Graduation Day

Commencement ceremonies for Thomas' high school occur today. I'm amazed to think that he is finishing high school. I still remember bringing him home from the hospital, playing soccer with him, travelling with him across country by car or plane, taking him sailing on the Chesapeake, going with him to the Smithsonian, etc. And always talking and arguing. Not arguing as in angry disagreement; but rather as a common exploration of claims that we or others made about the world and our place in it. Our long car rides back and forth from Strathmore were filled with discussion about theology, science and politics. Our drives back and forth to Edmonton and our trip to California were filled with conversation about similiar topics. We talk constantly about family, individual freedom, religion, economics, the environment, politics, and more. All of my kids, of course, participate in these conversations; Thomas pursues them. I love him for it (and much else)!

After arriving in Edmonton, using the Sky Shuttle to get to downtown and taking the bus to the kid's place, Lydia, Thomas and I went to pick up Sebastian. Grandfather moment: we opened the gate to the daycare's playground and Sebastian happened to be right there. He saw me, and ran to me with outstretched arms -- "Grandpa!!!" After I picked him up and we exchanged big hugs, he turned to the others on the playground and announced: "Hey, everybody, my Grandpa's here!" We walked back to the bus hand-in-hand. I'm looking forward to the next several days with him also!

On the flight from Bozeman I started Michael Crichton's State of Fear. Finished it last night before going to sleep. Good read, better than some of his other recent books (despite the scientific footnotes!). A novelized version of The Skeptical Environmentalist. Excellent caricatures of the more extreme and romantic versions of environmentalism, and a defense of those who are environmentalists but not romanticists. The appendix discussing "politicized science" was good, especially his treatment of eugenics.