tinged with golden and pink tops from the dying sun. Rivulets of sweat intertwined and beaded down his temples and the curve of his jaw. But even through the sweat, even though the cuts, even through the tired, aching muscles, he broke into a huge grin. He’d done it. He’d made it.

An alpine gust curled its way up the side of the mountain, slicing furrows through his sweat-darkened hair as it hissed across the peak. The cool, refreshing breeze played across his face and skin. It felt absolutely wonderful.

At the same time, the wind ripped through the clouds, sending them scurrying out of view.

In front of him, bathed in the golden light, he saw another mountain.

And another.

And another.

And another.

And a whole procession of mountains marching off to the horizon. But the young man (for now he was a man) knew that none of these other mountains was insurmountable; that they all could and would be climbed. For he had learned many skills in the climbing of this first mountain, and he would carry those skills with him long after this mountain was swallowed up in the swirling mist.

But he could begin climbing the next mountain tomorrow. Tonight, he would rest and celebrate and ponder the journey he had just completed.




'...Cause -
There's always gonna be another mountain,
I'm always gonna wanna make it move,

Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side,
It's the climb, yeah!

[Fireand'chutes77]

Cousins just rolled in.... Off to an early dinner and then the ceremony!

Booyah!

See you on the other side!

[jeriddian]

Hopefully, the thick roof of the local college's sports arena will slow down the Warlordians.

You mean Lowardians, right?...........

'...Cause -
There's always gonna be another mountain,
I'm always gonna wanna make it move,

Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side,
It's the climb, yeah!

Ooohhhh. I just knew somebody was going to channel Miley Cyrus this month somehow.............:P

Cousins just rolled in.... Off to an early dinner and then the ceremony!

Booyah!

See you on the other side!

Well, just remember, Kim didn't get snatched until the actual ceremony.....

Anyway, Happy Graduation party, 'chutes. Don't do anything I did at my graduation.........

[lunchmeat]

Well, it's after 9 here in the Olde Dumbinion, no reports of alien activity near Richmond (one of my team members lives down there, I'll ask him if he's heard anything), so presumably 'Chutes is now post high school without incident.

As Alice Cooper puts it:

Well we got no choice
All the girls and boys
Maken' all that noise
'Cause they found new toys
Well we cant salute ya
Can't find a flag
If that don't suit ya
That's a drag

School's out for summer,
School's out forever
School's been blown to pieces

No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher's dirty looks

Well we got no class
And we got no principles
We ain't got no innocence
We can't even think of a word that rhymes

School's out for summer
School's out forever
My school's been blown to pieces

No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher's dirty looks

Out for summer
Out 'til fall
We might not come back at all

School's out forever
School's out for summer
School's out with fever
School's out completely

[Rob]

Anyway, Happy Graduation party, 'chutes. Don't do anything I did at my graduation.........

... and just what, pray tell, would that include?

Well, congratulations, 'chutes! As someone once said, "You've taken your first step into a larger world."

[Fireand'chutes77]

I'll ask him if he's heard anything), so presumably 'Chutes is now post high school without incident.

Well, we did have a pretty massive thunderstorm and a lot of rain and huge lightning and I lost my Quill and Scroll cord, so I guess I wouldn't say it wasn't "without incident."

Ooohhhh. I just knew somebody was going to channel Miley Cyrus this month somehow.............:P

But at least it fits!

[Greenmandmz]

Well, no reports of alien activities, so, this bodes well!

Anyways, congrats 'chutes! And remember, graduation isn't the end of the world, just the beginning.

[nachonaco]

Congrats!

I remember my high school graduation.

Highlights:
-"You're a GIRL?!"
-Two girls were fighting. With safety pins.
-I almost tripped over a cable.

[TransWarpDrive]

Congrats!

I remember my high school graduation.

Highlights:

...Two girls were fighting. With safety pins.

I imagine they were jabbing each other with them, and not fencing (a little hard to do that with safety pins - not to mention just plain silly)...

[lunchmeat]

Well, no reports of alien activities, so, this bodes well!

....

Yeah kind of disappointing, you'd think they could have at least come up with crazed robots or something...