Should you come here and find a lengthy soliloquy in which I ponder the past four years and in my typical style congratulate myself for being so self directed — unmoved by anything which might get in the way of my goals — you would not be surprised.
You would not be surprised as well, I imagine, reading a random wondering as to life and its purpose — more specifically my purpose, maybe with a list of things I have learned over the past four years thrown in for good measure.
You might not even be surprised if I worked the word “castigate” into it somehow.
Well no such thing will occur this weekend.
I attended my last ever exam and meeting here ever today.
I will be forever grateful for this experience.
I spent the afternoon at a very long lunch turned dinner.
I am tainted this evening.
Life is good.
I’m done.
One more thing.
But for walking across and down the hall four years ago, into a room from which the sound of a violin was emanating, and but for the violin player, film maker, ( and yes very hot guy ), being more than willing to allow me some shelter from what for me at the time was a very large storm, I might not be here. A guy who understood when I wanted a friend and nothing more. Who knew?
So yea, if I had to thank someone other than myself I would thank “The Violin Man”.
Tonight I finish up some packing, next week will be a blur.
Tomorrow the tainting continues and I hope to be back in full untainted form by the time I hit Maryland next weekend.
Until then I’ll post random links to old posts or the posts of others.
Enjoy the “Tainted Love” selections on the side bar.
From the Cure to the Pussy Cat Dolls to the original, pick your poison.
One thing about NY which I will miss.
You can find somewhere to sing Tainted Love and a large contingent to sing it with you in the middle of the afternoon.
I don’t think I’ll find that in Maryland.
Tainted Love?
Who Knows.
Addendum:
If you have time feel free to catch my interview at Analyzing Web Ventures. I put a note on the side blog. A few weeks ago they left a note asking me to do an interview so I finally figured why not.
I believe anyone can send one in though, so you guys ought to go send in an interview.
I’d love to read yours.
Bien hecho. Good luck with the progression of life’s events. Post-graduation is an interesting time. Full of wonder, I think.
I said it once, but good for you.
I wouldn’t have minded the soliloquy, you are good that way.
Thank you for persisting in this blog thing, I have enjoyed the evolution of it.
I favor the tainted love of Pussy Cat Dolls.
Soft Cell…
Oh, to be 16 again :-p
Happy Mortarboards, Cooper. To you and to VM? (Maybe you’ll let him speak for himself on here one day. Or would that be telling? ;) )
Considering I lived a large part of my undergrad years in a tainted blur I highly recommend a rare tainted weekend for you.
I’m partial to the PCD and The Cure versions. Memories.
A toast to you cooper girl.
This post is pure Cooper.
Congrats on the last exam etc
I agree with Jacob – have a rare tainted weekend
And I like Violon Man being in the background of your blog life, but like you I don’t really like to talk about the people in my present day life. The two friends who agreed to be in the blog signed waivers etc
I’m still torn about naming my ex – who signed many things – Noah or Ethan – haven’t because of VM and Shayna’s Ethan. I can be persuaded as it is a lovely name and fits him
I’m all for a lengthy soliloquy. I prefer castigate to castrate.
Tainted: My new favorite word.
Thanks for the concert, because they all sound similar I go for the PCD and the Australians.
old mule: Thank you.
Not sure about the wonder, but I’ll let you know.
joeg: You’ve said it at least once.
evolution, yes good word for it.
Danny: So how old are you again:
OC: Mortarboards. heh, only you would actually use that term. I love it.
Nah, VM does read this sometimes –I think, but overall he lacks interest in the goings on in cyberspace.
Jacob: I find it hard to think of you as tainted, you seem so responsible.
pia: Back round is best I think.
john: believe it or not I prefer castigate to castrate too.
The violin man? I think that’s the first time I’ve heard about him. Maybe you should have the violin man do a guest post. Nah just kidding.
At least now you can have a little rest. This could be the summer of Cooper!
Chris, Chris, Chris,
where have you been.
I have written sporadically about him over a two year period so if you missed it I am not surprised.
When I first met him I actually had a dead journal in which I was mainly posting with a group of old friends. He did start one but wrote in it very infrequently.
It’s funny, some people take to this blogging thing and some do not.
