Graduation

Coming from the hallowed groves of British academe, a graduation at an American university was more like a sporting event. Perhaps that is why my stepdaughter's graduation ceremony at the University of North Florida took place in the arena used for basketball games.

The only pomp and circumstance on display came from Elgar's march of that name as the graduands filed in to take their seats.

The audience whistled, clapped, cheered, yelled and sounded horns as if it were a Friday night high school football game.

When the president of the university appealed to the audience not to cheer in order that the names of the students could be heard, his plea naturally fell on deaf ears. The dignity and decorum during my graduation 37 years ago, at the University of Manchester, were conspicuous by their absence.

Outside, members of a black fraternity went through a ritual stomp routine.

The guy in the gold boots and a friend similarly attired were the last two people to receive their degrees and did a shorter version of the stomp routine on stage.

All in all an interesting afternoon but graduations are definitely not a spectator sport.

My stepdaughter had a second interview for a position as a legal secretary on Tuesday. Yesterday, she was told she had got the job. She can now look forward to her Mediterranean cruise next week without a care in the world.

As a bone cancer survivor, taking her for her chemo sessions at Forth Worth Children's Hospital is still etched in my mind, we are terribly proud of her and pleased with her success. She deserves it.