Post Commence-meant post

Re: Commence: As in returning to what we were seeking to do, until this brief pause in the action. Which is why I would, in my etymology of this so-called "exercise" -- which I will also "address" (spoiler alert!)..."in due course..." (the latter being part and parcel of many such addresses) -- would, at the end of my prepared speech, in case I'm ever called on by one or more of my "all-my-matters" (also a better name for institutions that strive to teach meaningful, relevant, otherwise usable stuff) -- like "All I need to know I learned in K" -- the latter shortened so as to not lose my audience, given that I am probably "addressing" a tough crowd, one which has probably been out celebrating or otherwise stayed up past their bedtime, once they learned they would finally, after all these days, weeks, months...matricu-late...be granted full admittance to "grade school"...The majority of which have probably grown weary of me tying up too much time, especially if you came here expecting I would be finally, after a few detours and departures (two nouns that have already become part of preschool speech listeners), be presenting a post about the implications, meaningful-less of the phenomenon of ties, in all sorts of competitions, those of an athletic nature, as well as what the grads are gradding from -- academic academies...

What?!  One of the main W's of good journalism which, when combined with the correct, combination of punctuation mark, might mark a time of dis-belief. At least one which causes a pause, as in provocative questions and thought (which may be, at this point, the last thing the audience in question, wants to hear..."Great, more questions...") But in one word summarizes one of two dimensions I query those in attendance, some before (as in "what do you think they'll have to say to you that you have not yet heard?") and after ("do you even remember a word they said?") The other dimension, being "So, who was your commencement speaker...?" Accompanied by a sort of Socratic type of exercise, no matter the age, stage, as in open-ended types of questions, without answers...As in I wonder...

Why? They chose this particular speaker, at this particular time in the history of your academic institution...Why, for example, would they bring "Super Nanny" to this place to grant her what's known as an "honorary degree..." what did she do, when did she attend, did you ever even check the registry of your (pre)school to see what future dignitaries, (AKA 'standouts' which is often a point of discussion at such events...what it will take to stand out, from your peers...) and how, why she chose the specific "a few chosen words"...food for thought...

Why, oh Why? You might ask, by this point in the so-called ceremony, many of which get un-ceremoniously disrupted by who else but "disrupters" (the connotation of which has changed with all the .Com gen grads)...why do they call it an "address" when the less impactful "speech" is more accurate form of these addresses -- both of which are put by most grads in the "forgettable" category..."I can't, don't care to remember..."  And why the word "delivery" when the thing has already been signed, sealed, and then opened, reviewed by a bored board, who are assigned the task of reviewing its contents for approval..."Maybe because after the honorary degrees have been offered up, the so-called "key-note" (many times off key according to those in my audience, already lost their relevance from their time it was sent to the Reagents, for pre-approval...) ...perhaps we can finally be delivered from this godforsaken place...the one we will, based on the fore-warning of Rodney Dangerfield in "Back to School" find ourselves begging to "let me back in...it's kinda rough out here, in the real world!" And last, but...why, oh why do they "in the know" call it "exercise" when I, the one trying to sustain your attention, am the only one, thanks in part to this get-up called a "cap and gown" sweating it out...

More Questions than answers: That's the main, effective point of any effective Commencement address, well delivered...OK, time to re-commence. Hope I did not tie up too much of your time, try your patience -- a nice segue to "Tied and True"  Lots left un-addressed.