Comments on: Advice Virtue

By: jennifer

jennifer — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:07:17 +0000

How horrific that Coretta Scott King was booed, and at our alma mater, no less. That’s like booing Ghandi. WTF??

And Ed, thank you for the link to that truly inspired graduation speech by the person I normally love to hate, Anne Lamott. It is, very simply, a great speech. I bet the graduates actually remember some of it, too. Beware the cosmic banana peel, and take care of each other. I’m waving a Bic in the air. Can you see it from California?

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:15:10 +0000

Don’t remember who gave our speech at Denison in 1980 (I believe I was very hungover), but in 1983 it was Coretta Scott King and parents actually booed. I was appalled. I did not realize until that moment the parent population was so conservative. Barbara Bush was at Josh’s Pepperdince graduation in 1992 and I thought she was good, but can’t fill in the details.

By: Ed D

Ed D — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:19:11 +0000

OK, Jennifer. Unknowingly, you’ve brought it upon yourself. You asked about great advice from a graduation speech. Actually, I have none from mine — like so many other folks, I will never be able to give you the name of who gave my commencement address at Penn — only that it wasn’t the rumored President (Johnson – the second one), but rather (as I recall) a British surgeon, of all things, of whom no one had ever heard. And of whose speech no one remembers a stitch, I’m sure.

Well, then , how did you bring it upon yourself? By allowing me to tell you: a VERY good commencement speech was delivered in 1996 by . . . your non-pal, Anne Lamott.

It’s called “B+ is just fine” and it’s right here — http://www.salon.com/life/col/lamo/1996/07/08/lamott960624. And while it’s no Desiderata, I hope you’ll agree that 74 years later she came up with some observations, congrats, marching orders and inspirations you’ll find delightful, entertaining, well-wrought and right-on. Every bit as inspiring as, um, Lyndon Johnson might have been.

Give her a shot.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:08:50 +0000

Now I’m curious what donut holes would be a metaphor for…probably the most important part of life or some such drivel. Elizabeth, I’d say Emily got Barbara Bush because Penn is located conveniently close to Washington DC.

By: Elizabeth@Life in Pencil

Elizabeth@Life in Pencil — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:19:20 +0000

So Emily gets a first lady and I get a depressing poet — what gives?!

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:50:06 +0000

I cannot for the life of me remember my college graduation speaker. High school was a very ancient priest, who used donut holes as a metaphor for……no idea. All I remember is donut holes.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:23:47 +0000

Elizabeth, the most depressing graduation speech ever gave me a chuckle…ironically.
I love the advice to Haverford grads – although I’ve often thought it would take an Apocolypse to actually get people – especially those under 30 – to turn off their devices.
OK Emily, if you don’t remember a thing Barbara Bush said, what exactly did you learn? Not to set off the Secret Service?

By: Emily

Emily — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:57:20 +0000

Barbara Bush spoke at our Penn graduation in 1990. I dont remember a thing she said – I do remember getting checked into the boards by the Secret Service when I stepped into the aisle to snap a pic of the first lady as she walked by. That was kinda cool. And I learned something.

By: Awleib

Awleib — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:39:17 +0000

Thanks for the link to the positive.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:25:54 +0000

Bob Herbert advised Haverford College grads this year to get “unconnected” from email, cell phones, etc…in order to really participate in and enjoy life.