Ethan is a film major/political science major as well as a musician. He expresses himself best on film or in music and that may be why blogging has never appealed to him.
This blog has only gotten better over time so get tainted then come back and do your thing. I graduate a little later and hope some tainting is in my future too.
How nice of you to provide a mini-concert. I’m going with “Milk Incorporated” version.
Congratiulations, Cooper and thanks, violin man.
Congrats, Coop. And thank the Violin Man from all of us :)
Dammit, Doug, I wanted to say that first! JINX!!!
thank you for all those versions of tainted love, very nice!!
casey: i like that version as well. tainted is the way to go except it leaves you without food and quite tired. I’m going back to bed.
Doug: Thanks Dog.
Coyote: Thanks mikey.
Hey I’m a little tired of the violin man getting all the thanks, next time I’ll think better than to thank him in a public blog. ;)
Clau: You are welcome clau. Love your stuff.
Erm… is it just me or do the versions by Soft Cell, The Clash, Depeche Mode and The Cure all sound suspiciously like they’re actually exactly the same??
Would it be completely absurd to suggest that they might just all be the Soft Cell version, but incorrectly labeled?
correct me if i’m wrong…
pippa: I think you’re correct.
I was going to mention that but someone already did and you fixed it already. If you are on turn on your instant messager.
I have one more exam, one of my easiest then I’m done for the term. One more term for me. I will be a little tainted after that exam is over either way.
You weren’t tainted anough to go to a Yankee’s game I bet.
Ah, but graduate degrees await.
The best part of graduate school is that you can actually have conversations with people about academic and policy things when they actually want to be there discussing them from you.
Unfortunately for me, grad school is when I started actually drinking, being such a straigh arrow undergrad.
It’s a whole scene Cooper. Can’t imagine anyone who will fit in better because you’re a hell of a thinker.
Dan: I actually was able to do that here at an undergraduate level which is probably one of the reasons I came here. People seem more goal oriented and it is not as typically “undergrad” as you might find elsewhere. Oh don’t get me wrong there is plenty of vomit in the elevators but there is plenty of other stuff as well, more so than many of my friends have found.
Anyhoo, I have several months of work before I start grad school. I’ll try to fit all my drinking in before that time.
Seriously though, I don’t drink all that often in the “party mode”. I drink with meals and usually partake of one or two gin and tonic surrounded by large columns of water and lime. I am a big fan of control and alcohol seems to get in the way of that .
You were on IM a few seconds ago and I go to chat and poof you are gone. Damn it all.
I hate when comments are off for whatever reason because I don’t get here for every post. I have to post a comment on an old post. Annoying.
I haven’t had time to congratulate you, I’ve been too busy congratulating myself — congratulations.
Maybe I’ll see you before I leave for the coast and if you get time off from your serious job maybe you can grab the surf board and head out for a week or so.
I didn’t have a “violin man” but I had something similar in female form, until last year at least.
I’ve never been clear on your relationship with the violin man, could you elaborate.
I’m sure G knows but I am in the dark.
Since I was one of the few who did not wish you best of luck, great job, yadda, yadda, yadda, and because you turned off the comments under today’s post, I am going to say congrats here. Congrats.
You’ve come a long way, baby.
But Tainted Love still sucks. Its repetitive playing by the freshman next door makes it my 2nd most hated song ever. Right after Stairway to Heaven.
Whatever you write about, you, you, you, shines through. It was just about this time two years ago when you began to comment on the dawg’s blog and mine, and we really did think you were a 40 year old man.
Though the man part must have been Doug who is now a 40 year old male
We have all come a long way, and blogging has been a richer experience for you
dane: I was gone to lunch, graduation thing, then dinner sorry to upset your apple cart.
And you should be clear why again?
sauerkraut: I missed it though — I wasn’t born yet. Was I? Surely you wouldn’t take that away from me.
pia: Yes I’ve gotten more stupid as time goes on. I’m going backwards.….…
Hope it’s not too great to congratulate you. Your post brings back my mood after I finished up everything. It was a great time. Now go out and rule the world. You already have a great foothold with this site.
I’ve missed you inde.
Eagerly awaiting more stories and more pictures.