The tag line is a reference to one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies, A Few Good Men.
In the scene, Tom Cruise just finished telling his clients that he reduced their jail sentence to six months. “It’s a hockey season!” he says. He is implying that this length of time isn’t that bad.
Since first watching A Few Good Men with my Dad years ago, he always uses this line with me regardless of the time frame…
Three years of teaching- Dad: “It’s a hockey season!”
One year of temping- Dad: “It’s a hockey season!”
Four months to wait to hear back from grad schools-Dad: “It’s a hockey season!”
Okay. I get the point: In the grand scheme, these are really tiny little specks of time and shouldn’t be worried about.
With that I am happy to report that my most recent “hockey season” is over: a.k.a. the past two years of grad school.
This season didn’t come without a few down and out, gloves-off fights at center rink or a few turns in the penalty box. But looking back on things now, I feel like the Stanley Cup Champ, and I’m taking a victory lap with the Cup above my head.
Here’s why…
Totally cool culminating event #1:
The 170 page project that I’ve been poring over for the past four months was passed by my four person committee of professors. Masters degree officially earned!
The toughest question they asked: “What’s next for you, Kathleen?”
My answer:
“I realize that I made this experience a lot harder than it had to be. It was of my own doing. For the past two years, I’ve been in hot pursuit of the answer to that tough life question. I think its about time I sat back, relaxed and let some of those answers come to me for a change.”
They’re response:
Dead silence. Crickets. I stumped the unstumpable.
Well, I would say, “Good answer, Majorsky. Well played.”
The ambiguity of my answer bothers them far more than it bothers me. So I’m going to do exactly that: Sit back, relax and celebrate what I just accomplished. The answers will come.
Totally cool culminating event #2:
Attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as a scholarship winner.
Here’s a little play-by-play…
-On the way there part of my dress got stuck in the taxi door. It ripped off. Bad. Upon arriving to the Hilton in DuPont, my friend VA and I made a beeline for the gift shop to buy safety pins. VA pinned me up. Crisis averted. Phew!
-We road the escalator down to the “Cabinet Room.” This is where our special reception was being held. Who was chilling on the escalator right in front of us? Arianna Huffington. Turns out she was going to the same reception. I later rubbed elbows with her as I was getting a refill on wine.
-Once in the “Cabinet Room,” we saw Seth Meyers-the host of the dinner and the head writer for Saturday Night Live. Of course we got a pic.
We also got pics with…
And of course the big one with the Prez and First Lady. That pic will have to come from the White House Press Association.
It was a heady experience to be waiting in the pic line with celebs. For a moment, we were all on the same playing field.
The Prez and the First Lady are a lot thinner in person. Just FYI.
The President congratulated me, and said I looked beautiful
Mrs. Obama told me to keep up the hard work.
Pic taken.
Then I was shuffled along into the ballroom.
The next part you can watch on CSPAN
The part that you won’t see, but probably was my favorite because it was so heartfelt and sincere:
When we came off of the stage, Steve Buscemi stopped each one of us and shook our hands. Totally unexpected, but totally awesome of him.
I’m pretty sure it is going to take me a week or two to wrap my head around the awesomeness of last night. Pinch me.
What a way to end my hockey season. Now you can understand why I feel like the Stanley Cup Champ skating around the arena with the Cup high above my head
Finally, I would just like to thank y’all for your love, support, prayers and encouragement over the past two years. You all mean the world to me. Those of you who know me well, know that whatever is coming up next will be a crazy, fun, totally amazing adventure because, of course, that’s how I roll. As long as I always keep in mind:
“Eh, it’s a hockey season.”
Lots of love,
Kathleen




