I Need to Brag!

Sorry, I can no longer contain it. It happened exactly seven days ago.

(I'm a brag but I'm coming out as a hardcore braggart this time.)

At the University Auditorium of my alma mater.

I was on stage with the university president, deans, department heads, professors, and VP for academics.

The university chorale at the left side of the stage. Students filled the auditorium.

I was the guest speaker.

It was 3 PM. The speaker before me (the university president who talked for 20 minutes) lulled half the audience to Z-land. And I needed coffee lest I fall asleep hearing myself speak. It was a dream coming true. I couldn't ruin it for the world.

My turn. I brought my reliable tiny netbook to the podium with my speech in full screen reading. I needed to see the first line of the paragraphs to give the impression I've memorized all my 20-minute long inspire-the-interns speech. And I couldn't help adlibbing. Argh. Then came the applause. Then the next. And the next. Until I stopped counting.

The audience laughed and smiled and beamed. It was paradise.

The speech ended. And more applause.

My former professors bragged I was their former student. The others wished I was.

They presented me with a certificate of appreciation inserted in the university document jacket. (Later that night, I discovered there was an envelope with money inside. Wha? They even had to pay me for a dream-come-true experience? I was floored!)

I came down the stage and walked past the students in the audience. They stayed put to greet me with a smile as they bowed their heads. Some wanted to say something but was too shy to speak. I wanted to encourage them but the professors around me where talking all at the same time.

Wow! I really, really got it made. Not with material things but with the things that matter.

This morning, the services officer presented me my new Macbook.

For lunch, I'm having spaghetti with chicken romano with white sauce and cream dory in butter and lemon sauce. And green tea.

Life is perfection!