I earned a piece of paper

This came in the mail today, so I'm all like, official and stuff. I received an email several days ago with my final grades... which, out of principle (grades don't matter), I won't post. But I will say this: the school is of the opinion that I did me some good learnin'.

So, I'm looking at this certificate and I'm thinking a couple of things...

1.  I really, really need to do a follow-up post to my What Are You Passionate About? post about schools and degrees, extrinsic rewards and the importance - or non-importance - of things like certifications and tests and grades.

2.  Although the person who scoffed and dismissed it because it was "just a certificate" program, as opposed to a Bachelor's, sort of hurt my feelings at the time, I am over it.  I worked hard for it.  I studied hard for it.  I put a lot of time and effort into it.  I learned and digested a lot of information in the past year.  Certificate or no certificate, validation or no validation... it was something I was passionate about, and I did it.  And I'm proud of that.

3.  If I keep it on the table much longer, it will, without a doubt, be spilled on by the end of the evening.

Back into its plastic sleeve it went, to be tucked away with all the other things of its kind, never really to be looked at again.

I'm excited to be done with that part of my journey, and I can't wait to start the next piece of the adventure.