Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Blergh. How predictably Millennial of me. Well, joke's on you because whilst I've been alive for all of Green Day's discography, I really only truly became aware of them with American Idiot.

Anyway, good news everybody! If all goes to plan and I don't absolutely kick my own behind or decide to become a university drop out, I should be graduating on August 24th! Yipee! Let me just preface it all with this: I did not anticipate getting this far. This whole university experiment was, in reality, kind of set up as a gag. It was June 2022 and I had sort of just been mulling over life decisions, what I was truly doing, and thinking about what I really wanted to do. I knew I wanted to help people out but how? I realised that I'd put a lot of skill points into language or, at the very least, interest in language. I will not be showing off my character sheet. But it made me realise, how can I help people out with language? I didn't want to become an English teacher (no shade to English teachers or teachers in general, you do a great job) and didn't necessarily want to become an academic so my options were, for the most part, fairly limited. 

That's when I happened upon speech pathology. I was aware of speech pathology and probably would've benefitted from seeing a speech pathologist as a child. It all came to me in that I could help people by pursuing that path. Now I may have been a little quick on the draw, but I did decide that linguistics was probably a good foundation for me to have. I have a base amount of knowledge of language acquisition, phonemic representation, phonetics, and what have you. So, this is why I decided to study linguistics. 

And here we are. I am astounded that I've been dedicated enough, mentally as well as physically, to finish it off. I have one more exam to complete and then that's me free until, hopefully, August 24th.

As most of you would well know, I long for Canada. And, as such, will be returning there come August 25th. Yes, the day after I graduate. Here's the real clincher: I graduate between 6pm and 8pm on the 24th and will be catching a flight outta there come August 25th at 12:05am. Now this might lose some of you here but I am counting that as still on the same day. I graduate between 6pm and 8pm on the 24th, then catch a flight out at 12:05am on the 25th. According to my brain: technically same day… time travel, eh?

I don't have really much else to mention. Turned 40 in April and boy is my back sore. No, really. It is but I hope that's a temporary ailment and not an acquired malady. I also decided to be a clever boy and get my septum pierced. Honestly, I think a nose like this deserves a bit of art like that. And then, less than a week later, I dyed my hair. Look at me go! What is this? A crossover episode with my 20s? I did realise this: nobody really cares about what you look like. I think I'll take that theory with me to Canada.

I suppose the other bit is that I will not be returning to the camp I worked at for 10+ years as Stella. No, instead I will be returning as Wug. Wug is short, sweet, and kind of a "If you know, you know" way. Also, it'll be fun to teach the kids about what the Wug Test was all about! Just hope that JBG doesn't get on me and sue me. You know how she is.

Oh! I am off to Bali next week which promises to be a bit of fun. Going there for a week and spending some time, really, just turning off and operating at minimal capacity for a smidge.. I know those of you who have been to uni will know what I mean. I am going with friends which is always a ball. We're staying up in Ubud and really have some loosey goosey plans. That's what I'm all about. 

I think like every budding guitarist, I have played this song a number of times. But never this version. I think the topic matter certainly fits better with this strumming pattern. No shade to the orchestral section, however I think this is the version my brain will default to more often.