Defend Your Honor, You Yellow-Bellied %$#)&$)#!

It's defense time. D! ###! D! ###! (my lame attempt at replicating the football game chant...the number signs just don't quite cut it). This Thursday I defend my thesis and, while I don't think I have much to be worried about, it is the final test of my knowledge regarding my masters degree, so a certain unease (which I have) does not seem out of place. Fortunately, my committee members all seem to be reasonable people who have enough self-esteem that they don't need a ego booster shot by trying to make me feel like an idiot. Hopefully the heat doesn't leach all energy from me before then.

Of course, as soon as people learn that I'm done my degree, that great inevitable question will follow - "So, what now?" or "Botany degree...what are you going to do with that?" The correct answer to both questions is, of course, "I don't know." Alternatively, I could answer "I'll sell my great expanse of knowledge and expertise to the highest bidder", but that might be drifting from humility, so I'll stick with "I don't know" for now. It seems that there is a common misunderstanding out there regarding university education. University education is generally focussed on promoting general knowledge and various skills such as reading, writing, and critical thinking. It's primary focus is not preparing a student for a specific job, other than perhaps the Education program. Community colleges, on the other hand, prepare students for specific jobs (eg: you complete the "Plumbing" program so you can plumb). So my education did not prepare me to hold a specific job, though there a variety of jobs out there which I may be qualified to do, thanks to my education. Which one will I pursue? See above for the correct answer.

Here's more pictures of Ivan.

This last picture is of my folks with their grandchildren (William, Austin, Ivan, and James).