June 2, 2026
by Dr. Plastic Picker
I know it didn’t seem much of a pause, but to me it seemed like a pause! I spent the last 5 days gloriously just being a mother. I had a few virtual climate meetings sprinkled in but mostly I was rushing to senior awards ceremony, graduation, noticing the little details of her emotions over friends and pictures and leis – and then we had a family dinner at a beautiful restaurant to just be together the 18 of us who so rarely get to gather together like that. I sat next to Mr. Plastic Picker and we mentally rested with my siblings, and ate fancy food and felt so comfortable. The sun set and the children who are all mostly young adults now ate toward the other end of the table and we watched the sunset frame their conversations. It was a magical time with hundreds of pictures, and only a few shared on social media. When I mean I paused, I mean that so many of those photos and memories and conversations I didn’t share – because they are family memories and family photos and my daughter’s friend memories and friend photos and they belong to the very real world and not the virtual.
But real life is back, and it’s time to dive back in. I’m back to work this morning. Our daughter is stressed out because she has to take her online placement exams, and now Harvard is nagging her for things to complete before she lands on campus. There is always someone waiting for your spot if you don’t get things done at Harvard, so she will spend time doing the nitty gritty of placement exams and online portal management when she thought she’d be working out at the gym and looking cute.
But she was truly gorgeous during graduation!
It was her dream to wear a white graduation ao dai, and we made it happen for her! We do have a professional photoshoot coming up so we are excited to have her get to wear her graduation ao dai, and stole with all the pins correctly placed, and her prom dress one last time. By then she should have finished all the Harvard on-line tasks that is making her current life not fun! But girl! You don’t go to Harvard to just be pretty! She’ll learn you go to make your mark on the world, and bring the causes and community you champion into the spotlight. We are counting on you. No pressure. Just do what you can, and look good while doing it. Our world saving adventure continues to Cambridge, and in San Diego! But thank you to all our blog friends who have been cheering us on. It was really hard for her to get into Harvard! She’s an excellent student but it’s not easy! Phew. I’m glad it all worked out. I don’t think I could write a book or advise anyone about their own children. Our daughter also has no intention of being one of those students who monetizes her Ivy League admissions. Honestly, so much of life is due to serendipity and how do you write a book about that?
I have so many climate emails to send today! If you are waiting for an email from you, I’m getting back to you soon! Just took 5 days off to see our youngest graduate in style!