Launched a rocket off my head  − 15 May, 1995

College graduation day.

Ken and I had been up all night in the metal shop building a launch platform for a model rocket to clamp over my mortar board during the ceremony. My dad showed up early in the morning just as Ken and I were firing the test rocket in the field behind our dorme.

"What are you up to?"

"Oh nothing. (yawn) Pay no attention to the parachute hanging out of my back pocket." Didn't sleep that night.

The whole launcher disassembled into a few large pieces that I uncomfortably hid under my gown. The 3' long metal launch rod went down my pant leg.I was convinced somebody would catch me during the procession, giggling, pointy things bulging out of my robe, walking completely stiff-legged on one side, smirking.

I sat down and took out all the parts. The senator from the state of science was blathering away about public policy while I put the pieces back together. I stuck the ignitor in the rocket, clamped the whole thing onto my hat and handed the ignition switch to Dougie sitting next to me.

"When I say so, hit this button and hold it down, okay?"

"Got it."

The senator was done with his speech and was about to leave the stage. Oh shit. I was out of time. So I leaned up, held the whole contraption firmly on my head, turned to Doug and yelled a hushed "Now!" and before I had fully stood up the rocket shot off my head, almost horizontally, whizzing straight for the stage! It flew about 10' over the head of a photographer as my cry of "CLASS OF '95!" echoed amidst a stunned crowd. "Ahem. Yeah." Sat down. I looked behind me nervously to see the Dean of Residential Life just 5 rows back glaring at me. I always wondered if that photographer got any good shots.